P. echinatum is a shrubby , deciduous , recurrent succulent with a swollen stem tolerate a few greyish outgrowth , traverse with spiny stipules . Heart - shaped , grey-haired - fleeceable leaves , are hirsute above , and below . Bears clusters , of small star - shaped , white to pink flowers , with dark ruby-red marks . Native to South Africa . This plant is commonly call a geranium , which can be perplexing . The genus is Pelargonium , though there is a whole different radical of plants with the genus name Geranium , which are ordinarily called Cranesbills . Remove dead flowers to promote new growth . Excellent container or border plant . salutary houseplant .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
Watering
Planting
As perennials install , it is significant to prune them back and thin them out occasionally . This will prevent them from whole take over an area to the exclusion of other plant , and also will increase aviation circulation thereby cut back the relative incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many specie also blossom abundantly and produce rich semen . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your flora ; that is , to remove spent flowers before they mould seed . This will forestall your plants from seed all over the garden and will keep up the considerable energy it takes the plant to produce seed .
As perennials grow , they may form a dense ascendent sight that eventually leads to a less vigorous flora . It is advisable to occasionally thin out a sales booth of such perennials . By dividing the antecedent system , you may make new plants to plant in another field of the garden or give away . Also settle down pruning will stimulate new ontogenesis and restore the plant . Most perennials may be successfully carve up in either spring or dusk . Do a little homework ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an cosmetic feature , a planting option when there is little or no stain to plant in , or for plants that ask a soil type not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is subscript . If growing more than one works in a container , make certain that all have similar cultural requirements . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to provide root development and growth as well as relative balance between the fully developed plant and the container . Plant large containers in the place you specify them to stay . All containers should have drain holes . A mesh CRT screen , break clay sens pieces(crock ) or a newspaper coffee filter range over the trap will keep soil from washing out . The potting grease you choose should be an appropriate mixture for the plants you have chosen . Quality soils ( or grime - less medias ) absorb moisture pronto and evenly when wet . If H2O race off grease upon initial making water , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as good as you call back .
Prior to fill a container with soil , wet potting soil in the bag or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . fill up container about halfway full or to a point that will allow plants , when planted , to be just below the brim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with stain line when project is complete . Water well . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have chosen is suitable for the condition you are able to supply it : that it will have enough light , outer space , and a temperature it will like . commemorate that the expanse aright next to a window will be colder than the rest of the room .
Indoor plants need to be transfer into a orotund container periodically , or they become pot / root - bound and their growth is retarded . irrigate the plant well before starting , so the soil will hold the ascendent ballock together when you remove it from the sens . If you have trouble arrest the plant out of the heap , test running a steel around the bound of the green goddess , and softly whack the sides to loosen the soil .
Always use fresh soil when transplanting your indoor plant . occupy around the plant mildly with grease , being careful not to compact too tightly – you require air to be capable to get to the ascendent . After the plant is in the new pot , do n’t fertilize right away … this will boost the roots to fill in their unexampled home .
The size raft you choose is of import too . Select one that is not more than about 1 column inch great in diam . Remember , many flora prefer being somewhat quite a little bound . Always begin with a clean great deal !
Problems
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and practice test on windowpane to keep them out . Remove or discard overrun plant , keep them away from non - infested works . Trap with yellow viscous notice or take vantage of natural enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a right firm shower of weewee will lap them off the plant . look up your local garden midpoint professional or county conjunct extension authority for legal chemical testimonial . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare little , 8 legged , wanderer - alike creatures which thrive in hot , dry condition ( like heated business firm ) . Spider mites feed with piercing oral cavity part , which make plants to appear yellow and stippled . Leaf driblet and plant death can take place with overweight plague . Spider speck can multiply speedily , as a female can lie up to 200 orchis in a life brace of 30 days . They also produce a web which can cover infested leaf and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested flora . Dry air seems to exacerbate the job , so ensure plants are regularly water , especially those preferring high humidity such as tropicals , citrus fruit , or tomatoes . Always check raw plant prior to bringing them home from the garden centre or glasshouse . Take vantage of natural foe such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommend by your local garden center of attention professional or county Cooperative Extension office , register and travel along all recording label focal point . boil down your efforts on the underside of the foliage as that is where spider touch mostly experience . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , leaden - blank , soft - corporal insects that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have thrust / sucking mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Mealybugsoften look like small slice of cotton and they be given to congregate where leaves and stem leg . They lash out a broad range of plant life . The unseasoned lean to move around until they discover a worthy feeding spot , then they give ear out in colonies and provender . Mealybugs can weaken a plant life lead to sensationalistic foliation and leafage drop . They also produce a sweet content bid honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can lead to an untempting contraband surface fungal growth call pitchy mould .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plant life from those that are not . confer with your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical recommendation . Encourage innate foe such as lady beetle in the garden to help reduce population stage of mealy bugs . plague : WhitefliesWhitefliesare little , wing dirt ball that look like diminutive moths , which attack many types of plants . The fly adult stage choose the underside of leaves to flow and strain . Whiteflies can breed quick as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life pair of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of take flight louse when the plant is shake up . Whiteflies can weaken a plant , eventually lead to plant dying if they are not checker . They can transmit many harmful plant viruses . They also produce a sweet content call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black surface fungal growth called sooty mold .
Possible dominance : keep Mary Jane down ; use screening in windows to keep them out ; remove overrun plant away from non - infested plants ; use a reflective mulch ( aluminum enhancer ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with xanthous sticky cards , go for judge pesticide ; promote natural enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a practiced unfluctuating exhibitioner of water will wash out them off the plant . Pest : AphidsAphids are small , soft - corporate , slow - incite worm that take up fluids from plants . Aphidscome in many colors , ranging from green to brown to inglorious , and they may have wings . They aggress a wide compass of plant species causing acrobatics , twist leaves and buds . They can transmit harmful plant virus with their pierce / sucking mouthparts . Aphids , in the main , are merely a pain , since it have many of them to cause serious plant harm . However aphids do bring about a sweet substance call honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can lead to an untempting black control surface growth called sooty mould .
Aphids can increase quickly in numbers and each female can produce up to 250 live nymph in the row of a month without mating . Aphids often appear when the surround changes - outpouring & downslope . They ’re often massed at the tip of branches prey on lush tissue paper . aphid are appeal to the color yellowness and will often hitchhike on yellow clothing .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an infrangible minimum , especially around worthy plants . On victual , lave off taint area of plant . Lady microbe and lacewing will feed on aphids in the garden . There are various products - organic and inorganic - that can be used to moderate aphid . try the recommendation of a professional and follow all label procedure to a tee . Diseases : BlightBlights are cause by fungus kingdom or bacterium that kill plant tissue . symptom often show up as the rapid spotting or wilt of foliage . There are many dissimilar blight , specific to various works , each require a varied method of command .
