Hamelacium - home care and flowering

Chamelacium is an evergreen plant that is grown as a compact shrub or small tree. Ideal for cleaning and humidifying the air in the apartment, as well as for use in traditional medicine in the treatment of dry cough. In addition, charming chamelacium flowers can be used to create a graceful bridal bouquet or ikebana that can decorate any interior.

Description and appearance

Australia is considered the birthplace of chamelacium, where it is also known under another name - heraldon. This plant was first found and described in scientific works by the French botanist R.L. Defontaine at the beginning of the 19th century.

The chamelacium bush is versatile: beautiful, purifies the air and is suitable for the bride's bouquet

Chamelacium, or wax myrtle, is an ornamental plant with evergreen leaves. It belongs to compact shrubs, the height of which varies from 30 cm to 3 m. In nature, it grows more. Belongs to the Myrtle family.

The roots of the plant are highly branched and go deep into the soil. Elastic branched branches are located on the surface. Young shoots are covered with a thin gray-green skin, and on old shoots, which are already lignified, you can see light brown rough bark.

The branches of the chamelacium are covered with narrow, like needles, foliage, which grows up to 2.5-4 cm in length. The leaves are bright green in color, covered with a dense waxy bloom on top.

Chamelacium in a pot grows up to 30 cm

When and how it blooms

When myrtle blooms, it is impossible not to notice. The process begins from the first days of February (but may occur later) and continues until the end of summer. Along the entire length of young stems, single axillary flowers begin to bloom, not exceeding 1-2 cm in diameter. Each flower consists of five rounded petals of white, purple, red or pink color. The core is darker, usually burgundy or purple. The inflorescences have a rather rich and pleasant aroma.

A small bush of chamelacium smells great

Types and varieties

The following varieties are very popular among flower growers.

Hamelacyum Snowflake

A beautifully flowering evergreen shrub with a lush crown. The height of this variety is 1-1.2 m. The branches are rather thin, they are highly branched and covered with brown bark. The foliage is dark green glossy acicular. It blooms pink or white with a dark center. They usually appear at the tops of the shoots.

Hamelacyum Snowflake

Chamelacium white

The bush of this variety reaches a height of 1.5 m. The foliage is thin, bright green, it has a slightly elongated shape. The flowers are large, light pink or white in shape, resembling bells.

Chamelacium white resembles a bell

Chamelacium hooked (Chamelaucium Uncinatum)

The hooked chamelacium variety is ideal for indoor cultivation. The leaves grow up to 25-40 cm in length and cover the branches tightly. From a distance, a twig of myrtle looks like needles. Flowers reach 1-2 cm in diameter.The plant can bloom both single and flowers collected in inflorescences.

Hamelacium hooked ideal for growing at home

Hamelacyum Strawberry

The variety is suitable for decorating balconies and loggias. Plant height does not exceed 0.5 m in height. Inflorescences are pale pink, purple and dark red, in appearance they are similar to the flowers of an apple tree.

Hamelacy Sarah Delight

Plant height does not exceed 1 m. Branches are covered with dense leaves. Snow-white flowers in large numbers are located along the entire length of the shoots.

Hamelacyum Ophir

The Chamelaucium Ofir cultivar is a beautiful standard shrub with a large number of thin branches covered with light brown bark. The foliage is green, acicular, glossy, it resembles needles and is located in opposite pairs. Blooms white with light green or yellow center flowers.

Chamelacium transplant after purchase

The plant is not transplanted immediately after purchase. What needs to be done before the bush transplant is carried out:

1. Hamelacyum for 7-10 days, together with the pot, is covered with a large plastic bag or thick black film. You do not need to tie a bush.
2. The plant is placed in a well-lit and cool (14-16 ° C) room.
3. After the allotted time, the film or package is removed, the top layer of the soil mixture is removed and new fertile soil is poured.

Post-purchase care consists of several stages.

