Phygelius

Family. Scrophulariaceae.

Origin. South Africa.

Description. Phygelius is a perennial evergreen plant with erect shoots that are often woody at the base. The leaves are green, heart-shaped, with pronounced veins. The edges of the leaf blades have small teeth. The flowers are pendulous, appearing at the tops of the stems, with very long floral tubes formed by fused petals of white, greenish, yellow, red or pink.

Height. Grows quickly and reaches a height of 90–140 cm.

Phygelius - planting and care

Temperature conditions

Year-round warm keeping at a temperature of 18 - 22° C. In the winter months, the temperature of keeping phygelius indoors should not fall below 5° C.

Lighting

A brightly sunny window sill with plenty of reflected light. Direct sunlight on phygelius is permissible in the morning and evening hours. During the day, the plant requires shading.

Care

Too long stems of adult specimens are cut before they start growing to maintain a compact shape. The tips of shoots of young seedlings are regularly pinched to form a large number of side branches. Fading buds should be removed to prolong the flowering period.

Substrate

Permeable soil with a high organic content in the form of peat, leaf humus and rotted manure. Representatives of this genus are not demanding to the pH level.

Feeding

During the growing season, fertilizing is carried out every 2 weeks with complex water-soluble fertilizers.

Purpose

Balcony landscaping. 

Flowering time

From May to September, blooms for a long time. 

Air humidity

The plant needs good air circulation, but phygelius does not like cold drafts. Air humidity increases mainly with the onset of extreme heat or when central heating is turned on. 

Soil moisture

The substrate should remain uniformly moist throughout the growing season. Phygelius does not like drying out. In spring and summer, you can immerse the pot for a few minutes in a larger container filled with water at room temperature. In autumn and winter, the frequency of watering is significantly reduced. In the winter months, simply do not allow the soil lump to dry out completely.

Transfer

Transplant only if necessary, in spring. The bush does not like transplants and takes a long time to recover from the slightest damage - use transshipment.

Reproduction

The seeds are scattered over the soil surface in spring, without covering with substrate. The seedlings are kept at a temperature of about 20 - 24 °C, germination occurs within 1 - 2 weeks. Can be propagated by stem cuttings using growth hormones. Rooting occurs within 3 - 4 weeks.

Pests and diseases

Phygelius can shed its leaves when the soil gets too dry. Powdery mildew occurs when there is poor air movement around the plant. When moisture stagnates, root rot appears.

Of the harmful insects, the main danger is aphids.