The poetic name “goldfish” is consistent with the appearance of the hypocyrt. The bud seems to be composed of two parts and, indeed, resembles a fish that has hidden its tail somewhere. Neighbors leaving for permanent residence in another country brought me a hypocyrt. Orange-red buds have already begun to form on the branches, but soon they began to fall off without blooming. I managed to figure it out in time and waited for flowering. I will be happy to share information on why hypocyrt does not bloom and how to avoid it.
Why isn’t hypocyrt blooming? Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Eila Kaarina
Contents:
Description of the plant
After giving me a plant, the neighbors said that it belongs to the species hypocyrte nude (Hypocyrta glabra). But when something went wrong with my new flower, and I started looking for the reason, it turned out that many species from the genus Hypocyrt (Hypocyrta) transferred to the genus Nematantus (Nematanthus). Including naked hypocyrt, which is more correct to call Nematanthus small-bristled (Nematanthus strigillosus).
Be that as it may, hypocyrta or nematanthus will become a real decoration of any room. In a room culture, several types of hypocyrt-nematanthus are grown, and they are all very similar – compact, with beautiful leaves and unusual flowers. And they need identical care. But since I came across a naked hypocyrt, I will describe it in more detail.
In room culture, small-bristled nematanthus grows only up to 25 cm.The plant produces ascending or straight shoots that rarely branch. It has oval, shiny and small leaves, a bit like boxwood. The tubular yellow-orange flowers of the naked hypocyrt bloom one at a time or in bunches of three. In nature, this plant blooms in the summer months; indoors, the flowering of small-bristled nematanthus can last until October.
Read more about other types of nematanthus in the article Nematanthus – spectacular beauties with goldfish.
Hypocyrta glabra, or Nematanthus strigillosus. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Wayne Ray
What conditions are necessary for hypocyrtes?
When purchasing a new plant, it is worth asking where it comes from. Genetic memory is difficult to deceive. Sometimes, for good growth and abundant flowering, you have to go to little tricks and add moisture to one plant, and the other to extend daylight hours.
Lighting
Hypocyrta is naked – originally from the tropics, which means she is accustomed to high humidity and bright sun. So I judged and was cruelly mistaken. Having exposed the plant to the south side, I exposed it to the most aggressive rays of the sun. A couple of days later, she caught herself and moved the flower to another (eastern) window, but still got fallen buds and burnt-out whitish spots on the leaves.
The fallen buds of the hypocyrt were sincerely sorry and I did not want to lose the rest. I had to find out exactly what conditions my, as it turned out, nematanthus needed, so that it grew and bloomed like at home.
The level and duration of illumination plays a decisive role in the development of the plant and the formation of its decorative appearance. Lack of sun leads to rapid deformation of branches, loss of leaves and flowers. The shoots are stretched, the leaves change color, a yellowish tint appears. The buds become smaller, become few in number and sometimes do not even have the strength to open.
Direct sunlight is also categorically contraindicated. On the southern windows, the nematanthus needs shading in summer. But in winter, this light-loving plant will feel normal there. It is best to place a hypocyrt on the east or west windowsill.
My hypocyrta reacted favorably to moving to the veranda for the summer. After the lighting fiasco, I fitted the flower pot into a ringed base on the veranda wall, which is covered by grapes on the south side.
Temperature
In its need for warmth, the flower is similar to our traditional plants. Its active period falls on spring and summer, sometimes capturing October, if a stable temperature is established in the room within + 20 … + 25 degrees. In the tropics, the plant does not shed its leaves, it grows and blooms almost all year round. Nematanthus must be protected from drafts and any temperature fluctuations.
Dormancy period of nematanthus
At home, the flowering period lasts about 4-5 months. The first buds appear in April, the last ones fall off by the beginning of autumn. If the transplant was carried out at the end of February, then the flowering will be delayed for a couple of months, and then the formation of buds is possible until October. Then the hypocyrta stops active growth and goes to rest.
The branches do not completely bare for the winter, but the excess green mass leaves and the process of recuperation begins. The lighting level remains the same, the length of daylight hours should be at least 12 hours. That is, on short winter days, the hypocyrte will need additional lighting.
The temperature regime for the rest period is cool, within the range of + 12 … + 14 degrees. Watering is reduced to a minimum, it is carried out as needed, the complete drying of the earthen coma is not allowed.
The poetic name “goldfish” is quite consistent with the appearance of the hypocyrt because of its colors. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Ipola
Hypocyrt care
Watering
In this respect, my naked hypocyrta turned out to be a capricious woman. Underfilling provokes the discharge of buds, and overflow causes root rot. Over time, I found a compromise, sparingly watering it at the root when the soil dries up and every other day humidifying the air around the pot from a spray bottle.
Important: watering is carried out only with warm (several degrees higher from the room temperature) separated water!
In the active phase, it is required to water the flower as the top layer dries, about 2-3 times a week. After the end of flowering, watering is gradually reduced and becomes very scarce, only to maintain life. At the same time, the temperature decreases. For the health of the flower, you need to adhere to the principle “the lower the temperature, the less watering.”
If a grayish bloom appears on the stem and seamy side of the lower leaves of the hypocyrt, then the plant is affected by gray rot. It only appears from too frequent watering. The plant must be rescued immediately, for which transplantation into a new pot is carried out with the removal of the affected parts and the treatment of the leaves with “Epin”. Watering for 2-3 weeks should be minimized.
Feeding
From the beginning of April to September, the flower needs support with mineral fertilizers. For this I use complex fertilizers “Tsitovit” and “Florist-Micro Bud”. I alternate, fertilizing once every 1 days, gently watering at the root. I do not use granular fertilizers for hypocyrt.
Transfer
The plant prefers loose light soil that does not accumulate moisture. From purchased soils, the substrate for Saintpaulias is best suited. If you compose the mixture yourself, then you need to take 1 part of leaf and sod land, sand, peat and, of course, a generous drainage layer.
Trimming
Nematanthus needs to be pruned regularly to maintain its shape and give an incentive to branch. Left in its original form, it stretches, stops blooming, loses its decorative effect. Bulk pruning is done after flowering, before the plant rests. But you will have to pinch it during the growing season. Even flowering hypocyrtes naked will not be an obstacle to removing unnecessary twigs.
Reproduction
After pruning, I put one of the shoots in a glass of water, removing the 3 lower leaves. The second one was immediately planted in a pot with a damp substrate. Both took root, spending about the same time on it.
Cutting is not only the easiest, but also the only way to propagate this plant indoors. Hypocyrta does not give root growth that could be separated, does not tolerate bush division, and very rarely forms seeds at home.
Naked hypocyrta in summer feels great outdoors. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Ipola
Why doesn’t hypocyrta form or shed buds?
As you already understood, my hypocyrta dropped its buds, because I exposed it to the very sun in the summer. She caught herself in time and corrected the situation. This plant is decorative and without flowers, but the “fish” flowers deserve to try for them.
Discharge of hypocyrte buds occurs rarely and becomes a serious signal that the flower is sick or the conditions of care are violated. Experienced flower growers consider the most common reasons for the lack of flowering in nematanthus:
- lack of lighting;
- too low temperature during active growth and high – during rest;
- direct sunlight;
- lack of nutrients;
- decay of roots.
Today my “goldfish” grows and blooms without causing much trouble. Its original bright lights cheer up, decorate the room and give a lot of positive emotions. I already have several of these bushes! And I recommend it to you!
