What are the care requirements for the dolphin flower? One article explains all the key care points

1. Pot selection

Choose a hanging pot, which can be tied to a thick water pipe or hung in a corner of the balcony for care. This corner gets no sun in summer and two or three hours of direct sunlight in winter, which the dolphin flower loves.

2. Soil

The dolphin flower is not demanding about soil. I have tried garden soil, potting soil and that cheap peat soil, and it accepts them all, but it does not like heavy clay soil, and its roots do not like an environment that is too damp either, so everyone should choose potting soil to grow the dolphin flower, loose and breathable.

3. Top dressing

During the one or two months of the flowering period you can apply some fertilizer; it does not care at all, and fertilizing does not necessarily have any special effect, because it already performs very well on its own.

4. Light

It does not like fierce sunlight, especially in summer, when the leaves get scorched, turn yellow and curl; anyway, a dolphin flower that has been in the sun looks terribly ugly. During the year it can go seven or eight months with no sunlight at all. In its favorite winter, which is also its growing season, a few hours of sun is no problem. Once you notice yellow patches appearing on its leaves, you should move it out of the sunlight.

5. Water control

The dolphin flower plant has a fairly high water content, so it needs quite a lot of water. Try not to let it dry out, or it will curl its leaves and look listless. When watering, pour the water directly into the pot, try not to water the plant itself, and do not use too much at a time.

That is all for today. I hope today's content can let everyone learn something and be more helpful for the growth of the dolphin flower plant.

How to grow the dolphin flower: how to cultivate the dolphin flower

The dolphin flower, a plant with a quiet and elegant appearance that can bloom all year round when cultivated properly, is very suitable for beginner flower lovers to grow. But beginner flower lovers do not know much about growing the dolphin flower, so today let us learn together how to grow the dolphin flower~

I. Basic knowledge about the dolphin flower

The leaves of the dolphin flower are fleshy, round or long oval, light green in color, and there are also variegated-leaf varieties. The leaves are opposite or whorled, and the plant height is 15-45 cm; the flower stems grow out from the leaf axils, the flower diameter is about 2.5 cm, with 5 petals fused at the base into a tube shape. The flower color is mostly blue, and there are also white-flowered varieties; the flower stems of the dolphin flower are slender, and the flowers stretch out in all directions in countless poses. When the flowers are in full bloom, it is as if a group of little blue elves are happily having a party in midair, very interesting and spectacular!

II. How to grow the dolphin flower

The dolphin flower is native to South Africa and is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Gesneriaceae family. The dolphin flower suits a semi-shaded growing environment, and a shaded and well-ventilated place is best. Choose a soil medium with good drainage for cultivation. In a warm climate it can bloom all year round, but spring and autumn are still the main flowering seasons. Although a semi-shaded environment is most suitable for their growth, a moderate amount of sunlight is needed. It is best to choose a shady but bright environment, receiving scattered light through a curtain or through gaps between leaves, and the soft direct sunlight of spring and autumn is also fine.

Because the dolphin flower is originally a plant of the mountainous areas of southern Africa, it likes a cool climate. In summer, when it is hot and stuffy, pay attention to keeping it shady and ventilated, and it is best to avoid direct fierce sunlight. In winter, prevent low temperatures below 10°C, which can easily cause cold damage, because it can be grown both indoors and outdoors. It is suggested that when it is too cold outdoors in winter and too hot outdoors in summer, it can be moved indoors to a ventilated and bright place. Spring and autumn are the main growing and flowering periods. In addition to giving an appropriate amount of water, fertilizer should also be applied regularly, while in winter and summer fertilizing should be paused, and in winter watering should also be reduced.

The dolphin flower is very easy to propagate successfully by stem cuttings. For stemless orchids, the thick-veined part of the leaf can be used for leaf cuttings.

III. Care requirements for the dolphin flower

The dolphin flower is actually very easy to grow. In subtropical coastal areas such as Guangdong Province, the flowering period of the dolphin flower is from November each year to May or June of the following year. Because the dolphin flower has thick leaves and its flower branches stretch outward, it is suitable for growing in a hanging pot (as in Figure 1), and the dolphin flower likes shade and dislikes sun. Apart from needing occasional sun in winter, even with no direct sunlight all summer, it will not have any problems. Because in Guangdong, this southern land without winter, this thing goes dormant in summer, and you can almost ignore its existence.

1. Pot selection

I chose a hanging pot, which can be tied to a thick water pipe or hung in a corner of the balcony for care. This corner gets no sun in summer and two or three hours of direct sunlight in winter, which the dolphin flower loves.

