Cineraria Plant
Pericallis cruenta
Cineraria plants are beautiful small flowering plants that are available for purchase during the late winter and early spring. The compact Cineraria plant has tight bunches of petite daisy like flowers surrounded by large dark green leaves. Cineraria flowers can be red, white, blue, or purple. Each Cineraria flower has an “eye” in the middle surrounded by a small white ring. Cineraria plants reach a maximum height of 15-20 inches. Cineraria plants are very fragile perennial plants so they are mostly used as outdoor annuals or indoor gift plants that bloom for only about a month. Once the flowers of a Cineraria plant die, it’s time to throw it out or plant it outside. Be sure that there are plenty of buds when you purchase a Cineraria plant so it can bloom for as long as possible.
These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants
Light
Cineraria Plants need very bright indirect lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light. but cool temperatures. Place a Cineraria Plant near a north or east-facing window. Light from south & west-facing windows is too hot and causes the flowers on a Cineraria Plant to fade quickly.
Water
Keep a Cineraria Plant moist but never soggy. Always allow the top inch or two of soil in a Cineraria Plantto dry out before watering. Cineraria Plants can sit in the excess water for 15 minutes then be sure to empty the saucer. The more blooms a Cineraria Plant has, the more water it needs.
Fertilizer
Feed a Cineraria Plant in April with a water-soluble plant food high in phosphorous at 1/2 the recommended strength.
Temperature
A Cineraria plant does well in temperatures between 45-55 degrees at night and 55-65 degrees during the day. If it is too warm, the flowers of a Cineraria Plant quickly die.
Humidity
Cineraria Plants adapt well to basic household humidity.
Flowering
Beautiful flowers on a Cineraria Plant last about a month in cool temperatures. Cineraria Plants bloom better when root bound in smaller pots.
Pests
When a Cineraria Plant is stressed because of inadequate light, too much heat, or very dry air it becomes susceptible to AphidsSee a picture, learn to identify, and read about Aphid houseplant pests in the Glossary of Houseplant411.com. and whitefliesLearn how to identify and treat the plant pest called Whitefly at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary/whitefly-plant-pests.
Diseases
Prevent mold from developing on your Cineraria Plant by quickly removing dead leaves and flowers.
Soil
Cineraria plants do well in a quick-draining, well-aerated, loose potting soil that has a lot of peat moss in it.
Pot Size
Cineraria plants are usually found in 4" and 6" pots.
Pruning
Cut dead leaves and flowers off of a Cineraria plant to prevent mold from developing.
Propagation
Seeds are the best way to propagate a Cineraria Plant.
Poisonous Plant Info
A Cineraria is a poisonousPlants are a great addition to homes and offices, but it’s important to know whether your plants are dangerous to children, pets, or even adults. Some plants contain chemicals such as oxalates, solanine, glycosides, or alkaloid lycorine that may cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, swelling and redness of the mouth, throat, and lips, and trouble breathing. Touching parts of certain plants, especially the sap, may cause various skin irritations. The weight and age of the human or pet involved, and the part and amount of plant eaten determine how severe the reaction to the toxins will be. Although plants may be listed as non-toxic, they can still cause individual allergic reactions. If there is any question after a houseplant has been ingested or touched immediately call the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222 The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants [Paperback]is an excellent reference to keep around if you have young children and pets. house plant with a #2 toxicity levelThese are general guidelines that describe how poisonous certain houseplants are. It's possible for an allergic reaction to occur from contact with any houseplant, toxic or non-toxic. If there is ever a concern, call: Poison Control Center: ******1-800-222-1222******
Level #1: Houseplants with low toxicity, may be mildly irritating, especially the sap of the plant.
Level#2: Houseplants with medium to severe toxicity. Eating parts of these houseplants may result in vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties.
Level #3: These houseplants are very poisonous. When eaten, especially in large quantities, severe vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties can occur.
Level #4: These houseplants are extremely poisonous. Eating parts of these houseplants can be be life threatening.
Every plant listed in our Popular HousePlant guide has a section explaining whether or not it is poisonous and, if so, how poisonous. Amaryllis, alocasia, dieffenbachias, crotons, ivies, azaleas, lilies, and philodendrons are just a few of the highly poisonous plants we use in our homes and offices all of the time. If you don't know whether your houseplant is poisonous, go to Ask Judy on the HousePlant411.com website, send her a picture of your plant, and she'll let you know if the houseplant should be kept away from small children and pets.
See colorful pictures and get more information about poisonous houseplants in
Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants
and should be kept away from small children and pets.
1. How can I get my Cineraria Plant to bloom again?
You really can’t get Cineraria Plant to bloom again unless you live in an area where you can plant it outdoors; indoors, Cineraria Plants usually bloom only once.
2. My Cineraria Plant keep getting buds but they never open.
Your Cineraria Plant needs more light and cooler temperatures. Once buds have formed, Cineraria Plants need to be fed every two weeks. Use a fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small.
for flowering plants.
3. The leaves of my Cineraria Plant are turning almost black.
Cineraria Plants like it cold, but I think you might be over doing it. Move your Cineraria plant to a spot that’s a little warmer.
4. I love Cineraria Plants, but every time I buy one it gets mold and dies. What am I doing wrong?
The best ways to prevent mold on Cineraria Plants is to quickly remove any dead leaves and flowers, keep water off of the leaves, don’t mist the plant or let your Cineraria sit in water for more than fifteen minutes.
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