Radermachera

Family. Bignoniaceae.

Origin. Tropics and subtropics of China.

Description. Radermachera or stereospermum is a lush evergreen perennial shrub with branching stems. With age, the stems become woody and covered with brown bark. The leaves are shiny, green, complex - consisting of several pairs of beautiful carved leaves. Blooms with single, large, bell-shaped, white flowers that have a pleasant aroma. There are variegated forms of stereospermum.

Height. It grows quite quickly and reaches a height of about 1 m in indoor culture.

Caring at home

Propagation

Semi-woody stem cuttings obtained by pruning in late summer or spring, using growth hormones. The cuttings are planted in loose, nutritious and moist soil. Rooting is carried out under a plastic or glass cover for 3 weeks. Cuttings root successfully even in a simple glass of water. Seeds sown in spring at a temperature of 21 - 25° C. Seeds should not be covered with a layer of soil - they need light. Germination occurs within 1 - 1.5 months. Mature plants can be divided during spring replanting. 

Flowering time

Radermachera rarely blooms indoors. 

How to care

The radermachera is quite easy to keep at home, but it cannot tolerate polluted air. The plant loses its attractive appearance without pruning - it becomes lanky. Pinch the tips of young shoots for better branching.

Transplant 

Replant adult specimens in spring, every 2-3 years, if the pot becomes too small for them or there is a need to change the soil. The size of the tree can be controlled by the size of the pot - in a large container the plant accelerates its development. When planting, maintain the same planting depth at which the plant was in the previous pot.

Diseases and pests 

Leaves turn yellow and fall off when using tap water for irrigation. The plant loses its leaves when there is prolonged drought or the presence of pollutants in the air. Foliage turns yellow when overwatered and stagnant. Direct sunlight leaves burns on the leaves, but lack of lighting causes indoor radermachera to shed its lower leaves. The plant does not like “cold feet”, so in winter you can place a thin sheet of foam under the pot, and water only with water at room temperature. The new growth that appears is stunted and much lighter than the old leaves - the bush is experiencing a lack of light.

Harmful insects - spider mites, scale insects, aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies.

Soil

Loves nutritious, well-drained soil with a high organic content, based on peat.

Watering radermachera 

Water regularly and generously during the warmer months. Allow the top layer of soil to dry out slightly between waterings. In winter, when kept cool, simply protect the soil from drying out. For irrigation, use softened water at room temperature.

Feeding 

Carry out regular fertilizing with water-soluble fertilizers during the growing season - from May to September, monthly. In the fall, feeding is stopped and resumed only in the spring, with the beginning of new growth.

Light 

The radermachera does not like direct sunlight and prefers to be in a well-lit area with ample amount of reflected sunlight. 

Temperature contents

In spring and summer, the ideal temperature range is from 21 to 24 ° C. In autumn, the temperature is gradually reduced and the plant spends the winter months at a temperature of 15 - 18 ° C. Do not expose the indoor plant to temperatures below 10 ° C. 

Spraying

It tolerates dry indoor air well, but to make the tree look healthier, it should be sprayed periodically in the morning.

Varieties:

Radermachera sinica

An evergreen large tree, which in its natural habitat can reach a height of 25 m. Thin, green, abundantly branched plant stems form a lush crown. The leaves are compound, up to 70 cm long, consisting of heart-shaped, glossy, green leaves up to 5 cm long. The flowers are fragrant, beige or cream, up to 7 cm long. 

Radermachera Kunming

Abundantly branching shrub or small tree. The stems are thin, green, branch profusely, become woody with age and become covered with brown bark. The leaves are compound, consisting of green, glossy, lanceolate leaflets on short petioles. The plant is distinguished by abundant flowering - the flowers are funnel-shaped, white (less often peach or pinkish) with 6 rounded petals and an orange center. During the flowering period, the plant emits a charming sweetish aroma.