Sparaxis (Sparaxis) is a perennial herbaceous tuberous plant of the Iris family. Many types of sparaxis are grown as ornamental garden or greenhouse flowers.
Description of the sparaxis flower
The flowering period of sparaxis begins in late spring and lasts until late summer. The flower shape is funnel-shaped or serrated. The plant can grow to a height of 1 meter. However, there are also undersized specimens. Among the varieties of sparaxis, some bulbous varieties with dense foliage are often grown. They will become a wonderful decoration in a flower bed or in rock gardens and perfectly coexist with other decorative flowers. You can create group plantings of 20 or 30 species. As a rule, sparaxis is not used for home cultivation. This flower is planted in open ground in order to build bright color compositions in flower beds. Cut flowers are used to create bouquets, and they also decorate balconies and loggias.
Sparaxis care
Sparaxis is a thermophilic plant, so in areas with harsher winter climates, the flower may die. If the amount of heat and sunlight is insufficient, its flowering time is shortened, and with prolonged cold weather in the summer months, flowering may be completely absent. A well-lit and wind-protected area would be an excellent choice for planting. The soil should be fertile and loamy. Before starting planting, you need to worry about the presence of a drainage during the period of prolonged rains, since excess moisture can lead to rotting of the tubers. As a result, the plant may die.
Planting sparaxis in open ground
In mid-autumn, sparaxis bulbs begin to be planted in open ground to a depth of about 10 cm.For the border planting method, the distance between individual tubers should be at least 15 cm.To be able to use future flowers to create bouquets, then this distance needs to be increased several times. After the end of the summer season, it is necessary to insulate the plant before the first frosts come. To do this, peat is poured under the root of the bush, on the surface of which dry leaves are laid. The next year, with the arrival of warmth and stable spring weather, the protective layer can be removed. Sparaxis continues to bloom until mid-summer, as a rule, from the end of July the flowers begin to wilt. From this moment, you can dig up the tubers of the plant, which are stored in a dried form for the winter. They can be used for re-planting next fall.
In areas where low winter temperatures prevail, cultivation of sparaxis occurs only in greenhouses. In open conditions, flower bulbs are planted at the end of May, when the risk of spring frosts has passed and the weather is stable. With this planting time, sparaxis can be expected to bloom in early August. At the end of autumn, the tubers are dug up, cleaned of soil and husk, and thoroughly dried at room temperature.They can be stored in a cool place in dry sawdust or peat. Well-dried and healthy bulbs can be stored for several years without losing the properties of a suitable planting material.
Growing sparaxis from seeds
In addition to growing a flower from bulbs, there is a method of seed planting. To do this, at the end of summer, the collected sparaxis seeds are planted in special containers, which are then left in a cool, closed room until the first shoots form. As soon as the seedlings begin to germinate, they are thinned out and then planted in the flower bed. With seed growing, flowering of such plant specimens occurs after a few years.
Growing sparaxis with bulbs
To get blooming sparaxis in winter, you can use its bulbs, which are planted in pairs in separate pots in the fall. The soil for planting should include a mixture of peat and earth, and also contain complex mineral fertilizers, which are added in an amount of 30 g per bucket of substrate. The planted tubers are covered with plastic wrap to prevent the topsoil from drying out. The pots are left in a cool room, such as a basement, or taken out onto a balcony. Dampness and mold can damage the bulbs, so a moderate watering regime should be followed to avoid drying out the top of the potting soil. Seedlings must be regularly ventilated. When the first shoots appear, the pots are placed in an open, sunny place for rapid growth. The optimum growing temperature for young plants should be between 15 and 20 degrees. Other parameters can adversely affect the development and flowering of sparaxis.
For plants that have limited space, such as growing in pots, or with poor soil, constant feeding is required. To do this, once a month, a small amount of mineral fertilizers is added to the irrigation water. During the hot summer months, the flower needs to be watered more often, as well as sprayed with water on the green parts of the plant. Tubers planted in the soil for the winter do not need frequent watering.
Dry leaves as well as wilted sparaxis flowers are removed to maintain the aesthetic appearance of the entire plant.
