One of the most charming flowers in the garden is Hesperis. Vespers of Matrona (this is how his name is translated from Latin) includes about 30 different species. It is found in the wild in the Caucasus, the Mediterranean, Western Siberia, as well as in Eastern Europe.
The plant began to be cultivated in Europe in the 16th century. A flower was introduced into our country in the 18th century. The Matrona evening party was decorated with lawns, flowerbeds and paths of landowners' estates. Today, this beautiful flower is used for various compositions in gardens and household plots. To breed Hesperis on your own, you will need to find out the features of this process.
general description
The flowers of the evening party Matrona (photo presented in the review) are also called night violets. This is due to an increase in its aroma in the evening. This plant belongs to the genus Cabbage. The plant stem can grow up to 1 m in height. He has a small fluff. At the top of the stem branches. On these peduncles, lilac inflorescences bloom in clusters.
The leaves of the violet have a saturated green color. They are narrow (no more than 3 cm), but quite long (up to 12 cm). During flowering, the Matron's Vespers remotely resembles a lilac. The buds have four petals. They are located relative to each other crosswise.
The flowering period begins in late spring. It lasts about a month and a half. If the weather is hot, arid, the flowering period may be reduced. With their aroma, buds can resemble the Saintpaulia violet, which is widespread in our area. However, these two plants belong to different families. Night violet fascinates with its delicate buds, forcing the gardener to admire it. That is why the popularity of the plant is constantly increasing.
Plant features
Vespers Matrona (photo below) is a small plant. Her small flowers are small enough. They gather in groups on their branches. The delicate shade of the petals can vary from white to saturated lilac.
These small buds exude a dizzying sweet aroma. They open in the evening. All night they envelop their gardens, flower beds with their aroma. This creates an indescribable magical atmosphere in the infield. In the morning, their sweet smell gradually disappears.
The presented flower is considered a perennial plant. However, with each subsequent year of growth, it will exude less and less flavor. Therefore, for more than two years, nocturnal violet is not grown.
Vespers of matron can be grown not only in open ground, but also in tubs on a balcony or porch. This plant is a honey plant. This allows it to be used as an additive to livestock feed. Also, in many recipes of traditional medicine, night violet is used.
Growing and Care Requirements
Vespers of Matrona (night violet), the photo of which is presented below, is an unpretentious plant. It grows in well-lit areas, not afraid of even direct sunlight. In partial shade, the flower also feels great.
Night violet prefers to grow on light neutral soils with a high-quality drainage system. She also loves fertile, slightly alkaline soils. The plant needs regular watering. This is especially felt during the growing season (late spring - early summer). However, the flower does not tolerate waterlogging. Its roots begin to rot. It also blooms poorly during droughts. Therefore, watering the night violet is necessary in a timely manner, but not too abundantly.
This is a frost-resistant flower that easily survives the winter even without shelter. Only in snowy, but frosty winters, it is recommended to cover the plant with some kind of protective material.
If the stems are tall, they can bend under the weight of their peduncles. To prevent this, you can tie the plant to the support.
Breeding
Vespers of Matrona, the cultivation of which the gardener performs for the first time, requires him to have minimal knowledge in the field of plant breeding in the greenhouse method. To do this, collect the seeds. After a long flowering period, which ends in mid-June, a fruit in the form of a pod forms on the stem. In it, the seeds ripen. They are brown in color. Their size is 3 to 1 mm.
The plant can propagate on a self-sowing site. However, the decorative qualities of such night violets may gradually decline. For this plant, it is important to make frequent planting updates.
In order to bring flowers to seedlings, seeds purchased in a specialized store should be planted in prepared soil in early April. The earth is poured into a container, and then seeds are poured onto it. Another layer of soil is poured onto them. Its thickness should be 0.5 cm. The soil should consist of peat and humus. This layer is compacted and watered. Seedlings are covered with glass or film.
Growing seedlings
Vespers of matron, growing from seeds of which is carried out by seedlings, requires the maintenance of certain conditions in the greenhouse. The temperature should not be lower than 20º. Watering should be moderate. You can not fill the plant.
If everything was done correctly, after 15-17 days the first shoots will appear. Seedlings are watered and aired. Inside the greenhouse, the specified conditions are maintained until 3 full leaflets appear on the stem. At this time, night violet can be prepared for transplantation into the open ground.
After this process, the plant should be well rooted. To do this, it is recommended to loosen the soil near the trunk. This will provide oxygen access to the roots, contributes to their full and rapid development. In the first year after transplanting, the plant will not bloom. It builds up a mass of sheets. Flowering will occur next year.
Seed application
Vespers Matrona (night violet) propagated by seeds. The division of the bush, cuttings in this case are considered laborious methods. Seeds are purchased in specialized stores. This helps to update the view on the site.
Not wanting to grow seedlings, you can make seeds immediately into the ground. This method is used both in spring and autumn. In the second option, it is necessary to have time to bring seeds into the soil before frosts. In the spring, the ground should warm up enough. Therefore, you should not rush into the landing. Some gardeners claim that this procedure can be performed even in late June or early July. At this time, the soil will already be well warmed up.
Seeds are not deep in the soil. The topsoil should be no more than 1 cm. The distance between the seeds should be sufficient. After this, the soil must be watered. Next, seedlings need to provide proper care.
Choosing a place to land
Vespers Matrona requires the gardener to choose the right site for sowing. This may be a shaded area under the trees. In this case, young leaves will not be affected by scorching sunlight. For residents of middle latitudes, it is recommended to plant seeds in a well-lit area. Shading is preferred in hot climates.
The soil must be well excavated before landing. The soil must be fertile. A quality drainage system is also welcome. In this case, the water will not stagnate on the site, the root system of the plant will not rot.
The beds before planting need to be fertilized with organics. Mineral top dressing is also introduced. In three weeks or even earlier, the first sprouts should appear. Seedlings need to be thinned out. Between each plant should be at least 40 cm. Then they are watered in a timely manner. At the end of summer, flowers can be transplanted if desired. There are no special requirements for the choice of neighbors for a flower.
Care
Flowers evening party Matrons are undemanding to air humidity. This is a fairly hardy plant. It grows equally well with both high and low humidity. In general, night violet does not require special care.
So that the flowering of the plant is long and beautiful, it is recommended to weed, water (but not flood) the soil around the stem, loosen it. You can also periodically apply fertilizer. If the weather is normal, there is no drought or prolonged rains, the flower is watered approximately once a week. The soil around is loosened. It is best to do this procedure in the morning.
Drought night violet fears more than excessive watering. It is resistant to pests. With excessive watering, the root can rot, the likelihood of its defeat by earthen fleas increases. However, the flower does not need disease prevention. Fertilizers can be omitted. If the soil is poor, you can feed the flower with mineral compounds twice a month.
Landscape design
Vespers Matrona is actively used in modern landscape design. It is recommended to be used in the process of decorating the yard, front garden or walkways. The plant looks beautiful in the flower garden. Designers recommend planting a night violet in groups. They can include up to 10 plants.
During the flowering period, such a concentration of flowers will delight the eye with its gentle shade. You can select groups of inflorescences of various shades. This will create an additional decorative effect.
Having considered how to grow a flower, the evening party of Matron, each gardener will be able to independently decorate his plot with delicate lilac inflorescences.