Schizanthus

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

Schizanthus (Latin Schizanthus) - a flowering light-loving annual or a biennial from the Solanaceae family. The second, no less common name for the plant is schizanthus.

Description

Schizanthus is a highly branched and abundantly flowering bushes, the height of which, depending on their variety, can vary from twenty to eighty centimeters. And the pinnately dissected leaves of light green shades, just like the stalks of the schizanthus, are abundantly covered with tiny glandular hairs.

The flowers of the schizanthus are extremely graceful and beautiful. All of them gather in rather large and loose apical inflorescences and can be colored in white, red, lilac, pink or even variegated tones. The flowers of this handsome man have an irregular shape and are endowed with delicate split petals, and their diameter almost never exceeds two centimeters. As for the flowering period, it usually covers the time period from June to September. If you look at this beauty from the outside, you will notice that the blooming schizanthus is very similar to a swarm of wondrous butterflies that have settled down to rest on graceful bushes.

In total, there are eleven species in the schizanthus genus.

Where grows

The homeland of this beautiful plant is considered to be South America, as well as South Africa. There are especially many of these amazing flowers in Argentina and Chile.

Usage

For the Russian central lane, the schizanthus has long ago become a kind of exotic annual, because its multi-colored flowers have an external resemblance to miniature orchids. By the way, that is why in some states this plant is called the "poor man's orchid". Especially in demand from a decorative point of view, absolutely remarkable in all respects, Schizanthus Vizeton (this name hides a garden hybrid of the colorful Schizanthus pinnate). The schizanthus plumose and the schizanthus of Graham are considered no less popular. All varieties of this plant can be safely attributed to universal plants for absolutely any flower beds, in addition, they are ideal for planting in curbs or ridges. And the best partner plants for schizanthus will be coleus, ageratum, nasturtium and petunias.

Schizanthus is best planted in small groups, since in the case of a single planting, the delicate and thin shoots of this plant can lie down after showers. And under favorable conditions for them, they easily form well-branched strong bushes, which are absolutely not afraid of either rain or wind, but at the very beginning of flowering, and in this case, there is also a slight risk of damage.

Growing and caring

Schizanthus is usually planted in open sunny areas, where it is possible to provide it with reliable protection from the wind. The soil for its cultivation needs well-drained and rich, in general, this handsome man is very unpretentious in care.

Reproduction of schizanthus occurs by sowing seeds in March. And plants can be planted in the ground only after the threat of frost has completely passed (most often this happens at the end of May or even in June), while between the plants it is necessary to maintain a distance of twenty to fifty centimeters. However, the best and strongest specimens of schizanthus can be obtained only if they are sown in August or September and subsequently provide them with a decent overwintering at very solid illumination and fairly low temperatures. With the onset of spring, pots with schizanthus planted in them should be taken out to a sunny terrace and immediately start pinching, and in May a beautiful plant will begin to delight the eye with its magnificent flowering.