Content
Planting and caring for perennial crocosmia has some peculiarities: regular watering and fertilizing 4-5 times per season. In terms of care it resembles gladioli: it is a demanding plant. But it produces very beautiful, bright flowers that appear in the second half of summer and delight until autumn. Despite the labor costs, many gardeners strive to breed crocosmia on their site.
Description of perennial crocosmia
Crocosmia (Montbrecia) is a genus of perennial plants belonging to the Iris family. The original name was given in honor of the French explorer Antoine de Montbray. The word “crocosmia” (lat. Crocosmia) is used more often. The common name “Japanese gladiolus” is also common.
The plant really resembles a gladiolus, but is small in size, so it looks more elegant. Crocosmia (like other iris) grows from reticulate corms. It produces large sword-shaped leaves, the height of which reaches 50–60 cm. Four peduncles and one stem with a large number of branches appear from the bulb. It is quite thick, fleshy, durable. It can reach a height of 80–100 cm.
The description of crocosmia (pictured) states that its flowers are bright orange, red or yellow. Flowering lasts a very long time - from the first ten days of July to the beginning of September. The peculiarity of the culture is that the buds begin to bloom not simultaneously, but gradually. Therefore, the bush remains decorative for 2–2.5 months.
Perennial crocosmia looks especially beautiful thanks to the dense planting of several bulbs
Flowers not only decorate the garden, but also give a pleasant smell. If you get closer, it may seem like the scent of saffron. Gardeners note that the smell remains even after the perennial flower dries.
Types and varieties
There are more than 40 species of crocosmia in nature. All of them grow in the tropical zone of South Africa. Breeders have managed to develop more than a dozen cultivated varieties that are suitable for cultivation in the climatic conditions of Russia. The most popular varieties of perennial crocosmia with photos of flowers in the garden will help you choose the appropriate variety to decorate your landscape.
Crocosmia vulgaris
The variety Crocosmia crocosmiiflora belongs to the hybrids bred at the end of the 19th century. The bush is tall (up to 80–100 cm), with branched shoots. The flowers are small, up to 3 cm in diameter, bright: orange and yellow.
Bright flowers of crocosmia vulgaris are visible from anywhere in the garden
Crocosmia paniculata
The perennial variety Crocosmia paniculata forms the tallest bushes (up to 150 cm). It blooms already in mid-June, which is uncharacteristic for other varieties. The flowers are small, bright orange in color, collected in panicle inflorescences.
The diameter of the flowers of the Paniculata variety is 2–3 cm
Crocosmia golden
Crocosmia aurea is a medium-sized plant (60–80 cm), producing several sword-shaped leaves emerging from a common growing point (rosette) at the base of the plant. The color of the flowers of the perennial crop is yellow and golden.
The peculiarity of golden crocosmia is its late flowering, which begins in the last ten days of August.
Crocosmia Potts
Crocosmia Pottsii prefers plenty of moisture because it naturally grows in marshy soils. It can grow both in open areas and in semi-shaded places. Flower color is pastel pink. This variety will appeal to lovers of calm shades.
Crocosmia Pots bushes are quite tall - up to 100 cm
Crocosmia massonorum
The perennial species Crocosmia Masoniorum is represented by medium-sized bushes 60–80 cm high. It produces dense and narrow leaves (up to 4 cm wide) and small flowers of rich orange color, which are collected in racemes. It begins to bloom in early July.
The Massonorum species is frost-resistant, so it can winter in open ground in the middle zone and south.
The best varieties of crocosmia
Among the best varieties of perennial crocosmia, which have gained popularity among professional and novice gardeners, we can highlight: Norwich Canary, Lucifer, Red King, etc.
Norwich Canary
A plant with graceful six-petalled flowers (star-shaped) yellow in color. Flowering occurs in July, August, September and even early October if the autumn is warm enough.
The height of the Norwich Canary bush is about 60–80 cm
The delicate yellow flowers create a very pleasant background.
Crocosmia Lucifer
Crocosmia Lucifer is one of the most popular varieties. Valued for its large star-shaped flowers, painted bright red. The bushes are tall - about 130–160 cm.
Crocosmia Lucifer flowers (pictured) look very impressive, so it is better to plant the plant in the most visible place in the flower garden.
Lucifer's bright red flowers pair well with the rich green leaves
Emily McKenzie
An interesting variety with drooping peduncles and yellow flowers. In appearance they resemble a large firebird feather. At the same time, the bush is medium-sized - 50–60 cm, so it looks good with both small and large ornamental plants.
