Lobularia What kind of flower is this? Lobularia, or Alyssum (from lat. Lobulus - "pod"), explains its name as a fruit - pod. Belongs to the Cabbage family. In the Mediterranean, this plant can be found in wild form. Now in our country, an exotic beauty is not uncommon - sea lobularia. Growing from seeds made possible its wide distribution.
There are about 5 species in the genus lobularia. These are annual and perennial flower beds, which reach a height of 10 to 40 cm. You can recognize it by narrow long leaves and very attractive inflorescences, which consist of many small flowers of various shades from pale white to deep purple.
The lobularia fruit is a long pod of round or ovoid shape. The seeds are small yellow or brown. Their germination lasts up to three years. What attracts gardeners to this Mediterranean beauty?
It is great for decorating flower beds, borders, balconies, garden paths and is an indispensable decoration for alpine slides and hanging baskets. Possessing an amazing honey smell, the plant attracts not only bees, but also gardeners. The most common varieties in our country are:
- Bentama - the height of the flower reaches 40 cm, the inflorescences are white.
- Compact - 15 cm high with white flowers.
- Outstretched - a flower about 10 cm high; the color of the flowers is from pale pink to deep purple.
- Motley - plant 15 cm tall with white and purple flowers.
Lobularia: growing from seed. Courtship
Many gardeners do not consider lobularia capricious, although it blooms and pleases the eye under certain conditions. She loves the sun's rays, does not tolerate drying out of the soil, but an excess of moisture is also contraindicated to her. In our country, the zest of lawns - lobularia - has become very popular. Growing from seeds has gained great popularity, as it does not present any particular problems.
She planted in seedlings in March, seedlings appear already on the 5th day. Its seeds are very small and light, therefore, they are recommended to be planted on pre-moistened soil without digging. It is convenient to take seeds with a match or a toothpick. Having planted the seeds in the soil, you need to cover the box with film and create greenhouse conditions for them. When planting seedlings in open ground, it is advisable to retreat 25 cm between the seedlings. This distance will help the seedlings grow and protect them from a disease such as powdery mildew. The first flowering lobularia will delight only after 50 days. When it fades, the bushes can be trimmed and wait for new buds. At this point, it is recommended to do regular feeding. Also, this plant may be susceptible to a disease such as rot. This is due to the poor composition of the soil, which does not allow moisture to pass to the roots. In such cases, the affected plant will have to be removed and burned.
In hot weather, flowering of lobularia ceases, but with regular watering this can be avoided. It blooms from May to October. If your flowers bloomed early - before the first frost, then they must be covered. The compactness of plants allows you to combine them with others, creating bouquets of incredible beauty. This may be
Turkish cloves, pelargonium, petunia, marigolds, etc. In order to decorate large spaces, annual lobularia is used, growing from seeds of which is a simple and uncomplicated process. After all, it is a plant with
small flowers that form compact inflorescences that cover the stem and leaves. Nothing can be more pleasing to the eye than a lobularia grown with its own hands with love and care. A photo of her, which can be given as a greeting card, for example, to a friend, will delight you until the new flowering and will remind you of wonderful summer days!