Angelonia (genus)

Japanese name: アンゲロニア
Scientific name: Angelonia

[Overview]
A perennial treated as an annual in Japan because it is sensitive to cold.
The leaves are usually simple and opposite, but may be alternate on the upper part of the stem.
The flowers are borne singly at the leaf tips or in racemes at the stem tips.
The corolla is 5-lobed and the floral tube is very short.
The fruit is a capsule, and fruit set is good.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by cuttings.
It likes heat, so sow after the temperature has risen sufficiently.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained, slightly moist, fertile site.
Tall cultivars fall over easily and need stakes.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface begins to dry.
For plants in the garden, watering is unnecessary unless sunny weather continues and the soil dries out.
Apply slow-release fertilizer during the flowering period.
If you take care not to let it run short of fertilizer or water, you can enjoy the flowers for a long time.
After flowering, cut back to about 1/2–2/3 of the height, just above a lateral bud, and the lateral buds will grow and flower.
Pests and diseases include gray mold, aphids and slugs.
Gray mold develops easily when humidity is high during the rainy season and the long autumn rains.
It can be prevented by improving ventilation.

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