Peculiarities
It is worth starting a conversation about alyssum "Snow Carpet" with the fact that it is one of the most commonly used ground cover crops. A characteristic feature of the plant is its unpretentiousness and ease of care. In the vast majority of cases, alyssum flowers are white. But there are also pink, yellow and purple varieties. There is one more subtlety: the often encountered opinion that alissum and lobularia are one and the same, is deliberately wrong.
In-depth botanical research has shown that these are different species, and the external similarities between them are largely accidental. However, for everyday cultivation, this difference does not play a special role. Curiously, the closest species to Alyssum is cabbage. At the same time, the flower cannot boast of culinary qualities and is used only for decoration purposes.
The shoots of this culture are durable. Already in July, they become lignified. The leaves are relatively small, up to a maximum of 0.02 m in length. They are characterized by an elongated shape and alternate placement on the stem. Each leaf is slightly pubescent and has a gray-green color.
The flowers contain 4 petals. They are grouped in racemose inflorescences. The plant turns out to be an excellent honey plant and significantly increases the pollination of neighboring plantings. Despite the very low (0.08-0.1 m) bush height, the only alissum plant covers an area of up to 0.25 sq. m.
Therefore, even at a distance of 0.4 m, an unbreakable floral carpet is formed; but even after the flowers die off, alyssum will not lose its attractiveness. The fact is that new inflorescences will form continuously until the onset of cold weather. If seedlings are used, and autumn is warm enough, alyssum blooms calmly from late May to early November.
Culture can develop on the ground, regardless of its fertility. Even on stony ground, it hardly loses its characteristic charm.
Plant with seeds, cuttings and cuttings
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Step 1. Choosing a location
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Step 2. Landing
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Step 4. Watering
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Step 5. Top dressing
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Step 6. Pruning
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Step 7. Use in landscape design
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Varieties
In nature, there are many varieties of alyssum, most of which are suitable for growing in Russia. However, gardeners cultivate only a few of them. Consider the most popular types of this perennial.
Rocky
The height of an adult plant is 30 centimeters. The branchy shoots of the shrub form a hemispherical shape, its diameter can reach 40 centimeters. The leaves, due to the presence of felt pubescence, retain their freshness even in the worst weather. They are painted in a cornflower blue shade.
Despite the fact that the small flowers form a dense brush, the inflorescences are quite short. In late spring, alyssum begins to bloom. This process takes about 40 days.
Among the most famous varieties of rocky alissum, the following are distinguished.
"Golden Wave". The height of an adult perennial bush can be 20 centimeters. The inflorescences of such a beetroot are painted in a golden hue. Flowering occurs at the beginning of the summer season. The leaves, like many varieties of alyssum, are pubescent. They are colored silvery green. Caring for a plant presents almost no difficulties. This variety perfectly tolerates the dry season.
"Aphrodite". The plant represents undersized bushes, the flowers of which are painted in dark red. Burachok begins to bloom in June. It is better to plant the flower in a slightly shaded place and observe moderate watering. The soil at the landing site should be enriched with useful components. From time to time, the plant needs feeding.
"Plenum". The main difference between this alissum is its terry inflorescences, which have a golden hue.
Nautical
Such a perennial is often called marine lobularia. However, according to the official classification, this name is incorrect. The heat-loving sea alyssum bush can grow up to 35 centimeters in height. Creeping shoots form a lush bush. The leaves of the plant are oval in shape, they are painted in a rich green color. Flowering lasts throughout the season.
Popular varieties of sea alyssum.
Violet Konigin. Lush inflorescences of an ampelous plant are painted in lilac color, suitable for growing in hanging pots.
"Princess in Pöpl". This variety is also ampelous. Hanging shoots are a characteristic feature of the beetroot, so they are often grown in pots. If you cultivate a perennial in a flower bed, then it will look like a solid carpet. The inflorescences of such alyssum are colored purple.
Tiny Tim. These bushes are completely covered with small white flowers. The variety is creeping, its maximum height is 8 centimeters. Due to these features, the perennial looks like sea foam.
