The enchanting fan flower makes a friendly contribution to care by cleaning its blue and purple flower tendrils itself. This undemanding frugality allows us to relax and get over the Australian immigrant's lack of winter hardiness. Find out here how easy the exotic Scaevola aemula looks on balconies and terraces using precise answers to frequently asked questions.
How do you care for the fan flower?
Caring for the fan flower (Scaevola aemula) is simple: water with soft water when it is dry, fertilize every 14 days from April to August, cut it back slightly when there is a break in flowering and ensure a bright winter quarters with 10 -15 degrees Celsius.
Planting fan flowers correctly
Don't leave a freshly purchased fan flower in its pot, but plant it immediately in the pot or balcony box. As a substrate, use high-quality pot plant soil (€18.00 on Amazon), which you optimize with leaf compost and lava granules. If rhododendron soil is available, add a handful or two to give the substrate the desired, slightly acidic pH value. Follow these steps:
- Cover the floor opening with potsherds as drainage
- Spread an air- and water-permeable fleece over it so that the material doesn't get muddy
- Pour a layer of the substrate mixture
- Place the potted fan flowers in the soil at a distance of 20 cm and water them
Please make sure that the young plants do not go deeper into the soil than the bottom pair of leaves. Press the substrate lightly with your hands and use soft irrigation water.
Care tips
We can't tell how little care is required from your picturesque floral flora. In fact, the few cultivation measures can be counted on one hand:
- When dry, water with soft water
- Fertilize liquidly every 14 days from April to August
- Overcome a summer flowering break with light pruning
- Before putting away the shoots and tendrils, cut them by half or two thirds
- Water occasionally in bright winter quarters at 10-15 degrees Celsius
In addition to this basic program, repot the ornamental plant in early spring, provided the previous planter is completely rooted.read more
Which location is suitable?
Place the fan flower in a sunny to partially shaded location. The robust ornamental plant won't mind a windy location or a spot that gets hit by summer rain. The central condition for a lush abundance of flowers is compliance with the minimum temperature of 12-15 degrees Celsius.
What soil does the plant need?
The fan flower wants humus-rich, well-drained soil. Therefore, choose a quality potting soil with a low peat content. Since the exotic beauty favors a slightly acidic pH value, enrich the substrate with leaf or needle compost and add some lava granules instead of sand.
When is flowering time?
The fan flower showcases its waterfall-like flower tendrils from May to October. You can save yourself the hassle of cleaning up the goodenia plant because the flower does it on its own. If the blooms fade in the middle of the season, cut the plant back by a third or half. A fresh shoot then begins, which lasts until autumn.
Cut fan flowers correctly
Although the fan flower cleans itself of withered flowers, the scissors do not remain unused. After the first 3 weeks in cultivation, cut the shoots and tendrils back by a third. This effort is rewarded with a special abundance of flowers and rich branching. If the ornamental plant suddenly takes a break from blooming in the summer, cutting it back by half will give it fresh energy for renewed growth. Before moving to winter quarters, cut Scaevola back heavily.
Watering the fan flower
Do not water your fan flower until the surface of the substrate has dried thoroughly. A quick finger test provides evidence that there is actually a need for watering. Apply soft rainwater or decalcified tap water directly to the root disk. The first drops run out of the bottom opening, the current water requirement has been met. Pour out a coaster after 10-15 minutes to prevent waterlogging.
Fertilize fan flowers properly
When it comes to nutrient requirements, the fan flower proves to be modest. Apply a liquid fertilizer for ericaceous plants every 14 days from May to August. These preparations are tailored to the desire for a slightly acidic soil value. If you run a vermicompost on your balcony, treat the plant to organic worm tea every two weeks.
Wintering
If the mercury falls below 10 degrees in autumn, the fan flower moves to its winter quarters. Beforehand, cut off the tendrils by two thirds and remove any withered leaves. In a bright location at 10-15 degrees Celsius, water the evergreen plant every now and then, because the root ball should never dry out. There is no fertilization from September to March to avoid premature sprouting.read more
Propagate fan flowers
When it comes to propagation, the fan flower proves to be a bit stubborn. Attempts to sow seeds are rarely successful. In addition, propagation from cuttings rarely goes smoothly. If you want to try the experiment, do this:
- Cut off non-flowering head cuttings 5-7 cm long in early summer
- Leave the leaves except for a pair of leaves at the tip and dip in rooting powder
- Place in small pots filled with lean growing medium
- Keep constantly slightly moist in a heated mini greenhouse at 20-22 degrees Celsius
To prevent mold from forming in the warm, humid microclimate, ventilate the growing box thoroughly every day. A fresh shoot signals that rooting is successful.
How do I transplant correctly?
If the fan flower has survived the winter well, repotting it in fresh substrate has a revitalizing effect on the plant. Of course, this measure is only necessary when the existing planter has completely rooted. In March/April, pot up the Scaevola and shake off the spent soil. In the new pot, place a shard of clay over the opening in the bottom to fill in a first layer of potted plant soil. Make a depression in it with your fist. Place the plant in the fresh soil, maintaining the previous planting depth, and water with soft water. Your exotic beauty can recover from this stress in the partially shaded, warm window seat.
Beautiful varieties
- Diamond: Beautiful, spherical variety whose white flowers are decorated with a delicate blue edge
- Topaz Pink: Premium variety with extra large flowers in bright pink and up to 60 cm long tendrils
- Top poT White: Elegant fan flower, whose white flowers contrast wonderfully with colored species
- Royal blue: royal floral decoration for the balcony with bright blue flower waterfall
- Blue Wonder: Magnificent scaevola with violet-blue flowers over emerald green foliage
