Elven spur, diascia-care and overwintering

The elf spur is suitable for all possible locations and flower boxes in the house and garden, the plant is relatively easy to care for and can be combined excellently with other flowers. Due to the beautiful and dense blooms, the flower decorates any location and also harmonizes well with other flowers and green plants. The elf spur feels particularly at home in a location with a lot of sun, but can also cope with partially shaded conditions. In predominantly shady areas, the flower does not feel comfortable at all and shows this by poor growth and the lack of flowers. Loosen heavy and loamy soil with sand or gravel before planting and make it more permeable. Conventional potting soil from the gardening trade can be used for use in planters, which is to be mixed with some sand. A fertile soil is an important growth factor that is crucial for the development of lush inflorescences.

• Suitable for traffic lights, balcony boxes, pots, planters and flower pots
• Suitable for the balcony, the terrace and the garden
• Ideal for edging and fronting flower beds and borders
• Good companion for roses
• Fits in a rock garden
• Pretty ornament for a Mediterranean garden
• A sunny to partially shaded location is ideal
• Avoid shady places
• Protected location, without a pulling winch
• Heavy rain or wind can damage the plant
• Humous and fresh plant substrate
• Enrich nutrient-poor soil well
• Needs permeable soil that does not retain moisture

Watering and fertilizing

The plant is not particularly demanding in terms of care, but it does need a regular supply of water to thrive. The elven spur should only be fertilized moderately, a special long-term fertilizer is ideal, which should be mixed into the plant substrate before planting. In this way, the flower is permanently supplied with nutrients. With a conventional flower fertilizer from the specialist trade, the elven spur thrives even more splendidly and sprouts more flowers. Extremely long periods of rain are very poorly tolerated, in which case protection from the rain should be applied.

• Waterlogging is not tolerated at all
• Create drainage to protect against waterlogging
• Sufficient watering, but only when the top layer of soil has dried up
• Never let the root ball dry out completely
• Suffers severely from prolonged drought
• Water more on hot summer days
• Add commercially available liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water
• Repeat the procedure every 1-2 weeks
• Use small amounts, use less amount of fertilizer than stated on the packaging
• Only fertilize during the flowering and growth phase, from April to October
• Incorporation of compost and organic fertilizer in the spring, e.g. horn shavings

Growth, leaves and flowers

Due to its manageable growth and the wonderful flowers, the elven spur is a handsome addition to the common balcony, terrace and summer flowers. The plant belongs to the fig tree family, which is composed of annual plants and perennials. The main flowering time is in summer and usually continues into autumn, but some varieties start flowering as early as April. As the seeds develop, flowering usually comes to a standstill. The foliage is either a rich or dull green color and creates a nice frame for the flowers. The elf spur is very decorative and beautifies any location.

• Five-lobed flowers on panicles
• Flower colors vary from pink to red to apricot-colored
• White, purple and deep orange flowers are rather rare
• Flowering time depends on the variety, normally summer to autumn (June to October)
• Growth height also depends on the variety, approx. 20-50 cm
• Compact growth form, lying low to creeping
• Herbaceous growth, which overhangs slightly from a certain size
• Overhang especially suitable for balconies and hanging baskets
• Consistent trimming prevents the formation of seeds
• Plant flowers all summer long without producing seeds
• Occasionally there is a flower arrest in July
• Flowering then starts again in August
• Leaf shape oval and ovate
• Leaf color medium green, matt or bright
• Sawn or even doubly sawn leaf margin

Cutting and wintering

In order to promote evenly beautiful growth and a magnificent bloom, dead plant parts must be cut off promptly. In this way, growth is supported and the elven spur can develop well. Generously cut back parts of plants that have already faded in order not only to encourage the formation of new flowers, but also to achieve a compact growth habit. In a region that is rather mild in winter, the less sensitive species, for example Diascia barberae, can overwinter with appropriate winter protection. Most species, however, are only annual and do not survive the local winter. Perennial varieties with a longer lifespan survive the cold season in a suitable winter quarters.

