Ixia

Ixia: variety description

Ixia: photos

The Ixia flower is another fairly popular perennial that belongs to the herbaceous group, in addition, Ixia is a quite typical representative of the Iris. According to information obtained from a wide variety of sources, approximately forty to sixty different species are included in this genus. The birthplace of the plant is Africa, namely the Cape region, and for this reason it is worth considering what conditions the plant is most adapted to, and how it is necessary to properly care for it in order to obtain the maximum required result.

From a scientific point of view, the plant received another name - bird glue. This is due to the fact that the plant secretes sap, which is quite sticky in its consistency. The cultivation of the plant began in the 18th century, and from that moment, gardeners have collected everything, even the smallest and most insignificant data and facts, in order to better get to know this plant and understand its subtleties and essence. As for modern times, today several varieties of Ixia have become widespread and, accordingly, they have become incredibly popular. These are hybrid varieties, and they are all collected in a separate group - Ixia hybrid, which has its own characteristic features and characteristics. At the same time, every year the species Ixia cease to be in demand and popular, therefore, there are still much more positive reviews in favor of hybrids.

In this article, we will dwell in more detail on the description of Ixia and its features, and also talk about how to plant Ixia in the ground and then take care of it in order to get the most worthy and attractive result in the second part of this article, we will touch on the most popular species and varieties, as well as describe them and tell about their most striking characteristics and features. This article will be very useful not only for inexperienced gardeners, but also for those who have repeatedly grown plants from the Ixia species, and at the same time they are in constant search for new species and varieties that will delight not only the eye of the grower himself, but also surprise guests of personal plots.

Ixia characteristic

The Ixia flower is a tuberous and bulbous plant, its height in adulthood can vary - it can range from 15 centimeters to 70 centimeters, it all depends on which species and variety a particular plant belongs to. The shoots of the plant are rather thin, the leaves are narrow and very long, they can be obvious and two-row. On one peduncle there can be about ten flowers, which open very widely, and in diameter their size varies from 2.5 to 5 centimeters. The flower consists of six petals, which can be colored in shades such as red and yellow, white or pink. Closer to the middle, the flower becomes colored in a darker, more saturated color, which also looks incredibly decorative and attractive.

Flowering can be observed in the very last weeks of spring, and there are varieties that bloom well in the first days of summer. At night, especially in cloudy weather (in cloudy weather even during the day), Ixia flowers may not open at all. The flowers may emit a not very strong and intrusive, but sufficiently persistent aroma that can attract pollinating insects, and in general it can be a pleasant addition to the general image of this plant.If the gardener grows Ixia in warmer regions, where the climatic conditions are mild, then Ixia can be planted in open ground in the spring, in the last days of April or at the very beginning of May. Alternatively, Ixia can be planted in open ground in the fall, mainly in November. Since the planting materials do not withstand a drop in temperature to minus two degrees, then in mid-latitudes, where the climate is not stable and stable, it is recommended to plant Ixia only in spring. Thus, the plant can be saved from hypothermia, which means that its decorative features and characteristics can be preserved.

Ixia: planting and grooming outdoors

Ixia: photos

Each season of the gardener is accompanied by the fact that he must definitely choose a completely new site for planting Ixia. In this way, effective prevention can be carried out in the fight against pests and diseases that can threaten Ixia. The site should be well lit by sunlight, it should be located as far as possible from spreading trees, and it is also better that the plant is protected from too strong gusts of wind and drafts, otherwise it can also provoke a variety of diseases and infections. For planting ixia, those areas where moisture stagnates and accumulates are strictly not suitable, since this has a very negative effect on the general condition of the root system, and in general there is a high risk that the plant will simply stop in its development and begin to die and rot, lose its decorative traits and features.

In order to plant Ixia, the site should be very well prepared, and this must be done in advance. For this, the selected area is carefully dug up, and its surface is carefully leveled. If the soil is very heavy, it is recommended to add some sand to it so that it becomes more permeable and loose. Planting materials should be examined and sorted out. Only very elastic and dense ixia bulbs are planted in open ground, but it is best to remove and discard those that have already dried out, as well as very soft and even moldy bulbs. Next, the gardener makes a number of neat holes, the bottom of the holes is sprinkled with a nutrient mixture. It should be taken into account that the bulbs of ixia are buried in the soil, and the depth should be from five to eight centimeters. When planting tuberous bulbs, it is also worth observing the distance between them - it should be about 12 centimeters, no less.

