Modern gardeners have an incredible variety of flowering plants at their disposal. Among them, one can distinguish a more modest flower - the heliotrope Marin, known since ancient times. A perennial plant with beautiful color delights many gardeners. Once upon a time, the plant attracted not only with its flowers, but also with its amazing vanilla smell. It has not lost its relevance to this day.
Plant description
The heliotrope Marin is a tree-like plant that reaches half a meter. The homeland of culture is Peru and Ecuador. In native spaces, the plant reaches two meters. But in our climate, the heliotrope cannot overwinter. Therefore, it is impossible to leave it in the open ground for the winter. Inflorescences of the culture are painted in a deep purple color. In diameter, they reach 15 centimeters. Planting a heliotrope and caring for it are not difficult, and therefore it is actively used to decorate personal plots. The plant develops very quickly, and the first flowering can be observed in the year of sowing. With its colors, the heliotrope delights gardeners from the beginning of June until the advent of frost.
Description of heliotrope Marin is not too different from other varieties. The leaves of the plant with short petioles are arranged alternately. Small flowers are collected in lush inflorescences. The fruit is called coenobium, it consists of four parts, similar to nuts, in which there are very small seeds. The plant has long been prized for its exquisite vanilla aroma and its high content of essential oils. More than 250 varieties of culture are known, among which the variety Marin is the most popular. The heliotrope in natural conditions grows in the tropics and subtropics. In our gardens, it is an annual, because it does not tolerate frost. But as a houseplant, it can be safely called a perennial.
Culture features
Young heliotropes of Marin resemble herbaceous plants. But over time, the shoots are lignified. With the help of pinching or correct pruning, they can be turned into bushes or trees. An unusual plant came to Russia at the end of the eighteenth century and very quickly gained popularity among the population, thanks to its unique smell and bright color.
Currently, it is grown on balconies, in rooms, on terraces. And in open ground, curbs form from it.
Varieties
Heliotrope Marine is represented by several varieties:
- Princess Marin is a plant that does not exceed thirty centimeters in height. Its small inflorescences are painted in a bluish-violet hue.
- White lady. Low-growing form with abundant flowering. Pink buds after blooming turn into small white flowers.
- Sea dwarf - miniature very decorative look. Bright inflorescences are painted blue and have a pleasant aroma.
- Odysseus. A variety of plants reaches a height of no more than thirty centimeters, but it has large velvety flowers of a bright lilac hue.
- Sea breeze is a medium-sized plant. Spreading bushes grow up to 50 centimeters. The foliage of the plant is colored dark green, and the inflorescences are blue. The flowering period lasts from June to the end of October.
- Heliotrope Marine mini is another low-growing form, reaching a height of only 25 centimeters. It differs from other varieties in its color. Foliage is green with a purple tint.
Landing
Planting the heliotrope and caring for it in the future does not differ in great complexity. For the Marin variety, it is preferable to choose a sunny place. The plant loves loose soil with an abundance of organic matter and good water permeability. It is advisable to protect the plant from wind and rain.
Ready seedlings are planted in open ground after the freezing stops. Plants must first be prepared for transplantation by hardening by ventilation. Take out seedlings on the street can begin with the arrival of April.
Planting in open ground plants is necessary at a distance of 20-30 centimeters. In the wells, you can add a little humus or quail foliage. In the first seven days after planting in open ground, plants shade and are sprayed twice daily. Further cultivation of the heliotrope Marin is not so troublesome.
Adult plants do not need watering. To moisten the bushes is necessary only after the soil around them is covered with a dry crust. When watering, a stream of water is directed under the root, trying not to spray on the inflorescences themselves.
Propagation by cuttings
Initially, heliotropes (photo is given in the article) were propagated only by cuttings. But with the development of selection of steel, new varieties appear that can be propagated by seeds. Among them, it is worth highlighting such a variety of heliotropes as Marin.
