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Summer whiteflower (Leucojum aestivum) is a bulbous perennial. Translated from Latin it means “white violet”. The shape of the flower resembles both a lily of the valley and a snowdrop, however, with a larger bud. Grows equally well in open ground and in pots. It resists pests and diseases well, tolerates frost well, but does not like drought. The white flower is listed in the Red Book. Classified as “Vulnerable”, that is, in wildlife there is a great threat of their complete extinction, despite successful reproduction by humans.
History of the plant
To date, only 2 types of white flowers have been cultivated: summer and autumn. English gardeners did this back in 1588. Although the flower is still considered a neophyte, since its popularity came only recently. It has just begun to be used in landscape design, in parks and garden plots.
In Soviet textbooks, the first mention of summer whiteflower is in volume 30 of “Flora of the USSR.”
The flower grows equally well in open ground and pots
Description of summer whiteflower
The plant belongs to the Amaryllis family. A bulbous and herbaceous representative of the species. Stretches up to 40 cm in height. Summer whiteflower blooms in late spring and summer.
The leaves of the plant are characterized by:
- linear form;
- belt-shaped, 2-4 pieces;
- appear during the flowering period.
Flowers grow in umbellate inflorescences and can be solitary. Over time they wilt. Up to 3 cm long, broadly campanulate. May be white or pink. The perianth is represented by 6 leaves, on the top of which spots may appear: yellow or green.
Summer whiteflower has an interesting structure of the root system. Along with a perennial and thick root, it has bulbs. They are equipped with several membranous white scales that are closed among themselves. After a certain period of time, part of the roots from which the plant was formed dies.
The fruits of the summer whiteflower are presented in a fleshy capsule. It contains many round and oblong seeds. Some of them have brown or black appendages.
Whiteflower tolerates frost well
Where does the flower grow
The homeland of summer whiteflower is the middle part of Europe, Turkey, the Mediterranean and Iran. It is also found in the wild in North Africa, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Albania and Italy.
In Russia, the white flower grows under natural conditions in the Krasnodar region and on the Crimean peninsula.
Reproduction methods
There are two ways to grow summer whiteflower:
- vegetative;
- using seeds.
In the latter case, sowing is carried out immediately after collecting the whiteflower seeds. The air temperature should not fall below +22 OC. If you water the beds abundantly, the first shoots will appear within 1.5 months. In this case, flowering occurs only in 6-7 years.
Summer whiteflower can be propagated vegetatively in late August or early September. The main advantage of the method is that you can see the first flowers already 3-4 years after planting.
The best vegetative method is the method of division by paired scales. To do this, you should take several sequential steps:
- Divide the onion into 6-8 parts, making cuts lengthwise, from top to bottom.
- Divide each resulting part into 2-3 “divisions”, the main thing is that they have several scales with a fragment of the bottom.
- Place each part in a 2% Fundazol solution for 30 minutes.
- Prepare a soil substrate from perlite and peat in a ratio of 50% to 50%.
- Place the “divisions” of the white flower one third of the height of the bulb.
It is advisable that the temperature where reproduction occurs does not fall below +18 OC. This will allow the plants to take root quickly. As soon as the first 2-3 leaves appear, the seedlings are transplanted into the soil substrate. It must be light. After transplanting, summer whiteflower should be watered abundantly.
As soon as the bulbs acquire the required size (2-5 cm in circumference), the plant can be transplanted to a permanent location.
Whiteflower reproduces well vegetatively and with seeds
Growing and care
Summer whiteflower prefers shaded areas. Feels good near ponds and bushes. The soil must be drained and moist, it is advisable to saturate it with humus.
Summer whiteflower does not tolerate high soil acidity, so only rotted manure can be applied as fertilizer. To reduce acidity, add rotted peat and a little lime.After planting summer whiteflower, it is necessary to carefully monitor the thickness of the top layer of soil. It should be equal to two bulb diameters. If this rule is neglected, then shallow planting will lead to a decrease in the root system with intensive growth of “children”. The deeper you plant the bulb, the more it will grow and will not produce many shoots.
Basic rules of care:
- loosening the soil;
- watering;
- weed removal;
- feeding
At the beginning of spring, the white flower does not need watering. Irrigation is required only if the winter was without snow and rain, that is, the soil is dry. The main thing is that the water is not cold; you must use settled water.
To feed white flowers, complex mineral fertilizers are used, always in liquid form. They must contain nitrogen. It is he who stimulates the growth of the bulb. Phosphorus allows you to get lush flowering.
Summer whiteflower does not require shelter for the winter; it tolerates frost well. As a last resort, it can be covered with spruce branches if snow is not expected throughout the cold weather.
In the absence of additional moisture, the flower will not die, but it will not reach the required size in height.
Pests and diseases
The plant resists pests and diseases well. However, sometimes, looking at a plot or photo of summer whiteflower, you can notice yellowish or greenish spots and holes on the foliage. These are clear signs of disease or the presence of insects or rodents in the area.
The most common problems include:
- Bulb nematodes. This is a small worm, as a result of whose vital activity yellowish tumors appear on the foliage.The affected plant will have to be completely disposed of. The remaining summer whiteflowers should be dug up and the bulbs thoroughly washed. Then put them in water for several hours. Its temperature should be at +40 OS. And only after that plant it again in open ground, but in a different area. In flower beds where nematodes have appeared, nothing should be planted for 4-5 years.
- Slugs. This is a very rare problem and can be easily prevented. They appear on heavy and clay soils. Therefore, before planting summer whiteflower, the bulbs should be protected with sand and the soil should be treated with a remedy against these parasites.
- Fungal infections characteristic of damp and warm weather, associated with the appearance of gray mold on the ground. Damaged parts of the white flower plant are destroyed, and the crop itself is treated with a fungicide.
- Moles and mice. Mammals are able to completely chew off the bulb and drag it into their hole. If the plant begins to rot and develops slowly, then, most likely, part of the whiteflower rhizome has been damaged. To save it, you should dig it up, treat the affected area with ash and leave it in the open air for several hours. The wound should dry out well, and only then can it be put back again. You will have to set traps for mice and moles. It is also recommended to inspect the plantings; mice often choose turf with grass or perennial clumps for their homes. There should be at least 3 meters from the plantings, otherwise you will have to choose between them.
In general, the flower is characterized by all the diseases and pests that affect snowdrops and other primroses.
Conclusion
Summer whiteflower is a delicate flower that can decorate any garden plot.Does not require much attention, but loves shade and moist, well-drained soil. It is easy to propagate both vegetatively and by seed. White flowers are great for arranging alpine slides, decorating the entrance area and growing in pots.
