Hypocyrta

Family. Gesneriaceae.

Origin. Brazil.

Description. The genus Hypocyrta or Nematanthus includes about 30 species of evergreen, usually epiphytic small shrubs, often with woody stems. Members of the species form a characteristic flower with fused petals in the form of a pouch, usually, but not always, with a very small opening between them.

The flowers are axillary, slightly fragrant, about 2 cm in diameter, can be speckled white, pink, orange and red, and look like tiny goldfish. The leaves are dark or bright green, up to 4 cm long, located oppositely on long stems.

Height. The drooping branches can grow up to 50 cm long.

Care at home

When blooms 

The flowering period is very long, perhaps even all year round, but mainly spring and summer. 

Reproduction 

Apical cuttings about 10 cm long in autumn or spring. Let the cut area dry a little for a few hours. Next, remove the lower leaves and dip the base of the cuttings in rooting powder. Place the seedlings in a slightly damp mixture of peat and sand and keep warm at around 21°C, watering very sparingly until rooted.

How to care and trim 

This plant does not present any difficulties in cultivation. To maintain a compact bushy form, hypocyrta stems can be cut back to half their length in the spring, but this is not necessary. 

Soil

Add charcoal, small pieces of pine bark or coconut fiber to the standard peat mixture, ensuring good drainage. 

Transplant 

Replant every year in late winter - spring. Don't use a pot that's too big; Nematanthus likes to be a little cramped. When planting, maintain the same planting depth at which the plant was in the previous pot. Instead of replanting, it is better to use gentle transshipment. 

Diseases and pests

Using water that is too cold can cause yellow spots to appear on the stems. Black spots on stems and leaves indicate a fungal disease caused by too cold water or lack of air movement near the plant. Hypocyrta will not bloom in the absence of a dormant period.

Pests rarely bother you; aphids, whiteflies, spider mites and mealybugs sometimes appear.

Watering 

Water regularly but sparingly with warm water during the spring and summer months, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings. In winter, reduce the frequency of watering in accordance with the room temperature, only avoid completely drying out the earthen clod. 

Containment temperature

In summer, the optimum temperature is 20 - 22 °C. In winter, the bush should be moved to a cooler room with a temperature of 16 - 18 °C. This requirement is not mandatory, but it promotes more abundant flowering.

Lighting

Representatives of this species need a bright sunny place. The bush tolerates partial shade, but the number of flowers decreases. Very good results are obtained by using artificial additional lighting at the beginning of winter, when flower buds are formed and daylight hours are too short. The optimal duration of daylight for hypocyrta is 12 - 14 hours.

Fertilizer

Feed the plant 2 times a month with liquid fertilizer only during periods of active growth. It is advisable to use a weak solution, diluting the fertilizer to half the dose recommended on the package. From the end of September, feeding is stopped and resumed only with the beginning of new growth. 

Spraying 

Spray in hot weather; do not spray in winter. You can also use a room humidifier to increase humidity, or simply group many plants in a confined space. 

Purpose

An excellent decorative bush for a winter garden.

Note

Nematanthus can live indoors for many years.