Most of us know this plant as a garden lily of the valley. His photo is associated with cleanliness and spring. The name of this flower came from the Latin phrase, which translates as "valley of lilies."
general information
This culture is widespread in the temperate climatic zone, in the northern hemisphere, although some of its varieties are also found in the tundra or forest-tundra zones. Lily of the valley as a genus includes some perennial plants with well-developed, branched, cord-shaped roots. They are often used for distillation in the winter.
Today, garden lily of the valley has become quite popular among summer residents. He found his place in secluded and slightly darkened corners of the plots. It is usually planted in large groups. Many use garden lily of the valley as a groundcover under trees or shrubs. It is known that this flower is rarely used in flower beds or mixborders, since it is somewhat aggressive and can crowd out neighbors.
In the landscape
A large garden lily of the valley is very beautifully combined with fern, lunatic, catchment and anemones. In this case, do not dig and bring home forest varieties of this plant. According to many, it is the garden lily of the valley that looks much more effective. A photo of this flower can often be seen in the form of a very simple, but elite bouquet, including a wedding one. For this, half-bloomed peduncles are selected. At the same time, experts recommend not cutting them, but simply pulling them out. However, it must be remembered that almost all varieties of lily of the valley are distinguished by the release of milky juice, and therefore it is better not to combine them with other flowers in bouquets.
Description
The plant is very widespread not only in our country, but in Europe and North Asia. It is found in North America.
The genus of lilies of the valley is a stunted culture. Its representatives have creeping branched rhizomes, from which the upper - green part departs. Pale bottom leaves are located in the soil, while terrestrial vaginal leaves have a long, wide shape with a pointed apex. They are arranged in four to six pieces.
The upper surface of the leaves is matte, while the lower is shiny. The plant has a trihedral stem, growing in height in some species up to fifteen to twenty centimeters. However, in some cases, it can reach 40 cm, as, for example, the lily of the valley is tall. On it are white flowers, the whisk of which is six fused petals. The most common species in the wild is the lily of the valley in May.
Garden views
Several garden varieties were bred from the plant by selection, which differ not only in the characteristics of the flowers, but also in the shape of the leaves. The stem of the plant is also a peduncle, Despite its height, wide leaves are attached through sheaths that are white or pink in color, and therefore they seem to lean towards the ground.
The garden lily of the valley with its inflorescence resembles a brush on which small drooping flowers, numbering from five to twenty, are unilaterally placed. At first glance, they are very similar to miniature bells, looking base down. Despite such small sizes, the garden lily of the valley exudes a very pleasant and delicate aroma that can spread far enough.
In the Caucasus, another variety is very common - Transcaucasian, or Convallaria transcaucasica. It is hardy and grows well in culture. For the normal development of this species, a shaded area is required.
In the southern regions of the Far East you can find another variety of lily of the valley in May, which is called "keizke". It differs from the main species in dark green large leaves, as well as larger flowers and late vegetation.
Growing
Despite the fact that this plant grows mainly in forests, especially in shady clearings, many amateur gardeners today widely use it as a cultivated species. The first mention of the plant dates from the middle of the sixteenth century. Even then, in Europe began to grow garden lily of the valley. Planting and caring for it does not require special skills, however, this flower must be handled very carefully, because the pleasant aroma that comes from it is very deceptive. The fact is that lily of the valley, including garden, is considered a poisonous plant. It is used only in medicine and less commonly in cosmetology.
Although garden species have some similarities with their "wild" relatives, nevertheless, they are distinguished by the color of the leaves - green-yellow, as well as the color of the flowers. Their attractiveness lies in the fact that even having finished blooming, they still retain their decorative qualities provided by large green leaves. However, so that they are always healthy and delighted with their lush flowers, when growing them, you should be guided by the rules that are required for such a plant as a garden lily of the valley.
Landing and care
Photos of this amazingly delicate flower can be seen in almost every gardening magazine. And this is not surprising: his snow-white graceful miniature bells evoke a feeling of tenderness and some kind of childish delight.
