Blooming desert stones on the windowsill. Types of fenestaria and all about its home maintenance

Fenestaria comes from the desert, where it is not easy for plants to survive. It not only develops in the sultry hot sand, but also gives incredible flowers - flowering and living desert stones.

Next, we will tell you more about this plant, namely: what species are there, their photos, how succulent can be propagated, the rules for leaving at home. What diseases and pests should be feared and how to deal with them. And also about the difficulties that a flower grower may encounter when growing it.

What is this plant?

Fenestaria is a perennial succulent belonging to the Aizov family. The genus includes only 2 species - orange and club-leaf fenestaria. A flower native to South Africa, Namibia, grows in the hot desert climate of Small Karru and Namaqualand.

The plant is not large, usually planted in groups, forming a dense, mosaic, pillow-shaped crown of leaves. The leaves are cylindrical in shape, small, up to 2 - 3 cm in length, light green in color.

Leaves narrowed at the base. At the top there are volumetric seals - windows, up to 0.5 cm in diameter, of a lighter shade. Through these windows, light enters. The lower part of the leaves is usually hidden in the soil.

Due to the structure of leaves with “windows”, the process of photosynthesis is not disturbed, fenestaria survives in the driest climate.

Rosettes of leaves are small. The tops of the leaves are convex, triangular in shape, covered with a transparent film - the skin. The peculiarity of the growth of fenestaria is that it hides in the soil, protecting the stem from the scorching heat and drying out.

Peduncles are small, up to 5 cm in length, throw one flower in the summer. The flowers are white or golden yellow, in diameter grow to 5-7 cm.

Reference. The plant is hardy, drought tolerant, well adapted to new conditions during transplantation.

Seed boxes have many pockets - cells in which seeds ripen one at a time.

As soon as the seeds ripen, the covers of the cells open, the seeds are spontaneously sown. Seeds are particularly viable, can be used for 10 years.

Types: description and photo

Ropalophyllum or Mace

The variety belongs to perennial, succulent species of decorative flowering plants. Variety Fenestraria Rhopallophylla is distinguished by thin, slightly elongated leaves, up to 4 - 5 cm in height.

The leaves at the base are narrowed, and the tops themselves are compacted, the leaves resemble a mace in shape. Rosettes combine leaves in groups - glades up to 10 cm in diameter. The tops - the windows face the sun.

The flowers are small, grow up to 3 cm in diameter, similar in shape and structure to chamomile - white straight petals with a bright yellow core.

Orange or golden

Latin name Fenestraria Aurantica. Orange fenestaria belongs to the perennial herbaceous succulents of the Aizon family. This variety is more elegant, tiny leaves, cylindrical in shape, grow to 2 - 2.5 cm in height. The leaves are dense, grayish colored stones.

On a note. Often in everyday life this variety is called Flowering stones.

The base of the leaves most often have a red tint.

The flowers themselves are bright orange or golden yellow, medium in size, with a diameter of up to 5 - 7 cm.

Home Care

Lighting

Even bred varieties prefer bright sunlight. Fenestaria fully and quickly takes root, develops only in direct sunlight.

In winter, with a lack of lighting and a short daylight, additional lighting with special lamps is required.

Temperature

In apartment conditions, the flower does not like heat. The optimum temperature for the content of fenestaria is considered to be 13 - 15 ºС. The variety is not at all winter-hardy, in the cold season, special care and support is needed, the flower enters a dormant state.

Important! the plant does not tolerate sharp temperature drops, drops, temperature conditions below 10 - 12 ºС are not permissible.

Location

A flower loves well-lit places. You can install pots on the south and southeast side of the house. In the shade and semi-shady places, the flower withers and dies. In summer, you can install pots on open verandas and balconies.

It is not recommended to plant a flower in open ground.

Watering

Watering should be moderate. It is usually watered with very small doses, water should not fall on the leaves. The soil around the flower is moistened. In winter, the flower is practically not watered, while the leaves may wrinkle a little. Water should be at room temperature.

Air humidity

For fenestaria, the average humidity is considered to be the most optimal, up to 45 - 50%. Humidification is not recommended., the skin of the leaf plate becomes thinner, cracks appear on the leaves.

No additional spraying is required, the plant prefers dry air.

