column: care

These are the main characteristics of the Columnea plant:

• Columneas are actually a whole genus of plants with more than 150 species of shrubsmost of them epiphytes, that is to say, that in their natural habitat they grow on the Bark of the trees and absorb moisture and nutrients from the air.
• They are usually called Golden carp and belong to the Gesneriaceae family, being plants with origin in the rainforests of central america.
• Most of those sold in stores and garden shops are hanging plants, although there are some climbing columns.
• The plant has long stems, with perennial leaves facing each other and rounded in shape, although what stands out most are its tubular flowerscolorful shapes and colors orange, purple or red very vivid and striking.
• The flowers usually appear in autumn from the axils of its leaves, being hummingbirds its main pollinators in its natural environment.

What tropical plants that they are, columneas need a stable and slightly warm temperature. Your ideal temperature is between 15 and 18º Calthough they can withstand temperatures of up to 10º C occasionally and not for a long time.

If you expose your columnea to cold below that point or to heat that is too intense, the plant will most likely not be able to withstand it.

Given their temperature needs, these species are often grown as inside plants, since our homes tend to offer a temperature close to what they need. They are usually located in hanging containersor placed on top of shelves or raised furniture, so that its stems fall decoratively.

Like many tropical plants, they need a very bright location but protected from direct sun, since they naturally grow protected under the shade of the treetops. Find them a semi-shade location in a well-lit room, safe from drafts, and you will see how they grow in the best conditions.

although it needs certain level of environmental humidity, the columnea is not at all friendly to waterlogging. You must water it frequently without exceeding the amount, always avoiding flooding it.

keep your always slightly moist substrate. If you notice that the leaves of your plant begin to turn yellow, it means that you should increase the watering a little. Similarly, if the leaves seem to wrinkle, it means that the plant does not have enough environmental humidity, so you should gently spray water on its leaves once or twice a day. Yes, when you do never wet the flowers.

In any case, always water with water at room temperature and free of lime. If you can’t get mineral water to irrigate, be sure to let your tap water sit for 24 hours before using it, so that limescale settles to the bottom.

We recommend you read this other post about When to water the plants.

As in many epiphytes, the most important thing about the substrate is that it is very light. In fact, it must not contain an excess of organic matter, which could damage its roots. Furthermore, the columnea is a slightly acidophilic plant, so the pH of the substrate must always be slightly acidic, which is why we avoid watering with water with lime, which would make it alkaline. We recommend you read about acidophilic plants: what they are, examples and care.

To prepare a good substrate for your columnea you can mix loamy soil with peat in equal parts, which will give rise to a good mix. The plant will also need fertilizer twice a yearbut given their particular needs, the most advisable thing is to use the specific mineral fertilizer and follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding dose and frequency.

It will also help remove the substrate very carefully from time to time, aerating it and thus avoiding the appearance of one of the main enemies of the plant: fungi.

To finish commenting on the care of the Columnea, it should be noted that these species are susceptible to common threats, such as aphids or fungi. In any case, the solution is always to check its condition often and always avoid puddles and excess moisture.

In spite of everything, these are quite resistant plants, so if you identify the problem in time, you will not have difficulties applying ecological solutions in any of the cases and saving your plant with ease. Remember that you can make both homemade and ecological insecticide and fungicide at home with very common materials, so don’t be in a hurry to resort to chemicals. In addition, here you can consult the best home remedies to eliminate aphids on plants.

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