This ultimate guide on princess flower care will help you to grow and care for your princess flowering plant. Most of the gardeners asked me regarding flowering plants for summer. And here I am with informative article on one of the most beautiful flowering plant.
If you are that one person which is searching for a ever blooming plant then this article is definitely for you. However, it stops flowering during harsh winters. But then too, it is a great choice. Let’s get to know a little about this gorgeous flowering plant.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Princess Flowering plant or Begumbahar in hindi, is a perennial flowering plant. They produce alluring large purple flowers with dark green hairy leaves. Princess flowering plant produces flowers nearly throughout the year.
But you can notice intense flowering during May to December. If you are living in cooler regions then too you can grow them indoors. Just provide them enough indirect sunlight and maintain temperature above 3 degrees Celsius.
Princess flowering plant is native to Brazil, hence it grows very well in tropical to sub tropical climate. You can grow princess flowering plant on borders as well as in pots. And in this article I am going to tell you everything that you need to know for growing this plant.
How to grow Princess Flowering Plant?
To grow this beautiful flowering plant in your garden you need to know few important things. They are growing season, potting mix, pot selection, and propagation method. This will help you in providing proper care during initial growth of the plant.
Growing Season
Princess flowering plant or begumbahar can grow in plant hardiness zones 9, 10, and 11 very easily. Spring and fall is the best time to propagate this plant. However, you can bring a healthy plant from the nearest nursery anytime.
They are naturally adapted to grow in tropical to sub tropical climate. But prevent your plant from harsh afternoon sunlight during very hot summer season.
Potting Mix
Princess flowering plant loves well drained, loamy soil that has good water holding capacity and is rich in organic matter. Slightly acidic pH of the soil is best to grow this flowering plant. However it can also grow in neutral pH soil.
You can prepare ideal potting mix with 50% garden soil + 20% cocopeat + 30% any bulky organic manure. If your soil is clayey then you can add 20% river sand in this mixture. You can also add one handful of neem cake fertilizer and bone-meal.
Selection Of Pot
For growing princess flowering plant select a 10 to 12 inches pot with at least 2 to 4 drainage holes at the bottom. I prefer earthen or terracotta pots for growing this beautiful flowering plant. They provide good aeration to the root zone of the plant.
Propagation
You can propagate princess flowering plant from seeds, cuttings, mound layering or clump division. You can practice mound layering & clump division during winters when the plant stops flowering for a while. And I feel clump division as one of the easiest method to propagate princess flowering plant.
However you can also propagate the plant from seeds or cuttings during spring or fall season.
From Seeds
You can use germination tray or any other suitable pot with at least 2 to 4 drainage holes at the bottom. Fill the container with potting mix and sow seeds during spring season. Sow seeds one inch apart and cover them with a thin layer of potting mix.
Apply water gently to create proper environment for seed germination. You can also cover the germination pot with transparent polythene to maintain adequate warmth and moisture. Place the pot under partial shade sunlight where it can receive filtered sunlight.
After 14 to 20 days you will start noticing the growth of new seedlings. When these seedlings reaches 4 to 6 inches tall then you can transplant them in bigger pots.
From Clump Division
You can practice clump division during winters. Take the plant out along with roots very carefully. You can use gardening tools like shovel for this purpose. Select a healthy branch of approx 12 inches with good root growth at the bottom.
Cut the selected branch apart from the main plant with sharp gardening knife. Plant this new plant in another pot. Use the same potting mix for transplantation. Moist the soil uniformly and keep the pot in semi shade for 4 to 5 days.
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Princess Flower Care
Once you are successful in growing and transplanting your plant then the next step is to care for them. Each plant species has their own specific requirements to grow and prosper. And you definitely need to know sunlight, watering, fertilizers requirement of the plant.
This will help to take best care of the plant. Hence you are going to get best growth of your plants.
Sunlight
Princess flowering plant loves bright direct sunlight to grow. Make sure that your plant receives at least 5 to 6 hours daily. However they can also survive and grow under filtered sunlight. But the plant growth will get reduced.
During very hot summer days, provide your plant shade during afternoon to protect it from harsh sunlight. Getting adequate amount of sunlight will promote good plant size and intense flowering.
Watering
Princess flowering plant loves moderately moist soil. However soggy soil can cause root rot and can damage your plant badly. Hence make sure to ensure proper drainage in the pot. Apply water when top layer of the soil seems drying. You can also apply a mulch layer of chopped straw to maintain adequate moisture.
Fertilizers
Princess flowering plant or begumbahar loves potassium and phosphorus rich fertilizers. You can use any organic source of organic fertilizers once after every 30 days. I prefer adding two handful of vermicompost with one teaspoon bone-meal.
You can also use banana peel or onion peel fertilizer for providing phosphorus and potassium to the plants. Although avoid adding nitrogen rich fertilizer in this plant. It can lead to tip burns and less blooming.
Pests & Diseases
To care for princess flower plant, knowing about management of pests and diseases is necessary. Aphids and mealy bugs can affect your plant in case of severe infestation. Root rot can also affect your plant.
To prevent root rot avoid soggy soil or waterlogging in the pot. Ensure proper drainage.
Pruning & Deadheading
Time to time pruning helps to promote healthy growth of the plant. Keep pruning dead and diseases branches whenever you spot them. I also suggest to practice deadheading. Remove dead or old flowers, this will promote blooming.
Author’s Note
I guess you are now clear on princess flower care guide. If you have any ideas, queries, or suggestions, then you can connect with me by commenting below. You can also connect with Agriculture Review on Facebook, Instagram, and Koo.
