Delicate miniature shoots, equipped with small oval-pointed leaves, crowned with touching clouds-caps of inflorescences, have long and firmly taken their place in the Russian garden.
This is alissum, or sea lobularia, a representative of the Cabbage family, a magnificent honey plant that unites more than a hundred plant species distributed throughout Europe, Asia and North Africa. The history of wild alissums dates back more than 20 centuries, but in culture these wonderful flowers appeared not so long ago, but quickly gained popularity and recognition of gardeners. Yes, and nature did not deprive the plant of virtues: unpretentiousness, endurance, excellent aroma and cute decorative effect - everything is contained in this garden culture. We will talk about growing and caring for the most interesting honey plant groundcover.
View characteristics
Despite the fact that alyssum is often called lobularia, these are different plants, but the closest relatives, very similar in appearance and united in one genus. They are distinguished only by the color of the flowers: cream or yellow in alyssum, and white or lilac-pink in lobularia, although allnew varieties and species with different shades of flowers. For example, sea white alissum pleases gardeners with excellent snow-white blooms.
Growing up to 15-40 cm depending on the variety, alyssum is a low-growing, well-growing ground cover with strongly branched shoots, woody at the base. Small delicate flowers are collected in spectacular brushes, replacing one another throughout the summer season: the plant blooms in May and finishes flowering in late autumn. Seeds ripen in the fruit-pod and retain high germination for more than three years. The decorativeness of the alyssum emphasizes the pleasant aroma that attracts bees.
It is planted in discounts, in flowerbeds, used in curb lines. In rockeries and alpine hills, alyssum replaces bulbous crops that are rapidly flowering.
Meet Rocky Alyssum
Perennial and annual plants are cultivated. One of the common perennials is rocky alissum, which forms decorative hemispherical crowns on low spreading bushes. Blooming in spring with bright yellow flowers, this ground cover reaches a height of 25-30 cm, and a width of 30-50 cm. The flowering of rocky alyssum is short-lived - 4-5 weeks, but pruning can achieve secondary flowering at the end of summer: the bushes are cut to leave shoots 10 cm high above the ground. A lower cut will destroy the plant, so excessive zeal is not needed here. The most famous varieties are Citrinum, Kompaktum, Golden Wave, Plenum.
Rocky Alyssum is unpretentious and drought-resistant, it successfully endures harsh winters and is not afraid of sharp spring cold snaps, it is excellent for the surroundings of alpine hills. The annual counterparts of this honey plant are also decorative, but they bloom much longer, like, for example, sea alissum. In warm regions, this plant is a perennial, but in temperate latitudes it does not tolerate harsh winters. It will be discussed further, although the recommendations on agricultural practices for growing plants of this genus are the same for all species.
Alyssum marine: description
Growing to a height of only 20 cm, this plant diverges in width up to 30-35 cm due to strongly branching stems and forming fluffy bushes with dense oval, slightly pubescent leaves. Small flowers, collected in a brush, have an excellent honey aroma. Alyssum marine is the champion of the genus in terms of flowering duration: reaching vegetation age by the beginning of summer, it goes under the snow with flowering tops of the shoots. The fast growing alyssum forms a continuous flowering carpet, tolerates sanitary haircuts perfectly and instantly recovers. Despite the fact that it is grown as an annual plant, in temperate latitudes with mild winters it germinates by self-sowing, freeing the gardener from sowing and seedling work. Usually, having planted a sea alissum once, the gardener has to renew plantings only once every 2-3 years.
Thanks to breeding developments, new varieties have appeared, the color of flowers of which is very diverse and can be white,yellow, pink, lilac and even purple in different interpretations and intensities.
Popular varieties of sea alissum
Most famous and in demand:
• Tiny Tim is a dwarf (up to 8 cm tall) groundcover with white flowers.
• Easter Bonnet Deep Rose - hot pink alyssum.
• Princess in Purple is an ampelous variety with hanging stems up to 35 cm long and fragrant purple flowers.
• Violet Konigin is a compact-branched alissum (up to 10-15 cm) with bright purple flowers.
How to grow sea alissum
The crop is grown by seedlings, in warmer regions the non-seedling method is also used, but flowering will be late, since the seeds planted in May will take time to germinate, thin out, come into force and the bushes will bloom only by July. The seeds are sown into the soil in the prepared grooves, deepening by 1-1.5 cm. When seedlings appear, the plantings are thinned out, otherwise the plants will begin to oppress each other. More often, the seedless method is used for sowing perennial varieties before winter: they are sown in November, during the winter they stratify and germinate in the spring. But this does not apply to such a plant as sea alissum. Cultivation from seeds of this species is practiced extremely rarely.
