Calceolaria: description, types, care

Calceolaria are popular houseplants. They are valued for their bright flowers and unpretentious care.

Calceolaria ( Calceolaria ) is a genus of plants of the Calceolariaceae family, which includes about 500 species. Calceolaria are native to South America, where they grow in mountainous areas.

Calceolaria is a small herbaceous plant whose height does not exceed 25-30 cm. Calceolaria leaves are fleshy, dark green in color. Calceolaria flowers have the shape of a slipper, the length of which can reach 3-5 cm. The color of calceolaria flowers can be different: yellow, orange, red, pink, white.

Calceolaria bloom from spring to autumn. After flowering, the aerial part of the plant dies off. In the spring, new plants are grown from seeds or cuttings.

Types of calceolaria

• In indoor floriculture, the following types of calceolaria are most often grown:
• Calceolaria yellow (Calceolaria lutea) is a herbaceous plant with fleshy leaves and yellow flowers.
• Calceolaria orange (Calceolaria orangea) is a plant with orange flowers.
• Calceolaria red (Calceolaria rubra) is a plant with red flowers.
• Calceolaria rosea (Calceolaria rosea) is a plant with pink flowers.
• White calceolaria (Calceolaria alba) is a plant with white flowers.

How to care for calceolaria

Light brightness for calceonaria

Calceolaria are light-loving plants. They grow best in bright but diffused light. In the summer, calceolaria can be taken out into the fresh air, but sheltered from direct sunlight.

How to water calceolaria

Calceolaria require moderate watering. The soil in a pot with calceolaria should always be slightly moist, but not wet. Calceolaria should be watered with soft, settled water.

In winter, calceolaria should be watered less often than in summer. The soil in a pot with calceolaria should be dry between waterings.

Air humidity for calceolaria

Calceolaria do not require high humidity. However, they respond well to leaf spraying.

Feeding calceolaria

Calceolaria should be fed with mineral fertilizers during the period of active growth, from April to September. Fertilizers are applied every 2-3 weeks.

Calceolaria transplant

Calceolaria is not transplanted. The life span of the plant is 2 years, the plant no longer blooms.

For planting calceolaria, a pot with a diameter of 10 cm is used. The soil for calceolaria should be light and breathable. You can use a ready-made substrate for succulents or prepare the substrate yourself from leafy soil, sod soil, sand and perlite in equal proportions.