Atsidantera - "Fragrant gladiolus": planting and care. Features of growing and caring for acidanthera in the open field Acidanthera two-color white planting and care

Recently, you can often see a charming plant on flower beds, which many will find very familiar and similar to either daffodils or orchids. This is acidantera (gladiolus Muriel, or fragrant) - its cultivation and care in open ground requires a fair amount of effort and patience.

Researchers have identified about forty species. The plant belongs to the iris family of the iris.

Muriel impresses with its elegance: a thin stem and the most elegant flowers resembling a star with a diameter of 10 cm. In our area, the two-colored atsidantera is considered the most popular, blooming with white petals with a dark spot in the center (shown in the photo). Grown as an annual. Its height can reach 120 cm in its natural environment.

Her homeland is Ethiopia, but, despite this, she can adapt to less suitable conditions that characterize the zones temperate climate- its cultivation becomes an easy task.

Types of acidantera

Many of the species are not yet cultivated. In addition to the two-color, there are other varieties:

• Tropical- inflorescences of 5-6 flowers on both sides. The tone of her flower is white with a bright pink spot.
• short tubular- the tube on which the purple flowers are located is short. Uncultivated plant.
• White- color corresponds to the name, strong smell.
• Cape- red streaks on white.
• Fourcade- white-pink, not culture.
• Grass-leaved- white flowers with a purple tint, unknown in culture.
• Muriel- homeland - the Cape Peninsula. White color with purple streaks, in the pharynx - a green spot.
• few-flowered - small size, leaves are thin, 2 flowers. Red and white tone.
• broad-leaved- three flowers on one plant, white with a purple tint.
• Pink white- three flowers Pink colour with a white spot (photo).
• tubular- long tube and four flowers.

How to choose a site for landing acidantera

Before planting it, you need to dig up the place that you have chosen, while applying fertilizers: organic, mineral.

Planting material: how to prepare

There are two ways to propagate a plant, followed by planting in open ground:

1. Corms - before planting, you need to dig and sort, choosing only the strongest and most ripe: round, 3-7 cm in diameter, milk-colored, in a dried golden shell (as in the photo). When you are going to carry out the procedure, then in a couple of hours worry about soaking its bulb in a solution of potassium permanganate.
2. Seeds - not very popular with flower growers, because to find good stuff accidanters is not an easy task. Yes, and growing it from seeds is too long a task - it will bloom only two or three years after planting.

disembarkation

• The soil is loosened, breaking up clods, followed by a strong moistening.
• The distance between the bulbs should be at least 15-20 cm. The depth of its burying is 6-8 cm for medium ones, 10 cm for large ones.
• At the landing site, you need to add peat or manure, which has rotted. It is necessary to reduce water evaporation, to prevent the rapid germination of weeds.
• If you want to speed up the process, cover the bed with a film, creating the effect of a greenhouse. When greenery begins to appear, remove the shelter.

Muriel blooms in mid-July - September. But, the plant loves light and heat, so a long absence of one of the factors can cause a delay or lack of flowers.

This can be avoided by growing it at home. The beginning of spring - 3-4 bulbs are placed in a flowerpot 12-15 cm in diameter. Contain in a warm and bright place, observing the rules of watering. After that, digging and transfer to the ground takes place - the end of May - then the flower will grow healthy, the flowering period will increase.

Atsidantera - landing and care - though not a difficult matter, but requiring a sufficient amount of time and attention.

Care: features

Several simple rules, then your plant will look healthy and beautiful:

Preparing for winter

In late autumn or winter, when frost sets in, the bulbs should be dug up for storage. In winter, only large specimens can survive in the open ground - under a covering of dry leaves, but the possibility that they will deteriorate is high.

Small and medium-sized acidantera bulbs are removed from the roots, left for storage - 3-4 weeks in a dry, warm, well-ventilated place. Optimum temperature regime: +10° C - +15° C. Cold will cause the Muriel to not bloom in the future, high temperature threatens to dry out. Proper care can keep the bulb for 5 years.

