The homeland of verbena - a perennial or annual representative of the same family - is South America. It was from there that this plant spread to the countries of Eurasia and North America. The thermophilic flower, which in our country is cultivated as an annual, is quite popular among gardening lovers. Moreover, it is used not only to decorate the site, but also for medicinal purposes.
general information
Verbena is often found under such names as "cast-iron grass", "blood of Mercury" and "tears of Juno." The plant is literally shrouded in a mystical halo, so some people treat it with special trepidation.
Verbena is considered the guardian of the home - the welfare of the inhabitants and the hearth. People have known about its existence since ancient times. Appearing on the shores of the Mediterranean, this culture soon spread to other continents, in particular to Europe. A high-ranking nobleman of Ancient Greece wore wreaths made of verbena, and in Egypt priests used it during ritual ceremonies. Today, most gardeners grow this plant in their areas exclusively for decorative purposes.
People have long been known for the miraculous properties of verbena. From its seeds, our ancestors brewed a decoction, which healed the injuries of soldiers, received by them on the battlefield. In the Middle Ages, healers, preparing an infusion of flowers and stems, were sure that such a remedy is a panacea for all ailments.
In its homeland, verbena, being a perennial culture, grows to one meter. Unfortunately, in the climatic conditions of Russia it is not possible to grow such varieties. In our country, mainly annual species of this herb are found for open ground. Hybrid Verbena is able to turn any, even the most unprepossessing garden into a real riot of colors. Very often, the flower is found in group plantings, where it gets along well with seaside cineraria, pelargonium, etc. In this article we will talk about what hybrid verbena is.
Description of varieties
Verbena hybrida specialists conventionally divided into large-flowered and compact. In the first group, the most popular are Etna - one of the early flowering varieties that begin to delight with their bright red inflorescences already in May, Defiance - a creeping bush 25 centimeters high.
Another interesting species is Cardinal, a hybrid red verbena with an eye growing up to 40 cm. Its inflorescences are up to five centimeters in diameter. Julia - another hybrid verbena variety, begins to give buds in June. Its bright violet-purple flowers, having white eyes inside, are distinguished by a delicate aroma. Another variety of verbena hybrid large-flowered - Cyclop - is a highly decorative bush that stretches up to forty centimeters per season. The flowers of this plant are very interesting. They have a beautiful color - blue with a snow-white “eye” inside.
Compact varieties of verbena hybrid from large-flowered differ in the size of inflorescences and the height of the bushes. The most common among them are Amethyst, whose name was given because of its blue flowers, Dazler - a flowering plant up to 25 cm high since June, Crystal, characterized by large branching of stems, compact Pink Delight, which in July delights with pink bouquets.
Characteristics
Verbena hybrida in our country, as already mentioned, is grown only as an annual. Compared to other species - medicinal, compact, ampelous, etc., verbena hybrid is the most popular among domestic gardeners. It is a grassy ornamental plant growing up to fifty centimeters. Hybrid verbena has strongly leafy straight or creeping stems. Small sized leaflets can have a different shape depending on the variety. They are serrated and slightly pubescent. Hybrid verbena leaves are opposite.
The inflorescences of this plant are spike-shaped, incredibly fragrant, can have a very different color. They consist of several dozen flowers that delight the eye from June to October.
In addition to their beautiful appearance, hybrid verbena umbrellas have a fragrant aroma. Almost all forms and varieties have one feature: the smell of flowers at sunset intensifies.
Propagation by cuttings
Hybrid verbena, the propagation of which occurs by cuttings and seeds, today is found almost throughout the territory of our country. In the first case, the tops of shoots that are processed with crushed coal are cut in autumn. Each cuttings should have several pairs of leaves.
Thus prepared planting material is stored in a cool place at a temperature of at least 10 degrees. In this state, the cuttings remain until spring. After the first warm days, the shoots are placed in a mixture of peat and sand for rooting. They are recommended to be covered with a film to maintain an optimum level of humidity. After three to four weeks, the root system will strengthen the cuttings.
Seed cultivation
Today, in many household plots, verbena hybrid is found. Growing from seeds, although it is a popular method of propagation of this plant, nevertheless requires knowledge of certain nuances.
In order for these beautiful flowering bushes to decorate the infield already in May, you must first obtain seedlings. In fact, growing hybrid verbena from seeds is nothing complicated. And if you start the process of obtaining seedlings in late January or early February, then already in mid-March you can get healthy planting material. Hybrid Verbena seeds should be harvested in July. It was at this time that the first inflorescences began to unfold.
