The Rubiaceae family includes fifty species of greenhouse evergreen shrubs. Only one species is exploited and there are several artificial hybrids, since in the past these plants were used to produce cut flowers.
The Bouvardia flowers are showy and fragrant with a different color, depending on the species. The tubular flowers are up to five centimeters long and bloom for a long time until the autumn.
Among the most widespread varieties, we recall:
B. x domestica: horticultural origin. Height 60 cm. It is a shrub with opposite oval leaves, the flowers are gathered in terminal umbrellas with a diameter of 15 cm, they bloom from June to November, they have a star-shaped tubular corolla with four open terminal lobes. They are white, pink or red.
The Buvardia longiflora is native to Mexico, about a meter tall, woody stem and glossy green leaves.
The very fragrant tubular flowers are gathered in umbels in the terminal part of the branches. They bloom from October to December with pink to red flowers.
There bouvardia in spring it must be kept in a well-lit place but without direct sunlight, in summer it must be exposed to the air, even outdoors, avoiding direct exposure to the sun's rays. This plant develops at its best with a mild climate, so it does not bear intense cold or even too high summer temperatures; for this reason it is often grown as an indoor plant.
The ideal temperatures for Buvardia are fifteen - twenty-four degrees from February to September, in the remaining months the temperature should be kept between thirteen and fifteen degrees.
In the summer the watering must be regular or abundant if it is hot, avoiding however to exceed, causing the presence of water stagnations that would compromise its health in a short time. In winter, only damp soil should be kept, reducing water supply interventions. After pruning the waterings must be more abundant.
Every two weeks from May to the end of October, a liquid fertilizer must be diluted in the water used to supply the plant with all the nourishment necessary for more vigorous growth.
In spring the plants of Buvardia are planted in a mixture of peat and sand in equal parts the cuttings about eight centimeters long cut by the young branches. The cuttings root in about three weeks at an ambient temperature of about twenty-one degrees. The multiplication is also effected by division of roots, burying the portion of roots in a pot compound. It can also be reproduced by sowing, sowing in February - March and maintaining the temperature at around twenty-one degrees Celsius.
Once the gemination has occurred, the plants expose themselves to light avoiding direct exposure to the sun's rays.
The ideal soil for the cultivation of these plants must be fertile and acid, consisting of earth and sand in equal parts, so as to guarantee the correct degree of drainage and avoid the formation of dangerous water stagnations.
Pruning: after the flowering of Buvardia for about six weeks the vessels should be kept moist; at the beginning of February the main branches are cut two centimeters from the base. After pruning, to stimulate the new shoots, the plant must be given more water. The potted plants, after two or three years, must be replaced with new plants obtained by cutting.
Buvardia - Bouvardia: Pests and diseases
Aphids attack the buds and buds of buvardia. Water excesses cause the roots to rot and cause the leaves and flowers to fall. It is a good idea to check that the soil is sufficiently drained and, if you notice the presence of aphids, it is necessary to intervene promptly with the use of special insecticide products that can solve the problem in a short time.