Description of the distinctive features of nautilocalyx, agricultural technology for indoor cultivation, recommendations for reproduction, pests and diseases, interesting facts, species. Nautilocalyx (Nautilocalyx) belongs to the genus of evergreen plants with a herbaceous form of growth and a long life cycle. Botanists have assigned these representatives of the flora to the Gesneriaceae family. In this genus, according to some information, the number of species reaches 38 units, while according to others it is close to 70. The native habitat of these plants is in the selva of Central America, which also includes the tropical regions of South America and regions of Western India.
The nautilocalix bears its name due to the combination of two words in Latin: Nautilus, which translates as "sailor" or that is how they call a type of sea mollusk with a special shell and "calyx" - meaning "cup". However, there is still debate among scientists about the fact that it is not clear which parts or features of the plant are indicated. Perhaps it was about the shape of a flower, which for a person seemed to be "an unusually beautiful cup."
As mentioned earlier, nautilocalyx can grow for quite a long time, if the conditions of its maintenance are not violated, taking the form of grasses, shrubs or dwarf shrubs. Lignification often occurs at the base of the stem. The height of the plant rarely exceeds 50-60 cm, but its width can be 30-60 cm. The growth rate of this representative of the flora is rather slow, but it is constant and does not depend on the season. Shoots are tough, large and upright.
The leaf plates are arranged in opposite order, their shape is broadly ovate. The leaf itself is juicy with a shiny surface or with pubescence, on the upper side there is an expressive pattern and embossed venation, the foliage is wrinkled to the touch. The color of the leaves is quite varied, it can vary from bright green to rich reddish brown and purple. The color on the back of the sheet is also different - a reddish-purple or reddish tint may be present.
When flowering, single buds are formed, or they can gather in medium-sized inflorescences, in which there are 3-4 flowers. The location of the inflorescences is in the leaf axils at the tops of the shoots. The shape of the corolla of the flower is tubular or tubular-bell-shaped. The perianth is made up of five petals with a limb, colored yellow, orange, reddish, cream, pinkish, but there are varieties even with lilac outflows of flowers. Sometimes, on the reverse side, the leaves are pubescent, and decorative mottling is present at the base of the petals. There are types of nautilocalyx, in which we hear a pleasant delicate and sweetish aroma of flowers during flowering.
It is quite simple to grow nautilocalyx if the florist has experience in cultivating representatives of the Gesneriev family.
Agrotechnics for growing nautilocalyx indoors
- Lighting and location selection. A place with diffused but bright lighting, which will be provided on the windowsills of the windows of the eastern and western locations, is recommended for the nautilocalyx. The more color variations there are on the leaf plate, the more light the plant will need. With the arrival of winter, it is recommended to carry out supplementary lighting with phyto-lamps or fluorescent lamps.
- Content temperature. The plant is thermophilic, therefore, in the spring-summer period, it is necessary that the thermometer be in the range of 20-24 units. In the autumn-winter months, it is recommended to lower these indicators to the range of 16-18 degrees. Drafts are also harmful to this shrub.
- Air humidity when cultivating nautilocalyx, it should reach 70%, since the plant comes from subtropical territories. However, since the leaf plates have pubescence, foliar spraying is not recommended. Therefore, it is necessary to spray the air next to the plant from a finely dispersed spray gun, while creating a kind of wet fog. If this rule is not adhered to, then when drops of water get on the foliage, it can begin to rot. Often, air humidifiers or household steam generators are placed next to the nautilocalyx, or, the simplest thing, is to install a container with water nearby. Some growers, in order to increase the humidity level, put a pot with a plant in a deep tray on expanded clay or pebbles and pour a little liquid there. It is important to ensure that the bottom of the flowerpot does not touch the water level, otherwise rotting of the root system is inevitable.
