Kentrantus or spraflower is a beautiful flowering perennial plant with a specific character from the Valerian family. During the flowering period, the culture attracts the attention of others with its lace inflorescences of white or crimson shades. The warm and humid Mediterranean climate is its homeland. Currently, the plant can be found not only in ordinary flower beds, kentranthus demonstrates its decorative qualities on borders and along paths, in rockeries and rock gardens, in mixborders and on retaining walls. In flower ensembles, the culture is perfectly combined with other perennial plants.
Place of cultivation
Kentrantus is very fond of sunlight and warmth and has a negative attitude towards low temperatures, cold drafts and strong shading. In this regard, it is necessary to choose for planting only an open and bright area with a minimum of dampness.
The soil on the site should be lightly drained, with good air and moisture permeability and a sufficient amount of nutrients. These are ideal conditions for the development of a plant, but in their absence, kentrantus is able to fully grow in areas with a rocky surface, since in the wild it grows on mountain slopes.
Outdoor care for kentranthus
From the beginning of the growing season until mid-July, it is recommended to apply nitrogen-containing dressings at intervals of 2 weeks, and in the future, fertilizers are applied with the same regularity, but without nitrogen content. Top dressing with potassium and phosphorus in August and September contributes to better crop survival in winter.
Watering is not essential to the plant as it is drought tolerant.
As soon as the first flowering period is over, you need to rid the flower of all wilted and dried inflorescences. After a short period of time, the next flower period will begin.
With the arrival of autumn, you need to start preparing the plant for winter. First, a complete pruning of all shoots is carried out to the level of the ground surface, then the flower beds are covered with a mulch layer. You can choose humus, compost or peat as mulch. This shelter is capable of protecting plantings only in regions with a warm or temperate climate. For more severe climatic conditions (with severe frosts, a minimum of snow and sudden temperature changes), more reliable winter insulation will be required. A constructed dry air cover in the form of a frame, covered with special polyethylene (or other) materials or ordinary spruce branches, will protect the plantings of the kentranthus from snow, frost and rain.
To preserve the decorative effect and strengthen the vitality of plants, it is recommended to renew the flower bushes every 3 years.
Kentrantus breeding methods
Self-seeding reproduction
Kentrantus easily reproduces by self-seeding, if there are favorable conditions for this. In springtime, among the abundant seedlings, it is necessary to choose the strongest seedlings and plant them in the selected area.
Seed propagation
Seed planting is carried out in the autumn on open beds. When the first frost appears, it is recommended to cover the flower plantations with a mulch layer, which will serve as reliable protection in the winter. You can take dry grass, straw, fallen leaves or peat as mulch. Until spring, the planting material will not only gain strength, but will also be hardened by weather conditions.
In the spring, seeds can also be sown. In warm climates - directly into the open ground, and in cold regions - to the greenhouse for growing seedlings.
Reproduction by seedlings
Seedlings that have grown stronger in greenhouse conditions dive into individual small containers for further development, hardening and growth. Around July, ready-to-transplant seedlings are transferred to a permanent place. Since the bushes grow their leaf mass in diameter, it is recommended to leave the distance between plants at least 50-60 cm when planting.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
A three-year-old bush is divided before the beginning of the growing season or after its end. Young bushes are planted in the spring immediately on flower beds. Already in the coming season, the flowering of the centranthus takes place. This breeding method is considered one of the simplest and most reliable. In addition, the next renewal necessary for an adult plant occurs.
The reason for the rare appearance of kentrantus on flower beds and backyard plots is its instability to temperature extremes, immunity to cold and strong waterlogging. The positive qualities of this flower are the ability to withstand drought, direct sunlight and any harmful microorganisms that cause fungal, bacterial and viral diseases. In addition, kentranthus has a long flowering period.
