Succulents won the love of flower growers due to their unusual appearance and unpretentiousness in leaving. One of the prominent representatives of this group is the godson Rowley (senecio rowleyanus). This flower looks very impressive in the form of an ampel plant, forming a cascade of emerald beads. Growing a godson at home is quite simple, because he is completely unpretentious.
The Godson Rowley
Like all representatives of the Krestovnikov clan, the Rowley variety belongs to the vast Astrov family. The birthplace of the flower is Africa, or rather its mountainous regions. This original succulent definitely deserves attention, because the very structure of the plant is very unusual.
The spider shoots look like beads
The shoots of the godson are long and thin, covered with spherical leaves. Due to the different size of these "balls", the impression of a thread is created on which green beads are strung. Hence another name for the flower - pearl strands.
The godson blooms in small pink and white flowers similar in shape to dandelions, which exude a delicate aroma of cinnamon.
Important! Especially interesting is the variegated cross-breed (variegata), whose leaves are variegated.
It is worth noting that the plant is poisonous. Of course, this does not mean that you should refuse to grow it at home. It is only worth considering that any manipulations with the flower should be carried out with gloves, and at the end of them thoroughly wash your hands. If the house has pets or children, their access to the flower must be completely limited.
Godson Rowley: Home Care
The unpretentiousness of the flower allows you to grow it in almost any conditions, so it is very easy to care for it. But the godson will fully grow and bloom only if certain rules for care and maintenance are observed.
Illumination and temperature
The godfather Rowley prefers diffused light and does not tolerate direct sunlight. It is better to place the plant on the windowsill of a window facing southwest. The length of daylight should be 10-12 hours, so in winter with a lack of light, you can rearrange the pot to the south side or provide artificial illumination.
The godson prefers ambient light
The optimum temperature for growing a godson is in the range + 19 ... +23 ° C. The flower is able to withstand minor deviations from the temperature regime, both up and down. In the winter period, for the transition to the resting stage, it is desirable to reduce the indicators by 3-4 ° C.
Attention! If you do not change the temperature regime for the winter, nothing bad will happen to the flower. It will continue to grow, but most likely it will not bloom.
Watering and humidity
Given the high water permeability of the soil, which is necessary for succulents, watering should be carried out regularly, but not abundantly. In the spring-summer period, the soil is moistened 1-2 times a week, and in winter at least 1 time per month.
The godson is able to withstand a short drought, as the flower stores moisture in the leaves. But do not use this and skip watering. The plant is very responsive to watering and they need it for active growth.
Important! The godson does not have special requirements for humidity. He feels quite comfortable in an apartment.
Top dressing and soil quality
Fertilizing can be called a recommended technique rather than a mandatory one. It is advisable to feed the godson in spring and summer, using special fertilizers for succulents. The frequency of feeding depends on the specific drug, but as a rule they are applied every 2 weeks.
For planting a cross, it is best to use a special substrate for succulents, which can be purchased in the garden center. If this is not possible, you can use a mixture of sod land, sand and fine gravel in a ratio of 2/1/1.
Size of fit for landing
Like any succulent, Rowley's godson has an underdeveloped root system. He does not need a large and spacious pot. It is better to choose a container of small diameter and medium depth.
Attention! The main thing that you should pay attention to when choosing a pot is the presence of drainage holes at the bottom. There should be at least 3, since the plant does not tolerate stagnation of moisture.
Transplant Features
There is no need to transplant the godson annually. But this is only true provided that the soil has been selected correctly and fertilizers are regularly applied. In this case, the transplant is carried out as it grows, which is an average of once every 2-3 years.
The transplant is carried out every 2-3 years.
Transplantation is carried out step by step:
- The plant is removed from an old container with a lump of earth.
- Gently release the roots from the remnants of old soil.
- A layer of drainage is poured into the bottom of the new pot.
- Fill the container with soil by 2/3.
- Place a flower and add remaining soil.
- Watering and adding a thin layer of dry soil.
Attention! If the soil for planting is to be prepared independently, all the components included in it should be heated in the oven for disinfection or spilled with a solution of manganese.
Flowering and dormancy
Bloom Rowley blooms in late spring or early summer. It was at this time that the plant completely emerged from the dormant period. The flowers of the godson are small dandelions with milky pink petals. During flowering, you can feel a pleasant aroma resembling the smell of cinnamon.
The main condition for the plant to bloom is to create conditions for it to go into a dormant period. This implies some changes in the conditions of the flower, namely:
- The decrease in daily average temperature by 3-4 ° C.
- Reducing the frequency of watering to 1-2 times a month.
- Refusal to make fertilizers in the winter.
Rowley's godson flowers look like dandelions
Some experienced flower growers also recommend reducing the light intensity during the cold season. This technique can be used, but the main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise the flower may partially discard the leaves.
Cross breeding
For propagation of the godson, Rowley most often uses the method of cuttings. You can use both stem and leaf cuttings, but given the shape and size of the leaves of the plant, using parts of the stem is much more convenient.
Obtaining a new specimen of the godson by rooting the stem cuttings is quite simple. To do this, it is enough to shorten the shoot by 8-10 cm and root this segment on the soil surface.
Important! The godson Rowley, unlike other members of the genus, is able to form roots without penetrating the cuttings into the ground.
The process of rooting the cuttings involves only a few steps:
- a flat container is filled with special soil for succulents, in which 1 part of sand is mixed;
- moisturize the soil from the spray;
- place several cuttings on the soil surface at a small distance from each other.
Further care of the seedlings consists only in periodic moistening of the soil, which is carried out carefully by spraying. Cuttings take root quite quickly and will soon start to grow.
Cuttings root quickly
You can also grow succulents by sowing seeds, but this is a rather long and painstaking process. In addition, getting seeds on their own is not always possible.
Possible growing problems
The godfather Rowley is an unpretentious plant. It rarely gets sick, and pests can damage it only if there are any on neighboring plants. But still, sometimes, when growing a flower, some difficulties may arise.
Most often, the reason for the deterioration of appearance is improper conditions of detention. There are several basic errors that can lead to a change in the color of the leaves or their structure:
- Insufficient watering leads to the appearance of brown spots on the leaves or their death.
- Too much moisture in the soil or stagnation of moisture can provoke the development of root rot, dying off shoots or the appearance of yellow spots on the leaves.
- Lack of sunlight can cause the leaves to become smaller and become pale.
- Direct sunlight often causes burns on leaves, causing them to die or stain.
The godfather Rowley - the original representative of the world of succulents
In addition, improperly selected soil becomes a dangerous mistake. This can cause several problems at once, such as: lack of nutrients, stagnation of moisture or insufficient ventilation of the root system.
Sometimes the flower is affected by pests. Most often it is aphids, spider mites and mealybugs. To combat these parasites, special drugs are used, the use of which should be resorted to immediately.
The godfather Rowley is a very original representative of the world of succulent plants. The ampoule godson with graceful shoots and leaves, similar to emerald beads, is capable of enthralling anyone. The unpretentiousness of the flower and the simplicity of its propagation clearly speaks in favor of the fact that the godfather Rowley deserves to take a place in the collection of each grower.
