Crocosmia - planting and care. Crocosmia flower (photo)

Crocosmia, or montbretia, is considered one of the most exquisite exotic ornaments of the garden. Already from early spring, it attracts attention with lush and long linear leaves, and in the summer from the beauty and does not look away. Crocosmia blooms in July with bright colors of sunny colors, which are fragrant with the fragrance of saffron. The plant remains in its festive outfit right up to the cold, so the Krokos is so fond of using in landscape design.

Where it is better to plant a montbretion?

The Crocos is also called the Japanese hyacinth, although it is not from the Land of the Rising Sun, but from South Africa. She refers to the family of iris and is in direct relationship to saffron, even smells like him. This bulbous plant, growing to 1.5 m in height, blooms in yellow, red and orange. Japanese hyacinth does not belong to excessively capricious colors, but still it is worth knowing some nuances of caring for it. Therefore, the flower growers need to carefully consider the choice of a place on which the Crocosmia would feel good.

Planting and nursing presuppose a choice of a solar patch, because the plant comes from the south. The sunlight of the crocosmium is needed to form buds, in the shade it may never bloom. Montbretzia feels great on any soil. The plant tolerates a drought, but still likes to be watered regularly, while not allowing stagnation of water. The site for planting the flower should be prepared in advance in the fall, and the bulbs are planted already in April or May, when it becomes warmer.

How to care for the crocosmia?

Montbretzia is an unpretentious plant, but nevertheless, if you want the flower to live luxuriously and not exist, you need to make complex mineral fertilizers. Thanks to the extra nutrition will find a healthier appearance and increase the budding of the crocosmia. Planting and care involves regular watering, weeding. In regions with a harsh climate bulbs the plants must be excavated, but in the southern regions you can leave it for winter in the ground. In this case, the crocosmium must be insulated, covered with fallen leaves. Having survived the first winter, the plant is hardened and frosts are no longer frightening to him.

How to plant a plant?

Planting of the crocosmium is carried out both by seeds and bulbs. In the first case, you need to wait long until the plant forms and blossoms. When planting bulbs, the motif blooms for the second year. If you surround the flower with attention and care, then you will enjoy a healthy view of the crocosmia. Planting and care involves the timely removal of wilted flowers. Also, do not forget about observing the necessary distance between the motions. When plants multiply by bulbs, they need to be planted. Thus, you can achieve a beautiful flowering for several seasons.

Wintering of the Crocosmia

South Africa is considered to be the native land of the organization, therefore it refers to heat-loving plants. Despite this, most of the small-flowered varieties of flower growers are left in the open ground, because even severe frosts can withstand the crocosmia. Cultivation of the plant involves sheltering bulbs with a thick layer of shavings or fallen leaves, the thickness of such an organic blanket should exceed 20 cm. Additionally, you can put a film so that during thaws the crocosmia is not soaked. It should be noted that if the bulbs are not digged, then the plant is much better developed and annually pleases with abundant flowering.

But, of course, not all the crocosmia can withstand the severe frosts. Planting and care of large-flowered varieties is somewhat different from the care for small-flowered species. Such plants are more thermophilic, in the southern regions they can still be somehow preserved in winter, but in the northern latitudes it is only necessary to dig them out. Bulbs can be obtained at the end of October in dry weather. It should be thoroughly shaken off the ground, cut off the leaves at a height of about 5 cm. Crocasm flower forms whole nests, it is not worth it to separate them. Bulbs must be dried and packed in paper bags or boxes, pouring dry peat. They are stored at a temperature of 5-10 ° C, for this purpose a cellar or refrigerator is suitable.

Crocosmia - decoration of the garden

Designers are very fond of working with montbret. The plant looks great on mixed flowerbeds (mixborders), it is planted on the second or first row in large groups. In the "dry", "tropical" and gravel gardens are also very common crocosmia. The photo of the blossoming Japanese hyacinth in combination with canna, daylily, dahlias, salvia, rudbeckie and other flowers enchants with its colors. Montenegro is naturalized in natural gardens. The flower grows rapidly, so its greenery can cover a large area in just a few years. Crocosmia can grow in the shade, although it is unlikely to bloom, but it will decorate its green long leaves exactly. Montbretia is also grown for cutting.

Best grades

The most common hybrid is Crocosmoflora. Also very popular is Emily McKenzie, this late-flowering highly-cultivating variety, growing to 60 cm tall. Its flowers are directly planted, brownish with orange spots. "Star of the East" (Star of the East) - a very beautiful orange-apricot crocosmia. Photos of this brand will not leave anyone indifferent. The flower is large, late-flowering, resembles the shape of a star, grows to 1 m in height. Up to 60 cm grows such varieties as Norwich Canary, Solfatare, Walberton Red, Golden Fleece. They bloom with red, apricot, lemon flowers.

The most representative looks like the Lucifer Crocosmia. It blooms with bright erect colors of a tomato-red hue. It grows up to 1.5 m tall, boasts a high frost resistance. The crocosmia Masoniorum also has similar characteristics, only it blooms with bright orange flower stalks. Huge popularity is enjoyed by the panicle early-morning color, which bloomed with orange flowers in June.

Crocosmia is a natural ornament of any garden and flower garden. More and more growers pay attention to this beautiful plant, burning bright colors. The number of fans of the crocosmium is growing year by year.