Indoor violet "Macho": description and cultivation

The incredibly beautiful plant-hybrid "LE-Macho" has an excellent variety of shades, is distinguished by individuality and gorgeous flowering. At first glance, it fascinates and attracts the eyes of lovers of indoor plants.

Despite its name, the violet "Le Macho" has nothing to do with the genus Violet. This plant belongs to the genus Saintpaulia of the Gesneriaceae family. It is native to East Africa. The widespread name for Saintpaulia, "Usambara violet", is not a biological term. The plant acquired this name for its close resemblance to the violet. Therefore, this name is often used for Saintpaulias and is widespread among most amateur flower growers.

The Uzambara violet is a herbaceous evergreen plant found in the rocky soils of Tanzania. The thin roots of the flower located in the upper layers of the soil can be fixed on small stones. Bushes with small fleshy shoots reach 10 cm in height and up to 20 cm in width. The genus Saintpaulia has more than 30 thousand various and decorative varieties. Many of them are the results of long-term work or random experiments of gardening scientists.

One of the best examples of the variety is rightfully considered the violet "Le-Macho", the author of which is the breeder Elena Lebetskaya. Outwardly, the plant looks like a luxurious bouquet thanks to the many flowers that form a rosette. Flowers at "Le Macho" are large, rich purple hue (sometimes black and burgundy) with wavy white "ruffle" around the edges. The shape of these semi-double flowers resembles a star and reaches 4–7 cm in diameter.

The leaves of the plant are oblong, dark green in color with a shiny surface with long pinkish petioles. The peduncles are arranged so that it visually gives the impression that they are neatly wrapped in foliage in a circle.

Violet "Le Macho" is a capricious plant. The slightest shortcomings in care can negatively affect the flowering and decorative properties of the flower. However, it is possible to grow it at home. The main thing is to be patient and pay a little attention to the plant in order to enjoy its bright beauty after a while.

When choosing a pot in which the Le Macho violet will live, one should take into account the peculiarities of its underdeveloped root system, which is located in the upper layers of the soil and does not grow far into the depths. The ideal size for an adult plant would be a pot with a top diameter three times the diameter of the rosette. Particular attention must be paid to the choice of substrate. It should be light, air- and moisture-absorbing, contain a sufficient amount of essential trace elements and minerals (phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen), and have a normal acidity level. It is recommended to add baking powder that retains moisture to the soil for Saintpaulias purchased in specialized stores: charcoal, polystyrene, sphagnum moss.

A more acceptable option is to prepare a balanced earthen mixture yourself. To do this, mix in equal amounts:

• sterile black soil;
• peat with the required acidity level;
• charcoal;
• mineral fertilizers;
• biological preparations containing the necessary microflora.

For a luxurious and long-lasting flowering, the plant will need conditions as close as possible to its natural environment:

• sufficient level of lighting;
• suitable temperature regime;
• correct watering;
• regular fertilization;
• disease prevention.

The ideal place for placing a flower will be windows in the eastern, northeastern, north-western or western part of the room, since the Le Macho violet requires a lot of light: at least 12 hours a day, and in winter it will need an additional source of light ... Direct sunlight is harmful to foliage, for this reason it is not recommended to place violets on southern windows.

Violet "Le-Macho" is a rather thermophilic plant, and it is recommended to keep it in rooms with an air temperature of +20 - + 25 ° С. If the temperature drops below + 18 ° С, the development of the violet will slow down, the flowering will become shorter and weaker, and the plant will acquire a depressed appearance. Drafts and cool air have a negative effect on the violet, therefore in the autumn-winter period it must be placed not on window sills, but on special stands in warmer places of the room.

The violet "Le Macho" reacts poorly to excess moisture, as well as to excessive drying of the substrate. It is necessary to control the soil moisture in the plant pot with special care. Watering every 3 days is most suitable for Le Macho. For an even distribution of moisture in the pot, it is recommended to use bottom watering. For this purpose, the pot with the plant is placed in a container with settled water at room temperature. The water level should reach the edge of the pot, but not overflow. When moisture begins to appear on the surface of the soil, the pot is removed from the water and after the excess moisture has drained, it is returned to its usual place.

With proper watering and observing the temperature regime for Le Macho, the optimum humidity level will be 30–40%, for young plants - 50–60%. To maintain the required humidity level in apartments with central heating, where dry air prevails in the cold season, it is recommended to place pots with violets on a pallet with wet expanded clay or sphagnum moss. It is worth noting that due to the "fluffiness" of the foliage, spraying is strictly contraindicated for the plant.

During the period of active growth, the violet "Le Macho" needs additional nutrients. For Saintpaulias, special liquid fertilizers are considered more suitable, which are added to the water for irrigation once a week. The concentration of the fertilizer used should be half that in the instructions for use.

In the first 2 years, "Le-Macho" needs a transplant with a partial replacement of the land mixture. The procedure is carried out 2 times a year. The transplant is carried out by the transshipment method into a more spacious pot, while the old soil is not removed, but only a new earthen mixture is added around it. For older plants, a transplant with full or partial substitution of the substrate is required.

Unfortunately, like all ornamental flowering plants, the Le Macho violet is also susceptible to disease and pest attacks. Nematodes, strawberry mites and thrips are considered especially dangerous for the plant. Slightly less common, but spider mites, scale insects, mealybugs, whiteflies, as well as podura and sciarids are found. To combat them, special means are used that have an insecticidal effect.

Improperly organized care (excess moisture, scorching sun, inappropriate temperature) contributes to the development of diseases:

• powdery mildew;
• late blight;
• fusarium;
• fungus "rust".

For the treatment of diseases, plants are sprayed with the preparations "Fundazol" or "Bentlan". The main thing is to detect the problem in time and immediately take measures to eliminate or slow down the spread of the disease. Otherwise, improper actions can lead to the death of the plant.

It is possible to propagate the uzambar violet by deciduous cuttings and dividing the bush. To obtain a cutting, leaves from 2 rows are cut by 3 cm, placed in a container with water. After 2-3 weeks, the leaf will take root, and it can be transplanted into a ready-made substrate. It is recommended to cover fresh cuttings with foil to improve the rooting process. Every day, the film is slightly opened for airing for 10-15 minutes.

The division of the bush is carried out at the 4th year of the plant's life, when young bushes appear on the mother bush - children. They separate easily and take root in small pots.

To maintain the decorative properties of Le Macho, it is necessary to regularly cut and shape a beautiful rosette. The standard pattern of beauty among violets is a rosette with three tiers of foliage. In order for the plant to have an attractive appearance, it is necessary to remove yellowed and dry leaves, lifeless and wilted flowers. An insignificant nuance of violets is that excessively long flower stalks often hide under the foliage, which makes it necessary to help the flowers make their way through the foliage, periodically correcting them.

For information on how to grow Macho violets, see the next video.