Platicodon is large-flowered, or grandiflora is the only representative of the genus Platicodon. This herbaceous plant lives both in forests and on rocky slopes. Platicodon has another name: bell. A description of the flower, especially planting and plant care, you will find in this article.
Origin of name and place of distribution
The wide bell got its name due to the appearance of flowers that really look like large bells. It is known that naming comes from the ancient Greek language. The only representative of the genus is called platicodon grandiflorus, or the large-flowered bell, sometimes confused with the broad-leaved bell, which, of course, cannot be done, since these are completely different plants.
Bushes grow in China, Korea and Japan, sometimes found in the Far East and Eastern Siberia. Platicodon has been cultivated since 1872, however, the peak of the plant's popularity occurred at the beginning of the 20th century.
Description
Large-flowered platicodon has a well-developed root system, the shoots of the flower are quite high, they are abundantly covered with leaves. The height of the stems varies from 20 to 80 cm. At the bottom of the foliage is collected in a socket. Platicodon greens are characterized by the presence of a bluish tint. Inflorescences consist of several wide flowers, the number of which can reach 5 pieces. If you look closely at the petals, you can see pronounced veins.
The diameter of the wide-open flowers is about 8 cm in many varieties, including the large-flowered Platicodon Astra with white flowers. In plants with blue petals, thin dark net veins are observed. In some forms, the color is dark purple. The buds are similar in shape to bells and lanterns. The beginning of flowering occurs in mid-July and lasts 2 months. According to gardeners, platicodon goes well with crops such as gypsophila, stunted phloxes, and a tall bell.
Varieties
There are several varieties of plants. The color of the petals directly depends on the variety of platicodone and varies from pink and white to pale blue. Sometimes dark veins appear on the flowers. All varieties are similar in appearance, but have small differences in the type of petals and their color, the size of the bush and bluebells.
If we talk about flowers such as Astra, you can produce platikodon large-flowered Astra Pink. Its petals are painted in a delicate pink tint. For platicodon Astra Blue, blue flowers are characteristic. There are varieties with white petals. A feature of a plant like Astra is that its bushes are stunted. Double variety is very popular. These flowers have petals arranged in two rows. The veins are best expressed in the Platicodon Pink Florist plant. Bloody veins are clearly visible on a pale pink background. The large-flowered platikodon of Fuji Blue, on the contrary, has only one row of petals, the color of the flowers is very delicate. There are several other varieties of culture with which you can decorate the site.
- Album Shoots of this variety grow up to 60-80 cm, white flowers in diameter reach 8 cm. Blue veins are on the surface of the petals. According to reviews, flowering lasts quite a long time: from June to August.
- Shelp Pink is a plant 80 cm high. Large flowers have a light pink color.
- Marisil Bleu is a short bush, the shoots of which grow to 35 cm. Blue petals have a lavender hue.
- Fairy Snow is another species of tall platicodone. The length of the shoots reaches 80 cm. According to reviews, delicate single flowers look very impressive, they can be painted white or light lilac.
- Epoiema is the shortest variety of a wide-bellflower, the height of which does not exceed 20 cm. The flowers are painted in a blue-violet hue. Experienced gardeners are advised to grow crops in rockeries and rock gardens.
- Snowflakes - a bush that reaches a height of only half a meter. The flowers are semi-double, white, attract attention.
- Maser of Pearl. Shoots grow to 60 cm. Pale pink flowers are located on the stems.
There is a flower called Ussuri codonopsis, which is very similar to platicodon, moreover, it is closely related to the wide-bell. However, a sharp aroma comes from the flowers of codonopsis, which may seem unpleasant to some people. For this reason, it is not very popular among domestic gardeners.
Landing
It is customary to plant the plant in open ground at the end of spring, when the temperature at night no longer drops to the minus mark. According to reviews, you need to take care of conditions that are comfortable for the culture on the site. It should be well lit, although in some cases you can plant a crop in partial shade. For growing platicodone, loose soil is suitable, which contains the necessary set of nutrients. Drain soil first. As a substrate, use loam with sand, acidity should be neutral. Such advice is given in their reviews by gardeners.
Keep in mind that the roots of large-flowered platicodon do not grow horizontally, but vertically. For this reason, it is better to plant crops in areas where there is no groundwater. Since the rhizome is tender, it is not customary to transplant the plant, which means that the bushes linger in one place for 10 years or longer.
Before planting flowers in open ground, dig up the soil and fertilize it. You will need a tablespoon of complex mineral fertilizing, as well as half a glass of tree ash. The size of the hole should slightly exceed the dimensions of the pots with seedlings. The distance between the holes should be 30 centimeters or more. Gardeners advise pre-watering the soil, after which you can put the culture in the holes and completely cover them with earth.
Watering
Within 15 days after planting the crop in the open ground, the plants must be watered daily, if you believe the reviews of gardeners. After this period, this procedure is carried out as necessary. In adulthood, platicodone large-flowered can tolerate heat and dryness. During watering, you need to loosen the soil and get rid of weeds. If the place of culture growth is covered with mulch, then the above procedures can be carried out not too often.
Pruning
The wide bell grows in the vertical direction, so you need to regularly trim. Several times a year, it is necessary to pinch the shoots, and also to use inhibitors annually. If the stem has grown strongly up, then you need to tie it up to preserve the beautiful appearance of the plant. As soon as the flowers begin to fade, they are pruned. This will increase the flowering time of new ones.
Seed cultivation
Platicodon large-flowered Astra, as well as other varieties of this culture, can be propagated in several ways. The most reliable of them, according to gardeners, is seed. In early or mid spring, material is sown in the soil for flower plants. The soil mixture is prepared from sand, peat land and humus. Sowing is carried out to a depth of 3-4 mm. Crops are recommended to be kept at room temperature. After 15-20 days, seedlings will appear, after which the temperature is gradually reduced to 16 degrees. Seedlings are kept under such conditions prior to planting in open ground.
Propagation by cuttings
Division of the bush and cuttings are not the most reliable ways of propagating the platicodon of the large-flowered Shell Pink and its other varieties. However, gardeners sometimes use these methods to grow flowers. To get the cuttings, it is necessary to cut off several shoots from the shoot, they should have an internode and a heel. After this, the cuttings should give roots in sand or water, then they are planted in a pot.
Diseases and Pests
Large-flowered platicodon flowers are distinguished by increased resistance to diseases, which are noted by summer residents in their reviews. Most often, the plant affects rot, the appearance of which is facilitated by excess moisture. If you find rotting, loosen the soil and reduce watering. In the case of a strong spread of rot, the flowers are removed, the area is treated twice with fungicide.
The appearance of moles and mice in the area where platicodons grow is very dangerous. Pests are literally smoked, for this smoke is allowed into the minks. You can leave a little poisoned cereal on the ground to get rid of mice. It is not common to use poisons against moles. Rattles are hanging all over the site, which are noisy with gusts of wind. Experienced gardeners note that moles avoid places where marigolds, daffodils, onions, euphorbia and garlic grow. In addition, to prevent pests from attacking your site, you need to monitor the level of humidity. Moles do not dig too moist ground and do not live where there are extremely many insects.