Content
- 1 Description and characteristics of the chess hazel grouse
- 2 When does the checkered hazel grouse bloom?
- 3 Popular varieties
- 4 When to plant checkerboard hazel grouse
- 5 How to plant checkerboard hazel grouse
- 6 Caring for chess hazel grouse
- 7 Reproduction methods
- 8 Diseases and pests
- 9 Checkered hazel grouse in landscape design
- 10 Conclusion
Checkered hazel grouse (Fritillaria meleagris) is a perennial plant that belongs to the genus of the same name and is a member of the Liliaceae family. The plant is valued for the beauty of its flowers and unpretentiousness. In natural conditions, the checkerboard hazel grouse is on the verge of extinction, therefore it is listed in the Red Book. But many gardeners grow it in their garden plots, which allows them to preserve this unique plant. However, for the full development and flowering of a perennial, it is necessary to create favorable conditions taking into account the requirements of the culture.
The checkerboard hazel grouse has been cultivated since 1519
Description and characteristics of the chess hazel grouse
This perennial is a squat herbaceous plant, the height of which barely reaches 35 cm. The shoots are thin and smooth. In their upper part there are alternately located narrow linear leaves in the amount of two to six pieces with a blunt tip. The length of the plates of the checkerboard hazel grouse reaches 8-13 cm, and the width is 1 cm. The lower leaves are larger than the upper ones.
The root system of the perennial is represented by a bulb. During the growing season, white absorbent shoots form on its bottom. The bulb of the checkerboard hazel grouse is round, flattened, its transverse diameter is no more than 1.5 cm. It consists of two wide scales and is covered in a brown membranous shell.
The flowers of the checkerboard hazel grouse, as can be seen in the photo, are mostly single, but sometimes they appear in twos. The buds are drooping. The perianth is bell-shaped, it is formed by oblong-ellipsoid petals, narrowed at the top and with a blunt tip. Honey-bearing grooves run along their midline. The petals have a dark purple checkerboard pattern that stands out clearly against the light pink or whitish background. On the inside they are yellowish in color. The pistil is taller than the stamens. In the upper part it is divided into three stigmas.
The fruits of the hazel grouse plant are a triangular capsule, blunted at the top, containing small black seeds. They ripen at the end of July. After this, the growing season of the plant ends, the bulb enters the dormant stage and remains there until next spring.
When does the checkered hazel grouse bloom?
The flowering period of the checkerboard hazel grouse begins in mid-May and lasts for two weeks. But depending on weather conditions and the location of the perennial in the garden, the dates may shift by 7-10 days.
Popular varieties
Decorative varieties were obtained based on the wild-growing hazel grouse. They have different flower colors and also have an increased level of vitality.
The most popular of them:
- Alba - height about 20 cm, white flowers.
Alba is ideal for alpine slides
- Jupiter (Jupite) - deep red flowers with a clearly defined pattern, plant height 25 cm.
Jupiter looks impressive when combined with light varieties of crops
- Orion (Orion) - flowers of a purple hue with a pronounced light pattern, height reaches 30 cm.
Orion blooms five days later than other varieties
- Artemis - purple-hued flowers with small green markings on the petals, plant height about 25 cm.
The Artemis variety has been known since 1947
When to plant checkerboard hazel grouse
The checkerboard hazel grouse should be planted in the fall, namely in early September. In this case, the plant manages to take root in a timely manner before the arrival of frost.
How to plant checkerboard hazel grouse
For the culture, it is necessary to choose slightly shaded places, protected from cold gusts of wind. When choosing, you need to take into account that the plant reacts poorly to stagnant moisture in the soil. Therefore, the groundwater level on the site must be at least 1.5 m.
The plant is undemanding in terms of soil composition, but prefers well-drained nutrient soil rich in organic matter. In this case, the checkerboard hazel grouse forms large flowers, as in the photo, in large quantities. The best option for the plant is sandy loam soil and loam with a low acidity level.
Two weeks before planting the plant, the area needs to be dug up and humus added at the rate of 10 kg per 1 sq. m. m. And in the case of loam, you also need to add an additional 5 kg of sand for the same area size.
Before planting the bulbs in open ground, you need to soak them in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for 15 minutes, then rinse with clean water and dry well.Planting should be done in holes, the depth of which should be three times the size of the bulb. Sprinkle a layer of sand at the bottom of the depressions, and then place the bulbs slightly on their side, which will eliminate the possibility of moisture stagnation between the scales in the future.
