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Among the plants that are very popular among gardeners and lovers of landscape design is the heliotrope marine. This is not surprising, because this flower is very beautiful. Thanks to its appearance, it will become a worthy decoration for any flowerbed. In addition, it is quite unpretentious in the care, which is its undeniable advantage.
Heliotrope Description
The plant has bright fluffy inflorescences, possessing an amazing subtle vanilla scent. Due to this property, this flower is often used not only as a bright accent in gardening, but also in the perfume area for making cosmetic products and perfumes.
Buds that are on the scorching sun can burn out.
Another feature of the heliotrope is that the flowers all the time turn to the sun, that is, they occupy different locations.
There was this plant from South America. It is necessary to take into account the fact that in the tropics and subtropics the flower pleases its owners for many years, whereas in our country it will not be possible to winter, so it is considered an annual one.
Inflorescences of the heliotrope have a thyroid form and consist of many buds. They can reach twenty centimeters in diameter.
The leaves are quite large in size, dark green in color. Their shape resembles an inverted egg. The structure is slightly wrinkled, wavy with a slight pubescence.
There are many varieties of heliotrope. Each of them has its own characteristics. Bushes grow in height from 20 to 60 centimeters. The colors of the inflorescences can be seen from white to dark purple. More common is a blue or bright lilac tone.
The flower looks charming in compositions with any other plants. In addition, stunted varieties are often used in outdoor pots or pots on balconies.
In the room, the heliotrope will delight you with its flowering for many years, but unfortunately, in the open ground they do not survive the winter, so they are grown as an annual plant.
The plant very much loves the morning spraying with warm water.
There are a huge number of heliotrope species, the main ones are:
- European;
- Kurasawa heliotrope;
- corymbose;
- Stem-compelling;
- Peruvian heliotrope.
Of course, the care and growth of the heliotrope has its own characteristics and rules, which must be adhered to. However, it should immediately be noted that this plant is unpretentious, resistant to many diseases and pests.
Below, we consider the most common types of heliotrope and their characteristic features.
Features of care for the heliotrope
Currently, more than three hundred species of this plant have been bred. Of course, each of them has its own characteristics, but in many ways care is the same.
In order for the bush to always be neat, it should be cut every 2-3 weeks.
Like any other plant, heliotrope loves mineral fertilizers, thanks to which it will please you with a long and lush bloom. Apply fertilizing every two weeks after planting, before the formation of the first buds.
Since the bush is thermophilic, it is better to choose the sunny side. Watering should be done often, but in moderate quantities. Do not overdo it, because stagnant fluid will not lead to anything good. Also, do not allow the soil to dry completely, Use only room-temperature water at room temperature.
To give a suitable shape, the culture must be plucked on time. For this, the tips of the side shoots are cut off, and sometimes the branches are completely cut off. This will create a magnificent beautiful bush with a stunning bouquet of flowers and a beckoning vanilla flavor.
Heliotrope marine
The variety has a tree-like shape up to half a meter in height. In a warm climate can grow up to two meters in a few years, but in our conditions the plant takes root as an annual, as it does not endure severe frosts.
Buds have a diameter of about 15 centimeters, mostly blue-violet bright color. The plant begins to bloom a few months after planting the seeds. The first buds are already observed in June. The flowering process is prolonged and continues to frost itself.
Hybrids of this type:
- "Mini Marine
- The Dwarf Marine;
- "Marin Blue".
To plant the heliotrope Marine choose a bright sunny place. Try to protect the plant from strong rains and winds in every possible way. The soil must be loose, well-fed organic fertilizers.
This kind of bush is excellent for planting in park areas, garden areas and flower beds. Looks great in the pots on the balcony or terrace.
When the seed has already grown seedlings, do not rush to transplant it into the open ground. Wait until the end of freezing, let the weather conditions will be adjusted. But also do not overdo, the plants should blossom already in the ground, and not on the balcony.
Begin the end of April, temper the plant. To do this, move the seedlings to fresh air and keep them there for a while. Thus, she will gradually get used to the street temperature regime.
For planting in the open ground, first dig out the holes, and put in them humus from leaves or manure. The distance between shoots should be at least 20-30 centimeters. In the first days after planting seedlings, inspect the seedlings. It is desirable that they are not in direct sunlight. In addition, once or twice a day, spray.
In frequent watering, an adult Marine does not need. It is enough to pour a little under the root, without touching the inflorescence. You need to do this when a dry crust forms on the ground.
An important nuance in the care of - the introduction of mineral and organic fertilizers. It is necessary for a long and abundant flowering. The first time the feeding is done 10-12 days after transplanting, and then again after 14 days.
Heliotrope hybrid
The hybrid heliotrope is characterized by an upright position, with the stems rather branched to the sides. Leaflets of dark green color have a long elongated shape, reminiscent of an oval. The height of this plant variety sometimes reaches fifty centimeters. Inflorescences can have a white, purple or lilac tone, and the size reaches fifteen centimeters in diameter.
