Sanvitalia

Family. Asteraceae.

Origin. Central America.

Description. Sanvitalia is a small genus consisting of 7 annual or perennial plants with creeping, branching shoots. The leaves are green, oval or lanceolate, with pronounced veins, 5 - 7 cm long, arranged in pairs. The flowers resemble a sunflower - yellow, orange or white, often with a dark center, and bloom very profusely. The plant forms dense mats of round shape.

Height. 20 – 60 cm, grows quickly.

Planting and care

Growing at home 

After flowering, shoots that are too long are cut off. 

Reproduction

Seeds are sown in the spring, they are lightly pressed into the surface of the soil without covering them with soil. The germination period takes 10 - 14 days. 

Growing conditions - temperature

In spring and summer, keep plants at a temperature of 18 - 22 ° C. In autumn, you can move the sanvitalia to a cooler place.

Soil 

Loose soil with plenty of organic matter and good drainage.

Watering 

Water regularly in the warm season, when sanvitalia is actively growing. In autumn, reduce the frequency of watering and dry the soil to half its depth in the winter months. Excess moisture from the pan is drained a few minutes after watering.

Lighting

The bush can be successfully grown both in bright light and in partial shade, but in the latter case its flowering will not be as lush.

Fertilizer

During the growing season, feed with water-soluble fertilizers every 2 weeks.

When it blooms 

Sanvitalia blooms from late spring, all summer and until mid-autumn. 

Transplantation 

Representatives of this genus are often grown as annual plants and do not need replanting. After flowering, the bush is simply thrown away. If you decide to leave the plants for several years, replant them in the spring, before flowering, annually.

Spraying 

If the indoor air becomes too dry, you can use a tray of wet pebbles to increase humidity. 

Pests and diseases

When properly maintained, sanvitalia is rarely subject to pest attacks.

Purpose

An excellent ground cover or hanging plant. 

Varieties:

Sanvitalia procumbens

A flowering annual herbaceous plant with lodging stems up to 30 - 45 cm long. The leaves are green, lanceolate, entire, sessile or on short petioles, reaching a length of 5 cm. The flowers are yellow, with oblong petals and often with a dark center, reminiscent of a sunflower. Peduncles are thin, with slight pleasant pubescence. 

Sanvitalia speciosa

A compact flowering annual that forms small bushes with a rounded crown up to 25 - 30 cm high. The shoots are often lodging, green or burgundy, covered with slight pubescence. The leaves are lanceolate, green, sessile. The leaf blades are slightly bent along the central vein. The flowers are yellow, solitary, appear at the tops of the shoots and reach a diameter of 2 cm. Flowering is very abundant.