Alyssum is a herbaceous plant with miniature flowers of various colors, thinning out a pleasant honey aroma, especially in the evening. In addition to the botanical name, alyssum is also called marine lobularia, beetroot. Planting and caring for the plant is not difficult, so the plant has gained particular popularity among gardeners and is used by them to decorate ridges, rocky hills, zoning areas on the lawn, and in border decoration.
Content:
- Description of the honey plant
- Choosing a location, growing from seeds
- Outdoor care
- reproduction
- Collection and preparation of seeds
- Pests and diseases: the fight with folk remedies and insecticides
- Common species for growing in gardens
- Perennial and annual allisum varieties that have gained universal popularity
- Applications
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Description of the honey plant
The flower belongs to the cabbage family. The ground cover plant is considered undersized, since the stems rise to a height of no more than 35-40 cm. The shoots are strongly branched, woody at the base. Rosettes make up oblong, lanceolate leaves with slightly noticeable pubescence.
Alyssum looks favorably among the stones, majestically and regally, like the Cap of Monomakh
Small flowers are collected in brushes. Thanks to breeding work, varieties of alyssum with pink, red, purple, lilac, lemon yellow, pure yellow, lilac and white flowers have been bred.The reason for the popularity of the plant lies in the unobtrusive honey aroma thinned by alyssum.
In addition, it can be used to create a beautiful landscape design, divide zones in the garden or decorate terrace and home area.
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With the help of various varieties of alyssum, you can create a unique composition, the main thing is to choose the right color scheme so that it does not hurt your eyes, but looks natural
The plant can be grown as both an annual and a perennial crop. Used to decorate empty places on the site, after flowering bulbous plants. Alyssum can mask unsightly places in the garden (holes, pits, stumps, holes). Flowers look beautiful in hanging planters, discounts.
Site selection and soil preparation
Alyssum - a plant of the sun, so only well-lit areas are suitable for planting it. Sowing seeds or planting seedlings carried out in fertile soil. If the site is poor, you will need to increase fertility: apply organic fertilizers.
Intense crimson alyssum - decoration of a rocky garden
The plant does not like stagnant water, so you need to take care of the drainage layer. Recall that alyssum prefers a neutral or slightly alkaline soil reaction.
Sowing seeds
Sowing alyssum is started after the soil warms up and the likelihood of return frosts recedes.After leveling the area, the surface must be moistened, then evenly distribute the seeds and lightly press them down with your hand.
Seeds should not be buried deep into the soil, so you can delay the time of seed germination, and each of us wants the seedlings to appear quickly.
It is important to water the seedlings properly so that the seedlings do not die. Watering can be carried out from a watering can with a thin neck and watered only along the edges of the pot, without falling on the plants themselves
When sowing seeds, do not thicken the plantings, as this can contribute to the development of fungal diseases in the future.
Growing through seedlings
Seeds can be sown in ready-made containers filled with fertile soil. The nutritional mixture can be purchased at a specialized store.
Seedling cultivation is used by gardeners to obtain earlier flowering. Sowing seeds for seedlings carried out in the second decade of February.
How to grow seedlings?
alyssum seedling
Alyssum seedlings are already in bloom. Ready to transplant to a permanent place
Growing from seeds, you can not wait for flowering, but transplant directly into the ground. Flowering seedlings can be achieved by early sowing seeds. When grown in seedlings, the growing season lasts for 2 months.
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Outdoor care
A riot of colors - a rainbow carpet of different varieties of alyssum
An unpretentious plant needs minimal care: timely watering, loosening the soil, followed by the removal of weeds, in top dressing. In addition, alyssum needs pruning to avoid an unsightly appearance of the plant after flowering.
Watering
The plant needs to be watered regularly, especially in dry times.
The lack of moisture affects the development of the flower, it can drop flowers and buds overnight.
You can determine that a flower needs watering if you dig the ground 3 cm deep near the bush and it turns out to be dry, which means you need watering. To reduce the frequency of watering, especially in dry times, it is required to mulch the plantings.
Fertilization
Perennial and annual species need various top dressings, however, if planted in nutrient soil, they grow well and develop without fertilization.
Annual varieties are the most demanding for nutrients
For the entire growing season, it is recommended to feed the plants 4 times with nitrogen-containing and potash fertilizers. In the middle spring, already at the end of April, organic matter is introduced into the soil. After seed germination, seedlings are fed with nitrogen-containing preparations (but only after the development of several true leaves), then watered with a solution of complex fertilizers.
