Kalanchoe: description, care and medicinal properties

 A flower called Kalanchoe is characterized as a perennial plant from the Fat family. In total, about two hundred specimens of centenarians have been studied in the world, distributed over the Earth in the form of herbaceous plants, bushes and succulents.

The original habitat of the Kalanchoe is tropical and subtropical belts. In the wild, this unusual plant lives on the Australian continent, America and parts of Asia.

Domestic Kalanchoe refers to succulents, plants that are capable of accumulating particles of water vapor on the stem and leaf surface. A related flower is the fat woman. Even in folk sayings, kalahnoe often symbolizes the tree of life. The fat woman in the common people was called the money tree.

The benefits of Kalanchoe

Often, inexperienced growers confuse Kalanchoe and aloe. In fact, both of these plants have several similarities.

1. They belong to succulents.
2. Their leaves have a lot in common.
3. Kalanchoe and aloe have beneficial properties.

However, these species belong to different families.

About the Kalanchoe plant, properties for treatment and help at home. Have you ever heard the name "Surgeon Without Knife", "Home Doctor" or "Indoor Ginseng"? Here we are talking about Kalanchoe. The healing properties of this have been mentioned in the historical literature.

At home, the juice of the plant has healing powers and is used in the treatment of diseases. Kalanchoe juice is used in cosmetology, it is able to cure skin diseases and even a runny nose.

To prepare the composition of the drops, the soft, juicy green of the leaves of the plant is taken, which is not watered for 6 days. In addition, canned kalahnee juice is used in the treatment of ulcers and purulent wounds, in the field of dentistry and gynecology.

Tincture of this plant will help to cope with varicose veins in the legs. It is necessary to rub the diseased areas with a solution in a course that lasts up to 10 weeks.

Plant species

In the genus of these plants, you can count somewhere around 20 species, the main of which are grown indoors.

• Blossfeld's Kalanchoe gained popularity due to the flowers that look like umbrellas. Its inflorescences can have different colors and are on long peduncles. This species is not whimsical at all in home content.
• Kalanchoe Mangina belongs to the ampelous plant species. This dwarf flower grows up to 15 centimeters in height and has unusual wild inflorescences in the spring, shaped like bells.
• The flowering of Kalanchoe Degremon is characteristic only for winter. The appearance of inflorescences is a rare occurrence for home growing. A plant with long leaves in the shape of a triangle can grow no more than half a meter in height. A distinctive feature of the leaves is the presence of purple spots.
• Kalanchoe pinnate is the most hardy representative of the Tolstyankovye family. The leaves of the plant are painted in gradient white-green tones. It will grow up to 1 meter in height, so it needs a spacious room. This type of juice can be bought at the city pharmacy.
• Kalanchoe Benta is grown in cool areas and looks like a 1 meter high shrub with thick, large leaves. Flowers are represented by white umbrellas. Flowering can be observed in the spring.
• Kalanchoe bekharskoe is a shrub with pointed leaves. The surface of the sheet is covered with microfilament. Kalanchoe felt, like the previous species, is covered with pile and small inflorescences in the shape of an umbrella.
• Kalanchoe large-flowered in another way is called the marble Kalanchoe. The plant grows up to 50 centimeters high. This type should be avoided with the best sun, otherwise reddish burns appear. Yellow inflorescences are collected by umbrellas and fill the room with a delicious aroma.
• Kalanchoe paniculata has yellow flowers. Kalanchoe fiery grows up to 40 centimeters in height and is called so by the color of flowering. Blossoms are collected in umbrellas and are bright orange in color with white edging.
• Kalanchoe tubular-flowered refers to semi-shrubs, the height of which reaches no more than 70 centimeters. Leaves with brown specks are elongated.
• Kalanchoe dissected in another way is called lobed because of the leaves in the form of a dissection. The flowers are usually yellow-orange in color.
• The species is known differently as Kalanchoe lobed. Over time, the stems of the plant sink to the ground under the weight of their own weight, shedding leaves at the very base. Green leaves have a dissected shape. The flowers are yellowish or shades of orange.
• Kalanchoe Kalandiva was bred in nature by selection. It is distinguished by its dwarf size and the ability to maintain flowering for up to six months.

