How to grow mirabilis from seeds, planting a plant in seedlings. Night beauty or Mirabilis - planting and care

flower with beautiful name Mirabilis belongs to the genus of herbaceous perennials of the Nyctaginaceae family. The genus includes about 50 species, originally growing only in North and South America. Thanks to the efforts of man, the plant has spread throughout almost the entire territory of the European continent and in Asian countries. Unpretentiousness in care, undemanding to climatic conditions, attractiveness and amazing aroma - all this made the flower popular in garden culture.

Show all

Night beauty: description

The night beauty deserved the greatest love from domestic flower growers - that is what mirabilis yalapa, one of the varieties of a large genus, is called. Translated from Latin, Mirabilis means "amazing", which characterizes the flower in the best possible way. It opens its funnel-shaped corollas towards the end of the day and closes them at sunrise. Moreover, petals can bloom on one bush at the same time. different color, and on individual specimens, combinations can be observed, including up to 5 different colors. All the time, while the petals are open, you can enjoy a pleasant aroma next to the bush. This feature - to delight with bright buds and a delicate smell at night - formed the basis of the second name of the flower.

AT temperate climate In Russia, perennial mirabilis is often grown as an annual crop. On its rod thin roots, tubers resembling carrots are formed. They contain moisture and nutrients helping to survive the dry season or a cold snap. From the same tubers, the night beauty resumes its growth in the spring.

The erect, densely branched stems of mirabilis have a reddish tint and form neat elongated-rounded bushes 30-80 cm high. In the lower part of the bush, the shoots become woody, and in the middle and upper parts they remain rather fragile and can break from a sharp gust of wind. Leaves are small with a solid edge and are arranged oppositely along the entire length of the stems.

Of course, flowers give a special decorative effect to the plant. Their shape resembles small, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, gramophones, and the color can surprise the most sophisticated grower: delicate petals can be white, pink, crimson, yellow, orange, red, purple or purple. Two- or even three-color petals look very impressive - these can be multi-colored spots and strokes that completely cover the blossoming corollas. Mirabilis flowering begins in May and ends with the onset of autumn cold weather, which makes the plant indispensable for decorating a city flower bed or summer cottage.

Multi-colored corollas on one bush



Growing seedlings from seeds

An unusual tropical culture is so unpretentious in care that in many places it can be found in a wild form. Grow mirabilis in open field even a novice gardener is capable, it is so easy and simple. AT flower shops you can buy jalapa seeds and get a spectacular seedling plant.

It is recommended to start sowing seeds in late March or early April. Residents of the northern regions (Siberia and Far East) you should not postpone work for later, but it is better to sow mirabilis in early March, otherwise the plant will not have time to form normally and please with flowering. Sowing is carried out in several stages:

• The seeds of the night beauty are hidden under a hard shell, which will not allow seedlings to hatch quickly. To speed up the process, the seeds need to be scarified - gently damage the protective shell with a file or sandpaper. After that, they must be soaked in warm water, placing for a day in a thermos. You can fill the seeds with warm water and without scarification, but then it will take a little longer to germinate.
• For sowing mirabilis, you should use ready-made store soil - universal or for growing seedlings. The main thing is that it should be with a neutral or slightly alkaline pH.
• You can make a substrate with your own hands by mixing 1 part of humus or compost, ½ part of washed river sand, 2 parts peat and 2 parts garden soil. For 5 liters of ready-made soil mixture, it is advisable to add ½ cup wood ash and 2 tbsp. l. dolomite flour to reduce acidity.
• As a container for planting, it is better to use a shallow container or cups with drainage holes - they must be filled to ¾ of the height soil mixture, shed with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate or any fungicide.
• In each cup (when planting in a common container - in each hole) you need to put 2 seeds. They should be deepened by half a centimeter, sprinkled with a thin layer of earth and poured with warm water from a fine spray bottle.
• To create a greenhouse effect and speed up the germination of the container, it is advisable to cover it with glass or a transparent film. Then place the cups in a warm place with an air temperature of + 18 + 20 ° C and monitor the condition of the soil - it should not dry out.
• To avoid the development of mold and putrefactive processes, the transparent shelter must be removed daily for 15-20 minutes for ventilation, and the condensate that collects on the glass should be wiped with an absorbent cloth.
• After germination (1-2 weeks from the date of sowing), the transparent cover can be removed and the cups rearranged closer to the light. Water after it dries upper layer soil.
• After the formation of the first true leaf, a weak seedling must be removed so that it does not interfere with the growth of a stronger one.
• When 2 true leaves are formed, you can carry out the first top dressing with complex mineral fertilizer using any store-bought composition, for example, Krepysh, Mortar, Fertika.
• The grown seedlings, which have reached a height of 10-15 cm, must be transplanted into larger pots by transshipment so as not to injure sensitive roots. It is advisable to use deep containers in which the rod can develop normally. root system. After transshipment, mirabilis seedlings should be fed a second time using the same mineral composition.

2 weeks before the planned planting in open ground, hardening of seedlings should begin. It must be exposed daily to the open air (to an open balcony or courtyard), increasing its stay every day. When the night beauty can be on the street for a whole day, without fear of return frosts, she can be safely planted in a flower bed.



