Cobaea

Family. Polemoniaceae.

Origin. Peru and Mexico.

Description. A fast growing vine with compound leaves consisting of 4 - 6 green, bluish-green lanceolate leaflets.

The plant has branched tendrils that help it cling to support. The tendrils are located at the top of the stems and are modified leaf blades.

The flowers are large, up to 8 cm in diameter, single or collected in small axillary inflorescences of 2-3 buds, very reminiscent of bells. At first, the flowers have light shades - greenish, white or cream, but as they fade, they become darker - blue, pink, purple or burgundy, and have a musky aroma. The smell intensifies in the evening and night hours.

The buds are often completely hidden by foliage.

After flowering, kobeya forms fairly large, four-leafed, oblong seed pods with large seeds.

Height. Reaches a height of 10 m in nature. In culture it rarely exceeds 2 m. It develops quickly - shoots reach a height of 5 meters or more in just one season. 

Growing in open ground

Cobaea is planted in open ground in the form of seedlings - bushes aged 3 - 3.5 months.

Before planting, pots with plants are taken outside during the daytime, gradually increasing the time spent in the fresh air. Such measures harden the flowers and help them better adapt to new living conditions. When the bushes have been outside for 24 hours, they can be transplanted into the garden.

Planting is done in the morning or evening, preferably in cloudy weather. As for the timing, transplanting into the garden should be done in the second half of May or early June - during this period, the likelihood of the last frosts is already low.

To grow a flower, you should choose an area protected from strong gusts of wind. The plant will feel great in a well-lit or slightly shaded place. Lowlands and areas of land with groundwater close to the surface are not suitable for growing cobaea.

The area is dug up and cleared of weeds. Depending on the planting scheme, planting holes are prepared, located at a distance of 0.5 - 1 m from each other. The size of the planting holes should be slightly larger than the root ball.

If the soil in the garden is too heavy, then add a sufficient amount of river sand to loosen it.  

Cobaea develops very quickly and requires increased amounts of nutrients. The soil is additionally enriched with a good amount of organic matter in the form of humus, cow or horse manure. Manure should be well rotted, since when fresh it can burn the delicate root system of young plants.

If there are no organic fertilizers, then superphosphate granules can be added to the soil.

The bushes are removed from old pots and placed in holes, sprinkled with the prepared mixture. When transshipping, a trellis or other support is placed next to the flower.

After planting, the soil is slightly compacted and watered with plenty of warm water. To prevent moisture from evaporating quickly from the soil surface, the base of the plant is covered with a layer of mulch consisting of burnt sawdust, straw, mown grass or peat. If the air temperature drops below 5°C at night, then young flowers should be covered with non-woven material at night.

Further care will consist of timely weeding, loosening the soil and watering.

With the beginning of growth, fertilizers with a high nitrogen content are used, since it is this element that allows the formation of a dense green mass. By the beginning of flowering, the vines are provided with fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium - they contribute to the formation of a large number of buds. Top dressing is carried out every 2-3 weeks. Excellent results are obtained by alternating organic and mineral fertilizers.

In open ground, cobaea is grown as an annual plant, since it is not able to withstand winter frosts.

In order to preserve the plant for the second and subsequent years, before the onset of night frosts, the entire green mass of the vine is cut off at a height of about 10 cm. from the surface of the soil, the rhizomes are dug up and planted in large tubs. Such tubs are stored in a dark, fairly dry and cool place - for example, in the basement. 

The air temperature in the basement during storage should be between 7 and 11 degrees Celsius.

The soil in the pots is protected from drying out completely by watering every 3 to 4 weeks.

At the beginning of spring, the tubs are taken out of the basement and placed in a warm place with good lighting, and they also begin to water little by little.

Planting and care

Reproduction

Unfortunately, the germination rate of even fresh seeds leaves much to be desired and often does not exceed 30%. 

Since the surface of the seeds is covered with a very hard shell that prevents germination, pre-sowing treatment is critical.

Seeds are sown in early spring, after soaking them for several days in warm water.  The main difficulty when soaking is the selection of a suitable container - the seeds should not come into contact with each other in the water.

The seeds are checked 2-3 times a day - they are taken out of the water and the soggy layers of the shell, which resemble mucus, are peeled off with your fingertips. If the shell is not completely removed, the seed is again immersed in water. 

Instead of a container with water, you can use well-moistened gauze or a bandage to soak the seeds - the container with wet gauze is covered on top to prevent moisture evaporation.

