Gynura aurantiaca - Purple passion - Velvet plant is found growing in open places in evergreen forests and abundant as a weed in cultivated fields...
Gynura aurantiaca, also called as Purple passion, Velvet plant, Cacalia aurantiaca, Crassocephalum aurantiacum, Senecio blumeanus, Senecio zollingerianus, is a species of the genus Gynura. This species was described Augustin Pyrame de Candolle by in 1838.
IDENTIFY GYNURA AURANTIACA - PURPLE PASSION - VELVET PLANT
Gynura aurantiaca is native to Jawa, Sulawesi, Sumatera. It is found growing in open places in evergreen forests and abundant as a weed in cultivated fields at elevations of 0-2600 meters above sea level. The Gynura aurantiaca subsp. parviflora is found growing at the edge of forests near rivers or along grassy roadsides, only known from Indonesia, at elevations of 200-700 meters above sea level.
Purple passion is an evergreen perennial which growing to 1-2 meters tall with somewhat lax or clambering, branching, fleshy, conspicuously fuzzy-hairy stems (velutinous to villous, crosswalls of hairs purplish). The leaves are 4–10 × 2–5 cm, margins raggedly toothed, faces velutinous to villous, hairs purplish with 0–3 cm long petioles. It is distinguished by being a robust subshrub with usually auriculate and ovate to lyrate leaves with distinct lateral veins.
Velvet plant blooms throughout the year from 1-5 flower heads, each on its own flower stalk. The flowers have a rather strong odor. Each head contains several yellow, orange, or red disc flowers but no ray flowers. To make this plant more aesthetically appealing, flowering must be inhibited and creeping growth habit should be controlled.
GYNURA AURANTIACA - PURPLE PASSION - VELVET PLANT CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Gynura aurantiaca grow best in medium to bright indirect light with light level of 20000-30000 lux. While it is tolerant of lower light conditions, their leaves will lose the brilliant purple color that the plant is known for. It can withstand 3 hours of direct sunlight but the plant should avoid to get too much direct sun because the leaves will burn, become brown around the edges. If you see signs of this, move your plant to a shady location for a while to see if it perks up. Dappled sunlight is ideal.
Temperature:
Purple passion can grow outdoor in USDA zone 10-11. When grown indoor, it prefers warm temperatures of 21-26 °C. Do not expose the plant to temperatures below 15 °C even for a short time because cold air will damage the foliage. When the day temperatures exceed 29 °C, the plant grows rapidly and may become leggy. Avoid cold drafts and sudden temperature changes.
Humidity:
Velvet plant grow best with the humidity level of 50% - 60%. If the relative humidity drops below 50%, use a pebble tray or humidifier. Don't mist this plant because the hairs trap moisture that may cause the leaves to rot.
Substrate and growing media:
Gynura aurantiaca are usually grow in pot with a well-aerated, quick-draining potting soil that dries out quickly. Sand or perlite with peat should be added if it is too dense. For a mixture of own preparation, take 1 part of the turf ground, 1 part of coarse-grained sand or perlite and 2 parts of peat or humus (leaf earth). Always use a pot with an opening and drainage. You can even add some rocks or gravel to the bottom of your pot to ensure that water is draining well.
The plants do well when root-bound and can thrive in small pots for quite some time. Repot is recommended every 2-3 years in spring. Make sure to refresh the soil and choose a pot that is only 1-2″ larger than the existing pot.
Watering:
Water the plant 2-3 times a week. Try to keep the soil slightly moist during the growing months. Water more frequently during warmer months and growth season. Do not overwater or keep the soil wet for too long, as this will encourage root rot. In winter, the soil should dry a little, it is enough to water once a week.
Fertilizer:
Feed the plant between every two weeks or once per month during their growing season with a balanced houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength. In the late fall and winter, when growth has slowed down, do not fertilize your plant. Too much fertilizer can burn the foliage of your plant. Before applying fertilizer in any form, make sure the soil is damp.
Pruning:
Purple passion grows quickly, and it can take over a large space if it is not trimmed or pruned. Pruning also helps the plant grow new leaves and branches during the days of spring. Pruning is also done to control the size of the plant and make it look more appealing. You can also cut off the dying parts of the plant and allow the healthy parts to thrive. Regular pruning is required once every year. The best season for pruning is in the spring.
Pests and diseases:
Velvet plant are affected by four main garden pests: aphids, mealy bugs, spider mites and scale insects. These are easily controlled by systemic insecticides, unless you are opposed to their use. Many control them with rubbing alcohol sprayed onto the plant in a diluted form (water) added to this is soap to make it "stick". Spray this mix onto the plant in the cool of the afternoon when the sun has lost its bite. When using chemical sprays follow the instructions on the label explicitly even so-called harmless sprays have powerful effects on the human body.
Propagation:
Gynura aurantiaca is easily propagated by stem cuttings. Cuttings may be taken at any time and will root year round if provided with sufficient warmth and humidity. Single or double node cuttings are stuck into medium-filled cells of plug trays or multiple cuttings are stuck directly into the growing medium in the finish pots or hanging baskets. Rooting is best accomplished in media containing 50% peat, 25% bark, and 25% perlite by volume with pH 5.5 to 6.0. Roots will form in one to two weeks if a minimum media temperature of 75°F and proper media moisture are maintained. Use of rooting hormones may improve root initiation and production timing but is not a requisite. Their roots are fibrous and delicate, and care must be taken to maintain even medium moisture at all times. However, the root zone should not become saturated since this favors development of root rot diseases.
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