What is the difference between Tydea and other members of the family, tips for care: watering, transplanting, feeding and more, how to propagate the plant correctly, difficulties in growing, facts for the curious. Tydea (Tydaea) is one of the representatives of the vast family Gesneriaceae (Gesneriaceae) and its growing territory falls on the lands of tropical America.
The plant has a semi-shrub or herbaceous form of growth. The tydea rarely exceeds 10–50 cm in height, but if the place is shaded, then this specimen of flora can become much higher. Unlike many plants of the family, this flower differs in root in the form of a tuber, resembling a small beet. When the stems are still young, they grow straight up, but over time they lodge to the soil under their own weight. The shape of the leaves, which are attached to the elongated petioles, are oblong-ovate, with some sharpening at the top. The leaves are arranged oppositely, and a rosette is assembled from them.
The edge of the leaf is quite decorative, since it is characterized by waviness or small smoothed teeth. All leaves of the plant are painted in a rich greenish-emerald hue. The surface of the leaf is velvety to the touch due to very fine pubescence, and it has an ornament in the form of a spectacular pattern of veins of a light green or reddish hue. The length of the sheet is 10 cm with a width of about 3.5 cm.
It is the flowers that distinguish tydea from her “sisters” in the family. Their small size has become the main reason that the plant is not very revered by flower growers. At the same time, the shape of the corolla resembles a drooping bell. The corolla at the very apex has an indistinct division into five segments, which can sometimes overlap each other, and also deviate slightly back. The color of the tidea flower is not very diverse. There are only shades of purple or pink color scheme. The inner part of the corolla can be either lighter or darker, and often it is even just white, but it has a decoration in the form of a more intense speckling.
The entire vegetation process is supported by abundant flowering, but the buds open one after the other, this is the difference from Gloxinia, which has a pronounced "wave" of flowering. However, the number of simultaneously opened buds in the first representative is so multiple that gloxinia is far from it. One theme can have up to 50 flowers.
All plants that are currently known to botanists are divided into three forms:
- Mini, which are small bushes with flowers with the outlines of a drooping bell. At the same time, the dimensions of the corolla itself for such a miniature size of a plant are quite large - from 4 to 6 cm. It is because of their compact size that such baby teeas take up very little space on the windowsill. The flower color of this form takes on a wide variety of colors, there are even corollas with two shades or reaching black. There are also plants with double flower outlines.
- Standard. Such plants have the most standard outlines created by a leaf rosette, the length of the corolla is the same as that of a mini-tidea - 4–6 cm. Today, plants can take on a wide variety of flower colors. There are varieties that differ in the fusion of two shades on the corolla and with terry outlines. Of all types of teeds, these are the most persistent and do not exhibit any special care requirements;
- Multibells are plants of the tydea species, as if assigned to a separate group. Their leaf rosette is very compact; such plants have no properties to stretch. They are distinguished by a rather huge flower, the corolla of which reaches a length of about 8–10 cm. During flowering, the corolla opens very strongly and its petals are distinguished by a jagged edge. However, regardless of the size, the number of colors in such a plant is small. Very rarely, growers can boast of a similar variety of tidea with a double flower shape.
Such plants can be easily grown in rooms by a florist who does not even have much knowledge of the cultivation of home flowers. Tidea does not have a rest period, but its growth is stable throughout the year, and differs in slowness. However, over time, due to the fact that no pruning was carried out in the winter period, this representative of the flora may lose its decorative effect, therefore it is recommended to perform rejuvenation every 2-3 years. If the florist is familiar with the cultivation of gloxinia or Corellia, then he will cope with this plant, it will not be difficult.
