Kufeya is a beautiful annual or perennial plant that will add exquisite decorative qualities to any terrace, flower bed, and alley. Because of its tubular shape, the flowers of the plant resemble a smoldering cigarette, which is why they also call Kufeya a cigarette tree. In the article we will talk about planting and caring for kufey, where and under what conditions it should be grown, how and when to water, what fertilizers to feed.
Description
The flower got its name thanks to beautiful, but twisted fruits. “Kufei” in Greek means “curve”. Herbaceous plant native to the central and southern regions of North America has found wide application in our country. Cigarette wood, in most cases, is used in decorative and landscape design, but some entrepreneurs grow it for the collection of lauric acid and then sell it on the market. 
In the native habitat has more than 250 species of this plant. In addition, breeders constantly display new varieties that are distinguished by bright and lush flowering. Mexico is considered the birthplace of a flower, where it occurs in two varieties - one-year and long-term.
Important! The gap between the bushes Kufei at the landing should be at least 35 cm.
On the territory of our country, this beauty is often grown as an annual plant, but some amateur growers prefer to contemplate an evergreen kufeya in the room version. In the southern regions, where winters are not distinguished by severe frosts, the cigarette tree can easily overwinter and disperse the first buds by the end of March.
A distinctive feature of the flower is the fact that it blooms from late March to mid-September. (You must admit that the prospect of decorating any landscape park or just a home flowerbed is quite significant). 
Kufei leaves are glossy, dark green flower, small, shaped like an elongated oval with a sharp end. The shrub itself can reach a height of 40-50 cm, but professional landscape designers can give the plant any size by means of regular pruning. The flowers of this beauty are small, but on one plant they are quite a lot. Flower sizes range from 2 to 3.5 cm. The color of the flowers can be different: rose-red, purple-violet, lemon-white.
Types and varieties
As we have said, there are about 250 species of this exotic plant, but most of them are not divorced as decorative ornament. Amateur flower growers in our country are aware of only a few types of kufei, which we will describe in more detail.
Kufeya exalted
This type of cigarette tree is a very compact and beautiful shrubber, so they prefer to grow it in indoor conditions, on balconies, in more southern regions - on terraces or flower beds. Kufeya izopolopolnaya has strong and elastic branches that do not break even with strong wind, so taking care of her at home will not take much work. 
This type of shrub is easy enough to propagate by cutting, so young cuttings can be purchased at almost every flower shop. The exfoliate cigarette tree blooms very brightly with a lot of small, glowing flowers.
Sometimes it seems that the shrub caught fire and burns with a fierce red, purple, white or purple. This type of plant loves a lot of light, heat and abundant watering, so in the Moscow region and other central and northern regions of Russia it is better to plant it in a pot and keep it in the house.
Kufeya fiery red
Very beautiful and beloved by many flower growers shrubs. It has small compact forms, therefore it is often grown in indoor conditions. The plant got its name because of the beautiful purple flowers, which in a small bush can be more than a hundred. Among the people of Kufeya, fire-red is better known as a cigarette. 
This nickname also came about because of flowers that have elongated shapes and darker colors at the edges (dark colors at the edges give the impression of a smoldering cigarette). The plant is light-loving, badly tolerates frosts, loves high humidity.
Kufeya microlepaste
In some foreign literature, this type of shrub can be found under the name candy bush. It's funny, but such a nickname was invented for a reason. The candy bush has beautiful bright pink flowers that produce a sweet, sticky liquid with a pleasant smell. The shrub is very similar to the kufeya izsopolistnuyu (has the same compact size and lignified shoots), but the microleped plant has petals not in the leaf axils, but above them. 
The leaves are small, dark green, glossy, grow counter. Petals are very small, almost invisible because of the long calyx. Calyx yellow, inside - green. The microseeding cigarette bush is very often found in gardens and parks of the southern regions, where winters are less severe. Florists prefer to grow this shrub in the open, where it attracts a lot of pollinating insects (bees, wasps).