If you plan to propagate it by cuttings, then the mother plant must be dug from the ground and, together with a lump of soil, placed in a container and brought into the room for wintering. Water the crop as needed. In mid-February, cuttings are formed from the mother plant. They are divided in such a way that there are three to four internodes on each shoot. Too much foliage on the cuttings should not be left, as this weakens the plant.
Next, prepare containers for landing. Boxes are filled with a mixture of humus and sand in a ratio of 2: 1. A layer of sand up to one centimeter thick is poured on top. The resulting substrate must be well moistened and tamped. Before planting, it is advisable to hold the cuttings in any rooting solution.
After planting the blanks in the substrate from above, the shoots are covered with a film until the roots appear. Daily cuttings must be watered and ventilated for 30 minutes, opening the film. Typically, it takes about three weeks to get the roots. Then the cuttings are transplanted into a more nutritious soil. For example, you can make a substrate of sand, turf and peat in a ratio of 1: 2: 4.
Soil can be fertilized with complex fertilizer. At first, the plant must be shadowed. It is also worth spraying them up to two times a day. To do this, use water whose temperature is above room temperature. As they grow, young plants must be nipped regularly to give them a more decorative look. In open ground seedlings can be replanted only after the termination of frost.
Seed propagation
The heliotrope can be propagated by seed. They can be sown from January to March. To obtain seedlings, it is recommended to scatter the seeds on the surface of the soil and squeeze them a little, without covering anything from above.
Germination period is twenty days. Tanks with seedlings must be kept warm and certainly illuminated. Without light, the seeds will not germinate.
Plant nutrition
The heliotrope (photo is given in the article) should be regularly fed with complex fertilizers, which contain organic fertilizers and minerals. Top dressing can be carried out for the first time twelve days after transplanting plants into the soil. The procedure must be repeated every two weeks before the beginning of flowering.
Pests and diseases
Unfortunately, the plant is susceptible to disease. One of the most dangerous pests is whitefly. To combat it, plants are treated with insecticides twice a week.
Very often, a culture becomes a victim of a spider mite. Its presence is indicated by a white spider web or whitish dots on the back of the foliage. Since ticks do not belong to insects, acaricides are used to combat them. For example, you can buy the drug "Apollo".
Very often plants attack aphids. Insecticides are used to combat it.
The nuances of growing
The heliotrope flowers of Marin are very delicate. When water gets on them, they quickly fade, so plants are recommended to be watered under the root. It is worth noting that this type of heliotrope, as we already mentioned, is able to reproduce by seed. However, in terms of smell intensity, it loses significantly to those varieties that are propagated only by cuttings.
The tree-shaped heliotrope is popular because of its appearance. But there is always a risk of turning a tall bush into a groundcover. Therefore, gardeners sometimes have to tie them up. Marin is suitable for growing not only indoors, but also on the street.
Seed collection
Growing a heliotrope is a simple matter. But collecting plant seeds is not so simple. Getting your own seeds does not always give a good result. And the reason for this is our climate. In the conditions of our latitudes, the seeds do not have time to ripen, so experienced gardeners do not recommend wasting time and effort in vain on a futile process. It’s easier to get certified seed in specialized stores. High-quality seeds will allow you to grow good plants. If you want to try your hand as a breeder, you must wait for the period when the inflorescence will not only fade, but also turn black. After that, you can cut it and open the boxes in search of seeds that need to be thoroughly dried. Before sowing, they must be stored in cardboard packaging.
Combination with other plants
Heliotrope is a wonderful culture that goes well with many plants. For example, you can plant begonias, coreopsis, rudbeckia, coleus and many other flowers nearby. Very effective compositions are obtained by planting heliotropes with cineraria and petunias. There are a lot of possible combinations.
The culture is very successfully used in landscape design. Her long and bright flowering allowed her to take pride of place among the plants used to decorate personal plots. With the help of heliotropes, beautiful flowerbeds are decorated and flower borders are formed. Especially spectacular flowers look against a bright green lawn. No less interesting are plants for home growing in pots. They decorate balconies and terraces. In this case, they are shaped like a small tree on the stem.