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Mirabilis Night beauty is an unusual plant that attracts with bright flowers and strong aroma. The flower is unpretentious to growing conditions, pleases with flowering throughout the summer and autumn.
Description
Mirabilis Yalapa or Night Beauty is a representative of the genus of Mirabilis flowers. These are perennial herbaceous plants imported from Mexico. Under natural conditions, the flower grows in tropical forests. Today it is successfully grown in temperate climates.
Mirabilis is often grown as an annual. In cool regions, the aerial part of the mirabilis dies when winter sets in. The tubers are saved to grow the flower next year.
The height of the bush is from 30 cm to 1 m. The stems of mirabilis are powerful, fleshy, erect or creeping. The root is thin, rod type. The plant forms tubers that help to withstand drought and cold snaps.
Mirabilis leaves Night beauty of dark green color, simple, oblong, pointed at the ends. Most of the leaves are located at the top of the shoots. The flowers of mirabilis are single, grow in corymbose inflorescences, have the shape of a funnel up to 2.5 cm in size.
The color of mirabilis depends on the variety. One bush can produce flowers of various shades from orange to purple. Often there are specimens with multi-colored petals.
The flower got its name from the Latin word "mirabilis", which translates as "amazing". It is called a night beauty because of its bloom at night.
Mirabilis flowers bloom after 4 pm and close only at dawn. In cloudy weather, the buds bloom during the day. The plant gives off a delicate pleasant aroma.
After flowering mirabilis, a large dark brown fruit is formed. Each box contains one seed. After harvesting, the shelf life of planting material is up to 3 years.
Photo of Mirabilis Night Beauty:
Application
Mirabilis is used in landscape design for a single planting or creating multi-flowered flower beds. High varieties serve as a hedge, undersized plants are planted to decorate curbs and lawns.
Mirabilis grows well in a flowerpot or flowerpot. On a flower bed, it is planted in the center or next to the fence. The bush grows quickly and fills the free space, it can oppress other plants.
Mirabilis Night Beauty - looks spectacular in combination with certain plants:
- daisies;
- chamomile;
- marigold;
- lavender;
- lobularia.
It is best to plant mirabilis together with undersized and creeping flowers. Against the background of roses, dahlias, peonies and other large-flowered plants, mirabilis is lost and looks less impressive.
Mirabilis leaves are suitable for human consumption. Flowers contain pigments that change the color of food. They are used to make a raspberry-colored dye for coloring jelly and a cake.
Mirabilis tubers have a laxative effect on the stomach. A decoction of the leaves is effective in the treatment of purulent inflammations. The seeds are poisonous.
Main varieties
You can determine the variety of Miraibilis by the height of the bush and the shade of the flowers. When 2 or more varieties are planted, cross-pollination occurs, and varietal qualities are lost.
Red lollipop
The plant is 90 cm tall with smooth, powerful shoots.Leaves are oblong oval. The flowers reach 6 cm and have a scarlet color. Increased resistance to disease.
Tea time red
Mirabilis Tea Time Red is a dense spherical bush. Stems are pale green, prone to branching. The leaves are elongated, smooth and much darker than the shoots.
The variety produces flowers of deep pink color. The variety is resistant to temperature fluctuations and fungal diseases. Mirabilis bloom begins in the summer and lasts until the onset of frost. The variety is suitable for growing in cool climates.
Photo of mirabilis flower Night Beauty Tea Time Red:
Elvira
The Elvira variety is a round-shaped shrub, the height of individual shoots reaches 1 m. The leaves are dark green, elongated, with pointed tips.
Mirabilis Elvara stands out for its large flowers, which grow up to 4 cm. The color is variegated: white, yellow, purple.
Photo of Mirabilis Night Beauty of the Elvira variety:
Iolanta
The Iolanta variety is a spherical bush, reaching a height of 0.5 m. The shoots are powerful, branching at the top.
The flowers have an original variegated color in the form of stripes. The first flowers are formed at the end of June, the subsequent ones - before the onset of winter cold.
Salmon
Salmon is grown as an annual. Mirabilis bushes reach 80 cm in height, flowers up to 25 mm in diameter. Flowering begins in June and lasts until September. The flowers are salmon-colored, in the center there are crimson streaks in the shape of a star.
