Smitianta - care and reproduction at home, photo species and varieties

Smithyantha (Smithiantha) - a perennial houseplant from the Gesneriaceae family. The culture is characterized by erect stems 50-60 cm tall with oppositely arranged leaves. Heart-shaped leaf plates with serrated edge, pubescent. The root system consists of long scaly rhizomes.

Smitianti flowers are tiny bells no larger than 5 cm in size. Their color varies from saturated orange to various shades of yellow, pink and red. Homeland Smithyans are mountainous regions of Mexico and Guatemala.

Pay attention also to the plants of Achimenes and Columnae from the same family.

Smitianta: home care. Briefly

Smitianta at home requires sufficient complex care. In its cultivation there are a number of features:

Care for the smytiant at home. In detail

Homemade smytiant requires strict adherence to the rules of care. The plant is particularly sensitive to humidity and dormancy.

Flowering Smithyantes

The flowering period of Smithyant lasts from early summer to late autumn. Flowers are bell-shaped, collected in inflorescences of racemose type.

The flower stalk rises above the leaves. Depending on the type, the color of the flowers can be bright yellow with characteristic spots of red to pure red or a mixture of orange and pink.

Temperature mode

The smytiant plant at home is grown at a temperature of + 22-25 °. With the onset of the dormant period, after all the leaves of the plant die, the temperature is reduced to + 15-17 °. Under such conditions, the smithant is kept until spring.

Spraying

Care at home should be carried out using constant spraying. In conditions of low humidity, the leaves of the plant may curl. During spraying, water should not fall on leaves and flowers. To increase the moisture level, the pot with the plant can be placed on a pallet with wet pebbles, expanded clay or moss.

Lighting

Smitianta at home is grown in well-lit places without direct access to sunlight. Windows of the western and eastern orientation are best suited for her. When placed on the south side, the plant must be shaded. To do this, you can use a light tulle curtain or white paper. The flowering quality of smithiant directly depends on the level of illumination.

Therefore, plants placed on the northern windows, bloom extremely reluctantly.

Watering

During the period of active growth, the smithiant requires regular, but moderate watering. The plant is watered after drying of the topsoil. In this case, the moisture level of the substrate should be constantly monitored. Even a single bay or overdry can lead to the death of the plant. Watering is carried out only with standing water through a pan or along the edge of the pot.

Pot for Smithy

The Smithyant has a superficial root system. Therefore, for its cultivation, wide and shallow containers are best suited. The pot can be either plastic or ceramic.

Priming

For the cultivation of smithiant, a peat-based substrate is required. For greater friability, chopped moss or vermiculite is added to it. You can also use ready-made substrates for growing violets or begonias.

Fertilizer and fertilizer

During the growing season from March to October, the Smithyant is fed with any universal fertilizer for flowering indoor plants. Top dressing is applied once every 2 weeks.

When diluting fertilizer, the recommended concentration is reduced by 2 times.

Smithy Transplant

Transplantation of Smithyant is carried out in early spring after a period of rest. The first time after planting, rhizomes are watered limitedly, the soil should be in a slightly moist state.

After the appearance of sprouts, watering is increased and fertilizers begin to be applied.

Pruning

Does not need to trim the smithiant. After the onset of dormancy, dead leaves are simply gently removed from the plant.

Rest period

To create a resting period, the smithiantes provide a reduced temperature within + 15 °. Pots with asleep rhizomes rearrange in a dry, dark place. During dormancy, the soil in the pot should not completely dry out. Therefore, it is moisturized once a month. With a large number of plants, rhizomes are dug up after drying up the aerial parts, dried and placed in boxes with peat or sand.

Growing smithiantes from seeds

Smithyant seeds are sown in early spring. To do this, prepare a nutritious, loose substrate. The seeds of the smithiant are photosensitive, they are sown on the surface of the soil, without seeding. For germination, they need high humidity, so the seed tank is covered with a piece of film. Shoots appear after about 3 weeks. After the development of a pair of real leaves, they are dived into separate pots.

Propagation of the smithiant by cuttings

The propagation of smithianti is possible with apical cuttings 5-6 cm long. A high level of humidity is necessary for their rooting. They are planted in small greenhouses with a loose, nutritious mixture. By autumn, full-grown plants will grow from cuttings, which will bloom after a dormant period.

Diseases and Pests

When growing smithianti, you can encounter a number of problems:

• Smitianta does not bloom. The plant suffers from a lack of lighting or nutrition.
• Brown spots on the leaves of smithiant occur when hard or cold irrigation water gets in.
• Gray plaque on the leaves arises as a result of the development of a fungal disease. The reason is inadequate ventilation.
• Pale yellow spots on smithiana leaves indicate a lack of batteries. They can also occur due to sunburn.
• Deformed leaves are observed with insufficient humidity.

Of the pests on the smithiante the most frequently settled: whitefly, aphid, thrips.

Types of homemade smithiantes with photos and names

In indoor floriculture, the following types of smithiants are most often used:

Smithiantha multiflora

White flowers, numerous, collected in a brush. The leaves are soft, with characteristic pubescence, without a pattern.

Smithyantha striped (Smithiantha zebrina)
The leaves are saturated green, without a pattern. The flowers are pink with slight yellowness.

Smithyantha Hybrid (Smithiantha x hybrida)

The species is about 40 cm high. The leaves are large, heart-shaped, with a characteristic pattern of brick-red color. The flowers are pink with a slight yellowish tinge.

Smithiantha cinnabarina (Smithiantha cinnabarina)

Miniature view with a height of not more than 30 cm. Leaves with pubescence of red color. Flowers no larger than 4 cm.