• Always remove blooming flowers, dried branches and leaves
• Pruning promotes plant development
• Cool, frost-free and bright room for wintering
• The temperature should be around 10 degrees
• Water sufficiently even in winter quarters
• In the case of annual varieties, cut cuttings in summer and overwinter as young plants

Propagation and implantation

The propagation is relatively easy to accomplish, if the care criteria are met, a plant will almost always develop. The elven spur forms many seeds that can be used for reproduction. When propagating by sowing, there is a cultivation period of 12 to 16 weeks. This type of propagation is ideal in the months of February to March, when the temperatures are milder again. When propagating by cuttings, the first roots sprout after a few weeks, warm and sunny locations are ideal here. In winter quarters, cuttings can be grown until the beginning of March, 3-5 cuttings in smaller flower pots and up to 12 cuttings in larger hanging baskets. If you don’t want to wait long for the plants to fully bloom, you can buy the elf spur already in bloom from specialist gardeners.

• Propagation by sowing in spring at temperatures of 18 to 20 degrees
• From February onwards, germinate seeds on the windowsill in the living area
• Move to the outside after the last nights of frost in May
• The plant produces plenty of seeds in summer
• If the seed formation is encouraged, the flowering will decline
• Cut and pull out cuttings in summer, put in a warm place in winter
• Cuttings sprout roots after 2 to 3 weeks
• Optimal temperatures for the propagation of cuttings: 20 to 22 degrees

Repotting and moving

The elven spur is often kept in the local latitudes as an annual summer flower for the balcony and terrace and must be repotted if necessary. When the roots are already peeking out of the pot or the traffic light, it is time for a larger container. In the case of hanging baskets, any saucer that may be present must be removed because of the risk of damaging waterlogging. If the plant is in the midst of large, vigorous plants that do not allow enough sunlight, moving is an advantage.

• Handle delicate plants with care
• Choose a sufficiently large planter
• Leave the root ball intact as much as possible
• When moving, plan enough space to other plants

Variety of varieties and hybrids

The elven spur is colloquially known as the double squirrel and double spur due to the shape of its inflorescences. The plant originally comes from southern Africa and has only been available in German specialist shops for around 20 years. Because of its lush blooms and overhanging properties, the flower is becoming increasingly popular in the local latitudes. For this reason there is a steadily growing range of varieties and many hybrids.

• Diascia anastrepta
• Diascia barberae (Apricot Queen)
• Diascia barberae (Belmore Beauty)
• Diascia barberae (Blackthorn Apricot)
• Diascia barberae (Ruby Field)
• Diascia barberae (Salmon Twinspur)
• Diascia cordata
• Diascia integerrima
• Diascia vigilis
• Hybrid Lady Valerie, Paula and Twinkle

Diseases and pests

Waterlogging is a common mistake in maintenance, which can lead to various diseases and damage. An infestation with snails is possible, especially if the elven spur is in the garden in borders and beds. Constant dryness of the root ball leads to a poor and sickly looking growth. If the plant is cared for incorrectly, it is very susceptible to pests, especially gray mold, whiteflies and leaf miners can cause long-term damage and lead to early death.

Root rot

• Root rot due to waterlogging leads to the death of the plant
• Put on drainage so that no more moisture can accumulate
• Only pour when the surface of the earth has dried well

Snails

• Regular checks prevent major damage
• Pick up snails one by one
• Scatter crumbled eggshells
• Set up snail traps (container with a tempting liquid)

Aphids

• Wash off infected leaves and stems
• Use a small amount of detergent solution

Grauschimmel

• Cut off the affected leaves and stems
• If the infestation is already advanced, dispose of the entire plant
• Disinfect the scissors or knife used for cutting with alcohol
• Spray affected plants with fungicides after cleaning
• Act quickly, otherwise neighboring plants will also be affected

Whitefly

• Tropical and warmth-loving insect, therefore keep the plants cool and dry
• Can be combated organically with parasitic wasps
• Use insecticides in case of severe infestation
• Repeat the treatment several times so that the eggs and stuck larvae definitely die
• Hang up sticky glue boards

Leaf mining flies

• Difficult to control, act quickly in the event of an infestation
• Cut off the leaves infected with the larvae
• Kill individual and visible larvae directly with your fingers
• Sustainable control of the infected plants
• Isolate the plant if necessary

Conclusion
The elf spur is a beautiful flowering plant, which is suitable for the balcony and terrace as well as for the garden. In terms of care, the flower is very undemanding and requires minimal effort from the gardener. For this it is rewarded with a colorful and lush flower growth that beautifies every area. The elf spur is used especially on the balcony and terrace, thanks to its overhanging properties, it is increasingly planted in traffic lights and flower boxes. Since there are perennial and annual species, wintering must be planned depending on the variety.