The melodious romantic name “Lavatera” actually means the surname Lavater (Lavater). It was worn by a family of wonderful doctors who lived in Zurich in the 18th century. They were respected by the well-known naturalist and biologist Carl Linnaeus. He came up with the idea of ​​giving this name to the flower to immortalize the Lavatera family. Linnaeus was also not ignored - one of the species of this wonderful plant was called “Lavatera or Mallow Linnaeus”. The flower is more familiar to people as khatma or dog rose. By the way, the name of the dog rose is known to everyone rose hip, with which Lavatera has absolutely nothing in common. Photo: Lavatera - flower after the rain

ANNUAL LAVATERA - Lavatera trimestris

It is difficult to say how popular lavatera is among gardeners and flower growers; some are delighted with it, while others avoid it. The fact is that there are two main types of lavatera, annual And perennial . Although they bear the same name, they have significant differences. A one-year-old (often called three-month-old) can be safely called a beauty. It grows in lush bushes up to 1.2 meters high. Its flowers are single, quite large, up to 10 cm in diameter, “sit” in the axils of the leaves and externally resemble gramophones. The corolla consists of five petals with a clearly visible middle, which contains a fluffy pistil and many stamens. To some a flower annual lavatera vaguely resembles a hibiscus, only in a smaller version and with a shorter pistil. The color of its petals can be white, red, lilac and all shades of pink. The annual lavatera blooms very luxuriantly, which is why it looks unusually impressive. Its leaves are also pretty, deep green, the bottom ones look like hearts, the top ones look like sharp triangles. This beauty pleases its owners with a lush, bright carpet from the beginning of June until the first frost. How can you not love her? Photo: Lavatera annual - three months

The annual lavatera, or “three-month old,” boasts an abundance of varieties. The most popular in Russia:
- "Mont Blanc" - stretches up to 1 meter in height, densely strewn with white flowers;
- “Silver Cap” - a low variety with pink and carmine-colored petals with darker, clearly visible veins, bush height up to 70 cm;
- “Pink Beauty” - the name itself says that these lavater petals have deep pink shades;
- “Tanagra” - bushes up to 50 cm tall, deep red petals;
- “Barnsley” - on one bush there can be a lot of buds of different degrees of openness, which creates the illusion of roses;
- “Parade” - grows up to 90 cm in height, flower petals are white, red and all shades of pink;
- "Twins Hot Pink" - low-growing variety, bushes up to only 40 cm high, the corolla petals are deep pink. Very showy flowers, ideal for borders;
- “Pretty Woman” - bushes up to 60 cm tall, petals of pink shades;
- “Novella” is one of the shortest varieties, the height of the bushes barely reaches 20 cm, the flowers, however, are large and pink in color;
- “White Sherub” is also a low-growing variety, the height of the bushes is up to 35 cm, the flowers are white.

PERENNIAL LAVATERA - Lavatera thuringiaca

Lavatera is a more modest perennial plant, with an appearance more reminiscent of mallow, to which it belongs. It is she who is known as the dog rose or Thuringian hut. Perennial lavatera can reach a height of up to 3 meters. Her flowers are not single, but collected in loose clusters. The diameter of the corolla is smaller than that of annual lavatera; in some varieties it barely reaches 1.5 cm. The color of the petals ranges from white to deep pink or purple. The perennial Lavatera is not as spectacular as its one-year-old “sister,” but it helps its owners cope with ailments. Decoctions are prepared from its roots to treat coughs, headaches, joint pain, muscle pain, stomach pain, rheumatism, colds, and scrofula. Lavatera perennial flowers are also used to treat stomach pain, and the leaves help with abscesses, rheumatism, boils, and abscesses. The medicine is prepared very simply - the leaf is torn off, washed well under running water, crushed and applied to the diseased area of ​​​​the body, and wrapped on top with cellophane and something warm. It turns out to be a kind of compress. Dry lavatera leaves can be crushed and mixed with oil. You will get a healing ointment. So it is in vain that some gardeners do not pay due attention to this flower.

