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Lychnis coronata is a medium-sized but bright flower that won the hearts of many lovers of ornamental garden plants. Red petals literally burn against the background of bluish stems and leaves. No wonder its name, translated from Greek, means “light, lamp.”
The story of
Another name for the flower is leathery adonis. It received its international name in 1792. It is generally accepted that he appeared on the territory of the Crimea and Transcaucasia. They were brought to Our Country from southern Europe.
The people called lychnis crowned “soap”. Its petals and rhizomes are distinguished by good soapiness; earlier it was often used for washing. The culture has long been grown in North America and the Old World.
Two varieties have found distribution in our country – crowned lychnis and chalcedonic
Description and characteristics
Crowned Lychnis, or Lychnis coronaria, is a perennial from the Carnation family, the Smolevka genus. However, in the literature there is often information that it is a biennial, since in our country it grows no more than 2 years.
Adonis is a low, dense and lush herbaceous plant up to 1 m high. It has straight and curved whitish branched stems. Medium-sized leaves about 10 cm long, greenish-silvery in basal rosettes, have an oblong-lanceolate shape, on the shoots – oval. Stems and leaf blades have a velvety surface. Due to the large number of branched shoots, crowned lychnis acquires a decorative look.
The flowers are round, 3-4 cm in size and have orange, crimson, pinkish, white and reddish hues. Thanks to selection work, the color can be varied and even two-color, varieties are terry. This makes lychnis popular with both amateur gardeners and landscape designers. The flowers have 5 petals, an obovate calyx and a crimson-pink corolla. After blooming, the buds gradually turn out and droop downwards.
Flowering occurs in early summer and continues until the end of autumn. In some varieties, the buds open later. At the end of the growing season, crowned lychnis does not lose its beauty. Separate bright “lights” continue to appear against the background of silvery foliage. When the cold comes, the flowers fade, their number decreases, but remain as bright as in summer.
Lychnis coronata is a light-loving plant. It needs good lighting, blooms only under the sun. Without it, the culture grows a large number of leaves and shoots. The rest of the adonis is undemanding to growing conditions. It tolerates strong winds, precipitation and temperature changes well.
To prolong flowering for several weeks, gardeners are advised to remove dried petals in a timely manner.
Varieties of lychnis crown
Thanks to the efforts of breeders, there are many varieties of crowned Lychnis. In household plots and city flower beds, the following are especially common:
- Angels Blush is a biennial plant up to 60 cm high. The “highlight” of the variety is the color. Immediately after blooming, the flowers of Lychnis coronata acquire a white hue, and then gradually change it to pink.
- Atrosanguinea is a species of crowned Lychnis that grows up to 1 m in height. Differs in beautiful flowering. The petals are bright red, attracting butterflies, bees and other insects. A feature of the variety is undemanding to temperature and soil composition.
- The mysterious island is a perennial variety of crowned lychnis, bred by domestic breeders. In one place grows up to 5 years. It has small red or crimson flowers. Does not require careful care, tolerates cold snaps well.
- Gartner Wonder (Gartner Wonder) launched in Europe. A distinctive feature of the variety is terry flowering. Its petals are located on the tops of the shoots, twisted into tubes, painted in a scarlet hue.
Methods of propagation of lychnis crowned
Adonis can be propagated by seeds, as well as by vegetative methods, primarily cuttings. The methods have their own characteristics and are used in different periods of time.
seed
Lychnis coronata is able to reproduce on its own, that is, by self-seeding. Seeds, falling out, go deep into the soil and remain in it for the winter. With the onset of spring, young shoots are formed. Flower growers only need to choose the strongest and healthiest among them and plant them.
If you buy seeds of a certain variety in the store, it is recommended to sow them in open ground in April. Based on air temperature. It should be in the range from +18 to +21 degrees.
Lychnis crown can be sown in the ground when night frosts pass
Seeds are planted in prepared grooves, lightly sprinkled with earth. If necessary, cover with foil. The first shoots appear after 3 weeks. Subsequently, they dive.
Sowing of lychnis crown for seedlings is carried out in late February – early March. Previously, they are placed for 30 days in the refrigerator for stratification. Then containers are prepared, filled with light nutrient soil. Sow seeds, sprinkle with earth and cover. Plantings are aired every day.
Lychnis crowned is transferred to open ground with the onset of summer.
Cuttings
Another effective method of crop propagation is cuttings. It is carried out as follows:
- Choose strong shoots 15-20 cm long. Do it in June.
- On mother plants, sections are treated with charcoal or garden pitch.
- The cuttings are deepened into the soil.
- Moisturize regularly.
- New plants are moved to a permanent place with the onset of autumn.
Flower growers resort to cuttings less often than to the seed method of reproduction. The latter is considered simpler and more efficient.
Planting and caring for Lychnis crowned
Growing a crop does not require special efforts and knowledge; even beginners in floriculture can cope with this task. The first thing you should pay attention to is the area for crowned Lychnis. It should be open, located in the sun.
The soil should be light. It is recommended to prepare the soil for Adonis in advance: dig it up, saturate it with sand, humus or superphosphate. Landing is carried out as follows:
- Make small holes.
- A drainage layer is poured to the bottom, for example, gravel or small pebbles. Add earth.
- Young plants are placed in planting pits, added dropwise.
- The soil is compacted, abundantly spilled with water.
Further care mainly consists of watering and fertilizing. Lychnis coronata does not require frequent moisturizing. The only exceptions are hot, dry days. The rest of the time, watering is carried out once a week.
Overflows threaten the health of Lychnis crown no less than drought
Top dressing is necessary for the culture to stimulate flowering. Fertilization is recommended to be carried out twice a season – before the formation of buds and at the time of active flowering. For the first time, you can feed crowned lychnis with a mixture of potassium sulfate, urea and superphosphate. These substances are taken in a tablespoon and dissolved in a bucket of water. When the plant blooms, superphosphate can be used as a fertilizer. Solutions are poured under the root.
They prepare lychnis crowned for wintering as follows: the soil around is loosened, weeds are removed. The above-ground part of the bushes is completely cut off. Rhizomes tolerate cold well, especially if the winter turns out to be snowy. Otherwise, the adonis is covered with spruce branches.
Pests and diseases
Adonis is subject to attacks by some insect pests:
- spider mite;
- aphid;
- leaflet.
At the initial stage of infection, Lychnis crown can be treated with soapy water. Subsequently, acaricides and insecticides should be used.
Common diseases of Adonis are root rot, rust, spotting. Fungicides serve as prevention and treatment. In case of serious lesions, diseased specimens are destroyed in order to preserve the rest.
Lychnis crowned in landscape design
Adonis leathery can be a decoration of any site. It is actively used by landscape designers. And gardeners love for decorativeness and unpretentiousness. The flower can be planted on alpine slides, flower beds, near water bodies. Plants look good not only as part of compositions, but also as independent plantings.
In the photo, crowned lychnis looks great in the neighborhood of many cultures, for example, with chrysanthemums, asters, carnations, violets, garden varieties of daisies, bluebells.
Beautiful compositions are made by adonis with lobelia and gypsophila
Conclusion
Lychnis coronata is a godsend for beginners and experienced flower growers. Without requiring special attention, it decorates the garden with bright, like many small lights, flowers. Velvety, silvery leaves and stems also have a decorative appearance.