La Rose of alexandria It is a beautiful plant that you can have both in your garden and in a pot. It produces very cheerful pink flowers, which will make you happy where it is located.
But if you want to know more about her, know all her secrets, Then I will tell you everything so that it is easy for you to identify it and also take care of it.
Origin and characteristics
Our protagonist it is an endemic plant of the Iberian Peninsula, where it is found in the mountainous systems of central and southern Spain and Portugal. Its scientific name is Paeonia budori, but it is known more as Rosa de Alejandría, rosa de Santa Clara, wild rose, or wild rose. It appears from 100 to 1850 meters above sea level. It is characterized by reach a height of up to 70cm, with simple leaves divided sometimes oval or oval-lanceolate, bright green on the upper surface and glabrous on the underside. They are composed of 16-19 leaflets 3-4cm wide. The stem is glabrous and measures 50cm in height.
The flowers are hermaphroditic, solitary, and large up to 8cm. The fruit is in follicles that are covered with whitish hairs, which contain seeds that, when ripe, are black.
What are their cares?
If you want to get a copy, we recommend providing the following care:
Location
It is important that you place your Rose of Alexandria outside, in semi-shade. It should not be in direct sunlight at any time, since in its natural habitat it lives under the shade of tree branches, such as the Quercus Pyrenaica (Pyrenean oak).
Earth
Depending on where you have it, it may grow better in one type of soil or another:
- Flower pot: universal culture substrate mixed with 30% perlite.
- Garden: lives in all types of soils as long as they have good drainage.
Irrigation
Watering has to be frequent, especially in summer. Water it 3-4 times a week during the hottest season of the year, and let the rest dry between waterings. In the case of having it in a pot with a plate underneath, in winter remember to remove the water since with the drop in temperatures the roots could freeze quickly.
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You must pay your Rose of Alexandria from spring to late summer, preferably with organic fertilizers, such as guano (You can also use chemicals, such as the universal fertilizer sold in nurseries, but if you have children or pets I do not advise it). Use liquids if it is in a pot or powder if it is in the ground.
Planting or transplanting time
In spring, when the risk of frost has passed. If you have it in a pot, you should transplant it every two years.
Multiplication
The Rose of Alexandria multiplies by seeds during the spring, but it is complicated. If you want to try We recommend that you follow this step by step:
- The first thing you have to do is sow them in autumn in a humid environment; for example, a previously moistened napkin. It is highly recommended that you sprinkle a little copper or sulfur to prevent the appearance of fungus, and that you change the napkin 3-4 times a week.
- When they have germinated and emitted their first roots, they are planted in a pot with vermiculite (you can get it here) that you should keep moist but not waterlogged.
- Finally, they are left in that pot until roots grow out of the drainage holes, at which point you can transfer them to the garden or to a larger pot.
Pruning
The Rose of Alexandria is a plant that does not need much pruning. Just you have to remove the withered flowers and dry leaves, as well as those stems that look dry (brown).
Plagues and diseases
It usually does not have any problem, but if the environment is very dry and warm, it can be affected by a cottony mealybug, which can be removed well with a small brush moistened in pharmacy alcohol.
Rusticity
Resists well cold and frost down to -17ºC, but intense heat tends to hurt you a lot. Therefore, if you live in the Mediterranean or in an area where temperatures exceed 30ºC during the summer, it is highly recommended that, in addition to keeping it in semi-shade, you protect it from hot winds by putting it behind tall plants for example.
For what do you use it?
This is a magnificent plant that it is used as an ornamental. Measuring up to 70 centimeters, it is perfect to have on the edges of garden paths, in a planter on the patio or balcony, or in a pot as an individual plant.
As we have seen, its care is not very complicated, so having the opportunity to enjoy it is magnificent. 🙂
So you know, if you are thinking of having a copy, now you can take care of it as it really needs, something that will help you to enjoy its beauty for years.