Homeria

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Homeria (lat. Homeria) - flowering culture; genus of the Iris family. South Africa is considered to be the homeland. In nature, plants are found in areas with dry soils and meadows. Currently, the genus has 40 species, which grow mainly in the southwest of South Africa. In Russia, only one species is cultivated - Homeria Brainian, or mound (lat. Homeria collina).

Characteristics of culture

Homeria is represented by plants no more than 70 cm high with stems bearing one leaf at the base, which has a thin plate and is equipped with a long sheath (which encloses the stem). Leaves are lanceolate, elongated, narrow, green. The corm is round, up to 3-4 cm in diameter, covered with dense fibrous scales of a grayish-brown or brown color.

Roots of two types: from the old corms filamentous and thin roots depart, from the replacing corms - fleshy and thick roots. The latter die off by the end of the growing season. The flowers are medium-sized, yellow, apricot, peach or red, 3-4 pieces in racemose inflorescences. At the very base, the flowers are wrapped in leathery dense leaves. The fruit is a three-celled polyspermous capsule of an oblong shape.

The subtleties of growing

Homeria is a light-loving culture, but it develops well in semi-shaded areas with diffused light. The location is preferably calm; the representatives of the genus have a negative attitude to cold and piercing winds. Lowlands, areas located near large shrubs and trees with dense crowns, as well as areas where dahlias were grown a year earlier are not suitable for Homeria. By the way, dahlias have some similarities with Homeria, especially in care.

Soils for the culture in question are desirable light, loamy, rich, permeable, moderately moist, well-cultivated. It is not recommended to plant Homeria in the same place for more than two years in a row, otherwise the plants will grow poorly and bloom poorly, which is associated with the accumulation of various diseases and pests in the soil. Like dahlias, Homeria daisies form intensively at the beginning of the growing season, therefore, when planting, a large amount of nitrogen fertilizers is applied to the hole, potash and phosphorus fertilizers are also necessary at this moment. The amount of fertilizer applied depends on the fertility of the soil.

A place for Homeria is prepared in the fall, it is carefully dug up, loosened, organic matter is introduced, for example, rotted manure or compost and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. Acidic soils are preliminarily limed (also in autumn), 300 g of lime are added per 1 square meter. Corms are planted in the third decade of April - the first decade of May, which largely depends on climatic conditions. The planting depth of the corms is 4-5 cm. The distance between the plants should be at least 10-15 cm. With this scheme, Homeria will feel comfortable.

Reproduction

Homeria is propagated by seed and vegetative methods. The seed method is rarely used. The collection of seeds is carried out in the second - third decade of June, while sowing is carried out in mid-September in seedling boxes in a closed warm room. Seedlings are picked in mid-late October. Young and grown plants are planted in open ground in the spring, but after the frost leaves.

The first flowering of Homerias obtained in this way is observed only in the fourth year. It is important to remember that in the third decade of June, the aerial parts of the plants begin to die off, then they begin to dig up the corms. Before laying for storage in sand, corms are cleaned from the ground. Vegetative propagation of Homeria is carried out by bulbs that form at the base of the corms.