Lanceolate
Lanceolate species of exotic plants is slightly different from previous members of the genus. This bush reaches a height of 0.8-0.9 m and no longer has such compact forms. However, kufeya lanceolate is a beloved plant of many landscape designers in the southern regions. There, the flower is often found in parks, gardens, alleys and terraces. It attracts with its special, beautiful and bright flowering, which can not be compared with anything else. 
Tubular purple flowers can be contemplated from late May to mid-October. The lancet-shaped cigarette tree is propagated by seeds that are spread by various insects, animals and gusting winds.
Landing at home
Growing kufei from seeds at home is not a difficult task, so any novice grower can handle it without any problems. You can buy seeds in any flower shop. In the one-gram sachet there are about 300 seeds (this is enough to plant a whole alley of these beautiful shrubs). Since the plant is light-loving, it is best to plant seeds for seedlings in the house. You can start landing at the end of March or beginning of April.
For seedlings, you can use small cups, at the bottom of which there are several small holes. 
The soil for seedlings and adult plants is made according to the same formula: it is taken on one part of peat, sod and leaf soil, as well as humus, in addition, the floor of a part of river sand is added to the mixture. One or two seeds are planted to a depth of 2-3 cm in each cup. After planting, the cups should be covered with glass or plastic wrap. Sunrises appear already at 5-7 days. They should be kept in a well-lit and humid place at a temperature of + 20-22 ° C (preferably on a windowsill).
Did you know? From some tropical species, kufei produce oil, which by taste characteristics is very similar to coconut.
In late May - early June, seedlings need to be transplanted. Selection of a place is yours. It will depend on which region of our country you live in. In the southern regions of the kufey can be planted under the open sky.
The best place will be: the southern side of the site, with good lighting, neutral acidity of the soil and the absence of gusty winds. In the central and northern regions, transplanting is best carried out in deeper and wider capacities, since the shrub needs to be placed in the house (in summer it can be taken out into the street). It should be remembered that Kufeya is able to tolerate gentle frosts (up to -12 ° C), so keep this in mind when choosing a place to land. 
If planting a cigarette tree will be done using cuttings, then all the above rules are also observed: soil composition, lighting, humidity, temperature. Only when planting cuttings you need to immediately select the optimal capacity in which the plant will be able to fully develop at least the first 6-9 months.
Breeding
Mexican shrubs can be propagated by cutting or by means of seeds. It is necessary to trim the cuttings and plant in the soil at temperatures of + 18-20 ° C, it is best done in the spring. You need to separate the tips of lumbering shoots with a sharp knife at a slight angle. The separated parts of the plant are placed in warm water for 7-10 days. After this period, the cuttings form roots, they are ready for planting in the prepared soil.
For better germination, growers recommend planting several cuttings in one container. After the appearance of the third pair of leaves, the plant needs to make a nip. In this case, the kufeya will grow lush, bright and beautiful. 
If you multiply Kufa seeds, you need to wait until the end of the flowering period, which occurs in early-mid autumn. At this time, ripe seeds are collected from the flowers and dried slightly in the sun. After that, the seeds are preferably treated with a weak aqueous solution of potassium permanganate. Planted seeds can be planted even in the fall, but the plant should be provided with appropriate care in the apartment: optimal lighting, temperature, and humidity.
Care
In order for the kufeya to regularly and fluffy bloom at home, it needs special care.
Temperature
To contain the plant in the spring-summer-autumn period is necessary at temperatures of + 18-25 ° C. Such conditions will be optimal for a normal and long flowering process. In winter, perennial plants need to provide a lower temperature, which will vary within + 12-15 ° C. 
It should be noted that kufeya can withstand lower temperatures, but at the same time the flowering process can be very long. Breeders also brought frost-resistant shrub varieties that can withstand winters with temperatures down to -12 ° C.
Watering
Mexican bush loves watering and moist soil. It comes from a place where the humidity of the air is always slightly higher than the humidity of the air in our region. In addition, in tropical areas of southern North America, rain is more frequent than in our country.
You need to water the kufey 2-3 times a week, especially carefully you need to follow the watering during the flowering period, then the bush will be even more luxuriant and chic, with a lot of bright glowing flowers.
Important! If Kufey placed on a draft, it can lose all the leaves!