The Emily McKenzie variety is distinguished by large, richly colored flowers.
Star of the East
A heat-loving perennial crop that takes root well in the southern regions of Russia. Produces large flowers of interesting orange color with hints of apricot.
Star of the East - one of the most original varieties of perennial crocosmia
Crocosmia George Davidson
It is distinguished by large flowers (up to 8 cm in diameter). The height of the bushes is 70–100 cm. Flowering occurs continuously for 8–10 weeks. Winter hardiness is average, so in most regions it needs to be sent indoors for the winter.
The George Davidson variety is valued for its large, attractively colored flowers.
Crocosmia Red King
Perennial crocosmia Red King (Crocosmia Red King) is the most striking representative. The flowers are fiery red, orange in the middle. The plant reaches a height of 40 cm to 1 m, depending on climatic conditions and care characteristics.
The flowers of the perennial Red King crocosmia are very bright in color, so this variety is planted in the center of the garden
Application in landscape design
The plant is excellent for single plantings, next to a recreation area, along a fence, on the coast of a reservoir. It forms dense thickets that look great against the backdrop of a well-groomed lawn. The flower also harmonizes with low-growing plants, creating a beautiful background for them.
Options for using crocosmia in garden design:
- Single landing.
- Composition of perennial crocosmia with ornamental plants.
- Mini flowerbed next to the house.
- Thickets next to the fence.
- As a tapeworm.
Reproduction methods
Perennial crocosmia is bred:
- vegetatively (by dividing bulbs);
- seeds.
In the first case, children (up to 4–5 divisions) are separated from an adult bulb, which are planted in open ground and receive flowers for the next season. Moreover, the parent corm will produce new children in a year, so this method of reproduction is very effective. The procedure begins in late spring. The instructions are as follows:
- Dig up the parent bush.
- Carefully tear off 4-5 children with your hands from each bulb of perennial crocosmia.
- They are planted in pots in which they will grow for 1–1.5 months until the beginning of summer (this is especially important for the Urals, Siberia and the Far East).
- Place the containers on the windowsill and provide moderate watering.
- Then the bulbs with sprouts are returned to open ground and planted in the same way as adult plants.
It is also possible to grow crocosmia from seeds - in this case, care will be a little more difficult. The material is sown for seedlings at the end of February. Therefore, preparations should begin at the beginning of the month.The soil is purchased at the store or made independently from turf soil, peat, humus and sand (2: 1: 1: 1). The soil is disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide.
You can take any containers - both common boxes and individual pots or cassettes will do (this will help avoid picking). Seeds of perennial crocosmia are soaked in water for a day (it is advisable to replace it 3 times during this time), planted to a depth of 1–2 cm, and the containers are covered with film. They are placed in a warm place (22–25 °C), and the lighting is monitored. If there is a lack of sunlight, add a phytolamp.
All this time they observe a regular watering regime. The soil should remain slightly moist at the surface. At the same time, moisture stagnation should not be allowed. A week after transplantation, you can give complex mineral fertilizer.
After 1–2 leaves appear, perennial crocosmia seedlings need to be pruned
Planting and caring for crocosmia
Proper planting and care of perennial crocosmia ensures the appearance of beautiful and lush flowers (pictured).
It is not difficult to achieve lush flowering of perennial crocosmia
When growing crops, it is important to follow the basic rules of care: regularly water and periodically fertilize.
When to plant
The time for planting bulbs or seedlings of perennial crocosmia is the end of April or the first half of May. By this time, the soil has warmed up to 8–10 °C, which can be easily measured with an outdoor thermometer buried in a hole for 15 minutes. If, according to the forecast, return frosts are still possible, the dates are shifted by 1–2 weeks, but not later.
Site selection and preparation
Perennial crocosmia feels good only in open, well-lit areas, where there is not even a slight shadow.It is in such conditions that the plant produces beautiful flowers. The soil should be moderately fertile, light (sandy or loamy), not too wet. Lowlands, wetlands, and places with close groundwater should not be chosen.
It is advisable to prepare the flower bed for planting crocosmia the day before in the fall. To do this, the area is cleaned, dug up to 30–40 cm and fertilized with humus - 5–7 kg per 1 m2. If the soil is heavy, clayey, you should add sand or sawdust at 500–800 g per 1 m2. If the soil is acidified, add 100 g of slaked lime or 200 g of crushed eggshells to the same area. If next spring you add 30 g of urea or saltpeter per square meter, the crocosmia will quickly begin to form bushes.
