Happy Urban Dirt

Have you ever heard of Solano? The plant is also known as culamara, blue-flowered nightshade or by its scientific name, Solanum rantonetti.

Its flowers are the most distinctive, but what kind of plant is it? How do you care for it? If it has caught your eye, read on and you will discover everything you need to know about it.

What does the Solano plant look like?

Source: YouTube Riomoros

The Solano plant is a vine. It is actually a shrub, but with a climbing habit. It comes from South America. In addition to this species, there are many other species of Solanum.but when it comes to solanos, this is the most popular and best known variety.

It is evergreen, oval and very delicate green. But the most characteristic of this plant are undoubtedly its flowers. They are bell-shaped, gritty in appearance and blue in color. In addition, they are sturdy, as they can bloom in summer and survive until mid-autumn.

Then we will have fruit, i.e. red berries arranged in clusters.

It is usually a miniature tree whose trunk remains neat to the crown, fairly leafy and flat with branches and leaves. During the flowering period it is covered with miniature flowers.which causes it to have purple shades with a hint of green.

Of course, you have to be careful because, sometimes it may have some thornsIts height will depend on whether you plant it in a pot (in which it will not reach two meters) or in the ground, where it will easily reach 6-8 meters.

Solano Plant Care

Now that you know this shrub a little better, would you like to take care of it? It’s obvious, but the care can be worth it for any saltwort. Minor quirks aside, you won’t have any problems with them.

Here they are:

location and temperature

The best location for your Solano plant will largely depend on the climate where you live. It is not the same as having it in a heated climate with very muggy summers, as one where summer temperatures do not exceed 25ºC.

So, depending on where you live, place your plant in full sun or partial shade, while providing it with as much natural delicate (direct and indirect) as possible.

Make sure it is not in a place where it is exposed to drafts, because they don’t like anything. In fact, it can cause the leaves and flowers to drop off, leaving the plant bare.

When it comes to temperature, you probably have an idea that it will not have a problem with heat. But when it comes to frigid, it does not tolerate temperatures below 10ºC. In fact, Ideally, in winter the temperature should be between 12 and 18ºC, so if it falls lower, there is a possibility that it will lose its leaves (but will regain them in spring).

Subsoil

When it comes to choosing the soil, we recommend a soil luxurious in organic matter, but also very permeable and well oxygenated. A good mixture you can try is compost mixed with all-purpose soil and perlite or something similar.

You can also operate a universal substrate consisting of humus from earthworms, sand and heather soil.

Both options will work quite well and provide you with the nutrients and foundation you need. In reality, you will need to repot the plant once it has grown and the roots have emerged from the pot (from the bottom).

Irrigation

Solano plant needs good watering. In spring and summer, due to high temperatures and exposure to sun, you should water it enough to keep the soil wet. This can be from 2 to 4 times a week (it depends on where you are, temperature, sun, etc.).

In autumn and winter, water minimally, especially when the humidity is high, prevent fungal infections and other diseases. At first, you need to be especially careful with the youngest plants, as they are more demanding than those that have already adapted to the climate.

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Since it is a flowering plant and blooms abundantly in spring and summer, it is worth having fertilizer on hand that can be used during these months. You can first fertilize with organic fertilizer, e.g. manure or humus, and then we add a liquid chemical (to dissolve in the irrigation water) every month until the end of summer.

pruning

As the climber that it is, the Solano plant will grow during the most vigorous months (spring through fall), which will cause it to lose its shape. Therefore, it will be it is convenient to trim just enough to maintain the desired shape.

But in addition, at the end of winter, it is a good idea to prune it to control the growth and flowering for that year. It is a way to neat the plant and at the same time encourage it to grow.

Plagues and diseases

This plant is not very susceptible to pest attacks, but aphids can damage it and cause it problems. The solution in such cases is the operate of specific products and prevention that will allow for effective pest control.

When it comes to diseases, most of them will be caused by fungi such as Botrytis. However, the greatest dangers come from over- or under-watering and lighting that is too dazzling or too dim.

Multiplication

Finally, when it comes to propagating your Solano plant, the best and most effective method is probably propagation through cuttings.

They should be harvested at the end of summer, if possible by air layering.

Another method of propagation is to operate the seeds found inside the red fruits it throws out. It is a slower process because the plants need to be planted in the spring and protected from adverse weather conditions (in greenhouses) so that they can germinate and start growing.

The Solano plant is one of the most lovely you can have in your home or apartment, and it is most lovely when it blooms with those purple flowers. Do you dare to have one?