Photo of the Mirabilis flower Night Beauty of the Salmon variety:
Growing
Mirabilis Night Beauty is grown from seeds. The seedling method is more reliable. In cold climates, they will receive seedlings at home, after which they are transferred to a permanent place.
Seedling method
Planting seeds of mirabilis in room conditions is performed in March-April. Peat cups are preliminarily prepared to avoid picking plants. The substrate can be obtained by mixing turf, peat, humus and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 0.5.
The procedure for planting mirabilis for seedlings:
- The seeds are soaked in warm water for a day to stimulate germination.
- The cups are filled with prepared soil and watered abundantly.
- 2 seeds of mirabilis are placed in each container, they are sprinkled with a thin layer of soil.
- Plantings are sprayed with warm water from a spray bottle.
- The containers are covered with foil and left in a room at a temperature of 18-20 ° C.
When shoots appear, the containers are rearranged to light. With the development of 2 leaves in the cup, the most powerful plant is left. Mirabilis is transferred to the ground in May in prepared holes and watered abundantly.
When the seedlings reach 15 cm, they are transplanted into larger containers. After picking, they are fed with complex fertilizer.
Landing in open ground
Mirabilis Night beauty prefers open areas warmed by the sun. The flower develops well on clay and loamy soils fertilized with lime. In acidic soil, the plant does not develop and dies.
Mirabilis seeds are planted in open areas at the end of April. Furrows are preliminarily prepared with a depth of 3 cm. The seeds are placed in steps of 8 cm, covered with earth and watered.
The planting site of the mirabilis is covered with a non-woven fabric until shoots appear. Plants are thinned out so that they do not interfere with each other.
Flower care
It is easy to care for Mirabilis Night Beauty, since the flower is undemanding to growing conditions. In the heat, they water the flower garden and loosen the soil. For abundant flowering, the plant is fed with organic fertilizers.
Watering
Mirabilis flowers Night beauty tolerates lack of moisture and drought well. If the dry period is prolonged, this negatively affects the formation of buds.
Water is used from barrels after it has settled and warmed up. Mirabilis is watered at the root in the morning or evening.After watering, be sure to loosen the soil and eliminate weeds.
Top dressing
During the summer, mirabilis is fed 2-3 times. You can use both organic and mineral fertilizers. It is not recommended to use fresh organic matter, it is better to add compost.
Mirabilis feeding scheme:
- before bud formation;
- in the middle of summer;
- late summer to stimulate flowering.
In the spring, nitrogen-based fertilizers are used: ammonium nitrate or urea. Add 10 g of the substance to a 10-liter bucket of water. In summer, a complex flower fertilizer is applied with a minimum nitrogen content. Mirabilis is watered with a solution under the root.
Pruning
In the summer, the wilting inflorescences of mirabilis are pruned to stimulate the formation of new buds. There is no need to trim the shoots.
In the fall, the bushes are cut to the root. Mirabilis tubers can be used for planting next year. In the fall, they are dug up and placed in a container of peat. The tubers are stored at a temperature of + 5 ° C.
If mirabilis is grown on a balcony, then the tubers are left in a pot. The aboveground part of the plant is cut off, and the containers are removed to the basement. They are watered every 2 months to keep them from drying out. In the spring, the tubers are planted in an open area or in a pot.
Disease protection
Flowers Mirabilis Night Beauty are resistant to disease and rarely attacked by pests. With constant exposure to moisture, the plant suffers from root rot. It is determined by wilting of leaves and early shedding of buds.
Root rot cannot be treated. The affected plant is dug up and removed from the site. The soil is treated with a solution of the drug Fundazol.
When waterlogged, rusty spots appear on the leaves of mirabilis. This indicates the spread of the fungus. Affected stems and leaves are cut off, and the flower garden is sprayed with fungicides.
Conclusion
Mirabilis is notable for flowering at night. The variety is chosen depending on the shade of the inflorescences. The plant is resistant to drought, does not tolerate stagnant moisture. Mirabilis is propagated by seeds that are germinated at home or immediately embedded in the soil. The flower is ideal for decorating a recreation area at a summer cottage.
