Koufea - home growing and care, photo species and varieties

Koufea (Cuphea) is a beautiful flowering compact shrub from the Derbennikovye family. The plant develops slowly. Over many years in nature, it can reach no more than 1.5 m. In the natural environment, the shrub is widespread in the tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America, the homeland of the cafe is Mexico.

The plant looks great in joint plantings with stunted plants. In Europe, caffeine is planted in large street flowerpots along with annual flowers. Recently, many gardeners in the cottages grow a bush as an annual crop. At home, the cafeteria grows to 0.6 m.

Small difficulties may occur when caring for the plant: they are explained by its tropical origin. The cafeteria blooms from late March to mid-autumn, forming in the sinuses or slightly higher than the elongated emerald leaves tubular six-petalled flowers.

Be sure to pay attention to such wonderful plants as hippeastrum and diplases.

	Low growth rate.
	The cafeteria blooms from late March to mid-autumn.
	Easy to grow plant.
	Perennial.

Useful properties of the cafe

At home, the plant is grown in large plantations. Based on the seeds of kufei, fatty acids are obtained, which are used to make shampoos and other household chemicals. Koufey, according to psychologists, helps to establish relationships between people, to establish good relations.

Therefore flowerpots with a flower often decorate meeting rooms and offices. At home, the cafeteria improves the energy of the room, bringing calm and joy to it.

The cafe is fiery red. A photo

Koufea: home care. Briefly

Fans of indoor plants know: a cufeira at home can develop well and flourish, if favorable conditions are created:

Temperature mode	In summer - up to + 25 ° C, in winter - at least + 12 ° C.
Air humidity	High, in summer days spray up to 3 times a day.
Lighting	Broken bright; placement on the windows of the south - east or south - west direction; on the south window they shade at noon.
Watering	In winter - once every 10 days; in summer - plentiful watering every 4 days.
Soil for kafei	Ready-made universal substrate or soil mixture of equal portions of leaf, peat, garden soil, sand.
Fertilizer and fertilizer	During active growth - once every 14 days - a universal fertilizer containing phosphorus and potassium.
Kafei transplant	Young bush - annually, in the spring; mature - once every 2.5 years.
Breeding	Cuttings and seeds.
Growing Features	In spring, the shoots are cut to 1/3 so that the bush branches and blooms lushly. The kufee needs fresh air, so the room is often ventilated. In summer, the plant is taken out to the garden or to the balcony, protecting from draft.

Caring for a coffee shop at home. In detail

Koufea is not only a beautiful plant, but also grateful. If the bush is created favorable conditions, it will delight flowering every year.

Flowering kafei

In mid-spring, the flowering of kufei begins. This is a colorful and lengthy process ending in mid-October. On the bush, many inflorescences from tubular flowers are formed. Their color may be different: red, white, pink, purple. The diameter of the flowers reaches almost 3 cm.

The flowers of all types of coffees are formed by six petals (the largest of them are the two upper ones). The life of each individual flower is short, it quickly fades. To make new inflorescences appear faster, wilted need to be removed on time.

The key to a beautiful and lush flowering plant is a cool wintering and planting in a tight pot. After flowering, the fruits of the original - curved - form are formed.

Temperature mode

Home-made cafeteria is a thermophilic plant. For proper vegetation and beautiful flowering, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime and keep the plant in winter at room temperature (about + 18 ° C). In the summer, the café feels good at + 23 - 25 ° C. It is important that in winter the thermometer does not drop below + 12 ° C.

The shrub does not tolerate a sharp change in temperature and the draft - begins to lose leaves. In summer, the plant can be taken out to the balcony or to the garden and placed in a place protected from the wind. At home, a flowerpot is installed away from the air conditioner and the open window.

Spraying

Kofeya at home prefers to grow at high (from 65%) humidity. This is due to the tropical origin of the plant. To maintain the bush and prevent possible diseases and insect attacks, the humidity increases artificially.

To do this, spray. In summer, the procedure is carried out up to three times a week. After spraying, the flower must be shaded. At the height of the heating season, a pot with a plant is placed on a pallet with wet pebbles, placed away from batteries. An open container of water is placed next to it.

Lighting

A plant with tropical roots grows well and blooms beautifully when lighting is properly organized. The shrub is placed on a southeastern or southwestern window, as required to take care of the cafeteria at home. In intense light - on the south window - the edges of the leaves will turn fiery red.

If there will be little light - when placed in the northern part of the house - the cafeteria will not bloom, its shoots will be thinned. Placing a flower on a window facing south, they shade it on a hot afternoon.

Watering the coffees

When growing coffees, it is important to ensure that the substrate does not dry out. In summer, the plant needs moisture every 4 days. Watering the coffees should be plentiful so that excess water spills out of the drainage holes.

Stagnant moisture can cause root decay. To prevent the problem, a good drainage layer is created at the bottom of the pot, and loosening components (vermiculite, perlite, crumb brick) are added to the soil. In the fall, the number of irrigations is reduced, and in the winter, caffeine is watered approximately every 10 days.

