Eustoma perennial - planting and care, photo flowers

In this article, I would like to tell you and show what a multi-year-old eustoma is - planting and care, photos of buds and inflorescences, which simply amaze with their different shades. This gentle, and at the same time, a luxurious flower has many names. The plant belongs to the gentian family, its homeland is Central America, but it is also very widespread in South America, Mexico - wherever it is quite humid and warm at the same time. She does not like drafts and sharp temperature differences (and what flowers do they like, if so judge?).

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Eustoma, photo:

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As for the names, they are no less attractive than the flower itself - "Irish rose "Texas bell "gentian tulip-shaped "prairie flower". And still, despite the fact that this botanical name of this kind is considered quite outdated, the eustoma is also called lisianthus, which in Latin means "bitter flower". Since this representative belongs to the family of gentian, the parallel is not difficult to conduct. Moreover, the plant itself contains many bitterness, such as gentianin, gentseopicrin, gentsiamarin and other similar derivatives.

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On the Internet, on the appropriate flower forums and in groups, you can often find such a question: eustoma and lisianthus - what's the difference? The answer is predictable - there is no difference, this is the name of the same plant.

If you briefly go into the details and origin of the names, then Eustoma - from the Greek "Eu" means: "beautiful "beautiful and the Greek word "Stoma" means "mouth". In the end, we get a "beautiful mouth" or "lovely mouth" - to whom, as more like.

It is interesting that in every country this flower is called in its own way: in Ireland - by an Irish rose, in Japan - Japanese, in Mexico - generally called the Texas bell, in France - the French rose love. Whatever it was - these poetic names correspond to reality and once again demonstrate the sympathy of many nationalities to this amazing flower.

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Features of the flower eustoma

Not only the names it varies, but also the color of the buds, the shape of the flowers themselves. Representatives of a certain variety resemble a rose. A person far from the world of floristry can even confuse them. Individual varieties of their size and shape resemble poppies, terry mallow, some representatives of the family lily. The stems of lisianthus are usually massive (as, for example, in carnations), it is noteworthy that 20, or even 30 flowers (and sometimes even more!) Can be placed on one shoot.

Eustoma - photos of flowers:

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The leaves of the plant are not particularly prominent, they are of average size, slightly elongated shape with a sharp tip. But the color gamut of flowers, as already mentioned above, simply amazes with its multicolor. Red, blue, cream, snow-white, lilac, bicolour - with the transition of one shade to another, pink, lilac, yellow - any shades can be eustoma-lisianthus! With its exquisite beauty, this flower can make a sweet competition to the bridal bouquet - and it's not for nothing! In addition to the external appeal, these flowers are very durable in cut form. Its bouquets are often decorated with various celebrations, banquets, decorated with decorative arches. And all because they can not lose their freshness and beauty for 15 or 20 days (of course, being in water or in a special wet floral sponge).

Irish rose is different in size, the height of the stems. For example, depending on the variety, it can grow in the open ground, in the greenhouse, in the potty of the house on the windowsill (so-called dwarf varieties). In its natural growth environment this plant is biennial, however, if you want to grow it in your cottage, count on the fact that it will be your annual. But potted varieties of lisianthus are perennials.

Thus, a multi-year-old eustoma can exist only in the home (flat) version. The same factor applies to the length of the stems - tall representatives go for the design of bouquets and all ornaments, and low-growth lisianthus delight your look at home, on the windowsills and shelves for colors.

Lysianthus, by the way, is not quite capricious in growing and nursing. Some special "dances with tambourines he does not require even a beginner-florist, both in the suburban area, and at home. Naturally, if you are interested in taking care of this case, do not forget about watering, adhere to simple rules and recommendations of experienced florists or neighbors in the country, where he successfully grows and blooms.

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Some popular varieties and species of eustoma

The main differences of these colors, of course, consist in the external difference of each variety, in colors and shades, in a variety of forms. On flower forums, you can often find references to the varieties listed below. I would also like to show them here.

Eustoma large-flowered Russella (Eustoma russellianum). Has a straight stem, the bud itself is somewhat like a poppy (in shape), the petals can be with or without fringe. Can have completely different shades of buds.

