Alyssum from the Cruciferous family is represented by herbaceous plants, the habitat of which extends throughout Eurasia and the African continent. Lush bushes with a wide color palette of small flowers owe their name to the use in the treatment of rabies, as evidenced by the translation of the word Alyssum - "without dog rabies."
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Description of varieties
Alissum flowers, also known as alyssum, are groundcover plants that do not exceed a height of 40 cm. Fluffy bushes are formed by highly branched shoots covered with elongated foliage. In May, the beginning of flowering is observed, which lasts until late autumn. Brush-shaped inflorescences of small sizes of various colors are formed from small, fragrant flowers. Depending on the particular variety.
In the natural environment, the numerous genus has about 100 species, among which there are both annual and perennial herbaceous plants.
The following varieties are most popular and recognized:
- Alyssum is rocky. A branching plant with 40 cm semi-lignified shoots at the base that form a lush hemispherical bush. Rosette leaves are preserved on shoots even in winter. Blooming yellow flowers can be observed twice during the growing season. Common varieties: lemon Citrinum, undersized Compactum, terry Plenum.
- Alyssum maritime. The species is represented by low bushes from fleshy shoots creeping over the soil, covered with silver leafy plates with a small edge. In the wild, a typical species can bloom with white and lilac flowers with a honey aroma.Varieties: undersized “Tim Tyne”, hot pink “Easter Bonnet Deep Rose”, ampelous “Princess in Simple”, purple “Violet Konigin”.
- Alyssum is mountainous. The most frost-resistant look with leaf blades. seeming silvery due to the small edge. Flowering, in which yellow flowers bloom, occurs in the second half of spring.
- Alyssum is ampelous. The most decorative look, forming long stems forming a magnificent ball. It is covered with elegant brushes formed from small flowers with a pleasant aroma.
Growing Alissum from Seeds
Despite the possibility of sowing directly into the open ground, a more reliable method of growing alissum from seeds is the seedling method, in which the following actions are performed:
- In April, a container is prepared with a nutritious, light soil neutral reaction.
- The soil mixture is pre-calcined in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Seeds are distributed on the surface of the disinfected substrate and slightly pressed.
- The container is covered with glass and installed in a cool room with temperature values of 10 - 15 ° C.
- With systematic moistening and ventilation, seedlings will appear after a week, and sometimes earlier.
- The first top dressing of seedlings is carried out after the formation of 1 real leaf.
- After the seedlings form 3 true leaves, they dive into individual pots.
Important! Planting alissum in open ground is carried out after preliminary hardening of seedlings.
How and when to plant flowers in the garden
For successful rooting and further growth, it is important to correctly determine when to plant alissum. The prepared seedlings are planted on the flowerbed in late spring - early summer, when there will be no possibility of night frost return.
For the alissum, sunny areas are selected on which light, loose soil has a good fertile layer and a neutral reaction. For the culture, small fluctuations in the hydrogen index of the soil in one direction or another are allowed.
So that the plantings are not thickened and turn into a beautiful flowering rug, follow this algorithm of actions:
- Pits with dimensions slightly exceeding the parameters of the earthen coma of the seedling are dug at a distance of 40 cm from each other.
- Planting material is placed in the recesses and dug in such a way that the root neck is flush with the ground.
- After completion of planting, alissum is watered.
Outdoor cultivation and care
Caring for alissums is as simple as planting:
- Watering. The flower loves regular, and in the summer heat, plentiful hydration, in which it is worth avoiding systematic waterlogging and stagnation of water, leading to the development of fungal diseases and loss of decorative qualities.
- Soil treatment. After rainfall and watering, loosen the soil in the beds and at the same time remove weeds that deplete nutrient reserves. If you don’t want to spend a lot of time on these procedures, you can cover the ground under the flowers with a layer of peat mulch.
- Top dressing. In spring, alissum is fed with nitrogen, which stimulates the growth of shoots. Before flowering and after completion, phosphorus-potassium mineral fertilizers are used as additional nutrition.
- Pruning. From perennial varieties in the spring dry inflorescences and damaged stems are removed. Before winter, alissum should not be cut.
- Protection against pests and diseases. Cruciferous fleas are the worst enemy of cruciferous culture, which can be eliminated by spraying with an insecticide according to the manufacturer's instructions on the packaging. With excessive waterlogging, rot, powdery mildew may begin to develop. Fungicidal preparations can cope with such fungal diseases. If the flowers are struck by a viral mosaic, then the diseased bushes will have to be dug up and burned immediately to prevent the spread of infection to neighboring copies.
Alyssum after flowering
When the bushes bloom for the first time, it is recommended to prune the faded inflorescences and shorten all shoots by 5 cm, which will stimulate repeated flowering and keep the plants neat.
After autumn flowering, you can collect seeds for sowing next spring.
Perennial wintering
In order for the alissum, which is not distinguished by unlimited winter hardiness, to survive the winter, planting should be covered with fallen leaves. And when the snow falls, form snowdrifts over the bushes.
Important! The critical temperature minimum for the crop is -15 ° C.
Methods of propagating alissum
In addition to the seed method of reproduction, perennial varieties of alissum are bred using cuttings. During spring cuttings, several shoots are cut, which are placed in the water. Rooting can also be carried out in a substrate of sand and peat while maintaining a constant level of humidity. A young specimen is planted in open ground in early autumn.
Combination with other plants
Alyssum looks spectacular not only in flowerbeds, but also in rock gardens, in flowerpots and between plates.
When choosing a place for planting and forming flower arrangements using an original groundcover, you should pay attention to the following flowers, which are very organically combined with alyssum:
- red tulip;
- bearded dwarf iris;
- the Rose;
- pelargonium;
- Turkish carnation;
- heliotrope;
- forest forget-me-not;
- phlox;
- rezukha;
- obrietta.
Read also:heliotrope flower
Thus, a decorative and very unpretentious alissum will be an excellent addition to various art objects and front gardens.
