Description of common signs of torenia, advice on care, recommendations for replanting and soil selection, reproduction, problems during cultivation and their solution, types. Torenia belongs to the Scrophulariaceae family according to some data, and to the Linderniaceae family according to others. Some 40-50 species of the same representatives of the flora of the planet are also ranked there. The homeland of growth is considered to be African territories, as well as southeast Asia, where a tropical climate prevails. It got its name in honor of the traveler clergyman Red Olaf Toren, who often came across colorful and attractive flowers on his travels to Indian and Chinese lands. It was he who collected colorful samples of the flora of those regions and sent them to his friend, botanist and scientist Karl Linnaeus.
She is the real queen of flowers that have a bell-shaped bud, although she has nothing to do with the plants of this family. Torenia blooms during all summer months, and flowers can last until the very cold. Usually this summer plant is grown as an annual plant, although among all species there are also those that remain to live for several seasons.
The stem of this plant is creeping and rather branched, torenia rarely exceeds the height of 20–45 cm. The stem itself can grow vertically upward, its surface has the shape of a tetrahedron. A new young shoot appears from each leaf sinus, growing, it also begins to branch strongly. The leaf plates are located alternately on the shoot and have some sharpening at the top; they can take a simple form, in the form of an egg or obovate. Their length is 5 cm, there may be some jaggedness along the edge. Their color is rich or bright green. The petioles of the leaves are short.
Torenia flowers are her real pride. The flower-bearing stems of the buds are as short as those of the leaves. They usually begin their growth from the leaf sinuses and grow singly or in pairs. The flowers are somewhat reminiscent of gloxinia buds, since they have a light velvety surface that seems to glow. They are medium in size, with a rim similar in shape to a cylinder or a cone. The corolla is divided into 5 lobes, they are asymmetric. In this way, the flowers are very reminiscent of the open bud of the Snapdragon flower. The color of the bent part of the corolla is painted in a pale purple hue, the pharynx has a snow-white or pale lemon color. The bud has two lips and on the lower lip there is a small speck, of various shades: lemon, blue-blue or purple. An interesting feature of the flower is that the stamens (pair), together with the anther, are very similar in their bend to the brisket of a feathered bird, for this it is customary to call toreniya in Old England the Wishbone flower or Bluewings. The flowering process in many species begins in the summer, and the buds delight the eye until the very cold weather.
After the flowers wither, seedlings appear filled with yellow seeds. The fruits are so small that they do not spoil the decorative appearance of the plant, and they do not need to be removed.
There are some varieties that have very large flowers and the formation of their number is plural and avalanche. Corolla color also varies from variety to variety. Modern varieties F1 and F2 have been developed with excellent resistance to high summer temperatures. Their colors have a great color saturation and a variety of shades: dark purple, bright crimson, lilac-lilac, corolla with lavender colors, with a tube in lilac tones and purple limb. Seed material is usually sold in mixes.
A distinctive feature of this variegated plant is that it is cultivated almost exclusively as a pot culture. The leaves of the "queen of bells" are very delicate and capricious, any violation of the growing conditions immediately leads to the fact that the deciduous mass begins to fly around, and since it is difficult to provide constant indicators for growing torenia in the open field, it is customary to keep it in home pots or containers … If, nevertheless, the choice fell on her when used in landscape design, then they are limited to the use of:
- as the only potted decoration;
- as an ampel culture;
- in boxes installed on balconies;
- to create an accent in mixed phytocompositions grown in containers;
- in tall flowerpots or stone flowerpots;
- for decorating recreation areas, balcony or terrace structures.
Some Tips for Torenia Cultivation
- Lighting and location for the flower. The plant is very light-requiring and for the brightness of the colors of flowers, it is necessary to select places with sufficient illumination, but with shading from the scorching sun's rays. In indoor conditions, windows of an east or west orientation are suitable. If the plant is placed on the window of the northern location, there will not be enough illumination and the shoots will be strongly stretched, on the south side you will have to hang tulle or curtains, glue tracing paper or paper on the glass. However, if there is increased heat or prolonged rains, then this will inevitably destroy the delicate flower. It is necessary to protect the variegated beauty in the premises from the slightest effect of drafts.