Dense seeds of the night beauty are pre-soaked in warm water



Planting seedlings in open ground

Mirabilis seedlings can be planted in the garden only after the threat of return frosts has passed. The Mexican flower requires a well-lit open area where it will not be obscured by neighboring tall crops or buildings. When planted in the shade or partial shade, the bushes will begin to stretch ugly, and flowering will be scarce and short-lived.

Grow herbaceous shrub preferably on fertile clay or loamy soils. With increased acidity, the site must be limed, making the necessary additives when digging ( slaked lime, chalk, dolomite flour). It is not necessary to allocate low-lying places or beds with moist soil for cultivation, otherwise the plant will get sick and wither from an excess of moisture.

For planting work, it is better to choose a cloudy or rainy day - according to experienced gardeners, it is this weather that will allow seedlings to quickly adapt and take root in a new place:

• Prepare holes at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other. Their depth should correspond to the size of an earthy coma with roots.
• Water the potted plants 1-2 hours before transplanting so that the earth does not crumble and expose sensitive roots.
• Remove the night beauty from the pot, trying to maintain the integrity of the earthy coma, and put it in the center of the hole.
• Fill voids with earth and water.

In the southern regions, the seeds of the night beauty can be sown immediately in open ground, having done work in late April or early May. The seed must be scarified and soaked in advance, as described above, then distributed into grooves to a depth of 3 cm, keeping a distance of 7-8 cm between future plants. Cover the area with crops with a film or non-woven covering material, and after stable warm weather is established, remove the shelter. Thin out the grown seedlings and take care of them as usual.



night beauty care

During the summer season, all mirabilis care comes down to periodic watering, several top dressings and weeding:

• Water in rainy summer flowering bushes not necessary, as the beauty of the night does not need in large numbers moisture. Watering is necessary only on hot days and periods of drought - depending on the condition of the soil, the plant will have to be watered 1-2 times a week.
• Loosening the soil under the bushes must be carried out after each watering or rainfall. This measure will help prevent the formation of a crust, supply the roots of the plant with oxygen and destroy weeds.
• For the whole summer, mirabilis should be fed 3 times: 1-2 weeks after transplanting to a flower bed, in the middle and at the end of summer. Compost or humus can be used as fertilizer, and it is better to refuse the use of fresh organic matter. The night beauty responds gratefully to mineral supplements, only at the end of summer you should not use compounds containing nitrogen.

When growing mirabilis, there should be no problems, as the plant is highly resistant to diseases and pests. With regular waterlogging, rot, spotting and other fungal infections. Root rot can only be defeated by removing affected plants from the site and treating the soil with a fungicide solution. Against other diseases, spraying with "Fundazol" or a drug of similar action will be effective.

When growing bushes of the night beauty, they can be given any shape at their discretion - a ball, pyramid, cone or egg. Pinching and pruning of shoots stimulates the plant to form new flowers, and as a result, the bush is completely covered with spectacular corollas in a short time.

Growing from tubers

night beauty - perennial. In the southern regions, its roots winter well in the ground under a thick layer of mulch. To keep mirabilis until next spring, its stems must be completely cut off, and the area covered with a layer of straw or sawdust.

In regions with cold winters, you will have to dig up the rhizomes for the winter, but before that you need to cut off the green shoots, leaving 10 cm from the soil level. Dug out tubers should be dried in the sun, wrapped in thick paper, folded into wooden or cardboard boxes, sprinkled with dry sawdust or sand. A container with planting material must be stored in a dry, dark place with an air temperature of + 3 + 7 ° C - this can be a basement, cellar or vegetable section of the refrigerator.

When spring comes, the tubers of the night beauty can be taken out of the basement and planted in a pot for germination, and with the establishment of warm weather (April or May), they can be planted in open ground. In this way, mirabilis can be grown on the site for many years.

Mirabilis in landscape design

With the help of spectacular bushes, you can revive any corner of the garden:

• plant tall varieties in the background of a flower garden or along a fence, creating a kind of hedge;
• use undersized forms for decorating flower beds, rockeries, borders and lawns, place in small separate groups or along garden paths;
• dwarf and miniature varieties up to 30 cm high, bred relatively recently, are suitable for growing in pots, containers and boxes that can be used to decorate a balcony, terrace or veranda.

When placing a night beauty on the site, it should be remembered that she behaves quite aggressively towards neighboring cultures and is able to disperse on her own and occupy the near territory. In addition, the plant is not suitable for people who do not tolerate persistent rich aromas.

Mirabilis really amazing flower. Throughout the summer season, he will delight with uncomplicated bright gramophones. Any summer resident can cope with growing from seeds or from a tuber, and caring for an unpretentious crop is simple and low-cost.

04 Aug

Mirabilis (Mirabilis) - perennial flower"Night Beauty"

The original and unusual mirabilis flower is a night beauty with hints of a tropical paradise that will give good mood and inspiration.

Perennial Mirabilis Night Beauty” is an oriental fairy tale with a tropical aroma. By growing Mirabilis on a balcony, terrace or loggia, you can get a delicious aroma at night. In the harsh climatic conditions of Russia, it is grown as a container crop in the open field and, in fact, can bloom for at least 10 months without interruption. But this is prevented by cold autumn and winter.

