Gazania Peacock

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

Gazania peacock (lat. Gazania pavonia) - flowering decorative culture; one of the many representatives of the Gazania genus of the Compositae family, or Astrovye. The species is not popular, although some gardeners and florists have appreciated its decorative properties and grow the plant in their personal backyards and summer cottages.

Characteristics of culture

Peacock Gazania is a perennial semi-shrub, grown in culture as an annual (due to its low cold-resistant properties). The plant has a short stem, bearing long, whole-edged or split, pubescent green foliage. On the reverse side, the foliage is covered with whitish stiff hairs. Inflorescences of gazania peacock are rather large, reach 7-10 cm in diameter, are presented in the form of baskets, consist of yellow disc (tubular) flowers and bright orange marginal (reed) flowers, equipped with a black spot located at the base. Peacock gazania blooms from July to the onset of cold weather.

As already mentioned, on the territory of Russia, the culture is grown as an annual, but despite this, the plants can be preserved until spring. To do this, the semi-shrub is transplanted into a wide pot, after cutting off the shoots, and sent for the winter to a cool room, the temperature in which varies from 5 to 10C. It is very important to ensure that the peacock's earthen lump does not dry out, otherwise it will die. It is also not recommended to allow waterlogging. With the onset of spring, the pot to the plant is brought into a warm room, and as soon as it starts to grow, it is planted in open ground, but not earlier than the third decade of May.

Gazania peacock in the garden

Gazania peacock is quite attractive, more precisely, unique, it will fit perfectly into any corner of the garden, the main thing is that it is well lit, the culture has a negative attitude to the shade, it develops slowly in shaded areas and practically does not bloom. Gazania peacock will be suitable for decorating ridges, borders and other types of flower beds, including classic flower beds and rocky gardens (rockeries and rock gardens). It is not forbidden to grow gazania as a container crop - in flowerpots and garden containers. Gazania peacock goes well both with representatives of the genus and with other flower crops, for example, ageratums, lobelia and iberis.

Growing features

Growing gazania with a peacock, like other species, is preferable through seedlings. Sowing is desirable to carry out in seedling containers or in separate peat-humus pots. If sowing is carried out in boxes, with the appearance of 3-4 true leaves on the seedlings, a pick is made. Seedlings are grown in a room with a temperature equal to 15-16C. Closer to planting gazania in open ground, it is important to harden young plants; for this purpose, you can take them out on the balcony or on the porch during the daytime with a gradual increase in time. Draft for seedlings is contraindicated.

Peacock gazania seedlings are planted at the end of May; this process can be postponed to the first decade of June if night frosts are observed in the region. Gazania should be planted in areas that are lighted and protected from the wind, the soil should be light, loose, nutritious, moderately moist. Dry, swampy, waterlogged, poor and saline soils are not suitable for growing the species in question.

Seedlings are planted together with peat pots, but if the seedlings were grown in a box, then they must be removed very carefully with a small scoop, trying not to hurt the root system. The distance between plants should be at least 20-25 cm. Peacock gazania care consists of standard procedures: watering, fertilizing, protection from pests and diseases, and timely removal of wilted inflorescences. The latter process is required for further bud formation.