Eugenia

Family. Myrtaceae.

Origin. South America.

Description. Eugenia is a tropical, slow-growing, evergreen, extremely ornamental shrub, very dense and branched. The leaves are simple, glossy, opposite, ovate, up to 7 cm long. Young leaves and stems are covered with burgundy hairs. The flowers are white, cream, red, fragrant, with 4 petals and numerous, very long stamens, collected in small inflorescences - axillary racemes or solitary. After flowering, round, orange-red, juicy berries with a diameter of 2 - 5 cm are formed.

Height. Reaches a height of 6 meters in nature, in indoor culture it can grow up to 2 m with good care, but this will take several years.

Home care

Temperature conditions

Normal room temperature at home is suitable for warm months. In winter, provide a rest period at lower temperatures - about 15 ° C. Do not expose the bush to temperatures below 10 ° C.

Lighting

Eugenia needs to be provided with maximum sun in autumn and winter. In summer, arrange shading on hot days. Additional lighting with fluorescent lamps is possible in winter and autumn.

Care

Trim stems that are too long in spring to encourage branching and maintain a nice compact shape. It tolerates pruning well. Does not like sudden changes in living conditions - acclimatize gradually over 1 - 2 weeks. Pinch out young shoots often. 

Substrate

Any loose and nutritious soil with good drainage and slightly acidic pH. To improve drainage, add 20% sand to the soil.

Feeding

Feed with liquid fertilizer every two weeks during active growth, about once a month in winter. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers - the trees will not bloom as profusely.

Purpose

Eugenia needs warm, sunny and humid conditions in summer and cooler conditions in winter. This species is sometimes grown as an indoor bonsai.

Flowering time

Blooms in late spring, at the age of 5 - 7 years, but only with very good care. 

Air humidity

This species requires high humidity. Place the pot on a tray filled with damp pebbles or use a room humidifier. Mist the leaves and place the plant in a well-ventilated area.

Soil moisture

Water generously with soft water, but do not allow moisture to stagnate in the tray. Let the soil dry out a little between waterings - eugenia will not tolerate overdrying of the earth ball.

Transfer

Young seedlings are replanted several times during the first year of life. As they grow, such bushes require a larger pot. Adult specimens are replanted in the spring, once a year. For large tub trees, the replanting of which causes difficulties, the top layer of soil is changed annually for fresh substrate. It tolerates replanting easily and prefers plastic pots to ceramic ones.

Reproduction

Propagated by seeds, which are sown in spring. The planting material is pre-soaked in warm water with the addition of growth hormones, and the seedlings are left in a warm room at a temperature of 25 ° C. Propagation by salt-ripened cuttings is possible throughout the year, but mainly in warm weather. Remove the lower leaves from the cuttings and dip the base in rooting powder. Place in a damp mixture of peat and sand, cover with glass or a polyethylene cap to maintain humidity. The bushes bloom already in the first year of life.

Pests and diseases

The plant loses its leaves and rots when it is over-moistened and stagnant, or kept in a too dry atmosphere or lack of light.

Sometimes the flower is attacked by spider mites, scale insects, whiteflies and mealybugs, as well as aphids, but this happens relatively rarely.

Note

Can live in indoor culture for many years. The plant cleans the atmosphere of harmful impurities. Sometimes after purchase it is easier to root a cutting taken from a tree than to grow an adult specimen.