Eustoma Russell, photo:

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Lizianthus Echo (Echo), probably the most common variety for making bouquets. It can reach a height of 60 cm, and the color scheme of the buds consists of approximately 11 shades, both monochrome and with a gradient (one tint, smoothly changing into another).

Sort Echo, photo:

Lysianthus Aurora (Aurora) - early varietal, reaching, m height, flowers are terry, saturated with pink, snow-white, blue hues.

Эустома Aurora, photo:

Flamenco is a highly decorative species of lisianthus, also reaching a decent height (about a meter). Very unpretentious in the care and also boasts a multicolor buds.

Sort of Flamenco, photo:

The variety of Pink Florida (Florida Pink) has pink flowers! At least here it is not difficult to get confused in a vivid variety. It is perennial, whose shoots are abundantly covered with flowers.

Lisianthus Florida Pink, photo:

The "Mermaid" variety is a potted species with a stem height of up to 15 cm. It is represented in a predominantly blue-violet range (mermaid-sea association), but sometimes pink and white representatives are also found.

Sort of Mermeid, photo:

Sort "Little Bell" (Little Bell), can seem quite simple in appearance, especially against the backdrop of some magnificent tribesmen, but this is its charm and touchingness. It is also suitable for potting.

Lisianthus Little Bell, photo:

Variety White Large-flowered (Lisianthus grandiflorum) - probably one of the most impressive species. It is this eustoma, from which the wedding bouquets form and with which decorate the interiors of the banquet halls. Very impressive and luxurious.

Lisianthus grandiflorum, photo:

In fact, in nature there are about 60 varieties of this flower, they are all somewhat similar, but at the same time, completely different in appearance.

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Features of growing eustoma in the garden, collecting seeds

To ensure that on your site this beautiful woman felt comfortable and blossomed in a wild color, you must first determine the place of planting. It should be sunny, and the soil on it - fertile. Watering the lisianthus follows as the upper layer of the soil dries up.

Fertilizers and fertilizers are a matter of course, as in the case of any flowering gardener. Fertilize this flower should be when it is already firmly rooted in a new place, it happens about a month after the seedlings are transferred to the flower bed (in the open ground). According to the opinion of experienced florists, lisianthus prefers special complex preparations, similar to those recommended for the vast majority of their blossoming brethren.

How to grow an eustoma? Top dressing "Plantafol Growth" or simply "Plantafol" is made at the very beginning, when flowers require fertilizers with a high concentration of nitrogen. When they begin to form buds (approximately mid-summer / August), you can start adding fuel to the root "Plantafol Butonization" - it has much more phosphorus than nitrogen. Preparations "Kemira" or "Kemira Lux" will contribute to a longer and lush bloom. The main thing - do not forget that all such additives should be diluted with water. And, another important nuance that is not indicated on the package with fertilizers, but it is highly recommended seasoned growers - dilute a little less concentration of fertilizer in the water than it is written in the instructions to application!

The Irish rose begins to bloom in the middle of summer (in July) and continues to delight the eyes with lush buds until the middle of autumn (until about October). As already mentioned above, this flower is rather "tenacious both in cut and in kind - the inflorescence of lisianthus on one shoot can not fade until 2 months. If you carefully cut the branch, it will grow back and cover with new flowers. The duration of flowering also depends on the region of growth: the warmer in your edges - the longer it will bloom. For example, in our Kuban lisianthus will bloom long and repeatedly give new buds!

Eustoma - photos of flowers:

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How to collect the seeds of eustoma

Now let's approach a more serious part of the growing process - to harvest seeds and further manipulation with them. Seed capsules near the flower are formed after pollination. Clearly, on the open ground, plants are pollinated by insects. If you are engaged in breeding lisianthus at home, then solve this task with an ordinary (soft) brush is not difficult and will not take much time. As in the case of other flowers, the seed boxes remain in place of the dried buds not removed from the shoots.

Planting an eustoma with seeds almost always has a positive result. Seeds quite well come up, and those that you managed to collect yourself, and those that were purchased in a flower shop.

