Alissum flowers
Content:
Alyssum - flowers that have a different name: sea lobularia or beetroot. They belong to the genus that is part of the cabbage family. This genus includes about 100 different species. The plant is often planted in pots at home. Alyssum can be annual or perennial. Next, let's talk about these colors in a little more detail.
Alyssum - perennial flowers for the garden
The alyssum flower is native to Asia, North Africa and Europe. Translated from Greek, their name means "canine rabies." There is a version that this plant was used to treat rabies in dogs. Flowers have recently been used in horticulture. However, they are gaining more and more popularity for their ease of care and a pleasant honey scent.
What does alyssum look like
One-year alyssum
Alyssum annual blooms beautifully and can perfectly complement other flowers in the flower bed. It begins to bloom in June and lasts until late autumn. The shades are white, pink and purple.
Annual varieties:
- Queen: small lilac-purple flowers.
- Snow carpet: small white flowers.
- Popular hybrids with raspberry, blue and lilac petals: Violet Queen, Esther Bonnet Deep Rose, Tiny Tim.
Annual flower "Snow Carpet"
Description of the flower of the plant alissum
The buds are composed of four petals and four sepals. Their arrangement is criss-cross. The plant exudes a strong honey scent, which is why it is highly attractive to bees. These flowers are among the best honey plants.
All parts of alyssum are small in size: leaves and buds. They can be seen due to the fact that the buds are collected in inflorescences. Most often, the color of the buds is yellow or snow-white. The leaves are dark with a grayish tint.
Before picking up color, leaves begin to turn green and grow. They are small in size and have a grayish color. Their shape is oblong and obovate. Above, there is a slight pubescence.
When does alyssum bloom? It does not matter whether a perennial or an annual alyssum is grown - it blooms anyway from June. At the same time, flowering continues until late autumn.
Types and perennial varieties of alyssum
Alyssum perennial has several types. Below is a more detailed description of them.
Nautical
Alyssum marine has another name for marine lobularia. It started growing in the Mediterranean.
It grows in length 20-25 cm. The stem reaches a length of 40 cm. The flower is not left in the open ground for the winter. Seaside flowers are aquamarine, pink and white.
Nautical
Mountain
Alissum mountain has leaves of a gray-green hue. Its height can be from 5 to 30 cm, covered with stellate hairs. Thin woody root. Branched stem, and shortened shoots.
The flowers have a yellow tint with a golden tint, their length is 4-5 mm.
Mountain
White
Alyssum white has another name - bimbo. It has small white flowers. The plant can grow up to 40 cm in length.
Yellow
Alyssum yellow is a semi-shrub that grows only 10 - 20 cm. The inflorescences have a bright yellow hue.
Yellow
Purple haze
This species is a miniature plant that blooms for a long time. The flowers are small, the foliage is lanceolate.
Alyssum: planting and care in the open field
Picture 6. Seedlings of alyssum
The area where the plant is planned to be planted must be dry and well-drained. Poor conditions for a flower give acidic and waterlogged soils.
The plant can grow on poor soil with neutral acidity. Such land will allow moisture to not linger in the soil.
There are two ways of propagation of alissum: cuttings and seeds (for seedlings and in open ground). Let's consider in more detail all the methods.
Step-by-step process of planting seedlings
Many growers prefer to grow seedlings, as this is the most effective method.
To plant seedlings you need:
- Buy light and nutritious soil. It must contain lime. Acidity 5.5-6.2.
- The seeds are planted in March-April. You need to take a landing box. Fill it with soil. Place seeds on top. They should not be stacked very densely, as this will reduce the likelihood of seedlings. Top seeds are sprinkled with soil. Perhaps just deepen them with your finger.
- The container is covered with foil or glass. This is done in order to create a greenhouse. The box is placed in a well-lit place. It is necessary to moisten the earth moderately. It is also imperative to ventilate the seeds for a while. If all conditions are met, the seed will germinate in a week.
- It is necessary to dive seedlings when 2-3 leaves grow. If the plant is actively growing, then this procedure should not be carried out at all.
Alyssum: growing by seeds in the open field
The seeds can be purchased at the store or harvested on your own. It is better to purchase them in the store, as they undergo special processing.
Sowing seeds is necessary taking into account the following requirements:
- It is necessary to plant planting material when the soil is well warmed up. This happens at the end of May.
- The seeds are processed before planting. To do this, they are soaked in a weak solution of manganese. This procedure will protect them from diseases and pests.
- Small grooves are created in the soil. Their depth should be no more than 1.5 cm. They can be planted often. After emergence, thinning is performed.
Propagation by cuttings
Vegetative reproduction of alyssum is carried out less often. To do this, several cuttings are cut from the plant. Then they are placed in water.
Rooting can also be carried out in a pot with soil. In autumn, shoots are planted in open ground.
Alyssum seedlings
Outdoor care
Long and laborious care for alisum is not required. It consists in watering, feeding, loosening, removing excess litter and cutting. The flower can grow in drafts, stony soils, arid areas, and also easily coexists with other plants.
The bushes of the plant grow rapidly in width. In this regard, the plants should be planted at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other.
With proper cultivation and care of alyssum, it is necessary to regularly trim the plant. This will enhance growth and make the flowering more lush. Up to 8 cm shoots are removed. To carry out anti-aging pruning after the flowers have wilted, it is necessary to shorten the shoots by 1/3.
Watering the plant is necessary in moderation. The flower is sensitive to waterlogging of the soil, but it also begins to dry out from drought. If there is a lot of precipitation, then there is no need to water the plant. In dry periods, the plant especially needs moisture.
Watering is required to be plentiful, but it is impossible to allow stagnation of moisture in the soil. To make the soil more permeable, it is necessary to loosen it after each watering.
During the season, the plant must be fed twice. For the first time, this is done in the spring with nitrogen-containing fertilizers. The second time the flower is fed before flowering with mineral fertilizers. Liquid formulations are applied at the root. They must not fall on flowers or leaves.
Growing difficulties
Despite the ease of care, difficulties may arise in growing it:
- Alyssium does not bloom. The main reasons why alyssum does not bloom are plant diseases. It can be late blight and brown rot. A white coating begins to form on them. Diseases occur due to excessive pruning or high nitrogen fertilization. Diseased specimens are dug up, the roots are washed in a pink solution of potassium permanganate and planted in another place.
- Alyssium does not grow. The flower may not grow due to the presence of pests on it. The main pests are cruciferous fleas and cabbage moths. To combat them, it is necessary to treat the plant with special preparations. Suitable "Aktara", "Aktellik", "Fitoverm".
Alyssium is a beautiful plant that goes well with other flowers in the garden or in the flower bed. It can be combined with viola, roses, irises, tulips. It is easy to take care of it, so this flower should definitely pay attention to novice gardeners.