Mountain alissum
This type of perennial plant tolerates low temperatures well. The height of an adult bush is 20 centimeters. Borachka is characterized by creeping stems and pubescent leaves. The inflorescences of wild varieties are yellow. Cultivars have a more varied range of colors.
The flowering period occurs in late spring and can last until late autumn.
Use in landscape design
In the case of cultivation of beetroot by the seedling method, there is an excellent opportunity to create a small decorative rock garden on the personal plot. You can also work on creating a rockery, since such a plant looks perfect in stone compositions. This perennial looks great in crevices between stone tiles or in cracks in masonry.Tall varieties of alyssum are usually used in decorating borders. Ground covers will serve as an excellent frame for a flower bed with tall plants. Burachka flowers look gorgeous in a group planting. They go well with forget-me-nots, heliotrope and night violet. Often, designers also mix plants with levkoy and pelargonium.
The beetroot is also suitable for single planting. He lays down as a living carpet on the garden plot and pleases the owners with his honey aroma. The plant can be grown not only outdoors, but also at home. A perennial planted in a pot is used to decorate loggias and balconies. A lush and thick cap completely covers the pot, and the shoots of the bush become more branched and hang down at the edges. Alyssum flowers begin to look more like ampelous. Watering is carried out as needed. The same goes for pruning. The disadvantage in this case is the plant's intolerance to indoor conditions in winter. Therefore, when cultivating the beetroot in a pot, it should be planted annually.
In the next video, you will find additional information about the cultivation, care and features of perennial alissum.
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Types and varieties, their shades
Varieties of culture can differ in the duration of flowering, size, shades. Work on the breeding of new species and varieties continues. The most popular at present are the following types of represented culture.
Rocky. The stem reaches a height of 30 cm, the color of the foliage remains even in winter. The flowers are presented in paniculate form, but flowering does not last long, although it starts quite early. The undersized Compactum variety, the medium-sized Plenum with yellow flowers shimmering with gold, the yellow-brown variety Dudley Neville, and the highly branching variety "Gold Placer" are especially popular among gardeners.
Several other varieties of the presented culture deserve special attention.
Wonderland White. This is a compact specimen no higher than 8 cm. It is distinguished by lush and long flowering and good branching. It is used to decorate curbs, rocky hills, flower beds and flower beds, can be grown in pots or balcony boxes.
Outdoor care
A riot of colors - a rainbow carpet from different varieties of alyssum
An unpretentious plant needs minimal care: timely watering, loosening the soil with subsequent removal of weeds, and top dressing. In addition, alyssum needs pruning to avoid the unsightly appearance of the plant after flowering.
Watering
The plant needs to be watered regularly, especially in dry times.
Lack of moisture affects the development of the flower, it can drop flowers and buds overnight.
Excessive soil moisture will lead to rotting of the root system and, the plant will simply "fall off its feet."
You can determine that the flower needs watering, if you dig the ground 3 cm deep near the bush and it turns out to be dry, then watering is needed. To reduce the frequency of watering, especially in dry times, plantings need to be mulched.
Fertilization
Perennial and annual species need various feeding, however, if planted in nutritious soil, they grow well and develop without fertilization.
Annual varieties are the most demanding on nutrients
For the entire growing season, it is recommended to feed the plants 4 times with nitrogen-containing and potassium fertilizers. In mid-spring, already at the end of April, organic matter is introduced into the soil. After seed germination, the seedlings are fed with nitrogen-containing preparations (but only after the development of several true leaves), then watered with a solution of complex fertilizers.
Lush and long flowering is possible only with timely fertilization. If the soil is fertile, frequent fertilizing can be avoided
Perennial plants are demanding on the saturation of the soil with nutrients, therefore, annually it is required to add humus or water it with real chicken droppings diluted with water 1:10. Plants need light soil, therefore, once again weeding the soil from weeds, you make the soil loose and breathable, which provides the plant with the best conditions for development.
Cropping is a must
Correctly carried out pruning of alyssum allows the plant to fully develop and bloom profusely. In early spring, it is necessary to remove all peduncles, weak, dry and diseased shoots from last year's shoots. And even better if this procedure is done in the fall.