Therefore, we strongly recommend growing flowers in containers and bringing them to a warm room if there is a threat of frost or a steady decrease in ambient temperature. For planting, you need a large capacity with a volume of at least 10 liters per 1 bush. With the onset of the cool season, it is brought into a warm room. Caring for a crop in the winter at home consists in regular watering. It is not necessary to apply fertilizer at this time.
Look at the Night Beauty flower ”or mirabilis in the photo, which shows the brightest and most beautiful bushes of plants grown in container culture:

The bright and unusual mirabilis flower shown in the photo can decorate both the garden and the interior of a country house.

Mirabilis in the flowerbed and at home (with photo)

Night flowering, during which the whole house or garden is covered with a sweet tropical aroma - this is the merit of the popular exotic plant mirabilis nocturnal beauty - typical representative family Nyctaginaceae (includes tropical plants, mainly growing in the South American tropical zones). There are only about 50 species in the genus, although according to some sources, other sources number up to 500. This is usually due to the fact that at the moment there is a huge number of botanical and hybrid varieties arising from the pollination of plants. In this issue, we will get to know the “night beauty” better and learn about some of the nuances of growing it at home and in the garden.

See what miirabilis looks like in a flower bed in single plantings. In the photo, a flower in a flower bed is presented in a variety of varieties and species used in applied floriculture:

How to grow in pots and clay pots

In culture it famous plant, which is most often grown as a perennial in the tropical zones of South America. Before you grow mirabilis, you should know that Mexico is considered to be the birthplace of the "night beauty". It has found wide distribution in the wild on the Southern Continent in some American states to the borders of Chile. In Russia, most often the plant is grown either as a garden annual or a home perennial.

Many species feel more comfortable in cache-pots and clay pots, especially in the Middle lane. The name of the plant mirabilis is translated from Latin as "amazing", botanists called them herbaceous shrubs for their unusual night flowering. In the common people it can often be found under the names "night beauty" or "a thousand and one nights."

Look at the mirabilis in the photo, demonstrating the amazing charm and tenderness of the buds of the "Night Beauty":

Description with photo

A typical representative of the genus is a perennial herbaceous shrub, up to 100 cm high. The root system of the plant is rod-like, similar to a rope and has the ability to form tubers that help the culture adapt and survive in adverse conditions, for example, during a drought or cold season. Most often, flower growers compare the mirabilis rhizome with a radish. Some cultures may have roots that are also of decorative value.

Starting the description of mirabilis, it is worth saying that its stems are tall, erect or creeping, reaching 60-100 cm in length. To the touch, they can be naked or slightly pubescent. There are varieties with a sticky base, with the exception of places where growth buds form.

Leaf blades are thin or slightly flattened. They sit on the stems oppositely on the petioles or tightly leaning against the base of the shoots, as we will see in the photo below. The leaf plate is symmetrical and often has a sharp tip.

During flowering, which occurs at the end of May and continues until the first frost, the plant forms unusual flowers. Wrap leaves are especially decorative - these are petal-shaped plates that grow together into tubes and wrap pistils, stamens and stigmas (most often they protrude beyond the petals and have bright yellow pollen).

In shape, the flower resembles a bud of fragrant girlish tobacco. The wrap forms funnel-shaped buds, which are collected in complex cymose inflorescences of 15-16 pieces. Flowers are located on the tops of the shoots and bloom in the evening, after 3-4 pm. The peak of flowering occurs in the middle of the night, when mirabilis exudes a sweet tropical aroma that is not typical for garden and home crops we are used to. The flower closes in the morning and a day later again pleases with a lush abundant flowering. Moth moths pollinate mirabilis.

Look at the various mirabilis plantings in the photo, where you can get ideas for growing this flower in your yard or at home:

Species and varieties: "Drakosha", "Elvira", "Serenade" and others

There are 50 in total known species mirabilis, varieties of which are even more numerous and spectacular. Due to the fact that the plant is able to pollinate, a new spectacular bud color appears almost every year. Of the natural ones, which are actively used as garden and indoor annuals and perennials, they actively use the following types and varieties:

1. Bright red - a plant up to 100 cm high. The flowers of the shrub are numerous and form a cap with large inflorescences. The most famous species variety Mirabilis "Red Lollipop" is a hybrid culture with tubular buds of a rich shade, as in the photo below. The diameter of the flower often reaches 3-5 cm, there are large-flowered forms - up to 6 cm. The buds open after 4 pm, close early in the morning, often before dawn. The variety is actively used for registration of discounts;
2. blood red - natural look with very showy flowers. Typical mirabilis variety "Drakosha" with fragrant tubular buds;
3. "Yalapa" is a culture that is actively used in home floriculture. This is one of the few plants with a decorative rhizome. It looks like a radish fruit and is covered with exfoliating silvery scales. For the reason that flower growers plant a plant at home so that the rhizome is visible, it gives the impression that it has grown from a radish or is standing on stilts;
4. Violet - most varieties with purple and lilac inflorescences. Plants with dark buds exude a brighter fragrance.

Most varieties of Mirabilis are difficult to attribute to a specific species group, since many of them are representatives of natural interspecific hybridization. Other varietal forms can also be attributed to the most popular garden and home crops:

1) Mirabilis "Elvira" - light purple or buds of rich lilac tones, look beautiful against the background of dark green foliage with a pointed tip. In height, the plant can reach 1 meter, forming a neat spherical bush, as shown in the photo below:

2) "Iolanta" - a low bush up to 50 cm. A medium-sized flower with bright contrasting strokes on the surface of the perianth plate.

