Ruellia – this is a flower, which, in its external characteristics, is very reminiscent of representatives of the Gesneriev family.
In particular, the buds of this plant are similar to the inflorescences of streptocarpus. But in fact, Ruellia belongs to the Acanthov family and this is clearly visible in her care, as she likes warmer conditions, while the representatives of the Gesnerievs grow well in a cool place. The flower got its name by the name of J. de la Ruelle, a physician and botanist from France, who lived in the 16th century.
Popular types of ruellia
Under natural conditions, it grows in the tropics and subtropics of America. In the wild, it can reach 1-2 m in height.
Representatives of this genus will be both shrubs and semi-shrubs. Ruelliaas a houseplant is more common in herbaceous form, which has drooping stems. When in contact with the ground, the shoots sprout roots.
Ruellia is thermophilic, with very beautiful velvety dark green leaves, on which whitish or silver streaks are clearly visible.
The flowers are tubular, pink, white, red, sometimes yellow, up to 4 cm in diameter, solitary, located in the leaf axils.
The fruit is a capsule, small seeds are discarded when ripe and germinate quickly.
The flowering period of this indoor plant passes in a special way. The first buds that appear fall off very quickly. Their life lasts only from morning to afternoon. They are replaced by others that replace each other for a long time, from August to December.
In some cases, at home, it blooms all year round.
Look at the Ruellia in the photo during the flowering period, it can become a real decoration of your windowsill.
It is often used as an ampelous plant or as a background plant in winter gardens.
There are more than 200 types of ruellia. Most popular:
Ruellia Devosi (R. devosiana).
Ruellia Caroline (R. carolinensis).
Ruellia Beautiful (R.formosa).
Ruellia Makoya (R. takouapa).
Ruellia Portella (R. portellae).
Ruellia Pink (R. rosea).
Familiarize yourself with the external features and characteristics of some ruellias, depending on the species.
Ruellia Devosa is a herbaceous plant that has a branched stem, up to 45 cm high. The leaf is oblong, distinguished by pronounced purple veins. This species produces single buds of a white or lilac hue. The flowering period begins in autumn and lasts all winter.
Ruellia Portella also applies to perennial herbaceous plants. It has lodged stems, which, when their nodes come into contact with the ground, take root. The leaves of this species are dark green, oblong, with white veins. The buds are quite large, pink in color and begin to appear by the end of summer.
Ruellia McCoy is a perennial shrub with hanging shoots. Its leaves are quite large, reaching 8 cm, ovoid, serrated along the edges. In color, they are green with a silvery sheen, purple on the underside, with distinct yellow streaks.
Ruellia caroline (R. carolinensis) – can be used as an ampel houseplant, has lilac flowers. Of all the representatives of the Acanthus family, it is considered the least whimsical. Houseplant Caroline ruellia can easily withstand low light and thrive in the shade. Differs in creeping shoots, on which dark green leaves are located.
Ruellia beautiful (R.formosa) distinguished by crimson flowers.
Growing Ruellia
Ruellia is photophilous, but in spring and summer it must be shaded from direct sunlight. A characteristic feature of plants of the genus Ruellia is that when grown in insufficiently lit places, their contrast in leaf color will manifest itself with greater force, but the quality of flowering will suffer.
The ideal temperature is 18-20°C in spring. In summer, the optimal content of the plant will be at 20 – 25 ° C, and in winter the indicators should not fall below 12 ° C and remain within 16-18 ° C. The indoor flower of the Ruellia genus loves to grow in warm soil, so the pot should be insulated on a cold windowsill.
In hot weather, to increase the humidity of the air, it is recommended to put the pot on a tray with gravel and water. During this period, it is important to regularly spray the flower.
The substrate should be prepared from soddy and leafy soil, humus, sand and peat (2:2:1:1:1).
The plant needs spraying and abundant watering. Soil moisture is almost the same throughout the year, but after the end of the flowering period it is slightly reduced. It should be remembered that ruellia, when caring for it, will not tolerate drying out of the soil. The soil should always be moist, but not flooded.
It is also important to carry out regular spraying of greens from a spray bottle during the hot period. For this, as well as for irrigation, use warm, settled water.
During the growth period, flower fertilizers are applied 2 times a month. This top dressing helps to increase the number of buds.
Ruellia, when caring for at home, requires that the shoots be pinched periodically. If the plant drops its leaves due to a sharp drop in temperature or insufficient air humidity, the shoots are pruned or the flower is re-grown from cuttings.
Transplanting into a new pot takes place in the spring from March to May. For young plants, it is carried out annually, and for older ruellias, such procedures should be done as needed (when the roots occupy the entire pot). For good growth of this indoor flower, he should pick up a shallow planting capacity, but wide enough.
Look at the ruella, which is provided full care at home, in the photo. With timely watering, the correct temperature, air humidity, it will delight you with lush greenery and abundant bright flowering.
Ruellia breeding methods
There are three ways to spread a plant:
- Seeds.
- layering.
- Cuttings.
Ruellia indoor flowers, with proper care at home, give good planting material in the form of branches and cuttings, which can be used for breeding. New varieties and hybrids of this plant are grown by seeds, therefore this type of reproduction is used only by breeders.
Propagation by cuttings is carried out by cutting shoots by 5-10 cm. These works begin in early autumn at a temperature of 20-22 ° C. Rooting takes place either in water or by planting planting material directly into the soil. In one pot, you can plant 3 cuttings at once.
When propagating ruelia by layering, the tops on the shoots are sprinkled with moist soil mixture. As soon as it takes root, it is separated from the mother plant.
With such methods of reproduction, the flower takes root and develops very quickly. After six months of proper care, a houseplant will give the first buds.
Look again at the Ruellia flower in the photo. Delicate buds and lush greenery make this houseplant a real find for flower growers who, with minimal care, get a beautiful decoration for any windowsill.