Pot selection and soil preparation

For planting chamelacium, it is better to use slightly acidic, loose, well-drained soil. To prepare the soil mixture, use:

• rotted peat;
• humus;
• coarse river sand;
• turf;
• rotted leaves.

All components are taken in equal proportions. So that the soil in the pot does not dry out, a hydrogel or sphagnum moss is added to it.

Step-by-step planting process

Landing is performed in this way:

1. At the bottom of the pot, it is necessary to lay a layer of expanded clay, small stones or crushed bricks.
2. Top up with a prepared soil mixture consisting of sod land, rotted foliage, sphagnum moss, rotted peat, vermiculite and coarse river sand.
3. In the center, you need to place the plant along with an earthen lump.
4. Fill the voids with earth.
5. Cover the bush with plastic wrap.
6. After 3-4 days, the shelter must be removed.

Reproduction

You can grow a new chamelacium bush both vegetatively and by sowing seeds.

Cuttings

Chamelacium is propagated using apical shoots. They are cut off and placed in water. After they put out the roots, they are planted in prepared soil and left in a warm and bright room until they take root completely. Further, well-rooted cuttings are transferred to a permanent place of growth.

Growing from seeds

The process of growing seedlings from seeds step by step:

1. Put a drainage layer on the bottom of the planting container, pour soil.
2. Pour the seeds onto the surface of the soil and sprinkle with a small layer of earth, sprinkle with warm water.
3. Cover the container with glass or foil, put in a warm place for germination.
4. The first shoots can be seen in 7-10 days.
5. When the first shoots hatch, remove the shelter.
6. When 3-4 real leaves appear, dive into individual pots.
7. Transplant the grown young plants into a large pot.

Hamelacium: home care

Home care for the plant consists in ensuring the correct temperature regime, timely watering, making the necessary dressings and periodic pruning.

Temperature

The ideal air temperature for chamelacium during the active growing season is 20-25 ° C.During the rest period, it should be about 15 ° C.

Lighting

It is best to place the chamelacium in well-lit places, for example, on the windowsill of the south, south-east or south-west window. In winter, it is necessary to use additional lighting to provide the plant with daylight hours for 12 hours.

Watering

In the summer, you need to make sure that the soil in the pot is always moist, it is worth watering the plant every 2-3 days with a small amount of water. In winter, watering is carried out as the top layer of the earth dries up - once a week. For irrigation, use well-purified and warm water.

Watering the plant in summer is needed abundant, and in winter moderate

Humidity

Wax myrtle likes to grow in low humidity. In a too damp room, a fungal disease may appear on the branches. It is also not recommended to spray the branches, as this can provoke the development of late blight.

Top dressing

Top dressing is carried out every 2-3 weeks during the entire growing season. Fertilizer must be selected without lime in the composition. Before flowering, the bush is fed with fertilizers with potassium and nitrogen in the composition, and when the buds bloom - with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

Pruning

Pruning is carried out several times a year. With it, you can achieve the desired shape of the bush. In the process of pruning, the branches are shortened to the required height. After pruning, the plant will release young shoots, forming a lush bush.

Transfer

Chamelacium transplant is carried out in the spring no more than once every three years. The bush is transplanted if the pot is too small for it. The transplant is carried out by the transshipment method together with an earthen lump.

Preparing for winter

Hamelacium loves care all year round. When all the flowers fall off, it is necessary to cut the crown, remove all dry buds and branches. It is also very important to provide the shrub with the required amount of light. During the rest period, feeding should be stopped, and watering should be significantly reduced.

In autumn, the plant is transferred to a cool room with an air temperature of no higher than 15 ° C (this is of great importance). Before the dormant period, it is necessary to prune, shortening each branch by a few centimeters.

Chamelacium is considered a capricious plant, but its beauty more than compensates for all the effort spent. If properly cared for, the plant will delight with delightful flowers and a fascinating aroma for a long time and decorate the house.