Lush and long flowering is possible only with timely fertilization. If the soil is fertile, frequent fertilizing can be avoided.
perennial plants demanding on the saturation of the soil with nutrients, therefore, annually it is required to make humus or water it with infused chicken manure diluted with water 1:10. Plants need light soil, therefore, once again weeding the soil from weeds, make the soil loose and breathable, which provides the plant with the best conditions for development.
Pruning is a must
Properly pruning alyssum allows the plant to fully develop and bloom profusely. In early spring, it is necessary to remove all flower stalks, weak, dried and diseased shoots from last year's shoots. And even better if this procedure is done in the fall.
Pruning not only allows you to save the decorativeness of the bush, but also prolongs the flowering period.
After the plant has faded, you will need to cut off all the flower stalks and shorten the shoots by almost half. This procedure stimulates re-blooming. During the growing season, alyssum bushes grow very strongly, so pruning is simply necessary - to eliminate the sloppiness of the bush and make it compact and well-groomed.
Preparing for winter
Lobularia looks great in hanging containers and planters. Used to decorate balconies
To help the plant survive the winter, a layer of mulch should be poured in late autumn and the bush itself should be covered with fallen leaves. In snowy winters, it is recommended to pour a hill of snow on the alissum.
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In addition to the usual way of propagating alyssum by seeds, methods such as propagation by cuttings and dividing the bush are no less popular.
cuttings
Cuttings - vegetative method. You can propagate 2 times during the vegetative season - at the very beginning and at the end of summer.
The cut cuttings are planted in prepared cups filled with a nutrient mixture, watered well and the soil moisture is monitored daily. If the earthen clod is allowed to dry out, young plants can be destroyed.
For propagation of alyssum by cuttings, healthy shoots should be chosen and flower stalks should be completely removed.
When roots become visible through the wall of a transparent cup, alissum is planted in a flower bed or rocky hill, water well and monitor soil moisture daily.
Division
It would seem that the easiest way to reproduce, but it does not always give positive results. You need to start breeding at the beginning of the growing season: as soon as green shoots begin to appear above the ground.
The photo shows in detail the process of dividing the mother plant
The bushes are dug out completely and divided into parts. All delenki are transplanted to a new place, watered and wait for engraftment. The distance between the prepared holes for transplantation should not exceed 30 cm.
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Collection and preparation of seeds
You can start collecting seeds at the end of September. By this time, the seeds are already fully ripe.
It is required to break off all the dried branches along with the baskets, put them on a spread out blanket and rub them with your palms. Cake will remain in the hands, and the seeds will fall on the bedspread. All debris will need to be removed, and the seeds sent to a dry room for additional drying.
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Since the plant belongs to the Cruciferous class, the Cabbage family, the same pests annoy the alyssum as cabbage and radish. Consider the main harmful insects and try to get rid of them with the help of folk remedies, without using chemicals, so as not to harm the bees.
cruciferous flea
The rather spoiled appearance of the flower carpet indicates the appearance of a cabbage flea. For the fight, vinegar essence is used (1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water).
Here is such a harmful insect can be found on the shoots of alyssum
If the cruciferous flea has damaged the plant before flowering, insecticides can be used to treat it. Basically, the flea attacks flowers that have not yet grown strong, as soon as the plant grows up, it is no longer afraid of such a pest as the cruciferous flea.
butterflies
To cope with the caterpillars of the whites is possible only with the help of insecticides, for example, effectively use "Lepidotsid". Folk remedies do not give a positive result.
White butterflies cause great damage to all plants of the Cabbage family
White rust and brown rot
Quite dangerous diseases that can completely eradicate plants. If signs of white rust or brown rot are noticed, all plants, along with their roots, should be immediately removed from the ground, taken away from the site and burned.
powdery mildew
Everyone knows the disease
You look at the plant, and it seems to be sprinkled or powdered with some kind of flour. Often, the disease appears when growing alyssum in dark places along with dense plantings.
A too thick carpet cannot provide normal air exchange and this leads to disease, as there is increased humidity and the shoots of flowers do not dry out.
Compliance with agrotechnical methods of cultivation allows you to grow a huge, creeping carpet from a variety of varieties.
In affected plants, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. In addition to fungicides, powdery mildew is successfully treated with a solution of colloidal sulfur with laundry soap.
