One of the amazing plants that is often used in landscape design is the mesembriantemum. In nature, it is presented in the form of biennial or annual succulents, which are usually included in the Aizovy family. Most often, this plant can be found in the countries of southern Africa.
Mesembriantemum includes more than 50 types, which are mainly represented by herbaceous annuals. If you get to know this plant better, you can find out that its name in translation sounds like "midday flower". This is explained by the fact that the plant opens its cups at noon in sunny weather.
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Description
Typically tall plant does not exceed 15 cm... It is of two types: creeping and creeping. A special group is formed by mesembryanthemums of the semi-shrub type.
- at the stage of ripening, small seeds are formed in the capsules. Stems grow in the form of branches that spread along the ground;
- the leaves have a characteristic green color for their family, they grow round in shape. In the upper part of the plant, the leaves go in a queue, and in the lower part in the opposite order. One of the main features is the presence of superficial swollen cells that resemble crystal drops.
- mesembryanthemums have double flowers that look like daisies; They differ in a wide color palette, which can include both white and red shades. The plant begins to bloom in early summer and until mid-autumn.
Mesembriantemum varieties
Flowering dates of the plant depend not only on the sowing time, but also on the variety, which must also be taken into account.
The mesembriantemum is hairy. Most often in gardens and parks you can find this variety, which is often called daisy dorotheanthus. The flowers are not very large, do not exceed 3.5 cm in diameter. They differ in a variety of shades.- Mesembriantemum ocellar. This variety is also one of the most commonly used in landscape design. It has yellow flowers that look spectacular because of the red center.
- Crystal mesembriantemum. It is the most popular among the known varieties. Of the plant's features, it is worth highlighting the presence of many fleshy leaves. The name is associated with glandular hairs that resemble drops.
- "Frost". It is one of the rare varieties that was bred by domestic breeders.
In addition to the above, there are other varieties bred by foreign experts, which received decorative distribution... Although in general terms these mesembryanthemums are similar, it is still important to maintain a certain distance between them when planting.
Reproduction
This event is one of the main ones, which should be given special attention to every gardener.
- most often, for reproduction of the mesembryanthemum, the method of dividing by cuttings or sowing seeds is used;
- if it was decided to grow the mesembriantemum with seeds, then they need to be sown in open ground at the end of winter.But first, you need to prepare the soil by adding a small amount of sand to it, which will help give it a looser and more breathable structure;
- sowing seeds should be at a time when the ambient temperature is at around 12 degrees. After emergence, it must be lowered to 10 degrees. When the seedlings grow a little, a pick is carried out, after which they are planted in peat pots, after adding sand to them;
- after the last frosts have passed, you can choose a place for planting flowers. Plants must be placed at a distance of 15 cm from each other;
- sowing seeds of mesembryanthemum is possible in early spring in open ground, but in this case it will take much longer to wait for flowering;
- the main factor that determines the time of the onset of the flowering phase is the climatic conditions of a particular region.
Before sowing, it is necessary prepare seeds... The collected boxes must be allowed to dry for some time. Then they are placed in water and wait until they are completely soaked. After that, seeds are extracted from them. Next, you need to select them and let them dry.
Propagation by cuttings
When harvesting cuttings adhere to the following scheme: even in the fall, you need to outline a bush that needs to be dug up and placed in a dark, cool place, where it will be stored until spring. When the time comes, cuttings are cut from it, which must be placed in wet sand for rooting. Three days after planting, the plants are kept in "dry mode", since a certain time must pass for them to adapt. The appearance of leaves on the cuttings is a good signal - it means that the cuttings were able to take root. After waiting for the end of the last frost, you can choose a site for transplanting seedlings to a permanent place.
Planting and leaving
To create favorable conditions for the growth of mother bushes in winter, their kept in greenhouses and heated greenhouses... The optimum temperature for growing them is 10 degrees Celsius. Cuttings are harvested from March to May. For planting, it is recommended to use a soil mixture with a predominance of sand. Watering should be moderate, as otherwise it can lead to the death of plants.
For landing on a permanent place, an area is selected that is illuminated by the sun and not flooded with water. Usually properly grown cuttings take root rather quickly. No trimming is required.
Key success factors
If we talk about caring for the mesembriantemum, then the owner is required to take care about creating good lighting... This problem can be solved quite simply by landing on the south side of the site. In the event of a lack of lighting, the plants will stretch, which is why they will enter the flowering phase much later. If proper care was provided when growing seedlings, then they will bloom very profusely. The beds will be decorated with many stars of different shades. A floral carpet made from these plants can transform any area.
Particularly need to be careful when watering, since excessive moisture does not benefit the plants. Water them in small portions. Otherwise, soon the root system will begin to rot. If, through negligence, such an unpleasant situation arises, then you need to immediately stop watering and wait until the moisture is completely absorbed.
When growing mesembryanthemum in places where the winter is very cold, before a wave of frosts, flowers must be removed to a room in which the temperature must be maintained not lower than 6 degrees... It is very important not to allow the temperature to drop to zero, as this will lead to the death of plants. In the conditions of the middle zone of our country, it is necessary to correctly select the timing of sowing seeds so that the plants enter the flowering phase in the summer.
Caring for a mesembriantemum, which is grown at home, is completely similar to caring for plants that grow in open ground. The most suitable place for this flower will be a window located on the sunny side. When the mesembriantemum enters the growing season, it is necessary to limit watering. When the plant enters the resting phase, then watering must be completely stopped. Usually, these flowers feel good even in a city apartment during the heating season. However, in some cases, when the room temperature becomes elevated, it is helpful to spray the plants.
As part of the measures for the care of the mesembriantemum, it is imperative feed - fertilizers must be applied at least twice a month throughout the season. It is recommended to grow plants on slightly alkaline soils. Basically, the mesembriantemum does not require much attention to itself, since it is resistant to most pests and diseases.
However, regardless of the conditions, he must provide good lighting. Otherwise, it will grow extremely slowly, and then its flowering will be very poor.
Mesembriantemum in landscape design
This plant is perfect for those who seek to maintain the decorative properties of their site. Due to its innate attractiveness, a place in the foreground is often chosen for this flower. At the same time, many different compositions can be distinguished, where the use of a mesembryanthemum will be appropriate: it can be like discount and carpet or curb.
This flower can decorate terraces and balconies where it can be placed in containers. A good solution is to use a plant to decorate a rock garden or rockcaria. This crystal grass in combination with stones looks spectacular.
In the middle zone of our country, the mesembriantemum is most widespread as an annual. When sowing seeds in open ground, flowering begins already in early June, and until the fall, the owner will be able to enjoy the splendor of this plant. It can be grown at home for many years. This flower can become one of the main components when arranging a flower bed.
Conclusion
There are many types of perennial plants that can be used in the design of a summer cottage. Mesembriantemum is appreciated not only by specialists, but also by ordinary gardeners, thanks to its pronounced decorative properties... It can decorate any element of landscape design, be it a curb or part of the house, for example, a balcony. Because of this, it is so often used for decorative purposes. There are no particular difficulties in growing mesembryanthemum. The main thing is to take care of creating optimal lighting, which is the main factor that determines the quality and timing of the beginning of flowering.