If the gardener places children or delenok in open ground, then the distance between plantings should be about eight centimeters. When perennial ixia flowers are planted in the ground, they should not be moistened and watered, the surface of the site is sprinkled with mulch, which is completely organic - peat or compost, humus or foliage, sawdust or straw are suitable. The thickness of the mulch layer should be approximately three centimeters. In the season when the plant was planted, only those Ixia bushes that have grown from the largest bulbs will bloom. But if these are bushes from small bulbs of ixia, then their flowering will begin only one and a half to two years after planting ixia, so it is worth showing patience with crops, since this is very important in horticultural and floricultural activities. Also, do not bother the plantings once again, since they will not bloom earlier from this, but there is a great risk that the gardener with his own hands can harm the plantings of Ixia. So it pays to be patient, attentive and vigilant.

Ixia can be grown on your site, it is not at all difficult. But this does not cause any complications only if the gardener initially knows about the secrets and intricacies of growing this culture, and also knows the most elementary rules.In order for the plant to develop well and grow correctly, it is necessary to provide it with a sufficient amount of light, the place must be very warm, and the humidity of the air must be increased. In this regard, it should be borne in mind that the place on the site must be sunny, and in order to regulate the air humidity and make it as high as possible, then in the evening it is necessary to additionally spray the plant from a spray bottle. If suddenly the plant is in a shaded area, then the bushes may not be as spectacular as the florist would like. In this case, the peduncles can also become very thin, they are stretched, and the flower in its color will not be so saturated or bright.

In general, if we talk about caring for ixia, then the measures applied to it are the same as to all other garden plants. It must be provided on time with regular watering, weed bushes, feed them with mineral and organic fertilizers. The gardener must also take care of the external characteristics of the plant, remove withered or dried flowers and shoots. The surface of the soil between the bushes must be loosened, and the plant must, if necessary, protect itself from attacks from pests and from various common diseases.

As we have already indicated above, when tubers and bulbs are planted in open ground, there is absolutely no need to water them. This should be done only when the very first shoots appear on the surface of the soil, and this will happen two or three weeks after the plant has been planted in the ground. Only from this moment should Ixia begin to water, when the buds and shoots are formed, and flowering also begins, then watering should become not only quite frequent, but also very abundant. Water for irrigation is taken thawed or rainwater, filtered or settled, it must be at room temperature. At the same time, some components can be additionally dissolved in water, which will stimulate the growth of the plant, as well as the duration of its flowering due to these substances will be longer, and this will become an additional plus to the general characteristics of this culture. In order to feed Ixia, it is important to use mineral fertilizers, which are just intended for bulbous plants. But you can also use some organic fertilizers, since they fit perfectly into the soil and have a positive effect on the condition of the plant and on its growth. Top dressing should start from the very first summer days, after the bushes stop blooming, then watering and feeding stop, since Ixia will fall into a state of dormancy, and at this time any intervention in the general condition of the plant is completely undesirable.

Over time, a large number of children begin to grow around the mother tuber, which are precisely the material for the reproduction of various species and varieties of Ixia. Before planting, the children are separated from the mother's flower bed, the places where the breaks have formed should be disinfected - treated with crushed coal so that bacteria do not penetrate there, and diseases and infections do not develop. Further, the children are planted directly in the open ground, and the first flowering of shrubs grown from children can be observed in the second or third year - it depends on climatic conditions, varietal characteristics and how the gardener himself looked after the planted ixia.

The Ixia flower can also reproduce peacefully by dividing the bulb. It is divided into several parts - a cut, for this it is worth using a well-sharpened and disinfected knife. It is also worth considering that each delenka should have eyes, as well as a part of the bottom, on which there are already the very first rudiments of the rhizome. It is recommended to treat the cuts with brilliant green, manganese, wood ash or coal.Further, they are immediately planted directly in the open ground, since they cannot be stored in this state for too long, and it is better not to postpone planting. Such plants can start flowering as early as this year, and this is indeed a huge advantage of this method, especially if the grower cannot wait too long for the plant to finally start flowering.

When the plant stops flowering, the tubers and bulbs may not even be removed from the soil. This is due to the fact that they need a little more time to accumulate a little more nutrients inside themselves and maintain their immunity. As a rule, Ixia bulbs are finally dug up in the very last days of July. Ixia bulbs and its tubers are slightly dried in a shaded place, which, moreover, should be well ventilated. Then the bulbs are disinfected; for this, a solution of potassium permanganate of medium concentration is used. Further, for the subsequent storage of ixia bulbs, they must be carefully placed in a box, which is taken to a cool and dry room - a basement, a cellar.

