Tabernaemontana ALBA

Tabernaemontana ALBA - White tabernaemontana, White pinwheel flower, Ervatamia.

Tabernaemontana is a genus of evergreen, well-branched shrubby or tree-like plants in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae), native to Central and South America. Today, its representatives are found worldwide in countries with warm, humid climates as ornamental flowering outdoor shrubs or in indoor culture.

The plant is a densely branched small tree or shrub with woody shoots and trunk. Large leaves, 10-17 cm (3.9-6.7 in) in length, are glossy, dense in structure, dark green, oblong in shape, oppositely arranged, and pointed at the tip. On the underside of the leaf, transverse veins stand out distinctly. The branches on the shrub are arranged almost horizontally.

The flowers are white, the corolla is five-petaled, the flower petals are slightly curved in a spiral, single or double, reaching up to 4 cm (1.6 in) in diameter. The flower shape is bell-shaped, and the petals have a fringed margin. A single inflorescence can contain from 3 to 18 flowers. The fragrance of the flowers is very long-lasting, reminiscent of jasmine scent, and intensifies especially at night. Milky sap is released when a leaf or stem is broken.

White tabernaemontana is an evergreen, densely branched shrub with fairly large glossy rich green leaves and snow-white flowers. The flowers are five-petaled, with wavy petal margins. The fruits are oblong, dark green.

It propagates easily by cuttings and seeds. Seeds are pre-soaked in a warm, moist environment for 4-6 hours, then sown into a loose substrate to a depth of 0.5-1 cm (0.2-0.4 in), moistened with a spray bottle, covered with film, and germinated in light, but not in direct sun, at a temperature of 20-25 °C (68-77 °F). Seedlings require ventilation. Both overwatering and desiccation of the sowings must be avoided.

Under favorable conditions, the first seedlings can be expected in 3 weeks. On average, seeds germinate in 3 weeks to 2 months.

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Tabernaemontana is thermophilic; in summer, normal room temperature is preferred, while in winter it should not fall below 15 °C (59 °F), optimally 18-20 °C (64-68 °F). In summer, the plant can be taken out to an open balcony or garden once the threat of night chills has passed. A very bright location protected from drafts is required, with diffused sunlight or some direct sun in the morning or late afternoon.

During the autumn-winter period in a warm room, artificial supplemental lighting can be arranged and standard care continued. In this case, the plant will not stop blooming even in winter. This is particularly valuable because most indoor houseplants are dormant at this time.

The plant is sensitive to waterlogging; watering in summer is moderate, and more limited in winter - the upper soil layers should dry out well. It requires fairly high air humidity and responds well to misting. There is a simple rule - it is better to mist once more than to water!

Under indoor conditions, a mix of 1 part peat, 1 part leaf mold, 1 part humus, 1 part sand, and 1 part perlite or vermiculite is used for cultivation. Drainage is mandatory. It is also possible to use a commercial peat-based potting mix with a pH close to neutral or slightly acidic, with mandatory dilution using vermiculite and sand; fine expanded clay can also be used. From March to August, feeding is carried out every two weeks with a fertilizer for flowering houseplants.

Repotting is performed annually in spring. The soil must be loose and well-draining. Tabernaemontana is quite tolerant of soil acidity; in nature it grows on both slightly alkaline and slightly acidic soils, on loam and sand.