Seed preparation process
Hybrid Verbena gives buds three months after placing seedlings in the ground. This means that preparatory work should be carried out at the latest until February. If you plant the seeds earlier, then they will not be enough light. And this means that you need a special highlight. You need to grow seedlings at home or in a greenhouse at a temperature of 18-20 ° C. Seeds should be placed in small containers with a hard shell. Growth usually passes rather weakly, so experts recommend resorting to stimulation. In order to improve germination, seeds must be left for three days in a cool room, the temperature in which is from 0 to +7 ° C. This process is called stratification. Some gardeners soak the seeds before sowing for two days in a growth promoter.
Soil requirements
Hybrid verbena in this matter is not too demanding, but it is preferable to use fertile soil. To prepare the substrate for seedlings, peat, fine sand and field soil should be mixed in the same amount. At the bottom of the container in which the seeds will be grown, you need to place a two-centimeter drainage of small stones.
Before planting a hybrid verbena in the open ground, you should decide on the place. This photophilous and drought-tolerant plant grows best in open sunny areas. And although it is undemanding to the soil, nevertheless, for abundant flowering, experts recommend choosing moist and fertilized non-acidic loams. Good water permeability and loose structure - these are the conditions that hybrid verbena prefers. Planting and caring for this plant does not require special knowledge, however, there are several requirements, ensuring that you can enjoy its lush color. In addition, culture has one undoubted advantage: it grows quite well in conditions of industrial pollution. Apparently therefore, it is very popular in urban landscaping.
Landing
Hybrid verbena develops slowly. From sowing to flowering, at least several months pass. Hybrid Verbena loves warmth, so she should choose a place on the sunny side, where there are no drafts. This plant can perfectly mask any empty part of the garden. It can often be found on the balcony, where it blooms lushly in a flowerpot.
It is only necessary to start planting a plant on a garden plot when the air temperature rises to 18 ° C. Before placing seedlings in open ground, prepare the soil in advance. To do this, you need to add half a bucket of humus, 60 g of ammonium phosphate and 250 g of ash per one square meter. Each bush is placed in a separate hole, into which just before the planting is poured about half a liter of water. Having placed the root system in the pit, you should carefully tamp with the ground.
Care
Hybrid Verbena, being very unpretentious, does not require special attention from the gardener. Properly selected sunny plot, timely, not plentiful watering - and the plant will delight for several months with its luxurious bouquets. Verbena does not require careful care. It is enough just to periodically cut off withered inflorescences and leaves. Thanks to this, new flowers will appear on the plant. Hybrid verbena even in summer heat requires moderate watering - no more than once every five or six days. On hot days, experts recommend that you periodically loosen the soil so that the crop has the necessary air circulation for its root system.
If the bushes are planted singly, then you need to periodically weed the beds throughout the growing season. But if the culture flaunts in a group composition, gardeners only deal with the removal of weeds for the first two months. The fact is that only young verbena seedlings require regular weeding, and when they begin to grow, they themselves suppress the growth of weeds.
Top dressing
Verbena will actively develop if a small amount of fertilizer is introduced into the soil. It is best to use the universal dressing provided for flowering plants. Organics need to be applied once, only during planting. In the case of an excess of nitrogen compounds, verbena hybrid will first of all increase the green mass - leaves and stems. And then, having squandered all her strength on them, this plant will not be able to bloom, in the best case, it will release several underdeveloped inflorescences. In order to stimulate the active and abundant release of buds, verbena should be periodically fed with trace elements.
Diseases and Pests
With proper care and moderate watering, a gardener can avoid these problems. But the fact is that in particularly hot periods, many starting to worry more about this plant, supply too much moisture. And this can lead to the defeat of verbena hybrid powdery mildew. In this case, it must be urgently treated using sulfur or foundationazole. Verbena is very rarely affected by aphids or ticks. Sometimes excessive watering even leads to decay of the plant legs.
Observing the rules of care, the gardener should try to prevent damage to the plant by nematodes or mushrooms, since the fight against them often ends in defeat - the death of the bush.
Finally
Exquisite and delicate hybrid verbena looks great in bouquets. Just three branches with inflorescences are enough to give the composition femininity and elegance. To grow this culture is a pleasure. Hybrid Verbena blooms for a long time, besides it is not picky, therefore it becomes an adornment of any garden plot or lawn flowerbed.
This plant is a wonderful option for decorating front gardens. At minimal cost, the gardener can easily get flowering bushes for quite a long time.