3) "Marble" mirabilis - annual herbaceous plant with strong stems. It reaches a height of 80 cm. hallmark is a bicolor coloring of the buds yellow-white. The average flower diameter is 3 cm.

4) "Matis" - a variety intended for home floriculture.

5) Mirabilis "Serenade" - a mixture of colors. The flowers are large, up to 5-6 cm in diameter. Plant up to 50-90 cm high, blooms from early summer until frost.

Growing from seed at home

Despite the fact that the flower easily propagates vegetatively, the most affordable and easiest option is to grow mirabilis at home using seeds. The fact is that when cutting and dividing a bush and rhizome, it is not always possible to obtain the desired result, since it is not predictable. Growing mirabilis from seeds is used to consolidate the varietal qualities of the specimen you like. Fruits in comfortable conditions. The germination of its seeds is high and lasts for 3-5 years when stored in room conditions. With cold stratification, planting material freezes and dies.

First of all, prepare the soil for growing mirabilis from seeds at home, given that the plant loves slightly acidic compounds. Acidity adversely affects the development of the plant, especially in young age. Peat used as a nutrient substrate can give an acid reaction, so it is best to use a rotted or neutral component. Instead of liming, you can add a handful of ash to the nutrient composition - it also has the ability to neutralize alkali. Neutral peat is mixed with an equal amount of turf and two parts of river sand, crushed gravel can be used instead (it also reduces the acid index).

Planting mirabilis for seedlings: when to sow (with photo)

The optimal time for planting mirabilis for seedlings at home is chosen individually. It depends on climatic conditions. In warm countries with a tropical climate and in the south of our country, you can use the seedless method. At home, seeds are sown for seedlings about 3-4 months before planting in open ground.

Before propagation by seeds, they can be soaked for several hours in damp gauze. This increases the germination of planting material. This procedure is necessary for seeds that are stored for more than 2-3 years. Define exact time when sowing mirabilis for seedlings should each grower individually, depending on the climatic conditions in which he lives.

For planting seedlings, initially use separate small containers - bowls. Disposable plastic cups will do. There should be drainage holes at the bottom of the tank, as young plants (like adults) do not tolerate stagnant moisture and waterlogging of the soil. Some growers are experimenting with peat tablets. The use of separate containers allows you to get rid of the dive procedure. If you plant large seeds in one box, then their strong shoots can intertwine and break. Also, it facilitates planting and size of planting material. In separate containers, large seeds are sown in 1-2 pieces. at a distance of 1 cm between them.

The first shoots will not keep you waiting and will appear within 1-2 weeks. It is possible to transplant seedlings into open ground in 2-3 months, when the seedlings get stronger and have real leaves.

See what beautiful plants gives correctly grown mirabilis seedlings in a photo demonstrating the beauty of blossoming buds:

Planting seedlings in open ground

In order to plant mirabilis in open ground, you need to wait for warming and warming up of the soil. Usually they start doing this from the first day of May. The scheme for planting mirabilis in open ground depends entirely on the size of the specimen. For small plantings, keeping a distance between bushes of 25-30 cm is suitable. Taller bushes are planted at a distance of 60 cm. If you want to avoid cross-pollination, mirabilis propagates by seeds or other propagation method in different parts of the garden at a large distance between plantings. Cross-pollination is the key to new varietal crops with a variety of colors, so not all flower growers neglect it.

Mirabilis prefers to grow on light, not waterlogged soils. Loam, previously limed, is perfect. On acidified soils, the root system stops developing and rots.

Other methods of reproduction

There are other ways to propagate mirabilis, in particular, this is the division of the bush and its rhizome. They are engaged in this way, provided that the plant is used as a perennial garden or home crop. You can divide the bush at overgrown adult plantings, over 3 years old. In the open field, Mirabilis is divided into two parts using bayonet shovel along with the root system. Next, the delenki are seated on new permanent places and take care of them like mature plants. At home, the bush is taken out of the pot and the rhizome is divided with a sharp knife, then planted in new soil mixtures.

Another more complex method is cuttings. In order to propagate the plant, a semi-lignified shoot with regrowth buds is required. They are cut off, then the cut point is treated with crushed coal and dried at room temperature during few hours. Before rooting, you can moisten the stalk in a root former or add a few drops of it to water. Root shoots in a substrate based on sand and peat. You can use plain water, which needs to be changed daily.

Mirabilis care at home and in the garden

At home and in the garden, Mirabilis feels quite comfortable if you follow some rules for caring for him. First of all, it concerns temperature regime environment and moisture used for irrigation. Lowering the air temperature below 15 degrees Celsius is detrimental to the plant, even during hibernation. In open ground, choose a place well protected from gusts of wind and drafts. The frosts of central Russia cannot stand it, even under a powerful layer of shelter. For this reason, in the fall, its rhizome is dug up, after the ground part of the plant has died. Small filiform root shoots are removed from the rhizome tuber and stored at a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius in sawdust or sand. The room where the root is stored must be dry and well ventilated, otherwise it may rot.