By their size, they are very small, those that are sold in the store are already "rolled" into A special thin shell, which consists of components that promote better germination and growth of plants. It is most convenient to stock up in advance with special cassettes for seedlings, or even better - with peat pills! In these tablets, and zemlesmes is already selected with a competent calculation of the composition, and then planted later in the open ground, these pills are much more comfortable. And there - see how you prefer.

Seeds of eustoma, photo:

And bought shop, and personally collected seeds are most conveniently buried in the soil with a toothpick, as shown in the photo above. Seeds are planted in winter or early in spring, most often in February or early March, but there are also frequent cases of successful January plantings.

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Eustoma - growing from seeds

As already mentioned above, for convenience, saving energy and time you can buy peat tablets, you can also buy ready-made zemlesmes in the flower shop (the one that is designed for planting senpolias or violets is suitable excellent).

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At the same time, it is possible to approach this process in detail and make the soil mixture itself. In the recommended time for sowing, take a light garden soil, which should be good for water and air. It should be clean land from a garden plot (without any plant residues or stones), peat and calcined river sand. All these components are put together in equal proportions. In addition, you can add a couple tablespoons of wood ash.

In order to be safe and be sure that the crop will be made into a clean earth mix, disinfect the soil - this can be done by spilling the soil with a solution potassium permanganate or steaming (not roasting in the oven!) A couple of words about steaming: it usually takes a large saucepan, one-quarter is filled with water, put on Fire. The earth is filled with a colander in the colander and covered with a lid. The whole process lasts about 1 hour. Hot steam from the water passes through the holes of the colander and kills possible bacteria in the ground. However, in this method there is one minus - with harmful bacteria you can destroy and useful microorganisms that help to resist future plants. In any case, the choice is yours. The steamed soil will subsequently have to be filled with useful biofungicides, such as "Phytosporin" or, for example, "Trichodermin "Baikal M1".

It is also very important to take into account that the crop should be produced only in disinfected tanks! It can be like cassettes for seedlings (they can be seen in the photo above), ordinary plastic or paper cups. The presence of drainage holes for any containers you have chosen is mandatory. Not only soil mixture, but also pots should be treated with appropriate disinfectant solutions. Even a container for peat tablets should also be decontaminated.

How does the planting of eustoma seeds:

1. We take containers and fill them with a moistened earth mixture.
2. Seeds we put from above (it is possible a toothpick or sharply sharpened match - for convenience), strongly we do not deepen, only slightly we press into the soil.
3. Water the water from the spray gun.
4. We cover the containers with a polyethylene (or thin food) film, so that she always misses the light.
5. Further, the seedlings are transferred to a bright, warm place with an average air temperature of + 20.. + 25 ° C. Council - for this the south window is perfect. Sometimes it happens that the usual light day is not enough for the harmonious development of plants. In this case, the fluorescent lamps (i.e., the seeding of the seedlings) will come to your aid. It is important that the plants do not begin to stretch from lack of light!
6. Once a day briefly lift the film and air the shoots, along the way, gently moistening the soil with a spray gun.
7. With the onset of the night, you can transfer the tanks to a cooler room, but with not too significant temperature difference - this is not an obligatory condition, but with the right approach it will not be superfluous.

If you do everything right, the first little sprouts will appear in 10-12 days. After the eustoma-lisianthus revealed itself to the world, the protective film should be removed, tempered by irrigation, Transfer the capacity of plants to the premises cooler - with an air temperature of about +15.. + 18 ° C. This flower grows slowly, the first real leaves appear about a month and a half later. By this time it is already worth thinking about diving, although usually it is produced two months after sowing.

