Stefanotis

As an ornamental and indoor plant, stephanotis began to grow not so long ago. Today, science knows a maximum of ten varieties of stephanotis. Under natural conditions, this plant is found in Malaysia, China, Japan. Such flowers are very often used all over the world in floristry, especially in wedding.

Stephanotis: Characteristics of the plant

This culture has a direct relationship with the hoya. Novice growers can easily confuse these two plants, but they are only partially similar. Both cultures are vines, and they are located on a support. Leaf plates also have common external features, which cannot be said about flowers. Apart from this, the care and cultivation is also different.

This is not a very whimsical and capricious plant in terms of care. However, you need to know about some growing rules. In order for Stephanotis to grow and develop normally, it is necessary to maintain certain conditions for this. To grow stephanotis, you need a lot of free space. In a small apartment, such a plant is unlikely to please you with its flowers. In order for flowering to occur, stephanotis must be provided with the necessary conditions.

A spacious house outside the city or a greenhouse is well suited for growing such a flower. If there are such options, then we strongly recommend getting such a plant, because the flowers of Stephanotis are truly beautiful.

In indoor conditions, flower lovers, as a rule, plant Stephanotis, which is called abundantly growing. Such a plant blooms with pretty white flowers, its shape resembling stars. The aroma is delicate and very pleasant.

The color of Stephanotis flowers may be different, it depends on the variety. There are flowers of yellow, light purple, cream color. If the plant is properly cared for, the flowers can be enjoyed for about ten months.

Stefantois flower care at home

Temperature regime and lighting for stephanotis

Many flower lovers argue that this culture cannot develop normally without a lot of light. In this case, direct rays of the sun for a flower are contraindicated. However, this is not entirely true, with an excess of sunlight, the development of a plant can, on the contrary, be disrupted. The most convenient way to understand where the flower is best is by moving from one window sill to another. The appearance of a plant can say a lot about comfort. In any case, do not overheat the plant and soil.

To make the flower comfortable in winter, it is necessary to supplement the plant with special lamps. If you comply with this condition, then, most likely, next year Stephanotis will delight you with lush flowering. In order to supply the plant with the necessary light in winter, it is recommended to use lamps with daylight and a power of thirty watts. Such lamps are placed on the sides of the flower, the distance to the pot should be twenty to twenty-five centimeters. If you see that in one place or another the plant has begun to form buds, then do not transfer it to another place. This sign suggests that the plant is quite comfortable in this place.

For this flower, the room temperature of an average house or apartment is quite well suited. In winter, it is recommended to lower the temperature regime and maintain it in the range from +12 to +16 degrees. This is optional, but desirable. A through wind, as well as sudden temperature changes, are fatal for Stephanotis.For this reason, do not expose the plant to the open air during the summer if the temperature is very different at night and during the day. Such stress can be devastating for Stephanotis.

How to water stephanotis homemade

For this crop, the correct irrigation regime is very important. Watering Stephanotis should be abundant and rarely. Before watering the plant, check if the potting soil is dry or not. There should not be a complete and long-term drying out of the soil.

The humidity of the environment is also an important point in flower care. This is especially true in winter, when heating devices work in all apartments and dry out the air. At this time, it is periodically necessary to douse the plant with warm water. It is better if this procedure is carried out twice a day. The water must necessarily be warm or even slightly hot.

How to fertilize stephanotis

If the plant is transplanted systematically, then the introduction of additional nutrition is no longer mandatory. If you do not regularly transplant the flower, then it will not be superfluous to feed the plant. Top dressing should be started when the flower begins to actively develop and grow.

In such feeding, phosphorus must be present without fail, this element has a beneficial effect on the formation of flowers. Fertilizing stephanotis is best after watering has been carried out, but not earlier than after a couple of hours. Fertilization stops in mid-July.

How to transplant Stephanotis correctly

From time to time, you need to transplant, especially for plants that are grown in a small room. An interesting fact is that this culture feels good in a fairly cramped container. In such conditions, not only the flower grows quite successfully, but also forms flowers.