- Watering. It is best when wetting the soil for the nautilocalyx is moderate and regular. Watering is recommended as soon as the top layer of the potted substrate dries up. In the spring and summer months, the soil should be constantly in a moderately moist state, but excessive waterlogging threatens the beginning of rotting of the root system. With the arrival of autumn, watering is gradually reduced and in winter the soil is allowed to dry out more, while the frequency is only once every 7 days. For humidification, only soft and settled water is used, which is heated to room temperature (20-24 degrees). It is recommended to pour water along the edge of the pot, or it is poured into a pot holder (the so-called "bottom watering"). All this is done so that drops of moisture do not accidentally fall on the surface of the leaves. Due to pubescence, spots remain on them, and a putrefactive process can begin. Nautilocalyx responds well to wick irrigation - a special method of soil moistening, in which a cord is threaded into the drainage holes of the pot during transplanting and its capillary properties are subsequently used. That is, by means of a cord, water is pulled from the stand under the pot and rises to the substrate, moistening it. As soon as the soil dries up, the moisture is "pulled up" again.
- Fertilizers for nautilocalyx it is necessary to introduce it during the period of activation of growth and flowering, although the growth of this representative of the flora is year-round, but in the spring-summer time it is gaining momentum. If the bush was just transplanted, then you do not need to feed it for 14-20 days, then little by little the plant begins to fertilize. Fertilizers are recommended to be applied dissolved in water for irrigation. If nautilocalix is an adult, then it is recommended to fertilize it once every two weeks, the concentration of the drug is reduced by 2 times from that recommended by the manufacturer on the package. As fertilizers, you should use balanced preparations in liquid form with a full mineral complex for indoor decorative deciduous and flowering plants. When the end of summer comes, the frequency of fertilization for nautilocalix is gradually reduced, and with the onset of winter time, feeding stops altogether before the onset of the spring period.
- Transplant and soil for her. Annually, with the arrival of the spring period, it is necessary to transplant the nautilocalyx. The new container is selected a little larger. In the bottom, with the help of a drill or a hot knife (nail), holes are made to drain excess liquid so that it does not stagnate and the root system does not rot. Before pouring the soil onto the bottom, a layer of drainage material is laid, which can be medium-sized expanded clay or pebbles, and flower growers also use broken shards. For transplanting nautilocalyx, it is recommended to use a substrate that is light and friable, has good air and moisture permeability, and is based on peat. Of the ready-made soil mixtures, flower growers use the soil "Saintpaulia", which is most suitable for nautilocalyx. Often, flower growers express a desire to independently prepare a substrate, leaf humus (a tool that is versatile in order to improve the properties of the soil), moor peat (this is a product that is the result of the decomposition of dead parts of grass, deciduous and coniferous plants, where also includes moss) and coarse sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1.
Steps to self-propagate nautilocalyx
Since the plant has an unpleasant property to grow over time and lose its decorative qualities, you will have to rejuvenate it from stem or leaf cuttings. The right time for cutting blanks for grafting is the spring months or early summer. The lower leaves must be removed from the cutting.
It is recommended to put such blanks in water or immediately plant them in pots filled with peat-sand substrate or a mixture of peat, river sand and leafy soil. The germination temperature is maintained at 20-22 degrees. Before planting, it is recommended to treat the cut of cuttings with Kornevin or dissolve the drug in water. It is necessary to wrap the planted cuttings with plastic wrap or put under a glass jar. At the same time, it is important not to forget about daily ventilation to remove condensation. Rooting usually takes place as early as 7-8 days. When there are signs of rooting (new young leaves), it is better to remove the shelter.
If the cuttings are placed in water, then when roots with a length equal to 2-3 cm develop on them, they can be planted in prepared pots with a substrate. Care for young nautilocalyx is the same as previously described for planting in the ground. Good results are obtained by rooting cuttings in live sphagnum moss or in special peat-humus tablets. Then the stalk that has sprouted is easier to move into a new pot.
Seed reproduction is also possible. At the same time, planting of seed is recommended in the period January-February. It is necessary to use bowls with peat-sandy substrate poured into them. Seeds are distributed on the surface of the soil and they are not sprinkled with soil. The container with crops is covered with a piece of glass or plastic wrap. Germination should take place at a temperature above 20 degrees Celsius. It is necessary to ventilate every day for 15–20 minutes, and the soil should also be moistened with a spray bottle if it begins to dry out. After a period of 14–20 days, the first shoots become visible on the surface, and then they are dived into separate containers.