- Content temperature. For torsion, room heat indicators are most acceptable when the temperature does not drop below 16-18 degrees. Therefore, seedlings are planted in the garden on a flower bed only when no night frosts are expected. But with the arrival of autumn, 6–8 weeks before the “matinees” begin, it is necessary to bring the flower pot into a room where a good level of illumination is maintained and heat indicators fluctuate between 16–17 degrees. However, after the flowering process ends, the toria dies off.
- Air humidity when growing "queen of bells" should be high enough. If the heat indicators exceed the permissible threshold, then spraying of torenia bushes is carried out. It is important to ensure that drops of moisture do not fall on the delicate buds of the plant - this will ruin them. It is only necessary to wet the sheet plates.
- Watering for toria. Moistening the soil for the flower should be regular and abundant - both for potted crops and for planted outdoors. The signal for watering the plant is the drying of the top layer of the soil. But nevertheless, swamping does not tolerate torenia and it can be affected by various rot, and slugs attack it in flower beds. The plant will not survive either with constant overdrying of an earthen coma, or with heavy, long rains.
- Fertilizer. In order for the "queen of bells" to please the eye with flowering and its duration, it is necessary to introduce regular fertilizing with complex mineral solutions. And when flowering begins, you will have to fertilize with dressings for flowering plants. Fertilizers are applied every 2 weeks. The dosage should be reduced by almost two times from that indicated by the manufacturer.
- Flower care must be carried out regularly. At the beginning of growth, it is necessary to pinch the tops of the shoots in order to achieve the branching of the bush, and then it is worth removing the wilted buds, since the torment itself does not discard them, and they significantly spoil the decorative appearance of the plant.
- Transplanting and soil selection for plants grown in pots and outdoors. Torenia is a plant with very delicate leaves and flowers. She feels comfortable on loose and nutritious soils. The acidity of the substrate that will suit her may have different indicators - both pH 5, 6 (slightly alkaline) and pH 7, 5 (acidic). But it is best to pick up a neutral soil mixture. You can mix light loam into its composition, which is distinguished by its ability to retain moisture. Also, for planting in pots, ordinary purchased land for indoor plants is used and river sand or crushed charcoal is added to it.
You can compose a soil mixture yourself, based on the following components:
- leafy soil, humus soil, coarse sand (all parts are equal);
- garden soil, peat, humus soil, river sand (in proportions 2: 2: 2: 1).
If torenia is grown in a pot, holes are made in the bottom to drain excess water and a layer of drainage material is poured, which will retain moisture and prevent the soil in the flowerpot from drying out quickly. Toreniya, which are grown in flower beds, are slightly mulched. If the planting takes place in container boxes, then a hydrogel will have to be mixed into the substrate, which will retain moisture.
Self-breeding "queen of bells"
Basically, this magnificent flower is propagated by the annual planting of seeds. They must be sown about 10 weeks before the seedlings are transferred to the ground - if you plan to receive seedlings in early summer, then planting occurs no later than mid-March days. Since the seeds are very small, when planting, they are simply sprinkled a little with moistened sand or vermiculite. Further, to create conditions for constant high humidity and heat, the planting box is covered with glass or plastic wrap - such a mini-greenhouse.
If the temperature is maintained at 18-22 degrees Celsius, then steams can be expected after 10 days. However, do not worry if the process takes up to 14–20 days. The seedlings are moistened very carefully, using a finely dispersed spray gun or bottom irrigation (through a pallet).
When young torenia appear, it is necessary to wait until 2-3 true leaves are formed on the seedlings. Then a pick is made in individual pots, preferably made of peat. This is necessary so that, when the plants are sufficiently developed, they can be planted in the ground directly with these containers, since torenia reacts extremely badly to transplants.
If the stems of the plant are too elongated, then it is recommended to pinch the tops - this will allow the bush to start branching. Then the same parts of the shoots can be rooted. If the stalk is at least 8 cm long, then it will easily take root in a peat-sandy soil mixture. The cut is required to be powdered with any growth stimulant (for example, "Kornevin"). A plant obtained as an interspecific hybrid can only be propagated using the cuttings method. Torenia seedlings are transplanted into open ground only when there are no more night frosts. The distance between planting seedlings should not be less than 20 cm.
