Decembrist flower: care and content
Schlumberger, received its name in honor ofone of the French florists, comes from the tropical forests of Brazil. This plant has a flat articulate serrated stem. His flowers, bright, back-conical shape, slightly drooping, resemble flashlights. They can have a color from pink to crimson, there are also two-color varieties. In the people this popular plant is better known as a Decembrist flower. Care for him is not complicated, he is unpretentious, but throughout the whole winter he makes the hosts happy with bright colors. The varieties that are sold in Russia are of hybrid origin and can be referred to in both catalogs as "slumberberger" and "zigokaktus truncated".
In nature, the locomber grows on tree trunks: its own root system is rather weak. She loves moisture, but is prone to decay, so the soil in the pot must always be moist, it should not be allowed to dry out. Plant Decembrist plant in acid soil: either in a special land for cacti, or in a mixture of turf, leaf land, sand and small pieces of charcoal (instead of them you can use activated charcoal). From ¼ to 1/3 of the pot should take up drainage. In the summer, the zigokactus grows well in the garden: it can be planted in the shade. Replant the plant every two years. A pot for whiskers should not be too large, otherwise it will only grow stronger, but not bloom.
Flower Decembrist, care for which does not representcomplexity, fastens flower buds in November. From the middle of September to November, he has a rest period, at which time it is good to put a whistlingberger on a glassed-in balcony. For the formation of buds, the temperature of the air should be from +12 to +25 degrees, at a higher temperature the zigokactus will go well into growth, but may not bloom. The plant with the fastened flower buds should not be rearranged or unfolded - it can dump them. At the end of February, after the end of flowering, the smokerberger can be transplanted.
Zigokaktus truncated is not capable of self-pollination,so to obtain fruits and seeds you can perepilit your existing plants yourself. However, for this, they should not be closely related, grown from one cut. This plant is ornithophile: in nature it is pollinated by hummingbirds.
Schlumberger likes bright light, but it needs to beprotect from direct sun rays. Podkarmlivayut flower Decembrist, care for which is quite simple, a special fertilizer for cacti. Do this from March to August, alternating mineral fertilizers with organic (mullein). In August, the feeding is stopped: young stems are ripening at this time. It is also necessary to feed the plant once with potassium-phosphorus fertilizer after staining its buds.
Propagated flower Decembrist, care for which underforce of each, cuttings. To do this, take a piece of the stem, consisting of two or three segments, and root it in moist sand, after a little drying. After the appearance of the roots, the young plant is transplanted into the soil mixture. Its crown must be formed by periodically thinning and removing the incorrectly grown shoots (curved, growing inside the bush). Pinch them in early summer - this positively affects the condition of the plant: it blooms better and more abundantly, and its stems become thicker and stronger. To avoid their curvature, in summer, the zigokaktus should periodically be turned to light by one or the other side.
Like many other flowers (indoor), the Decembristloves a warm shower. This procedure should be repeated once a week, excluding the flowering time. In general, this plant is completely unpretentious, and, observing the simple rules of caring for it, you will admire its beautiful flowers throughout the long winter.
