Mirabilis

The mirabilis plant is a flowering shrub from the Niktaginov family. This genus includes over fifty different species. These plants live on both American continents, mainly in tropical, but sometimes in temperate climates. Only one of the species grows in South Asian countries.

The name of the flower can be translated as "amazing". One of its species - the yalapa - is also known as the "night beauty". It is this type of flower that is most often found in gardens. Despite the simplicity of the structure of mirabilis flowers, they look very impressive, have a delicate aroma, and sometimes combine several different shades in their color. In the garden, mirabilis are used not only to decorate flower beds, but also to create an unusual small hedge.

Some types of mirabilis - for example, broad - are considered edible, others are used as raw materials for the production of medicines and cosmetics. For example, a raspberry-colored food coloring can be obtained from the flowers of a night beauty. Its foliage is also considered edible. The tubers have a laxative effect, which is why this species is also called laxative. The juice of the leaves helps to heal wounds and fight inflammation.

Description of mirabilis

The most common mirabilis in floriculture - yalapa - is considered a Mexican species. Its name refers to the geographical area. This perennial with a tuberous rhizome is grown in more northern latitudes as an annual. The size of the bushes of such mirabilis can be from 30 to 80 cm. Its straight shoots branch. They are painted in a reddish tint, and the lower part of the bush begins to grow stiff as it grows. Bare foliage is located on the opposite branches. It has the shape of an elongated heart and is colored green.

Inflorescences develop at the tops of the shoots, they are in the form of scutes. They are composed of funnel-shaped flowers with a graceful tube. The diameter of each can reach up to 2.5 cm. Their color includes shades of pink and crimson, purple and purple, yellow and white, as well as red and orange. Flowers can be either monochromatic or variegated. It is noteworthy that flowers of different colors can bloom on one bush at the same time. Flowering lasts from June to late autumn.

Another feature of mirabilis is the time of opening of its flowers. They begin to bloom at about 4 pm, and only close in the morning. The scent of the flowers attracts moths, which pollinate the plant, and hummingbirds do this in its homeland. On a cloudy day, flowers can remain open even during the day.The flowering period is also influenced by the air temperature - in hot weather, the plants fade a little faster.

After flowering, seeds are formed on the bush, they remain viable for about 3 years. The seeds of this flower are considered poisonous, while in some varieties they are used to create medicines and cosmetics.

In the garden, mirabilis can be used on different tiers of flower beds, depending on the height of the cultivated variety. But these plants require a lot of free space. Usually they are planted in large groups, but sometimes they are combined with other plants. You can grow bushes not in the beds, but in deep containers. In this case, the size of the bushes will depend on the volume of the container.

Brief rules for growing mirabilis

The table shows brief rules for growing mirabilis in the open field.

Growing mirabilis from seeds

Sowing seeds for seedlings

Mirabilis can be grown from seed without problems, but must be processed before sowing. The seeds are scarified by rubbing them with a nail file or sandpaper to break the shell. It is important to be careful to damage only the shell, not the seed. After that, they are kept in a thermos filled with warm water for about a day. You can also pre-treat them with a saturated pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Sowing seeds of mirabilis is carried out until mid-April. Seeds are sown in separate cups filled with nutritious, neutral or slightly alkaline soil. You can buy a sowing substrate or prepare it yourself. In this case, take half of the compost or humus, as well as peat and turf. About 1/4 of the sand, wood ash (about half a glass per 5 liters of soil) or dolomite flour (2 tablespoons per 5 liters of soil) are also added to this mixture. The cups are 3/4 filled with the substrate and lightly tamped, and then the soil is spilled with a fungicidal solution. After that, 1-2 seeds are placed in each container, covering them with loose soil about 1-1.5 cm thick. The crops are lightly sprayed from a spray bottle, and then placed in a greenhouse, where they keep about 18-20 degrees.

Growing seedlings

Seedlings of mirabilis appear about 5-6 days after sowing, then the cover is removed from the cups. The seedlings are moved to a brighter place. When at least 1 true leaf is formed, the seedlings are thinned out, if necessary, cutting off the excess, most weakened shoots. In the same period, the first feeding is carried out using mineral compositions. If the seeds were planted in a common container, picking in separate containers is carried out approximately 1-2 weeks after germination. During this period, they should get strong enough. For growing seedlings, tall glasses are used to better develop the root system.

Mirabilis is very sensitive to waterlogging of the soil, so you need to water the seedlings only when the soil in the glass dries out almost completely.When the size of the plants reaches 10-15 cm, they are transferred into larger cups and fed again. When the seedlings take root in a new place, you can start hardening. Within a couple of weeks, they are accustomed to fresh air. To do this, the seedlings are transferred to the balcony or outside, gradually leaving them outside the house for a longer time.

Sowing seeds of mirabilis in open ground

In addition to the seedling method, the seeds of mirabilis can be sown directly into the open ground. This scheme is best suited for the southern regions. In this case, seed preparation should be carried out according to the same principle. Sowing begins in late April or early May. The seed is distributed along the grooves, maintaining a distance of about 7-8 cm. The depth should not exceed 3 cm. Then the crops are watered with lukewarm water and covered with a film or covering material. With the appearance of sprouts, the shelter is removed. When the seedlings get stronger, they can be thinned out. It is important to remember that bushes grow quickly and require a sufficient amount of free space. Otherwise, they are able to crowd out other flowers from the garden. Sometimes a night beauty can even turn into a weed plant, giving abundant self-seeding, but this is possible only in areas with warm winters.

Planting mirabilis in open ground

The best time and place to land

The bushes of mirabilis are transferred to the beds when the frost has finally passed, and the earth has time to warm up enough. Usually disembarkation is carried out at the end of May. The night beauty is thermophilic and, despite the flowering time, prefers sunny corners of the garden, sheltered from the wind. In shady places, its flowering will be more scarce. Shrubs can grow best in fertile loam or clay soil that includes lime. Too acidic soil should be limed.

Due to the fact that mirabilis does not react well to waterlogging, plantings should not be placed in lowlands or swampy corners of a flower garden.

Landing features

The grown bushes are planted in rows, maintaining a distance of about 40-50 cm between them. The depth of the planting holes should correspond to the volume of the root system of the seedling. A couple of hours before transplanting, the seedlings are well watered, this will simplify the process of taking them out of the pot. They try not to destroy the soil lump. The voids in the hole are filled with earth. After planting, good watering is carried out, and then the area next to the seedlings is mulched with a layer of peat. It will prevent crust formation on the soil surface.

Mirabilis care

Watering

As a rule, mirabilis is undemanding to care and does not cause any particular difficulties for flower growers. For normal development and timely formation of buds, the night beauty will need systematic watering. It is especially important to comply with this schedule during periods of drought - in this case, watering is carried out approximately 1-3 times a week. In the dry season, night beauties can bloom later than usual. In a rainy summer, plantings do not need to be watered at all. After watering or precipitation, the soil near the bushes is loosened and all weeds are removed. Loosening is carried out at a distance from the plant itself - it should be about 20 cm. This will minimize the risk of damage to the tuber.

Top dressing

During the summer, mirabilis can be fed about 2-3 times. The first feeding should be done at the beginning of the growing season, the next one in mid-July, and the last one at the very end of summer. Mineral formulations or compost and humus can be used, but fresh organic fertilizers should not be applied. In addition, nitrogen supplements can be used only during spring feeding; in other cases, the content of this element should be minimal. The number of dressings can also be calculated based on the nutritional value of the soil. An excess of fertilizer can lead to the fact that the bushes begin to actively grow foliage, and bloom much worse.

Garter

Mirabilis does not need garters and trimmings. There is no need to pick off the wilted flowers - they fall off on their own.

Mirabilis after flowering

Mirabilis is not able to winter in mid-latitudes, but if desired, the bushes can be dug up in the fall and stored until next year. At the same time, the shoots are cut at a level of 10 cm, as they dry up, they will disappear by themselves. The tubers are wrapped in thick paper, in addition, they can be sprinkled with sand. Mirabilis should be stored in a cool, but not freezing place, where it stays at about 3-7 degrees.

In the spring, when the earth warms up properly, such tubers are transplanted to the garden bed. To speed up the appearance of flowers, they can be pre-germinated by planting them in pots and placing them on the window. With the arrival of warm days, such seedlings are moved into the ground.

