The lush inflorescences of eremurus resemble candelabra. It is considered one of the most striking and exotic flowers for the Midland. Any garden that is decorated with verticals topped with fluffy sultans looks more solemn and ceremonial. In this case, the cultivation of eremurus, although it has nuances, does not cause special difficulties.
Plant description
The name Eremurus in Greek means "desert tails." In the west it is called Foxtail lily - a fox tail lily, or Desert Candles - desert candles. The Asian names shirash and shrish come from the word "glue". A substance was extracted from the roots in Central Asia, which was used as a technical glue, or glue for the manufacture of medical plasters. Zones of its natural habitat: deserts, semi-deserts, steppes, foothills.
Powerful eremurus leaves
Eremurus flower belongs to the genus Xanthorrhoeae, subfamily and Asphodel family. His most famous relatives are aloe and daylilies.
This is a perennial herb. Description of eremurus:
- stems are strong, powerful, with a height of 100 to 250 cm;
- the rhizome resembles an octopus in shape, it is a disk with smaller roots in a circle, measuring 10-15 cm. The rhizome is updated annually - the young part is formed on top, and the lower part dies;
- the leaves are diverse in shape, depending on the variety, can be narrow and wide. They are plentiful and collected in a spectacular outlet;
- Eremurus flowers are arranged on a stem in a spiral, have a star shape. The colors are varied: white, cream, pink, yellow, orange, red, burgundy. Long fluffy stamens, often of a contrasting color, add decorativeness. The plant is an excellent honey plant.
Flowering: end of May-mid-July. One flower lasts up to 24 hours, but new buds are gradually opening up from the inflorescence from the bottom up. The flowering period is 1.5-5 weeks. Then round brown seed boxes ripen.
On a note! After the purchase, the question may arise, why the plant does not bloom? Eremurus is a long-playing culture. From the moment of seed germination to flowering takes 4-5 years.
Species and varieties
Culture is rich in diversity. There are about 50 varieties and hybrids of eremurus.
Kinds:
- Olga (eremurus olgae). 150 cm, leaves are narrow, dark green, up to 65 pcs. on the bush, flowers are pink or white, collected in a brush 70 cm in diameter up to 15 cm. One of the most popular in culture;
- Alberta (eremurus albertii). 130 cm, leaves are rare, straight, smooth. The flowers are white with reddish perianths and stamens, located on the stem loosely. The diameter of the inflorescence is 12 cm, length is 60 cm. One of the most beautiful eremurus;
- Bunge (eremurus bungei). He is narrow-leaved or eremurus deceiving. 175 cm, leaves are narrow, lanceolate, with a bluish bloom, flowers are golden yellow, collected in an inflorescence of 50-60 mm in length, 400-600 pcs. Also among the most spectacular;
- Himalayan (eremurus himalaicus). Up to 250 cm, leaves are wide, bright green, flowers are white. The most unpretentious - one of the most decorative species;
- Altai (eremurus altāicus). Up to 150 cm, stems are inclined, flowers are light yellow-greenish, anthers are bright dark orange.
Eremurus Regel
Hybrid forms are also many. The best known are the following.
Foster hybrids (Olga and Bunge) were created by Michael Foster at the end of the 19th century, and then reproduced in France by Wilmorin Nursery in 1902. They are also called in Russia hybrids of the Rüiter (Rüiter's hybrids):
- Isobel - orange-pink;
- Rosalind - bright pink;
- White Beauty - pure white;
- moneymaker - orange-yellow flowers.
The same group includes the eremurus Cleopatra (Cleopatra) - one of the most famous garden varieties, 125 cm, the flowers are very bright, glowing orange, the inflorescence is dense, beautiful. And also Pinocchio eremurus - he has the same juicy orange inflorescences.
Eremurus Olga
Growing eremurus from seeds
The most popular method of growing crops is from seeds.
Important: A flowering specimen with this method of growing can be obtained only after 4 years.
The process is very similar to growing gloxinia or tuberous begonias from seeds.
Sowing
Seeds are sown on seedlings in early autumn in containers 20 cm high.
Each seed is deepened by 1-2 cm, but not more! Containers are stored at a temperature of 15 ° C until spring, regularly checking the moisture content of the soil. Seeds do not tolerate drying out.
Sprouts will appear in March. Seeds are tight, some of them can be planted next year. The germination period of eremurus seeds, like many perennials with a dormant period, is not fast: 30-360 days.
On a note! The plant reproduces well by self-sowing.
Seeds of Eremurus Olga
Seedling Care
Young, newly emerged plants, put in a warm, plentifully lit diffused light place, often watered, making sure that the soil does not dry out and at the same time the moisture does not stagnate. In the warm season, they are looking for a suitable place on the street: light, but without scorching rays, regularly moisturized.
By autumn, the aboveground part dies away, the boxes should be removed in a dark place. Do not water. In the spring, the sprouts will appear again. They continue to be looked after, as in the past year.
In October of the third year, grown nodules in containers accustomed to the open ground, drip, covered with spruce branches and dry leaves. Leave for the winter. They already have a bottom, you can transplant them to a permanent place.
Powerful Eremurus Renewal Buds
Eremurus flower: planting and care in the open ground
The soil on the site should be well-drained. Ideal planting sites are rocky and sandy soils. The composition of the soil is not demanding, but soil with an alkaline or neutral reaction is desirable.
The plot is selected sunny, open. The plant, despite the long stems, is not afraid of drafts or wind.
Important! "Fatty", rich in organic matter, soils are undesirable - in such areas eremurus tend to go "to the top". The soil should be close to the following composition: fine gravel - 2 parts, humus - 1 part, turf land - 3 parts.
