Flowers lisianthus: reproduction, planting, cultivation and care

Homeland of the unusual garden flower of the lisianthus are Mexico and North America. Refers to this spectacular perennial plant to the family of gorchakovyh. At home in ancient times, it is very much appreciated for its medicinal properties. In Mexico, lisianthus (or eustoma) is often used in all sorts of religious rituals and festivities. In our country, this culture is grown on suburban areas, mostly only as decorative.

general description

Until recently, this plant was considered not very suitable for making bouquets, and therefore it was not grown in an industrial way. The fact is that wild lisianthus has a very short stalk and in flower compositions it looks not too attractive. However, since the bell-crowns of this plant are very beautiful, it eventually interested biologists-breeders. As a result, a large number of tall eustoma varieties (up to 70 cm) were excavated. Today, lisianthus is quite common, including in our country, a garden ornamental plant.

Flowers lisianthus: growing from seeds in seedlings

The eustoma plant is southern, and, consequently, thermophilic. Cultivated lisianthus by domestic gardeners mainly from seeds, seedlings. The best time for sowing in boxes is the end of February - the beginning of March. Soil under the seedlings are prepared weakly acidic or neutral, fertile. Very good for these plants suitable ready-bought soil, designed for indoor violets. In order to make it a bit more friable, it needs to add a bit of sand.

How to land?

Before filling in boxes, the eustoma soil should be steamed. The fact is that this plant is not too resistant to various bacterial and fungal diseases. Seeds of flowers lisianthus (eustoma) are very small. Therefore, they are usually sold in the form of pills. They are planted in boxes in a superficial way. Primer slightly moisturized. After the seeds are laid out on the ground, the box is covered with film or glass. Seed lisianthus seedlings about 10-12 days after planting. All this time, you need to make sure that the soil in the box does not dry out.

Care of seedlings

Emerged sprouts eustoma gradually accustom to room air, removing film or glass for an increasingly longer time. At first, seedlings of lisianthus actively increase the root system. At the same time, the green mass develops very slowly. Approximately in 6-8 weeks in young eustom appears 2-3 pairs of these leaves. At this time they are transplanted into separate pots. It is not recommended to tighten with picking plants. At too large seedlings during transplantation, it is easy to damage greatly overgrown roots.

Picks are usually carried in small plastic pots (6 cm in diameter). Since the roots of this plant develop very rapidly, somewhere in the middle of March, the seedlings are transplanted in a larger container (up to 9 cm). In the open ground flowers lisianthus transferred in early June, when the threat of recurrent frosts passes.

Sprinkle seedlings eustom at first only with the use of an atomizer. Overdrying young lizianthus very much do not like. Therefore, the humidity of the soil in boxes and pots should be carefully monitored. Fertilize plants best is an integrated means, designed for flower seedlings. To make such top dressing it is necessary once in two weeks, having reduced concentration specified on packing in two times.

Where to plant?

In the garden flowers lisianthus feel best in slightly shaded, well protected from the wind places. Soil these plants like fertile, neutral, drained. In the lowland, eustoms should not be planted. In such places, they will necessarily develop bacterial diseases.

Very high varieties of lisianthus are often planted in the background of courtyard flower beds or fences. The low-grown ones look well on the Alpine hills, as well as in group plantings of bright annuals.

How to plant properly

Plant flowers lisianthus in the open ground laid with an earthen lump. The soil in the flowerbed must be pre-fertilized with Azofa or Nitrophus. If the land on the site is acidic, it is necessary to add ash or dolomite flour during digging.

When transferring to flowerbeds, in no case should the flowers of lisianthus be buried. Planting should be done in such a way that the plants are at the same level above the flower bed surface as in the pot. The distance between the bushes should be quite large. Growing eustoma of all varieties is very lush and at the same time extremely dislikes the thickening. If a rainy summer is expected to occur, planted lisianthus is preferably treated with a solution of "Fundazol" or "Fitosporin." The soil under the plants must be covered with a thick layer of peat.

Top-dressing in summer time

Nutrients this decorative plant consumes quite a lot. Therefore, to achieve lush flowering, the soil under it should be periodically fertilized. Make fertilizing under the eustoma 3-4 times per season. As a fertilizer, the usual use is infusion of cow or horse manure or compost.

How correctly to water?

Adult lisianthus flowers, like young ones, are very bad for overdrying. With a lack of moisture, they can even discard the buds. Therefore, watering eustoma should be quite often and abundantly. It is best to do this in the morning or evening, otherwise you can burn the leaves with the plant. Between watering, the soil on the flower bed should dry up a little. Otherwise, a black leg may develop in the eustom. A day after watering, it is desirable to loosen the soil under the lisianthus.

Diseases of plants

Different kinds of bacterial and fungal infections, as already mentioned, very often affect the flowers of lisianthus. Care for them, therefore, should include and various kinds of activities aimed at preventing the development of such diseases.

If these flowers are not created good conditions, they can pick up mycosis, fusariosis or gray rot. In order for this to happen, you must follow certain rules. When watering, for example, you should try to make sure that water does not fall on the leaves or stalks with eust. The same applies to manure. This fertilizer contains a large amount of nitrogen, which can soften the cells of green parts of plants and make them vulnerable to infections.

If the lisianthus nevertheless become ill, they should be treated several times with a solution of soap and copper or 1% boric acid.

Of pests, the eustoma are most often affected by a whitefly and a spider mite. In order to rid the flowers of this scourge, they must be simply treated with infusion of garlic or tobacco.

Lysianthus: the value of the flower according to the beliefs

As you can see, the care for the eustoms is a rather complicated procedure. However, in most cases, it's worth it. The flowers are really remarkably beautiful. At home, in Mexico, the lisianthus are treated with great reverence. Varieties with white buds are considered a symbol of femininity, tenderness and love and are used to decorate wedding halls, as well as to compose bouquets of brides. Lizianthus with dark colors, on the contrary, symbolize deep sorrow and sadness. They decorate the burial places, use them in mourning bouquets.

At us in Russia лизиантус it is considered basically only a wedding flower. It is allowed to give these flowers also for anniversaries or birthdays. Especially the eustoms are spectacularly looked in combination with white or red roses.