Irrigation plays an equally important role in the life of mirabilis. Despite the fact that due to the ability of the rhizome to form tubers that help survive the drought, the plant does not bloom in dry land. During the active growing season, the plant needs watering no more than 2-3 times a month. If you grow mirabilis in open ground, then 2-3 times more. In the heat, the amount of moisture is not increased, but simply watered more often. During the dormant period, home plants are watered 2 times a month with a moderate amount of moisture, make sure that water does not accumulate in the pan.

Complex compositions can be used as fertilizers for flowering plants. Mirabilis does not need frequent feeding. They are introduced no more than 2-3 times during the entire active life season. In no case do not feed the plant with manure and rotted compost - the root system will begin to rot, and the plant will stop blooming.

Sufficient natural lighting - bright, but diffused. At night, in no case do not illuminate with bright fitolamps, otherwise the flower will not bloom. The sun's direct rays during the day leave burns on the petals of the bract and sheet plates. For the same reason, the shoots die and dry up.

Pruning is not required for the plant, but it may be necessary to pinch mirabilis, namely, its stretching shoots. This is especially true for potted plants.

Categories:/ / by

- “amazing” in Latin - hints that pleasant surprises await us.

Russian name - night beauty- tells you exactly when to expect them.

From delicate to the brightest, choose the shade that suits your taste.

Represents the family Night-flowered, or Nyctaginaceae (Nyctaginaceae). In this family, there are few plants familiar to us, one of them is popular in the south.

The first flower growers who showed interest in the plant were the Aztecs, who inhabited the territory of modern Mexico. They began to grow the most decorative forms, differing in shades. Mirabilis Jalapa has disappeared from wildlife Mexico, but feral plants, unusually popular in the old days as an ornamental crop, are still found on the site of former gardens. Thanks to tuberous roots mirabilis copes well with drought and does not require special care.

After the conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards, the seeds of the night beauty came to Spain, and then to England and other European powers. Over the past centuries, it has settled all over the world and has become "its own" in countries with a warm climate. In Egypt, she came to the court so much that a guest from another continent in Cairo was called the pearl of Egypt. In Morocco, thanks to the Spaniards, mirabilis also gained popularity. One of the varieties with striped yellow-pink flowers speckled with orange even bears the name "Marrakech".

reproduction

Mirabilis is propagated by seeds, dividing the bush and semi-lignified cuttings.

seeds soak overnight before sowing. Sow 1-2 seeds in small pots filled with loose light earth, a month before planting in open ground. When shoots appear, only one, the strongest sprout is left in each pot. You can transplant young plants into the garden at the same time as seedlings, for example, when the threat has finally passed.

cuttings rooted in a light peaty substrate with the addition of coarse sand. Mirabilis is so easy to grow from seed that it is considered impractical to store the tubers over the winter. However, plants planted with tubers have an advantage in size, they develop faster and bloom two weeks earlier. In addition, you know exactly what shade of flowers you will receive. Dig tubers before frost and store in a dry, dark place, like.

Care

From the end of November, when they partially die off annual shoots, and until mid-March, the night beauty is at rest. At this time it is watered once every 2 months. In order for the plant to survive this period safely, remove the thin adventitious roots, place it in fibrous high-moor peat with sawdust and store at a low temperature.

In the spring, overwintered mirabilis is planted in a substrate consisting of:

• 2 hours of clay-turf land,
• 1.5 hours of decomposed peat,
• 1 hour coarse washed river sand,
• 0.5 hours of washed brick chips,
• 0.25 hours of dolomite flour.

In our gardens, the aroma of mirabilis is not felt as strongly as in the south. Therefore, the marvelous perfume of night beauties is easier to catch at close range. It is no coincidence that mirabilis is one of the traditional plants for along the paths.

In the open field on cultivated soil, mirabilis quickly turns into a powerful, branched shrub in the upper part with knotty stems about 1 m high and about the same width. Max height 1.2m plant reaches in the sun on rich soil with adequate watering. The size of container plants depends on the amount of land provided. So, in two-liter pots, the height of the bush is only about 0.5 m.

Most of all, this plant is suitable for those who are busy all day long, and can enjoy their favorite flowers. only in the evenings and in the mornings, looking over your beloved pets before heading off to work. Mirabilis will patiently wait all day for his admirers and accumulate strength in order to open more flowers by the evening date. "4 o'clock" - another of his names - even indicates the time when to show up for a date.

It is not necessary, however, to compare watches by Mirabilis. In cloudy weather, the flowers open earlier and last longer. In the bright sun, in the heat and in the wind, they open up only when they feel the approach of night coolness, and wither faster in the morning. Therefore, the flower schedule is also affected by where the plant is located in the garden and at what time of the day the sun illuminates it. During the day, the flower rolls up into a tube and soon falls off. In the evening, the night beauty is again ready to go out. And by dawn the flower turns into a bud.

Features and varieties

Mirabilis flower outfits are rich in bright colors. Raspberry, purple, red, pink, salmon, yellow, orange and white flowers with a diameter of 3.5-5 cm can be either plain or variegated, combining 2-3 color tones. Sometimes you can also find a completely extravagant outfit: one half of the flower is painted, for example, in raspberry color, the other in yellow.

