Content
Chinese or Japanese gladiolus, also known as montbretia or crocosmia, is a beautiful and unpretentious plant that will decorate any garden. The main advantage of this unusual plant is that it blooms from early summer to late autumn, depending on the variety. The variety of shades is also impressive. Crocosmia can bloom with bright scarlet, yellow or orange flowers. However, in order for gladiolus to take root well and please with its unusual appearance, it must be planted following certain rules. The same goes for care.
Description
The birthplace of crocosmia is not in China, but in South Africa. The plant belongs to the iris family. "Crocosmia" in Greek means "saffron scent" as its dried flowers smell of this noble spice. And the garden Chinese gladiolus was bred by Lemoine, a breeder from France. Sometimes the plant is called Chinese gladiolus.
Japanese gladiolus is characterized by star-funnel-shaped flowers, collected in the form of multi-colored spikelets. Crocosmia looks great not only in the garden, but also in cut form. Flowers can stand in a vase without losing their charm for up to two weeks.Crocosmia looks great combined with a sprig of asparagus. Winter bouquets made from dried montbretia are unusual and original.
Reproduction methods
There are two standard methods for propagating Montbrecia.
- Seeds.
- Bulbs.
Sow the seeds in February-March, placing the pots in a well-lit place. By May, the crocosmia grows up, and it can be planted in a bed with a lump of earth to better take root. If you are going to plant crocosmia in pots, then this can be done in April. Naturally, gladioli from seeds will not bloom immediately. Flowers appear in the second or third year.
Immediately before planting the bulbs in the soil, they need to be kept in a warm room for 2-3 days. About 2 hours before planting, you need to soak the bulbs in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate. The planting depth is 5 cm.
The bulbs are planted at intervals of 10 to 12 cm. To get flowers faster, plants grown in pots are planted.
Japanese gladioli grow well in lighted areas with low groundwater. It is important that rainwater does not stagnate on the site. If you plant Montbrecia in a poorly lit area, it may not bloom.
How to grow gladioli
Chinese crocosmia does not need frequent watering. After watering or rain, the soil must be weeded and loosened. Nitrogen mineral fertilizers accelerate the growth of Japanese gladiolus. In the summer, you can use a solution of mullein in a ratio of one to ten. Organic fertilizers can be used in parallel with potassium mineral supplements.
Later in autumnWhen the gladiolus has completely faded, the stem must be completely cut off. This is done for better ripening of the bulbs. This measure helps the corms to successfully survive the winter in the soil. If the region has a harsh climate, then the bulbs need to be dug closer to the onset of winter cold.
Store planting material at a temperature not exceeding 10 degrees, avoiding drying out. Corms are stored well in a wooden box with sawdust. You just need to first check that the sawdust is not affected by wood-boring beetles. To prevent the bulbs from drying out, they are pre-moistened with a spray bottle. In warmer climates, the bulbs overwinter in the soil. If, according to forecasts, the winter is cold, then the tubers are covered with a 20-centimeter layer of leaves, and on top of them - polyethylene. This protects the bulbs from freezing the soil. In the spring, all that remains is to remove the film and rake the leaves.
The plant is resistant to diseases, it is not difficult to grow, but pests like thrips and mole crickets are dangerous for it. Therefore, if you want to have beautiful, healthy and undamaged plants on your site, destroy them.
Overview of common varieties
The most popular varieties of crocosmia are as follows:
EmilyMcKenzie
Ornamental plants with brownish-orange flowers collected in a symmetrical spike. There are red spots in the center of the petals. The height of the plant is 60 cm. Gladiolus blooms late.
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Norwich Canary
60 cm plant with yellow buds.
"Star of the East"
This variety is considered one of the most popular among Montbrecias, due to its unusually large and beautiful flowers. The bud is orange in color and has a star-shaped shape. Its diameter is about 10 cm. The plant is tall. Its height is about 1.0 m.
Lucifer
This variety is rightfully considered the brightest. The flowers are very beautiful, bright scarlet in color. The plant is tall (it happens that it has grown about 1.5 m), with a stable, erect stem.
Paniculata crocosmia
The variety is distinguished by early flowering (the first flowers appear in June). The plant blooms very profusely, with bright orange flowers.
Conclusion
Montbrecia is an unusually beautiful plant. In terms of its attractiveness, it competes even with gladiolus, since, unlike it, it is very unpretentious when grown. Chinese gladiolus also looks great with other plants: cannas, dahlias, daylilies, echinacea. A group of tall Chinese gladioli looks great against the backdrop of a lawn planted with low-growing plants. When choosing plants for planting, pay attention to their height. With proper care, unusually beautiful flowers will delight you for a long time.
