Lavatera

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

Lavatera - flower culture; an annual or perennial plant of the Malvaceae family. Under natural conditions, lavatera grows in Central Asia, the Mediterranean, western North America and some European countries. The second name is khatma. Currently, there are about 25 species. In Russia, only 4 species have become widespread.

Characteristics of culture

Lavatera is a herbaceous plant with a strong, erect, branched, pubescent stem 60-120 cm high. The lower leaves are petiolate, cordate or round, green, alternately arranged, the upper leaves are angular or five-lobed.

The flowers are large, axillary, solitary, funnel-shaped, up to 6-10 cm in diameter, collected in racemose-paniculate inflorescences. The upper flowers are located on short peduncles, the lower ones on long ones. The corolla is five-petal and can be yellow, white, pink, coral or purple. Petals are notched, oboval. Flowering is abundant and long lasting from July until the very frost.

The fruit is composite, consisting of a large number of kidney-shaped or rounded single-seeded mericarps, which are arranged in the form of a ring of regular shape, surrounding a conical or umbellate column. Seeds are brown-brown in color, rounded, with a rough surface. Seed germination lasts 4-5 years. Seeds ripen in August - September.

Growing conditions

Lavatera is a light-loving plant, it prefers well-lit areas protected from cold winds. The culture is not demanding for soil conditions, but it develops best on light, drained and fertile soils. Lavater has a negative attitude to excessive moisture, does not tolerate feeding with fresh organic fertilizers.

Reproduction and sowin

Propagated by seeds. Sowing for seedlings is carried out in late March - early April, sowing in open ground - in mid-May. The culture blooms 2-2.5 months after germination, as a rule, at the end of July, however, the lavatera grown through seedlings blooms 3-4 weeks earlier.

Care

Caring for the lavater is not difficult, it consists in regular and moderate watering. Plants grown on poor soils need fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. Tall varieties of Lavater may require props.

The faded flowers are removed. In August - September, seeds are collected, such a procedure can extend the flowering period of the culture. Often, the lavatera is affected by rust, diseased specimens are removed and destroyed, no other ways to combat the disease have yet been invented.

Application

Lavatera is most often used for group and curb plantings, to create tall groups, mixed ridges and lawn arrays. Lavater is also suitable as ampelous plants; it can be grown in pots, flowerpots and other containers. The plant is also used for cutting. Cut inflorescences retain their decorative effect for 5-8 days.

Common varieties

* Silver Cap (Silver Cap) - represented by plants reaching a height of 60-70 cm and forming compact bushes, bearing large pink flowers with red veins.

* Pink Beauty (Pink Beauty) - represented by plants reaching a height of 100 cm and forming compact bushes, bearing large pale pink flowers with dark veins.

* Parade (Parade) - the variety is represented by plants reaching a height of 80 cm and forming compact bushes, bearing medium pink-red or white flowers.

* Mont Blanc (Mont Blanc) - the variety is represented by plants reaching a height of 80 cm and forming compact bushes bearing large snow-white flowers.

* Twins Hot Pink (Twins Hot Pink) - the variety is represented by plants reaching a height of 40-45 cm and forming compact bushes bearing small bright pink flowers.