Seedlings of the eustoma on the photo:

On the dive:

1. Before picking, pour the soil in containers with plants.
2. The fact is that even one seed can give 5 or 7 shoots, therefore at this time (2 months) the best, strongest representatives are chosen, After that should be very carefully, with the help of a suitable miniature object, to extract the sprouts from the ground, and then transplanted into individual pots or, again, in cups.
3. Do not forget about the drainage - at the bottom of the pot, pour a thin layer of expanded clay fraction or even foam balls.
4. Deepening in the soil mixture can be done with the help of an ordinary pencil, and the "operation" of the transplantation with the help of a manicure metal spatula, for example.
5. Seedlings of lisianthus have a very delicate root system - remember this always, not only at the time of transplantation.
6. In the process of diving, deepen the plant in the soil to the very leaves.
7. After this, it is advisable to place containers with flowers in a shaded location where the air temperature will be approximately +18 ° C.

In most cases, lysianthus very comfortably tolerates the picking process, so the adaptation period at the new site is successful and the plant enters the growth quite quickly. After a lapse of two or three months (as the weather in your region will allow), an Irish rose transplanted to a permanent place of residence - either in a potty pot, or on a flower bed, plot. You need to do this carefully, by the method of transshipment, together with the earth lump - there is nothing new here. For this process, it is best to choose the end of spring / early summer, when any frosts are 100% excluded.

Lysianthus after the picks, photo:

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How to grow eustoma in peat pills

If we pay attention to the method of planting lisianthus into peat pills, then, it is, I repeat, unquestionably, it is more convenient in all respects. Just take the tablets of an appropriate size - for this plant you need a "circle" with a diameter of at least 5 cm. Further, I think, will understand the instructions - the tablet is moistened with water at room temperature, swells to the desired size, excess water is removed. A seed with the help of tweezers or toothpicks is placed in a specially designed well, pressed lightly, sprayed with water from a spray gun.

Eustoma - growing in peat tablets, photo:

Further, too, everything goes as usual - covering with a film (creating a kind of greenhouse), airing, placing in a warm and bright room. Everything is the same as in the case of planting in the soil. But when the first small leaves appear, immediately put the pill in a plastic cup. Thus, the roots will not be intertwined, and each lysianthus will be in its place.

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Eustoma lisianthus - we plant in the ground

We already know that it is preferable to choose an unseen place on the site. On the absence of winds and drafts - too. For landing in the open ground, choose an overcast day or evening, after sunset. Month - May or June, when the sudden cold snaps are not exactly coming. To release the plant from the pot, we use the transshipment method (remember the gentle root system of the eustoma). The distance between the bush should be about 20-25 cm.

In the well prepared hole, put the Irish rose lisianthus together with a clump of earth, slightly poured with soil and gently squeezed. The very hole in size should match the size of the pot in which the flower grew. Its volume should be free to contain the extracted plant together with the earthen lump. By the way, it will not be superfluous to additionally protect lisianthus at the beginning of life "on earth" - cover the bushes with glass jars or cut plastic bottles on a sunny day. Blooms eustoma regardless of what month of winter or early spring you sowed seeds. Approximately to the middle of summer, in July, you can see the first flowers of this gentle and graceful flower.

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Eustoma perennial - planting by the roots

Due to the fragile and vulnerable root system, this plant can not be propagated by dividing the bush into fragments or by cuttings (they do not germinate). In extreme cases, in the appropriate flower shops, you can always purchase ready-made seedlings. It multiplies only by sowing seeds, by growing seedlings - and nothing else. The roots of lisianthus do not tolerate transplantation, any sharp or incorrect movement can ruin a plant!

Sometimes it happens that the florists-beginners under the concept of "a long-term eustoma - planting a root" imply the division and the subsequent planting of the separated roots. Here it is necessary to clarify this small error, the phrase "planting a root" is often used ordinary the effect of transplanting a plant in an open ground with a "native" earthen lump and, naturally, formed in it roots. Do not confuse these two concepts.

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Эустома - when to sow on sprouts in an apartment conditions?

To grow this flower at home, you can sow seeds when you want! Seeds of eustoma belong to the tugovschim, therefore it is better to sow them on the growing Moon. Suitable dates can be viewed in the calendar of the lunar phases by months.