Atsidantera has received recognition from both experienced flower growers and beginners in this business. With rather uncomplicated and undemanding care, it will gratefully bloom with stunning beauty that will please the eye of anyone who only pays attention to the grace and elegance of this specimen of hot flora.

Atsidantera got into the collections of flower growers back in late XIX centuries from the tropical regions of Africa, but it is difficult to call it a frequent guest of the gardens. This plant can be found under the names fragrant gladiolus and gladiolus Muriel.

Data on the systematics of the genus Acidantera are ambiguous. Some sources claim that about 40 species are known, others that most of them are assigned to the genus Gladiolus. Their similarity is obvious and it is difficult to distinguish plants without flowers from each other.

In culture, the most common is acidantera bicolor. This species is characterized by large fragrant creamy-white flowers, reaching 12 cm. The center of the flower is decorated with a dark spot, purple-red. Leaves sword-shaped. Plant height in flowering state can reach 120 cm.

The African origin of the flower implies high requirements for temperature regime and lighting. For planting, it is necessary to choose places that are well warmed up and illuminated by the sun, although the plant can bloom in partial shade.

The soil should be rich in nutrients, loose, without stagnant moisture, slightly acidic. Corms are afraid of getting wet, so on damp areas drainage is required. Before planting, it is recommended to add mineral and organic fertilizers.

Corms are planted in the ground to a depth of 8-12 cm, at a distance of 12-20 cm, depending on the size of the bulbs and soil structure. Outdoor planting should be done after the ground has warmed up and the threat of a return frost has passed. If you want to get earlier flowering, corms can be pre-sprouted in the house and planted in early spring in separate pots.

Form a powerful aerial part, long peduncles and large flowers acidantera can only with good agricultural technology. It is advisable to keep the soil around the plant constantly moist. It is recommended to loosen the earth after each watering, and mulch should be used to preserve soil moisture.

The stock of substances that is in the bulb is enough for the plant only to start the growing season. Leaves and shoots grow very intensively and require a lot of nutrients, especially in the first half of summer before flowering. Organic and mineral fertilizers applied to the planting pit do not fully satisfy the need for nutrition, therefore, 3-4 weeks after planting in open ground, it is necessary to fertilize with complex mineral fertilizer 2-3 times a month.

During budding and flowering, the frequency of top dressing should be reduced to 1-2. After flowering and removal of flower stalks, fertilization should be completely stopped and watering should be significantly reduced so that the bulb can prepare for a dormant period.

To form a normal corm, it is recommended to remove the flower stalks after flowering, and leave the leaves and corms in the garden until the first frost. Atsidantera is unable to winter in the open field, therefore, it needs an annual autumn digging.

After digging, the stem is cut off, leaving a "stump" up to 10 cm long, and the corms are placed to dry in a warm room for a month. After that, the corms are sorted, sorted, cleaned of integumentary scales and dry roots, children and daughter bulbs are separated.

There are no problems with the propagation of the plant, because when proper agricultural practices growing by the end of the season, the corm forms daughter bulbs and many small children. At good care and a sufficient amount of nutrients, it is possible to achieve flowering of children in the first year of cultivation.

The seed method of propagation is also acceptable, but when seeds are formed, the bulb is greatly depleted and the mother plant will not be able to bloom the next year. Seeds germinate easily, but it can take more than one year from getting a seedling to flowering.

Atsidantera deserves the title of a universal flower, not only because of its unpretentiousness and exquisite beauty. The plant looks good in a single planting as a tapeworm, harmoniously combined with many species in mixed flower beds, can be grown in pots and used for cutting. A place for this flower can be found in any garden.

Video about the care of acidantera in the open field

Growing acidantera and care in the open field is within the power of even novice gardeners. Plants are unpretentious, prefer sunny areas and moderate watering. Blooming flowers are suitable for cutting, they can be used to make beautiful bouquets.