Photo: Lavatera perennial - Thuringian "Barnsley Baby", landing in a container

Perennial lavatera is also favored by breeders. The Thuringian hutma is most often grown in Russia. Most popular varieties perennial beauty:
- “Lilak Lady” - flowers of lilac shades;
- “Ai Catcher” - a plant with pink flowers;
- “Barnsley Baby” - the flowers are very delicate, barely pink;
- “Mystic Merlin” - up to 1.8 meters high, flower petals from purple to violet, a very spectacular variety.

LAVATERA TWO-YEAR - Lavatera arborea

Rarely, but in our gardens you can find two-year Lavatera, or tree-like. Its natural region of “residence” is the Mediterranean and the Macaronesian islands (Canaries, Madeira, Azores). This plant is quite powerful, which is why it got its name. Lower leaves two-year-old lavatera can reach 22 cm in length. The stem stretches up to 3 meters, the flowers grow in bunches of 2-7 in one, sometimes singly. Their diameter is small, up to about 5 cm. The color of the petals is purple, pink, violet. The most famous varieties:
- “Candy Floss” - the petals of the corolla are soft pink;
- “Rosea” - flowers of a spectacular salmon hue;
- “Lavatera Linnaeus” (“Malva Linnaeus”) is a biennial, and in northern latitudes annual The plant is up to 3 meters tall, the flowers are solitary, located along the entire stem, the diameter of the corolla is 3-3.5 cm, the color of the petals is pink and lilac.
In its homeland, the flowering time of tree-like lavatera is April-June, but breeders have developed varieties that delight with lush flowers until September.

Photo (davesgarden.com): Lavatera arborescens "Variegata" at the San Francisco Arboretum. Frost hardiness zone 5, grows up to 1.8 meters in height.

GROWING LAVATERA

Care

Each type of lavatera has its own flavor. But both annual, perennial, and tree-like varieties have a unique quality for flowers - absolute unpretentiousness and unpretentiousness. Lavatera is almost the only one garden flower, who is satisfied with any conditions of detention. All she needs is soil, air and a little moisture. You can plant it as a border, in the center of a flower bed, around bushes and trees, along the walls of buildings, near fences, where other flowers have a hard time, anywhere. Lavatera will grow and bloom in any light, on any soil. It doesn’t matter if the owner was away for a long time or simply forgot to water it, plus, didn’t bother to fertilize it. Both the modest and the beautiful Lavatera will endure everything, forgive everything, and will also grow and bloom, producing seeds and waiting for attention. Nevertheless, like any living creature, lavatera enjoys care, to which it responds with more magnificent and long-lasting flowering. Caring for it is incredibly simple. Although the flower is not capricious about light, it feels more comfortable in sunny or slightly shaded areas. He also does not like any kind of soil, only light, loose, rich in organic matter and well-drained. The plant also needs watering, at least once a week. Here, in principle, are all the difficulties of care. Lavatera owners don’t even have to deal with pest control, since this flower has practically none. The only thing that can sometimes happen to it is the attack of caterpillars and rust. They get rid of pests by spraying the flower bed with an appropriate preparation. If the plant is affected by rust by more than 40-50%, it is removed from the flowerbed. It is not recommended to re-sow lavatera in an area where rust has been noticed.

How can you “pamper” your garden beauty? Firstly, feeding. Mineral mixtures are suitable for this, but the flower will not refuse organic matter. The best time to feed plants is in spring and summer, when seeds begin to form. Also, caring owners should monitor weeds. Here you need to take into account that the roots of the lavatera are located close to the surface, so weeds need to be removed with caution, and there is no need to loosen the soil near the flower bushes. And last small nuance care - it is advisable to pick fading flowers from lavatera. This is done to improve the appearance of the flower bed and to extend the flowering period.

Planting lavatera. Growing from seeds

Are you already dreaming of having a clever lavatera in your garden? Nothing could be simpler. It reproduces well by seeds, which are freely sold in flower shops. Lavatera is sown before winter or in spring, as soon as the snow has melted and the soil has moved away from frost a little. The seeds of this flower are large enough to be placed in the ground carefully, maintaining the required distances. Most often, gardeners make shallow but wide holes at a distance of 30-40 cm. 2-3 seeds are placed in each hole, approximately 15 cm apart. With this method, the bushes turn out to be especially lush and beautiful. In general, the distance between seeds depends on the variety. For dwarf lavater this is only 7-10 cm, and for large-growing varieties, especially tree-like and perennials, the minimum distance between plants should be 40 cm.