Caring for thisa when growing at home
- Lighting and choosing a place for the pot. Most of all, this gentle representative of the Gesneriaceae is suitable for a location with bright lighting, but shading from the direct rays of the sun. At the same time, it is clear that for tedea you need a window sill facing east or west. If there is no choice, and the bush will be on the window of the southern location, then you will have to protect from direct midday sunlight, which will negatively affect the foliage or flowers. To do this, you can hang curtains made of a translucent light fabric or personally made curtains made of gauze on the window (the material for them can be easily purchased at the pharmacy - this is gauze). If there is no desire to hang anything on the window, then flower growers attach tracing paper to the glass itself with adhesive tape - thin translucent paper (the older generation knows about this). Some people ask, maybe here they will become an assistant to blinds? The answer is no, this degree of shading is too great and the stems of the tidea will begin to stretch strongly, and the bush will lose their decorative effect. The same will happen if the plant is on the north orientation of the windows. Here, backlights are used that will provide the desired level of illumination.
- Content temperature. Since Tydea is a resident of a warm climate, it will have to be protected from low temperatures. Most of all, constant room heat indicators are suitable for a bush. So in the spring-summer period, the thermometer should be in the range of 23-24 degrees, and with the arrival of winter time, it is recommended that it does not drop below 15 units. If the temperature drops more, the plant may even die. Drafts also negatively affect the flower, although airing is beneficial to the plant. Therefore, when airing the room, it is necessary to move the plant pot away from the incoming cold air currents.
- Air humidity when growing tidea, it should be increased, however, due to the pubescence on the leaves and the delicate surface of the corolla, spraying is not recommended. Then water is sprayed only next to the plant from a finely dispersed spray bottle, while trying to prevent moisture drops from falling on the leaf plates and flowers. Otherwise, their entire surface will be covered with brown spots and subsequently decay may begin. But since humidity indicators should be raised above 50%, other methods are used. For example, a pot of thisa is placed in a shallow but wide container (tray, pallet), on the bottom of which a layer of material is laid, which, when wet, remains in a damp state for a long time. This is usually expanded clay, pebbles, broken brick, ceramic or clay shards, or at worst - sand. Then a little water is poured into the container, but you need to make sure that the bottom of the flowerpot does not touch it. Household steam generators or humidifiers can be placed next to it. A regular jar of water is good for raising the humidity next to the tidea. When winter comes, the plant pot is moved away from the central heating battery or heaters. If it is not possible to arrange the bush in this way, then a wet towel is placed on the battery, which is periodically moistened with water.
- Watering. Just as in the situation with spraying, watering is carried out very carefully so that water droplets do not accidentally fall on leaves or flowers. When the plant is covered with flowers, the soil in the pot is moistened once every 3-4 days, making sure that the soil layer on top of the soil has time to dry out a little between waterings. As soon as autumn comes, the watering is reduced and in winter, their regularity becomes once a week. If the tedea has passed completely into a state of dormancy (her entire leaf rosette has dried up), then there is no need to water the plant. Only soft and warm water is used for moisturizing. If possible, river or collected rainwater is used, and when winter comes, you can melt the snow. But in any case, you will need to warm up the liquid to room temperature (20-24 degrees). Sometimes, to make it faster, distilled liquid is used. When there is no way out at all, then simple tap water is passed through a filter, then boiled for half an hour and defended. After a couple of days, draining such a liquid from the sediment is used for irrigation.
- Fertilizers for these, they are introduced during the period of activation of the growing process - from April to early autumn. The preparations are selected in a liquid consistency so that they can be easily dissolved in water for irrigation. Usually, complex mineral dressings or orchid products are used. Fertilizer is diluted by half of the specified dose. It is important to remember that if the plant is undernourished, then it will more easily tolerate this condition than too much preparation.
- Transplantation and recommendations for soil selection. Usually they change the pot and soil for the tidea every 2-3 years, adjusting this operation to the spring months. The size of the container increases only if the root system (tubers) has grown very much. Small holes should be made in the bottom of the container through which excess water that has not been absorbed by the tubers will drain. It is also recommended to lay a layer of drainage material that allows the soil to be kept moist for a long time and prevents the tubers from rotting from the soil flooding. If a transplant is being carried out, then a light, water and air permeable substrate with slightly acidic indicators is suitable for theidea. If the florist decided to mix the soil mixture on his own, then he connects leafy soil, coarse-grained river sand or perlite, peat and humus (in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1). A little crushed charcoal is also introduced there.