Among the amazing features of the plant the device of the flower itself can also be attributed: it lacks a corolla, and what we perceive as a flower is a calyx. In other plants, it is green and inconspicuous. In Mirabilis, a bright calyx with 5 limbs, tapering into a narrow tube, replaced the rim. Nectar is hidden in the depths of the tube. At home, Mirabilis plants are pollinated by hummingbirds and moths, for which its nectar is a sweet bait.

The flowers are collected in corymbose inflorescences at the ends of the shoots. The lighter the flowers, the longer they are visible at dusk.

In the garden of magical night fragrances varieties are in the lead with white, light yellow and pale pink flowers. In those corners of the garden where you visit in the morning, you can also appreciate varieties with a dark color. Variegated varieties, interesting in the details of the pattern, are planted where they can be approached closely.

Unusual color of flowers of varieties of the Marbles series("Marble"). As if in a hurry, they were painted with a brush, which is why stripes of different widths, strokes, and colored splashes appeared on the flowers. ‘Marbles white-red’ has received a special Fleuroselect award: a carmine red pattern on a pure white background. In the same series there is a multi-coloured variation of ‘Marbles yellow-red’, heavily colored with yellow, orange, red and pink. Grade ‘Marble yellow-white’ - yellow-white.

To a bright outfit - an exquisite perfume!

Mirabilis miraculously replenishes a small list of plants, fragrant at night. Mirabilis uses expensive perfumes delicately. This is not a thick intoxicating aroma of royal lilies, but a light delicate bouquet of floral and spicy notes, noticeable only at a fairly close distance.

However, already a small flock of these charming plants will make you turn off the path and come closer to them. The fragrance is difficult to analyze and describe. So the aroma of mirabilis reminds one of vanilla, the other - orange blossom, the third - tropical and. But let's not offend the beauty of the night by comparing it with fragrant rivals and let's call her perfume simply - unique!

mirabilis jalapa very prolific. You can generously present all neighbors and friends with seeds of your own collection.

Mirabilis, he is the night beauty, he is also the royal beard. Inconspicuous during the day, the plant begins to reveal all its charm in the late afternoon and blooms and smells sweet all night. Mirabilis, landing and departure, a photo of this exotic guest, who knows how he came to our region - all this is certainly interesting. But practicing gardeners will be more interested in the other side of the question: how laborious can growing mirabilis be?

The answer is unequivocal - not how much! The plant, although from exotics, has long adapted to our climatic conditions and soil composition. It can grow in the most unsuitable areas for this. True, in this case, the flowering of mirabilis will be scarce, but the structure of the bush will remain, allowing you to form hedges (low and neat) or divide the site into zones.

Our plant is unanimously recognized as an annual, requiring annual renewal and repetition of the traditional cycle: seeds-seedlings-plant. And at home - in warm South American countries, Mirabilis lives 4-5 years without any transplants.

It is possible to make a royal beard a perennial plant, if desired, in our latitudes. To do this, it is only necessary to dig it up by the roots on the eve of the first frost and “preserve” it in some suitable container - just sprinkle it with soil and place it in the cellar until spring.

For storage of mirabilis, the temperature will be optimal +70.

Seeds for seedlings

If you have enough time, you can slowly grow strong and healthy Mirabilis sprouts on the windowsill, so that later, when the frosts recede, you can transfer it to the open ground.

It is completely unpretentious, mirabilis, planting and caring for a plant can vary from seedling to seed method (that is, planting directly in open ground). In both cases, the night beauty will not keep you waiting - it will rise, get stronger and bloom. But, when planning to plant this crop in your garden, adhere to the basic floriculture principle: even the most unspoiled plant needs human attention. It's just a weed growing on its own, and flowers need to be groomed and cherished. At least occasionally.

About seeds: high-quality seed can be bought in specialized stores and collected in your garden. Germination they give one hundred percent, well, in extreme cases, 95.5%, the ability to germinate for 3-5 years.

Before planting in the ground, it is not necessary to soak and germinate them - just water the holes and place the seeds.

Which container is better

Each gardener has a set of disposable cups for diving seedlings, they successfully use the same dishes for planting each seed in a separate order, so as not to waste time on diving and not injure the plant once again.

Mirabilis seeds are quite large and convenient for planting both in separate containers and in a common container. When sowing in a container, keep a small distance between the holes - approximately 3 cm, make the holes shallow and do not overdo it with watering - the royal beard does not like excessive moisture.

After planting, it is absolutely not necessary to wrap the glasses or boxes with a film - the procedure becomes necessary only if you do not have time to grow seedlings by the time of planting, a greenhouse, with the role of which a piece of polyethylene will do an excellent job, will significantly speed up the process of germination and development of seedlings.

The usual time allotted to mirabilis by nature for breaking through the soil and the appearance of the first shoots is 12-15 days. Under the film, the plant develops much more actively.

Planting outdoors - when the weather permits

If you missed the moment and didn’t plant mirabilis for seedlings on time, it’s not scary. There is an easy way to fix the error. Planting seeds immediately in open ground has not yet been canceled.

The mirabilis planting period is the beginning of May, a fertile time when real, confident warmth envelops the earth. Warmed soil, a little moisture and a handful of ash in each hole - that's all the night beauty needs to really amaze with beauty in the foreseeable future.

And one more thing: experienced flower growers strongly advise to “spoil” the seeds a little before planting - file them with a nail file or slightly split the shell with some sharp object in order to facilitate the difficult process of pecking at the core of the seed.