In order for the lavatera to bloom earlier, it is planted with seedlings. To do this, the seeds are sown around the end of March in boxes or in special plastic cells. You can keep them indoors on a windowsill or in a greenhouse. After about 10 days, sprouts hatch from the seeds and quickly begin to gain strength. Disembarkation dates in open ground Each region has its own. This can be done when the air temperature is stable at +7 and above not only during the day, but also at night.

Photo (Udo Schröter, commons.wikimedia.org): Lavatera perennial - Chatma Thuringianensis - Dog rose

Landing perennial lavatera

Perennial lavatera are also propagated by rhizomes. They are sold in flower shops in special packages with peat. Flower growers will only have to bother with planting lavatera for the first time. In the future, the smart plant saves its owners from this as well, since it reproduces well without outside help by self-seeding.

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Decorate your garden without special troubles and worries are helped by numerous flowering plants that do not require special care. These species include lavatera flowers, which are available to gardeners in annual and perennial culture. There are numerous varieties on sale, which may differ in stem height and bud color. We invite you to find out everything necessary information about lavatera flowers: varieties, rules of planting and care during growing from seeds. You can also see numerous photos of Lavatera flowers in flower beds, rock gardens and potted plants.
To begin with, it’s worth clarifying what it is ornamental plant Perfect for both monotonous landscaping and group plantings surrounded by other flowers and ornamental green crops. Feels great on balconies and loggias. At proper care can be grown as indoor culture with a long flowering period.

Description of the Lavatera flower and its photo

Lavatera flower is a variety of the mallow species of flowering plants. The first description of Lavatera was given by doctors with the surname Lavatera. These were two brothers who were interested not only in traditional types of therapy, but also constantly studied the diversity of the flora of our planet. They used methods traditional medicine and constantly watched medicinal properties various plants. by them beautiful flower was discovered in the wild on the European continent, near Zurich. However, later biologists found similar flowers in North America and on the coast of Australia.
You can see a photo of the Lavatera flower in all the variety of petal colors below:
After the discovery, the culture was subjected to selection, as a result of which botanists managed to obtain two main varieties: perennial lavatera and annual flower. Of particular relevance at present is the perennial lavatera, which during the first vegetative year is capable of developing a powerful root system extending 1 - 1.5 meters deep into the soil. This allows the crop to perfectly tolerate even the harshest climatic conditions in winter period. The first shoots appear immediately after the snow cover melts. Flowering begins after the temperature on the soil surface reaches 10 - 15 degrees Celsius. Duration of flowering - until the first frost. There is a popular name for the flower - “Dog Rose”. Differs in a variety of sizes and colors of buds.
Another variety of lavatera flowers is distinguished by the fact that it is grown as an annual.

Lavatera three months old

Another popular variety is Lavatera three months, which is grown mainly from seeds by sowing in the ground or as seedlings. In adulthood, the branched bush reaches a height of 120 cm and is completely covered with bright buds. This gives the plant special decorative properties.
The leaves are magnificent, attached to a powerful stem. On the lower tiers they have the shape of elastic, rich green hearts, which gradually transform into triangles as the height of the stem increases. However, as they grow and develop, they also turn into heart-shaped saucers. How older age bush, the more saturated the color of its vegetative mass. When pale green leaves appear, it serves as a signal that it is time to apply another portion of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers.

Three-month-old lavatera flowers can reach a diameter of up to 12 cm. The smallest diameter of a bud is 7 cm. In shape, they are delicate gramophones with fused petals. From afar flowering bush can be easily confused with roses of non-double varieties. The color can range from pure white to various pastel tones: pink, salmon, blue, lilac. Perennial lavatera flowers look great in bright burgundy and crimson colors. But in order to emphasize all their splendor, you should plant them nearby. flower crops with more muted tones of flowering.
Look at these photos of perennial lavatera and you will understand that it is absolutely in vain that you have not yet planted a similar crop on your plot:

Lavatera varieties for growing from seeds

Choosing the right type of plant greatly facilitates subsequent garden care. We invite you to learn about the most popular Lavatera varieties for growing from seeds by seedlings and by sowing in the ground.
The most beautiful and cold-resistant variety is Lavatera “Krasotka”, which is distinguished by rapid growth and magnificent flowering with many colors of buds. The seedling growing method is preferred.
However, in this way you can grow Barnsley Lavatera, which is a magnificent mix of colors and bud shapes. Distinctive feature- the presence on one bush of many buds of different sizes, which create the impression rose bush. Let the ruby ​​lavatera, which got its name due to the rich red color of the flowers and the sharp contrast of the buds with the foliage of the bush, not remain aloof from your attention.

