Evening primrose - night candle
Content:
Enotera night candle is a beautiful plant that has not yet gained popularity among domestic gardeners and florists. And it is completely in vain, because with its delicate flowers the plant is able to give a lot of positive emotions. It is extremely easy to care for him - even those who have never grown flowers will gladly plant evening primrose at home.
The amazing thing about this flower is that it blooms at night. Enotera opens its buds only when the sun has set below the horizon. There are many flowers on one bush at the same time. This is an unforgettable evening sight under the light of a flashlight.
Origin
The plant of the evening primrose yellow candle comes from America. It is characterized by the presence of creeping stems that grow no more than 90 cm in height. Shoots die off by the onset of winter cold, but in spring they grow back. Enotera is a perennial plant and can live for about 10 years under favorable conditions.
Evening evening candle
It begins to bloom in June, you can enjoy flowers before the onset of autumn frosts.
In natural conditions, evening primrose blooms like a weed on the banks of the river, at the edge of the forest.
Plant flower description
Evening primrose flower reaches 10 cm in diameter. At home, it will be smaller.
Types and varieties of evening primrose
In Russia, the following types of evening primrose are common:
- Biennial is a tall plant with lemon-colored flowers up to 5 cm in diameter. Flowering occurs in the second year during June - October.
- Missouri is a perennial herb up to 40 cm high, with strong-smelling flowers about 10 cm in diameter. It blooms from June to August.
Missouri Evening Primrose
- Multicolored - herbaceous plant over 1 m with red or orange flowers. Does not always tolerate cold winters.
- Quadrangular is a cold-resistant plant with medium-sized stems. The flowers are yellow, pleasantly smelling (the smell is similar to that of an orchid).
- Stemless evening primrose has a garden shape. Her leaves are collected in a rosette, where a yellow flower appears, much larger than that of a primrose, with a diameter of about 7 cm. It blooms from early July to late September.
Transplant after purchase in open ground
The choice of the optimal place, the presence of appropriate soil allows you to grow beautiful evening primrose bushes, prolong its flowering. The plant does not require special conditions. The main thing that is needed is a healthy seedling.
The flower is unpretentious and feels good anywhere with any soil composition. It can be in the sun or, conversely, a shaded place. Evening primrose is well resistant to various diseases.
The earth should be loose, permeable. Avoid places where water is stagnant as a result of spring melting snow or summer flood. In wetlands, young plants fall ill and quickly die.
When sowing, perform the following actions:
- at the end of May, the seeds are placed directly on the soil, they are covered by about half a centimeter;
- regularly monitor soil moisture;
- seedlings, after the appearance of the third pair of leaves, are planted at a distance of about 10 cm;
- for the winter they are covered with leaves.
Evening primrose seeds
When planting seedlings, you need to dig a small hole where to place the plant. The seedling is carefully covered with earth and watered.It is important not to overflow the plant - it may die from this.
Reproduction
Evening primrose can be propagated by seed or cuttings. In the northern regions, it is best to purchase seedlings and plant them in open ground when the threat of spring frosts has passed.
Cuttings
Cuttings are obtained by dividing the bush. It is performed around the beginning of the last month of spring. The plant is dug up, the bush is carefully torn so that there is at least one root on each part.
In exactly the same way, young offspring are separated from a large bush. They can be carefully dug up, then transplanted to another place. Cuttings grow rapidly.
Growing from seeds
The plant has small seeds. They do not differ in high germination capacity, moreover, seedlings are scarce. Growing evening primrose from seeds is best done in the south - they produce excellent shoots here.
With early planting and following the care requirements, evening primrose produces seeds in the first autumn. Next year, the hobby gardener will have excellent seed.
Evening primrose seedlings
When growing seedlings, seeds should be sown in a greenhouse around February. Seedlings for planting in the ground will be ready by about the beginning of May. This is the optimal time for it to take root and form flowers, which will give seeds with high germination in autumn.
Evening primrose care
The plant is undemanding to special care. Still, adhering to certain recommendations, you can extend the flowering time of evening primrose and keep it in a healthy, well-groomed form. The plant needs to be watered, fertilized, mulched with humus or manure.
Watering mode
The plant needs watering immediately after transplanting. It tolerates a dry period well. It is necessary to water the plant only on the driest days, when it is hot.
Over-watering evening primrose should be avoided. The leaves will begin to fade from this, and the roots will rot.
Top dressing
Potash, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are suitable for evening primrose. During the growing season, the plant is fertilized several times:
- when the kidneys swell;
- when buds are formed;
- when evening primrose grows profusely.
The dosage is selected based on the instructions.
During flowering
During the flowering period, soil mulching is important. It is advisable to carry out it after a steady heat comes, and the threat of frost return passes. Manure and humus are used as mulch. The optimal layer thickness is no more than 6 cm.
Watering evening primrose
When the plant is in bloom, it is important to promptly remove the blooms that have dried up. This measure significantly lengthens the flowering time.
During the rest period
When the evening primrose finishes flowering, you need to reduce the number of waterings. As a rule, at this time the weather becomes cooler, and the plant does not have such a great need for water. Evening primrose should not be fed at the same time.
Evening primrose flower
In the fall, you need to remove all dry and dead parts of the plant. If necessary, it is recommended to carry out prophylactic treatment of evening primrose against parasites.
Preparing for winter
Before the cold weather sets in, you need to cut off the stems almost completely. Then the snow that falls will cover the underground parts of the evening primrose. If for some reason there is not enough snow, you need to cover the plant with fallen leaves. In colder climates, spruce branches can be used as cover.
Enotera is a beautiful, unpretentious plant that can change a summer cottage or garden area beyond recognition. It grows rapidly, and in a few years the garden or cottage will turn into one large flower garden. Some varieties have an exquisite fragrance that will bring pleasant emotions.