Plant seeds can be kept in damp gauze until a small root appears on each seed.

From time to time, in order to prevent mold from appearing in the gauze, it is changed along with the water.

When the planting material is thoroughly cleaned of mucus residues, you can begin sowing.

Sowing of seeds is carried out in late winter or early spring.  Individual planting will allow you to do without picking when propagating cobaea - as they grow, small bushes can be carefully transferred to larger pots. 

1. For sowing, prepare small plastic cups with a volume of about 0.5 liters, with drainage holes in the bottom. 
2. A drainage layer 2-3 cm high is placed at the bottom of the cups.
3. The cups are filled with nutritious and loose substrate consisting of peat and river sand.
4. Before sowing, the substrate is thoroughly moistened using a fine spray bottle.
5. The seeds are laid out on the ground with the flat side down and the convex side up and covered on top with a layer of earth about 1.5 cm thick.
6. Seedlings are kept at a temperature of approximately 18 ° C, germination takes 3 - 4 weeks.

Do not throw away cups with ungerminated seeds - they can germinate within several months. Before germination, the soil in the cups is kept evenly moist. 

The first transshipment is carried out when each plant can boast of real 2 - 3 leaf blades - usually this happens at the age of about 2 weeks.

The bushes are thoroughly watered and removed from the cups, carefully transferred to flower pots with a volume of about 3 liters. When transshipping, you should immediately provide support for the flower. 

Do not be afraid of too large a pot - cobaea develops very quickly and will fill the free space of the soil with its roots within a very short period of time.

Plants grown in sufficient quantities of substrate form a large fibrous root system with a large number of suction roots, and therefore such specimens will be larger and bloom profusely.

The first buds form within 4–5 months after sowing.

Cobaea propagates well from stem cuttings. 

1. Cuttings, about 10 cm long, are taken in the spring from adult plants at least 2 years old. 
2. Cuttings are separated with a sharp, sterile instrument in the spring, when the vine shows the first signs of new growth.
3. The cuttings are cut immediately below the leaf node, the lower leaves are removed when planting.
4. Root the cuttings in moist, loose soil using a root formation stimulator.
5. The substrate is made up of peat, humus and river sand, which can account for up to 30 - 50 percent of the total volume of the mixture.
6. The cuttings are immersed 2 - 3 cm in well-moistened, loose soil and thoroughly sprayed with a spray bottle.
7. Young plants are covered with glass to maintain a high level of air humidity.
8. The seedlings are placed in a warm (with a temperature of about 25 degrees Celsius) and well-lit place.

It is worth remembering that seedlings should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Unfortunately, plants obtained from cuttings bloom less abundantly than those grown from seeds.

You can root the cuttings in a glass of water - when the roots reach 2-3 cm in length, you can plant them in the substrate.

For some time, such specimens will not show signs of growth - their root system will need time to adapt to the new conditions.

When it blooms 

July - October.  Flowering is very abundant and long lasting with proper care. When grown in open ground, flowering can only be interrupted by the onset of frost.

Each individual flower will remain open and attractive for only a few days, but the buds will constantly replace each other.

For flowering to occur, the vine will require compliance with certain rules of agricultural technology. 

Cobaea at home 

Long thin stems need support, which the plant will quickly weave around.

Periodically pinch the tips of young stems to encourage the development of side shoots. If the leaves hide the flowers, remove them.

To maintain a neat and compact shape, cut the stems to a third of their length in February.

Remove drooping flowers to prolong flowering and the appearance of new buds.

Cobaea feels great when grown in a pot or on the balcony. 

Growing conditions - temperature

The plant enjoys the summer heat with ample watering and sufficient air humidity.

In winter, cobaea must be kept at a temperature of 7 - 10 ° C. The liana should not be exposed to temperatures below 5°C.

In early spring, gradually raise the temperature to 15°C to allow new growth to emerge.  The flower does not tolerate frost. 

Transplant 

For growing, you need fairly large pots, as the liana develops quickly and needs to be replanted annually.

The most suitable time for replanting is spring - the plant should begin to form new leaves, but there should be no buds on it.

The need for replanting can be judged by the tips of the roots that will appear in the drainage holes of the pot.

Since replanting large tub specimens is difficult, the top layer of soil 5-7 cm thick is replaced with fresh soil annually.

