2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Xiphium (lat. Xiphium) - a very graceful flowering plant from the Iris family. The second name of the plant is Dutch iris.
Description
Xyphyum is very close to real irises, but at the same time it belongs to a completely different botanical genus. Unlike real irises, in these herbaceous perennials, the role of underground storage organs is played not by rhizomes at all, but by elongated bulbs of relatively small sizes (from one and a half to three centimeters in diameter). Each year, these bulbs die off, forming several daughter bulbs and several children each.
Strong leafy flower stalks of xyphyum are capable of reaching a height of thirty to eighty centimeters. And the leaves of this plant are always very dense and narrowly grooved, of a pleasant greenish-gray shade. As soon as the xyphyum fades, its leaves immediately begin to turn yellow and gradually die off. By the way, on one peduncle, two or three flowers often bloom in turn!
Simple xyphyum flowers are formed by three outer and three inner perianth lobes. Flowers, by the way, are characterized by rather large sizes - their diameter often reaches ten centimeters. The vertically located inner lobes can be both narrow and broad-lanceolate, and the rounded outer lobes of the flowers are always directed only downward and almost always have a small orange or yellow speck. The color of the flowers can be either one-color or two-color, or yellow, or white, or a spectacular blue-violet range. The average flowering time for each flower is three to seven days. As soon as one flower fades, another bud begins to bloom in the same place. This plant usually blooms in June.
Where grows
Xyphyum came to Russia from Japan and almost immediately took root very well. And the homeland of this plant is considered to be the north of Africa and the Mediterranean.
Usage
Xyphyum is actively used in floristry. It is especially well suited for drawing up a wide variety of male compositions or bouquets. And this handsome man can be safely stored in the refrigerator at temperatures down to zero degrees!
If xyphyum is used to make bouquets, then after cutting it, it is placed in water at room temperature.
Among the main disadvantages of xyphium, one can single out its ability to lose moisture very quickly - dried buds will not bloom anymore.
Growing and caring
Xyphyum clearly does not belong to unpretentious plants - it is very capricious and very pretentious about the conditions of detention. It is especially important to choose the right place for planting xyphyum - this handsome man will feel best of all in well-lit areas, reliably protected from drafts and gusty winds. At the same time, the plant should not be in direct sunlight for too long, since in this case, xyphium can easily get leaf burns, and its inflorescences will fade very quickly. But not far from reservoirs, a beautiful flower will be in its element! However, do not forget that it is categorically not recommended to plant xyphium in areas with too close groundwater. If this plant is planned to be grown in the lowlands, it is imperative to lay a solid drainage layer in the pits before planting.
Soils for growing xyphyum, ideally, should be sandy loam or loamy, with a slightly alkaline or neutral reaction and certainly well-drained. Watering beautiful flowers should not be too often - it will be quite enough to water them from time to time when a drought is established. Also, xyphium is very thermophilic, therefore, without shelter for the winter, this handsome man is able to grow only in the southern regions.
