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Image of Nertera granadensis
X Region, Alerce Costero, Chile
Altitude: 700-900 m. 03 20, 2007
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| Species: | Nertera granadensis (Mutis ex L.f.) Druce | |
| Family: | Rubiaceae |  |
| Order: | Rubiales | |
| Chilean Name: | Rucachucao , Coralito , Quelligüenchucaou | |
| English Name: | coral bead plant/pin-cushion plant/bead plant | |
| German Name: | ||
| Russian Name: | ||
| Record: | 0099 |
| About 1 Nertera in Chile and 1 in our data base. | |
| About 36 Rubiaceae in Chile and 17 in our data base. |
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| Foreign Frequent
Height: 10 cm. Some ornamental value (B) |
INTRODUCTIONThis is an extremely beautiful perennial plant, very ornamental due to the red berries which persist for long time on the plant. It is especially well suited for indoor cultivation, but for wet, cool, and foggy areas it can be perfectly well kept outdoors, as a mat-forming plant. |
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Image of Nertera granadensis X Region, Alerce Costero, Chile
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DESCRIPTIONPlant type: Perennial Flower: Green, without information on the number of petals Height: 10 cm.
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Image of Nertera granadensis X Region, Hueicolla, Chile
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HABITATIn Chile this species grows in the following environmental conditions:
Habitat according to altitude: Low altitude, interior valleys
Watering conditions: Humid areas, with almost constant rainfall. Short dry periods are possible (generally not longer than 1 month).
Light conditions: In deep shadow. Deep ravines facing south with additional shadow from trees, or where there is a very dense vegetation cover which gives 80 - 100 % shadow (for instance, the Valdivian forests)
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Image of Nertera granadensis X Region, Hueicolla, Chile
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USESSome ornamental value (B)
Useful properties: Medicinal
It is a very beautiful, decorative plant. |
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Image of Nertera granadensis X Region, Hueicolla, Chile
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GROWING TIPSThis species has the following hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zone 9. The plant does not tolerate snow, but can tolerate occasional freezing spells of about - 5° C (the typical morning frost of central Chile).
Difficult to cultivate
acid soil with a significant content of ogranic matter
Recommended germination temperature: +18°C + 22°C
This plant is relatively difficult to maintain, since it requires cool temperatures, good, but not excessive humidity (in natural habitat it tolerates well very humid conditions, but not so in pot cultivation), no sunlight. It is also important to let the plant undergo cold rest during winter, lowering the temperature to about +5°C for several weeks. However, this plant does not tolerate well prolonged freezing. The seeds should be sown in spring superficially in a rather acid substrate with good drainage, covered just a bit by substrate. Cold stratification is not necessary. Because of the delicate nature of this plant it is often cultivated as an annual, although if you can provide adequate conditions, it can survive well . If you are interested in purchasing seeds of this or similar species, please go to our On-line Seeds Shop. |
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More photos (17) of Nertera granadensis (Mutis ex L.f.) Druce available here |
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More species from the same Rubiaceae family in our data base: Cruckshanksia hymenodon var. hymenodon Galium aparine (lengua de gato) Nertera granadensis (Rucachucao / Coralito / Quelligüenchucaou) |