Acidantera, or gladiolus Muriel, is an elegant plant belonging to the iris family. In the wild, it is found in Mozambique, Tanzania, Ethiopia and other African countries. The flower looks very impressive. The long, straight and smooth stem grows up to 1 m, its grace is emphasized by a pair of thin xiphoid leaves. Dense thickets of plants resemble exotic jungles. Up to 10 buds bloom on each stem. The flowers have 6 triangular petals, at the base they are black-burgundy or dark purple, closer to the tips they take on a snow-white hue. Blooming inflorescences are quite large - from 5 to 8 cm in diameter. Growing conditions, degree of illumination, soil fertility affect their size and color intensity. The refined image is complemented by a pleasant subtle aroma that attracts pollinating insects.

Atsidantera is very thermophilic; in regions with a cold climate, plants may not take root. However, under the conditions middle lane they feel great. Atsidantera, the cultivation of which even beginner gardeners can grow, responds gratefully to care. The minimum effort is guaranteed by lush flower thickets that will adorn the site from mid-July to early September.

Fragrant gladiolus propagated by seeds or division of bulbs. The first method is very time consuming and is rarely used by amateur gardeners. When sowing seeds, seedlings will bloom only after 3 years. Bulbs are much more unpretentious. In autumn, they are separated from the mother plant, and in early spring they are planted in flowerpots or in open ground. The first buds appear after 2 months.

In most regions of Russia, the acidentera is dug up before the onset of the first frost, the bulbs, peeled from the stems, hibernate in a shelter. For several months of dormancy, the plant manages to accumulate strength for abundant flowering. In the spring, the rested tubers are planted on the beds and immediately grow.

Start of the season

At proper care gladiolus Muriel can decorate any garden. graceful plants look great on discounts and classic flower beds, they can be used to decorate paths or ornamental ponds. Acidantera, which is easy to care for, prefers sunny areas with light and nutritious soil. In dense shade, the stems stretch out, the buds become smaller or do not form at all. The soil should have a neutral or slightly acidic reaction, garden soil should be mixed with a small amount of peat. For successful flowering, good drainage is necessary; stagnant moisture in the soil is detrimental to tender bulbs.

Planting and caring for fragrant gladiolus is not very difficult. At the beginning of spring, dug out bulbs are sorted out, discarding dried or rotten specimens. Moving to open ground can begin when the soil is fully warmed up. Help speed up the process polyethylene film, which covers a loosened flower bed. In warm regions, planting begins in April, in the middle lane it is better to move it to mid-May.

The bulbs are laid out in holes 12 cm deep, sprinkled on top with a layer of loose soil. The distance between flowers depends on the size of the tubers. The smaller they are, the closer you can plant plants. Large specimens should be placed at a distance of at least 20 cm from each other. Experienced gardeners it is recommended to pour a little coarse river sand into each hole, and then pour the flowerbed well with warm water. Gladiolus Muriel needs top dressing, the first fertilizer can be applied after 2 weeks.

Pre-germination of tubers will help speed up the growth of flowers. In early March, they are placed in a flowerpot filled with light loose soil, deepening by 3-4 cm. The container is placed in bright light and watered regularly. You can move grown plants to a flower bed in the first decade of May. Such planting and care guarantee good immunity of flowers: they will be strong, hardy, elegant. If desired, several stems can be left in flowerpots, they will decorate open veranda, balcony or loggia.

Subtleties of care

Gladiolus Muriel is unpretentious. It should be watered at least 2 times a week, it is preferable to use water warmed in the sun. Once a week, the plants are fed with a liquid complex fertilizer. You should not abuse nitrogen-containing mixtures, otherwise the buds may not form. In the intervals between watering, the earth is gently loosened, trying not to injure the delicate roots. Timely cutting off faded inflorescences will help stimulate the formation of new buds.

Fragrant gladioli do not like excess moisture, reacting with a deterioration in flowering. The same effect is caused by a sharp drop in temperature. In the cold summer, the acidantera does not look very attractive, the growth of the stems slows down. But in hot and sunny weather, plants will delight with abundant buds.