It is important that the moisture soaked the whole earthen room. If a cigarette tree grows in your house in a special container, then you need to water it until water starts flowing from the lower holes. Ensure that the topsoil does not dry out. The flower does not tolerate the constant high soil moisture, so it is necessary to ensure good drainage when planting.In winter, when the shrub is in a dormant period, watering should be reduced to 3-4 times. Kufeya loves water treatments, so regularly spray leaves and flowers on her.
Top dressing
A cigarette tree is an elegant organic fertilizer lover. It can be fed throughout the entire flowering period, then the brightness and flowers will be even more exciting. Fertilizer can be purchased at any flower shop (it is best to buy a complex with all possible minerals).
Well suited to fertilizer with equal proportions of potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen in the composition. An aqueous solution is made from the calculation of 20 g of fertilizer per 10 l of water. You can also purchase special dressings for leaves and flowers, make aqueous solutions, spray the shrub (procedures should be carried out once every 10-14 days). 
Pruning
This North American shrub is capable of reaching its maximum size in a short period of time (especially with proper care). Its shoots are capable of reaching a height of 0.5-0.9 m, so they must be regularly cut. Due to the pomp of the bush, many landscape designers create a variety of geometric figures and give the kufei fabulous beauty. There are no special rules for pruning, you just need to shorten the strongly rushed shoots, create a beautiful shape for the bush.
Transfer
A transplant of a young plant is made every spring. Every year, you need to repot Kufa in a pot of greater height and diameter (the dimensions of each parameter must be increased by 2-3 cm). When the diameter of the pot reaches a size of 25 cm, transplantation can be performed less frequently - once every 2-3 years.
Did you know? Mexicans believe that kufeya is capable of trying on people, so it is placed in noisy offices and in other crowded places.
When transplanting a plant, it is necessary to ensure optimal soil composition (we talked about this at the beginning of the article) and good drainage. Drainage can be constructed from foam, broken bricks or expanded clay. During the procedure it is important not to damage the roots of the plant (if some of them are affected, then carefully remove them). Immediately after transplantation, the plant is abundantly watered and fed.
Diseases and pests
Most often, kufey is affected by powdery mildew and various fungal diseases. If the root system of the flower infects fungi, then this is a clear sign of a wet soil. The first signs of the presence of fungus in the soil around the plant are: the appearance of dark gray spots on the leaves, rotting of the shoots and root collar. To combat fungal diseases kufei need to use fungicidal drugs (use according to the instructions).
To combat the diseases of houseplants, the following fungicides are used: "Scor", "Topsin-M", "Fundazol", "Topaz", "Glyocladin", "Fitolavin", "Fitoverm".
Mealy dew is also caused by fungi, you need to fight it with fungicides. The first sign of powdery mildew is small gray specks on the leaves. Sometimes on the foliage of kufei, red or dark yellow small spots can be observed. These spots are the first sign of a lack of trace elements of ferum (iron) in the soil. In this case, complex fertilizers need to add mixtures with microelements of ferums.
The most common pests of kufei are: spider mites, thrips and shchitovka. With the defeat of the bush spider mite on the shoots and leaves can be observed fine web. The pest often appears due to the dry air in the room where the cigarette tree is kept.
To combat spider mites, you can use insecticides (according to the instructions for use) or an aqueous solution of potassium soap (20 g of soap per liter of water). Use a soap solution to thoroughly wash each leaf and all the shoots. 
If Kufey was struck by a scythe, then it is necessary to use insecticides or an aqueous solution of potassium soap (in the same way as in the previous case). The first sign of the appearance of shield insects is small dark brown tubercles on the leaves (these are pest shells). If a shrub infects thrips, then its leaves begin to deform and memorize. To combat thrips, they first apply the mechanical method (wash the leaves under running water), and then treat them with insecticides.
Finally, I would like to note that kufeya will be a chic decoration for any home, garden, flower bed, terrace or park. Even beginner gardeners will not have problems in caring for shrubs, so you can safely buy Mexican charms and plant at home. The beauty of the flowering kufei will make you love the bush even more.