After planting, it is necessary to level the soil surface and sprinkle it with a layer of peat no more than 1 cm thick.
Caring for chess hazel grouse
Caring for perennials is easy. Agricultural technology for chess grouse includes standard procedures, including watering, fertilizing, loosening, timely replanting and shelter for the winter. The viability of the plant and its flowering directly depend on the correctness of their implementation.
Watering
This plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture in the soil. Therefore, it should be watered sparingly during a long absence of rain. To do this, you can use settled water at a temperature of +18-20 °C. Moisturize in the evening. The recommended frequency of watering is 1-2 times every two weeks. It should also be carried out after the hazel grouse has flowered, until the above-ground part begins to fade, since during this period the bulb continues to grow.
Top dressing
For the full development and lush flowering of hazel grouse, it is recommended to feed the plant twice a season. The first time you need to apply fertilizers is at the beginning of the growing season. During this period, you can use nitroammophoska at the rate of 30 g per 10 liters of water. The second time you need to feed the hazel grouse after flowering, so that the plant can regain strength and grow the bulb. At this time, you need to use 25 g of potassium sulfide and 30 g of superphosphate per bucket of water.
Fertilizers can be applied to the soil in dry form, followed by incorporation into the soil and watering
Loosening
Throughout the growing season, it is also important to periodically loosen the soil at the base of the perennial. This will prevent moisture stagnation and provide air access to the bulb. Loosening should be done after each rain or watering.
Shelter for the winter
The checkerboard hazel grouse successfully winters in central Russia and does not require shelter for the winter. But in regions with more severe climatic conditions, it is necessary to cover the plant with a layer of mulch 5 cm thick in late autumn, and additionally lay spruce branches on top.
When to transplant chess grouse
Sometimes there is a need for a plant in a new place. The procedure can be carried out before and during flowering. In this case, the plant will have time to fully take root before the bulb enters the dormant stage.
The checkerboard hazel grouse easily tolerates transplantation
Reproduction methods
The perennial can be propagated by seeds and daughter bulbs. Each of these methods has features that need to be taken into account.
Bulbs
As the hazel grouse grows, babies appear around the bulb, which subsequently begin to interfere with each other. In this case, you need to dig up the entire plant at the beginning of autumn, carefully separate the children and immediately plant them in a new place. And then water the area generously and, if necessary, cover it for the winter.
Seeds
To propagate chess hazel grouse, you need to collect the fruits after they ripen and pour out the seeds from them. They can be planted directly in open ground. To do this, you need to level the area, make holes 10 cm wide and 1 cm deep, and water generously.After this, sow and cover the seeds with a layer of soil.
In this case, seedlings appear in the spring. And hazel grouse grown from seeds bloom for 3-4 years.
Diseases and pests
This perennial is characterized by high natural immunity, but during prolonged rainy weather it can be affected by gray rot. Then brown wet spots appear on the leaves, flowers and shoots of the hazel grouse. Subsequently, they become covered with a gray coating, which indicates sporulation of the fungus. In this case, the plant must be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or Fundazol.
Also, when moisture stagnates, the perennial suffers from root rot. This can be determined by the sharp yellowing of the aerial parts. To save the plant, you need to dig it up, separate the healthy bulbs, treat them in Maxim’s solution and transplant them to a new place.
Among the pests, the lily hoverfly can cause damage to the chess grouse. The insect has a red body and a black head. The pest and its larvae feed on the leaves and flowers of the plant. For destruction, it is recommended to treat the plantings of chess hazel grouse with Actellik or Fufanon.
Checkered hazel grouse in landscape design
This perennial can successfully fit into and complement any landscape design. White and dark varieties of hazel grouse look especially impressive in mono-plantings, as can be seen in the photo. The perennial is suitable for alpine slides, borders, and the foreground of flower beds. It can be combined with other spring bulbous flowers to create vibrant compositions that are eye-catching.
The plant exudes a specific aroma and is not suitable for planting near recreation areas
Conclusion
Checkerboard hazel grouse is a crop that, with minimal care, can become a real decoration of the garden.After all, its drooping bell-shaped flowers look so elegant and delicate that few people can be left indifferent. In addition, growing a perennial does not cause any difficulties, so many gardeners give it preference.
