The fan flower is a popular balcony plant that, thanks to its hanging shoots, looks particularly good in hanging baskets or hanging baskets. But the purple to blue flowers also look great in flower boxes, pots and outdoors. The decorative plant is considered to be very easy to care for and robust, but there are a few things to consider when it comes to care.
Characteristics
- German name: blue fan flower
- Scientific name: Scaevola aemula
- Family: Goodeniaceae
- Genus: Fan flowers (Scaevola)
- Flowering period: May to October
- Flower color: purple, blue
- Leaf color: green
- Height: 30-50 cm
- Fruit type: ovoid drupes
- Frost hardness: sensitive to frost
Location
The blue fan flower originally comes from tropical and subtropical areas of Australia and Polynesia and is accordingly a sun lover. In this country, the Scaevola aemula is a decorative eye-catcher, especially on balconies and terraces, where it is particularly effective in elevated positions. Although it prefers sunny places, it also gets along very well in partially shaded locations. It even grows in the shade, but the abundance of flowers clearly diminishes there. The ideal location for the plant should therefore meet the following requirements:
- sunny to partially shaded
- the sunnier, the more flowers
- Plant spacing about 20 cm
- Wind and rain protection not required
Note: The Scaevola aemula can be cultivated both on the balcony and in the garden. However, it is not suitable for underplanting trees!
Soil / substrate
In the wild, the Scaevola aemula grows in bush regions and in coastal areas in dry sandy and loamy soils. She feels accordingly
- wet
- well permeable
- sandy to loamy
Planters
The Scaevola aemula is preferred to be planted on the balcony or terrace. There are numerous possibilities for the hobby gardener to put the flowers in the limelight. The fan flower looks particularly beautiful when combined with different varieties. Because they are available in a wide variety of colors, such as the "Saphir" with blue flowers or the "Crystal" with pure white flowers. Because the plant forms overhanging shoots, it is the ideal candidate for planting hanging baskets. However, their flowers also come into their own in other planters, such as:
- Traffic lights
- Window boxes
- bucket
- Pots
- high planters
Note: Regardless of the type of planter, it is important that it has a water drainage hole.
Planting
The blue fan flower is usually purchased as a young plant in specialist shops. The plant should be planted quickly after purchase, but it is advisable to first treat it to a long bath in lime-free water. Old soil residues can also be removed directly in the same move. It is also advisable to line the water drainage hole with drainage. Because this prevents it from clogging and waterlogging. It works best for drainage
porous material such as lava chippings, fine potsherds or small pebbles. The following steps have also proven effective for planting:- Lay the drainage about 3 cm high
- sufficient soil above it
- Insert the plant
- Plant distance approx. 20 cm
Note: There is usually space for two to three fan flowers in a hanging basket!
Fertilize
The decorative plant is not one of the heavy eaters, but still has a significant nutritional requirement. Accordingly, it is advisable to fertilize the plant at regular intervals. Compost or other organic fertilizers, such as horn shavings, are suitable for the flowerbed. However, if the flowers are grown on the balcony, a liquid fertilizer is usually a better choice. This is because organic substances such as compost or coffee grounds cannot be completely processed by the microorganisms in the substrate. To ensure that the plants are adequately supplied with nutrients in the pot, it is best to proceed as follows:
- Apply slow release fertilizer at the beginning of the season
- fertilize every two weeks
- from April to the end of August
- with low dosage
to water
In terms of irrigation, the fan flower proves to be comparatively undemanding. Since she originally comes from Australia, she is very familiar with heat and short dry periods and accordingly gets along well with them. Nevertheless, the root ball should never dry out, which is why the flower must be watered regularly. In order to meet your average water requirement, the following points should be taken into account when irrigation:
- water regularly
- in sunny locations more resp. water more often
- preferably with lime-free water
- do not water in the midday sun
- Avoid waterlogging
- mulch in the open air as well
Note: To prevent the risk of waterlogging, planters should always be chosen that have a water drain.
Cut
In terms of pruning, the fan flower is very easy to care for, because pruning is not absolutely necessary. It also throws away things that have faded, which the hobby gardener only has to collect and dispose of. Since new flowers are constantly forming on the shoots, it can happen that the fan flower gets out of shape. In this case, it can be cut back into shape if necessary. This also has the advantage that the plant is stimulated to flower. If you want to top it off, you can definitely use scissors and cut the plant back by half after the first flowering phase. As a result, the plant sprouts all over again and even bears more flowers!
Overwinter
The fan flower is usually cultivated as an annual because it is very sensitive to frost
is. However, under certain conditions it can be overwintered and thus grown for several years. It is important that the plants are brought to a frost-free location - even plants that were planted in borders! These have to be dug up for the winter, put in pots and brought to the winter quarters. In order to prepare the plants for the winter in the best possible way, it is advisable to first cut them by about two thirds. The plants can then be overwintered as follows:- Location: light greenhouse or winter garden
- Temperature: 10-15 degrees Celsius
- Pouring: only in moderation
- Fertilizing: no
- Avoid heat sources and direct sunlight
Note: After the successful wintering, the flowers should not be put outside again immediately! It is better to get them used to the sun slowly and to protect them from the midday sun for the time being.
Multiplication
The multiplication of fan flowers is a difficult undertaking, which is also very tedious with a duration of at least 2.5 months. Unfortunately, the propagation is not always crowned with success, which is why the plants are usually propagated by specialist companies and then sold as young plants. If you still want to face this challenge and try your luck, it is best to try propagation using partial or head cuttings. These should not bloom and be slightly woody and about 6 - 8 cm long. After these have been obtained from the mother plant, the leaves are first removed from the head cuttings except for the two upper pairs of leaves. Dedicated hobby gardeners can then try the propagation as follows:
- Bevel the lower end of the shoots with a knife
- Wet the interface with rooting powder
- Plant the cuttings 2/3 in soil
- Keep the substrate regularly and evenly moist
- Earth must not dry out!
- Avoid waterlogging as well
- Location: bright, but not too sunny
- Temperature: 20-25 degrees Celsius
Note: Direct sunlight should be avoided as this dries out the substrate too quickly and the cuttings could be stressed.
Pests and diseases
The Scaevola aemula is not only considered to be very easy to care for and robust, because it is also comparatively seldom afflicted by pests. Only leaf miners can bother her, but they can be recognized relatively quickly by mine-like feeding tunnels. In the event of an infestation, it is advisable to collect and dispose of the infested leaves and, if necessary, to use parasitic wasps. It is also relatively insensitive to diseases. However, caution is advised against wilting diseases, which are usually associated with incorrect irrigation and can therefore often be avoided.
