Enotera (Night candle): planting and care in the open field
Content:
Enotera is a beautiful flower of the Cuprein family. It is a herbaceous, semi-shrub plant whose leaves are simple, branched, toothed and whole-edged. Enotera is an ornamental plant with a luxurious flowering that begins towards the night. Her delicate petals, painted in white and pink tones, she shows after the sun hides behind the horizon. By the time the sun rises, the buds wither and new ones appear. The plant can open up demonstrating all the beauty of its flowers even in cloudy weather during the daytime. But in the evening her beauty is special. Bright neon petals glow in the dark, delighting with beauty and illuminating the garden like a night candle.
Evening primrose description and characteristics
Antonera, this is a plant that can be annual, biennial and even perennial. It can grow up to one and a half meters, or it may not exceed 30 centimeters, depending on which variety and species was chosen. Their stems can be straight and directed upward or creep above the ground. The plant is famous for its decorative effect not only for flowering, but also for its pubescent leaves and trunk. The leaves have an oblong lanceolate shape and are painted in a bright green color, and towards the autumn season they acquire red shades mixed with brown. The surface of the leaves is slightly leathery. On the stem, they are located on short petioles.
The color of the petals is different and depends on the variety, they can acquire pink shades, white and surprise with a beautiful and delicate blue color. The most widespread are flowers painted in lemon-yellow colors. They all gather in large buds and emit a delicious aroma. The diameter of the flower is about 10 centimeters.
The peculiarity of the beautiful evening primrose is its flowering, which fully demonstrates the beauty of flowers from dusk to dawn. This miracle lasts from the beginning of summer to the beginning of autumn, after which the formation of fruits begins in the form of bolls, inside which there are seeds.
Variety of species
At the moment, about 90 species are known that have different characteristics. Especially popular among gardeners are such as:
Enotera Missouri - in one place this plant can grow for many years. Plant height is about 20 centimeters. Most often, it is framed by garden paths and flower beds. The flowers are colored in the color of the sun and emit a pleasant citrus scent.
Enotera is two years old - the height of this tall species reaches 2 meters. Flowering begins after 2 years of life, then she opens flowers with lemon-colored petals. They are located on straight stems looking upward.
Evening dawn is a unique flower with petals covered with gold and which, regardless of anything, at some point acquire red hues.
Evening primrose yellow shrub - a perennial whose height is about 90 centimeters. The flowers are bright yellow. The oblong leaves turn dark red with the onset of autumn. Has good cold resistance.
Evening primrose quadrangular - this beauty is of short stature, its leaves are oval and painted in blue with green tints. Against the background of them, flowers painted in yellow look great, which are collected in inflorescences-shields.
Flyverkeri - flowers of this variety delight with their yellow golden color.
Hohes Licht - These flowers are canary yellow.
Enotera is beautiful - a low perennial, which is especially decorative with stems of a reddish hue.
Evening primrose reproduction
The seed propagation method is the most common among gardeners. Sowing for growing seedlings is carried out in the first spring month. In order to make sowing activities easier, you can mix the seeds with sand and sow afterwards. Lightly sprinkled with earth on top. Next, you need to regularly water and monitor the temperature, which should be within +21 degrees. The first leaves will hatch after 21 days. Transplanting to the garden is carried out after the threat of recurrent frosts disappears. If you take proper care, you will be able to enjoy beautiful flowering after a couple of months.
Seedling:
If a decision is made to sow directly in the garden, then for this it is necessary to choose the period May-June. Seeds, as in the previous version, are mixed in equal proportions with sand and sowing is carried out with a deepening of 5 mm. After planting and throughout the growing period, the soil must be kept constantly moist. If the seedlings are frequent, it is necessary to thin them out. Given the fact that flowering begins only a year later, perennial species should be planted in this way.
Reproduction by division is considered to be an easier method than a seed method. These procedures can be carried out both in the spring and in the autumn. To do this, you need to dig out a bush, leaving an earthen lump and divide it into parts, leaving twigs with leaves and a part of the root on each of them. Next, they must be carefully transferred to a place prepared for them.
Evening primrose landing
For evening primrose, choosing a site will not be a difficult task, because it can grow both in the shade and in the sun, but partial shade is the best option.
When it comes to choosing a place, the main guideline will be your idea aimed at creating a particular flower arrangement. If the species are undersized, then they can be well suited for decorating garden paths and rocky flower beds. Those that are higher will be able to look great near fences or next to annexes. The main thing when landing is to remember that they will open only at night.
Enotera is not demanding on the soil either, the most important thing is that there is a good level of drainage, since this beauty is not tolerant of moisture stagnation and can start to hurt. For good development and colorful flowering for many years, it is necessary to add compost and a couple of glasses of mineral-based fertilizers to the site in a proportion of 3 kg. x 2 tbsp. for 1 sq. m. Next, dig well and water abundantly 24 hours before planting.
Landing rules:
If you plan to plant seedlings, then you must first prepare the planting holes, the distance between which will be 50 centimeters or more. It is not necessary to plant the plants closer, since the root system of these beauties develops very quickly and the plants will begin to interfere with each other.
If sowing is planned, then the Seeds are mixed with sand and deepened into the ground by 50 mm, or sprinkled with the same layer of earth.
In the case of holes, a drainage layer must be laid on their bottom, gravel or broken brick is suitable here, they will serve as a drain for excess liquid. After the seedlings should be lowered into the holes and sprinkled with fertile soil. The plant should go deep into the ground for the same distance as being in the container. After planting is complete, you need to water the young plants.
Evening primrose care
Perennial varieties are drought-resistant and do not require frequent watering. Allow the soil to dry completely before watering. For abundant flowering, it is enough to water twice abundantly with 2 buckets of water an area of 1 sq. m.
Given that the plant does not need fertile soil, it only needs feeding to maintain a minimum level of nutrients.
One top dressing is enough during the period when the evening primrose begins to bloom, for this it is necessary to apply to an area of 1 sq. m. phosphate and potassium 1 tbsp. l. You can use wood ash in conjunction with them.
In the autumn, it is necessary to prune by cutting off the stems to the very base. There are some species that need shelter. You can protect them from frost by covering the roots of the bush with spruce branches.
Disease and pest resistance
Evening primrose has a strong immune system, so diseases and pests are not terrible for her. Aphids or diseases associated with a fungus may appear due to improper care.
In order to get rid of the fungus, it is necessary to remove the areas damaged by the disease as soon as possible. If the disease is started, then the plants should be treated with fungicides.
You can deal with aphids with soap and insecticides.