Pests and diseases of nautilocalyx when grown indoors
When cultivating this exotic representative of the Gesneriev family, the following troubles can occur, which are associated with a violation of care:
- if there was an overflow of the substrate or stagnation of moisture in the soil, then the leaf plates droop and lose turgor;
- with a lack of illumination, the nautilocalix strongly stretches its shoots and its growth slows down, and the size of the leaves becomes smaller;
- if the air humidity is low, then the tips of the leaf plates begin to dry out, and the plate itself twists;
- at low temperatures and soil flooding, the leaves begin to turn yellow and rot at the base;
- when the leaves are covered with yellow or brownish mottling, the plant is likely sunburned or infested with harmful insects.
Among such pests that can attack nautilocalyx, spider mites are most often isolated. At the same time, you can see a thin cobweb that begins to envelop the back of the leaves and shoots. It will be necessary to carry out treatment with systemic insecticides.
Interesting facts about nautilocalyx
The plant in culture is quite rare, if the climatic conditions are moderate, then nautilocalix is grown in interior greenhouses, as well as in flower showcases, as a potted, flowering and decorative leafy representative of the flora. The flower showcase consists of two glasses, between which, like in an aquarium, certain indicators of heat and humidity are maintained.
Nautilocalix can be found in conservatories or greenhouses with organized heating. In the open field, it is possible to grow only in areas where there are no frosty winters and morning spring frosts. Then he is planted in flower beds and flower vases.
More recently, representatives of the nautilocalyx were attributed to the genus Episcia, even such a variety as the Nautilocalyx cordatus had the name Episcia hirsuta.
The greatest connoisseur of all representatives of the nautilocalyx was the great German botanist who was engaged in the taxonomy of flora samples attributed to the Gesneriev family - Hans Joachim Wheeler (1930-2003).
Types of nautilocalyx
Among the many varieties, only three were identified by flower growers, and they will be the subject of conversation:
- Nautilocalyx ballatus (Nautilocalyx bullatus) found under the name Nautilocalyx tesselatus or Episcia tessellate. The native territories of growth are not the lands of Peru. It is a herbaceous plant with a long life cycle and slender outlines. Its height does not exceed 50-60 cm with a width of 35 cm. The leaf plates are oval in shape and small denticles, the surface is wrinkled. The color on the upper side is dark green, and the back is shaded with purple tint. The length of the leaf is 20–23 cm. The flowering process occurs in May-June. Flowers with pale yellow petals are formed. The surface of the petals is pubescent, when the flower opens, the diameter of the flower reaches 3.5 cm. Low-flowered inflorescences are collected from the buds, the number of flowers in it is up to 10 pieces.
- Nautilocalyx lynchii. Native territories of "residence" fall on the lands of Colombia. The plant is a rather slender and branching plant with a long lifespan. The form of growth is grassy, the parameters in height do not exceed 60 cm with a width of up to 30 cm. The leaf plates are distinguished by an oval-lanceolate shape, the edge is serrated, the upper surface casts dark green tones to purple, and the reverse has a reddish-purple color. The length of the leaf does not exceed 12 cm. In summer, it blooms in buds with yellow petals, on the outside there is pubescence with a purple shade. The buds take their origin from the leaf axils, gathering in a small-flowered inflorescence, numbering 3-4 flowers.
- Nautilocalyx forgeti (Nautilocalyx fogetii) has erect shoots, decorated with large fleshy leaves. The leaf shape is elliptical, their color is bright green, the veins have a patterned reddish tint. The length of the leaf plate does not exceed 8–15 cm. During flowering, flowers are formed with pale yellow petals with a pubescent surface. At the base, from the outside, they are cast in a reddish color scheme with green mottling. The buds are located both singly and are collected in inflorescences in the form of a bunch. The birthplace of this species is the territory of Peru.
In addition to these most popular varieties, breeders have already bred some other modern cultivars and hybrids that attract the attention of flower growers: Nautilocalyx "Dekla", Nautilocalyx "Carribbean Pink", Nautilocalyx "Lightining".
