Alyssum: description, landing and care

Alyssum is a grassy ground cover plant of the Brassicaceae or Cruciferous family. Perennials and annuals are found. Distributed in Europe, North Africa, Asia, southern Siberia. There are more than 100 types of alissum. Popular among flower growers, unpretentious, drought tolerant, not afraid of frost.

Description and features of alissum

Alyssum (alyssum) has dense, semi-lignified shoots, they are straight, ascending or creeping. The flower forms a dense shrub from 10 cm to a meter high and up to 1.5 wide. The leaves are thick, sinless, oblong, oval, covered with a silver fluff. It reaches 15-40 cm, the buds are formed of four petals arranged crosswise, combined into inflorescences.

Flowers are represented by small brushes of snow-white, golden, pink, lilac, yellow color. Blossom in May, bloom until late autumn, excellent melliferous plants. The honey aroma of individual varieties of alissum spreads over several meters.

The fruit is a pod with seeds flat, which retain viability for three years. Rhizome superficial with additional roots.

Forming a fluffy carpet, alissum is used in landscape design of parks, squares, for decoration of flower beds, rockeries, and rabatok. They are also decorated with hanging planters, pots, boxes.

Alyssum contains alkaloids, organic acids, flavonoids and has healing properties. Use his decoction for colds, infusion for face care, dried parts in aromatherapy.

Types and varieties of alissum

Species and varieties are different in height and color palette.

Climatic conditions for alissum

Annuals are characterized by long flowering, and perennials are resistant to low temperatures. The climate for unpretentious alissum fits both warm and severe.

There are species that adapt well in the northern regions, planting alissum seedlings there. In a warm climate, seeds are sown directly into the ground and the plant pleases with a flowering species more than once per season.

Ways to plant alissum

Alissum is planted with seedlings and seeds. Seedlings are preliminarily prepared in a greenhouse, with the onset of sunny and warm weather, they are placed on a flower bed, the second way is to sow seeds immediately.

Growing alissum from seeds

When grown from seeds, alissum will bloom after 1.5 months.

Another option is to sow them in November. Thus, the stratification process will take place and spring seedlings will be more healthy. But in cold climates they can die.

The soil for seeds is dug up, cleaned of weeds, loosened, watered if necessary. You can put them in a permanent place or first in a separate garden bed. Seed is placed in the grooves. Humidify and cover with a film. Weed regularly. Shoots appear a week later at a temperature of +16 ° C. They are thinned out at a distance of more than 10 cm and fertilized with mineral mixtures.

In November, seeds are still sown before winter, 1-2 cm in furrows. Sand is poured, dry seed is placed, and sprinkled on top. Shoots appear next season. If it's cold, they are covered with a film. Then, when the seedlings grow, place it on the selected site.

Growing alissum seedlings

In cold areas, seedlings are prepared in mid-March. Seeds are sown in containers, soil purchased in a specialized store or pots with peat. The dishes are selected with drainage holes. They are scattered, left in the light. Cover with a film, regularly ventilate. Create bright lighting, temperature + 10 ... +15 ° C, moderate humidity, watered. With the advent of the first true leaf, they feed. Dive when 2-3 sheets are formed. For hardening, seedlings are regularly carried out into the air for several minutes.

Alissum planting in open ground

Planting and care in the open ground is distinguished by the choice of place, timely watering, and top dressing. Seedlings or seeds are planted in the spring, from April to June, while the site should be sunny, without stagnation of moisture, the soil is neutral, slightly alkaline.

Likes a flower to grow next to a rocky path, decorative tiles. Too nutritious soil forms dense greens, and few flowers.

What time to plant alissum

The month of planting is selected depending on the region, usually in May-June. They plant a flower on the flowerbed only when frost has passed and the soil warms up.

Landing Features

When grown in open ground, the sort of flower is taken into account to dig a hole for the development of the root system. Sand is added to the dense soil. The distance between plants is observed 25-40 cm.

Alissum Care

Water the flower abundantly, especially in the heat, but he does not like stagnation of moisture. When the earth dries by 2-3 cm, then this should be done. They remove weeds, regularly loosen the earth. They also use an automatic watering system.

Perennials are fertilized with a solution of urea and Agricola (10 liters each 1 tbsp. L.). Before flowering, he needs complex mixtures, two times a season is enough. Annuals prefer frequent feeding up to four times. They are brought under the root in the morning.

Alissum pruning

In the spring from perennial specimens, old peduncles, dried leaves, weak, diseased stems are cut. After summer flowering, shoots are cut to 50-80 mm, forming a beautiful and compact bush.

Alyssum after flowering

When the alissum fades, it is prepared for wintering. Annuals are removed, and a perennial plant is cut by 2/3 and the earth is loosened around.

Seed collection

In September and early October, seeds are collected from a flower. For collection, choose dry, calm weather. Under the bush, a bedspread is usually spread out and frayed with hands. The seed material is dried, stored in paper bags or cloth bags until the next season.

Perennial wintering

Before the onset of cold weather do not do pruning. Alyssum can die if the temperature is -15 ° C, so the flower is covered with dry leaves, mulch is placed under the bushes, when snow appears they are covered with it. So the plant survives the winter.

Alissum breeding

The flower is propagated by cuttings, dividing the bush, seeds, it is also capable of self-sowing.

The first method is not very popular, cuttings are placed in an adult flower in a container of water. Then they are rooted in containers with soil.

When dividing the bush, it is dug up, divided into parts and planted at a distance of 30 cm.

The seed method was discussed above.

Alissum diseases and pests

The flower can be subject to fungal diseases, and it is also sometimes attacked by pests.

Watch the video: Sweet Alyssum (May 2024).