The Blue Mauritius is one of the most beautiful and lush flowering plants which, with appropriate care, presents a veritable sea of flowers. With their climbing and hanging growth, the graceful open flowers form a wonderful contrast to the light green, slightly silver foliage.
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The Blue Mauritius is also known under the botanical name Convolvulus sabatius and comes from the bindweed family. It is wonderfully suitable as summer planting, for cool winter gardens, rock gardens and plant bowls. But the attractive ornamental plant is also an absolute eye-catcher in hanging baskets and window boxes.
Location and height
The Blue Mauritius, which can reach an approximate size of up to 50 centimeters, feels most comfortable in full sun. Regular sun exposure has a positive effect on the growth of leaf green and the number of flowers, among other things. Depending on its position (for example in hanging baskets or window boxes), the winch shows a hanging or climbing habit.
The creeping wind is a true sun worshiper. Because if it is given a bright and very sunny location, it will thank you not only with rich flowers, but also with lush foliage. However, the Blue Mauritius gets along quite well in a partially shaded location. Its light blue to light purple funnel-shaped flowers close in the evening and in bad weather to protect the little ones Plant, because the attractive ornamental flower is one of the smaller ones with a height of between 15 and 40 cm Plant representatives.
Soil and origin
Like its famous namesake, the world's most famous postage stamp, the Blue Mauritius is at home on the island of the same name. In addition, the charming plant is also found in Sicily, Italy and on dry limestone cliffs in north-west Africa. The beautiful creeping wind has been cultivated since 1860 and is a perennial plant in our latitudes that makes some demands on the soil quality. So she prefers:
- a nutritious, fertile one
- loamy-clay to sandy-loamy soil
- which should be very permeable
- but can also store moisture
- It is particularly ideal if the soil has a small amount of lime
- compost
- or fertilizer, for example horn shavings, is added in the spring
- it should also be slightly acidic to slightly alkaline
Sufficient fertilization
The beautiful ornamental plant is characterized by rapid growth as well as a magnificent flower pile. For this, the Blue Mauritius also needs a regular supply of nutrients in the form of generous fertilization, which begins with the first planting.
- Add slow release fertilizer to the soil when planting for the first time
- a few months later, add liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water
to water
Especially in the summer months, the fluid requirements of the Blue Mauritius are very high. Therefore, it should be watered sufficiently and evenly once a week, but care must be taken that it does not come to waterlogging. Whether watering once a week is sufficient can be seen from the hanging leaves and the upper layer of soil. Because if this has already dried out, especially on hot days, the plant should be watered several times a week. But be careful: the imposing ornamental plant can neither tolerate too much drought nor too much moisture!
Tip: With long damp weather or with too much moisture, the creeping winds tend to fungal diseases.
Valuable care instructions
The delicate funnel-shaped flowers grow from May to October. However, so that they can unfold in all their splendor into autumn, withered parts of the plant should be removed regularly. This so-called cleaning can on the one hand significantly promote flower growth and on the other hand prevent fungal diseases. Because if the withered and slightly sticky flowers are removed again and again, the fungi have no more opportunity to settle.
Tip: Semen stocks must be removed constantly!
Propagation and planting
Should be impressive
Ornamental plant can be planted in the bed then:- be introduced as a single plant or
- 4 to 11 plants per m²
- alternatively also in small groups of up to 3 plants
- at a distance of 30 to 50 cm
The increase
- takes place from February to April
- or from August to September
- with mature head cuttings without buds and flowers!
- which are put in groups of 2 or 3 in a multi-pot plate
- at temperatures of 18 to 20 degrees
- after 3 weeks roots form
- then further cultivation with a young plant
- in a 10 to 11 cm pot
- alternatively 3 to 5 plants in one traffic light
- at temperatures between 18 to 20 degrees
- Once the roots have formed, temperatures of 12 to 15 degrees are sufficient
- 1 to 2 weeks later it can then be easily trimmed
When it comes to the substrate, make sure that the pH value is 6.0 so that the salt content is not too high because the Blue Mauritius is particularly sensitive to salt.
Tip: Pay attention to the respective temperature, because if too much warmth the buds dry out, the leaves turn yellow and the individual flowers have a short shelf life!