Pruning not only allows you to preserve the decorative effect of the bush, but also prolongs the flowering period
After the plant has faded, you will need to cut off all the peduncles and shorten the shoots by almost half. This procedure stimulates re-flowering. During the growing season, alissum bushes grow very much, so pruning is simply necessary - to eliminate the sloppiness of the bush and make it compact and well-groomed.
Preparing for winter
Alyssum silver can withstand temperatures as low as -23 ° C. all other varieties cannot survive the harsh winters. For some of them, lowering to -15 ° C is disastrous.
Lobularia looks great in hanging containers and pots. Used to decorate balconies
To help the plant survive the winter, in late autumn, you should pour a layer of mulch and cover the bush itself with fallen leaves. In snowy winters, it is recommended to put a slide of snow on the Alyssum.
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Peculiarities
Alyssum is a perennial plant belonging to the Cabbage family. Gardeners often call it beetroot. In nature, there are more than 200 varieties of alyssum. The natural habitat of the plant is the North American continent. Burachok can also be found in the rocky areas of Europe and Asia. Previously, this flower helped people in the fight against canine rabies, this fact influenced the name of the plant. Alyssum is translated from Latin as "canine rabies denial."
This undersized ground cover can grow up to 40 centimeters. Borachka has a branched stem, leaves and shoots are slightly pubescent. The flowering period falls at the beginning of summer and lasts until the onset of cold weather. The flowers of the plant are collected in small inflorescences and have a huge palette of colors. Yellow, pink and white colors are common.
With the onset of autumn, fruits appear on the bushes in the form of small pods. They are suitable for use as planting material. The seeds can remain viable for 3 years. During the period of active flowering, the beetroot attracts a large number of bees, as it is a honey plant.
In landscape design, it is often used as a curb plant, looks great both in group and in single plantings. Alyssum is usually cultivated as a perennial plant.
Review overview
When keeping alyssum, flower growers are attracted by its decorativeness and pleasant smell, which spreads throughout the garden. The owners of flowers also like the opportunity to make the most unusual compositions with him. According to summer residents, various varieties bloom quite well and magnificently, especially with abundant watering. I also like the fact that alyssum grows very quickly, as well as the excellent ripening of its seeds. Lovers of these flowers often share seed with each other.
There are also disadvantages of growing alissum. So, some gardeners, even experienced ones, try to grow a flower by sowing in open ground, but for several years this does not work. In their opinion, the seeds do not germinate well.Other owners explain this phenomenon by strong heat or heavy soil and recommend trying planting by seedlings, observing two main conditions - looseness of the soil and timely watering.
You can find out how to achieve flowering of alyssum from the video below.
2. Growing in the open field
Alyssum can be planted in open ground immediately with seeds or previously (most often) to grow seedlings at home. Also for outdoor cultivation use seedlings purchased from flower shops.
For propagation of a plant in the open field, you can use seeds of your own collection. Seeds are taken only from fully ripe pods that form on the bushes in the first half of autumn.
A warm, dry and windless day is selected for collection. Under the bushes of lobularia, you can spread a newspaper sheet or a light canvas, and also use disposable plates to collect seeds. The pods can be rubbed directly on the plant with your fingertips, in which case the seeds will spill directly onto the paper or cloth.
The resulting planting material is dried in a warm place and packed in paper or fabric bags.
On the street, seeds are sown in early May - when there is little likelihood of return frosts or before winter. Autumn sowing is carried out in such a way that seedlings do not appear before the onset of winter.
Perennial species are often grown by sowing seeds directly into open ground.
A place protected from strong winds is selected for planting and sowing is performed in shallow grooves. The distance between the grooves is maintained at about 15 - 20 cm.
From above, the seeds are covered with a layer of soil about 1.5 cm thick. With a stronger deepening, the germination of seeds sharply decreases, since the young sprouts do not have enough strength to overcome such a layer of soil.
When sowing in autumn, the seeds will naturally undergo preliminary stratification, and the first shoots appear in early spring, and flowering begins in July and lasts until frost.
When sown in May, flowering will come a little later - in August. After the appearance of the first young shoots, they are thinned out so that they do not interfere with each other's development.
