Acidanthera (Acidanthera) belongs to the genus of perennial plants belonging to the Iris family. The origin of the name is associated with the Greek translation of the two stems of the word "sharp" and "flower", which characterizes the appearance of the perianths.
In total, there are several dozen varieties of acidander, growing mostly in tropical areas and preferring a hot, sunny climate. The cultivated representatives of this flower are two-colored acidantera, Muriel, Muriel's skewer, beautifully flowered or fragrant gladiolus. The latter is the most common. Breeders bred it a century and a half ago. Today, wild species of acidants are also associated with gladioli. In botanical sources and in common parlance, gladiolus Muriel is called acidantera. This name is used by many gardeners.
Description of Acidantera flower
Shoots of Muriel acidants can reach heights of more than a meter. The root system is presented in the form of round bulbs, covered with a hard brown skin. The stems begin to branch towards the crown. The leaf blades are pale green, creamy buds grow 5-12 cm in diameter, forming spike-shaped inflorescences. During flowering, and this happens at the end of summer, acidantera exudes a dizzying sweetish aroma that actively attracts bees. The buds have 6 pointed petals; near the base, they acquire a darker color. The opening of the peduncles occurs gradually, starting from the lower tiers. In place of wilted buds, oblong seed pods are formed.
Planting acidantera in open ground
When to plant acidander
Acidantera is a thermophilic flower and therefore prefers lighted areas in the garden. Planting is carried out in May or April, when the spring frosts have already passed. If your area of residence is characterized by a long and cold spring, then it is better to plant the tubers of the plant in March. Loose soil is poured into the container, in which shallow holes are dug, where the bulbs are placed. Vases are stored in a greenhouse or on a windowsill, and in spring the bulbs can be transplanted to an open area.
Acidantera is thermophilic and will not develop well in the shade. The flower is planted in an open, lighted area in the garden in late spring when the soil warms up. It is best to perform these activities in late April or May. If you live in an area where there is a long, cold spring, and you want the acidantera to bloom on time, it is better to plant the corms in March for distillation. To do this, 3-6 pieces of bulbs are immersed in a pot with a diameter of 12-15 cm, containing a loose, permeable substrate. After planting, the flowerpots are placed in a greenhouse or on a light windowsill, and at the end of May they are transplanted to a flower bed.Corms grown in this way give strong, long and abundant flowering plants.
How to plant correctly
In an area where a warm and humid climate prevails, it is allowed to plant acidantera bulbs directly on a flower bed. The substrate must be nutritious and have a slightly acidic environment. In order for the flower to take root well, the site is dug up and fed with solutions of organic fertilizers. To provide a drainage effect, sand is mixed into the substrate. The tubers are preliminarily kept in a solution of potassium permanganate and dried. The prepared bulbs are then planted in small groups in the soil. The distance between them must be kept 1-20 cm, depending on the size of the planting material. At the end of planting, watering is carried out.
Acidantera care
Even a novice gardener can easily cope with growing a flower. The only thing that requires attention is the watering regime, constant loosening and weeding. To save time, you can mulch the flower bed with sawdust, peat, humus, or straw. This little trick will keep the roots moist and prevent weeds from growing. If you remove withered acidander buds in time, you can enjoy the beauty of the plant for several months during the flowering period.
Watering
This perennial prefers moderate watering, which in no case should be forgotten during a long drought. At the same time, it is necessary to avoid waterlogging of the soil. When buds begin to appear, watering is not done as often. However, the soil should be kept moist. To avoid burning the leaves, do not expose them to water. It is recommended to use water at room temperature. After watering, the soil surface around the bushes must be loosened.
Top dressing and fertilizers
Acidantera is fed mainly with mineral fertilizers several times throughout the year. When planting, the soil is enriched with humus or compost; during the growth and growing season, fertilizers containing nitrogen are applied. When the budding process begins, the plant is fed with compounds of potassium and phosphorus. After feeding, the beds with acidantera are watered with water. Fresh organic fertilizers should not be used.
Transfer
In areas with frosty, long winters, it is recommended to remove the tubers from the ground in late autumn. After the completion of flowering, only peduncles are cut off from the bushes. As soon as the first stable frosts come, the entire ground part of the plant is also removed. The bulbs can then be scooped up to save them for planting in the spring.
How to keep acidander until spring
Corms removed from the soil are dried at room temperature in a dry, ventilated room and peeled off. Then they are treated with a fungicidal solution, dried again and stored in cardboard boxes in a cool place until spring. To ensure constant air exchange, small holes can be made in them. The next year, the tubers are first planted for distillation. For the southern regions, planting directly into open ground is allowed.
Reproduction of acidants
Acidantera can be propagated with seeds, tubers or babies. How to propagate a flower with bulbs was described in detail in the article a little earlier. As for the children, they are separated from the scales and grown in a school. If you take care of them in a timely manner, you can easily wait for the flowering of such acidantera. Strong corm retains germination properties for 5 years.
Seed propagation
Growing an acidantera flower using seeds will not cause any particular problems. Sowing is carried out in the winter, and you do not need to stratify the material. For planting, choose a fertile soil consisting of peat, sand and earth. All components are taken in the same ratio. The boxes are kept indoors and crops are watered regularly.In order not to damage fragile seedlings, you can use a spray bottle. To preserve moisture, the surface of the boxes is covered with foil. As soon as condensate begins to accumulate under it, the crops are ventilated. After the formation of a pair of healthy leaves, young plants are seated separately in other pots filled with peat substrate. After a short time, the seedlings are transferred to open ground. In the fall, the bulbs are removed from the soil in order to plant them again in the flowerbed in the spring. The formation of peduncles occurs after three years.
Diseases and pests
Acidantera is often attacked by aphids, bulb mites, scale insects and slugs. To prevent damage to the leaves, they are rubbed with ammonia or mustard powder. These effective folk methods are safe for plants and people. If aphids or scale insects have already started up on the flowers, then you should promptly treat the bushes with chemicals. Acaricidal substances pose a threat to ticks. You can only get rid of slugs manually. It is necessary to lay out wooden boards or slate remnants in the garden, under which shellfish will gather. In this way, slugs can be quickly destroyed.
For acidantera, it is dangerous to damage the bushes with powdery mildew, rust, mosaics. The latter disease is practically not amenable to treatment. As soon as mottling begins to form on the leaves, it is better to dig up the plant completely and burn it to prevent the spread of infection. Treatment with fungicides helps to get rid of other fungal diseases. The solution is prepared on the basis of copper sulfate and Bordeaux mixture. To prevent infection, the plant must be regularly looked after. The development of fungal diseases is affected by waterlogging of the soil, a weak drainage system or a slowdown in the growth of bushes due to the influence of weeds.
Types and varieties of acidantera
One of the most popular cultivars is Acidantera bicolor. In addition to this species, there is an equally attractive hybrid variety of Tubergen acidantera, which has larger flowers. For growing in the garden, several more types of gladioli are used:
Acidantera tropical Is a tall herbaceous perennial that has multi-ribbed leaves and white double inflorescences, consisting of tubular buds painted in bright scarlet spots. This plant is quite thermophilic and is considered a variety derived from acidantera bicolor, only characterized by higher erect shoots.
Acidantera white - grows in tropical regions on the territory of African countries. The inflorescences of this variety exude a pleasant and fragrant aroma; there are few leaves on the stems of the plant.
Less common types of acidantera are short-tubular, cape, grass-leaved, few-flowered and tubular.