That's what they sown. So mirabilis is growing, planting and caring for which did not take either strength or time. However, there is one nuance - weather conditions. In May, it seems that the heat is stable, but the risk of a return of frost remains. Therefore, it would be useful to cover the beds with mirabilis with the same notorious cling film. For a day, seedlings can be freed from coating. You can finally remove the "roof" only when the night air temperature is +100.

Unpopular cutting method

Seeds, tubers - all this has been tested in the case of mirabilis. But there is another method that is not very popular among flower growers, but has the right to exist and that as many people as possible learn about it.

Planting mirabilis by cuttings requires more effort, but does not guarantee effectiveness.

The scheme is this:

• select almost lignified branches on the bush and cut them off;
• dry the cut area slightly;
• leave the cuttings in the growth stimulator for a while;
• after a week or two, move to a moist nutrient substrate.

If everything is done according to the instructions, mirabilis will take root very quickly - in 14 days.

The soil for the "beauty"

As already noted, mirabilis is picky about soils, dutifully grows on different ones, but prefers heavy loamy soils.

If there is not a single piece on your site that meets the requirements of the plant, you can plant mirabilis anywhere, but on the condition that you do not complain about small inflorescences.

Sun, wind, drafts...

Planting mirabilis and caring for it is even easier (although, how much easier?) If the plant is planted in a place convenient for it.

The royal beard loves sunlight, even though it will never open gramophones of its colors in its presence; loves windless corners, dislikes drafts.

Caring for their majesty the royal beard

It is completely incomprehensible where this version of the name of the plant came from, it is completely “not of royal blood” - hardy, not capricious, not pampered. Apparently, the shape of the leaf played a role here - it is very reminiscent of the beard of Tsar Nicholas.

• Bloom: from July to autumn frosts. The flowers open in the evening and close in the morning.
• Landing: sowing seeds for seedlings - in early or mid-April, planting seedlings in open ground - in the second half of May. Sowing seeds directly into the ground - in early May.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• The soil: fertile clayey or loamy soils of slightly alkaline reaction.
• Watering: intermittent but abundant. In extreme heat and drought - from 1 to 3 times a week, but in a season with normal rainfall, you can not water the site at all.
• Top dressing: 2-3 times per season with complex mineral fertilizers: before the start of bud formation, in the middle of summer and at the end of August. From organic fertilizers, humus and compost are used, and mineral compositions applied in the second and third terms should contain a minimum amount of nitrogen.
• Reproduction: seed.
• Pests: is not struck.
• Diseases: root rot, rust, spotting.

Read more about growing mirabilis below.

Mirabilis (night beauty) - description

Mirabilis Jalapa is native to Mexico. It is a perennial plant with swollen, tuberous roots grown as an annual crop. Its elongated-rounded bushes reach a height of 30 to 80 cm. On erect, densely branched reddish stems, woody in the lower part, elongated-ovate, bare, entire green leaves are oppositely located on petioles. Jalapa flowers - funnel-shaped, up to 25 mm in diameter, white, crimson, purple, orange, yellow, purple, bright red or two or three colors, opening after 16 hours and closing at dawn - are collected in apical fragrant corymbose inflorescences. In cloudy weather, flowers can be open all day. The night beauty plant has the ability to form flowers on one bush different colors. For example, one plant can have flowers of all shades. color pink from salmon to crimson, and sometimes the petals of the plant are decorated with multi-colored stripes. The fruit of mirabilis is large, one-seeded, dark brown in color, with sharp ribs. The seeds of the night beauty remain viable for up to 3 years.

Sowing mirabilis for seedlings.

The flower of the night beauty propagates by seeds, which must be scarified before sowing, that is, slightly damage their hard shell with a needle file or sandpaper. Then the seeds of the night beauty are placed in a thermos with warm water for a day. When to sow mirabilis? Mirabilis seeds are sown in early or mid-April in cups filled with light neutral or slightly alkaline soil: available at the store ready ground, or you can make a substrate yourself by mixing two parts of soddy soil and peat, one part of humus or compost, half of washed sand and adding half a glass of wood ash or 2 tablespoons of dolomite flour for every 5 liters of the resulting soil mixture. The cups are filled ¾ of the volume, the mixture is compacted and poured abundantly with a fungicide solution. Two seeds are placed in each cup, sprinkled with a layer of loose soil 1-1.5 cm thick and sprayed with water from a fine sprayer.

Crops are placed in a greenhouse and kept at a temperature of 18-20 ºC.

Seedlings will begin to appear in 5-6 days, and once this happens, remove the cover from mirabilis and move the crops as close to the light as possible. When the seedlings develop their first true leaf, cut off the weaker seedling in each pot at ground level so that it does not interfere with the development of the strong one. Around the same time, you need to make the first top dressing, for example, Mortar, Fertik or Krepysh.

Mirabilis at home needs watering only after the earthen coma has completely dried out, since it does not tolerate waterlogging. When the seedlings reach a height of 10-15 cm, they are transplanted into large pots by transshipment and fed a second time with complex mineral fertilizer. As soon as the seedlings of mirabilis recover from the pick, proceed to the hardening procedures: within two weeks, you need to accustom the plants to external environment. To do this, the seedlings are taken out daily to the balcony or courtyard, gradually increasing the time the seedlings stay in the open air until the night beauty can stay there all day.

