Beaumontia

Beaumontia

Life form Liana, with the help of pruning can be grown like a shrub
Family Apocynaceae
Origin and distribution It grows in the mountain forests of Southeast Asia, China, India. Named in honor of DianaBeaumont (1765-1831), the patron saint of the English Yorkshire gardening.  There are only 9 species. The most popular in floriculture are Beaumont grandiflora (Beaumontiagrandiflora) and Murtona (Beaumontia murtonii).
Ease of cultivation Very unpretentious
The size At home, up to 1.5-2 m, in nature – up to 6-10 m.
Growth rate Very high, outdoors up to 5 m per season.
Lifespan Perennial
Temperature In summer, a temperature of + 68-77 ° F is required, in winter it can tolerate a temperature drop of 23 ° F. For normal flowering, it is necessary to ensure a rest period in winter with a temperature of + 44,6-59 ° F, drafts.
Humidity It prefers high humidity not less than 50%. However, it can easily adapt to the dry air of flats.
Lighting A bright light or a bright diffused light is desirable. Can be placed on the south (with a little shading in a particularly hot hours), east or west window.
The soil A fertile, well permeable substrate is required, for example, from peat, humus, perlite (2: 1: 1). The soil must be neutral or weakly acidic.
Watering In the summer, abundant moistening is required, the soil must dry between watering.Although plant stably and can recover even after drying, it is desirable to avoid it. In winter, watering should be limited, stagnation of moisture in the soil in the cold period is unacceptable.
How to fertilize During the growth period it is necessary to use a fertilizer solution approximately every 2 weeks. It is possible foliar top dressing. It is desirable to use fertilizers for flowering plants.
Reproduction Propagate by seeds that easily germinate in a loose substrate of peat, sand or coconut fiber at a temperature of + 73,4-77 ​​° F. The seed is vertically immersed in the substrate, not deepening, but only by two-thirds. It is advisable to cover the plates with polyethylene or glass. Usually shoots appear after about 2-5 weeks, but germination can last for up to 3 months.   Probably vegetative propagation by semi-woody cuttings, which are placed in moist sand, but they take root with difficulty.
Bloom Blooms from early spring to late summer. Flowers large (up to 15 cm) white, fragrant. In autumn, after pollination, an elongated green fruit forms on the spot of the flower.   When growing in an apartment, flowering does not always come, optimal conditions are required, especially in winter
Transplant and care Young plants are transplanted annually, adults every 2-3 years. For a large plant, a deep, heavy, stable pot is needed. In summer, you can take out on the balcony or the garden.  After flowering in the autumn shoots are cut by two thirds. However, if this is done too late, there may be problems with flowering for the next year. The plant is very large and requires large rooms. If grown as a liana, shoots will require a support
Difficulties The plant is extremely stable. Occasionally it may be affected mealybugs and spider mites.There is a danger of decaying the roots with excessive watering in cool conditions.
Beneficial features In folk medicine of Southeast Asia, the extract of roots and leaves is used as an external remedy for the treatment of rheumatism. Beaumont from young branches are super-tough fiber pure white, which is used to weave ropes and ropes.   Milky juice was used as a poison component for poisoned arrows. Flowers have a very pleasant smell.
Toxicity Poisonous as well as many other members of the family. It contains a cardiac glycoside oleandrin.

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