Lapidaria Margaret

Content:

Lapidaria Margaret can easily be called an exotic flower. She often adorns multi-tiered alpine slides and rockeries, rocky group plantings with her succulent companions (agriroderma, lithops, diteranthus). Lapidaria Margaret is successfully grown at home, of course, with some care. We will tell you about the secrets of caring for this unusual plant, about ways to get rid of harmful insects and various diseases in this article.

Lapidaria Margaret: description and characteristics of the plant

Lapidaria Margaret: photo

About Lapidaria margaretae / it is known that this perennial succulent plant belongs to the Aizovy genus and is the only representative of this monotypic family. The external "stone" appearance of the plant, as it were, indicates the Latin name - "stone".

Lapidaria Margaret grows in South Africa, Namibia, Warmbad and Botstvana, prefers to grow on plains, crevices, rocky areas, on sunny slopes, in steppes and deserts.

Lapidaria Margaret is a low-growing bush up to 4 centimeters high. The central rosette of an adult flower gives a couple of rosette processes and 4-8 leaves that emerge from the center of the rosettes. It should be noted that under room conditions, the number of leaves can reach up to 16. The triangular, bluish-green small leaves of lapidaria, which grow up to 10 mm wide and up to 15 mm long, have an unusual bluish bloom.

The leaves of Margaret's lapidary are rarely pinkish or purple in the center. The structure of the leaf plate is thick, and the edges are clearly defined. Single yellow or white flowers have a pronounced yellow core with a diameter of about 20 mm. Straight, narrow, numerous and bright petals change color over time. During flowering, they have a rich color, and later the color becomes much paler. Straight, densely planted stamens have a bright yellow color.

Caring for Margaret's Lapidary

Lapidaria Margaret: photo

Even novice flower growers know about the endurance and unpretentiousness of this flower. It can be perfectly grown and propagated at home. Lapidaria Margaret is interesting because it is a long-lived flower. With proper care and compliance with a few growing conditions, it will live in your home for up to fifteen years. Lapidaria Margaret perfectly tolerates drought and lack of water for a long time.

Let's talk about the features of caring for Margaret's lapidary:

About lighting
A mature plant prefers direct sunlight. However, for young seedlings, you cannot do without bright, but diffused light. In order for Margaret's Lapidaria to flourish, she needs good bright light on an ongoing basis.
About the required temperature
The temperature regime of this tropical plant should strive in summer days - to 25-27 degrees, in winter - 12-15 degrees. The temperature background must not be allowed to drop to 5-6 degrees, since the lapidary may not survive cold air currents and drafts.
How to choose a seat
For an adult plant, choose a southern windowsill, perhaps with a little shading (a light curtain will do). You can also choose the eastern or western windowsill of your house for the location of the lapidarium.
How to water properly
Lapidaria Margaret should be watered moderately in summer and spring.The frequency of moistening the substrate is once every two weeks. The water should be clean and warm, and it should be poured into a saucer (or tray). There should be no excess liquid. Lapidaria is not watered in winter.
About air humidity
Additional moisturizing, spraying, etc., are contraindicated for this plant. The highest humidity reading is 40 percent.
How to feed
Fertile soils are not suitable for Margaret's lapidary, as a rule, additional feeding is not needed. However, during intensive growth, you can use mineral complex fertilizers by diluting it in water. Feeding for succulents and cacti are suitable. The concentration of the applied fertilizer should be low.
About soil
Light, well-drained sandy soil is prepared for Margaret's lapidary. You can take a ready-made soil mix for succulents, consisting of quartz sand, sod land, leafy soil, brick chips and peat soil (2: 2: 3: 1: 1). The following simpler composition is also suitable: sheet earth and coarse sand in equal parts. The presence of a drainage baking powder is mandatory; foam and brick chips with expanded clay are also suitable. It is important to sterilize the substrate mixture by steaming it at a high temperature before using it.
How to trim properly
No special pruning is needed for Margaret's lapidary. During transplantation, the regrown parts of the root system, as well as unhealthy and drying flowers, are cut off.

lapidary photo

Lapidaria Margaret: photo

How lapidaria reproduces

The first way is using seeds. This method is long-term, since the plant will bloom only after two to three years from the moment the seeds germinate. Prepare yourself to pollinate flowers yourself. Ripening of fruit-boxes occurs in the spring. There are a lot of seeds in one box, tiny in size. Seeds can be planted for six to eight years.

Before sowing the seeds, they should be soaked for a couple of hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. A potting mix is prepared for the spacious planting container.
After spreading the seeds about 5 mm apart, without deepening, moisten the soil. Next, the landing should be covered with polyethylene or a glass surface. The finished greenhouse is placed in a lighted place at a temperature of 20 to 23 degrees.
The planting needs to be ventilated every day. With proper care, the seeds will germinate around the 6th to 9th day. Lapidaria dive into separate pots in the spring.

The second breeding method is more common - using cuttings... At the time of plant transplantation, the lateral rosettes are separated, that is, they are disassembled into many leaf cuttings. Cuttings of lapidaria are rooted in the spring. To do this, lay out a leaf cutting in a separate potting container, do not deepen it. Thus, rooting occurs in about a month, - with bright diffused light, good air ventilation, moderate watering and a temperature of +20 degrees and above.

lapidary photo

Lapidaria Margaret: photo

About transplanting Margaret's lapidary

Young Lapidaria Margaret is usually transplanted every year in the spring. The reason for an urgent transplant is that the pot is too small.

If you have just purchased lapidaria, then it is worth preparing a separate pot for it and a special soil substrate. The soil mixture - as for succulents - is porous, light, sandy with perlite and sifted leafy soil.

It is better to take a ceramic pot so that air passes through and does not overheat (not overcool) the root system. The pot should be medium in size and corresponding to the diameter of the lapidarium, with drainage holes.

For proper planting, first remove carefully the mother part of the bush and carry out a sanitary pruning of the roots and damaged leaf part. Sprinkle the cut area with charcoal crumbs.

Young bushes are transferred to pots, taking care not to damage the earthen comas (by transshipment). The plant is not watered for five or six days before and after planting.

About diseases and pests of Margaret's lapidary

Lapidaria Margaret: photo

The invasion of gray and stem rot is dangerous for Margaret's lapidary. This occurs when excessive moisture, insufficiently drained substrate, excess moisture gets on the leaves and rosettes. When attacked by rot, you need to transplant the flower into new soil and cut out the damaged parts of the plant.

When the appearance mealybug the soil should be treated with any insecticide and try not to overflow the plant.
When Margaret appears at the Lapidarium aphids and spider mites, work the soil actellic.