- Care features behind the idea are to remove dried leaf plates and flowers in a timely manner. In winter, the plant is dormant and its aboveground part can completely dry out, that is, the trunk dries up, then it is cut to a hemp, leaving only 1 cm. In spring, the tubers are transplanted into a new pot, renewing the soil, and the plant will begin to grow its green mass again. But sometimes the bush can continue to grow in the winter months, but at the same time its attractiveness is lost, then it is recommended to greatly reduce watering.
DIY tidea breeding steps
This delicate flower can be propagated by sowing seeds, cutting or dividing a tuber, rhizome or mother bush.
Usually, the overgrown tuber is divided, combining this process with the transplant of the tidea in the spring. The division is carried out into several parts, but each of the divisions must have at least one shoot and roots. Places of cuts can be sprinkled with a powder of crushed charcoal or activated carbon. Seating is carried out in pre-prepared containers with drainage at the bottom and suitable soil. After planting, until the plants adapt to new conditions and show signs of successful engraftment, they are not placed in a place that is too brightly lit. And only after a few days (up to a week) can the tydea be moved to the windowsill, to a permanent place.
When dividing the rhizome, a cut should be made with a sterile sharpened knife into parts with a length of about 3–5 cm. Then, such divisions are planted in a peat-sand mixture. Parts of thisea are immersed in the substrate to a depth of 1–2 cm. Watering when caring for such plants is moderate. To speed up the germination process, it is recommended to cover the pot of cuttings with a piece of glass or plastic transparent wrap. As soon as such young tedeas take root, the shelter is removed and transplanted into more fertile soil.
When carrying out a spring transplant, an overgrown bush can be divided into several parts. Each of these divisions should have 1–2 shoots and a sufficient number of roots. If the cuttings are very small, then all parts of the plant can be lost. Seating is carried out immediately on pots with a substrate and drainage at the bottom.
Prior to this, the most common and simple methods of tidea propagation were described, which are used by flower growers, but there are two more less popular ones - seeds and cuttings.
Seed material is sown between January and February. In this case, a substrate based on leafy soil and sand is used. On the surface of such a moistened soil, seeds are scattered and they are carefully powdered with a small layer of soil (you can do without it). Then the container with crops is placed under glass or wrapped in polyethylene. You will need to ventilate every day. The germination temperature is maintained at 22-24 degrees. When the seeds germinate and a pair of leaves unfold on the seedlings, the planting is carried out in separate pots.
Cuttings are cut from the tops of the shoots and then placed in a glass of water for 1-2 weeks. After this time, the cuttings develop root processes. When their length becomes equal to 1 cm, then they are planted with a peat-perlite mixture or immediately in a fertile substrate for a couple of pieces. This will help develop a more lush bush in the future.
Difficulties arising in the cultivation of thisa and ways to solve them
Aphids, spider mites, thrips and mealybugs are isolated from pests. All these pests are removed by treatment with insecticidal preparations.
Also a problem is powdery rot, which forms from high humidity in a rather cold room. In this case, all parts affected by the disease are removed from the plant, and treatment with a fungicide is carried out. After that, you should adjust the watering, reduce the humidity around the plant, or raise the temperature of the content.
The following troubles are also observed when growing this plant:
- in case of insufficient lighting, the shoots are too stretched - it is better to rearrange the tedea to a more illuminated place;
- if the bush does not bloom, then it is affected by a lack of fertilizer or lighting - to feed or apply lighting;
- leaves curl and turn yellow in direct sunlight or from dry air;
- brown spots on the foliage indicate cold watering at low temperatures;
- with an excess of fertilizers in the soil, the foliage will turn yellow;
- whitish spots on the leaves are caused by water droplets when spraying.
Tydea flower facts for the curious
They say that tydea are the same gloxinia, but they differ in different outlines of the flower, or it is believed that gloxinia is tydea, in the course of selection the contours of its flower have changed. Also, do not confuse tydea with corelia, since the latter do not have a corolla color in purple or blue shades. And many growers indicate that Corelia has a rhizome, while Tydea has a tuberous outline of the root system.
More about what an indoor tedea flower looks like in the following video:
