Distinctive features of a representative of the flora, the rules for cultivating cerochlamis at home, advice on reproduction, the fight against possible pests and diseases, facts to note, species. Tserochlamis (Cerochlamys) belongs to the botanical classification of the Aizoaceae family. The native lands of this representative of the flora belong to the territory of the southern regions of the African continent, basically all places of natural growth are in the Western Cape, Cape Province and Little Karoo. Such plants prefer to settle in crevices of a rocky substrate or on shale stones. In these areas, the annual rainfall is only 100-200 mm, with most of the rain falling in March and November. This example of the green world is a succulent, that is, in its parts it can accumulate moisture, which helps to survive in dry periods of the year.
The name of the plant should be due to the combination of the Greek words "keros", meaning "wax" and "chlamys", which translates as "mantle". This is how ancient scientists characterized the wax film, which, like a cloak, covers the leaf plates of this succulent.
The height of cerochlamis rarely exceeds 15 cm. Growing up cerochlamys, being quite old, can form whole low clumps-lawns, which from afar resemble heaps of pebbles. The root system of the plant is fibrous. The leaf plates are triangular and thick. The apex of some varieties is more or less pointed. The keel, which is located on the underside of the leaf, is often crooked, and the sides of the leaves are uneven. The length of the leaf ranges from 5–6.2 cm with an approximate diameter of 1.25 cm.
The foliage surface is covered with wrinkles, forming a corrugated texture. Crystalline sand is present in the middle on the wall of the epidermis. All leaves of serochlamys are covered with a waxy bloom, which is represented by horizontally arranged plates. The color of the leaves is light, there is a bluish-green color. Interestingly, the color of the leaf plates of a plant directly depends on the intensity of illumination, so being in direct sunlight, the foliage takes on purple hues.
During flowering, a flowering stem is formed, which originates from a crevice between the leaves and does not rise above the leaf plates. The surface of the peduncle is bare, and in length it reaches 2.5–4 cm. Often one flower appears in cerochlamis, in rare cases there are three units. The shape of the flowers is star-shaped or in the form of a daisy (daisy) and they are somewhat reminiscent of mesembriantemum flowers. Like the flowers of the last succulent, cerochlamys buds open in the afternoon and remain in this state until dark. The flowering process can last for a week.
In diameter, the flower often reaches 3, 75–4, 5 cm. It contains five or six rows of petals with elongated narrow outlines. The petals are painted in a pinkish shade with a snow-white base, the same color can be either just white, or pale lilac, lilac. Inside there are anthers of yellow or orange color, crowning with staminate threads. Very wide nectaries touch each other with a surface.
After pollination of the flowers, the fruits ripen, which have the form of capsules remaining on the plant, and they contain pear-shaped seeds. The length of the seed is 0.75–0.85 mm with a width of about 0.55–0.65 mm. Typically, cerochlamis contains from five to six capsules.
This representative of the flora is quite easy and not capricious to care for, and it can be recommended for cultivation even for novice flower growers. Сerochlamys cannot "boast" about the intensity of growth, but if you do not violate the rules of maintenance, then this succulent can please the owner for many years. Interestingly, the plant has no genetic memory and begins to bloom and grow actively from March to September.
Rules for growing cerochlamis at home
- Lighting and selection of a place for a flower. In nature, this succulent grows in open places, where the sun beats mercilessly all day. But you cannot use this rule when growing serochlamys in an apartment, since if you put the plant on the sill of the south window, it can burn in direct sunlight. An eastern or western location will do.
- Content temperature. In the summer, for cerochlamis, the thermometer values are maintained in the range of 15–20 degrees, but with the arrival of winter they can be lowered, but the main thing is that the minimum value is not lower than 5 degrees Celsius.
- Content moisture. Since the plant is a "resident" of regions of the planet, with rather dry periods of the year, therefore, when grown at home, this succulent easily adapts to dry air. But if the temperature indicators in summer are high, and the humidity is low, then the plant can become a victim of pests.
- Watering. In order for the succulent to feel comfortable, it is necessary to correctly withstand the watering regime. In the spring months, it is recommended that the topsoil dry out a little between waterings, the earthen lump is not brought to complete dryness, nor is it poured over. The plant usually dies due to unregulated watering. Water sparingly at any time except summer. To moisturize cerochlamis, only soft water is used every 10-15 days, and in the summer months it begins a kind of rest period and at this time watering is limited. Water is used only warm and soft. Watering with hard water will lead to yellowing of the leaves and death of the succulent.
- Fertilizers for cerochlamis, it should be applied during its flowering period. For this, a product intended for cacti is used, but its dosage is almost halved. Regular feeding every 4 weeks.
- Plant transplant and advice on soil selection. This succulent plant will require a transplant only if its bush grows too much. This usually happens every few years, timing the change of the pot and soil in it for the spring months. A good drainage layer (for example, medium-sized expanded clay, pebbles or clay shards) must be laid on the bottom of the pot. The soil for cerochlamis is suitable with good air and water permeability. Its acidity indicators should be in the range (pH 6–7, 5). Composing the soil independently, it is mixed from leafy soil, greenhouse soil, river sand (perlite), and the parts must be equal or from turf and coarse sand in equal proportions. It is advisable not to add peat to the soil mixture.
How to propagate cerochlamis when grown indoors?
To get a new succulent with lilac chamomile flowers, sowing seeds and dividing the bush is recommended.
This succulent, after pollination, ripens the fruits in the form of capsules filled with seeds. The fruits are recommended to be picked, dried and seeds removed. The best time to sow them is early spring. First, a drainage layer is placed in the container, and then a loose soil mixture, for example, peat half with river sand or any other soil substrate, on top of which a stove layer will be poured. Seed embedding is usually no more than two millimeters. The soil is then gently sprayed with a fine spray gun. This is done so that the sown seeds do not float.
You can put a piece of glass on top of the container with crops or wrap it in a plastic transparent bag. The temperature during germination is maintained at room temperature, and the place where the container with seeds is placed should be with bright, but diffused lighting. Crop maintenance will consist of regular airing and spraying of the soil. Seeds germinate quite amicably and in a short time. When the shoots become visible, it is recommended to remove the shelter. It is important not to flood the substrate during germination, as the seeds can easily rot if the moisture stagnates in the container. When the seedlings of cerochlamis become 3–5 cm in height, they are dived (transplanted) in separate containers with drainage at the bottom and more suitable soil. The flowering of such young succulents begins after two years from the time of sowing the seeds.
When transplanting a plant, if its size has become too large, you can divide the bush. The Сerochlamys must be removed from the pot and the root system must be cut into pieces using a sharpened knife. Only in this case, you need to remember that these divisions should not be small, it is better when they have a sufficient number of root processes and leaf plates. Planting is carried out in pre-prepared pots and after that it is required to put the plant in a place in which there will be no direct scattered rays for adaptation and rooting.
Diseases and pests arising from the home cultivation of cerochlamis
If the conditions of detention are constantly violated, then the plant begins to quickly weaken and becomes an easy prey for harmful insects, which, settling on stems and leaves, suck out vital juices. Of the pests that infect cerochlamis, aphids and mealybugs can be distinguished. The first manifests itself in the formation of green bugs that cover the plant and leave behind a sticky sugary bloom, called padya. If you do not take any action to destroy the insect, then the pad becomes the cause of the appearance of the next disease after it - a sooty fungus. In this case, the entire surface of the parts of the succulent will begin to cover a plaque similar to gray-black soot. The second pest, the mealybug, is well seen for the formations of whitish lumps that resemble cotton wool and sticky honeydew.
In order to combat the above-described harmful insects, the leaf plates of cerochlamys can be treated with soap, oil or alcohol solutions, but in case of severe damage, spraying with insecticidal preparations, like Aktara, Aktellik or Fitoverm, should be carried out.
If the substrate is constantly in a waterlogged state, then the plant can get sick with root rot. Then the growth of cerochlamis stops, the leaf plates take on a yellow color and die off. As soon as the symptoms of such a disease are noticed, an urgent transplant is carried out into a sterile pot, using a disinfected substrate. Before this, all affected root areas are removed, and the sections are sprinkled with activated or charcoal powder.
