Mirabilis: photo, landing and care

Mirabilis (from lat. Mirabilis, "amazing") is a genus of decorative flower plants. It is part of the Niktaginov family, represented by 50 varieties of flowers. In the wild, perennials growing in bushes are found in the fields of South America, sometimes in the northern part of the country.

Description of mirabilis

In Russia, mirabilis is common as an annual, since it does not tolerate temperatures below -5 ° C. In the southern regions, where there are no frosts, perennials are found.

This is an original plant, otherwise called "night beauty", with many small bright flowers in the form of a gramophone, blooming in the dark. He opens the petals in the evening, and closes with the first rays of the sun. The sweet aroma of the tropics at this time attracts insects that help pollination.

Upright or pressed to the ground stems, sticky and fluffy, grow by a bush up to 80 cm across. Finger-like tubers extend from the long main root. There the plant stores a supply of substances necessary for it during a period of drought and cold weather. Leaves are paired, oblong, bright green, velvety or smooth. The sharp tip and clearly marked light vein make it look like a heart. At the top of the stem, cimic inflorescences of 5-6 funnel-shaped flowers with a diameter of up to 3 cm with 3-6 stamens are formed.

In autumn, self-pollinated mirabilis appears with one seed, hard, smooth or pubescent, obovate.

A tall hedge is planted from tall species of flowers, which looks magnificent and bright.

Mirabilis: varieties and varieties

50 species of night beauty, pollinating, each year produce new varieties and create unusual colors. There are varieties with mixed flower buds on the same bush. The most common garden and indoor plants, amateurs united in groups according to the following characteristics.

Methods of breeding mirabilis

Gardeners consider the seed method a priority in the propagation of mirabilis. In this case, the seed is collected after drying of the flower in a mature plant. Less common, labor-intensive, but reliable will be the methods of growing nightly beauty from tubers and cuttings.

Sowing seeds

Mirabilis seeds can be planted in the form of seedlings, or immediately on the garden. In the first case, the flowering will be early, and the flowerbed will look more neat. For sowing seeds and preparing seedlings, it is necessary to prepare boxes with soil. To maintain humidity and constant temperature, you need a greenhouse or a suitable place in the apartment.

In early spring, the seeds are soaked in a damp cloth for several hours or placed in a thermos with water a little warmer than room temperature for one night. To plant the prepared seed in the soil, holes 2 cm deep are made, 1-2 pieces are thrown, they are leveled and watered abundantly. After one to two weeks, the first sprouts may appear. Shoots grown up to 15 cm can be transplanted again into more spacious containers and pour with a mixture with mineral top dressing.

You can sow prepared seeds or transplant seedlings on an open plot of land when a constant temperature above zero is established on the street. To form a slender hedge, in a couple of weeks it is necessary to thin out overgrown flower stems.

Tuber propagation

Night beauty tubers are sold in all gardening stores, but, having the opportunity to observe storage conditions, you can use actually grown ones. In this case, there is a high probability of drying or germination of tubers and unsuitability for planting.

In the spring, the germinating tubers are laid out in a dry, sunny place and sprayed with warm water. After 7-10 days, the first shoots appear. Weakened sprouts pinch so that the stalk develops from the stronger ones. Planted on a flower bed, handling a lump of land, so as not to damage the root. The root surface is mulched with ash.

Propagation by cuttings

Because of the complexity, the method of cutting is little used by lovers of the night beauty. Strong lignified processes are cut off from the plant, dried and placed for a while in a solution for germination. Cuttings are planted in seedling boxes with a nutrient substrate, often watered and maintain heat. Fortified shoots are transplanted to a flowerbed in the spring.

Care for mirabilis in the garden

Mirabilis is unpretentious and lacks standard garden procedures for caring for plants. It is necessary to periodically loosen the earth, clean the root space from weeds, and daily water under the root. To avoid drying out or the impossibility of frequent wetting, you can do the following: next to the plant, dig a five-liter plastic bottle with holes at the bottom near the plant and fill it with water. Thus, moisture at the roots of the plant will persist for a long time.

For lush flowering during the growing season, mineral fertilizing is applied a couple of times. Although fertilizers for this flower are not required, but organic additives for the bush are fatal.

The plant loves the wind, sunlight and non-acidic soil. To neutralize the soil, lime or dolomite flour is used.

Loosening is a desirable procedure for a nocturnal beauty to saturate the roots with oxygen and lush flowering.

Mirabilis wintering

Preserving the tubers and planting them next spring is the task of the gardener, who is used to growing mirabilis on his site. They are dug up when the flowering has ended before frost, washed with a solution of manganese and stored at a temperature of +5 ° C in sand, peat or sawdust.

In regions with a warm climate, plants are cut almost at the root in autumn, covered with spruce or foliage and left to winter like this.

Pests and diseases of mirabilis

Very rarely, the night beauty gets sick. Only in case of improper care, namely excess watering, do the roots of the mirabilis rot, the leaves become covered with rusty spots and the plant dies. This bush is dug up, and the soil is watered with a fungicide solution to prevent fungal infections.

Home care for mirabilis

In room conditions, seed germination is very high even after 3 years of storage and makes it possible to save the variety you like.

To grow mirabilis at home, you need the following:

• seeds soaked for 24 hours in moist tissue;
• slightly acidic soil, turf and river sand or fine gravel in a ratio of 1: 1: 2;
• a handful of ash to neutralize alkali;
• boxes with the earth or plastic cups for separate germination of seeds;
• thinning shoots after 2 weeks.

It is possible to transplant young plants with strong leaves into indoor pots 60-90 days after germination. Further care for indoor species of mirabilis is similar to a regular garden one.

Mr. Summer resident informs: mirabilis in combination with other plants

Using mirabilis in landscape design, take into account the height of the bush. Low-growing plants are planted in groups to decorate borders and lawns. In such cases, they add groups of bells, anemones and marigolds that are combined in texture and color.

This plant is aggressive towards lower and weaker relatives and can easily destroy them. Therefore, a spacious place is chosen for the bush. Good neighbors will be lavender, lobularia and fragrant tobacco.

The night beauty with its bright contrasting numerous flowers will be able to decorate a terrace or a loggia, even planted one stalk in a separate pot.

Hedgerows from mirabilis look original and contrasting, especially in places where night lighting reaches the site.

Due to its spicy aroma, flowers have found application in perfumes and cosmetics. Natural dyes are made from bright buds.

Unpretentious night beauty pleases flower lovers with its beauty and rich aroma, forcing every year to plant it again.

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