The seedling method for temperate latitudes is more reliable and economical, since, as a rule, there are no extra seedlings with it. In addition, it allows you to get a flowering lawn by the beginning of summer. It all depends on the planting time, and in order to get a flowering honey plant earlier, seeds for seedlingssown in March-April. Note that from the moment of sowing to the beginning of flowering, 6-7 weeks pass.
Seedlings
The first step in growing seedlings will be the acquisition of a light nutritious soil with a pH index of 5.5 to 6.2. Seedling containers are disinfected and filled with soil to two-thirds of the volume. Then it is well moistened and seeds are sown, controlling their uniformity on the soil surface. Alyssum seeds are small, so you can not cover them with earth, but only lightly press them against it. The containers are covered with any transparent material, creating the necessary microclimate, and placed in a cool (10-15 ˚С) and bright place. Shoots appear after 6-9 days. From the beginning of seed germination, the covering material is removed, the seedlings are carefully moistened, preventing them from drying out.
With the advent of the first true leaves, the plant is fed with organo-mineral fertilizer for flower seedlings. Suitable, for example, "Humate Sakhalin", a very effective drug for a plant such as alissum. Seedlings should receive top dressing every 10-14 days. If necessary, the grown seedlings dive into separate pots when 3-5 leaves grow on the stems, but more often they are planted immediately in a flower bed.
Landing in open ground
Seedlings are planted in a permanent place when the danger of a return of frost has passed. Alyssum marine prefers sunny places with water and breathable dry fertile soil. The reaction of the soil can be any - neutral, slightly acidic or slightly alkaline. Alyssum (photos posted inpublications confirm this) grows well between stones heated in the sun, apparently, the preferences of wild-growing counterparts, distributed mainly in the mountains and foothills, affect. Therefore, rock gardens and rockeries for alyssum are most preferable.
Things to consider when boarding
When planting seedlings, it should be taken into account that the plant grows rapidly in all directions, and in order to avoid oppression by each other, it is necessary to observe intervals, focusing on the variety. For example, for dwarf species it will be 15-20 cm, and for larger species it will be 35-40 cm.
Planting holes are dug out in a size slightly larger than the roots of a plant with an earthy clod. Strong penetrations are avoided, it is necessary to plant the bushes, adhering to the level that was in the seedling container or picking pot. After planting, the plants are generously watered. If the plants placed in the flower bed have grown too large and disrupted the composition, they can be divided and planted with smaller independent plants. To avoid infection, cuts of the roots are treated with greenery or powdered with crushed charcoal.
Plant care
How simple the process of planting alyssum is, just as easy is its care, which consists in timely watering, loosening the soil, weeding, fertilizing and pruning. Water the plant regularly, and in dry hot weather increase the moisture intensity. The decorativeness of the culture directly depends on the normal water exchange, and with a lack of moisture, the plant sheds flowers and buds. These are the biological features of a plant such as alissum. Caring for a crop also means obligatory loosening, since the roots need air access. Spend them after watering. Mulching plantings will free you from loosening and weeding, and you will have to water much less often.
The plant also needs high-quality top dressing. Alyssum sea blooms constantly, so its nutrition should be intense. During the season, it is fertilized 3-4 times: the first - during the growth of green mass (mainly with nitrogen preparations or organics), the second - at the beginning of flowering, and then 3-4 weeks before the end of the season with complex mineral fertilizers.
Cutting
Decorative flower supported by timely and correct pruning. After the first wave of flowering, dried flower stalks remain, which should be removed to increase the formation of subsequent buds and prevent the formation of seeds.
Therefore, periodic pruning is carried out, shortening the shoots by 5-7 cm, stimulating branching and subsequent flowering. In addition, pruning will give the bushes a well-groomed and compact look.
When the seeds are harvested
The end of September or the beginning of October is the time for collecting seeds. To do this, choose a calm day, cut the plants and, rubbing the inflorescences with their hands, pour the seeds onto a spread newspaper. Dry the seeds in a dry, well-ventilated area and store until sowing in a cotton bag.
These are the features of the magnificent groundcover called by the mysterious namealyssum. The photos presented in the article convey the charm of this culture, but after seeing it live, every gardener will want to settle it in his garden.