2. Soil

The dolphin flower is not demanding about soil. I have tried garden soil, potting soil and that cheap peat soil, and it accepts them all, but it does not like heavy clay soil, and its roots do not like an environment that is too damp either, so everyone should choose potting soil to grow the dolphin flower, loose and breathable.

3. Fertilizing

I have never fertilized, at most during the one or two months of the flowering period I let it get some top dressing such as flowering fertilizer along with the other herbaceous flowers; it does not care at all, and fertilizing does not necessarily have any special effect, because it already performs very well on its own.

4. Light

Actually, as said earlier, it does not like fierce sunlight, especially in summer, when the leaves get scorched, turn yellow and curl; anyway, a dolphin flower that has been in the sun looks terribly ugly. During the year it can go seven or eight months with no sunlight at all. In its favorite Guangdong winter, which is also its growing season, a few hours of sun is no problem. Once you notice yellow patches appearing on its leaves, you should move it out of the sunlight.

5. Water control

The dolphin flower plant has a fairly high water content, so it needs quite a lot of water. Try not to let it dry out, or it will curl its leaves and look listless. I do not like spraying water on plants, so I always water directly into the pot, trying not to water the plant itself, and not too much at a time. This amount is really hard to say; anyway, as long as the soil is breathable, everyone can just water freely.

IV. Key care points for the dolphin flower

If you want to grow the dolphin flower beautifully, you need to pay attention to the following points: you must take new cuttings every year to grow it! Generally, early October each year is the best time, and you can also determine your cutting time according to when your dolphin baby starts to grow.

Use new branches, new branches that have not been pinched or topped, about ten cm long, and plant them as densely as possible. My pot used ten cuttings, and I just let it grow without managing it; it will grow into a big ball by itself. If you cannot bear to part with those old plants that have been growing for a long time, then it is impossible for you to have a good potted plant. Because the old branches of the dolphin flower become woody, and it is very difficult for them to sprout new buds, and the old root system is also not enough to support the rapid growth of new branches. If you want to see a flower ball, pull out the old plants and insert new cuttings every year, and try not to pinch or top them. Because whether you pinch or not, it will branch however it wants to branch, and it will not produce two extra branches because of your pinching. Pinching will only leave a big scar on that branch, and there will be a pit at the position of that branch. If you really must pinch, do it as early as possible, and then let it grow new branches by itself to cover that scar. If you are afraid of pits, then pinch it into a ball shape; as long as the growth rate is consistent, it can ultimately still form a ball.

How to grow the dolphin flower, how to cultivate the dolphin flower

How to grow the dolphin flower. The dolphin flower is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Gesneriaceae family. Actually, the dolphin flower is very easy to grow. In Guangzhou, the flowering period of the dolphin flower is from November each year to May or June of the following year. Because the dolphin flower has thick leaves and its flower branches stretch outward, it is suitable for growing in a hanging pot.

The dolphin flower is afraid of waterlogging. When choosing soil, you must not choose clay soil. Choose soil with good breathability and good drainage, such as peat 3-in-1; or mix ordinary potting soil with sand, which can likewise increase its breathability.

The leaves of the dolphin flower are fleshy and have a relatively high water content, so do not water too frequently, and do not put a tray under the pot, to avoid root rot from lack of oxygen; of course, try not to let it dry out either. If it lacks water, its leaves will curl and the plant shape will be poor. Many flower lovers say this degree is hard to grasp, so friends, remember: better dry than waterlogged. Some flower lovers abroad have tried it: if the leaves wilt, watering once can restore them in a day.

The dolphin flower likes a semi-shaded environment. Excessive exposure to the sun will make the leaves turn yellow and curl, and in severe cases the leaf edges will scorch. So it is best to place it on a well-ventilated windowsill with scattered light. Of course, the soft direct sunlight of spring and autumn is also excellent. Appropriate light helps the plant shape stay compact, form a flower ball, and have excellent ornamental value.

The dolphin flower is not demanding about fertilizer; applying a little top dressing every month and a half is enough. Of course, if you apply slow-release fertilizer in the growing medium, then you can be a hands-off boss. I have never fertilized, at most during the one or two months of the flowering period I let it get some top dressing such as flowering fertilizer along with the other herbaceous flowers; it does not care at all, and fertilizing does not necessarily have any special effect, because it already performs very well on its own.

Because the dolphin flower is native to South Africa, it is very sensitive to low temperatures. In winter, below 10°C can easily cause freezing damage, so flower lovers should pay attention to putting the dolphin flower indoors. Hot summer weather also needs attention: do not expose it to the sun, avoid stuffiness, and pay attention to ventilation.