When to plant an eremurus
In open ground, seedlings are planted in early autumn. The optimal landing time is September-early October. You can plant both a year after sowing, and in the third year - it depends on the climate. Usually, three-year-olds with formed bottoms or parts of an adult rhizome are planted in the middle lane.
Budding Eremurus Root System
How to plant
Landing Instructions:
- The selected area, if the soil does not have sufficient moisture permeability, is well drained. Equip a pillow of rubble, pebbles, gravel. The fertile layer is 50 cm. Add compost or humus.
- Make holes 30 cm.
- Plants are carefully placed in the holes, best with an earthen lump - eremurus has a sensitive root system.
- The distance between copies is 50 cm. Between more compact varieties, 40 cm is permissible, and very large ones require a distance of 60 m.
- In the hole, the roots are thoroughly straightened, sprinkled with soil, compacted, well watered.
- Planted plants bloom for 4-5 years.
Eremurus Romance
Care for eremurus in the garden
Planting eremurus in the open ground has nuances, but the care is very simple - it almost does not go beyond the usual garden procedures. Important points:
- regular watering;
- four top dressings. Superphosphate in the fall - 40 g per 1 sq. Km. m., in March, complex mineral fertilizer 60 g, or 6 kg of compost per 1 sq. km. m. For vegetation two more top dressings - in May and before flowering, you can take a standard complex mineral fertilizer;
- weeding and loosening - accurate so as not to touch the tubers;
- removal of yellow and withered leaves.
How to water a plant
Watering needs careful and flexible.
The plant does not like excess moisture, but needs an abundant amount to increase the mass of flowers, leaves, underground parts. In the dry summer, in the first half it is abundantly watered 1-2 times a week to guarantee a wetting of the soil by 20 cm. In the rainy summer, watering is stopped. If it rains at least once every seven days, watering is also excluded. After flowering, stop watering.
Important! The main rule: before flowering, water abundantly, and after - do not water.
Eremurus Korolkova in vivo
Eremurus breeding
The best way to reproduce eremurus - seed. Plants will be adapted to a specific site. But the method has drawbacks - wait too long for adult specimens, therefore, they often resort to root division.
The period of the procedure is the end of August, when the aerial part completely died out, but the plant has not yet retired. The rhizome is opened by removing the top layer of soil above it, cut by the number of living kidneys, usually 4 parts, wounds are abundantly crushed with crushed activated carbon, then covered with soil again. In the spring, each part will give its escape. It is necessary to let them grow, and by the end of summer, when they begin to die, the obtained individual nodules can be planted.
Fact! It is propagated by daughter sockets much less frequently; they appear near the rhizome no more than 1 time in five years.
Eremurus powerful grows after a period of rest
Diseases and Pests
Aliens from other regions, especially with a contrast compared to the Midlands, often suffer from diseases. Eremurus, landing and caring for which otherwise is not difficult, is no exception. The plant can be affected: rust, chlorosis, viral diseases. Eremurus love slugs and snails, and mice and moles willingly eat the underground.
Most of these problems can be avoided by carefully dosing watering / top dressing and arranging high-quality drainage. Diseases attack a crop in a damp, cold summer.
Eremurus along the track
Flowering care
Before flowering watered with nitrogenous fertilizer - 20 g of ammonium sulfate per 1 square. m., or complex, containing potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen in equal proportions. During the flowering period, watering is reduced, dried leaves are regularly removed, and the peduncles themselves, if the plans do not have a collection of seeds.
Eremurus after flowering
After flowering, the plant gradually dies. This period lasts from mid-July to the end of August. At the same time seeds ripen, rather large spherical capsules. If there is no need to collect them, peduncles are cut immediately after wilting.
How and when to collect seeds
Seeds ripen by the end of August. Balls boxes with seeds crack when ripe. Peduncles are better to cut a little in advance and dry in any suitable place. Ripened boxes are cut and stored until sowing in a cool and dry place.
Eremurus Inder ripening fruit
Winter preparations
As soon as the aboveground part withers (beginning of September), the bottom with the roots is carefully dug up, dried in a warm place, and at the end of September it is again planted in the ground, after digging it up with fertilizers.
You can do without this procedure, if guaranteed to be dry, warm weather. A period without moisture is necessary - flower buds are formed, the future flowering depends on them.
If it is not possible to dig up a tuber and dry well, cover the tubers with a film from possible rain.
Before frost, planting sites in regions with low snow cover are insulated with a layer of compost 15 cm or dry foliage with spruce branches. In the spring, shelter is removed with a rake.
In warm, arid regions do without shelter.
Shelter is not required in Siberia, where winters are snowy and at the same time dry. With a snow cover of more than 1 meter, eremurus can even tolerate severe Siberian frosts. The only thing that is important in this case is to plant the crop on a high, with excellent drainage area, in order to avoid root sprouting in spring.
Important! Eremurus is much more afraid of stagnation of moisture than frost.
Eremurus in mixborder
Use in landscape design
The height of the inflorescences can reach 2 meters, even low varieties have a height of more than 1 meter. The plant looks great in the background, in the center of the observation beds, near the fences, at the base of the alpine hills, curtains among the lawns.
Companions for the best combinations with eremurus:
- mallow;
- bearded irises;
- digitalis
- delphiniums;
- daylilies;
- lilies.
As a neighbor, any other non-aggressive perennial flower is also suitable.
Eremurus blooms in late May and early June and adorns the garden until mid-summer, then the plant loses its decorativeness. For this period, you should choose plants that will decorate an empty place.
Eremurus gradually gain new fans. A powerful, fast-moving plant - it brings to any garden the charm of a wild, but grandiose nature. Its inflorescences are well cut, it is a popular material for creating solemn interior compositions, brutal bouquets.