How to care for a plant

Home care is simple and understandable even to the most experienced florist. The plant is able to get used to even the most difficult conditions, to do without watering and human attention for a long time. But this does not mean at all that you need to throw a flower. The flower will thank you for its beautiful appearance and healing properties, if you take care of it. For accelerated growth, the plant should be on the east window or on the west side of the house. The flower will not survive in direct sunlight, but it will not like it in the shade. If the flower does not get enough light, then it dries and withers.

Lighting

In winter, florists recommend moving the pot to the south side of the apartment. For the plant to bloom, the number of hours of sunshine per day should not be lower than 12 hours. In the cold season, you can use additional lighting with fluorescent lamps.

This southern plant adapts well to high temperatures. In summer, it is resistant to temperatures up to plus 30 degrees, in winter it is suitable for a temperature regime of 15-18 degrees. No flower buds will form at temperatures outside this range.

The Kalanchoe flower needs regular watering, despite its function of storing moisture. In hot weather, it must be watered abundantly. The rest of the time, watering depends on the room conditions and the state of the soil cover.

Moisturizing

In winter, on the contrary, moisture is reduced. Blooming Kalanchoe is able to live in conditions of lack of moisture, but waterlogging will destroy it.

For its content, it does not matter what the air humidity will be - lowered or above the permissible level. Moisturizing the leaves will not harm the plant and should be carried out at least 1-2 times a month in order to remove dust and dirt particles. Also, the surface of the leaves must be wiped with a wet sponge or cloth.

Any soil is suitable as a soil for transplanting a plant, but it is better to take a ready-made moisture-permeable substrate with nutrients. When self-preparing the soil, it is necessary to add leaves, humus, peat and charcoal to it.

Top dressing

Feeding Kalanchoe is important. The photo shows the rich green color of the fleshy leaves. This is influenced by feeding. Any fertilizer for cacti is suitable for feeding. Top dressing should be done in late spring and autumn, when the bud formation system is laid.

Experienced florists recommend transplanting the plant only if necessary, when the ground sours from strong moisture. This measure will help the plant get rid of pests and diseases. When transplanting, choose a container so that the root system can fully fit.

To maintain the neat appearance of the plant, cut off the shoots and pinch the leaves. Shoots are cut directly in the spring, shortening them exactly half the length.

The Kalanchoe plant blooms with sufficient light conditions for at least 12 hours a day. Its flowers can be carefully cut and immersed in water, they will stand for a long time and retain their beauty. Flowering mainly occurs in the spring during the summer months.

Reproduction

Kalanchoe can multiply without human participation (it will be enough for the child to separate and fall into the soil). The optimal time for propagation by cuttings is late winter-early spring or late summer-early autumn. One leaf or cut off shoot is taken. The length of the handle should not exceed 10 centimeters.

After a couple of weeks, immersed in water or a container with important sand, the cutting should take root. To speed up the process, the cuttings are covered with a transparent glass or film. This is followed by the process of transplanting into the prepared soil. As the plant grows, it can be transplanted into a more beautiful and deeper container.

For beginner flower growers, propagation by seeds is also suitable, which must be planted in moist soil to create a greenhouse. The temperature of the greenhouse should be 16-20 degrees with constant ventilation and watering with warm water.

There is a scientific study that has proven that when planting seeds, biohumus stimulates faster growth, acceleration of flowering and improvement of the physical properties of the plant. A month later, the seedlings need to be transplanted into separate containers. Flowers on Kalanchoe, which was grown from seed, begin to appear only after one year.

Growing problems

This plant can often be attacked by pests. For example, aphids or felt is a common problem in dry rooms. Another disease is powdery mildew or gray mold.

Yellowed leaves are an important signal of this disease. If you overflow and overmoisten the plant, gray rot may appear. The plant itself should be bright green. A pale color means a lack of vitamins and improper care.