Duranta is a genus of flowering plants from the Verbenov family, uniting more than three dozen different species of evergreen shrubs. Plant crops are widespread in the tropical climates of the West Indies, South America and Mexico.
All flowering specimens consist of straight, highly branching and woody shoots with a thin bark of a light brown shade, ribbed tetrahedral stems with sharp thorns, short petiolate light green oval leaves with a sharp apex (average length 5-7 cm, and width 2-3 cm) and a glossy surface. Durant blooms with long racemose inflorescences (about 20 cm) of white, blue or purple tubular flowers. After flowering on the plants, fruits ripen in the form of round berries with eight seeds.
Popular types of duranta
The most popular type, which can be grown outdoors and as a houseplant, erect duranta. Among the people and among flower growers it is also called "room birch", creeping durant, narrow-leaved or toothed. In natural conditions, its growth can reach 4 m in height. In a tropical climate, the shrub can bloom throughout the year and produce flowers of a light blue hue and large clusters of yellow-orange fruits. In the course of many years of breeding work, many varieties have been bred, which differ from each other in the color palette during flowering and in the shades of the leaf plates. For example, variegated and golden-green duranta are distinguished by an unusual two-tone color of leaves with shades of green and golden.
Indoor conditions can be grown and serrata duranta. It has smaller oval or ovoid leaves and jagged edges, fragrant white flowers and orange-colored fruits. Popular varieties of this species include specimens with two-colored flowers, as well as bushes with a captivating vanilla aroma.
Durant care at home
Tropical flowering durant belongs to unpretentious plants, but there are still several requirements that are recommended to be fulfilled when keeping it at home.
Location and lighting
Duranta is very fond of bright light in large quantities, but the direct rays of the sun can harm her, so it is necessary to protect the plant from the burning sunlight at midday. It is advisable to grow bushes on the windowsills on the east or west side of the dwelling. There will not be enough light on the northern windows, which can negatively affect flowering. On the southern side, plants can suffer from the scorching sun during the daytime. Sunburn will remain on the leaves, which will lead to a loss of decorativeness.
The duration and splendor of flowering depends on the amount of light during the day, which means that during the period of short daylight hours (in autumn and winter) it is necessary to supplement the plants with fluorescent lamps or phytolamps. The culture should be illuminated for at least 10-12 hours a day.
Temperature
Temperature requirements for growing durants depend on the season. In the summer, the plant is most suitable for a temperature of 20-22 degrees Celsius, maximum - 25 degrees. Higher temperatures will lead to massive leaf dropping. To prevent this from happening, you need to transfer the containers with flowers to a cooler place in a timely manner (with the onset of extreme heat). It can be an open veranda, terrace, garden or balcony. Circulation of fresh air will be the only salvation for duranta in the summer.
Duranta also prefers moderate air temperatures in winter. The favorable temperature is 18-20 degrees, the minimum is 14 degrees.
Temperature changes are very dangerous for a houseplant, but regular airing is very useful for it. This must be taken into account in winter, when central heating works and the proximity of hot batteries is undesirable, and it is also worth not allowing drafts with cold air currents.
Watering
It is recommended to water durant flowers in moderation throughout the year. For irrigation, you need to take only settled water with a temperature of 20-22 degrees. Plants react equally negatively to the lack and excess of moisture in the soil. The potting medium should always be slightly damp.
Air humidity
The exotic durante plant requires increased moisture, which can be maintained with regular daily spraying. Water procedures should be carried out in the morning. Before flowering, it is recommended to spray the entire bush, and after the buds open, only the leaf part. Delicate petals can deteriorate from droplets of water falling on them.
The soil
For duranta, a store-bought substrate for flowering indoor plants is ideal. If it is possible to prepare the soil mixture on your own, then you will need two parts of leafy land, as well as one part of humus, peat and turf soil, and coarse sand. At the bottom of the flower container, be sure to lay good drainage, and after it the soil mixture. The drainage layer will prevent water stagnation and protect the root of the flower.
Top dressing and fertilizers
Complex mineral fertilizers should be applied throughout the year once a month. If in the autumn-winter period additional highlighting of plants is not carried out, then additional feeding is not worth it. Plants in a relative dormant period do not need additional nutrition.
Transfer
In the first 3-5 years, the durant must be transplanted every year, in subsequent years - as needed. When transplanting, the longest and thinnest roots can be shortened slightly so that they do not braid with an earthen ball. Instead of replanting in containers with mature bushes, it is recommended to replace the topsoil. For large indoor plants, this procedure must be repeated annually.
Pruning
A fast-growing shrub is able to significantly increase in size and rise in height during the year. An elongated plant is less decorative and should not be allowed. Before the start of an active growing season, durants need to be pruned strongly, which will help curb growth, reduce crown volume and increase bushiness. Frequent pinching of the tops of the shoots is not recommended by experienced growers, as this will positively affect the splendor of the crown, but negatively for the flowering period. Its beginning can be postponed indefinitely, because it is at the ends of the shoots that inflorescences are formed.
Reproduction durants
Indoor durant propagates by seeds and cuttings.
Seed propagation
It is recommended to soak the seeds in a biostimulator for a day before sowing. You can use "Epin", "Zircon", "Heteroauxin" for this. Planting depth of seeds is 3-5 mm. Germination conditions are greenhouse, the optimum temperature is 25 degrees. With good maintenance, seedlings will appear in 1-2 months.
Propagation by cuttings
Cutting is a more convenient way to reproduce at home. Cuttings are cut from semi-lignified apical shoots, placed in a container with a growth stimulant solution for twelve hours, after which they are planted in a wet sand-peat mixture or left in a vessel with water until their own root part is formed. Rooting is much faster in bottom heated soil and in greenhouse conditions. It is necessary to create a high air humidity and a sufficient amount of light and heat.
Diseases and pests
The shrub is resistant to diseases of various origins. An indoor plant can only get sick with significant violations of the conditions of maintenance and care.
Possible pests are spider mites, aphids, scale insects. First aid for small houseplants is a warm shower. The water temperature is 40-45 degrees. Plants are abundantly moistened, after which the leaves are wiped with cotton swabs with an alcohol-containing component. Large crops can be saved with special insecticides. The preparations "Actellik" and "Fitoverm" have proven themselves well.