Challenges when growing indoor torsion
The plant differs in that it has good resistance to pests and diseases. However, if the conditions of detention are violated, then some troubles are possible:
- with waterlogged soil, slugs can attack the flower or it is affected by putrefactive processes, while it is worth treating the bush with a fungicide;
- if the stems are very elongated, and the bush has lost its attractiveness, then weak watering, insufficient illumination contributed to this, it is recommended to carry out treatment with a retardate - this will help the bush to become more compact.
Of the diseases, specific spotting of leaf plates can be distinguished - this, alas, is incurable. If you have seen such symptoms on torenia, then it is recommended to remove the entire bush. However, if the plant as a whole does not show signs of oppression, then it can be disposed of when it fades.
If the moisture readings have been lowered, the "motley beauty" may be amazed:
- a spider mite, due to which a cobweb appears on the leaves and stems, traces of microscopic punctures are visible on the surface, the leaf plates turn yellow and fall off;
- aphids, which are clearly visible on the plant - creeping black or green small bugs;
- powdery mildew, in which all the leaves are covered with a gray or whitish bloom.
If a pest is found on torenia, then the treatment can be carried out with a soap, oil or alcohol solution. If folk methods do not work, then spraying with systemic insecticides is necessary. With powdery mildew, spraying is carried out with solutions that contain sulfur or caratan.
Types of torenia
- Torenia fournieri this plant is the most popular of the whole family. It is named after a botanist from France who lived in 1834-1880, Eugene Pierre Nicolas Fourier. The regions of southern China are considered the homeland of its natural growth. It can settle in mountainous areas with an absolute altitude of 1200 m. It is so common in those regions, among which the territories of Thailand, Taiwan, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos can be distinguished, that it can be seen growing along the roads.
- Torenia yellow (Torenia flava). A plant that has a herbaceous growth and reaches a height of 20 cm. It is an annual. Stems are creeping, creeping. Sheet plates are distinguished by an elliptical appearance and a serrated-serrated edge. Flowers are small in size, with a velvety surface, grow singly from the leaf axils. Mostly painted in yellow tones, and the throat is purple. The flowering process is common from July days to the end of September.
- Torenia cordifolia (Torenia cordifolia). It is also an annual flower with an upright stem. Oval-shaped sheet plates with a scalloped edge. The flowers are large in size, differ in a violet-sky shade. Located singly, grow from axillary leaf buds.
When breeding other varieties, some other types of torenia were also involved:
- Torenia dark purple (Torenia atropurpurea) in which the flowers are painted in deep purple with a red undertone, bright shades;
- Torenia hirsuta have a pubescent calyx at the bud and blue-violet color;
- Torenia varieties Clown or Panda (Torenia Clown, Panda), has a bushes size of only 20 cm, with flowers in which the corolla tube is white or bluish in color, and the limb is purple or purple in color;
- Torenia Summer Wave, the shoots of this flower become very long, the plant grows in the form of dense bushes, and is distinguished by increased endurance, flowers of blue-violet tones;
- Torenia variety Duchess (Torenia Dushess), the size of this plant reaches 15-20 cm with tubular flowers, in which the tube has a snow-white shade, the bend of the corolla becomes crimson and there is a bright yellow spot on the lower lip;
- Torenia Golden Moon, a plant characterized by a creeping stem at a height of 20 cm and flower buds, in which the tube has a rich yellow hue and a rich burgundy color of the throat;
- Torenia Little Kiss, differs in a small compact size, reaching a maximum of 15 cm, the color of the buds is very diverse: pure white, white bud tube with burgundy, deep purple or bright pink limb, as well as variations with a pale pinkish corolla and limb in raspberry and purple colors.
An interesting hybrid was VIVIA Sol, it is similar to yellow torenia - its corolla is in yellow tones, and the tube of the plant is purple-bluish both above and inside. Almost all hybrid plants have an ampelous growth, the shoots of which densely cover the leaf plates.
For more information on torsion, see this video:
