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More and more varieties of ornamental plants and flowers from warm countries have migrated to areas with a cool climate. One of these representatives is Venidium, the cultivation of which from seeds is no more difficult than that of an ordinary flower. The homeland of the handsome man is South Africa. A flower accustomed to warmth in the southern regions germinates well from seeds sown directly in a flower bed. For areas with cold climates, the seedling growing method is preferable.
Characteristics of the flower
Venidium has a spreading bush form up to 80 cm high. The stems are lightly covered with a silver-gray edge. The branched root system does not grow deep, but spreads out in the upper layer of soil. The color of the leaf blades and stems is bright green.
The appearance of the flower resembles a sunflower. The dark core is surrounded by bright oblong petals. The flowers are large, up to 14 cm in diameter. A contrasting ring stands out at the base of the petals in a different color, and the inflorescence itself is orange, white or yellow. Pink sunflowers are less common.Depending on the variety, the tops of the petals are pointed or slightly rounded.
Flowering time
Gardeners like Venidium because of its long flowering period. Sunflowers bloom in June and continue to delight the eye until late autumn. From the faded heads, an achene with open chambers is formed. After complete ripening, the seeds fall off and are carried by the wind.
Many domestic gardeners have not yet acquired this unusual flower, but in vain. Venidium will take its rightful place in the garden, as well as in the flower bed near the house. The plant is unpretentious in care. During the summer, the inflorescences fade and new ones immediately appear. The bush is constantly covered with beautiful sunflowers. Venidium seeds increasingly began to appear on the shelves of flower shops. Anyone who has raised them at least once will never refuse such beauty again.
Variety of varieties
In nature, there are up to twenty species of Venidium. Several varieties have been cultivated, and even hybrids have been bred.
Venidium Fastuosum
The most popular type of Venidium is called lush. The variety is more common among domestic gardeners and in other countries. Large bright flowers grow excellently not only in a flowerbed, but also on the balcony of a multi-story building. The lush sunflower bush grows about 70 cm high. The diameter of the inflorescence is up to 12 cm.
White Prince Zulu
An unusually beautiful white sunflower is characterized by elongated petals with rounded tips. A brown ring characteristic of the variety is formed at the base of the inflorescence. The core of the sunflower is purple. Because of the white color of the petals, this variety of Venidium is sometimes called chamomile.
Orange Prince
The Venidium variety can rightfully be called a decorative sunflower. The bright orange petals with a brown ring at the base are slightly arched. During flowering, the core is brown, and as the seeds begin to ripen, it begins to darken.
Venidium calendulaceum
In nature, the legume variety is considered a perennial plant. Venidium grows well in an indoor flower pot. The diameter of the inflorescences is small - up to 4 cm. Bright yellow elongated petals without a colored ring at the base and a dark core form a flower reminiscent of calendula.
Breeders did not ignore Venidium. When crossing varieties, hybrids with pale cream and other petal colors were bred. There are even dwarf plants up to 30 cm high. One of these hybrids is Dwarf Hybrids. The dwarf flower can grow in small indoor flowerpots on a window, on the street, on an alpine hill and in other places. The plant requires a minimum of soil.
Sowing seeds and methods of growing a flower
Self-growing Venidium from seeds at home occurs in two ways:
- Sowing grains in open ground is more practiced in the southern regions. The seeds have time to germinate in early spring and produce healthy shoots before the beginning of summer. This method is not suitable for the middle zone. Venidium will grow, but flowering will begin a month late.
- The seedling method of growing in cold regions allows the gardener to see sunflowers blooming in early summer.
The process of sowing and growing Venidium is similar to that for garden crops. Use any boxes or glasses for seedlings.The flower loves loose soil with neutral acidity and good drainage.
The video talks about growing flower seedlings:
Time for sowing seeds
Gardeners who have not dealt with this flower are interested in what Venidium is, growing from seeds, when to plant and other leading questions. Sowing seeds for seedlings begins in early March. Venidium grains are not too small, which allows them to be sown one at a time at a distance. This will allow you to avoid picking in the future. If the sowing of seeds is carried out chaotically, the plants are replanted after the growth of 6–7 leaves. By this time, the seedlings had already grown stronger.