This is how the Blue Mauritius winters
In autumn, the blue Mauritius, which is not winter-proof, has to be brought to its winter quarters before the first frost - to overwinter a bright and cool room with sufficient daylight and temperatures that do not exceed a minimum limit of 10 ° C is suitable fall below. Before its winter dormancy, the Convolvulus sabatius can be cut back generously.
In order to prepare for the wintering of the Blue Mauritius, it is advisable to reduce watering a few weeks before a possible first frost. The reason for this is that the plant needs less moisture in its cooler winter location than during summer. However, if the root ball still has a lot of water stored when the plant moves into its winter quarters, waterlogging and root damage can occur as a result.
The beautiful ornamental plant is only moderately winter-resistant and should be placed in a cool but bright room with sufficient daylight before the first frost. In addition, the winter quarters should not fall below a temperature of 10 degrees. It is also important:
- a generous cut back
- and only moderate watering a few weeks before wintering
- because the plant needs significantly less moisture during the cold season
- and if the root ball is too wet, waterlogging and root damage can occur
The winter protection
The perennial Mauritius is only partially frost hardy, so it should be given light winter protection during the cold season so that frost damage can be avoided.
Pests
The ornate bindweed is attacked by pests such as aphids, spider mites, the white fly and, due to its blue color, also by flower thrips.
The Blue Mauritius - Care Tips
- the Blue Mauritius is a fascinating and perennial plant
- with a lush display of flowers
- which prefers nutrient-rich, loamy-sandy and well drained soils
- in the sunny location it develops a veritable flower pile
- but can also find a place in partial shade
- ideal for planting beds
- for bowls, winter gardens and rock gardens
- as well as for balcony boxes and traffic lights where they hang down in an arc
- fertilize sufficiently with a liquid fertilizer
- Water regularly but prevent waterlogging and dehydration
- Flowering time from May to October
- Propagation by perennial cuttings
- the plant is therefore conditionally frost-hardy
- it needs a light cover
- Winter in bright, cool rooms at 10 degrees
- Pests: spider mites, whitefly, flower thrips, aphids
Blue Mauritius care profile:
- Ideal location: very sunny
- Suitable substrate: ideally nutrient-rich, loamy soil - supplement with lime if possible
- Water requirement: high
- Fertilizer requirement: high
- Flower care: remove dead flowers promptly to stimulate further growth
- Winter resistance: no
- Winter storage: reduce watering before the first frost - overwinter with sufficient daylight and temperatures of approx. 10 ° C
Soil condition
The Blue Mauritius needs nutrient-rich soil that is permeable but can also store moisture well. In particular, the plant from the willow family prefers loamy substrate. In addition, the Convolvulus sabatius benefits from adding a small amount of lime to the soil.
irrigation
The fluid requirement of the blue flowering ornamental plant is very high in the summer months. It should therefore be poured sufficiently, avoiding waterlogging despite the substrate being kept moist. Whether the plant is adequately supplied with water after about a week's watering can be easily seen from yours Recognize substrate: The plant should be watered again at the latest when the top layer of soil has dried out will.
Fertilize
In addition to an adequate water supply, the Blue Mauritius also loves a generous supply of nutrients in the form of fertilizer. The winds need energy from water and fertilizers, among other things, because of their comparatively rapid growth and the pronounced formation of flowers. In order to meet the nutrient requirements of the plant, it is possible to provide the plant soil used with long-term fertilizer when it is first planted. After a few months, the now used up fertilizer can be replaced with liquid fertilizer, which is added to the irrigation water.
Flower care
The large blue flowers of the Blauen Mauritius usually grow profusely and show themselves from May to October. Flower growth can also be stimulated by removing wilted parts of the plant at regular intervals. The so-called cleaning of wilted flowers is mainly used to prevent the formation of seeds. In this way, the Blue Mauritius is stimulated to further flower development in order to attract insects and to secure its own reproduction.
In addition, cleaning out wilted blossoms of the bindweed helps prevent fungal infections - the After their removal, slightly sticky withered flowers no longer provide a soil on which fungi can settle can.