It is important to carefully weed the beds, weeds take away nutrients and inhibit the growth of fragrant gladioli. The health of flowers can be threatened by insect pests that need to be dealt with:

1. 1 Naked slugs are harvested by hand, it is possible to spray the soil with an aqueous solution of ammonia.
2. 2 Sprinkling with a special installation will help get rid of the spider mite.
3. 3 Aphids are destroyed by washing the stems with warm soapy water.
4. 4 V difficult cases use industrial insecticides, diluted in accordance with the instructions on the package.

Health and appearance flowers can be threatened by gray rot. Frequent loosening of the soil, the introduction of an additional portion of peat, moderate watering and timely weeding of plantings will help prevent attack.

Preparing for winter

Acidantera, landing which does not require special difficulties, should not winter in open ground. This is possible only in regions with a very warm climate, but even there the bulbs often suffer from unexpected frosts or rodent invasions. It is much safer to store planting material at home, in a dry basement or in the attic.

Prepare plants for moving immediately after flowering. Having cut off the last wilted buds, you need to stop watering and top dressing. Peduncles are removed, but long leaves are best left: they are necessary to feed the wintering bulbs. Travel time depends on climatic conditions, but it is advisable to dig up all the plants before the onset of night frosts.

The tubers are cleaned from the earth and roots, most the stem is cut off, leaving a stump 2 cm long. After that, the children are carefully separated from the mother bulb, they will be useful for reproduction. Planting material is laid out on a newspaper to dry. The ideal temperature is 20-22 °C, the room should be dry and well ventilated. After a month, the bulbs need to be sorted out and cleaned again, removing the upper scales of the shell, the remains of the roots, and lumps of earth with your hands. You can’t cut anything: injured tubers can rot.

Each bulb is wrapped in a clean napkin, then the planting material is folded into paper bags with holes for ventilation. You need to store them in a dark, cool place, dampness is excluded. For successful wintering, it is recommended to maintain a temperature of about 15 ° C. Some growers recommend placing the dried bulbs in boxes of peat, vermicult, or perlite.

Even with ideal conditions storage, some of the tubers die and require renewal. Gardeners who plant flowers in large quantities annually purchase at least 20% of fresh planting material. Successfully overwintered bulbs in early spring are removed from the shelter 2 weeks before planting, before germination, they must warm up at room temperature.

Acidantera Muriel is an elegant and easy to care for plant. Fragrant two-colored buds will decorate any garden, in perfect harmony with decorative leafy shrubs and bright annuals. In order for the original gladiolus to please the eye for as long as possible, the bulbs are dug up in the fall, returning to the garden in late spring.

They are considered a true decoration of any cottage. Fortunately, there are no problems with the assortment - it is offered in stores great amount varied varieties. However, the advantage is given to spectacular, but at the same time unpretentious species.

Consider what is remarkable about the popular acidantera And what is this flower.

Description and photo

As you can see, the acidantera is simple in terms of planting, and further cultivation is a match for it.

Care

unpretentious plant requires regular, but at the same time, constant care. These procedures are within the power of everyone, which you will see now.

Regular watering

Despite its African origin, the perennial needs frequent. Humidification is carried out constantly, the soil should not dry out (otherwise the “bulb” will instantly dry out).

In the hot summer, 2-3 buckets per week go under the plant, one for each approach. On the other hand, waterlogging of the rhizome is also undesirable. With the beginning of flowering, the volumes are slightly reduced, which has a good effect on the appearance of the flowers that have appeared (the dark tones present in the color become more saturated).

Mulching helps retain moisture during the growing season. In the course are "powders" from cut grass, or chopped. True, you need to be more careful with the latter - too much dose can “burn out” the bulb.

Loosening and weeding

Top dressing is carried out once every 2 weeks (for “difficult” soils, the break is reduced to 10 days) and combined with the next watering.

For such purposes, complex mineral compositions like . Before making, pay attention to the composition of the purchased drug - if it contains a large number of ammonia compounds, then the peduncle and leaves will grow, while the flowers will turn out to be mediocre.

