Osteospermum - cultivation and care

Osteospermum is a thermophilic plant. The genus includes more than seventy species of both perennial and annual shrubs and semishrubs. Comes from South Africa.

Appearance

A lush and tall bush pleases the eye from the beginning of June to the end of October. Depending on the variety, osteospermums are of a variety of colors: blue, blue, pink, white. One drawback - bright green leaves are specific and unpleasant smell, if they break. Biological description of osteopromum: a long half-shrub, and also a shrub up to a meter in height, which is closely related to a one-year-old dimorphoteka. It differs from other plants of the family Compositae. If, for example, chamomile have ligulate inflorescences, which direct insects to tubular flowers for pollination and seed formation, everything is not so: tubular flowers are sterile, and seeds are formed in reed - this is the osteospermum. The photo shows rather large seeds, like a band on a sterile center of a flower.

Types of osteosperm

Osteospermum ecklonis

Eclonis, or the osteospermum of Eclon, is used most widely. In the people called Cape daisy. A perennial shrub up to a meter high is very thermophilic and in regions with cold winters it is used as a summer. The most elegant hybrids of the Cape daisy: Volta, the lilac-pink petals of which gradually turn white, Bamba - white petals acquire purple color, Congo - with pink-violet petals, Buttermilk - pale yellow, Zulu - bright yellow, Symphonie cream - lemon color With a narrow purple stripe, Silver Sparkler - white flowers and mottled leaves, Sky and ice - blue and white. These are all high bushes. Much more in demand are small shrubs for containers - up to 30 centimeters, compact. It, for example, Pashn - with shiny petals of pink color of different shades with a bright blue center. Also interesting for florists is osteospermum, which has a spoon-like shape of petals. This is Pink Lace and Dwarf Salmon. Also beautiful are white, purple, red, yellow, orange flowers of Springstar, Cap daisy, Sunny, which luxuriantly grow at a height of only 25-60 centimeters.

Osteospermum jucundum

This osteospermum is extremely effective. Cultivation, however, is somewhat hindered by the special properties inherent in the plant. This species, called osteospermum pleasant, is an evergreen but weakly resistant bush that suits only for regions with a warm climate. The petals in the flowering process change their color from white to purple, and their reverse side is violet. Breeds produced excellent varieties: Lady Leitrim - 30 centimeters in height, white with pink marks flowers, Pakhta - pale yellow petals, bronze color from the underside, Bengal fire - white, and from the underside blue large petals, leaves with golden fringing.

Osteospermum: cultivation

Low plants are great for containers and window boxes. Osteospermum grows well, it is branched, creeping shoots can be used as a ground cover plant. It multiplies well and seeds that are sown in a light substrate, adding sand. Seedlings suffer greatly because of root injuries, so it is better to sow them in separate cups or peat pots. In the boxes you need to sow at a great distance, and carry it to the garden carefully, together with an earthen lump on the roots. Sowing - in the last decade of March or in the first - April. Shoots appear quickly. Seedlings need bright light and a fairly moderate temperature, moistening is also moderate. For tall varieties, it is better to pinch the tops of the seedlings, so the osteospermum thickens more closely. Cultivation by seedling method gives a positive effect: subsequently in the flower garden the bush is more abundant and continuously blooms. Pests and diseases are not noticed.

Osteospermum: growing in favorable conditions

This flower is light and thermophilic. It is necessary to protect the place where it grows from the cold wind, but there must necessarily be sunny or at least partial shade. Its beautiful flowers fully open only in bright light. The soil is best light, drained and fertile. The distance between the plants is about twenty-five centimeters. Seedlings need to be hardened, and after transferring to the garden for a while to water. An ingrained plant becomes both drought-resistant and resistant to colds. Extra nutrition promotes both growth and increase in the number of buds. Faded inflorescences are best removed. Matochnik osteospermuma store all winter in a light, cool place, from time to time moistening the soil.