Content
Chinese, or Japanese gladiolus, also known as montbrecia or crocosmia, is a beautiful and unpretentious plant that will adorn 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 impressive too. Crocosmia can bloom in bright scarlet, yellow or orange flowers. However, in order for the gladiolus to take root well and delight with its unusual appearance, it must be planted, observing certain rules. The same goes for leaving.
Description
The homeland of crocosmia is not at all 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. The plant is sometimes called the Chinese gladiolus.
For the Japanese gladiolus, the flowers are star-funnel-shaped, collected in the form of multi-colored spikelets. Crocosmia looks great not only on the garden plot, but also in cut form. Flowers can stand in a vase without losing their charm for up to two weeks. Crocosmia looks great in combination with an asparagus sprig. Winter bouquets of dried montbrecia are unusual and original.
Reproduction methods
There are two standard breeding methods for montbrecia.
- Seeds.
- Bulbs.
Seeds are sown in February-March by placing the pots in a well-lit place. By May, crocosmia grows, and it can be planted in a garden bed with a clod of earth to better take root. If you are going to plant crocosmia in pots, then this can be done in the month of April. Naturally, gladioli from seeds will not bloom right away. Flowers appear in the second or third year.
Immediately before planting in the soil, the bulbs must be kept for 2-3 days in a warm room. About 2 hours before planting, the bulbs should be soaked in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate. 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 in the area. If you plant a montbrecia in a poorly lit area, then 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 fertilizers accelerate the growth of Japanese gladiolus. In the summer, you can use a mullein solution in a ratio of one to ten. Organic fertilizers can be used in parallel with potash mineral supplements.
Late in the fallwhen the gladiolus has completely faded, the stem must be cut off completely. This is done to make the bulbs ripen better. This measure helps the corms to successfully endure the winter in the soil. If the region has a harsh climate, then the bulbs need to be dug up closer to the onset of winter cold weather.
Planting material is stored at a temperature of no higher than 10 degrees, avoiding drying out. Corms are well stored in a wooden box with sawdust. It is only necessary to first check that the sawdust is not affected by the woodworm beetle.To prevent the bulbs from drying out, they are pre-moistened with a spray bottle. In warmer climates, bulbs also overwinter in the soil. If, according to forecasts, the winter is going to be cold, then the tubers are covered with a 20-centimeter layer of leaves, and on top of them - with 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 it, but pests like thrips and bear are dangerous for it. Therefore, if you want to have beautiful, healthy and intact plants on the site, destroy them.
Overview of common varieties
The most popular crocosmia varieties are as follows:
EmilyMcKenzie
Ornamental plants with flowers of a brownish-orange hue, collected in a symmetrical spike. There are red spots in the center of the petals. The height of the plant is 60 cm. The 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 montbrecia, because of its unusually large and beautiful flowers. The bud is orange in color, has a star 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, with a bright scarlet hue. The plant is tall (it so happens that it has grown about 1.5 m), with a stable erect stem.
Paniculate crocosmia
The variety is distinguished by early flowering (the first flowers appear in the month of 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 growing. Chinese gladiolus looks great with other plants: cannes, dahlias, daylilies, echinacea. A group of tall Chinese gladioli looks great against the background of a lawn planted with low-growing plants. When choosing plants for planting, pay attention to their height. With proper care, the unusually beautiful flowers will delight you for a long time.
