Mattiola belongs to the cruciferous family. It has a strong violet-like scent. It is not difficult to grow it, but you need to know some features.
There are two types of matthiol that are suitable for garden cultivation – gray-haired and two-horned.
Mattiola does not crumble for a long time in a vase
Description of colors:
- Gray-haired, or levkoy. Plants can consist of multiple or single stems. Flowers up to 3 cm in diameter, collected in cysts. Available in white, pink, pale yellow, red or lavender. There are double varieties of flowers.
- Mattiola is two-horned. The second name of this flower is “night violet”. He is an annual. Sprawling bushes, 40-50 cm in height. Stems are erect, leaves are elongated, large-toothed. The flowers are small, collected in racemose inflorescences, pale lilac or pink. They close during the day and open after sunset.
The last species has the most intense aroma.
There are perennial varieties of this plant. In winter, flowers should be grown in pots on a windowsill or in a greenhouse.
Despite the primitive appearance of the plant, it is not easy to grow and care for it. It can be propagated in two ways: by seeds and seedlings.
The seed propagation method is simpler. For sowing, choose a sunny or slightly shaded area. A place in a recreation area is suitable – around a bench or a gazebo. Night violet prefers sandy loam, loamy soil or black soil. The ground must be moist.
Sow seeds outdoors in late April or early May. You can collect seed from faded inflorescences after the onset of autumn frosts.
Sowing seeds:
- In the fall, add humus to the site.
- Make depressions in the soil 20 cm apart. Place 5 seeds in each hole.
- Sprinkle them with a mixture of sand and soil in a 1: 1 ratio. Water.
After 1-2 months, the plant blooms.
With seedling propagation, inflorescences will appear in June. In March, sow the seeds in a 1: 3 mixture of sand and turf. Sprinkle on top with a layer of soil 0,5 cm thick. Do not water. After 4 days, sprouts will appear. Maintain the air temperature at 10-12 ° C. After 14 days, you can dive the sprouts into separate pots or plant them in one container at a distance of 15 cm. In mid-April, plant the seedlings in open ground.
Mattiolla can be grown in a flowerbed together with juveniles or cineraria. They look along fences and curbs.