The heliotrope, which grows in the flowerpot, must be periodically carried out on the balcony, otherwise it will begin to stretch.
This variety is most common for growing in indoor conditions.
Heliotrope Peruvian Marine
A fairly common plant species, reaching a height of fifty centimeters. The blossom begins a short time after planting the seedlings in the open ground. With proper care, as early as June, you can observe beautiful inflorescences that will delight a magnificent delightful sight before the onset of frost.
The main varieties of culture:
- Heliotrope varieties Princess Marina. This plant stands out among others with a very rich blue-violet color. Opened buds are not able to emit a strong flavor. In height, this variety is small, reaching only thirty centimeters.
- Heliotrope Mini Marine. Possesses small purple-blue flowers. The leaves have a purple hue and a dark green color. With proper care, it grows medium in size.
- Heliotrope Black Beauty. The plant is of a purple color. During the flowering period, a very rich vanilla scent is released. Because of this, this variety is often used for making perfume and cosmetic products.
- Heliotrope variety Dvorf Marin. Has a saturated dark blue inflorescence. The culture is not high. The adult plant does not exceed thirty-five centimeters.
- Heliotrope Rigal Dvorf. Has a fairly neat compact form of bush. Flowers in this variety are the largest and have a delicious, rich flavor.
- Heliotrope varieties White Lady. Characterized by the presence of white flowers, which are collected in wide inflorescences. The leaves are large, not smooth. The plates are predominantly of a light green color.
- Heliotrope variety Baby Blue. The flowers are purple-violet, large enough. The bushes are rather compact. Because of their small size, they are suitable for growing in flowerpots.
- Heliotrope Odysseus. This is a very low half-shrub. Its height does not reach even thirty centimeters, so it is widely used for decoration of balconies, as well as in carpet flower beds. Leaves are dark green, oblong in shape.
- Heliotrope sort of Job. It differs from the other varieties with too much branching. Flowers have a bright blue-violet hue. Leaves are dark green in color.
Heliotrope dendritic
This type of heliotrope is often characterized by a small size, in rare cases its height can reach sixty centimeters. Branches can be spreading or erect. The flowers are rather small, have a violet color and a rich pleasant inviting aroma.
In many tropical countries, you can meet a tree-shaped heliotrope with a height of two meters. In our climate, of course, this is unrealistic, since these semishrubs do not endure our winters, and therefore are grown, mainly as annual plants.
Leaflets of this sort are full of dark green color. They have very small hairs. The plant begins to blossom in June, and ends when the first frosts come.
On the basis of a tree-like heliotrope, as well as when it crosses with other varieties, a fairly large variety of new species of this culture is now available. All of them with great success have taken root in our region, and are popular in garden areas, parks, squares.
Among the most popular varieties of a tree-like heliotrope are the following:
- Mini Marine. It is characterized by compactness, and a small height - within thirty to thirty-five centimeters. The leaves have a dark green color. Flowers of bright blue-violet shade with an excellent aroma of vanilla.
- Black Beauty. Has corymbose inflorescences with a purple color. It grows up to forty centimeters high.
- Fragrant Delight. It has approximately the same dimensions as the previous grade. The peculiarity of the plant is in the flowers, the middle of which is colored in a different lavender color.
- Regal Dwarf. It has excellent lush inflorescences of dark blue hue. In size this plant is small, about thirty centimeters.
- White Lady. Do not leave without attention fans and flower growers. The height of the half-shrub reaches forty centimeters. When the flowering period begins, pretty large inflorescences appear with a lot of pink buds, which eventually turn into snow-white flowers with enticing aroma.
Flower heliotrope sea breeze
The height of this type of heliotrope reaches a maximum of forty-five centimeters. Flowers grow to twelve inches in diameter.
The bush starts to bloom from the beginning of June, and ends at the end of October, when the first frosts begin. Seeding of sea breeze seeds by experienced gardeners begins in April, because in 60 days it can quite please you with the first buds.
Sea breeze is absolutely thermophilic, so after sowing seeds keep in a warm place, not allowing drafts. With watering the seedlings, you also need to be careful, use standing water at room temperature.
Before planting in the ground, the land should be fertilized with special organic fertilizers. The distances between the wells should be kept approximately thirty centimeters.
After planting, do not allow strong drying of the soil, the sea breeze prefers moisture. After watering, it is desirable to just loosen the ground a little, creating a so-called hill near the bush.
When the plant is about a month, then it must be plucked. On the lateral branchlets, it is necessary to cut off the tops, and then the shrub will not grow upwards, but on the sides. To form a lush crown, some extreme shoots should be removed completely under the root.
As you can see, there are a lot of varieties and varieties of heliotrope. Knowing the basic rules of care and cultivation, you can enjoy any of them on your garden, on the balcony, and even in landscape design.
