Centradenia

Family Myrtaceae. In the Netherlands only one cultivated variety of centradenia is known - 'Cascade'.

It is propagated by cuttings in autumn and winter. Stem cuttings root easily but develop slowly, so flowering plants appear on the shelves of shops and garden centers only in mid-May. They are almost always used to decorate hanging baskets. Centradenia is heat-loving; it cannot tolerate temperatures below 7°C, and therefore it is not taken outdoors before the beginning of June. It should be placed in a well-warmed and wind-protected position. The drooping, strongly branching shoots and dense dark-green foliage with a bronze tint look magnificent in containers and hanging arrangements. Plants are best placed in loamy soil, which from time to time should be watered with liquid mineral fertilizer. With such simple care centradenia will bloom for a long time and abundantly. From May to July the plants show several waves of intense flowering, and the last of these may fall at the end of August. At the end of summer stem cuttings should be taken; these are rooted and kept until spring in a bright cool room with an air temperature above 7°C. However, most gardeners prefer to buy new plants in spring.