Most often, perennials are baked with such ailments:

• . To combat it, potassium permanganate is used - 2.5 g per 10 liters of water. After the first spraying, 1-2 control ones are made (with an interval of 5 days). If it did not help - in 5 liters hot water add soda ash(25 g) and liquid soap(5 g). They process not only the plant, but also, in 2-3 doses with a week break.
• Root rot. It is dangerous because at the slightest delay the plant will have to be thrown away (this is typical for all species with bulbous roots). Prevention is important here - before planting, the bulbs are placed in a plastic container and sprinkled dry. There they are stored in a dry place until disembarkation.

Did you know?In the 17th-18th centuries, gladiolus was used as a remedy for toothache and as a milk extractor for nursing mothers.

• and mosaic lesion. A painful “ornament” that has barely appeared can be eliminated with a solution (25 g / 10 l). For best effect the treatment is repeated three times, after waiting a week.

Among the "opponents" are such pests:

• Aphid. It does not tolerate the action of insecticides of the type and. Ampoules of 2 ml are enough for 2 liters of water. If there are too many insects, the same container is taken per 1 liter. One (maximum two) processing is allowed.
• . The preparations are the same as against aphids, but it helps and is strong. 0.1 g / 10 l - and the problem is solved, small midges will begin to die in just 5 minutes. Note the duration of the drug (15 days).
• . After treatment with such means, they are unlikely to appear on the peduncle. As a preventive measure, it is advised to collect them from nearby crops.

reproduction

Two main methods are used. They are well known to all flower growers, but still there are some points that are worth mentioning separately.

seeds

This method, for all its simplicity, is rarely used. The fact is that germinated achenes will reach the flowering stage only in the third season after planting in the open. For some, it takes only 2 years (but this is rare even on well-groomed ground).

If such difficulties are not frightening, and there is plenty of time, the whole procedure is done according to the following algorithm:

• since autumn, achenes are selected from the boxes, which are stored in a dry, dark place;
• in early February, a box is taken for sowing, into which the prepared substrate is poured;

Important! A sharp transition from a cool spring to a dry summer provokes the appearance of root rot. In regions with such weather conditions Acidander needs special care.

• the seeds are laid out in this box and pressed to a depth of 0.5-1 cm. You can not press, but simply sprinkle with a layer of earth of the same thickness;
• watch the temperature, it should be at least +20 ° C.

At first, the crops are moistened by spraying, and only then can the seedlings be carefully watered. By the way, it will also have to dive, while placing it in different flowerpots or immediately into the ground.

After the main planting, the rhizome is dug up and sent to winter in order to re-plant small bulbs in the spring. A year later, this work is repeated, and only then you can wait for the flowers.

The first impression of this flower is multifaceted, it seems that I have already seen it somewhere. Some confuse it with narcissus, perhaps due to the similarity in flavor. The second name of acidantera is fragrant gladiolus. By the way, there are about 40 types of acidantera. And it belongs to the iris family of the genus Iris.

Atsidantera - a flower with a thin, graceful stalk and the same graceful big flowers about 10 cm in the shape of an asterisk. The color can be pale white or light purple shades with a dark heel in the center (two-color acidants). In our country, the most common type is bicolor acidantera, grown as an annual.

reproduction

Like the gladiolus, the acidantera reproduces by corms, babies and seeds.

When propagated by seeds, gardeners have to wait a long time for the plant to bloom, so this method is used extremely rarely by amateur gardeners. But if you still decide, then they are planted as seedlings in February-March in loose soil rich in fertilizers, or in a greenhouse at a temperature of 20-25 ° C. The grown seedlings dive.

A lot of babies are formed on the corms. If you are thinking of breeding with children, then plant them on a breeding bed in the spring, you can in the grooves, I simply place the cubs in loose soil. Children must be weeded, watered, loosened the soil and dug for the winter. After 2-3 years, nodules are obtained, ready to give birth to flowers. It will not be superfluous to feed the soil with mineral and organic fertilizers. You can take an infusion of mullein.

