Plants to survive tough conditions
For those tough places indoors look no further than a rhizomatous plant
Rhizomes, bulbs, bulbils, tubers and corms are all botanical names for swollen sections of plants which are designed to help plants survive conditions too harsh for normal growth – whether this is extreme heat, cold or drought. When growing conditions improve, these storage sections produce new shoots and regrow.
Achimenes (hot water plants) are a rhizomatous genus of plants that are related to streptocarpus and need very similar care, except for one major difference; the aerial parts die back to nothing in the late autumn. The magic of this genus is what happens during autumn below ground; the plant produces a mass of rhizomes which have the appearance of scaly maggots.
The rhizomes need a minimum temperature of between 16-20C (60-68F) to re-sprout in spring. In a 10-12cm (4-5in) pot, plant between three and five rhizomes just below the surface of houseplant compost. Water lightly as they only need enough water to encourage the rhizomes to sprout. Place pots on a heating mat, electric propagator or even into an airing cupboard to encourage the new growth.
When you see the shoots appear move pots into the light, otherwise the shoots can become etiolated (elongated and soft) due to lack of light.
Achimenes like a light position but not the full midday sunshine, so position on an east or west-facing windowsill and only water as the surface of the compost becomes dry. When the plants are established, after about 10 weeks of growth, start feeding fortnightly with a high potash feed to encourage strong blooms. Most varieties are self-supporting as young plants but as they become covered in blooms they often need some support.
Several good selections to look out for:
● ‘Ambroise Verschaffelt’ is a strong growing variety that has medium-sized flowers. The white/lilac flowers are heavily marked with deep violet veins and are freely produced over several months.
● ‘Crummock Water’ has large, purple-violet flowers and an upright habit.
● A. erecta is a much smaller variety with masses of small, postbox-red flowers.
● ‘Sun Wind’ is a compact variety with upturned, pale peach flowers and a deeper pink outer border. When the plants start to die back in the autumn reduce the amount and frequency of watering. Once the tops have completely died back leave the compost to dry and then break open the rootball and collect the rhizomes. Keep these frost free and dry through the winter.