Blue, white, red, pink flowers, similar to airy flower clouds, magnificent carpets of delicate small flowers - all this is only part of the epithets that can describe the beautiful lobelia. This plant can rightfully be considered one of the most desired in the infield.
The article provides detailed information about the lobelia flower: photo and care. Here are the features of the flower and some characteristics of the most common species. In addition, here you can learn in more detail about the main nuances of the agricultural technology of growing this plant.
Lobelia in the garden
Properly growing a lobelia flower produces remarkable results. With its gentle and lush cloud of airy and delicate flowers, the plant transforms the landscape of the garden. Flowers look spectacular and bright.
Costs and efforts are fully recouped due to the appearance on the site of amazingly beautiful fireworks, sparkling with their colors from June to September.
Spread in nature
In vivo, lobelia is common in the subtropics and some parts of the temperate zone. They are found almost everywhere. The birthplace of this beautiful plant is South Africa, where it grows on rocky and humid cliffs.
Around the world, there are approximately 300 species of lobelia, and only 20 are used in culture. The flower got its name in honor of Matthias de L 'Aubel (Dutch botanist), who once headed the Royal Botanical Garden.
In nature, these plants are found both deciduous and evergreen.
Description
Lobelia (photos of flowers are presented in the article) - a herbaceous plant, a shrub, a shrub of the Kolokolchikov family. Maybe a small tree. All types of lobelia are perennial, but in Russia they are most often grown as annuals.
In its form, the plant is a spherical bush that grows in height by 20-150 cm (tall ones are very rare). Thin stalks of lobelia can be either branching or erect. The former are characteristic of ampelous varieties. The leaves of the plant are green, lanceolate, small and located on the stems very densely and alternately. Their length is 3-8 cm. The roots are fibrous.
Inflorescences bloom in the axils of the leaves, the shape of the flowers are similar to bells. The colors are the most diverse: white, blue, blue, purple, purple, red, pink. There are two-tone ones.
Lobelia blooms profusely, due to the fact that the flowers bloom almost simultaneously. In the autumn period, fruits appear that are seed boxes and contain a large number of small seeds. It should be noted that lobelia flower seeds retain their germination for 3 years.
Among the species of this plant, there are only perennials, but in Russian climatic conditions it is possible to use some of them as annuals. Below are presented in more detail the types of culture and their features, as well as the most common varieties.
Annual species
In Russia, the most common and popular types of lobelia flower are the following: erinus, strongest and thinnest.
- Erinus has two more names: black, curb. Sometimes it is also called garden, because it is representatives of this species that are the most popular in our belt. It began to cultivate in Europe in 1752. This is a compact herbaceous plant growing up to 10-40 cm (depending on the variety). In its form, it can be spherical bushes in the form of pillows or a cascade. The size of the flowers is 2-3 cm in diameter. Color: white, blue, violet, carmine, pink. There are also two-tone ones.
- Strong lobelia is grown in a temperate climate and is distinguished by powerful and thick stems. In form, the bush resembles lobelia erinus. The leaves are quite large, bright green. Coloring of flowers: blue, purple.
- The lobelia is the thinnest - an elegant species, formed by thin shoots growing in height up to 25 cm. In comparison with the general size of the bush, the flowers are quite large (up to 2 cm in diameter). The color of the flowers of this lobelia is white, blue, and lilac.
Popular varieties of annual lobelia: Crystal Palace, Kaiser Willhelm, White Palace, Riviera Blue Splash, Sapphire, Red Cascade.
Perennial lobelia flowers: photo, planting and care
Perennial, as well as annual, lobelias are used to create various compositions in landscape design, to decorate flowerbeds in parks and for landscaping a garden plot. But they are less common in Russia. Below are the most popular types among gardeners:
- Lobelia cardinal (or purple), which is a low bush with flowers painted in red. This plant prefers moisture, and therefore, to grow it should be planted on marshy soil. Often such a lobelia is used to decorate coastal areas of a reservoir or pond. Lobelia cardinal is winter-hardy and develops quite quickly.
- Syphilitic lobelia is a magnificent bush with bright blue flowers. Also prefers moist soils, and is found in the coastal zones of water bodies. This unpretentious plant tolerates frosts well.
- Fire lobelia - a plant with spike-shaped inflorescences, on which red flowers are located. A distinctive feature of the plant is that the leaves have a burgundy color. The bush can grow up to 1.5 meters. Most often they are grown in greenhouses, as they hardly tolerate frosts.
Lobelia flowers, related to perennial species, are distinguished by brighter and larger inflorescences. These plants are not as popular among gardeners as annuals, but they also have their fans growing them in coastal areas of artificial reservoirs.
