Rowley's Old Man(Senecio rowleyanus) is a creeping succulent whose long, dangling shoots are covered with spherical leaves. They look like strings of pearls! This potted plant is easy to grow and looks great in hanging pots. Get to know therequirements of old man Rowleyin house cultivation and see whichvarieties of old man Rowleyare the most interesting.
Rowley's old man - Senecio rowleyanus
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Rowley's old man - appearance description
Rowley's old man (Senecio rowleyanus) comes from the semi-arid regions of Africa and in its natural state it straddles the ground and rocks. The longshoots of old Rowleygrow up to 100 cm, are thin and covered with spherical leaves, in which the plant stores water. Under favorable conditions, Rowley's old man blooms with small white-pink flowers, exuding a delicate cinnamon scent. In home cultivation , Old Rowley's flowersappear extremely rarely.
Old Man Rowley - variations
Rowley's oldies with green stems and leaves are most commonly available for sale, but you can also findtwo-color variety of old Rowley .
Rowley's old man 'Variegata'is a plant with long stems covered with green-white leaves resembling corals.There are also other interesting potted plants belonging to the genus old man (Senecio). , such as old ivy (Senecio macroglossus), and garden plants such asthe silvery old man (Senecio cineraria) willingly planted on the edges of flower beds.
Old Man Rowley - cultivation and requirements
Rowley's old man prefers very brightpositions with lots of natural light. However, direct sunlight often causes leaf burns, death, or brown spots on the leaves. Therefore, the light reaching the plant should be filtered. It is best to place the pot with old Rowley in such a place that the plant receives daylight for 10-12 hours. In autumn and winter, it is worth illuminating the plants to supplement the deficiencies of natural light. Insufficient light can causespherical leaves to lose their attractive color and become finer
Rowley's old man - Senecio rowleyanus
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Optimumgrowing temperature for Old Man Rowley is 19-23 ° C . In winter, the plant should go into a state of dormancy, so we lower the temperature by a few degrees, but not to drop below 10 ° C. In this way, we increase the chance for the plant to bloom in the spring.
The best soil for old man Rowleyis soil for cacti and succulents and succulents. We can also prepare a mixture of universal soil for potted plants with coarse sand in a proportion of 3: 1.
Old Man Rowley - Watering
Due to the required high permeability of the substrate,Rowley's old man should be wateredregularly, but not too abundantly. In spring and summer, water the plant 1-2 times a week, and at least once a month in winter. Rowley's old man stores water in his leaves, so he is able to survive short-term water shortages.
Before the next watering of old Rowleywe should wait for the soil in the pot to dry thoroughly, because this plant cannot stand stagnant water. Too high soil moisture can lead to rotting of old roots, plant death or the appearance of yellow spots on the leaves.
Rowley's old man - Senecio rowleyanus
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Rowley's Old Man - Leaf Spraying
This species likes sprinkling, especially in hot and dry months.To sprinkle the leaves of old Rowleywe use settled water at room temperature, preferably alkaline. During the winter rest period, which is also the heating season in our apartments, it is worth placing a container with water or an air humidifier near the pot with the old man.
Old Man Rowley - fertilization
Rowley's old man does not need to be fertilized . If we decide to feed the plant, it is best to feed it once every 10-14 days with fertilizer for cacti and succulents during the growing season.
Rowley's Old Man - Transplanting
When the plant has grown sufficiently and has completely filled the pot, replant it. Like all succulents, Rowley's old man has an underdeveloped root system, so he does not need a large and roomy pot. It is best to choose one with a small diameter and not much depth. A pot for growing old man Rowleymust have holes in the bottom to drain excess water. The best time to transplant potted plants is the end of winter, i.e. March.
Rowley's Old Man - Reproduction
Reproducing old man Rowley poses no problemsThe plant is able to grow roots even without burying the seedlings in the ground. It is enough to prepare 8-10 cm shoot cuttings and place them on the surface of a container filled with a substrate for succulents. Sprinkle the seedlings with water. They take root easily within a few weeks. For a better effect, we place several seedlings in one pot, arranging them over the entire surface of the earth. As they grow larger, they will create a dense green cascade.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