For the seedling method, seeds are sown in late February - early March. Seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the second half of May - when the top layer of earth with a thickness of about 8 - 10 cm warms up well.
Alyssum prefers well-lit places, inaccessible to strong gusts of wind, with a neutral and highly nutritious soil containing a large amount of organic matter.
The bushes are planted in such a way that a distance of 40-50 cm remains between them. Despite the low growth, the lobularia can form quite wide bushes with lodging stems - this must be taken into account when planting.
It is advisable to mix a small amount of river sand into the soil in which the plant will be planted to improve drainage.
Flowers are planted by transshipment - young plants are removed from plastic cups and immersed in a planting hole along with a lump of earth, without destroying it.
When planting, it is necessary to maintain the same depth at which the plant was in the glass. deep deepening can lead to a delay in flowering and rotting of plant stems. The soil around the plantings is lightly tamped and spilled well with water.
Caring for flowers grown in the open field consists in periodic weeding, loosening the soil, timely watering and feeding.
Remember that young plants that need to grow green need fertilizers that are high in nitrogen. At a later age, for the formation of buds, fertilizers for flowering plants with a high content of potassium and phosphorus are suitable.
In total, from planting to autumn, the plants are fed 4 times - about every month.
Since the lobularia does not like overdrying the soil, and also suffers from rapidly growing weeds, after planting its bushes can be mulched with sawdust or straw or peat.
Unfortunately, alyssum does not withstand prolonged frosts below -15 C and cannot winter in the middle lane on the street.
If you decide to leave this attractive, delicate plant for the second year, then take it to the house in autumn by planting it in a pot. Such plants will bloom on the windowsill until early December.
In more southern latitudes, for the winter, these flowers are covered with a layer of spruce branches, fallen leaves or non-woven material and sprinkled with snow on top. Plants are opened in early spring, as soon as the snow melts from this place. Burachok from under the shelter will appear immediately with green leaves.
In the spring months, the plant is pruned, removing frozen and old shoots.
Features of growing in the garden
Alyssum, very well known in decorative floriculture, is widely used in landscape design. Annual species are characterized by a longer flowering period, while perennial species are characterized by good resistance to low-temperature conditions. Ornamental culture is actively used in landscaping in the Mediterranean region, but is well adapted for cultivation in the middle zone of our country.
In areas with warm climatic conditions, alissum is grown as a perennial, blooming for a very long time - until late autumn
Alyssum in a tub or garden flowerpot is a frost-resistant summer and autumn flowering perennial, easy to care for.
Alyssum is perfect for use in home gardening, has many flowers and an elegant, very delicate aroma
Fans of creating flower arrangements on the loggia very often use such a decorative culture as a beautiful and unpretentious border design for other plants.
Alyssum is actively grown on the balcony
What climate is the plant suitable for
Planting of an ornamental crop in a harsh northern climate is carried out only by seedling with sowing of seed in early February. In regions with warm weather conditions, an abundant flowering plant can develop for many years, while it blooms almost constantly.
From the moment of seed germination to the first flowering, as a rule, it takes one and a half to two months, and the most favorable for the culture is the temperature regime not lower than 15-18 ° С.
How to take care of it properly?
It will not be difficult to grow alissum rocky - even a novice amateur gardener will successfully cope with this task. After all, this "sunny" flower can grow in one place without transplanting for several years, while requiring almost no maintenance. But in order to create a spectacular flower bed that will delight the eyes throughout the summer, it is necessary to follow some growing rules.
Site selection
In nature, rock alyssum grows on mountain slopes. Therefore, in a suburban area, it can be safely placed on rocky soil, most of the day well warmed up by the sun.
Watering
In dry summers, alyssum should be watered at least once or twice a week.
In this case, care should be taken, since waterlogging of the soil contributes to the development of diseases. At the same time, with a lack of moisture, the decorative effect of the plant decreases and the flowering period decreases.
Water the plant early in the morning or late in the evening under the root or using the sprinkler method. To prevent the soil from compaction, it is imperative to loosen it before watering. This will allow better air flow to the roots.