In order for the garden lily of the valley, the care of which is not difficult, to feel good on the site, initially you need to choose the right place. Landing should be carried out in half or in complete shade. The soil should be slightly loamy, sufficiently moist and slightly acidic, although the plant feels rather well on neutral soil. The preparation of the landing site should begin somewhere in the middle of autumn - in October.
The ideal time for outdoor use is autumn (September) or spring (mid-April). Moreover, in the first case, planting should begin after the leaves on the trees turn yellow. Place must be chosen in the shade. It is easiest to plant lily of the valley with sprouts, although propagation by seeds is often practiced.
Planting material is small sprouts that have shoots of rhizomes and leaf buds or flower buds. Before placing them in the ground, thoroughly loosening, you need to make grooves in it up to fifteen centimeters deep. In the process of planting, it is necessary to carefully ensure that the roots do not bend, and the sprouts themselves should be sprinkled with earth for two to three centimeters.
Features of planting and growing
Planting material needs to be planted in rows, at a distance of ten centimeters between seedlings and thirty - between rows. If the lily of the valley was correctly placed in the ground, then in this area it will grow for at least ten years.
Moreover, in the first year after planting, only those sprouts will bloom whose diameter is more than six millimeters and a slightly rounded top. Only leaves will appear on the rest.
The young garden lily of the valley, planting and care of which were carried out according to the standards of agricultural technology, it will be enough to impose rotted manure. When the planted sprouts root, and this happens on the thirtieth day, fertilizing with organic fertilizers should be performed.
Distillation
For lush flowering lilies of the valley need distillation. To do this, dig a plant immediately after frost. Rhizomes for distillation are selected with an ovary of leaves. The shortest and thickest specimens, with the presence of blunt kidneys, are planted in pots, and the rest are returned to the garden.
In autumn, they are kept in the soil with a nutritious composition. Pots are exposed in a cool place, where they stand until January. The room temperature should not be higher than four degrees of heat. In early February, the pots are transferred to the windowsill with diffused lighting. Since that time, the lily of the valley, starting to prepare for flowering, builds up leaf mass. In order for the plant to bloom faster, it must be covered with snow at night before entering the room.
Watering
The plant needs constant humidity, otherwise it will bloom poorly. In a dry summer, garden lilies of the valley should be watered twice a week. There are few weeds around them, since they themselves are able to survive other plants, nevertheless they are. They must be removed manually after each watering.
For winter, lilies of the valley do not need shelter: these flowers are quite frost-resistant. Every three years, they need optimal thinning of the stands, since flowering can stop if the density is too high.
Fertilizer
At the same time, digging up the soil should be deep enough - thirty to forty centimeters. If the land in the garden is strongly acidic, then lime must be added to it: three hundred grams per square meter. In addition, you need to add manure or compost: ten kilograms per 1 sq. Km. m. It will not be superfluous to introduce a small amount of superphosphate with potassium salt. Fertilizers introduced into the soil should be thoroughly mixed with the ground.
Moreover, they need to be added twice a year: for the first time during a thorough digging of the site - in October, and the second - in the spring. And with the onset of the summer period, when the garden lily of the valley - the fragrant is bought, as it is also called, is already fading, the site needs to be cleaned of weeds. In addition, crops such as beans or peas can be planted here.
Of the diseases, garden lilies of the valley are most susceptible to gray rot, which can be eliminated with the help of special products sold in gardening stores. The pests of this flower are sawfly and onion rattle. In case of infection, the diseased plant should be destroyed immediately so that it does not infect neighboring bushes.
Finally
Many of those who plant a garden lily of the valley in their garden, care for which does not require much effort or time, once planted, will never give up the opportunity to admire this beautiful flower. The plant multiplies rapidly, so summer residents are happy to plant it in areas. And the red berries of lily of the valley, although very attractive, are nonetheless poisonous. Therefore, care must be taken to protect children from them. In addition, the flowers of the lily of the valley themselves have a fairly strong smell, as a result of which bouquets of them in the room can cause a headache. However, on shady flower beds, the kupena is superior in beauty to all other plants.