Gomphrena is a flowering plant from the Amaranth family. The most common flower in the tropics of the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, especially in South America. There are about 100 different types of gomphrene. Some of them are grown as houseplants.
Description of the gomphrene flower
Gomphrene can be either annual or perennial. Stems are ascending or erect. Leaves have a solid margin, petiolate or opposite sessile. The flowers of the plant are white, red, purple, pink, lilac, blue or yellow, the color is not uniform. Inflorescences are capitate. The fruit is an achene that does not open; it contains flattened smooth seeds.
Growing gomphren from seeds
Sowing seeds
It is best to grow gomphrena using the seedling method, since in a strip with a temperate climate, seeds that were planted immediately in open ground very rarely germinate. In addition, the maturation period for gomphrene is quite long. The most suitable time for planting gomphrene seeds for seedlings is the first half of March. Before planting, the seeds need special preparation, which usually takes up to 10 days. For three days, gomphrenic seeds in a glass jar must be poured with warm water. On the fourth day, the water must be drained, and the seeds and the jar must be thoroughly rinsed under running water. Then put the seeds back into the jar, close the lid and store in the refrigerator for a week.
For planting gomphrene, you need to prepare a special substrate. To do this, you need to mix the soil, which is intended for growing vegetable seedlings with coarse sand. After the substrate is ready, it needs to be watered, but do it so that it is only wet, but not wet. Then the soil must be spread out into containers and watered again. The soil is ready.
You need to get the seeds from the refrigerator and distribute them evenly over the surface of the soil. Press down a little. To create a greenhouse effect, containers must be covered with glass or plastic wrap. Seeds should be germinated at a temperature of 20-22 degrees. As for the lighting, it should be diffused. With this germination option, the seeds will appear in about 2 weeks. But if you suspect containers from below, then you can see the first shoots after three days.
Seedling gomphren
After the seeds have germinated, the plastic wrap or glass must be removed. After a week, the seedlings should be dived into separate pots. When the seedlings recover after transplanting, they can be fed with mineral fertilizers. Seedlings should be watered sparingly in order to prevent waterlogging of the soil and not to create a favorable environment for the multiplication of various bacteria. After each watering, you need to carefully loosen the soil and inspect the seedlings. If signs of disease are noticed on the seedlings, then such seedlings must be removed immediately, and the soil at the rest of the seedlings must be sprinkled with wood ash.
Planting gomphren in open ground
The most optimal time for planting gomphrene in open ground is the second half of May and the first half of June. At this time, the soil will warm up well, the frosts will definitely not return, and the temperature will be stably warm. The landing site should be where there is no wind and drafts, and also a lot of sunlight. The soil should be not quite fertile and with a neutral reaction.
Before planting seedlings in open ground, the soil must be carefully dug up, but fertilization is not necessary. Prepare the holes so that the distance between them is 15-20 cm, for higher varieties the distance should be 30-35 cm. You need to transplant the seedlings into the holes together with an earthen lump. You need to handle the seedlings carefully so that the roots remain intact. You need to place the seedlings in the center of the hole, and fill the empty space with soil and crush it a little. After planting, you need to water abundantly.
Gomphrene care in the garden
Gomphrenic care is quite simple and does not require any specific skills. In order to grow a plant, you do not have to be a professional florist, you just need to follow a few simple rules of care. The flower needs watering, loosening the soil, rarely fertilizing, removing the prefabricated grass and formative pruning.
Watering
Watering should be done only in dry weather. Do not allow the soil to overlap or stagnate moisture, as this can lead to the development of various fungal diseases. After each watering or rain, the soil around the plant must be carefully loosened so as not to damage the root system and remove weeds as needed.
Top dressing and fertilizers
As for fertilizers, they need to be applied very rarely and in low concentration, since the plant does not like too fertile soil, and due to an excess of nitrogen, a green mass can grow into growth, which will prevent the abundant flowering of the plant.
Diseases and pests
Diseases can appear in gomphrene only with improper and excessive watering. Otherwise, this plant is quite resistant to damage by various diseases and attacks of harmful insects. The only pest that can get on gomphren from other plants is aphids. You need to fight it with insecticide solutions. You need to start the fight as soon as traces of the presence of pests are noticed. This will allow you to get rid of them faster.
Types and varieties of gomphrene
Despite the fact that there are about 100 different species of this plant, only 3 of all known ones are grown in culture.
Gomphrena spherical (Gomphrena) - grows from fifteen to 40 cm in height. Leaves are whole-edged, have a bluish tint due to pubescence. The flowers are spherical, up to 4 cm in diameter. They can be white, pink, red, lilac, crimson or purple. Flowering lasts from June until the very frost. Popular varieties of this species:
- Bright Border - grows up to 30 cm in height. Flowers can be of a variety of pink shades.
- Buddy is a whole series. It includes plants with white, purple and pink flowers.
Also popular are such varieties as Globoza, Raspberry Berry, Fireworks, Pompon and the Pixie mix and Gnome series.
Gomphrena haageana, or gomphrena golden-flowered - is grown in culture quite recently. It is similar to globular gomphrene, only this species has larger flowers and they are red or orange. This variety is thermophilic and may not bloom at all in cool regions.
Gomphrena serrata - more often used for suspended structures. Stems spreading out cover the soil with a carpet of greenery. The leaves are elongated. Carnation-shaped inflorescences. The flowers are golden orange. Popular varieties of this species:
- Pink Pinheads - bright pink flowers. Their peculiarity is that they retain their color even when they dry out.
Very often, gomfrene is used to create original and incredibly beautiful compositions. If you follow the absolutely simple rules for planting, growing and caring for gomphrenia, you can grow an extraordinary plant with beautiful and interesting flowers. They will delight with their variety of colors and will certainly become a decoration of the garden, make the landscape design unusual and original.