This is a very elegant plant that can decorate any landscape. For lovers of romance and airy mood, it is recommended to grow pink and white lavatera, its distinctive characteristics are rich dark color leafy mass and the delicacy of pastel buds.

The Tanagra variety is characterized by low growth and can be used as a border crop. The height of the stem does not exceed 0.5 meters, and the diameter of the bud is 5 cm. Traditionally, this is a red variety with a rich color. A similar low-growing plant with white buds is called “Mont Blanc”, and if you want to dilute the riot of colors with a delicate salmon tint, then purchase the “Silver Cap” lavatera variety.

Growing lavatera from seeds: how and when to sow

The method is mainly used in individual gardening and large agrotechnical holdings. seedling cultivation. To get an excellent result, you need to know: how to sow lavatera, and in what period to do it. The timing of planting in protected ground conditions largely depends on the climatic conditions of the region and the planned flowering period. If the flowerbed is to be decorated in May, then the lavatera should be planted in early March. More is allowed early sowing seeds for the purpose of growing large plants.
Before sowing lavatera, you should prepare separate containers for each variety; this will allow you to more beautifully design your future flower beds, taking into account the arrangement of flowers according to their color. This way, you can decide for yourself when to sow lavatera seedlings in room conditions. This should not be done too early, as seedlings tend to stretch out in short periods of time. daylight hours. But this problem can be solved with the help of additional lighting.

Growing lavatera from seeds using seedlings does not require much effort. As a rule, lavatera flowers are sown in containers to a depth of 1 cm. Shoots appear very quickly - after 5 - 7 days. Do not thicken the crops. Picking in the phase of the second pair of true leaves into separate pots with a diameter of up to 5 cm. This will be quite enough for the development of a powerful root system. During the growing of lavatera seedlings, 3 feedings are required with an interval of 2 weeks between each. The first feeding is carried out 10 days after picking the seedlings.
Further cultivation of lavatera requires timely transplantation into the ground. This is usually done after the spring frosts have passed. Choose a bright place with a sufficient level of illumination throughout the daylight hours. Wells are prepared, into which humus and minerals are added. complex fertilizer for flowers. The holes are watered abundantly. The plant is freed from the cup and buried to a height of 5 cm above the sepals. Watering in the first 10 days after planting is abundant every day.

Planting lavatera seeds in the ground

When growing this flowering plant sowing in spring is possible. To do this, lavatera is planted in the ground in early May under covering material. In the sowing areas, grooves are made and seeds are laid there to a depth of 1 cm. The top of the grooves should be covered with loose humus or a mixture of it with garden soil. Water thoroughly and cover with a film with sufficient sunlight penetration. The covering material can be removed only after the plants reach a height of 5 cm. At this time, the first loosening is carried out with the addition of mineral fertilizers and easy hilling of the stems.
Watering is required as the soil dries to a depth of 5 cm. Flowering begins 30 days after the emergence of seedlings. The following are photos of lavatera, which was grown by direct planting in the ground without the seedling method

Caring for lavatera during cultivation

When growing lavatera in your garden plot, you do not need any special agrotechnical knowledge and skills. This unpretentious plant capable of growing on any, even poorly structured clay soils. Tolerates drought and lack of sufficient temperature very well. Only 10 - 12 degrees of heat is enough for flowering.
The main care for lavatera consists of constantly loosening the soil and removing weeds. Although this is a rather powerful plant and during its vegetative maturity it completely suppresses the growth of weeds, in the initial stages of development it needs your help in this struggle for a place in the sun. It is best to combine loosening, removing weeds with abundant watering. Plants do not need to be watered daily. One abundant watering once every 7 days is enough. Possible in hot weather additional watering as needed.