The main thing, remember all the nuances, temperature regime, lighting (especially in the winter) - and you will succeed. For potted breeding at home, low (dwarf) varieties of lisianthus are used. The plant will feel more comfortable on those windows that face east or west. Bright, slightly diffused lighting - this is what you need for a room austomy, but on the southern window, especially at noon, it is better to arrange a light shading. There is a high probability that the Irish rose on the northern window will not be able to develop harmoniously and can wither away from lack of sunlight. If you have purchased a ready-made flower in the store, give it time to adapt, do not expose it directly to the direct rays of the sun, so that the leaves and flowers do not burn.

Make sure that when watering the water does not fall on the flowers and buds, otherwise decay will not take long. In general, when watering, try to adhere to the golden mean - do not let the soil dry up, but do not over-moisten it too much. Optimal condition of the soil for irrigation at home - formation, -2 cm dry top layer of soil mixture in the pot. In containers for this plant, drainage should always be present, small gravel, clean disinfected fine pebbles or fine gravel can be placed on the bottom. In general, according to observations, home-made eustoma-lisianthus best gives flowers and feels comfortable in a slightly cool, well-ventilated room.

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Eustoma Care - Recommendations

Adding to the above, it is possible to recommend preventive irrigation procedures by special means containing fungicides in their composition. Preparations "Topaz "Saprol "Topsin" will protect the plant from powdery mildew, fusariosis, leaf spot, gray rot. From pests, alas, it is difficult to protect yourself if flowers grow on the open ground. The main enemies of the eustoma are the whitefly, slugs, aphids, miners, mushroom mosquitoes - with these parasites successfully struggling drugs such as "Mospilan "Aktara "Confidor" and well-proven "Fitoverm".

Remember the love of lisianthus for light and light shade, the eastern or western sides of the site are the best places for its growth. Water it moderately, but regularly, when watering, do not drench the leaves so as not to provoke the appearance of gray mold and malignant fungi. Irrigation to an adult flower is no longer needed, and water for irrigation, ideally, should be soft or permanent. When the temperature of air decreases, the volume of water for irrigation should be reduced. Sometimes, after landing in the ground, some gardeners recommend the first couple of weeks to cover the plants with large plastic cups or cut plastic bottles. It is recommended for flower adaptation, habituation to a new place of residence, protection from drafts and winds, as well as to preserve moisture in the upper layer of the soil.

After the eustoma-lisianthus floreshes, it has a rest period, life processes slow down and the plant "falls asleep ceases to grow. By this time, fertilizers need to be completely eliminated, watering is minimized, in a word - to give the flower a rest. To the Irish rose and next year pleased you with its splendor, be sure to cut off all the branches, leaving, at most, two or three main points of tillering (branching).

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Eustoma - growing, summarizing

Wherever it grows, it needs to create a comfortable environment. On the site or at home, in the room - it should be good, then it will bloom and smell, please you with a healthy appearance. This plant is able to give peduncles throughout the flowering period, if the shoots are not cut to the root. But in warm regions even such a radical pruning can give a re-development of stems and flowers on them.

Eustoma perennial tall will decorate your site and local area, it will be harmoniously combined with other flowers and shrubs, will remain fresh for a long time and will perfectly transport transportation in cut form, if required situation. Low-growing same varieties will become a bright adornment of your house, balcony, window sill.

It must be remembered that an Irish rose is a plant that will inevitably wither without moisture. Drying of soil should not be allowed in any case. Excessive waterlogging also does not lead to anything good - the plant will begin to ache, the roots can rot. Push the ground around the flower should be neat (remember the tender roots), we naturally remove the weeds.

Reading, getting acquainted with all the nuances, it may seem that this is too troublesome business, and the eustoma lisianthus itself is a capricious and characteristic plant. In fact, this is not so, any green and cherished green inhabitant requires attention and care, sometimes individual. Trees, bushes, any plants and flowers are nature creatures, they are alive and just need a comfortable life. A beauty eustoma not so different in terms of leaving her neighbors roses, fragrant hyacinths, surfions and other ornaments of our gardens and plots. It is unlikely that there will be a florist or a summer resident who will not like his long-term beauty of the eustoma for many years, planting and care, photos of various sorts and shades will not leave anyone indifferent!

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