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Perennial bushes easily tolerate frost, are recommended for cultivation in regions with a cold climate. Annual plants are more sensitive to the temperature regime, so they should be grown in the southern regions, as seedlings may die during possible return frosts.
The difference between perennial and annual alissum is the duration of flowering, if the first one pleases with flowers only for a month, then the second can be fragrant and thin out a pleasant aroma from mid-summer to mid-autumn.
rocky
The most common type. With its help, landscape designers create unique compositions in landscaping a personal plot: draw up borders along the tracks, paths, lawns. Perennial low plant, the height of the stems does not exceed 20 cm.
Alyssum rocky - a native of the Mediterranean. It was there that it was first used for landscaping.
Lemon-yellow scattering of rocky alyssum is visible from afar. Flowering is short, only a month
Grows well in moderately moist soils, in open sunny areas. If you choose the right place, the plant will delight the eye with its flowering for a long time. Rocky alyssum is suitable for cultivation in order to hide defects in the area: flowers mask gaps, unsightly stumps, pits.
Mountain
Perennial plant up to 10 cm high. Numerous rosettes with gray leaves give the impression of a dense carpet creeping along the ground. Above the foliage rise small yellow flowers, collected in inflorescences.
It blooms very early, in April, flowering lasts no more than a month. Luxurious cap of yellow flowers, behind which no foliage is visible, looks friendly on the ground, still bare after winter.
Creating compositions using mountain alyssum
Then, in place of the flowers, boxes ripen. If there is no desire to collect seeds, all boxes should be removed, as they spoil the whole picture and look unattractive. The plant needs to be pruned.
Marine (lobularia)
Low annual with small, grayish-green, lanceolate leaves, with barely noticeable pubescence. During flowering, the shrub does not exceed 20 cm in height. Above the gray cap of pubescent foliage rise inflorescences-brushes with purple, purple or white, fairly small flowers.
Abundant flowering is observed in July and continues until mid-autumn. In order for the wave of flowers not to subside, it is necessary to cut the faded flowers in time.
Using lobularia to fill the space near the tile on the walkway
What is the beauty of pubescent foliage? The fact is that it is she who helps the plant to endure a short-term decrease in temperature. This species grows and develops better on nutritious soils with a neutral reaction.
To ensure lightness of the soil, crushed stone and river sand should be added before planting.
Silver
Vegetative dense rosettes of silver alyssum form a dense carpet. Perennial forms wide bushes, similar to an oval, up to 40 cm high. This is the most gigantic specimen of the species diversity.
Foliage develops only at the bottom of erect, numerous stems. The leaves are oblong, decorated with barely noticeable hairs above, pubescent below, silver-gray in color.
Corymbose brushes consist of numerous lemon-yellow flowers.
Lemon-yellow flowers are formed in corymbose, flat and loose racemes. The plant is frost-resistant, tolerates harsh winters with temperatures below -23 ° C degrees.
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Among the huge variety, I would like to highlight several varieties of alyssum, which differ in the size and shape of the flower, the color of the petals, and the length of the leaves.
The Snow Queen
The Snow Queen is represented by a mixture of 6 varieties. Blooming flowers can be red, white, pink, purple, lavender and yellow. It is a perennial plant that gardeners grow as an annual crop. During the dissolution of flowers, no foliage is visible!
It is advisable to grow through seedlings, since flowers appear 2 months after sowing dusty seeds, which need to be dispersed over the surface of moistened soil. The best time for sowing is the end of March, the beginning of April.
Mix of 6 varieties. Here is a riot of colors in one area. Looks great!
For germination, the seeds need high humidity and a temperature of about +18 ° C, so it is recommended to cover the bowl with seeds with glass and place it closer to the battery. It is necessary to plant in open ground in the second decade of May, keeping a distance of 20 cm between seedlings. For better flowering, the plant must be fed with complex fertilizers.
Due to the decorative effect and low growth of plants, the Snow Queen mixture is used in border decoration.
pink queen
A miniature variety with a delicate aroma of flowers. Numerous small flowers, collected in inflorescences, thin out the honey aroma. The plant does not differ in tallness, only 5-10 cm in height, but with its dwarf growth forms a rather dense lilac-violet creeping carpet. The leaves are elongated, lanceolate.
In order for the variety to continuously delight with a riot of colors, it is necessary to remove faded flowers and seed pods from time to time., if you did not set out to collect the seeds.