Landing acidantera

Due to the fact that in nature this flower is common in Africa, in our strip it loves sunny places and without strong winds. Grows well in well-drained neutral to slightly acidic soils. The soil for this flower must be moist, for this, after planting, it can be mulched with the same peat. It is also not worth transfusing the acidanter, so that there is no stagnation of water and the bulb does not rot. Before planting, mineral and organic fertilizers are introduced into the soil in order to obtain good flowering and the growth of the flower bulb.

In order for the acidantera to bloom early, it can be planted in pots in March and grown in a warmed greenhouse or on a windowsill, and somewhere in the middle - the end of May, when the threat of frost has passed, planted in the garden. Acidantera is very susceptible to putrefactive diseases, in order to be safe, the bulbs can and should be treated with fungicides. You need to plant at a depth of about 10 cm, at a distance of about 20 cm, depending on the size of the bulb.

Acidander Care

If you do not grow a flower at home, but immediately plant it in the ground, then you need to cover it when it gets cold in the summer. Also in winter, the tubers are covered with dry leaves, straw, spruce branches. You can also use peat, but in one of my winters the snow completely melted, and after a few days it got colder. Most likely, the peat gained moisture and my onions froze. During the growing season, mineral fertilizers can be applied 2-3 times, and in order for the flower to remain advantageously beautiful, faded inflorescences must be removed.

The peduncles are completely cut off after the acidanthera has faded, and are left only lower leaves so that the bulb gains strength. Acidantera is suitable for planting in tubs, pots. If you want to plant an accidantera in a tub (container), then you should consider that additional feeding and watering is needed. If you plant like home plant, prepare soil for it from humus, leaf and sod land, sand. But you need to transplant it into a fresh mixture once a year. Keep the flower light warmth room around 20 °C.

Storage and wintering

If the winter promises to be warm, then you can not dig it out, but warm the flower for the winter with straw and dry leaves. In one place, you can grow an acidantera for 5 years.

But if winter promises frost and cold, in the fall the tubers are dug up (around the end of September) for storage. Cut off first upper leaves, while the lower ones are left, then within a month you need to dry well at a temperature of 18-20 ° C in a well-ventilated room. It will not be superfluous to treat the tubers with fungicides before drying. When the bulbs are dry, the ground part is unscrewed, the roots are cut off. Folded in a box with peat or put in a newspaper. Store at a temperature of 10-15 ° C in a dry, ventilated area. I store it in a box with peat, but not everyone survives until spring, many onions become unviable, probably because the onions did not gain nutrients over the summer.

Types of acidantera

Most of known species acidantera has not yet been cultivated, and there are few places to find them. The most popular and common species in our area is the two-color acidantera.

• Acidantera bicolor - b white flower 12 cm in diameter, with a large black-red spot in the center. Corms about 3 cm, milky white in a brown layer.

• - bilateral inflorescences with 5-6 flowers. Flowers are white with crimson spots.

• Acidantera short tubular- bright purple flowers on a short tube. In culture, it is not known, because of the bright color is of great interest.

• Acidanthera white- white flowers with a strong smell on a thin strong stem.

• Cape acidantera- flowers are white with purple-red veins.

• Acidantera Fourcade- pink-white flowers. Not known in culture, but of interest.

• Acidantera grassy- white flowers with a purple tint, unknown in culture.

• - white flowers with purple veins and a green spot in the center, not found in culture. It grows in the Cape Peninsula and South Africa.

• Acidantera few-flowered- small plants with thin leaves and 2 flowers. Grows in South Africa. The flowers are white with a reddish tint. In culture this species unknown.

• Atsidantera broad-leaved- grows in the Cape Peninsula. It has about 3 flowers per plant, white flowers with a purple tint. Perianth with rounded lobes.

• Acidanthera pink-white- Found in South Africa. It has about 3 crimson flowers with a spot of white.

• Acidantera tubular- Has about 4 flowers on a long tube. Grows in South Africa