Stephanotis
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Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture |
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Stephanotis (from Greek words for crown and ear, alluding to the five ear-like appendages on the staminal crown). Asclepiadaceae. Twining glabrous shrubs of the Old-World tropics, of about fifteen species, one of which, S. floribunda, is one of the best of greenhouse climbers. Leaves opposite and coriaceous: fls. large and showy, white, in umbel-like cymes from the axils; calyx 5-parted; corolla funnelform or salverform, the tube cylindrical and usually enlarged at the base and sometimes at the throat, the lobes 5; crown mostly of 5 scales that are usually free at the apex and adnate to the anthers on the back, the anthers with an inflexed tip or membrane: fr. a more or less fleshy follicle. There are few plants that have all the good qualities of S. floribunda. It is a splendid grower, has good foliage, is very free-flowering, and the flowers last well on the plant or when cut for decorative work. Cuttings are secured from half-matured wood, and can be rooted at any time of year, although spring is the most convenient time. Pot the cuttings singly, in small pots, in a sandy mixture of peat. Place them in a tight case in 70° night temperature. Shade them from the sun and keep the cuttings in a moist condition until they begin to grow. When the small pots are filled with roots, shift them into two or three sizes larger, in a good strong fibrous loam with enough sand added to keep the soil porous. When the shoots have grown to a height of about 2 feet, cut them back several joints. This will make the plants break into several leads. As S. floribunda comes from Madagascar, it can stand a good heat, but does not like so humid an atmosphere as many other tropical plants. About 65° will generally be found sufficient after it has started growing in the spring. By midsummer the young plants may receive another potting, and again be cut back to make sure of having a good foundation for the following year. About the end of October, begin to withhold water from the roots, and cease syringing, which must be attended to during the period of active growth. Reduce the temperature to 55° to 60° during the night and give only enough water to keep the leaves from shriveling. As the sun gets higher in March, they will show signs of activity and the weak wood may be all cut back, and the plants repotted in a good strong loam with ample drainage. If not wanted for a specimen plant, stephanotis may be planted out on a well-drained bench and trained to wires over the roof. It is astonishing the amount of space a single plant will cover in course of time. For specimen plants, the shoots should be trained to strings until they set flowers, when they may be trained on a trellis in any shape desired. They will do in the same size of pot for many years, if fed during their growing period as advised for ixoras. Mealy-bug and scale are sure to locate on stephanotis, but during the winter they may be treated to fumigations with hydrocyanic gas, as already advised for other plants, and if syringed well when out of flower, will be easily held in check. S. Thouarsii, Brongn., from Madagascar, appears to be the only other species in cult., but it is not in the American trade. It has obovate lvs., fls. in 3's, and sepals about one-third the length of the corolla-tube. CH
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References
- Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
External links
- w:Stephanotis. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
- Stephanotis QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)