It is not worth replanting the plant once again from place to place; such a procedure should be carried out only if you cannot do without it. For example, with dry soil in a pot. The plant, as a rule, moves a slightly larger pot in volume, it should be one and a half to two centimeters larger than the previous container.

After the flower has just been purchased, it must be transplanted into another container without fail. It is best to choose a plant that will reach no more than half a meter in height.

In order to transplant a plant, you can buy ready-made soil at a garden store, or you can prepare it yourself. To do this, take garden soil and mix it with compost, peat and coarse sand. All ingredients are added in equal proportions.

A reliable drainage layer must be laid at the bottom of the planting container, which will occupy about twenty percent of the volume. Without fail, the bottom of the pot must have holes to drain excess liquid. In this case, it will not be superfluous to immediately install the support. This flower grows quite actively. What shape your support will be, it's up to you. If all the basic rules for growing Stephanotis are followed, then in growth it can add about fifty centimeters.

How to trim stephanotis

It is recommended to prune this plant every spring. The fact is that flower ovaries are formed only on young stems. In order for the crown to have a decorative appearance, as well as to stimulate the growth of new stems, you need to periodically pinch the tops of the shoots. If pinching is carried out on a regular basis in the summer, then such a plant will bloom longer.

How to properly propagate a stephanotis flower

There are two main ways of propagating Stephanotis: the method of cuttings and using seeds. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Cuttings

For the preparation of cuttings, it makes sense to choose the upper part of the shoot, which will contain several internodes. Such planting material is usually harvested in early spring when pruning Stephanotis.The formation of the root system of such planting material takes quite a long time, from a month to one and a half. Before planting the plant, the lower part, where the cut is located, must be treated with a special preparation that stimulates growth. For this purpose, Epin or Kornevin is well suited. After that, the cuttings are placed at fifty percent of their total length in a prepared substrate, which includes sand and peat. Above the plantings, you need to organize a mini-greenhouse. The planted cuttings should be kept in a warm place out of the aggressive rays of the sun. Rooting occurs best of all at temperatures from +27 to +30 degrees. It is recommended to warm the plantings in the lower part. Every day, the shelter needs to be removed for a while so that the plantings are aired. When the root system has formed, several cuttings must be planted in one container, which is pre-filled with well-fertilized light soil. As the plants grow, the crown is formed. After stephanotis reaches fifty centimeters, it is recommended to cut the shoots by one third of the total length. So the plant will branch more actively.

Seed method

If you prefer to propagate stephanotis using seeds, then please take time and patience. This is not a very effective way, and the future result will hardly please you. At home, breeding this culture is not easy. For this reason, it is better to use the simpler and faster method, using cuttings.

About the pests of Stephanotis

The main damage to stephanotis can be caused by spider mites. As a rule, this problem occurs with improper care and conditions of plant maintenance. Most often, spider mites harm plants in winter, during the period of active operation of heating devices, as a result of which the air becomes too dry.

Spraying of this crop is carried out twice a day, this rule does not need to be ignored in order to avoid the appearance of various pests. If Stephanotis does not suffer from a lack of moisture, then the risk of spider mites is minimized. If the plant does not have enough moisture, then this pest can negatively affect the growth and development of stephanotis. The spider mite is not the only harmful insect that Stephanotis can suffer from. If you find even the slightest traces of the presence of harmful insects, you need to immediately treat it with chemistry.

What problems can you face

• If you see that the plant has begun to shed its buds, then this most likely indicates the presence of a through wind. The same symptom signals a moisture deficit.
• If the foliage becomes yellowish, then this indicates insufficient lighting, and it is also a sign of using water with a high chlorine content for irrigation.
• If you still can't wait for flowering, then you should change the location of the pot and put it in a lighter place. The plant may also not bloom due to too sharp temperature fluctuations.
• If wilting of buds is observed, then the plant does not have enough moisture. You need to water the plant more actively.