If the plant's condition does not cause concern and it looks strong and healthy, then you can do a transshipment - transplant the flower into a new pot together with the old lump of earth. This method of moving causes less harm to the root system - it adapts faster to the new container.

If there are signs of root rot, then transplant the bush, completely replacing the soil.

The root system is carefully disassembled and inspected, roots damaged by rot are removed, cutting them with sharp pruners to healthy tissue.

Flowering plants should not be replanted - wait until flowering is over. 

1. To grow cobaea, you should choose pots with large drainage holes.
2. There should be a sufficient drainage layer at the bottom of the pots.
3. The flower is placed in the center of the new container and sprinkled with fresh soil.
4. After transshipment or transplantation, the vine is watered and placed for 7 - 10 days in a place shaded from the sun's rays. 

Fertilizer 

During the period of active growth, in spring and summer, feed with regular liquid fertilizer for flowering plants twice a month.

Cobaea responds well to both mineral and organic fertilizers, so it is worth alternating them.

Humus or cow and horse manure is added as organic matter. You can water the plants with a weak solution of bird droppings.

Fertilizers are applied after abundant watering, since contact of a nutrient solution with the roots of a flower in dry soil can lead to a chemical burn.

Soil 

The soil should contain a large amount of organic matter - in the video peat or humus. The addition of components such as light turf soil and leaf humus will not only serve as additional nutrition, but will also make the soil light and porous, allowing the root system to breathe.

Only well-drained soil is suitable for the flower - for this, up to 20 percent of river sand, perlite or vermiculite should be mixed into the soil for maintenance. 

Diseases and pests 

• Dry, withered leaves - the result of a lack of moisture or exposure to cold drafts, the plant may even lose some of its leaves.
• If the soil contains an excess of nitrogen, the bushes will abundantly grow green mass to the detriment of bud formation.
• When grown in partial shade, flowering will be sparse and the diameter of the bells will be small.
• The leaves lose turgor and become dry if the soil moisture is insufficient or if the vine is exposed to cold drafts.
• Root rot occurs when there is insufficient drainage or excessive watering during the cold season. On flowers affected by rot, the leaf blades will have dark spots on the surface. 

Among the pests, cobaea leaves were liked by such insects as spider mites and aphids.

Watering 

During the growth period, water abundantly and regularly. The top layer of soil should dry out a little between waterings. 

In winter, water sparingly, just keeping the substrate from drying out completely. Regular watering is resumed gradually, in the spring, when new leaves appear. 

During the growing season and the formation of buds, it is worth keeping the soil evenly moist by watering the plants with warm water, well settled for 24 hours.

Excess moisture is removed from the pan a few minutes after watering.

Lighting

A brightly lit place throughout the year. With a lack of light, flowering will be less abundant. 

Plants should not be exposed to direct sunlight during daylight hours in spring and summer. Only in autumn and winter can you put flower pots on the brightest windowsill.

When kept at home, cobaea will feel great on eastern or western windows. When kept on the south side, the flower should be provided with shading.

Spraying 

The leaves can be sprayed periodically if the indoor air becomes too dry. Spray the plants in the first half of the day using water at room temperature. Droplets of moisture should not fall on flowers and buds, and should also have time to evaporate from the surface of the leaves before dark.

To increase air humidity, you can also use a room humidifier or any vessel with water placed in close proximity to the plant.

With high air humidity, it is worth thinking about good air movement. Cobaea does not like cold drafts - take pots with plants to another room when ventilated during the winter months.  

Purpose

An excellent plant for vertical gardening - cobaea will gladly twine its flexible shoots around any support provided.

When grown in open ground, plants serve as additional decoration for verandas and gazebos. The length of the vine's stems allows it to be grown even on large flower arches located on garden paths.

In gardens they are often kept as annual flowering vines, since they cannot tolerate wintering in the conditions of the Middle Zone.

Note

If you cannot provide cobaea with a cool rest period, you will most likely have to throw it away after flowering.

Varieties:

Cobaea scandens

In warm climates, climbing cobaea is a large evergreen perennial vine whose trunk becomes woody with age. The stems reach a length of 3 m. The leaves are green, complex, consisting of four oblong segments and a tendril, on which there are very small hooks with which the plant clings to the support. During the flowering period, the vine forms greenish-white buds, which open into deep purple flowers up to 5 cm in diameter, emitting a pleasant aroma. The flowers have a number of bracts, from which the second name of the plant comes - cup and saucer. There is a variant with white flowers.