Rules for planting perennial crocosmia
Before planting perennial crocosmia, the surface of the flower bed is leveled and large clods are broken up. Then several rows are marked at a distance of 10 cm. Then the bulbs or seedlings are planted to a depth of 10 cm, leaving a distance between them of 25–30 cm. Less dense planting is undesirable, since in this case the composition does not look so impressive.
The holes are watered and mulched with peat, hay, sawdust or other material. The protective layer retains moisture, protects plants from temperature changes and weeds. It is worth considering that even if all planting and care conditions are met, crocosmia flowers (pictured) will appear only after 3 years. But after that they will decorate the garden every season.
Crocosmia requires careful care, thanks to which you can grow one of the most beautiful crops in your garden
Watering and fertilizing schedule
Gardeners should be prepared for the fact that caring for all types and varieties of perennial crocosmia is quite difficult (as well as for their related gladioli). Basic Rules:
- Water the plant every week (if there is no rain or too little rain). The water is preliminarily settled for a day at room temperature.
- 1–2 days after watering, the soil is thoroughly loosened. It is unacceptable for a dense crust to form on it or for the earth to crack.
- Fertilizers are actively applied at the first stage of growth. After picking, seedlings are given complex fertilizer. If grown from bulbs, then after the first leaves appear, it is necessary to give an infusion of dung or mullein. A similar composition is applied weekly during the first month (3-4 times in total). The next feeding is given during the appearance of buds.
There is no need to apply complex fertilizers in the fall, since the nitrogen they contain will prevent the plant from entering a dormant state
Preparing for winter
Features of preparation for winter depend on the specific type or variety of perennial crocosmia. In the Urals, Siberia and northern regions, plants are dug up in any case. This should be done no earlier than mid-October in order to wait for the children to fully mature.
2 weeks before digging, stop watering the crocosmia, allow the soil to dry, and completely remove the leaves and flower stalks. The bulbs are cleaned of soil and dried well indoors. They are placed in a dark room with a temperature of +8–10 °C and stored until planting next spring. Periodically moisten with a spray bottle, preventing it from drying out.
In the regions of the middle zone, the Black Earth Region and the south, the corms of perennial crocosmia can be left in the soil. In this case, only the peduncles are removed, and the leaves can be cut to form a stump, which will ensure the growth of new shoots the next season. The plants must be sprinkled with a large layer of leaf litter (20–25 cm) and covered with film. In the spring, the shelter is dismantled so that the bulbs do not rot. It must be taken into account that crocosmia does not tolerate excess moisture. Therefore, if it grows in a lowland, it is better to dig up the tubers and send them indoors for the winter.
Pests and diseases
Planting and caring for Crocosmia Lucifer and other varieties necessarily includes the prevention of diseases and pests, which often affect both the outer part of the plant and the corms:
- fusarium - massive yellowing of leaves, their drying and falling, deformation of stems, loss of natural color in flowers;
- gray rot - the appearance of gray spots with small dents due to excess moisture; Bulbs are especially often affected;
- jaundice (also herbaceousness) - the tips of the leaves turn yellow, the leaves acquire an unpleasant straw hue, which leads to the rapid death of perennial crocosmia;
- cicadas are not dangerous in themselves, but they carry jaundice;
- mole crickets - feed on roots, stems and corms. They can provoke the development of rot. They prefer to live in moist soil, so they are especially dangerous for crocosmia, which loves regular watering;
- thrips - can parasitize on tubers left for storage, as well as after planting;
- spider mite - parasitizes the green part of the plant, covering it with a layer of whitish cobwebs.
The main preventive measure is maintaining moderate watering. The gardener needs to monitor the rainfall, giving plenty of water only during drought.The soil must have time to dry out: the surface can remain only barely moist.
Terms and rules for collecting seeds
After flowering (in September), perennial crocosmia produces fruits - these are round-shaped boxes with numerous large brown seeds. They begin to be collected after the fruits become completely dry.
The capsules are carefully removed from the shoots, the seeds are removed and stored at normal room temperature.
Independent collection and preparation of seed material is impractical, since a new plant grown in this way does not always retain the signs of maternal crocosmia. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase seeds in stores or simply propagate the flower vegetatively, with the help of children appearing around the adult corm.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for perennial crocosmia has certain requirements, but they are all doable. If you regularly water and feed the plant, as well as loosen the soil, the flowering will be truly lush and abundant. It is easier to propagate crocosmia using corms. It is worth remembering that the first inflorescences will appear only after 3 years.