In the process of caring for lavatera, do not forget about timely feeding. If you want to get luxurious bushes with many buds, then you should follow simple rule. At the beginning of growth the plant requires a large number of organic matter and nitrogen in order to develop a powerful root and stem system. After the lavatera flower has reached a height of 50 cm, the amount of nitrogen should be reduced and a higher content of manganese, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus should be added. These microelements contribute to the laying flower buds and the development of a more saturated color of the buds.
When planting lavatera flowers in seedlings, planting in the ground is carried out at a distance of 20 cm from each other. When sowing lavatera seeds, the flowers should be thinned out at the same distance in the development phase of the second pair of true leaves. Unneeded seedlings can be planted elsewhere.
Tall lavatera varieties, such as those pictured, may require additional support structures to maintain an attractive appearance. appearance bushes

When planting a flower garden, gardeners select beautiful, long-flowering and unpretentious varieties colors. Among the huge variety, many of them choose lavatera. It is also called “wild rose” or “khatma”. Lavatera is a perennial plant - a godsend for gardeners. It blooms from June until the first frost, ideally complementing and decorating any corner of the garden. Thanks to large selection varieties, everyone can find something suitable for color scheme and size of the plant for growing in open ground.

Description of the flower

Thanks to the efforts of breeders, a large number of perennial and annual varieties have been created, reaching from 20 to 150 cm in height. Each of them has a powerful root system, a strong stem and lobed leaves, which are arranged in a regular order.

The flowers are large, reaching 18 cm in diameter and have a variety of colors: yellow, white, pink, purple, red or crimson. Depending on the variety, they can be arranged singly or in several pieces, forming spike-shaped inflorescences. They begin to bloom in the first half of summer and bloom until the first frost.

Lavatera is a plant for the lazy. It is undemanding to the soil, unpretentious in care, drought- and frost-resistant. The culture can grow both in the sun and in the shade, and is not afraid of gusty winds. It looks attractive not only in gardens, but also as a cut flower. Flowers in a bouquet remain fresh for 7 days.

Varieties and types

The discoverers of the flower were brothers named Lavater. They discovered it in Europe, near Zurich. Later it began to be found in Australia and North America. The plant can be either annual or perennial. Each species has its own varieties with individual characteristics.

Lavatera Three months old

Powerful annual, reaches a height of more than a meter. The lower foliage is heart-shaped, the upper leaves are three- or five-lobed. The flowers are solitary, large, up to 10 cm in diameter. The closer to the sun, the more abundant the flowering and the shorter the flower stalks. The five-petalled inflorescences of Lavatera Three Months are carmine, white or pink in color.

The most common types:

Silver bowl

A beautiful drought-resistant plant up to half a meter high. The funnel-shaped flowers are large, soft pink in color with dark veins. They appear from the axils of leaves up to 15 cm in diameter. The Silver Bowl variety is planted along the fence or in flower beds. Flowering begins in July and lasts until October.

Silver Cup

A cold-resistant variety with large branched shoots, reaching a height of 70 cm. purple flowers large with dark veins and a silvery tint. Flowering occurs from June to September. Looks impressive in group plantings and mixborders.

Ruby Queen

Low-growing, attractive, profusely flowering variety. During flowering, single pink-carmine flowers cover the entire plant, from which it is impossible to take your eyes off throughout the whole summer. This splendor is planted in flower beds next to bright annuals, group plantings and in mixborders. The flower looks harmonious against the background of roses, iris and fragrant tobacco.

Novella

A new low-growing variety that can be grown both in a flower pot and in open ground. Flowering is abundant and early. The first flowers appear when the plant grows 20 cm. They are large, pink, and do not fade for a long time. The decorative appearance remains throughout the summer, regardless of weather conditions.

White Sherub

A low variety with numerous snow-white flowers. It is ideal because it can be grown at home and in open ground.

Mont Blanc

Strongly branched, low-growing annual with large snow-white flowers and large emerald leaves. Unopened buds have a pink tint. The variety is planted in flower beds with other bright annuals, to create borders, in group plantings for cutting and in flower pots. When grown in a container, the plant will be more compact and will not grow more than 20 cm in height.

