Azarina

Family. Scrophulariaceae.

Origin. Southern Europe.

Description. Azarina is an easy to grow evergreen vine that blooms throughout the summer. The shoots are thin and very fragile in appearance, the buds are covered with sparse pubescence. Maurandia flowers are axillary, large, 3 - 6 cm in diameter. They are funnel-shaped with 5 petals, hanging down. The funnel of the flower is pale. The spectrum of shades of the plant's flowers ranges from pink, blue, lavender to white. The leaves are small, emerald green, spear-shaped or heart-shaped. It easily climbs the support with the help of long petioles of leaves that wrap around it. 

Height. The plant is up to 3.5 meters long and develops quickly.

Planting and care

Reproduction, growing from seeds 

Azarina is easy to grow from seeds, which should only be lightly sprinkled with soil, and often self-sows. The seeds germinate well in soil containing crushed sphagnum moss; they are sown on the surface - without covering with a substrate. Freshly collected and ripened seeds have the best germination. Sprouts appear in 2-3 weeks, they look thin and weak. At the cotyledon stage, seedlings are deepened into the soil. It is also propagated by stem cuttings.

Growing conditions - temperature

A heat-loving plant, it does not tolerate frost. In extreme heat, flowering may suffer - put it in a cooler place.

Light

Partial shading is necessary for plants on summer and spring days; in hot climates, azarina prefers partial shade in the afternoon.

Transplantation

Planting indoor azarina in fresh soil is carried out in the spring, using a nutritious and loose substrate that is well permeable to moisture and air. Planting pots should have large drainage holes.

How to care

Growing the flower does not always go smoothly, but the result is worth it. It develops best on sandy, organically rich, moderately moist, well-drained soils. It blooms most abundantly in cool weather. Even without pinching the plant, the shoots branch abundantly.

Soil

Azarina climbing is not demanding to the pH of the soil, this climbing plant grows well in poor soil, but with a sufficient amount of organic matter in the soil it develops faster. Very good drainage is necessary - add coarse river sand to the soil.

Fertilizer

Feeding with complex fertilizer in the middle of the growing season allows the plant to extend the flowering period. 

When it blooms 

Depending on the species, the liana can bloom at any time from late spring to late autumn. With good care, repeated flowering can be achieved. With sufficient sunlight and periodic drying of the substrate, the climbing plant can develop and bloom throughout the season.

Spraying

No special requirements. This vine does not like drafts.

Watering azarina

It is sometimes necessary to dry the soil of the plant well, otherwise the roots of the azarina may rot. In autumn and winter, watering is carried out with caution, especially if the bush is kept in a cool room. 

Pests and diseases

Quite rarely - in a dry atmosphere, spider mites and aphids may appear on indoor flowers.