Characteristics and description of the Kenyan rose variety, cultivation and care

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

Description and characteristics of the Kenyan rose

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

Places of growth

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

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

Pros and cons of the variety

The Kenyan rose, like other flowers, has a number of positive and negative aspects.

Rules for growing a flower

In Kenya, roses are grown in soil with volcanic impurities, where it is warm all year round and sunny days last longer.African flower varieties love hot weather and are immune to diseases. They should be grown in brown soils with a high level of acidity, pH 6.0-6.5.

It is difficult to grow a rose from a cutting; transportation conditions and the period after cutting the flower are reflected.

Basic growing rules:

1. Plant cuttings within 1-2 days; if more time passes, they may not take root.
2. Seedlings with closed roots are able to grow safely only in the summer; for the winter they need airy, warm shelter or transplantation into greenhouse conditions.
3. The soil must correspond to the composition of African soil. Similar soil exists in 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 around the plant should be moistened in the evening. The stem and leaves are sprayed.

If you follow all the rules, the bushes will delight you with flowers in the first season.

Boarding time

It is advisable to plant African roses in the spring, from May. Then the soil warms up properly. In the southern regions, planting can be carried out from mid-April, when the air temperature reaches more than 15 degrees during the day and 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 roots. Pay attention to them first. The roots should be non-woody and moist. The stem normally has a natural light green tint and a strong structure, but can 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, and leathery.

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

Drop off point

You must choose the right place to plant the Kenyan flower, otherwise it will not take root. Even though the African rose loves the sun, it should not be constantly exposed to ultraviolet rays. This may result in petal burns. The place should be in partial shade, protected from wind and precipitation. You need the side of the house where the direct rays of the sun are in the morning.

Before planting, carefully inspect the seedlings and trim off damaged parts.

Planting process

The soil must first be prepared. 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 need to be planted at a large distance, about 1 meter. The hole should be deep to provide enough space for the root system to grow.
4. The cuttings must be cut immediately, since they are 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 the bottom at an angle, moisten it and wipe it with root.

Afterwards, plant in fertile soil with perlite and cover with glass.

Further care of the plant

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

1. It is necessary to maintain the light mode. The cutting should be on the window during the day, and in the evening, place it near the lamp.
2. Water after the soil 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 necessary amount of oxygen to the roots.
5. Weeding is an integral part of care, since the growth of nearby plants can disrupt the functioning of the roots.
6. Pruning in a timely manner, 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.

Watering and fertilizing

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

Fertilizing is mandatory; it must be done before and after flowering in summer and autumn.

1. The first feeding should be done when the cuttings produce their first shoots. A special fertilizer for roses is used: Fasco, Superphosphate, Ammofoska, Gloria.
2. You can use the wet and dry method. In the first option, the fertilizer is diluted with water and poured onto the soil under the bush. The dry method involves applying fertilizer in dry form. Fertilizer can be scattered around the bush and sprinkled with soil.

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

Loosening and weeding

Kenyan roses should be loosened at least once a month. It is advisable to do this after rain and watering, fertilizing, in the spring and before covering the bush. The maximum thickness of the fluffy layer should be 6 centimeters to avoid damaging the roots.

Weeding helps get rid of weeds that roses cannot tolerate. It is better to weed the soil in dry weather, then the weeds will dry out more quickly. If you cut down weeds after rain, they can become breeding grounds for pests and diseases. Do the last weeding before covering the flowers.

Trimming

The plant needs to be pruned every spring. This is done after the first buds have appeared. Shorten the 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 the stems.

Shelter for the winter

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

Methods of controlling diseases and pests

Irrigate African rose bushes in the fall with iron sulfate 3%, in the spring with copper oxychloride 0.4%. Be sure to disinfect cutting tools every time and cover the cuts with garden varnish.

Reproduction methods

You can propagate the Kenyan rose using the Burito method - cuttings. The stems should be no thinner than a pencil, preferably thicker. The normal length is 15-20 centimeters.They contain a large amount of sugars for the development of the root system. Collect the stems, wrap in newspaper, twist and moisten with water. Place the cuttings in a dark place with an air temperature of no more than 18 degrees. Keep for 3-4 weeks, periodically checking their condition.

How is it used in landscape design?

Handmade Kenya rose flowers will be a wonderful decoration for any garden. They look gorgeous on borders, in flower beds and rose gardens. The plants do not require complex care; even a novice gardener can grow them.