Lavatera Thuringian

Powerful, tall perennial, reaching a height of up to 2 meters. Large silver-green leaves, heart-shaped and lobed. Single, large pink flowers appear from the leaf axils on long stalks.

This type includes:

Bregon Springs

Powerful tall variety, reaches a height of 150 cm. Large silver-emerald leaves are located on long, highly branched shoots. The variety blooms profusely and for a long time with pink-purple flowers with crimson veins. Overwinters without shelter.

Lilac Lady

Tall variety with large purple flowers, blooming directly from the axils of the leaves. The flowers are large - up to 15 cm in diameter, the bush is powerful - up to 120 cm. The silver-emerald leaves are large, lobed in the lower part of the plant, entire-edged in the upper part.

Barnsley Baby

A compact, medium-sized bush, reaches a height of 80 cm. Large snow-white flowers have pronounced pink eyes. The flowers are beautiful and delicate and can be grown in containers, but they will look better in flower beds next to sage, catnip and cereals.

Lavatera arborescens

A biennial species with a straight, powerful stem, reaching a height of 2 meters. The delicate emerald leaves are large and fleshy. The flowers are red-purple with dark veins, very similar to hibiscus flowers. After wilting, the variety produces fruits in the shape of a head of cheese. Flowering begins in mid-June and lasts until the end of September.

Rosea

Tall biennial with a powerful woody root system. The slender, erect stem reaches a height of 150 cm, and is completely covered with soft five-lobed gray-olive foliage. Cup-shaped, medium-sized pink flowers. The tree-like variety is covered for the winter and pruned in the spring.

Lavatera propagation methods

The flower can be grown in two ways: seeds and seedlings.

1. 1. Seed method - planting in open ground is carried out only in southern regions at the end of April - beginning of May. Before planting the seed, dig up the soil, add 10 liters of compost and 2 tbsp. l. nitrophoska per 1 sq. m. Make a shallow trench on the prepared soil, water warm water and sow dry seeds. Fall asleep nutritious soil and covered with covering material. IN good weather sprouts appear after 7 days. After they reach 5 cm, the film is removed and the seedlings are thinned out.
2. 2. Seedling method - this method is used for more early flowering. When planting seedlings in May, the seeds are sown in containers in mid-March. Before sowing, it is necessary to prepare nutritious soil and lay a layer of drainage on the bottom of the pot. Seeds are sown in moist soil to a depth of 1 cm and covered with glass. The container is placed in a well-lit, warm place for 2 weeks. After germination of the seedlings, the shelter is removed, and the seedlings are planted in separate containers.

Caring for seedlings is simple. It consists of timely watering and additional lighting.

Planting and care

On open beds Lavatera is planted when the soil warms up to +10-15 degrees. For the flower, choose a sunny place, protected from gusty winds. The soil should be light and well drained. When growing tall varieties, a support is immediately installed for each plant.

Planted according to a 20 by 25 pattern. This distance will allow the flower to fully grow and develop, as well as look decorative and compact.

Lavatera is an unpretentious plant. At the beginning of growth, care consists of timely removal of weeds, careful loosening of the soil and watering when the soil dries to a depth of 10-15 cm.

In order for it to bloom magnificently and abundantly, faded inflorescences are removed and the soil is fertilized. The first feeding is carried out in growing season. To do this, use nitrophoska diluted in a bucket of water. The second - during the formation of buds. Take 1 tbsp per bush. l. potassium and sodium sulfate per 10 liters of water.

The older the plant, the darker its leaves. Soft green foliage indicates a lack of nitrogen and phosphorus.

Lavatera is a plant that in rare cases is attacked by insect pests and various diseases. Sometimes aphids appear on it. To get rid of it, the bush is sprayed with a soap solution or with Biotin, Actellik or Akarin.

If crop rotation and care rules are not followed, the flower may develop fungal disease- rust. Orange pustules appear on the inside of the leaf blade, which, when ripe, scatter spores, which can lead to massive infection. If rust is detected, all affected leaves are removed and the bush is sprayed with fungicides.

