Statice, Kermek or immortelle are well known to many gardeners. This perennial herb is widely used to decorate suburban areas, so it is often planted on flower beds. Cut immortelle is used in the preparation of bouquets.
This plant is very popular in Europe, where it is often grown near houses as a perennial ornamental plant. If we talk about the cultivation of kermek in the northern regions of Russia, then not every variety can survive the winter. Therefore, sometimes landings are carried out annually.
Kermek perennial: description
Also, this plant is often called limonium. There are varieties of this kermek that live only 1 year, but most often the immortelle is a perennial shrub or small bush up to one and a half meters high. The leaves of the perennial kermek are straight, slightly elongated. The root system is going to a beautiful outlet, however, the rhizome is quite fragile.
The stalks of the immortelle are straight, on top of them there is practically no foliage. Kermek blooms perennial spikelets, while flower cups are filled with white or yellow petals. There are also varieties of purple, pink and other shades.
The plant begins to bloom closer to mid-summer. And in order to decide whether it is worth sowing a kermek perennial every year, it is enough to try 1 time and see how it survives the winter. Quite often, gardeners are pleasantly surprised that the immortelle survives even harsh winters.
Just look at the photo of kermek to understand that this plant fits perfectly into any garden landscape.
The most popular varieties
Kermek is distinguished by a huge variety of varieties, but the most notable immortelle is the most popular. In this case, we are talking about a medium-sized shrub, the height of which rarely reaches 0.5 cm. The inflorescences are quite large, differ in very small flowers, the diameter of which rarely exceeds 1 cm. Most often they are painted in bluish-purple color, but sometimes the plant blooms white or pink flowers.
Kermek broadleaf is also popular with gardeners. This plant is distinguished by its spherical shape. Leaves are wider and longer. The flowers of broadleaf Kermek also grow quite small, purple.
Also worth paying attention to Chinese Kermek. This plant is considered a hybrid that appeared relatively recently. In central Russia, this plant is grown only as an annual. The shrub is distinguished by its more impressive dimensions, its height can be up to 0.7 cm. Externally, the shrub is very similar to lace fabric. Flowers differ in a snow-white or cream shade.
Kermek Gmelin is notable for its unpretentiousness. In addition, a plant of this variety is able to survive even in the harsh conditions of central Russia. The immortelle's height is not 0.5 cm. Kermek Gmelina is considered the most resistant to frost, so it is so popular among gardeners.
Also in the suburban areas quite often you can meet the Caspian immortelle. This plant also does not differ in increased resistance to frost. Therefore, it is usually grown only in greenhouses. The bushy plant is abundantly covered with branches on which rather large lilac flowers grow. Caspian perennial Kermek is very often used in the preparation of bouquets for sale. If we talk about growing on a suburban area, then this variety will have to be sown annually. Therefore, it is rarely seen on private land.
Kermek Tatar causes a lot of controversy. The fact is that many gardeners still attribute it to the species of immortelle - Limonium. However, experts do not agree with this statement. Today Kermek Tatar belongs to the family Goniolimon.
Breeding
Regardless of whether immortelle will be grown at home or in the open field, excellent seedlings can be achieved by planting seeds. Experienced gardeners do not recommend using the vegetative method of reproduction, since the rhizome of this plant is very sensitive. Most often, the roots simply do not tolerate transplants.
You can purchase seed material in any specialized store. However, germinating seeds is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. Nevertheless, subject to certain rules, everyone can handle this.
Before you start growing perennial kermek, you need to prepare the seeds. They are covered with a fairly hard ribbed peel. It is not recommended to clean the shell. However, if this is not done, then the seed material will germinate for a very long time. In this case, you should go for one small trick. To do this, gently rub the seeds with sandpaper. After that, you can lay them for a while in a wet mixture consisting of sawdust.
Kermek plant: seedlings
Seeds are best planted immediately in separate pots. This is necessary in order not to disturb the delicate root system of this amazing plant once again. It is best to use ordinary peat pots for this.
The mixture for planting is prepared from soil and a small amount of sand. The soil substrate must be carefully sieved. It should not contain garbage, small twigs, stones and other materials. Before sowing seeds, it is recommended to warm the prepared soil in the oven for several hours at a temperature not lower than 100 °. After that, it is recommended to shed the earth with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This will help protect the immature plant from ailments and parasites.
Immortelle planting is recommended in early spring. To do this, it is enough to put the seeds in pots and sprinkle them with earth a little. And after that, peat pots must be covered with glass or polyethylene. In this condition, they should be from 10 to 16 days at a temperature not lower than 20 °. It is best to set the seedlings in a bright, cool place. When young shoots take root in the ground, you can transfer them to the open ground. Doing this is not recommended if frost prevails on the street.
Outdoor landing
Planting any plant is not recommended in the shade, as this will lead to the fact that young shoots can die quickly. Therefore, it is better to choose some sunny and warm place.
It is worth noting that kermek is characterized by increased resistance to wind, so you can not be afraid of drafts. It is not necessary to prepare the soil on a suburban area, since this plant is unpretentious.
But with the root system of the immortelle you need to be very careful. When transferring to the wells, you need to carefully remove the rhizome from the pot and move it to the open ground. It is also worth considering the features of the care of the statice.
Watering
Some, looking at the Kermek, whose photo is presented in the article, immediately think that this culture needs large volumes of water. This is actually not the case.
In the process of growing this plant practically does not need water. In hot weather, it is enough to water the crop no more than 1 time in a month and a half. It is recommended to add water under the root. In this case, the liquid must be slightly warmed up. Watering is best in the evening. Once a season you need to add a little salted water. Immortelle can not be fed, but if there is such a desire, or the soil is not nutritious, it is recommended to add a few minerals to the soil.
Diseases and Pests
This culture is practically not susceptible to disease, also many gardeners noted that Kermek is very resistant to parasites. However, the immortelle does not always fully correspond to its sonorous name. Like any other culture, this plant has its own weaknesses, which are best known to the beginning gardener.
The fact is that in some situations, a Kermek can get Botritis. This disease develops due to waterlogging of the soil. This happens when the rainy season or when the gardener is too overdoing the care of the crop.
In order to get rid of an unpleasant ailment, it is enough to use any fungicide.
How to get along with other plants
Kermek is a wonderful decoration of any suburban area. Today, virtually no European landscape is complete without this plant. At the same time, the immortelle shows itself perfectly in group floral arrangements. It is also used to decorate garden borders. In this case, the immortelle coexists perfectly with any cultures located next to it. Therefore, you can safely land it in any suburban area.
Finally
However, some homeowners only successfully grow this crop on their allotments. If you combine several different varieties of this plant, then the composition will turn out beautiful and without the participation of other flowers. Kermek will become an ornament of both a modest and more elite suburban area. At the same time, the plant absolutely does not need special care, therefore it will not require much time.