Freesia is a perennial of the Iris family. Homeland - Southwest African continent. Bred in Europe since the beginning of the XIX century. It is found among shrubs, near the banks of rivers and lakes. Named after the German botanist, Friedrich Frieze. Luxurious and fragrant flower is popular for cutting.
Features of Freesia
Freesia has a persistent pleasant smell, it is called "Cape lily of the valley." The tubers of the plant are represented by an atypical bulb in light brown or white scales, they are updated every second season (the bulb dies, a new root appears). The leaves are thin, linear, elongated, with a vein in the middle, 15-20 cm long, 1.5 cm wide. They grow directly from the ground.
A single-sided inflorescence with a narrow tube expanded at the base and 3-6 flowers of different shades. There are cream, violet, pink, blue, white, orange. In mid-August, bloom and delight with their view to frost. The branched and smooth stem is 20-70 cm high. The fruit is a box.
Features of freesia:
- It has different aromas: citrus, lily of the valley, fresh grass.
- It is cut up to 10 days, remaining fresh and fragrant.
- Florists make her a bouquet of brides.
- Used to create spirits.
- The yellow-red variety grows the fastest.
- It is popular among landscape designers, creating a beautiful view of the flower beds, in the gardens.
Freesia can be successfully grown in the country, in the greenhouse, greenhouse, room.
Types and varieties of freesia
Of the 20 species of plants, flower growers cultivate three.
| View | Description | Flowers | Scent |
| Armstrong | Stem up to 70 cm. Inflorescence as a panicle. It blooms in May and June. | Bell shape, raspberry, pink, purple, violet. | Citrus. |
| Broken (refracted) | Short (40 cm) with weak sprawling shoots. Inflorescences 2-4. It blooms in April. | White, light orange. | Lily of the valley. |
| Hybrid | Reaches a height of 1 m, 7-9 inflorescences. | White, scarlet. | Miscellaneous: floral, faint, odorless. |
There are varieties with petals in one row (terry), two or more.
| Grade | Description | Flowers | Scent |
| Cardinal | Up to 70 cm, has three peduncles 30 cm long. | Scarlet, pink with yellow spots. | Almost not noticeable. |
| Ballerina | On a peduncle 25-30 cm high, about 12 flowers. | Corrugated, white, yellow base. | Tart. |
| Odorata | 30 cm high, inflorescences 3-7. | Yellow with orange. | Lily of the valley. |
| Pimperina | Short, up to 20 cm, 7 inflorescences. | Large, dark red with an edge, yellow in the middle, corrugated. | Very weak. |
| Lilac | 80 cm high. Two straight peduncles, spike-shaped inflorescence. It fades quickly. | Non-double, lilac, in the center white. | Not expressive. |
| Caramel | Tall, up to 80 cm, 7-8 flowers. | Large, red-brown. | Not strong. |
| Helsinki | Reaches 60-70 cm, soft, drooping leaves. | Purple, lilac, with a yellow pharynx. | Strong, thin. |
| Sonnet | Grown in greenhouses, up to 85 cm, 11 flowers. | Scarlet with an orange stain. | Pronounced sweet. |
| Elizabeth | Perennial up to 85 cm. 3-4 peduncles on one plant. | Bright purple, non-terry. | Subtle. |
| Red Lyon | Tall, up to 80 cm. | Large, terry, bright red. | Lily of the valley. |
| Pink | Perennial, blooms up to 25 days. | Pale pink, large with a white middle. | Strong, fresh. |
| Ambassador White | Up to 50 cm, long, light green leaves. | Snow-white, with beige blotches at the base. | Spicy. |
| Orange Favorite | Up to 40-4-50 cm. | Orange with a dark throat. | Jasmine |
| White swan | Durable peduncle up to 50 cm. | White, with cream stripes. | Chill turning into floral. |
| Royal Blue | Different heights from 40-70 cm. | Large, blue. | Not expressive. |
Outdoor cultivation of freesia
Planting and care in the open field for a flower has several features. Buds on the bush up to 40 cm are formed in July, bloom in August. Enjoy blooming freesia until October. After cutting all the flowers, water it again and leave until the excavation.
Growing conditions
Tall bushes require support, install a horizontal grid, trellis. Freesia prefers daylight hours up to 12-14 hours, a plot without drafts, direct sunlight with little penumbra. They dig the earth well, loosen it. Narrow-leaved varieties are planted closer, broadleaf varieties are planted farther apart.
The required temperature is + 22 ° C. In hot or cold weather, the flowers lose their shape.
Freesia can be cut off when two or more buds appear. Withered flowers break off. The soil is loosened, weeds are weed. In the evening, shoots and leaves are sprayed.
Landing
First, corms are prepared: they are treated with Fitosporin, planted in 5 cm containers, moisturized, and left in the light. Two months later, they are placed in a loose, breathable soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction.