About breeding lobelia
Due to the fact that all types of lobelia in moderate climatic conditions are grown as annual plants, seed breeding is most often used for their breeding. There are, however, some species for which cuttings and dividing bushes are acceptable.
Among gardeners, the most popular are ampel-like lobelia flowers, planting and care of which also does not require special efforts. They are characterized by long curly shoots suitable for various hanging planters.
The main problem is growing seedlings, which is difficult to do without.
Seed cultivation
The simplest way to grow on a lobelia site is to use seeds to produce seedlings. The seedling method gives more chances to get a strong and healthy flowering plant, since flowering after planting seeds begins only after 8-10 weeks.
Seeding stages:
- due to the fact that the seeds are very small, for even sowing them in the soil, it is best to use a wet toothpick, with which planting material can be carefully transferred to the soil;
- seeds should be sown for seedlings at the end of February, but this can be done until April;
- special containers must be prepared for sowing seeds (peat tablets, lobelia cassettes and shallow boxes can be used);
- Lobelia flower preferences - loose and light soils (without humus) or a special soil mixture for planting seedlings of flowering plants, and the addition of river sand and coconut fiber is also welcome;
- at the bottom of each container, it is necessary to place a layer of drainage (expanded clay expanded clay, small stones, tree bark), and pour the soil mixture on top, compacting with your hands;
- water the soil abundantly, you can shed it with a solution of potassium permanganate;
- the seeds can simply be spread evenly over the surface and covered with glass or film to create a greenhouse effect.
Then you just need to ventilate the container daily and observe the air temperature (approximately 20-21 degrees). The first shoots should appear in about 10 days. After the appearance of the first pair of leaves and reaching their height up to 3-4 cm, the sprouts can be transplanted into separate containers. In time, this is approximately 2 months after sowing seeds. Dive should be a few pieces (3-4).
In the future, it is necessary to provide seedlings with moderate watering and temperature conditions (16-18 degrees).
Cuttings
Healthy and beautiful lobelia bushes on the site are the result of careful soil preparation, proper planting, and above all, the right choice of planting material. It is very important to purchase quality seedlings of lobelia flowers. Caring for them is not the most difficult thing.
For a similar method of propagation (cuttings), for the winter, dig out the most healthy and strong bushes of long-term lobelia and transplant them into flower pots. Then the containers should be placed on the windowsills in the house or in any cool room. Throughout the winter, you need to provide the flowers with proper watering and ventilation.
In the spring from the bushes, cuttings up to 10 cm long should be cut, before planting in the ground, put in dishes with a rooting agent solution. Then the cuttings should be planted in separate containers or in plastic cups.
Propagation by division of a bush
This method is not very common, but it is also sometimes used in breeding lobelia. The division of the bushes is carried out in the spring, during the appearance of the first processes on them.
A healthy plant bush is carefully dug out and divided into parts. Then these young seedlings are planted in pre-prepared pits.
Choosing a place to plant lobelia
Lobelia flower prefers open sunny places, also slightly semi-shaded areas are suitable for it. If you choose a completely shaded corner in the garden, the lobelia is unlikely to bloom.
It is also important to choose the right place to plant in the existing garden composition. The undersized varieties will look great along the curbs and garden paths, as well as as a frame for flower beds. Tall bushes look good among other flowers. The ideal option is the use of ampel varieties planted in window pots, flowerpots and balcony containers.
When choosing a place for planting lobelia, the composition of the soil should be taken into account. She loves light and loose sandy or loamy soils. It is very important, as noted above, that the soil mixture does not contain a large amount of organic fertilizers, otherwise only the foliage will grow quickly, and the plant will bloom late and sparse. The place chosen for landing must first be dug up for good saturation of the soil with oxygen.
In conclusion about leaving
How to care for the plant after planting? As you know, lobelia flowers prefer to grow on moderately moist soils. Therefore, it is necessary to keep this plant in conditions of constant humidity, especially during periods of drought. In hot periods, it is recommended to water it twice a day.
For ampel lobelia, you can use a hydrogel (retains moisture), which should be added to the soil to prevent the plant from drying out.
It is recommended to loosen the soil around the bush carefully and shallow to saturate it with oxygen. Weeds that interfere with the full growth of the plant should be periodically removed.
An important part of proper and proper plant care is top dressing, which is recommended two to three times a season: the first - before flowering (potash fertilizers), the second and third - throughout the remaining period (complex fertilizers).
It is also very important to trim the shoots once a season. This prolongs flowering and stimulates the good growth of young shoots. Pruning time is the end of the first flowering period. To do this, cut off all the shoots with a pruner or knife at a height of about 5 cm from the ground.