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Achimenes plants ( a - kim’e - neez ) are penis of the Gesneriad works family . There are twenty - six members in this grouping of repeated plants , all hailing from South and Central America .
You may hear these plants bring up to as the Magic Flower , Hot Water plant or Cupid ’s Bower .
These plants are congener of Gloxinia andAfrican Violets , but they are quite an ancient plant by comparison . African Violets were bring out as houseplants in 1889 . Achimenes plants , on the other hand , have been kept as houseplant since 1778 .
Achimenes Care
Size & Growth
Different species may change in size , but loosely address Achimenes industrial plant acquire to be one or two feet gamy and wide .
The leave-taking of the Achimenes plant are rather furry and exhibit bronze , red , and burgundy high spot . Some varieties have unadulterated green foliage .
Flowering & Fragrance
The flowers of healthy plant fairly well address the entire flora . The blooms resemble those of petunias and come in shadowiness of :
There are also many combined variegations of these colors .
Light & Temperature
If you have conditions suited for African Violets , you have conditions suitable for any case of Achimenes plant . They care Lot of bright collateral sunlight throughout most of the day , but they can endure verbatim sunlight early on in the morning or in the eve .
These plants like to be kept warm , and a room temperature ranging from 65 ° to 75 ° degrees Fahrenheit are best . In the wintertime , they can endure temperature down to 55 ° degrees Fahrenheit . temperature higher than 80 ° degree Fahrenheit cause bud drop .
Watering & Feeding
Soil should be kept evenly moist throughout the growing season and slightly dry during the wintertime . If the dirt becomes too dry during the maturate time of year , the plant life will become dormant .
These tropic flowering plants like relatively high ( 40 % ) humidness levels .
Throughout the grow and bloom season , use a weak resolution of water - soluble houseplant fertilizer on a monthly basis .
Soil & Transplanting
Grow Achimenes in loose , well draining , slightly acidic potting soil . Add constituent matter to keep consistent wet levels .
A good combination include equal parts of vermiculite , folio mold , peat moss , and perlite or coarse sand . Standard African Violet mixture works well .
Plant Achimenes bulbs promptly after buy them . Barely hide them with about a half - column inch of a good potting mix . It ’s better to set a larger number of lightbulb in a larger potty then to plant one or two electric light in smaller tidy sum .
Ideally about fifteen bulbs should be institute in an eight - inch pot . This combination allows enough soil to be used for good moisture retentivity . Smaller passel with fewer light bulb lean to dry out out more quickly .
Do n’t add any plant food or soil amendment such as manure at the time of planting . Wait until the industrial plant are grow well before adding any nutrients .
If you ’re start up your hot water plant outside , place the pots in a sheltered area under light shade until the plants are well underway , then move them to a bright scope .
If begin them indoors earlier in the spring , keep them in a sour arena such as a cellar or beneath a greenhouse bench until sprouts appear . Then move them to a promising windowpane .
Repot every two years .
Grooming & Maintenance
As the weather cools , your plants will break down back . Cut back the stagnant foliage and winter your hot water plant in a coolheaded , dark place such as under a greenhouse work bench or in your basement until previous winter when they will begin to shoot on their own .
During this time , you ’ll want to keep the soil very slimly moist . If the tubercle are permit to dry out all they will shrivel up and die .
Do n’t remove the tubercles from the soil for store . If you do this , they are certain to dry out out and drop dead .
How To Propagate Achimenes Plant
For the most part , these plant life of course increase quite prolifically so you really do n’t need to put much attempt into propagation . The tuber will breed and propagate , and you’re able to carve up them when you repot your plants .
Achimenes may be propagated by taking stem baksheesh cuttings of late in the spring or early in the summer . They may also be propagated through rhizome part .
If you do n’t have memory access to stem cuttings or tubers , you’re able to grow these plant from seeded player . However , it ’s a bit difficult and the mortality rate can be rather mellow . If at all possible , rootstock sectionalization is the in effect pick with theme tip cutting ladder a secretive second .
Achimenes Plant Pests or Diseases
thrip can be problematic in the flowers because it ’s easy for them to hide in the farseeing , tubular blossoms . Cyclamen mites , whitefly , andaphidsare also draw in to these plant .
For the most part , proper care and the correct amount of humidity will keep these pests under dominance .
Is the Achimenes Considered Toxic or Poisonous?
There are no reports of perniciousness in any of the mintage of Achimenes . Even so , the works is not moot eatable and should not be consumed . Keep in mind that favorite and child can also be harm by cash in one’s chips on flora parts – even non - toxic ones !
Is Achimenes Invasive?
Although this plant can be used as an easy - care ground cover in tropical options , such as Florida , it is not deliberate invasive .
Suggested Uses For Achimenes
Magic Achimenes flower makes a wonderful companion for your African Violet collection . The wide range of colors bring interest and variety , and the plants require exactly the same attention as African Violets .
In tropical and semi tropical place setting , these plants can be used as bedding plant life and groundcover throughout the spring and summer calendar month and into the fall .
Cupids Bower is especially attractive displayed in flow hoop under Tree or on the porch or terrace . The plant is also quite pretty spill over the sides of a container planting .
