Otomeria

A how-to production guide

GMPro

Published September 01, 2011

 O’Premiera Pink

Native to east Africa, the little-known Otomeria thrives in extreme heat and high light conditions. Danziger "Dan" Flower Farm offers the only commercially produced Otomeria, the O'Premiera series. The series includes four colors, Baby Pink, Pink, Ruby and White. These plants are heat-lovers and are suitable for containers and landscape plantings in areas with high temperatures and high light.

O'Premiera varieties grow from14-18 inches tall and 12-14 inches wide. Plants are compact and well branched with an upright habit, flowering continuously throughout summer. They are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 11.
  • Root cuttings in a well-drained, potting mix. Maintain a pH level of 5.5-6.5 and an electrical conductivity level of 0.6-0.9. Cuttings root in 14-18 days at temperatures of 68°F-75°F. Plant one liner per 5-inch pot, one to two liners per 6-inch pot and three to four liners per 10-inch pot. Plants will finish (from rooted cuttings) in 5-inch pots within six to eight weeks, 6-inch pots in seven to nine weeks and 10-inch pots in nine to 11 weeks.
  • Provide day temperatures of 64°F-86°F and night temperatures of 62°F-68°F. High light levels (minimum 6,000 footcandles) are the best to produce compact, floriferous plants. More than 40 percent shade causes stretching and poor flowering.
  • Keep plants moist, but not over-watered. Over-watering may cause root rot, especially under low temperatures.
  • Fertilize with a constant feed using a balanced fertilizer of 150-200 parts per million nitrogen that contains average levels of micronutrients with a slightly increased level of iron.
  • Pinch the plants once, leaving two pairs of leaves. Pinching can be done in the rooting trays about seven days before liner transplant or about seven days after planting and establishment of liners in finished pots.
     

 

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