Cyphomandra

Family. Solanaceae.

Origin. Peru.

Description. Cyphomandra or tomato tree is a small genus consisting of shrubs and low trees, some of which are evergreen and deciduous. The leaves are green, simple, soft, with pronounced branched veins, arranged alternately on short petioles. The flowers are small, fragrant, axillary, pink, with 5 pointed petals, 1.5-2 cm in diameter, collected in multi-flowered inflorescences. After flowering, the plants form edible oblong fruits 5-8 cm long, which become red when ripe. In indoor culture, artificial pollination is required for fruiting.

Height. In the natural environment it reaches 2.5 - 5 m. When kept indoors it often does not exceed 2.5 m, and develops quickly.

Growing

Home care

Trim long stems to give the bushes a compact, neat shape. Remove damaged and old shoots to prevent the development of fungal diseases. Cyphomandra tolerates strong pruning well.

Reproduction

Propagated in spring and the first half of summer by semi-ripe cuttings of shoots 8-12 cm long. The lower leaves are removed from the cuttings and their bases are powdered with growth hormones. Rooting is carried out in moist soil under a glass or transparent plastic cap in the shade from direct sunlight. The rooting process will take about 2 months. Seeds that are sown in the spring.

Temperature conditions

Cyphomandra needs elevated temperatures during the growing season - it will appreciate the summer heat. During the winter months, the plant requires a period of rest, which it should spend at a temperature of 5 - 10 ° C.

Lighting

Brightly lit location with shading during hot daylight hours. In autumn and winter you can provide maximum light. 

Substrate

This shrub prefers sandy soils with an acidic pH, but easily adapts to any type of soil. 

Feeding

During the growth period, feed with a weak solution of liquid fertilizer for tomatoes and peppers every week. In autumn and winter, fertilizing is not carried out. 

Purpose

Cyphomandra is suitable for landscaping spacious and bright rooms - hotel lobbies and offices. Try not to place the bushes in corridors and passages - they have very fragile shoots that break off easily.

Flowering time

The flowering period occurs in late spring - early summer.

Air humidity

When the central heating is on or the summer heat sets in, you can use a room humidifier or spray the leaves with water in the morning. 

Soil moisture

Keep the soil evenly moist during the growing season. Reduce watering in the fall and dry the soil to half depth between waterings during the winter months. 

Transplantation

Young seedlings are transplanted into larger pots as they develop. For large tub specimens, the top 5-7 cm of soil is replaced with fresh soil.

Pests and diseases

At low temperatures, the cyphomandra may lose some of its leaves. Growth slows down, the bush becomes weak and elongated with insufficient light.

Among the harmful insects, aphids and whiteflies can annoy plants.  When grown in open ground, bushes can be attacked by slugs and snails.

Note

The fruits of the plant are eaten fresh and used to make jams, but unripe berries are poisonous.