How to care for the succulent Firecracker Plant and when it blooms
Today let's learn about the succulent Firecracker Plant. The Firecracker Plant is a horticultural variety that thrives in warm, dry, sunny environments, so it often blooms in summer. If the Firecracker Plant wants to live beautifully, it can only rely on light. Let's get to know this proud little succulent together.
I. How to grow the succulent Firecracker Plant
The Firecracker Plant is a horticultural variety that loves warm, dry, sunny environments. In partial shade or sheltered spots the plant can still grow, but the leaves will not turn red. Normally, do not overwater or overfertilize, and especially do not apply too much nitrogen fertilizer, otherwise the plant will become leggy and the leaves will not turn red. Wait until the potting soil is completely dry before watering, and apply a diluted fertilizer mainly of phosphorus and potassium once a month.
1. Watering: During the growing season the plant is red-green; when water is withheld or during dormancy the color turns red or pink. Normally, water thoroughly only when the soil is dry. Spring and autumn are the growing seasons, so water thoroughly when dry; the plant is not afraid of being rained on.
2. Light: The Firecracker Plant needs full-sun cultivation. If light is insufficient, the spacing between leaves will stretch out, which means the plant becomes leggy, and the leaves will also turn emerald green and elongate.
3. Soil: You can use coal cinders mixed with a small amount of peat, without laying stones on top, because the Firecracker Plant's stems tend to creep and easily grow roots. So do not lay river sand either.
4. Cultivation: When the plant grows too tall, prune it promptly to control its height, encourage new branches and leaves to sprout from the base, and maintain a graceful plant shape.
5. In winter, place it indoors in full sunlight and keep the potting soil dry; it can overwinter safely above 5°C. Repot once every 1 to 2 years in spring, and use a sandy soil with good drainage and aeration.
6. In summer, be sure to control humidity, otherwise it will easily rot. It has a brief dormancy in summer and needs ventilation and shade; generally, once the temperature stays at 32°C, provide shade. Gradually reduce water, giving only 2 to 3 waterings a month to keep the roots from drying out. When the weather turns cool, gradually resume watering. As long as the temperature does not drop below zero, you can basically water normally; the Firecracker Plant can tolerate a low of minus 5°C when the potting soil is dry.
7. Propagation: In spring and autumn, cut tender branches, let them dry in the shade for two to three days, then bury them shallowly in soil. Water thoroughly once after 10 days, and roots will form in about 20 days. The Firecracker Plant can be propagated in the growing season by cutting a fleshy stem with the tip and rooting it as a cutting.
A blooming Firecracker Plant
II. When does the Firecracker Plant bloom
1. The Firecracker Plant usually blooms in summer or autumn, with a cyme inflorescence and small white flowers.
2. The flowers of the Firecracker Plant are very special; the blooms are set among the leaves, dotting them like stars, which is quite beautiful. Growing the Firecracker Plant is simple, but getting it to bloom probably takes a lot of care.
3. When the Firecracker Plant blooms, it needs to accumulate a lot of nutrients. When nutrients are insufficient, it will also consume the succulent's own nutrients to force blooming, so if you do not know how succulents are pollinated or how to collect seeds, or if you think the flowers are not nice to look at, you can simply cut off the flower stems with scissors. Many times you will find that on the flower stems grown by the Firecracker Plant or other succulents, the flowers wither before they even open, which shows the succulent lacks nutrients.
III. Why the Firecracker Plant does not turn red
In autumn, when the temperature difference between day and night is too small, the Firecracker Plant will not turn red. The Firecracker Plant likes cool, dry, sunny environments, is drought-tolerant, fears waterlogging, and has a certain cold tolerance. So if it is watered too much and does not get enough light, the Firecracker Plant will not turn red either.
IV. How to grow the Firecracker Plant so it turns red
1. Only under the combined effect of a dry winter + cold + strong sun will the Firecracker Plant turn very red.
2. In the growing season it will turn green and grow like crazy. You can cut branches and keep taking cuttings, and within half a year it will become a big cluster. If you do not want to take cuttings, you can cut some off; after pruning the plant shape will be fuller and more beautiful.
3. Once the root system is well established, the Firecracker Plant becomes robust, having stored a large amount of water in its body. Then gradually withhold water, giving a little less each time, until you finally stop watering altogether, and then expose it to strong sun; the Firecracker Plant will turn red.
4. The Firecracker Plant is a horticultural variety that loves warm, dry, sunny environments. In partial shade or sheltered spots the plant can still grow, but the leaves will not turn red. Normally, do not overwater or overfertilize, and especially do not apply too much nitrogen fertilizer, otherwise the plant will become leggy and the leaves will not turn red. Wait until the potting soil is completely dry before watering, and apply a diluted fertilizer mainly of phosphorus and potassium once a month.
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