Moody, incredibly beautiful, difficult to clean - all these words can be attributed to a plant called azalea indica. And let the difficulties in the care not frighten beginner gardeners - for proper attention the azalea will repay you with lush spectacular flowering.
So, an indica azalea appeared in your house and immediately a lot of questions arise about the care of this plant.
It is enough to know several features of this flower and then it will remain in your house for many years.
Plant description
Indian azalea or azalea indica mix - These are different names for one plant.
The root system is superficial, the roots are thin and delicate. Because of this azaleas loosening is contraindicatedIt can damage the root system.
Indica azalea has a stiff, upright stem. The height of this evergreen bush reaches 40-50 cm.
The leaves are lanceolate, small, dark green. Young shoots are covered with small hairs of brown or reddish hue.
The flowers collected in inflorescences can reach up to 5 cm in diameter. From the bosom of leaves develops from two to six flowers. They can be terry and simple, one-color and two-color, monotonous and speckled.
The color scheme of the petals is also wide: white, yellow, pale cream, pink, bright red, framed with a white or pink border.
Azalea Indica Mix - Home Care
These two types are the same in care, so all recommendations apply to both azalea indica and azalea indica mix.
Landing and accommodation
Due to the fact that the root system of this plant is superficial, it suits him wide and shallow pot. It is important to choose the right place for a plant: it does not tolerate direct sunlight and suffers from a lack of lighting.
The best place for azalea indica is penumbra.
Priming
This capricious plant loves sour soil with a high organic content. For planting, you can prepare a mixture: mix coniferous, peaty ground and river sand. In flower shops you can find a special soil with high acidity, suitable for azaleas.
Watering
Special attention should be paid to watering. It should be noted that this plant constantly need wet soil. But you can not excessively re-moisten the earth. For watering should be used boiled distilled water. In summer, the plant requires abundant watering, in winter - reduced.
To constantly maintain the acidity of the soil, water for irrigation must be acidified.
Air humidity
High humidity - this is what azalea loves so much. To maintain the correct mode, frequent sprayings from a spray bottle are needed. Loves azalea and cool shower.
Fertilizer and dressing.
Azalea Indica needs to be fed once every two weeks in spring and summer. It is recommended at this time to make special complex fertilizers for azaleas. In autumn and winter, azalea should be fertilized with superphosphate for better budding.
Temperature conditions
The hardest for better growing azaleas is keeping cool. In the autumn-winter period, the temperature should not exceed +12 + 15 ° C, and in spring and summer it should not rise above + 20 ° C. In this autumn, the temperature should be reduced to +6 + 8C for abundant and long flowering.
Bloom
- The flowering period. Typically, the azalea indica and indica mix bloom from November to May. But sometimes with proper care, the plant may bloom in summer.
- Preparing for flowering.
The thicker and more abundant the foliage on the bush, the worse and weaker the flowers will be.
To get beautiful flowers you need to pinch the stalks correctly. Pinch young stems, leaving no more than 5 leaves.
- Features care during flowering. Although indica azalea is an extremely capricious plant, during flowering it can be rearranged, the inflorescences will not fall away from it. Faded flowers should be cleaned immediately, then the flowering will be longer.
- Care after flowering. The formed seeds must be removed, they weaken the plant. Also in this period need pruning flower.
Do I need to prune the plant?
After flowering, it is necessary to prune last year's, densely growing and underdeveloped shoots. For the beautiful formation of the bush is necessary shorten heavily protruding stems.
Transfer
Many flower growers ask themselves: "Do I need to replace the indicia azalea immediately after purchase?"
If the plant is located in bloombut definitely can't.
Replace azalea indica mix should be through every 3 years after flowering. The transplanted azalea is placed in a darkened place. After about 4 weeks, when the plant takes root and gives young shoots, it is necessary to produce trimming and pinching.
Breeding methods
Multiply the azalea cuttings. They are immediately planted in the ground and covered with glass. Keep the cuttings at a temperature of + 20C and in complete darkness. Watering is warm water. Within two months, the stalk rooted.
Reproduction usually occurs in the summer.
You can divide the azalea indica with division of the bush.
Smell
The smell of azaleas is no indication.so this plant is great for allergy sufferers.
Lifespan
With proper care, respect for temperature and humidity, this plant will grow and blossom for decades. Azalea - a long-standing plant, can live to 70 years.
Diseases and pests
The most frequent pests of azaleas are indica:
- Azalea mole. The caterpillars of this pest strongly damage the leaves. These pests must be collected, and the plant treated with phosphibic acid.
- Strawberry tick. When this pest appears, almost all parts of the plant are affected. The azalea stops growth, does not open buds and slowly perishes. It is recommended to destroy strawberry mite treatment drug Fitoverm.
- Spider mite. It affects the plant with dry air and insufficient watering. You can kill the tick with periodic spraying tobacco extract with soap. Processing leaves produced before the complete destruction of spider mites.
Azalea is a tender plant and often undergoes fungal diseases caused by improper care.
- Fusarium wilt. Occurs with the defeat of the fungus and is manifested in the withering of the leaves. For treatment should shed the earth with a solution of potassium permanganateand if the disease has already struck a large part of the plant, then it is required treatment with the drug Fundazol.
- Septoria. Fungal disease appears as red-yellow spots on the leaves. The plant starts dropping foliage and buds. For the treatment of this disease should be made spraying fungicides.
Here it is a wayward plant - indica azalea. But with good care and love, it can delight its masters with joyful and bright blooms for decades. With careful maintenance, azalea blooms more and more plentifully every year.
A photo
More photos of indica azaleas see below:
