Alissum sea, or lobularia marine: cultivation, description, photo

Delicate miniature shoots, provided with small oval-pointed leaves, crowned with touching clouds-caps of inflorescences, long and firmly took their place in the Russian garden. This is an allusion, or lobularia of the sea, a representative of the Cabbage family, a magnificent honey plant that unites more than a hundred species of plants spread throughout Europe, Asia and North Africa. The history of wild aliens is more than 20 centuries, but in culture these wonderful flowers appeared not so long ago, but quickly gained popularity and recognition of gardeners. Yes, and nature did not deprive the plant of merit: unpretentiousness, endurance, excellent aroma and cute decorativeness - everything is enclosed in this garden culture. We will tell you about growing and caring for the most interesting soil-protecting field-honey.

Species characteristics

Despite the fact that the alissum is often called the lobularia, these are different plants, but the next of kin, very similar in appearance and united into one genus. They are distinguished only by the color of the flowers: cream or yellow in the alissum, and white or purple-pink in the lobularia, although the efforts of breeders display all new varieties and species with different shades of colors. For example, the sea white alissum pleases the gardeners with excellent white blossoms.

Growing up to 15-40 cm, depending on the variety, the alissum is a short, well-growing peduncle with strongly branching shoots, which are woody at the base. The fine delicate flowers are collected in spectacular brushes, replacing one another throughout the summer season: the plant blooms in May and ends with a bloom already in the autumn. Seeds mature in the fruit-pod and retain high germination for more than three years. The decorative nature of the alissum emphasizes a pleasant aroma attracting bees.

It is planted in the factory, on flowerbeds, used in curb lines. In rockeries and on the Alpine hills, the alissum replaces the bulbous bulbous culture that quickly fades.

Meet the Rock-Alissum

Cultivated perennial and annual plants. One of the most common perennials is a rocky alissum, which forms decorative hemispherical crowns on low sprawling bushes. Blossoming in the spring with bright yellow flowers, this soil cover reaches 25-30 cm in height and 30-50 cm wide in width. The flowering of the rocky alissum is short-4-5 weeks, but the secondary flowering can be achieved by cutting off at the end of summer: the bushes are pruned until left Above the surface of the shoots, 10 cm high. A lower cut will destroy the plant, so unnecessary diligence is not needed here. The most famous varieties are Citrineum, Compactum, Golden Wave, Plenum.

Alyssum rocky unpretentious and drought-resistant, he successfully tolerates severe winters and is not afraid of spring sharp cold snaps, excellently suited for the entourage of alpine hills. The annual colleagues of this honey-comb are also decorative, but they bloom for a much longer time, as, for example, sea alissum. In warm regions this plant is perennial, but it does not tolerate severe winters in temperate latitudes. It will be discussed further below, although the recommendations on agrotechnics for the cultivation of plants of this genus are the same for all species.

Alyssum Marine: description

Growing in height only up to 20 cm, this plant diverges in width to 30-35 cm due to highly branching stems and forming fluffy bushes with dense oval, slightly pubescent leaves. Small flowers, collected in a brush, have an excellent honey aroma. Alyssum Marine - champion of the genus for the duration of flowering: reaching the beginning of summer vegetative age, it goes under the snow with flowering tops of shoots. The rapidly expanding alissum forms a continuous flowering carpet, excellently transfers the sanitary haircuts and is instantly restored. Despite the fact that it is grown as an annual plant, in temperate climates with mild winters sprouts self-sowing, freeing the gardener from sowing and planting works. Usually, having landed a marine alissum one day, the gardener has only to renew the planting in 2-3 years. Thanks to selection, new varieties have appeared, the color of their flowers is very diverse and can be white, yellow, pink, lilac and even violet in different interpretations and intensities.

Popular varieties of sea alussoy

The most known and demanded:

• Taini Tim - dwarfish (up to 8 cm in height) ground cover with white inflorescences.

• Easter Bonnet Deep Rose - a bright pink alissum.

• Princess in Purple - an ample variety with hanging stems up to 35 cm long and fragrant purple flowers.

• Violet Konigin - compact branchy alissum (up to 10-15 cm) with bright purple flowers.

How to grow an alsom sea

Cultivated seedlings are grown in warmer regions, but the flowering method is late, since the seeds planted in May will take time to germinate, thin out, enter into force and bloom the bushes only by July. Sow the seeds in the soil in the prepared grooves, deepening by 1-1.5 cm. When the shoots appear, plantings are thinned, otherwise the plants begin to oppress each other. Often a seedless method is used to sow perennial varieties for the winter: they are sown in November, they are stratified and germinate in the spring. But this does not apply to a plant such as the marine alissum. Cultivation from seeds of this species is practiced extremely rarely.

The seated method for moderate latitudes is safer and more economical, since there are usually no superfluous sprouts with it. In addition, it allows you to get a flowering lawn by the beginning of summer. It all depends on the planting time, and in order to get a blossoming honey plant first, seeds are sown in seedlings in March-April. It should be noted that from the moment of sowing to the beginning of flowering, 6-7 weeks pass.

Seedling

The first step in the growing of seedlings will be the acquisition of a light nutrient soil soil with a pH index of 5.5 to 6.2. Seed containers are disinfected and filled with soil for two thirds of the volume. Then it is well moistened and sown seeds, controlling their uniformity on the soil surface. Seeds of alissum are small, so you can not fill them with earth, but only lightly press against it. Capacities are covered with any transparent material, creating the necessary microclimate, and placed in a cool (10-15 ˚С) and bright place. Seedlings appear after 6-9 days. Since the germination of seeds, the covering material has been removed, the shoots gently moisturize, preventing their drying.

With the advent of the first real leaves, the plant is fed with organic-mineral fertilizer for flower seedlings. Suitable, for example, "Gumat Sakhalin", a very effective drug for such a plant, as an alissum. Seedlings should receive fertilizing every 10-14 days. If necessary, grown seedlings dive on individual pots, when 3-5 leaves grow on the stems, but more often they are planted immediately on the flower bed.

Landing in open ground

On a permanent place seedlings are planted when the danger of returning frosts passes. Alyssum Marine prefers sunny places with water- and air-permeable dry fertile soil. The reaction of the soil can be any - neutral, weakly acidic or slightly alkaline. Alyssum (photo, posted in the publication, it is confirmed) grows well between sun-heated stones, apparently, the preferences of wild relatives, which are prevalent mainly in the mountains and foothills, are evident. Therefore, rock gardens and rockeries for the alissum are most preferable.

What to consider when landing

Planting seedlings, it should be borne in mind that the plant grows rapidly in all directions, and to avoid oppression by each other, it is necessary to observe intervals, focusing on the variety. For example, for dwarf species it will be 15-20 cm, and for larger ones - 35-40 cm.

Planting holes are digged in a size slightly larger than the roots of a plant with an earthen lump. Stronger depressions are avoided, the bushes should be planted, adhering to the level that was in the seedling pot or piquatory pot. Having finished planting, the plants are watered generously. If the plants placed on the flower bed overgrew and broke the composition, they can be divided and planted by smaller independent plants. To avoid infection, root slices are treated with a pharmacy zelenka or powdered with crushed charcoal.

Care of the plant

How easy is the process of planting an alissum, so care is taken for it, consisting in timely irrigation, loosening of the soil, weeding, feeding and pruning. Water the plant regularly, and in dry hot weather, the intensity of moistening increases. Decorability of culture directly depends on the normal water exchange, and with a lack of moisture, the plant dumps flowers and buds. These are the biological features of such a plant as an alissum. Care of the crop is also mandatory loosening, because the roots need air access. Conduct them after watering. Mulching of landings will free from loosening and propolok, and watering will have to be much less frequent.

The plant also needs high-quality top dressing. Alyssum marine blooms constantly, so its nutrition should be intense. During the season it is fertilized 3-4 times: the first - during the growth of green mass (mainly nitrogen preparations or organic matter), the second - at the beginning of flowering, and then 3-4 weeks before the end of the season with complex mineral fertilizers.

Trimming

Decorative flower is maintained in a timely and correct pruning. After the first wave of flowering, dried stems remain, which should be removed in order to increase the formation of subsequent buds and prevent the formation of seeds. Therefore, they carry out periodic pruning, shortening shoots to 5-7 cm, stimulating branching and subsequent flowering. In addition, pruning gives the bushes a well-groomed and compact appearance.

When the seeds are harvested

The end of September or the beginning of October is the time of harvesting the seeds. To do this, choose a calm day, the plants are cut and, rubbing with the hands of the inflorescence, pour the seeds on the spread newspaper. Dry the seeds in a dry, well-ventilated room and store them until they are sown in a bag of cotton cloth.

These are the features of a magnificent ground cover plant, called the mysterious name alissum. The photos presented in the article convey the charm of this culture, but seeing it live, every gardener will want to settle it in his garden.