Today, phloxes are widespread. There are many different types and varieties of this flower. It is grown in parks, village front gardens, gardens and city squares. This article describes in detail phloxes, planting and care in the open field.
Flower story
There is one legend about the origin of phloxes. Returning from a difficult and dangerous journey to the afterlife kingdom of Hades, Odysseus and his companions threw burning torches on the ground, which illuminated their path. In this place on earth, bright beautiful flowers grew in the form of burning torches - phloxes.
Phloxes owe their name to the Swedish physician and naturalist Carl Linnaeus. From the Greek language phlox is translated as "flame". This is because the wild species of this flower are mostly distinguished by a fiery red color similar to a flame.
There is another version of the name of this plant. It comes from the German word flocken, which means "flakes of snow". And in fact, the snow-white thickets of flowers resemble snow flakes.
appearedphlox in North America, where almost all of the original species grow. In Europe and Asia, there is only one wild species - Siberian.
Phlox Ivan-Zarya: description
Refers to the type of panicled phlox. It has long, straight and strong stems. They can be upright or creeping. Phlox Ivan-Zarya has a bright color - scarlet or orange-red with a maroon hue in the center.
The leaves of the flower are simple, oval-lacent. Flowering period: July-August.
Ivan-Zarya loves to live in sunny glades with abundant watering. The soil for growing should be loose, rich in vitamins and trace elements.
Features of the species
Phlox paniculata Ivan-Zarya has a perennial root system. But its above-ground part dies off after the seeds ripen (early autumn). The type of root system in panicled phloxes is fibrous, with superficial thin and branched roots, which are located in the upper layers of the soil, at a depth of 4-20 cm. Due to such a root system, moisture and nutritional value of the soil, as well as its friability, are very important for plants.
In the panicled phlox on the rhizome at the very base of the stem, growth buds are formed annually, from which new shoots then come. And where the new shoot departs from the main root, new roots appear. Due to such processes, the root system of the flower grows and rises from the ground every year. In order for the flower to grow normally and bloom beautifully, young roots need to be sprinkled with earth every year.
The panicled phlox Ivan-Zarya opens the first flowers in July-August. They do not bloom at the same time, so the flowering period is quite long. Blooming inflorescences remain for 1-2 weeks, then crumble, in their place boxes with seeds are formed. After they mature, the aerial part of the plant dies off.
Where and how to plant
When choosing and preparing a place for panicled phloxes, you need to remember that the flower grows well on fertilized, fertile soils with abundant watering, but there should not be moisture stagnation. The landing itself is not difficult. It is only necessary to take into account that the north side and blown areas, as well as places under trees with a shallow root system, do not suit the plant.
Phlox Ivan-Zarya can grow on poor soils, in partial shade and in the sun. But at the same time, you need to be prepared for the fact that flowers in the sun can burn out, and flowers on poor or weedy soils are unlikely to have beautiful and rich flowering.
Phlox Ivan-Zarya: cultivation features
Due to the fact that the root system of this flower is superficial, the soil should not be dug deep before planting, about 15-20 cm. fertilizer. The distance between plants should be approximately 40 cm.
When planting phlox, the roots need to be straightened, and the depth of the stem itself should be no more than 2-4 cm. After planting the flower, the soil needs to be compacted, mulched andwater generously.
Choosing the right place, successfully planting a plant and feeding it regularly is, of course, good, but lush flowering is possible only with constant and abundant watering. Water needs about 15-20 liters per square meter. Evening watering is desirable, after which the soil needs to be loosened and mulched.
Since the aerial part of Phlox Ivan-Zarya grows rapidly, the flower needs a lot of nutrients. You can carry out root and foliar top dressing with wood or vegetable ash. Phloxes also love superphosphate and s altpeter, they can be applied with watering.
In autumn, the aerial part is cut off, and at the first frost the plant can be covered. Dry stems should be burned or removed from the site.
Thus, it is not difficult to breed phloxes. Planting and caring for them in the open field is not difficult.
Plant propagation
In Phlox Ivan-Zarya, like most flowers of this species, seeds ripen annually. But it can be propagated not only by seeds, but in a variety of ways: cuttings, root shoots, dividing the bush:
- Cuttings are usually carried out in late spring. Cuttings of 8-10 cm are broken off from the base of the root, leaving a “heel”. They are planted either on a separate bed, or in boxes with loose soil. Then they fall asleep with coarse river sand, a layer of 3 cm. After that, the beds are covered with glass or film. The cuttings are sprayed 3-4 times a day, and after about a month they are planted in a permanent place.
- Reproductionroot growth. Everything is simple here: you need to dig it out, cutting off the underground stolons. Layers with roots are immediately planted on a separate bed, where they grow to adulthood.
- Reproduction by seeds. They are planted for seedlings after stratification (keep in the refrigerator for 6-7 days) in pre-prepared soil. The method is quite simple, but here you need to remember that flowers grown from seeds can only partially show the signs of the parent plant.
- Reproduction by dividing the bush. The bush is dug up, cut into several parts, and planted in a pre-prepared place. If the division is carried out in the spring, then the phlox will bloom in the same year, and if in the fall - the next year.