Always watered with lukewarm, lukewarm water. The root zone is mulched to retain moisture. To do this, use a coconut substrate, sphagnum.

Pot of coffee

A properly selected pot for kufei is the key to well-being and bright flowering of the plant. When replacing a pot during a bush transplant, the diameter of the container is increased by 3 cm. It is believed that the maximum possible diameter of the pot for kufei can be 0.25 m.

The plant blooms luxuriantly when planted in a slightly cramped container. At the bottom there must be holes for draining excess water.

Priming

In order for the cofee plant to vegetate correctly at home, it is important to choose the right soil for planting. The main thing is that the soil should be nutritious and loose. You can buy a universal substrate in the flower shop that has a slightly acidic reaction (pH 5.3 - 6, 4).

You can prepare the soil mixture yourself consisting of an equal amount of garden land, sand, leaf land and peat. To improve the quality of the soil, coal powder is added to it, cut into small pieces of moss, vermiculite.

Fertilizer and fertilizer

In order for the cafeteria to bloom beautifully and maintain immunity at a high level, fertilizing and fertilizing are needed. Spend and foliar top dressing. From spring to early autumn, once every 14 days, a universal mineral fertilizer for home flowers containing potassium and phosphorus is used.

The tool is used in diluted form after evening watering. Having fertilized, the cafe is shaded for 1 - 2 days.

Transfer

Young plantlets transplant every spring. A transplant of mature kuffey is carried out every 2.5 years. During this time, the roots of the bush completely envelop the earthen lump. The pot is replaced with a new one, the diameter of which is 30 mm greater than the diameter of the previous pot.

A thick layer of drainage is laid at the bottom of the pot, fresh substrate is poured. Place the plant and add earth to the roots, ramming it around the roots. Well watered and sprinkled with earth. It is important not to deepen the growth point. After the transplant, the cafeteria is shaded for several days. Feeding begin after 14 days.

How to cut a coffe

Throughout life, kufee needs pruning: sanitary - to maintain the plant clean and shape-forming - to create an attractive shape. Sanitary pruning is carried out throughout the year: wilted inflorescences, dried and elongated shoots are removed.

In spring, the shoots are shortened to the third part. At the cafeteria, in the isopolistic summer, pinch the ends of the branches. Next, using the trim create the crown of the desired shape. It is often decorated in the form of a fluffy ball or a strict pyramid.

Rest period

For the cafeteria to regain strength after prolonged flowering, it needs a period of rest. It lasts from early November to early March. The plant at this time is kept in a cool room at room temperature; watered every 10 days.

It is impossible to stimulate growth by top dressing at this time: the cafeteria will deplete the supply of strength.

Kafei breeding

At home, kufei can be propagated by two methods.

Growing Kafei from Seeds

Rarely carried out: the seeds are small, and their germination is low. If you decide to sow the seeds, they are laid out on a moist substrate, lightly clapping, not sprinkling with earth. Cover with a film and germinate at + 22 °. When shoots appear, the film is removed. When the first leaves are formed, the cafe is planted in separate pots.

Propagation of kufei by cuttings

In spring, cuttings up to 15 cm long are cut from strong apical shoots. They are treated with a stimulator of root formation and planted in a moist substrate under a cropped plastic bottle. Shelter is removed for watering and airing the plants. When the leaves appear, the jar is removed. When the small leaves grow and 2 new ones appear, the seedlings are transplanted.

For kufei, the vegetative method of reproduction is considered the best. At home, the plant is also propagated by layering and dividing the bush.

Diseases and Pests

Koufeia is a plant with strong immunity, but sometimes it is attacked by diseases and pests due to illiterate care. The flower with its appearance speaks of the problems:

• gray spots on kofey leaves - the appearance of gray rot (damaged parts are removed, the remaining part of the plant is treated with fungicide);
• kafei leaves fall - from a draft (rearrange in a protected place);
• kofeya rots - with a systematic excess of moisture (transplanted into another soil, cutting off damaged roots; adjust watering);
• kafei leaves turn yellow - lack of iron (foliar top dressing with iron chelate or pour with this tool).

Red spider mites, whiteflies, and aphids infect more often than other pests. To get rid of them, the plant is given a refreshing shower, then it is treated with an insecticide. It is easier to prevent the appearance of insects by increasing the humidity in the room.

Types of home coffee with photos and names

There are over 250 types of coffees. Very popular are species common in both garden and indoor culture. Refers to them

Caffeine fiery red (Cuphea ignea, Cupea platycentra)

A compact bush, the height of which reaches 0.35 m. Emerald leaves are distinguished by an elongated shape and a characteristic luster. The length of bright red tubular flowers does not exceed 30 mm. Edges of white - brown petals are bent. Due to the resemblance of the bud shape to a smoldering cigarette, this species is often referred to as the “cigarette tree”. Very thermophilic look.

Kofeya issopolistic

Koufea is not only a beautiful plant, but also a good one. It willingly becomes the backdrop for plants with golden flowers and variegated leaves. Against the background of dark glossy leaves of kufei, they look much more attractive. Any composition with a cafeteria will diversify the interior and bring a lively note to it.