Kenyan rose: variety description, cultivation and care rules with photo

Kenyan rose is one of the most popular species. Her homeland is a hot country in Africa - Kenya. Flowers are famous for their extraordinary beauty, they will become an ornament for any garden. The plant is unpretentious in care, widely sold in the CIS countries at affordable prices. Before planting, you need to familiarize yourself with all the features, methods of pest control, reproduction, care.

Description and characteristics of the Kenyan rose

Kenya rose is famous for the richness of its color, its flowers are used to create long monophonic or multi-colored compositions.The aroma is unique, attracts all visitors to the garden. The height of the stems is from 30 to 70 centimeters, they are strong, straight. The leaves are small, shiny, dense, look magnificent. Single-headed inflorescences of medium size, less often large, located exactly on the stem up to 15 pieces. The African rose retains its original appearance in bouquets for a long time, tolerates transportation well. Flowers grow from 3 to 8 centimeters. The variety is sold in the USA, Europe, Russia. Pricing policy accessible to the majority of the population of the CIS countries.

Growing places

Kenya is one of the largest exporters of flowers compared to other countries in Africa. Around the legendary Lake Naivasha, located 2000 meters above the sea, Kenyan roses are cultivated in large greenhouses.

In Kenya, growing flowers is one of the most profitable industries. All conditions are suitable for their germination: mountainous terrain, availability of water, warm climate. Subject to all the rules of planting and care, it is also possible to grow an African plant in the CIS countries.

Pros and cons of the variety

Kenyan rose, like other flowers, has a number of positives and negatives.

Allows you to create voluminous bouquetsHigh resistance to diseases, pests Big buds, strong stems Intense shades Strong fragrance Budget cost

Pros	Cons
Does not fade for a long time	Small size flowers

Rules for growing a flower

In Kenya, roses are grown in soil with volcanic impurities, where it is warm all year round, the sunny day lasts longer. Varieties of African flowers love hot weather, are immune to diseases.They should be grown in brown soils, with an increased level of acidity, a pH reaction of 6.0-6.5.

Growing a rose from a cutting is difficult, reflecting the transportation conditions and the period after cutting the flower.

Basic growing rules:

1. Plant cuttings for 1-2 days, if more time passes, they may not take root.
2. Saplings with closed roots can grow safely only in the summer, for the winter they need an airy, warm shelter or transplant in greenhouse conditions.
3. The soil must match the composition of African soil. There is a similar soil in the Crimea, Altai, the Caucasus, and the south of the Far East.
4. Flowers need regular feeding. It should be carried out 4-5 times per season, using complex fertilizers.
5. Watering should be moderate, the soil is moistened around the plant and in the evening. The stem and leaves are sprayed.

If all the rules are observed, the bushes will delight with flowers in the first season.

Pick up time

It is advisable to plant an African rose in the spring, from May. Then the soil warms up properly. In the southern regions, landing can be carried out from mid-April, when the air temperature reaches more than 15 degrees during the day, there are no night frosts.

Preparation of planting material

Kenyan roses are widely planted using cuttings. To choose them correctly, you must follow the tips below.

1. Stems and root. Pay attention to them first. The roots should not be stiff, wet. The stem normally has a natural light green tint, strong structure, but may be brownish green. The lower cut should be oblique, 1 cm below the lower bud, and the upper cut should be straight, 2 cm above the upper bud.
2. Leaves. They should be deep green, undamaged, leathery.

Cuttings are sold in peat cups or in cellophane packaging with open roots. They need to be seen, even in the first case. To do this, carefully remove the stems from the ground. It is desirable to buy planting material in the market, and not on the Internet.

Drop-off location

You should choose the right place for planting the Kenyan flower, otherwise it will not take root. Despite the fact that the African rose loves the sun, it should not be constantly exposed to ultraviolet rays. This may result in burns of the petals. The place should be in partial shade, closed from wind and precipitation. Need that side of the house where the influence of the direct rays of the sun falls in the morning.

Before planting, carefully inspect the seedlings, cut off the damaged parts.

Boarding process

You should first prepare the soil. Provide the land with the required amount of mineral and organic fertilizers.