Sowing rules
The photo shows growing Venidium from seeds in a container. To get good seedlings, follow the following rules:
- Before planting, the container is disinfected. Small stones and sand are poured onto the bottom. Prepared fertile soil is placed on top of the drainage. You can collect soil from the garden or buy it at the store.
- Small grooves are cut in the soil. It is advisable to spread the seeds at a distance of at least 3 cm. The seedlings will be sparse, which will eliminate the process of picking the seedlings.
- The seeds are covered on top with a thin layer of loose soil - up to 5 mm. Watering is carried out by spraying from a spray bottle. Irrigation with small drops of water will not wash the seeds out of the soil.
- After watering, the container is covered with transparent film or glass and left until germination. You can speed up the germination process by maintaining a constant air temperature in the range of 20–24OWITH.
- The shelter allows you to create an optimal microclimate for the seeds.However, before the Venidium sprouts appear, the crops are ventilated daily. When the top layer of soil dries, spray with warm water.
- High-quality Venidium seeds, subject to sowing rules, will sprout in about the fifteenth day. With the appearance of the first shoots, it is important to provide bright light to the seedlings. The cover must be removed.
When the seedlings grow up, they gradually begin to reduce the temperature in the room. Over time, the seedlings are taken to a cool place and hardened off outside before planting.
If you don’t want to bother with seedlings, Venidium seeds are sown directly in the flowerbed when the ground has warmed up well. With this method of growing a flower, grains can be sown densely. Some may not sprout due to the cold; they may be pecked by birds or blown away by the wind. After germination, it will be possible to leave healthy sprouts and remove excess weak ones.
Planting seedlings in a flower bed
Seedlings grown from Venidium seeds are planted in flower beds after the end of the night frost period. For each region, the time is determined individually. In the middle zone, you can usually transplant Venidium from the first days of May.
It is better not to choose a shaded area with drafts. Venidium is the flower of the sun. The plant loves bright light, warmth, and a place sheltered from the wind. Favorable conditions will affect the rich color of the flower.
Before planting, the seedlings are sorted. To obtain a lush flowering Venidium bush, only strong, well-developed seedlings are selected. Skinny plants will produce the same flowers. Seedlings are planted at a distance of at least 30 cm. The crown and roots of the Venidium grow in breadth.With a narrow planting spacing, the bushes will have little room to develop.
Due to poor adaptation after transplantation, they try to carefully remove the Venidium seedlings from the box and place them in the hole with a lump of earth that has not fallen apart. On a sunny day, the plant is provided with shade. When the flower fully adapts, straightens its leaves, the hassle of care will decrease.
Features of care
Many gardeners like Venidium because it is unpretentious and easy to care for:
- The flower comes from hot countries where there is an arid climate. Frequent watering will not benefit Venidium. Overmoistening the soil creates favorable conditions for the development of fungus. The disease affects the stem near the root. In rainy summers, there is a risk of sunflowers naturally dying off.
- Faded heads are cut off with scissors at the very base. Below the cut, two new buds are born, from which new sunflowers bloom. The process continues until late autumn. Timely removal of faded heads promotes the growth of the bush.
- Non-dwarf Venidiums require garter. Tall stems break during rain or strong winds.
- The flower has enough nutrients in the soil. To increase the size and brightness of the inflorescences, Venidium can be fed with complex fertilizer.
- Of the flower pests, aphids are dangerous. The phenomenon is not common, but it does occur. Spraying with insecticides will help get rid of aphids.
- As with any plant, excess foliage takes away nutrients. Partial thinning will affect better flowering.
With a minimum of care, Venidium will decorate your home area throughout the warm season. Reproduction can even occur by self-sowing.
Southern beauty in landscape design
To decorate your yard with Venidium, you don't need to be a professional designer.You can make compositions from different varieties. If there is a free vacant lot, it will be beautiful to sow the entire area with orange flowers. Dwarf Venidium is planted together with petunia or nasturtium. A tall flower will make friends with daylily or rudbeckia.
Seeds from non-hybrid Venidiums can be collected independently to grow new seedlings. Some grains will germinate on their own, sometimes even in another unexpected place.
