Cleoma is a tall annual plant, reaching a height of 1.5 m and even higher. It has an interesting exotic look and blooms beautifully. Flowers of its four-petal form, originally collected in a brush. They are located on a high leg. The photo clearly shows what a cleoma looks like. Cleoma's homeland is South America.
The diameter of the flower is 3 cm. The peculiarity of cleoma is the presence of rather long stamens of purple and blue color. The shades of this representative of the flora range from white to pink.... Cleoma blooms from bottom to top. Its brushes are extended when the buds open.
After flowering, seed pods appear on elongated stalks, which are directed in different directions. The fruits unobtrusively fit into the appearance of the cleoma and do not spoil its decorative effect. Seeds are easy to harvest.
Types and varieties
Culture is represented by only two types:
- Cleome Hassleriana.
- Cleoma spiny (Cleome Spinosa).
These two tropical South American species are very similar. They differ only in color of flowers. Therefore, flower growers call both types for convenience prickly glue.... They are used to create hybrids and new varieties by crossing.
Popular varieties of prickly cleoma are:
- Hellen Campbell is a white cleoma.
- Golden Sparkler is a dwarf variety with yellow flowers.
- Rozakenigin is a pale pink cleoma.
- Pink Queen and Rose Queen are varieties with pink flowers.
- Violet Queen - has ink-purple inflorescences.
- Giant Pink Kewsen - has large dark pink flowers.
- Sparkler Lavender - light purple buds.
The most popular variety of prickly cleoma is Cherry Queen, (pictured) reaching a height of up to 60 centimeters... Has fragrant flowers of an original shape, on very long pedicels... The diameter reaches up to 3 cm. The photo confirms this.
Sowing a plant
This flower is propagated by seeds. They should be planted in the spring or closer to winter directly into the soil. It can be grown using seedlings grown from seeds.
When and how to sow glue?
The growing season has a rather long cleoma. Growing from seed is only required with healthy seeds. It is necessary to collect ripe seeds in the fall, sowing seedlings at the end of February. Before sowing, the seeds are soaked in a solution of zirconan for 10 - 12 hours to accelerate germination (2 drops of the product per 200 g of warm water). Next, the seeds are sown in a container containing seedling soil. Sprinkle on top with a layer of soil and cover with glass to create the effect of a greenhouse.
Seedlings of cleoma
Cleoma will germinate from seeds only after 20 days. Cultivation continues on a light windowsill, in the evening they will need additional lighting. It is necessary to moisten the soil infrequently, but always abundantly. Before watering, the topsoil must dry out.
Disease prevention
To prevent root diseases, seedlings are irrigated with a weakly concentrated solution of potassium permanganate.
Landing
When the frosts pass, the seedlings are planted in the ground. This is most often done in late May and early June. The plot must be sunny, without drafts. The plant is unpretentious to the soil, but flowers grow better on moist and fertile soilthan on dry and poor soil.
Gardeners usually, when digging, add rotted compost (bucket) and 2 tbsp. tablespoons of granular fertilizer for flowers per 1 square meter.
Before planting, the seedlings are sprayed with a liquid stimulant epin - extra and micronutrient citovit according to the instructions. Seedlings are planted in the ground directly in peat pots. The distance between the holes must be at least 60 cm... So the planting will not thicken, it will bloom profusely, and the plant will become infected with diseases much less often. After planting the cleoma under the root, it is watered with a solution of humate.
Growing from seeds can be either single or in a group with annuals (scented tobacco and Lavater). It is good to grow cleoma as the background of a flower garden. It looks great as a hedge.
Plant care
Flowers require simple maintenance: abundant watering only on hot days, root dressing once every 15 days with a complex product such as Fertika - luxury. Two tablespoons per ten-liter bucket.
Sick and weak bushes are fed on foliage, spraying with a solution of 1 teaspoon of fertilizer in a three-liter container. Before starting the formation of buds, you can spray a glue solution of zircon, taking for 1 liter of liquid 1 ml of the product... Flowering will be early and abundant. In addition, care involves loosening the soil, as well as removing weeds.
When and how to collect seeds?
Since cleoma is grown only from seeds, it is required in the fall, after they ripen, they must be prepared for sowing in the spring. Ripe seeds are round, one and a half centimeters in diameter, brown or yellow (depending on the color of the flowers).
If you miss the moment of collection, you can put several pods in small gauze bags. Then the seeds cannot fall to the ground.
Cleoma in winter
Cleoma is an annual, therefore, before the onset of the first frost, it must be disposed of. You can sow the harvested seeds again in November or December into the ground to a depth of 1 - 2 cm... Cover the sowing with spruce branches. In the spring, remove it so that the seeds that have wintered in the soil begin to grow.
Diseases and pests
Insect pests try not to approach the glue because of the unpleasant smell of the plant. It can hurt if planted very close to groundwater or from excessive watering. Growing cleoma is not difficult, but you can enjoy the amazing view of flowers all summer long.
