Liatris

Liatris is a perennial flowering herb that belongs to the Asteraceae or Asteraceae family. In the wild, it is found in regions of North America, Mexico, and the Bahamas. You can find about 20 plant varieties. if you look at the name of the plant, it literally means smooth and doctor. In our country, this plant is called cheerful feathers or deer tongue. Gardeners love this type of plant not only for its spectacular candle-shaped inflorescences, but also for its pleasant aroma, which combines the smell of vanilla and fresh hay. For a person, this aroma is very pleasant, but, for example, for a moth, it is simply unbearable. If you put a small branch of a plant in your closet with clothes, and you will forget about the moth forever.

Liatris description

The plant is perennial. The shoots of the plant are branched or simple erect, densely leafy. A linear pointed sheet plate can be alternately located and whorled. The roots have a tuberous shape, have an external resemblance to bulbs, and the connection between themselves takes place using thin roots. If you choose the right site, and also care is carried out properly, the plant can reach a length of about 2 m. The tubular flowers are purple-violet, red, purple-red, pink, and also white. The flowers are part of the basket, which is collected in inflorescences up to half a meter, differing in racemose or spike-like shape. The flowering period begins in the summer, while the flowers begin to bloom alternately, from top to bottom. The fruits look like ribbed elongated achenes, there is a small pile on the surface. You can plant a plant as a solo species, as well as with brunner, phlox, gypsophila, verbena and armeria. If you cut the flowers for a bouquet, they can retain their fresh appearance for about 1.5-2 weeks. Dry buds can be used to create beautiful winter bouquets.

Liatris cultivation

It is possible to grow a plant using the seed method, while using the seedless or seedling method. But most gardeners prefer to use a seedless propagation method. The plant has good resistance to winter frost, has good ease of maintenance and vitality. It is best to plant seeds in open soil before winter and early spring. Before you start sowing seeds, they need to be soaked for 12 hours in a humate solution. First, you need to dig up the entire site, while you need to add humus to the soil (1 bucket of this organic fertilizer should be taken per 1 square meter). After that, you need to start preparing the grooves for the seeds, the depth of which should not exceed 15 mm. Those seeds that you prepare should be placed along the grooves and sprinkled with soil, then watering. When growing a plant with seeds, it should be borne in mind that the full flowering of a plant begins only 2 years after planting. In the autumn period, the plant is able to reproduce independently by self-seeding. Therefore, as soon as the first shoots appear in the spring, they should be thinned out.

Liatris planting in open ground

When to plant. The plant can be easily propagated using the vegetative method. If this plant is already grown in your summer cottage, then in August or September it will be possible to divide the tubers of the plants into several parts.You can also plant material in a special flower shop. But before you decide where you will purchase the plant, you need to carefully consider where exactly in your summer cottage you will plant. The landing site should be open, with good illumination. The influence of direct sunlight will not affect the condition of the plant in any way. however, the plant can tolerate hot weather well, so the July heat is definitely not a threat to the plant. The soil should be nutrient-dense, loose and well-drained. The plant can negatively affect the stagnation of moisture, since rot can appear on the roots in a short period of time. Therefore, the place where you will grow the plant, the soil was not damp, heavy, in a hollow or lowland, and also away from groundwater so that they are not close to the surface of the earth. It is better to plant a plant in early spring or in autumn.

How to land. Depending on the size of the plant, the tubers should be buried 3-10 cm in the ground.However, it should be remembered that if you plant several plants, then you need to leave a distance of about 20 cm between them.After planting, the plant will need watering, as well as mulching the soil using humus.

Liatris care

Liatris needs watering, weeding, systematic hilling, this is due to the fact that the surface root system of the plant can become bare after heavy sediment. Due to the fact that the soil can be washed out from the site, therefore, soil should be added from time to time. The flower stalks of the plant are very tall, so you will need to think about creating a support for the full growth and development of the plant. Also, experts highlight the fact that it is best to mulch the soil, since this process can add the necessary nutrients to the roots, and also has the function of protecting them, which can greatly facilitate the process of caring for the plant as a whole. Also, the plant needs feeding, which should consist of mineral fertilizers. During the entire period, it will be necessary to apply fertilizers 3 times: in the spring fertilizers rich in nitrogen are applied, in the summer - phosphorus and potassium. You also need to prune wilting inflorescences. This will give your plant a decorative look after it has finished blooming to give your site a beautiful look with vibrant, green foliage.

We are engaged in a transplant. The plant can be transplanted exclusively in the autumn period - once every 3-4 years. When transplanting, many gardeners recommend dividing the tubers. You should dig out the bush and very carefully divide it into a number of parts, while each division should have a root collar with tubers. When you land the parts, do not forget to maintain a distance of 28-40 cm, while this deepening should occur no more than 15 cm.In the hole, by about 1/3, add humus, then add garden soil and tamp everything thoroughly. After you water your plantings, add a layer of mulch by adding humus.

Diseases and insect pests

Liatris Alba

Planting and growing a plant does not require much effort from you. The plant has not only good ease of maintenance, but also good immunity against many diseases. A great danger is the attack of snails and bears. To get rid of such uninvited guests, you can use one good folk method. Add 0.5 cups of beer to the bottle, then dig this bottle into the ground at an angle of 45 degrees, watch the location of the neck - it should be 20-30 mm lower than the soil surface level, in a small hole.Having felt the aroma of this drink, snails and bears will be trapped in you. Keep in mind, however, that in order to achieve the desired effect, you will have to systematically change beer. If there is stagnation of moisture in the soil, then it will be possible to observe the appearance of rot. To get rid of it, all damaged areas of the plant must be cut off, only after that start treatment with fungicides. If the cause of rotting is the excessive weight of the soil, or there is groundwater nearby, then it is better to think about changing the place for growing the plant.

Liatris after flowering

When all the foliage and flowers wither, then that part of the plant that is above the soil is subject to pruning, and then mulch the entire area, for this you can take peat, compost or dried leaves. The layer of mulch should not exceed 15 cm. It is not recommended to use straw for mulching, since it is a good place for the appearance of meadow rodents, which will not mind eating the roots of the plant. If the region where you are growing the plant has mild and warm winter months, you do not need to cover the plant.

Varieties and varieties of plants

You can cultivate only 3 varieties of the plant. we will dwell on them in more detail.

Spicate.

The homeland of this plant species is the regions of the Southeast of North America. The shoot is strongly leafy, the height reaches half a meter. The sheet plate is linear. Small baskets include about 8-14 tubular flowers, which are part of inflorescences, which in turn are spike-shaped with a length of no more than 35 cm.The plant falls in June or July. Flowering lasts from 30-40 days. Cultivation has been carried out since 1732. Popular varieties:

Weiss. Bushes with a height of 0.9 m. Flowers are white.

Violet. The height of the bushes reaches 0.8 m. The flowers are purple in color.

Kobold. The height of the bushes reaches 0.4 m. The inflorescences are lilac-pinkish in color.

Rough.

This variety is not very popular. Small flowers with a pinkish-lavender color are collected in a long and lush inflorescence. Shoots can reach a height of 1 m. The leaf plate is glossy, lanceolate. This variety is considered taller than others. There is also a variety with white flowers - White Spire.

Filmy. The leaf plate is wide, about 3 cm. The flowers are lilac-pinkish in color.

Popular varieties:

Alba with white flowers.

September Glory. Peduncles have a height of about 1 m, deep pink.