Wonderful alissum (planting and care)

Everyone who has ever been involved in landscape design knows what a wonderful plant is - alissum. Planting and caring for it are subject to even inexperienced growers. What is this plant? Flowers alissum belong to the numerous Cabbage family. The native land of this plant is the Mediterranean countries.

On our sites the sea alissum most often meets . Planting and caring for this herbaceous perennial plant, used as an annual, will not leave anyone indifferent. Its height rarely exceeds 25 cm. It has densely branched, creeping stems, covered with narrow lanceolate leaves. During the growing season, the plant grows strongly, creating beautiful multi-colored "pillows". Small flowers, each with only 4 petals, are collected in small brushes. They exude a delightful honey smell that attracts insects. This plant is an excellent honey.

Alissum, planting and caring for which begins in early spring, is distinguished by long flowering. It blooms in June and pleases the eye before the onset of frost. As the flowering on the plant appear fruit-pods with small seeds. When ripe they burst and self-seeding occurs again. Flowers alissum, photos of which are very spectacular, are white, yellow, pink, purple. Despite such a scarcity of options, the combination of multi-colored bushes looks great on any flower bed or alpine hill, and also in mixborders.

How is the alissum grown? Planting and caring for germinating seeds begins in March-April. At this time, they are sown in small boxes with a fertile substrate. When the first leaves appear, the seedlings are dived and planted according to the scheme of 6x5 cm. The alissum hits the permanent place in May-June. Arrangement scheme: 15x15 cm. Flowering begins 45 days after emergence.

Experienced flower growers directly in the open ground sow alissum. Planting and nursing in this case are not much different from the method described above, but do not need to dive the seedlings. After the alissum grows older, it is thinned out. This plant is not exacting to soils and warmth, although in arid summer it can quickly bloom with bad watering. After the first flowering, you can trim the stems, which often leads to the re-emergence of the inflorescence. Olsyps are often propagated by cuttings (in June) or by dividing a bush (in April). Care consists of loosening the soil, complex feeding (2-3 times per season), regular watering.

On what sites should you plant the alissum? Planting and care of lighted or slightly shaded flower beds gives the best results. Also, light and neutral, fertile soils strengthen growth and flowering. Among the most popular varieties of alissum, the following should be noted: "schneepteppish", "snowdrift", "klein dorrith" (white); "Violetkenigin" (purple); "Vanderland", "rose o'de" (bright pink); "Secretime" (salmon). Diseases and pests: brown rot of roots, viral mosaic of leaves, powdery mildew, turnip whiting, cruciferous flea, moth cabbage.