1. Add manure to the soil.
2. After planting, fertilize with substances that protect against pests and diseases.
3. Rose bushes should be planted at a great distance, about 1 meter. The hole should be deep to provide enough room for the root system to grow.
4. The stalk should be cut immediately, as it is often sprayed with chemical solutions for long-term preservation. This makes the rooting process difficult.
5. Leave 3-5 buds on the stem, cut it from below at an angle, moisten and wipe with root.

After, plant in fertile soil with perlite, cover with glass.

Further plant care

With proper care, the first roots appear in 2-3 weeks.

1. We need to keep the light regime. The handle should be on the window during the day, and in the evening, substitute it for the lamp.
2. Water after the ground begins to dry out around the cutting.
3. As soon as the bud is formed, it must be cut off. This is necessary so that the plant does not waste energy on flowering.
4. Loosen the soil to deliver the required amount of oxygen to the roots.
5. Weeding is an integral part of care, as the growth of nearby plants can disrupt the functioning of the roots.
6. Pruning in time, treating the plant for diseases, removing insects.
7. Before winter, cover the rose and strengthen it.

When the first leaves begin to appear, the plant needs to be hardened off. Remove the glass for 2 hours, increasing this time every day.

Water and fertilize

Water the plant abundantly when the top layer of soil dries out. The procedure is carried out once a week, when it is warm outside. It will take about 7-10 liters of water at a time. In cool weather, in winter, irrigate moderately, preventing the land from drying out. Water must be defended. When the bush feels a lack of moisture, the tips of the leaves dry up. To avoid this, you need to spray the rose with water in cloudy or cloudy weather.

Feeding is required, they must be done before and after flowering in summer, autumn.

1. First top dressing to carry out when the cuttings release the first shoots. A special fertilizer is used for Fasco roses, Superphosphate, Ammophoscu, Gloria.
2. Wet and dry method can be applied. In the first variant, the fertilizer is diluted with water and the soil is shed under the bush. The dry method involves the application of top dressing in a dry form. Fertilizer can be scattered around the bush, sprinkled with earth.

It is necessary to carefully follow the dosage indicated on the nutrition package so as not to harm the plant.

Loosening and weeding

Kenyan rose should be loosened at least once a month. It is advisable to do this after rain and watering, top dressing, in the spring and before sheltering the bush. The maximum thickness of the fluff layer should be 6 centimeters so as not to damage the roots.

Weeding helps get rid of weeds that roses hate. It is better to weed the ground in dry weather, then the weeds will dry out sooner. If weeds are cut down after rain, they can become breeding grounds for pests and diseases. Do the last weeding before covering the flowers.

Cutting

You need to prune the plant every spring. This is done after the first buds have appeared. Shorten shoots at the level of 5-7 buds from the beginning, forming a bush.Sanitary pruning is carried out during the growing season to prevent pathologies. Remove affected, dry, frozen and weak shoots, shorten stems.

Shelter for the winter

The Kenyan flower comes from hot Africa, so it needs to be covered before the cold. In advance, spud and wrap the branches with craft paper. Flowers are planted together with an earthen clod in a container, placed in a basement or greenhouse. Before covering, be sure to remove the remaining leaves.

Disease and pest control methods

African rose bushes should be irrigated with ferrous sulfate 3% in autumn, and copper oxychloride 0.4% in spring. Be sure to disinfect cutting tools every time, cover the cuts with garden pitch.

Methods of reproduction

Kenyan rose can be propagated using the Burrito method - cuttings.The stems should not be thinner than a pencil, thicker is better. The length is normally 15-20 centimeters. They contain a large amount of sugars for the development of the root system. Gather the stems, wrap in newspaper, twist and moisten with water. Put the cuttings in a dark place with an air temperature of no more than 18 degrees. Keep 3-4 weeks, periodically checking their condition.

How is it used in landscape design?

Artificial flowers of the Kenyan rose will be a wonderful decoration for any garden. They look great on borders, in flower beds and rose gardens. Plants do not require complex care, even a novice gardener can grow them.

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