2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Galtonia (lat. Galtonia) - a small genus belonging to the Hyacinth family. Includes only four types. The homeland is considered to be South Africa, where plants grow in their natural environment. Other names - Cape hyacinth, African hyacinth. In Russia, only one species is actively used by gardeners and florists - Galtonia whitish.
Characteristics of culture
Galtonia is represented by perennial bulbous plants, not exceeding 1.5 m in height. They are characterized by grooved belt-like basal foliage, from which, when cut, a lot of juice is formed. The foliage, in turn, is collected in a rosette, from which in the middle of summer a strong peduncle is formed, bearing white (sometimes with green stripes or blotches) drooping flowers, collected in loose racemose inflorescences. The flowers, by the way, are equipped with a tubular-funnel-shaped perianth.
Galtonia fruits are represented by a cylindrical capsule, a distinctive feature of which is a slightly ribbed surface. They contain many black, flat seeds, characterized by a triangular shape. The bulb in the medium-sized culture under consideration, as a rule, does not exceed 7 cm. It has a conical elongated shape with a curved bottom. Numerous scales appear on top of the bulb.
Gardeners and florists of Russia, as already mentioned, grow on their plots
whitish galtonia (lat. Galtonia candicans) … It is represented by tall plants with fragrant flowers. It is often called whitish hyacinth, whitish poultry farm. The flowering of the species in question is observed at the end of summer, usually in late July - early August, although this factor largely depends on the growing conditions.
It is impossible not to note one more view -
excellent galtonia (lat. Galtonia princeps) … You will not find it in Russia during the day with fire, but it is characterized by high decorative properties. In nature, the species is found in the mountains, can grow near shrubs or flaunt among various herbs. The species is famous for its short racemose inflorescences, which bear 10, and sometimes 15 flowers. On the outside, the flowers are white, on the inside, with a greenish tint. The excellent flowering of Galtonia is late - in September.
Growing features
Galtonia belongs to the category of unpretentious plants. She calmly tolerates poor and stony soils, because in nature the plant is found in the mountains. The main condition for its successful cultivation is sunny areas; Galtonia has a negative attitude to the shade. In shaded areas, the culture lags behind in growth and does not bloom well, and sometimes does not bloom at all. Soil moisture and permeability are also important. On swampy, dry, saline and heavy clay soils, Galtonia will not please with active growth, even with good care it can die.
Galtonia is an adherent of slightly acidic soils. The culture has a positive attitude towards fertilizers, it is necessary to systematically feed it with rotted humus and complex mineral fertilizers. Before the onset of flowering, it is very important to feed Galtonia with phosphate-containing fertilizers, otherwise abundant flowering cannot be achieved. A similar situation is with feeding after flowering. If no fertilization is applied, the bulb will weaken, and a minimum amount of seeds will form. This is due to the fact that the bulb does not receive the required substances.
For the winter, the culture needs shelter with natural material, for example, a thick layer of fallen leaves or peat. A paddle for this purpose will also work. A galtonia transplant should be carried out every 4-5 years, if you delay with the procedure, the plants will lose their former decorative effect. The division of culture is carried out at the same time. In addition to division, Galtonia is propagated by seed. Sowing seeds is carried out in early spring, as a rule, the seeds germinate amicably within a month.
