Iochroma

Family. Solanaceae.

Origin. Colombia.

Description. Iochroma are evergreen shrubs or small trees with large spear-shaped dark green simple leaves up to 15 cm long, arranged alternately on erect stems. Leaf blades often have velvety pubescence. Flowers with a very pancake tube - up to 7 cm, blue, purple, red, yellow, or white, collected in inflorescences - hanging brushes on the tops of shoots, containing up to 20 flowers.

Height. Up to 2 m.

Care at home

Temperature conditions

Normal room temperature in spring and summer. During the dormant period, place the bush in a cooler room with a temperature of 6 - 12 ° C. Do not expose Iochroma to temperatures below 2 ° C.

Lighting

A well-lit place with shade from direct sunlight on hot summer days. The sun can hit the plant in the morning and evening. 

Growing at home

Trim branches that are too long after flowering to keep the plant compact and branching abundantly. Don't remove too many shoots at once. Iochroma will appreciate being in the fresh air during the warm season.

Substrate

Well-drained soil with an acidic pH of about 5.5. Add perlite or coarse sand to the soil. 

Feeding

Iochroma responds well to feeding and will thank you with abundant continuous flowering. Feed every 2 weeks during the growing season using a balanced fertilizer.

Purpose

Cultivated as a flowering ornamental plant.

Flowering time

In good conditions it can bloom all year round, but the bulk of flowers appear from early summer until frost. 

Air humidity

More than 40%. Indoors, if the air humidity is low - for example, when the heating is on, use an ultrasonic humidifier, place the plant pot on a tray with wet pebbles or simply spray the leaves with water at room temperature. Iochroma likes well-ventilated rooms without cold drafts.

Soil moisture

Water deeply during active growth, but allow the soil to dry out between waterings. In the autumn-winter period, the frequency of watering will depend on the conditions. If you give the plant a period of rest in a cool place - it will shed its leaves and will not need frequent watering - just try not to dry out the earthen ball. If kept warm all year round, iochroma will preserve foliage; in this case, water moderately.

Transfer

In the spring, every year, since iochroma grows quickly and needs larger pots. 

Reproduction

Cuttings obtained by pruning the plant easily take root in a damp mixture of peat and sand. Cover pots with young plants with a transparent plastic cap or glass to maintain humidity and place in a warm place with a temperature of 18 - 24 ° C, without direct sunlight. Seeds sown in spring must be covered with a very thin layer of soil. Germination occurs after approximately 6 weeks. 

Pests and diseases

Mature plants may sometimes lose some leaves - this is normal. If a large number of leaves fall off, the plant may not have enough nitrogen. Young specimens can rot when overmoistened and stagnant water, especially in the cold season.

Among the pests, the plant can be attacked by whitefly and spider mites.

Note

All parts of the plant are poisonous - keep it away from children and pets. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling the plant, and even better, use protective gloves.