Top dressing

Fenestaria is well aware of complex top dressing for succulents and cacti. Organic fertilizer is not recommended. They feed the plant during the active growth and development of the bush. Fertilizers are applied in small portions, of weak concentration, 1 time in 3 to 4 weeks.

The soil

Given the natural habitat, you can prepare the soil mixture yourself:

• River sand - 2 hours
• Humus - 1 hour

The soil should be light and loose, well-drained.

Pruning

A healthy flower, as a rule, does not need regular pruning. When transplanting, you can trim the overgrown leaves in the outlet for further cuttings. Also, when decaying or fungal infections of the root, the affected leaves and processes need to be trimmed.

Breeding

Cuttings

Fenestaria multiplies well at home by separating the leaves from the main outlet. The procedure is best done in the spring.

Features of rooting cuttings:

1. Leaf cuttings are cut, 3 to 4 hours are dried in the shade.
2. Slices are processed by crushed coal.
3. Cuttings penetrate into the sandy substrate.
4. The temperature of the cuttings is up to 18 ° C.
5. After rooting, young seedlings are transplanted into planting containers by transfer.

With a planned transplant, you can neatly divide the leaf outlet along with the roots.

Note! The processes can be separated only in an adult bush with a well-developed root system and an overgrown outlet.

Division scheme:

1. Gently gets a flower from the pot.
2. Old soil is removed.
3. Each separated part should have 3-4 leaves and part of the rhizome.
4. The separated parts are dried in the shade of 4 to 5 hours.
5. Seedlings are planted in slightly moistened soil in separate small containers.
6. Saplings are deepened to the level of the root neck.
7. The top drainage from crushed stone is laid on top of the substrate.
8. Seedlings take root within 2 to 3 weeks.

Seeds

Fenestaria can propagate by seed. The process is long, care for sowing time-consuming. Seeds germinate irregularly, randomly, and grow very slowly. The soil composition is used the same as when transplanting - sandy, loose, light, slightly moistened.

Seeding scheme:

1. A substrate with a thickness of 3-4 cm is poured into the landing tanks.
2. The substrate is moistened with a spray.
3. Seeds are evenly distributed on the surface of the substrate, not pressed into the soil.
4. Top sowing sprinkled with soil or sand.
5. Pots are covered with a transparent plastic lid.
6. Tanks are exposed in a darkened place.
7. Regular, moderate hydration of the crop is required.
8. As soon as the seeds germinate, the lid is removed.

You can find out how to propagate "living stones" and how to care for them in a separate article.

Transfer

On a note. The flower does not require frequent transplants, adult bushes are usually planted 1 time in 2 to 3 years.

Transplantation is usually carried out after flowering. The soil must be used special for succulents. You can make a simplified soil composition:

• Normal garden soil - 1 hour.
• Finely chopped brick chips - 2 hours

You can choose a transplant pot from any material, the main thing is not too big and deep.

Transplantation scheme:

1. The flower is carefully removed from the pot.
2. Removed the old soil from the root.
3. The roots are examined, diseased and dry processes are removed.
4. The rhizome is washed with water, dried for 4 to 5 hours in the shade.
5. Seedlings deepen by the level of the root neck.
6. The soil is slightly moistened.
7. Small crushed stone spills out from above around the root neck.

The base of the leaves is not covered with a substrate.

Diseases and Pests

Fenestaria can be affected by a spider mite, thrips and mealybug. The leaves begin to fade, covered with age spots. Processing of the substrate and the leaves themselves with insecticides is required. To prevent fungal diseases, gray rot, the appearance of powdery mildew, a moderate watering regime should be observed, especially in the cold season.

Reference. In order to prevent the treatment of bushes should be carried out 2 times a year - in spring and autumn.

Content difficulties

Fenestaria does not tolerate high humidity and waterlogging of the substrate. Putrefactive processes of the root and leaves develop.

With improper planting, deepening of the root neck, the absence of the upper layer of drainage, the plant does not take root and dies.

With frequent and heavy watering, poor ventilation of the room, stagnation of air, the leaves swell, crack, begin to rot. If there is not enough moisture, the roots gradually die off, leaf formation is disturbed, they are piled on top of each other in a chaotic manner. The bush loses its decorativeness and attractiveness. For irrigation, use only clean or rainwater.

Fenestaria is not easy to adapt to home conditions; preventive measures, timely transplantation, constant attention and careful care are required.

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