Excellent variety for border decoration
The pink queen is used to decorate the borders, looks beautiful in framed by flower beds, balcony boxes and pots. Some gardeners with its help are trying to close the space between the tiles on the path. Alyssum - an indispensable plant for decoration rocky hills.
The pink queen belongs to the cold-resistant varieties. Grows best on light soils, well drained, without stagnant water. Sowing seeds is carried out in May or before winter.
When the earth warms up, the seeds germinate very quickly, within a week. After the seedlings get stronger, it is required to thin out the plantings, there should be at least 8 cm between plants, otherwise thickening will lead to poor flowering.
bimbo
Perennial plant, grown by sowing seeds, blooms only in the second year. However, nature can be deceived and you can get flowering in the same year if you sow seeds for seedlings in February.
Above the narrow lanceolate leaves, a hat of snow-white flowers with a honey aroma blooms.
Used in border decoration, to decorate balconies and loggias, planted on flower beds and rocky hills
Prefers sunny areas, but copes with partial shade. After seed germination, plantings are thinned out (if the soil is poor, it is better to leave everything as it is). Flowering is long, begins in June and lasts until October.
The honey smell not only attracts bees, but also repels pests. However, even such a heady aroma cannot resist the cabbage flea, since the plant belongs to the Cabbage family. It is better to get rid of pests using folk methods, because alyssum is a honey plant, you can kill both pests and beneficial insects with one treatment with chemicals.
For processing, you can use vinegar essence in the proportion of 1 tbsp. l. for 1 bucket of water. They love alyssum and caterpillars, which you can try to cope with with the help of tobacco infusion with laundry soap.
snow carpet
Amazing variety: if you look at a flowering bush, it looks like a snow-white airy cloud, "woven" from small flowers, collected in numerous dense brushes. Small leaves are hidden under a cloud of flowers.
Shoots are low, 20 cm in height, have the feature of creeping along the ground
The variety can be used as a supplement when growing tall plants: roses, lilies. Their proximity favorably affects both plants. For example, if the Snow Carpet is planted under the lilies, it helps to protect the soil and, consequently, the root system. lilies from overheating.
And when the time of flowering of lilies ends, a snow-white cloud of alyssum opens up. The same with roses. For lovers of contrasting colors, a diascia or pink petunia can be surrounded by a white cloud of alyssum flowers.
purple haze
Miniature, long-blooming variety. Small flowers thin out the honey aroma. Shoots grow up to 15 cm in length. Violet haze is a scattering of purple flowers over narrow, lanceolate leaves.
Continuous flowering can be achieved if all faded flowers, bare shoots, fruit set are removed in time
The variety is beautiful in itself, it is used to decorate discounts, flower beds, balcony boxes. Gardeners often plant between tiles to fill in unsightly spaces.
Aphrodite
The variety is grown as an annual.Aphrodite has compact bushes, not exceeding 10 cm in diameter. Blooms with purple flowers. It can produce both red and pink inflorescences, which can be removed immediately if desired.
Gardeners combine the purple flowers of Aphrodite with pink saxifrage, it goes well with sanvitalia, against the background of bluish stonecrops it looks just beautiful
Grow by sowing seeds directly into the soil, followed by thinning. Blooms in the first decade of June, but the bushes look still weak. In full glory, Aphrodite is revealed in August.
At this time it is not so hot. The variety is preferable to plant in a shady place.
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Due to beneficial properties, contained in the flowers and leaves of the plant, alissum is popular with traditional healers and cosmetologists. For medicinal purposes, the vegetative parts of rocky alissum are used.
- alkaloids
- steroids
- acids of organic origin
- flavonoids
For colds, a decoction of flowers is useful. It not only relieves fever, but also has an anesthetic effect. A decoction of the leaves is used as a diuretic and laxative, recommended for intestinal problems.
An infusion of flowers is used to discolor age spots, remove freckles.
Siberian and Altai healers with the help of decoctions heal inguinal hernia, remove stones from the kidneys. Stones to stones are different, each of them differs in origin and structure, so alyssum decoction does not affect oxalate stones.
The plant is also used in color therapy, aromatherapy. It is important to collect and dry bunches of plants, then hang them properly indoors. Alyssum helps maintain tone, improves sleep quality, reduces headaches, improves well-being
Alyssum after flowering - seed collection
Preparing for winter
Thanks, it's all very informative!