How to care for Catharanthus roseus 'Variegata'
Today's focus is on how to care for Catharanthus roseus 'Variegata' and the topic of ornamental plants, detailing the cultivation techniques for this plant. Next, let me give you a detailed explanation.
Catharanthus roseus 'Variegata', also known as Money Plant, belongs to the Apocynaceae family, and is a evergreen subshrub. The leaves of Catharanthus roseus 'Variegata' are elegant and beautiful, with irregular yellow and white patterns on the edges. It prefers a warm, humid, and well-lit growing environment, but can also tolerate shade. For indoor cultivation, you can choose a clay, ceramic, or plastic pot with a diameter of 16 to 18 cm. If grown as a hanging plant, a pot with a hook should be chosen. To coordinate with indoor decor, you can also choose a pot with color variations. It is suitable for hanging cultivation, and the pot can be hung long-term in a bright doorway, corner, or high place indoors, allowing the vines to hang down freely. It can also be placed on a windowsill, table, or plant stand with light as a potted plant for display.
Catharanthus roseus 'Variegata' prefers fertile, loose, breathable, and well-draining sandy soil. For home cultivation, you can use a mixture of 5 parts garden soil, 3 parts decomposed leaf mold, and 2 parts sand, or 4 parts peat soil, 2 parts decomposed leaf mold, 3 parts sand, and 1 part perlite.
Catharanthus roseus 'Variegata' is quite fond of fertilizer, with nitrogen fertilizer being the main type. No fertilizer is needed during the initial potting period. Once the plant grows new leaves, top dressing should begin. Young plants and those that have been pruned should be fertilized every 15 days with a well-rotted 10x liquid fertilizer or a 1000x通用 fertilizer. Mature plants should be fertilized once a month with a well-rotted 20x liquid fertilizer or two applications of a 1000x通用 fertilizer. In summer and winter, when the plant does not grow well, no fertilizer is needed. In spring, when new growth is abundant, liquid fertilizer can be mixed with an equal amount of 1000x monopotassium phosphate solution, applied consecutively for 2 to 3 times.
Catharanthus roseus 'Variegata' prefers moist soil and a humid growing environment. During the growing season, the soil in the pot should be kept moist. If the indoor air is dry, the leaves will lose their luster, and the leaves should be sprayed with water appropriately, especially in summer, when the frequency of spraying water on the plant leaves and around the pot should be increased. In winter, when the temperature is low, the soil in the pot should be kept slightly dry. The following is an introduction to the different seasonal management methods for Catharanthus roseus 'Variegata':
I. Spring Management;
When the temperature stabilizes above 10°C in spring, repotting should be done, and the vines should be pruned during repotting. Catharanthus roseus 'Variegata' likes plenty of light when new leaves grow, and insufficient light can cause the leaf patterns to fade. Early spring should be placed on a sunny windowsill for cultivation. As the temperature rises in spring, the plant begins to sprout new buds, and the potting soil should be kept moist and fertilization should begin. When the temperature is high,遮去中午的光照 or provide half-shade. In late spring, the pot should be moved to a semi-shaded or brightly lit indoor area, and attention should be paid to increasing the indoor humidity.
II. Summer Management;
Catharanthus roseus 'Variegata' does not tolerate high temperatures well but cannot withstand strong sunlight. In summer, strong sunlight can burn the leaves, so the pot should be placed in a brightly lit indoor area, with the soil kept moist and frequent spraying of water around the pot and on the plant leaves to increase humidity. Indoor ventilation is important, and no fertilizer is needed when the temperature is high.
III. Autumn Management;
In autumn, when the temperature cools down, light can be increased. After the temperature drops, the pot should be gradually moved to a sunny windowsill for cultivation. Reduce watering frequency, keeping the potting soil slightly dry to help the plant enter a semi-dormant state and stop fertilizing.
IV. Winter Management;
Catharanthus roseus 'Variegata' is not cold-tolerant and can safely overwinter in an environment above 0°C. In winter, the pot should be placed on a sunny windowsill, and the soil should be kept slightly dry. When the temperature is higher at noon, water should be sprayed several times on the leaves and around the pot to meet the plant's humidity requirements.
Additionally, young plants need to be pinched back 2 to 3 times to promote new growth and form a full plant shape. Indoor potted plants should control the height of the plant and prevent the branches from becoming too long and drooping. Long branches should be trimmed promptly with scissors. For mature plants that are 2 to 3 years old, with aging vines and leaves, you can cut off the top part of the plant, leaving 5 to 10 cm at the base, during spring repotting, while also strengthening water and fertilizer management, which will quickly promote new growth.
The above sharing on how to care for Catharanthus roseus 'Variegata' and detailed explanation of its maintenance techniques are for reference only!