It is possible, in principle, to store ixia bulbs on shelves in the refrigerator, which are intended rather for storing vegetable crops. As we said a little above, Ixia is planted in colder regions in the spring, and if the climate is stable and warm, then planting is carried out in the fall. If the gardener has such a desire, then he can plant Ixia for distillation, and in this case, even in winter, the plant will become just a wonderful decoration for any room and window sill. If the region has a warm and stable air temperature and weather, then in winter Ixia can be left there, right in the open ground. To do this, the entire aboveground part is removed, and the site is sprinkled with a fairly abundant and thick layer of organic mulch of natural origin. Straw or loose leaves, dry soil or sawdust are ideal as mulch. Also, the plant can be covered with spruce, spruce branches or dry foliage on top to protect it from some frost, since the plant has been spoiled by a warm climate, and not always a decrease in temperature can have a beneficial effect on ixia.

Ixia is a plant that is incredibly resistant to disease or attacks from pests. But problems can still begin if there is too much stagnation of moisture in the soil. Due to the fact that the soil is too waterlogged for a long time, mold can form on the bulbs and tubers. Thus, when a gardener prepares a site for planting, then this aspect should be taken into account. If the soil is too heavy, and also if it consists mostly of clay, then coarse sand should be added to it when digging. In principle, observing all the requirements of agricultural technology, there is a great chance that the plant will feel just wonderful. So it should be borne in mind that each type and variety of Ixia needs an individual approach. In this regard, you should definitely pay attention to the next part of our article - in it we will just turn to what features of ixia exist, what types and varieties of it are more in demand today in modern gardening, what are their differences, specificity and other traits and features.

The main types and varieties of ixia, their description

In this part of the article, we will just look at those types of ixia that are most popular with gardeners today, and which are happily cultivated, since they are really special and incredibly attractive.

Ixia hybrid green-flowered - as more experienced gardeners say, planting material of this species is quite problematic, but it is still possible. The plant has flat and rather small flowers, which are painted in an atypical green color. Moreover, in the middle, these flowers are painted black or purple.They look quite attractive and, with all this, they do not differ in some whimsicality, so the plant is really appreciated, since in the aggregate it is beautiful.

Ixia: photos

Ixia flower spotted - the bulb has a rounded shape, in diameter it usually reaches three centimeters. The stem is quite leafy, its height is about forty centimeters, in some cases some varieties of this species can reach half a meter in height, but these are only exceptional cases from the rules. Basal leaves are narrow, lanceolate. The inflorescences are in the form of spikelets, they include flowers that reach four centimeters in diameter. They can be of different colors, and in the middle of each flower there is a dark center, a speck. The flowers open very widely, especially in the daytime. With the onset of dusk and night, the flowers can close to open again in the morning.

Ixia: photos

Ixia chinensis is a Far Eastern plant species that is currently under a real threat of extinction. The root system of the species is shortened, the height of the stems can be different - it can be half a meter, and it can reach one and a half meters. In the lowermost part, there are from five to eight leaf plates, which have an obvious shape. The plant reaches half a meter in length, but its width is very small - only four centimeters. Inflorescences branch, spread in different directions, consist of twenty wide-open flowers, which can be either bright yellow or brownish red in color. Brown spots appear on the surface of the flowers, which look quite decorative and attractive, so that this species can be considered one of the most beautiful among all that have been bred to date in horticulture and floriculture. The fan variety of ixia looks great on the site, where the leaves overlap each other by almost three quarters of their length, as well as purple, since its flowers are incredibly decorative, painted in red and yellow shades, attracting all the attention of gardeners and florists, guests personal plots.

Ixia hybrid - the height of this perennial is from thirty centimeters to half a meter. The leaves are quite narrow, located in two rows at once, the peduncles are completely leafless. Inflorescences can be either in the form of brushes or in the form of spikelets, consisting of flowers in an amount of six to twelve pieces. The flowers are funnel-shaped, can be painted in a variety of shades, but the middle is the same for everyone - it is dark red or dark brown, very interesting. Flowering usually begins from the beginning of spring, and lasts about three weeks, if all the most favorable conditions for this have been created for the plant. This particular variety has been cultivated since 1770, and during this time it has managed to receive many positive reviews and, accordingly, popular recognition among gardeners.

Ixia: photos

Popular varieties look like this:

• blue bird - flowers of ixia, when blooming, are painted either in white or in a deep blue shade
• castor - the color of the flowers is burning, red
• Jaynt - large inflorescences, painted in cream or snow-white shades
• Earley Seprise - the flowers are red, ceramic in color with white blotches
• hogart - these inflorescences are painted in a delicate cream shade, very elegant and attractive
• hollans glory and market - these varieties have flowers painted in a bright yellow shade
• mabel - the color of the inflorescences is bright, red, almost ceramic, very pleasant and really solemn, elegant
• volcano - these inflorescences have a brick-red color
• rose imperial - from the name it can be understood that the plant has a delicate pink color, very elegant and at the same time can be combined with almost any planting on the site.