If the plant is constantly in direct sunlight, then areas of dried tissue are formed on the leaves due to sunburn. If the soil is very dry, then the surface of the leaves wrinkles, and the tops of the shoots begin to droop. To eliminate such a problem, a pot with serochlamys is placed in a container with water and when air bubbles cease to rise from the surface of the soil, the flowerpot is removed, the water is allowed to drain, and they continue to try to maintain an optimal irrigation regime. If there is not enough lighting, then the plant's stems will begin to stretch strongly and the leaf plates will decrease in size.
Facts to note about cerochlamis
This species of the representative of the flora of the planet, along with Mesembriantemum (Midday), will be of interest to lovers of succulents. Due to the plant's ability to easily take root on scarce substrates, cerochlamis is used for phytodecoration of gardens, alpine slides and rockeries, as well as a hardy home culture, which is usually planted in bowls.
Types of cerochlamis
- Cerochlamis pachyphylla (L. Bolus) L. Bolus. The native habitat is in South Africa (namely the Western Cape), Lesotho and Swaziland. Prefers to settle on sandy substrates. It is a succulent plant that forms succulent leaf plates with a waxy coating. The base is greatly reduced, the petiole is very short at first, later acquires a waxy coating and a short branched stem. Height indicators rarely exceed 10 cm with a diameter of 8–20 cm. The leaf plates are simple, their arrangement is paired by 4–10 units. The leaf is 4–7 cm long and about 6–8 mm wide at the base. At the top, the leaf becomes wider, but in cross section it is triangular. The surface is rather hard, wrinkled. The color of the foliage is brownish-green, there are epidermal cells that secrete a sticky waxy substance, which provides an unusual cover to the leaf plates. Because of him, the color brightens much. Such cells are arranged alternately along and across, forming real plates running along the stem. In the warp, oppositely growing leaves unite. Differs in the formation of flowers with petals, the color of which varies from pink to purple-red. Inside, at the base, there is a smooth transition to a white color scheme. Anthers in the central part of the yellow color. The flowering process begins in the winter months (January-February) and takes several weeks. The number of flowers can vary from 1-3 buds. The peduncle takes its origin from the crevice between two accrete leaf plates and at the very beginning the color of the bud is brownish-burgundy.
- Tserochlamis pochifilla var. white (Cerochlamys pachyphylla var. albiflora H. Jacobsen). Another name is Cerochlamys Duninald. rockii H. Jacobsen because of their favorite habitats. As well as the base variety, this plant is found naturally in the southern regions of the African continent. Prefers both rocky and sandy substrates. This species is a cluster of succulents formed by succulent leaves with a waxy surface. In height, it slightly exceeds 10 cm with an average diameter of 8–20 cm. The main difference is that flowers with snow-white petals bloom during flowering. Flower shape in the form of a chamomile or garden daisy. Petals, elongated with a pointed tip. The diameter of the flower at full disclosure is 3 cm. The flowering process also occurs in the winter months. Even in spite of the difference in color, it is customary to say that this species is a variety of the Tserochlamis pochifilla or Tserochlamis triangular variety.
- Tserochlamis Gemina (Cerochlamys gemina (L. Bolus) H. E. K. Hartmann). The natural habitat is also the lands of Swaziland, Lesotho and the Western Cape (southern regions of Africa). The main difference between this variety is the presence of a burgundy strip on the tops of the leaf plates, which sets off the greenish-gray color of the surface. This shade appears most clearly on the ribs and keel of the leaves and can sometimes be seen at their base. The color of the petals in the flowers also differs slightly from the base form. They are of a delicate lilac or pale purple hue, but can be colored completely without transitions to pink. The filaments are also of a white flower and are crowned with orange anthers, if the shade of the flower is closer to purple, or yellow - when the color of the petals is pinkish.
There are two more varieties that are quite rare in indoor floriculture:
- Cerochlamis purple (Cerochlamys purpureostyla (L. Bolus) H. E. K. Hartma);
- Tserochlamis triangular (Cerochlamys trigona N. E. Br.).