Sowing mirabilis seeds in open ground

Planting Mirabilis with seeds can be carried out directly in open ground. The seeds are prepared for sowing in the way we have already described, and they are sown in late April or early May. Try to distribute the seeds in the furrow in increments of 7-8 cm. After planting the seeds in the soil to a depth of 3 cm, the area is watered with warm water and covered nonwoven fabric or film until germination. As soon as the threat of frost has passed, the shelter is removed. Subsequently, the seedlings of mirabilis will have to be thinned out.

Planting mirabilis in open ground

When to plant mirabilis in the ground.

Mirabilis seedlings are planted in open ground late spring when the soil warms up and passes the likelihood of frost. The area under mirabilis should be well warmed up and illuminated by the sun, since the plant is very thermophilic. Do not spare space for mirabilis, otherwise it will take it away from other plants: mirabilis is quite aggressive. Mirabilis grows best in fertile clay or loamy soil containing lime, so acidic soils must be limed before planting. Mirabilis does not like excess moisture, so do not plant it in a lowland or on wet soils.

How to plant mirabilis in the garden.

Mirabilis is planted at a distance of 40-50 cm in a row. The depth of each hole should be such that it fits the root system of the seedling with earthy clod, that is, the entire contents of the pot. An hour or two before planting, seedlings in pots are watered to make it easier to remove them and transfer them to the hole. After planting mirabilis and sealing the holes, do not forget to water the site.

Mirabilis care in the garden

Growing mirabilis in the garden.

Caring for the night beauty is not difficult at all, since mirabilis in the open field is surprisingly undemanding. In order for flowering to begin in a timely manner, Mirabilis needs to be watered abundantly from time to time. In a strong dry land, watering is carried out 1-3 times a week, but if the summer is rainy, then it may well be that you do not have to water the night beauty at all. After watering or rain, loosen the soil around the bushes and remove weeds.

Growing mirabilis involves fertilizing the soil two or three times over the summer. The first feeding is carried out at the beginning of the growing season, before the formation of buds, the second - in the middle of summer, and the third - at the end. It is undesirable to use fresh organic matter as a fertilizer, only humus and compost. Mirabilis also responds well to complex mineral fertilizers, and the second and third top dressing should contain a minimum of nitrogen.

Pests and diseases of mirabilis.

To harmful insects and diseases, the night beauty is very resistant, but from regular waterlogging, it can get root rot. The affected plant will have to be removed, and the soil in which it grew should be shed with a fungicide solution, for example, Fundazol. And so that history does not repeat itself, adjust the moisture regime of the site.

Sometimes mirabilis can be affected by rust or some kind of spotting - fungal diseases, which can be fought with a solution of fungicidal preparations, but first cut off the affected leaves and flowers on the bushes.

Mirabilis after flowering.

If it is difficult for you to part with the plant in the fall, dig up its tubers that look like black carrots, cut the stems at a height of 10 cm: after drying, they will fall off on their own. Wrap the tubers in thick paper, or better, fill them with sand and store at a temperature of 3-7 ºC. With the onset of spring, the tuber is planted in warm soil or germinated in a pot on the windowsill, and when it is warm, it is transplanted into open ground.

As you can see, planting and caring for Mirabilis is simple and not laborious.

Types and varieties of mirabilis

As we already wrote, mirabilis jalapa, or mirabilis laxative, or night beauty, is most often grown in culture. We gave a description of this species at the beginning of the article. by the most famous varieties mirabilis jalapa are:

• – Iolanta- a rounded shrub up to 50 cm high with thick and strong knotted stems that branch strongly in the upper part. Medium-sized funnel-shaped flowers of bright color with strokes-stripes throughout the corolla bloom from late June until frost;
• – red lollipop- a large plant up to 90 cm high with thick and smooth light green stems, branched in the upper part. The leaves of the plant are oblong-oval, simple, wavy at the edges. Funnel-shaped flowers up to 6 cm in diameter are painted bright red;
• – Elvira- medium size thick bush with strong and smooth branched stems, dark green oblong leaves with a pointed tip and bright flowers up to 35 mm in diameter;
• – T Time Red- medium-sized bushes with smooth knotted, very branched stems in the upper part, oval-oblong dark green leaves and medium-sized flowers of rich pink color;
• – T Time Fomyula Miksche- a spherical bush 70-90 cm high with simple oblong leaves with pointed tops on branched, smooth and bare stems at the bottom. The flowers of plants of this variety series are funnel-shaped, smooth, with wavy edges, variegated colors, 25 mm in diameter.

Mirabilis multiflora is also grown in culture - a herbaceous perennial about 80 cm high with upright bare stems covered with elongated ovoid smooth leaves. In May, axillary inflorescences are formed on Mirabilis multiflora, consisting of 2-6 tubular purple flowers with a diameter of 4 to 6 cm located in one bell-shaped coverlet.

Mirabilis round-leaved is also known to gardeners - a compact plant up to 30 cm high, covered with oval sticky leaves 5-7 cm long. In the apical inflorescences, up to three purple-pink flowers up to 1 cm in diameter are formed in the apical inflorescences. Like all mirabilis, flowers of this species open in the evening and close with the first rays of the sun.