Bulbs are planted when frosts pass to a depth of 9-12 cm and 3-5 cm from each other, between rows up to 15 cm. The place chosen is bright, not shaded by trees and shrubs, the time is April or May. The temperature should not fall below + 15 ° C and be no higher than + 18 ° C, otherwise freesia will not bloom. After planting, the soil is mulched. Bulbs are abundantly watered, they germinate for three weeks, then watering is reduced.
Top dressing
After germination, ammonium nitrate is introduced and during active growth 3-4 times. Then every two weeks - superphosphate and potassium salt.
Watering
Water the flower under the root, usually before noon, to prevent damage to bacteria. Due to evening watering, the leaves may not dry out, and lowering the temperature will cause illness. The plant likes soil moist, but without stagnation of water. After flowering, watering is reduced, completely stopped in early October.
Freesia at home
Growing and caring at home is easier than keeping the flower outdoors. Low-growing varieties are selected up to 25 cm. When a flower is planted in the fall, it will bloom in the winter.
Creating conditions
Place the flower on the eastern, western windowsills, without drafts. In winter, artificial lighting is used. Its stems are fragile so that they do not break, establish a support (decorative lattice, wire frame).
Watered as the soil dries, settled, rain, filtered water. Sprayed in the evening, without touching the petals and buds.
They are fed with mineral complexes twice a month. Withered flowers are cut to save nutrients to others.
Landing
A pot is selected with a diameter of up to 15 cm, disinfected. Expanded clay or pebbles are poured to the bottom, on top is charcoal and a mixture of turf land, peat, sand, with the addition of bone meal and ash. Place 6 onions to a depth of 5 cm in one bowl. Set the temperature to +15 ° C, increase when the first leaves appear, then water.
Freesia care after flowering
In the fall, at the end of flowering, the tubers are dug up, stored until the next year.
In home
Overhead shoots are cut, the root is watered for 1-1.5 months for the formation of children. Then it is extracted, treated with manganese, dried at + 25 ... 28 ° С. Then sorted, selecting damaged, rotten.
In the open ground
When in October the leaf platinum turns yellow, they dig up corms, cut the stems, peel, and sort them. Disinfection is carried out (processed in Fitosporin, Azobacterin), dried and placed in storage.
In a warm climate, planting material is left for the winter, covered with a layer of mulch.
Bulb Storage
Store planting material in a dark place, in nets, at high humidity and temperature + 29 ... +31 ° C, 12-16 weeks, then lower (two weeks before planting) to + 12 ... +13 ° С.
Freesia propagation
Propagate the flower with bulbs, seeds.
After digging, the bulbs are separated from the mother and planted separately in the spring. At this site, children grow up. They are removed, disinfected in autumn, dried, stored until spring, in the summer they will bloom.
The day before planting, the seed is disinfected with manganese. Then deepen by 1 cm in boxes with a mixture of sand, peat, humus equally. Cover with a film, regularly ventilate, maintain a temperature of + 20 ... +25 ° C, irrigate the soil. The emergence of sprouts is expected after 23-25 days, watered, weeds are removed, fertilized with potassium-phosphorus composition every week.
Contain in bright light. Dive seedlings at a distance of 5 cm from each other. The temperature is preferable +20 ° C and high humidity, then lowered to + 14 ° C, planted on the street at the end of May.
Mr. Dachnik warns: diseases and pests of freesia
If the bulbs are not sanitized or handled incorrectly, freesia is exposed to fungal diseases and pests.
| Disease / Pest | Manifestation | Treatment |
| Gray rot | Brown spots with a gray coating. | Alirin-B, Trichodermin. |
| Mosaic virus | On the plant, wet spots in the form of a pattern, then it turns yellow. | Fundazol. |
| Fusarium | Leaves become thinner, yellow, dry. | Fitovit, Previkur. |
| Scab | Yellowing, wilting of the tips of the leaves. Brown spots at the bottom of the stem. The plant lays. | Can not be treated. |
| Spider mite | On the leaves and stalks of the web. | Actellic, Fitoverm or tar soap. |
| Aphid | Shoots and leaves are sticky, wither, blacken. | Remove damaged parts. Soap solution with wood ash or Karbofos, Tanrek. |
| Thrips | The leaves are discolored, there are many dots on them, brown spots are in the lower part. | Mospilanom, Actara. |
Freesia application
The flower looks advantageous on the flower beds, borders, in bouquets, combined with cyclamen, lily, magnolia. Freesia decorates bouquets for any celebrations, is used in the manufacture of perfumes, body care products.
In addition, its aroma helps with nervous agitation, depression, relieves insomnia, and improves vitality. It is believed that the flower gives energy to the owner, gives courage, protects the forces.