This method of reproduction of mirabilis allows you to get flowering plants about a couple of weeks earlier and, for sure, keep the characteristics of the variety. But it is considered not very reliable - some of the tubers often die before planting. If desired, mirabilis can be propagated in another vegetative way - partially woody cuttings.

Pests and diseases

Mirabilis is highly resistant to pests and diseases, but planting can be weakened by improper care. Frequent stagnation of water in the soil can lead to the development of root rot. Affected plants are dug up and destroyed, and the area where they grew is spilled with a solution of a fungicidal preparation. To prevent the appearance of rot, you should be more careful with the watering schedule.

Sometimes the planting can be struck by the appearance of spotting or rust. All affected parts of such bushes should be removed, and then the plant should be treated with a fungicide.

Breeding methods of mirabilis

Usually mirabilis is grown from seed, but there are other ways of plant propagation.

Tuber propagation

A common method is to propagate mirabilis with tubers, which are easy to find in any garden store or fair. Alternatively, you can use the tubers of your own seedlings growing on your site. They are carefully dug up and placed in sawdust or sand, where they are stored at a temperature of at least 5 degrees. Spring transplantation of tubers into open ground can be done only if they are fully germinated.

This method of plant propagation is not widely used among gardeners, since it is believed that such planting material in the form of tubers can dry out during storage. In this situation, tubers for reproduction in the spring will no longer be suitable for planting.

Cuttings

The method of reproduction of mirabilis with the help of cuttings is rarely used, since planting and isolation of vegetative parts from a plant is a rather laborious and not always effective process.

For these purposes, semi-lignified processes are used. They are cut, and the sections of the cut are carefully dried. The shoots are dipped in a special solution, which accelerates the growth process, and then planted in prepared seedling containers. After a couple of weeks, their root system will get stronger, and the young shoots will completely take root. Seedlings must be constantly watered and kept at room temperature. If the conditions do not allow this, then the containers with shoots must be heated from below. Grown and matured cuttings are planted in warm spring weather on a prepared section of the flower bed.

Types and varieties of mirabilis with photos and names

Although mirabilis has many types, it is most commonly used in horticulture. mirabilis jalapaalso called a laxative. Due to its popularity, it has an impressive range of decorative varieties, including the most common:

• Iolanta - forms bushes up to 50 cm high with a rounded crown. Shoots are strong, branching at the top. The funnel flowers are medium in size and bright in color with a pattern of streaks. Flowering begins at the end of June, and it lasts until the beginning of the autumn cold.
• Red lollipop - has high (up to 90 cm) bushes. The branches are smooth, light green, starting to branch closer to the upper half. Foliage is oval,
• T Time Red - medium-sized bushes with knotty shoots branching at the top. The foliage is dark green, oval-elongated. The flowers are medium in size and bright pink in color.
• Tee Time Fomula Mixche - the variety series has spherical bushes reaching 70-90 cm. The elongated foliage has a sharp point at the top. The lower part of the shoots is bare. The flowers have a wavy edge and variegated color, and their diameter reaches 2.5 cm.
• Elvira - Sprawling bushes are of medium size and strong, smooth branches. The dark green foliage is pointed at the top. The flowers are bright and large enough - up to 3.5 cm.

Two more types of mirabilis can also be found in gardens.

Mirabilis multiflora (Mirabilis multiflora)

Forms bushes about 80 cm tall. Their shoots are also bare. The foliage of Mirabilis multiflora is smooth, ovoid. Flowering starts a little earlier than that of the Yalapa - in May. During this period, axillary inflorescences are formed on the bushes, including 2-6 tubular purple flowers. They are united by one blanket that resembles a bell. The size of the flowers is quite large - from 4 to 6 cm.

Round-leaved Mirabilis (Mirabilis rotundifolia)

It has a more miniature size - it reaches only 30 cm. The foliage of this species is a little sticky. It has an oval shape, and the length of the plates is about 5-7 cm. Inflorescences of Mirabilis rotundifolia are located on the tops of the shoots, the flowers in them are also united by a blanket. Each inflorescence includes up to 3 small flowers up to 1 cm in diameter. They are purple in color. The buds open in the evening and close in the morning or noon. In nature, this species of mirabilis is considered endemic to American Colorado. There it grows on poor soil near rivers.