What to do after flowering

After wilting, a seed capsule appears in place of the flower, which must be left to ripen. A dried capsule is an indicator of ripe seeds. Brown. It is carefully separated from the bush, opened and the seeds are poured onto newspaper to dry. The prepared material is stored in a dry place, in a paper or linen bag.

If planted in the garden annual varieties, then at the end of the season they are dug up and the soil is thoroughly dug up.

Lavatera can be planted in the same place for 4 years.

Perennial varieties are bent to the ground for the winter and covered with leaves or spruce branches. Before covering, the plant is fertilized with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

Culture is interesting not only to its own decorative look, but also with medicinal properties. Lavatera Thuringian leaves treat wounds, skin diseases and purulent formations. Decoctions from the roots are used for colds and gastrointestinal diseases. The infusion has an anti-inflammatory effect.

09 Dec

Perennial Lavatera in open ground

Herbaceous lavatera with large flowers for a garden plot is an exquisite and delicate decoration - this crop blooms for a long time and profusely and is practically not attacked by pests.

Perennial and annual herbaceous plants perennial lavatera belongs to the Malvaceae family. The genus Lavatera has been known in culture since the 1620s, but it gained great popularity in Russia in the early 90s. Twenty years ago it was difficult to imagine garden plot without Hatma or Dog Rose. Growing from seeds in open ground is practiced. But you need to know when and in what time frame the planting takes place. All the subtleties of agricultural technology perennial flower from the moment of landing to the organization ongoing care You can find out about it in the proposed material.

In the wild, it is distributed in Eastern and Central Asia, in the Mediterranean Sea region. There are approximately 25 species in the genus, many of them distributed throughout Australia. As a wild crop, perennial lavatera does not have any particular decorative value, only cultivars obtained on the basis of its botanical species and varieties.

Look at the photo of a few years of lavatera garden varieties with large delicate flowers:

Botanical description of wild rose

Perennial and annual open herbaceous shrubs in the 16th century by the Lavater brothers, who were famous Swiss doctors at that time. They used herbs for medicinal purposes, and gave long-term lavatera botanical description, which has not changed to this day. The wild rose was found in Central Asia; the forests and steppes of modern Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are considered to be its homeland. The Lavatera genus (khatma) are tall plants that are suitable for “lazy” gardeners. It is actively cultivated in all climatic zones of our country, as garden and house annuals and perennials.

The height of perennial lavatera can reach from 50 to 200 cm. There are dwarf varieties, no more than 35-40 cm high. The plant has a well-developed root system. Especially perennial crops, it forms quickly and already in the first year of life goes 1-1.5 meters deep into the ground.

The crown is formed by powerful erect stems. These are large branching shoots. They alternately contain leaves covered with small felt hairs. The leaf blades can be round or heart-shaped, or divided into 3-5 lobes.

Lavatera flowers at home can bud within 10 months. In open ground, flowering occurs in mid-summer and fruit ripening ends in October. IN summer period Large flowers, up to 10 cm in diameter, form and bloom. The petals of the corolla form a funnel without merging at the base. The corolla is most often white, purple, carmine, violet or crimson. The buds are formed in the axils of the leaf blades; they are collected in paniculate or racemose terminal inflorescences. Many Lavatera varieties have single flowers on long stalks.

Names of species and varieties of lavatera

There are 25 known names of perennial lavatera species in the world, including numerous cultivar names. In the wild, the following species forms are more common: coastal, Cretan and Moorish. These cultivars are rarely used in gardening, since the basis for creating decorative varieties other types have become. Let's next look at several of the most popular species groups and look at a photo of a crop with beautiful, spectacular flowering.

One of the many species groups includes annual forms, generalized by the following character: annual life cycle. Called this type Three month old lavatera. The group includes herbs and shrubs up to 120 cm in height. The stems are large and branch well. Leaf plates are divided into lower and upper. The first are solid in shape, similar to a heart or egg with a jagged edge. The upper leaves are divided into 3 or 5 lobes. The flowers are large, up to 10 cm in diameter. The opening petals of the buds form a funnel. The leaves do not grow together. In the upper part of the bush, the flowers are formed more densely and can be collected in axillary terminal inflorescences, as can be seen in the photo below. The lower the bud is located, the longer the peduncle. The flowers are most often carmine, white or crimson. Annual lavanters bloom from July to October. Typically, the flowering process takes no more than three months. This is where the name of the species comes from. The most popular varieties are:

• “White Sherub” is a dwarf plant, height up to 35 cm. Snow-white flowers;
• "Mon Blam" - height up to 60 cm, dark veins on the white petals of the corolla make the flowers even more original.

