Lotus maculatus or Pico de Paloma, a very showy plant

Plant your Lotus maculatus in the garden

In the Canary Islands there are plants of exceptional beauty, both used as ornamentals. One of those that has the most curious flowers is the one that receives the scientific name lotus maculatus, and the common Pigeon Beak or simply Lotus.

It is a great upholstery or floor covering which, in addition, can be grown in a pot. So, if your home lacks color, don't hesitate to give it to them with the lotus maculatus.

Origin and characteristics of lotus maculatus

View of the flowers of the Lotus maculatus

Our protagonist is a perennial herbaceous plant native to the Canary Islands. It reaches a height of about 15-20cm and has a creeping bearing.. The stems are highly branched and very thin, less than 0,5cm thick. The leaves are thin, lanceolate, and green in color. The flowers are very curious, because the petals are distributed in such a way that it is quite reminiscent of the appearance of the beak of a dove or parrot, which is why it is known precisely like this: Pico de paloma or Pico de Loro.

It has a very fast growth rateso you can plant it in the garden and get it to cover a wide area in no time. But let's see it in more detail.

Pigeon beak care

Location

Lotus maculatus, or Pigeon Beak, in full bloom

  • Body exterior:: it has to be in a sunny exposure. It can also grow in semi-shade, but it is important to give it direct sunlight at least 4 hours a day.
  • Interior: it should be placed in a very bright room, near a window or in an interior patio.

Soil or substrate

  • Garden: it is indifferent. It can grow well even on calcareous ones.
  • Flower pot: If it is grown in a pot, it will be necessary to plant it in one with a substrate that has excellent drainage, as for example the following mixture will have it: black peat with perlite in equal parts.

Irrigation

It is a plant that resists drought well and does not tolerate waterlogging well. Therefore, you have to water very little, letting the soil dry completely between waterings.

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From the beginning of spring to the end of summer, it is advisable to fertilize with liquid organic fertilizersas guano o humus. I also recommend using the seaweed extract fertilizer very occasionally (every 3 months or so), as it is very rich in nutrients. This should not be used too often as it is very alkaline and could cause problems.

Multiplication

Young Lotus maculatus plant in pot

Seeds

To obtain new copies of lotus maculatus By means of seeds, it is best to buy them in online stores, especially if at this time we still do not have any plants, during the spring. Once we have them at home, we will put them in a glass of water for 24 hours. The next day, we will discard those that are not viable (they will be the ones that remain floating), and we will sow the rest. How? Very easy:

  1. The first thing we will do is prepare the seedbed. As such we can use milk containers, yogurt glasses, flowerpots, ... In the case of using containers of edible products, it is very important to clean them well with water and a drop of dishwasher, and make a hole in the base through which the water leftover can come out.
  2. Afterwards, we fill it with universal culture substrate mixed with 30% perlite and we water it so that it is well moistened.
  3. Next, we sow the seeds, as far apart as possible. It is not necessary to put many together in the same seedbed, since if we did it later we would have difficulties to separate them. To have more or less an idea of ​​how many fit, know that in a pot of 10,5 cm in diameter you should not put more than 3.
  4. Then, we cover them with a very thin layer of substrate (enough so that they are simply not exposed directly to the sun) and sprinkle a little sulfur or copper to prevent the appearance of fungi.
  5. Finally, we water and place it in a bright area.

If everything has gone well, the first to germinate will see the world after 14 days.

Stem cuttings

If we want to multiply our Pico de paloma, the easiest way is to do it with stem cuttings. To do this, we just have to cut a stem of about 20cm, remove the leaves from the base and plant it in a pot with substrate for plants. Then, we water it well and in the course of a maximum month it will root.

To have a greater chance of success, we can impregnate the base of the cutting with powdered rooting hormones, but it is not necessary.

Pruning

As it has a very open development, can be clamped regularly so that it has a more compact shape with scissors previously disinfected with pharmacy alcohol.

Planting or transplanting time

In spring, when the minimum temperature is 10ºC or higher.

Pests

Aphids, a pest that Lotus maculatus can have

It is very rare to have it, but if the environment is very dry, it can be attacked by some aphid, which can be removed by hand or with a swab from the ears dipped in pharmacy alcohol.

Rusticity

It is very sensitive to cold. It can only be grown outdoors if the minimum temperature is 5ºC or higher.

Detail of the beautiful flowers of the Lotus maculatus

Have you ever seen a plant like the lotus maculatus?


2 comments, leave yours

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  1.   Angelica Guadalupe said

    Hello. I have a silver pigeon beak. It was beautiful until two months ago. Now it has its leaves as more curly. Is it drying out?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi Angelica.

      Have you checked if it has any plagues? Normally, the fact that the leaves are rolling is usually due to cochineal, or sometimes due to lack of water + heat.

      How often do you water it? It is important to avoid waterlogging, but every time you have to water, you have to pour water until all the soil is well moistened.

      If you have questions, contact us.

      Regards!