Bouvardia is a compact evergreen shrub that has been cultivated for over a century and has gained great popularity among gardeners. Today, florists are more and more paying attention to her, struck by her delicate and touching inflorescences. This inhabitant of the American subtropics and tropical rainforests beckons with abundant and frequent flowering. Breeders appreciated the bright inflorescences and have already brought out bouquet forms.
Bouvardia Description
The Bouvard genus belongs to the Marenov family. It includes evergreen perennial shrubs, shrubs and grasses. The plant has a very elegant shape and compact size, an adult bush barely reaches 70 cm. The upright stem is weakly branched, and the internodes are located at a great distance from each other.
Rounded or ovoid leaves have a pointed edge and are attached to the stem on a long stalk. The color of the foliage is plain, dark green. The length of the sheet can be 3-11 cm.
For bright petals, the bouvardia flower received several interesting names: "bush fireworks", "hummingbird flower", "small trumpeter". The flowering period begins in August and lasts until December. The plant throws multiple inflorescences on a strong peduncle, with a diameter of about 15 cm. The flowers are painted in red, white or orange. They have a tubular shape and consist of four fused petals. The edges of the petals are strongly bent outward. Pestle and stamens only peek out of the tube.
Known Varieties
There are about 30 varieties in the bouvard genus, the most popular being the following:
- Bouvardia smoothiflora - evergreen perennial, which forms a bush up to 60 cm in height. The leaves are combined three in a whorl or arranged opposite to the outlet. At the top, a dense corymbose inflorescence is formed. Flowers are tubular, 4-petal. The length of the tube is 2 cm, the color of the petals is salmon outside and scarlet inside.
Bouvardia smoothiflora - Long-flowered bouvard - A taller variety with long stems and peduncles. The height of the bush reaches 90 cm. It is used to compose bouquet compositions. The leaves are oblong, located opposite. Dense inflorescences are formed in the axils of the apical leaves. They are painted white or light pink, exuding a pleasant aroma.
Long-flowered bouvard - Bouvardia home differs in the compact sizes and less dense foliage. Simple or double flowers gather in spherical inflorescences. Ovate leaflets with serrated margin. The length of the sheet plate does not exceed 5 cm.
Bouvardia home - Bouvardia yellow - a tall shrub with lanceolate leaves and dense yellow inflorescences.
Bouvardia yellow - Bouvardia Jasmine-flowered - dwarf species. In winter, the whole bush is densely covered with snow-white bell-shaped flowers and exudes the aroma of jasmine.
Bouvardia Jasmine-flowered
Breeders bred several hybrid varieties that differ in the size and color of the buds, this allows you to choose the most interesting combination both among the potted representatives and in the bouquet.
Breeding methods
The most convenient way for bouvardia is propagation by cuttings. It is enough to cut off the apical shoot with 2-3 internodes in the spring from an adult plant and place it in water. After a few days, the first roots will appear and the shoot can be planted in the soil. The plant very quickly begins to grow and acquires additional branches. After a month, it is completely independent and does not need special care. Flowering is possible in the year of planting.
If you divide the rhizome of a large bush, the flowering process will be postponed until the second year. For planting young delenok using a mixture of sand and peat in equal proportions. During rooting, the shoots are covered with film or glass to create a greenhouse effect.
Care Rules
Caring for the bouvard is very simple. The plant does not need constant monitoring, it is enough to immediately choose a suitable place. Young seedlings and adult plants are planted in a soil mixture with the following components:
- 40% leafy soil;
- 40% light soddy soil;
- 20% sand.
Since the root system is small and shallow, the pots are chosen small and flat. The bottom is lined with a drainage layer and the drain holes are cleaned. Stagnant moisture can rot roots and ruin the bouvard.
For the bouvardia, the southern and eastern windows are excellent, where they will receive a sufficient amount of light. Long and bright light contributes to the formation of flower buds. In summer, pots can be taken out onto the outdoor balcony or garden. Drafts or night cooling in the bushes are not terrible.
Bouvardia needs abundant watering, but excess fluid must leave the soil unobstructed so that the rhizome does not begin to rot. On hot days you can spray the shoots from the spray gun. Even in winter, when there is a period of rest, you should not completely abandon spraying. Dry air in a heated room will cause the leaves to dry out and fall.
During the growing season of the bouvardia, top dressing will not hurt. A plant with intensive growth is difficult to obtain the necessary elements exclusively from the soil. Mineral complex for flowering plants contribute three times a month. After flowering, the bouvardia needs radical pruning. It is necessary to remove up to 70% of the total growth, then new shoots will appear in its place, on which flowers will form. Without pruning, the plant quickly stretches and after 3-4 years will require rejuvenation.
Possible care problems
Bouvardia boasts a high resistance to diseases and parasites. Occasionally, in hot weather, aphids attack it. Abundant washing of vegetation under a warm shower and treatment with a soap solution helps to get rid of parasites. In especially severe cases, it is worth resorting to the help of chemicals.
If the content of harmful substances is exceeded in the water used for irrigation, leaf chlorosis occurs. It is manifested by yellowing and the inability of foliage to synthesize nutrients. Feeding with iron preparations and watering with purified, well-defended water helps.
If excess moisture is present in the soil and the roots become rotten, it is almost impossible to save the plant. In this case, cuttings from healthy shoots are cut, and the old rhizome is discarded.
Using
Bouvardia flowers are so attractive that they can decorate any area in the garden or indoors. Compact bushes look good in small pots or hanging flower pots. During the flowering period, they are completely covered with delicate buds.
Bouvardia is often used to decorate a garden, balcony or terrace. For this, pots with plants are taken out onto the street. They feel great outdoors until the fall.
Such attractive flowers of the long-flowered bouvardia can be used to make bouquet compositions. Florists use bouvard for women's and wedding bouquets. The buds, even when closed, are very attractive and collected in a large, dense inflorescence. A branch is cut when only 2-3 flowers are opened to extend the life of the bouquet. With a regular change of water, the flowers remain fresh for 1-3 weeks. It must be remembered that the buds do not respond well to alcohol fumes and tobacco smoke.