The second most popular species is the perennial lavatera, which can often be seen on sale under other names: “wild rose” or Thuringian. They are large branched shrubs up to 2 meters in height. The stems are dense, powerful, and have alternate leaf blades. The lower leaves are dissected into several lobes, the upper ones are attached by long petioles and have a rounded solid shape. Single flowers are large, up to 10 cm in diameter. Most often they are pink in color and are located on long flower stalks. The most famous garden varieties:

• "Lilak Lady" - lilac lavantera;
• "I Catger" - with pink corolla petals.

The third type, which has become an excellent basis for creating homemade and garden hybrids- This is a two-year-old Lavanthera. The bush is formed by slender, erect stems, up to 130 cm long. The leaves are large and can be decoratively colored. The length of the whole leaf blades is up to 20 cm. Purple-red flowers have dark veining. Flowering begins early in early June and continues until mid-autumn. The following varieties are known in Russian gardening:

• "Candy Floss" - light pink buds;
• "Rosea" - a group with pink flowers.

How to plant lavatera seeds in open ground and seedlings

Using seeds, you can plant lavatera on your site in two ways: directly in open ground or with seedlings. The second option is suitable for reproduction dwarf varieties and, if you want the plant to bloom earlier. Let's try to deal with both methods in turn.

Planting seeds in open ground

The simplest is to plant lavatera seeds in open ground. Before doing this, you need to dig up the area to the level of the spade bayonet a couple of weeks. During this process, per 1 sq. m. we add a bucket of compost or manure, as well as nitrophoska in the amount of: 1 tbsp. spoon per square meter. Before sowing seeds, the soil must rest.

Ready planting material is not necessary, since it is sown dry in soil spilled with warm water. Make grooves in the dug beds, 1 cm deep, water the ground with melt moisture and sow the seeds. There is no need to cover the planting material; sprinkle it on top with a thin layer of a mixture of equal parts compost and garden soil. The bed is covered with a transparent film to prevent moisture from evaporating from the ground.

The first shoots will appear in a week; until this time, the seedlings are cared for in such a way that the soil always remains slightly moist. Also make sure that condensation does not accumulate. As soon as the seedlings reach a height of 5-6 cm, remove the film. Plantings need to be arranged so that there is a distance of 20-25 cm between them. If you did not add nutrients, then before removing the film, complex fertilizers are applied about 1-4 days.

Planting with seedlings

When planting lavatera using seedlings, the plant blooms several weeks earlier. If you plan to transplant seedlings in May, then you need to sow the seeds in seedling boxes in early March. The bottom layer in the container is drainage made of broken brick or expanded clay; you can also use clean river sand.

Lavatera is not picky even at a young age. Flower soil or seedling mixture is suitable for germinating seeds. Planting material is buried to a depth of 1 cm in warm, moist soil. The seeds are planted dry. After planting, cover the container with a transparent cap. The boxes are placed in a well-lit, warm place. The first shoots will appear in about 1-2 weeks. Until this time, minimal care is required for the lavater - timely watering and removal of condensate.

After the first shoots appear, additional lighting is needed, at least 12 hours a day. Without it, the shoots stretch out greatly and become thin. There is no need to pick young seedlings before planting; they should be planted immediately in their permanent places.

In open ground, planting is carried out in April or May. The main thing is that the weather is warm and the soil warms up. Choose a place for planting that is sunny and warm. The plant is not demanding on soil. It easily takes root on any composition. It is more important that it is light, loose and well drained. If you are growing a tall variety, then immediately install supports for its shoots. Planting pattern – 20x25 cm.

As for care, lavatera develops independently without feeding or other measures. The most important thing is to maintain soil moisture in hot weather by timely watering. The procedure is carried out once a week by adding 2-3 buckets of water to 1 large bush. The amount of watering is increased if the summer is very dry. Also, in order for the crop to form a neat bush, you need to create a support for it.

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