Top dressing
Despite the fact that alyssum feels great on any soil, nevertheless, it responds to feeding with violent growth and long flowering. In the event that the soil on the site is fertile, top dressing is carried out in the second year.In the spring, after watering, nitrogen fertilizers in liquid form are applied, which will help the alissum to build up the green mass. In the summer (with an interval of 10 days), the plant is fed with potash and phosphorus fertilizers.
Pruning
With the onset of spring, it is recommended to cut the shoots of alyssum a little, so that in the future the bushes will grow more neat and lush. When pruning, all diseased, damaged and weak stems are removed, at the same time giving the bushes a beautiful shape. To achieve a second wave of flowering, in the summer, all shoots are shortened by a few centimeters.
Preparing for winter
Alyssum winters well. With the onset of cold weather, plantings are covered with dry leaves, spruce or pine spruce branches. In winter, make sure that there is a sufficiently high snow cover on the site.
Types and varieties
Rocky (Alyssum saxatile)
A perennial hemispherical flower that grows up to 30 cm in height and reaches 40 cm in diameter. At the base, the shoots are lignified. The leaf plates are oblong, dark gray in color with a bluish-whitish tint. They do not fall off even in winter. Short, racemose inflorescences of small yellow flowers with notched petals. It blooms in spring for about 40-45 days. It can bloom again at the end of summer.
Varieties:
- Citrinum. a small bush with lemon flowers.
- Compactum. The bush is 18 cm high with small fragrant flowers.
- Gold wave. The bush is 20 cm high. It blooms from the second year with yellow flowers.
- Plenum. The bush is 30 cm high with double flowers of a golden hue.
Marine (Alyssum maritimum) or marine lobularia
In warm regions, this species is grown as a perennial. The plant grows 8-40cm in height. Releases many branches that spread over the surface of the site. The leaf plates are fleshy, small, oval, silvery in color with slight pubescence. Inflorescences are racemose of small flowers with a honey smell. In the wild, lilac and white flowers bloom. However, there are varieties in culture with purple, pink or red flowers. It blooms from spring to the very frost.
Varieties:
- Tiny Tim. A small plant that grows up to 8 cm tall. Produces many white flowers, behind which no shoots and foliage are visible. It is used as a ground cover plant.
- Easter Bonnet Deep Rose. Produces a variety of bright pink colors.
- Princess in Pearl. Ampel variety for growing in pots and flowerpots. Spreading stems can reach 35 cm in length. Produces fragrant flowers of a lilac hue.
- Violet Konigin. A compact bush with many branches grows up to 10-15 cm in height. Forms purple flowers.
Gmelin or mountain (Alyssum gmelinii or Alyssum montanum)
A frost-resistant perennial grows up to 10-20 cm in height. Releases creeping and ascending shoots. Leaves with dense pubescence in the form of stellate hairs. Because of them, the leaves appear gray. Inflorescences racemose with yellow flowers, bloom in April or May.
There are also such types of alissum as Lena, rough, winding, Savran, cup, Pyrenean, silver and creeping.
In recent years, breeders have bred many varieties of alissum, for example, the following:
- Palette. Grows up to 10cm in height. It produces flowers of pink, crimson, brown, white, red and lilac shades. A garden store sells a mix of Alyssum Palette seeds with colorful buds to create a variegated carpet.
- Big Jam. Large-flowered frost- and drought-resistant variety. Its flowers of purple, pale lilac, lavender and white shades are 1.5 times larger than usual. The bushes grow up to 35 cm in height. It blooms even at -3 degrees.
- Gold placer. A spherical bush with narrow leaves. Shoots practically spread over the surface of the soil. The racemose inflorescences are small and dense, the flowers are bright yellow. Suitable for landing on rocky hills and near retaining walls.
- White carpet. Blooms for a long time with white flowers. It is a ground cover plant.
- Pink rug. It grows up to 12 cm in height, gives many shoots.The leaves are gray with light pubescence. Small flowers of a lilac-pink shade with a pleasant aroma are collected in a brush. It is used as an ampelous plant for growing on balconies, ridges and flower beds.
