Centradenia unequal-sided

Family Melastomataceae. 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 adorn hanging baskets. Centradenia is heat-loving; it does not tolerate temperatures below 7°C, and therefore it is taken outdoors no earlier than the beginning of June. It is placed in a well-warmed spot protected from the wind. The drooping, heavily branching shoots and dense dark-green foliage with a bronze tinge look magnificent in containers and hanging compositions. Plants are best placed in loamy soil, which should be watered from time to time with a liquid mineral fertilizer. With such simple care Centradenia will flower for a long time and abundantly. The plants show several waves of intense flowering from May to July, and the last of these may occur 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 purchase new plants in spring.