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Growing umbrella iberis from seeds does not take much effort and time. The plant is unpretentious, because care for it is minimal. It can be planted immediately with seeds or seedlings in open ground.
Detailed description of the species
Umbrella is called one of the most popular types of iberis grown as a horticultural crop. This herbaceous plant belongs to the Cabbage (Cruciferous) family. The zones of its natural habitat include the south of Our Country, the Caucasus, and Europe.
Iberis takes its name from Iberia. So in ancient times they called the Iberian Peninsula. In the people, the plant is also called Iberian, stennik, pepper, variegated. Its main characteristics:
- height 0,15-0,4 m;
- the stems are smooth and bare, but with a slight fluff;
- pronounced branching;
- tap root;
- diameter of inflorescences-umbrellas up to 5-6 cm;
- color depending on the variety is white, pink, lilac, purple, purple, lilac;
- the flowers are small, consist of 4 petals, open simultaneously, densely arranged;
- the aroma is pleasant and subtle;
- leaf plates are small and rounded, the amount is small;
- flowering lasts from 2 months.
Species and varieties
There are many varieties of umbrella iberis. They differ mainly in color and height of the bushes. All representatives of the species are good honey plants.
Umbrella iberis Blackberry meringues
Umbelliferous iberis variety Blackberry meringue is represented by a mixture of colors – milky white, lilac, purple-violet flowers with a strong aroma. The average height of the bushes is 0,25-0,3 m. Flowering begins in June and lasts 2 months.
Inflorescences of Blackberry meringues in diameter reach 5 cm
Umbrella Iberis Pomegranate Ice
The photo of the umbrella iberis Pomegranate ice in the flower bed clearly shows why this variety is so named. The reason is the contrasting color – a mixture of snow-white and dark pomegranate inflorescences. In diameter, they reach 5 cm. Plant height is 0,25-0,4 m.
Iberis umbrella Pomegranate ice seedlings are rarely planted. Gardeners prefer to grow it from seeds that can be sown even before winter.
Pomegranate ice blooms in June-July, has a strong but pleasant aroma
Umbrella Iberis Lilitsiana
The Lilitsiana variety has a pale lilac color of inflorescences with a pronounced honey aroma. Plants are spreading, but small.
Liliciana grows up to 0,2-0,3 m
Umbelliferous iberis Violet cardinal
The variety Purple Cardinal got its name for the pale purple color of the flowers. Their diameter is only 1,5-2 cm. They are collected in dense corymbose inflorescences.
Delicate scent of Cardinal Violet attracts bees and butterflies
berry jelly
The variety Berry jelly is characterized by a contrasting color – a mixture of snow-white and pink flowers. Plant height is 0,25-0,4 m. Inflorescences reach 5 cm in diameter.
Flowering of Berry Jelly begins in July and continues until September
pink dream
The Pink Dream variety has a pink or pink-purple color. The diameter of the flowers is not more than 2,5 mm. This annual grows up to 0,3-0,35 m. The plant withstands short frosts down to -4 °C. It blooms abundantly, the smell is pleasant.
Pink Dream blooms in June-September
Iceberg
The name of the variety Iceberg (Iceberg) comes from the snow-white color of the inflorescences. In diameter, they reach 10 cm. Plant height is 0,35-0,4 m. Flowering lasts more than 2 months, and begins at the end of May.
The shape and size of Iceberg inflorescences resemble hyacinths.
Fairy Mixtche
Variety Fairy Mixture (Fairy Mixture) is represented by a mixture of flowers of different colors. Plants are compact, suitable for a small area.
The variety grows no more than 0,2-0,25 m high
Red Resch
Iberis Red Rash has a carmine-red color. The plant height of this variety is 0,3 m.
The Red Rush variety is not as common as the others.
Amethyst
Amethyst is one of the varieties of Iberis umbrella with a purple color. It has small and fragrant buds, flowering begins in June and lasts 2 months. The plants are sprawling, but their height is small – 0,3-0,35 m.
They practice growing from the seeds of Iberis umbrella Amethyst in open ground. Sowing is carried out in spring or before winter.
The diameter of the inflorescence varieties Amethyst 5-6 cm
Application in landscape design
Iberis umbrella is widely used in landscape design. Its popularity is due to the variety of colors, splendor and duration of flowering.
This species is often used as a border plant. It is planted along paths in a line or in small islands.
Islets of umbrella iberis well enliven the grayness of the asphalt
The plant is planted in flower beds, rabatki, mixborders. These can be flowers of the same shade or a contrasting color. The bushes are undersized, therefore they are placed in the foreground.
Umbrella iberis of any color looks good against the background of bushes and trees
The plant is often used in rockeries and rock gardens. The flower looks good on natural slopes and artificial elevations.
Umbrella iberis looks good even among stones, gravel
In the photo in the garden you can see the umbrella iberis in combination with various plants. A good background will be conifers and flowering shrubs. In the neighborhood you can plant:
- alissum;
- marigolds (undersized varieties);
- gassing;
- clove grass;
- creeping tenacious;
- large-flowered bell;
- seven;
- creeping phlox;
- cineraria.
Looks spectacular combination of flowers of different colors
Iberis umbrella is often planted along the road on its own or against the background of tall plants, shrubs, trees
Features of reproduction
Umbrella iberis can be propagated by seeds or cuttings. The first option is more difficult. The material is immediately sown in open ground or seedlings are grown first. Seeds can be purchased at the store or prepared independently. To do this, you need to collect the pods and dry them so that they open. The resulting seeds are stored in a dry and dark place. They are planted the next year, the material remains viable for up to 3 years.
It is easy to propagate the plant from cuttings. The algorithm is this:
- After flowering, cut the cuttings, the length of each is not more than 5 cm.
- Treat the material with phytohormones.
- Root cuttings with a minimum interval of 15 cm. This can be done in open ground or in a greenhouse.
Growing seedlings
Umbrella iberis can be planted with seedlings. In this case, flowering begins earlier.
Sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out in March. Due to the sensitivity to transplantation, separate containers must be taken immediately to eliminate the need for picking. Seedling growing algorithm:
- Prepare the soil mixture. For the prevention of diseases, it should be treated in one of the ways – a solution of potassium permanganate, calcination, freezing, steaming.
- Fill the prepared containers with soil, moisten it.
- Sow the seeds, deepening by 0,1-0,2 mm. You can simply spread them over the surface and sprinkle with river sand.
- Cover the landing with a film or glass, place them in a warm place. The optimum temperature is 15-18 °C.
Seedlings are easy to care for. It is important to provide diffused light, regular ventilation. After the emergence of seedlings, the shelter must be removed. Hardening begins 2 weeks before planting in open ground.
Planting and care in the open field
Umbrella iberis is grown in open ground. Landing dates, the right place and properly organized care are important.
Recommended dates
When growing Iberis umbrella from seeds, it should be planted no earlier than mid-April. Exact dates depend on climatic conditions. It is optimal when the daytime temperature is set at 16-18 °C. You can prolong flowering if you plant seeds at different times. An interval of 2-3 weeks is recommended.
The plant can be planted with seeds before winter. They do it in September. Germination is less, but flowering begins earlier.
If you grow iberis umbrella seedlings, then the first planting in the ground is carried out in May
Site selection and preparation
Umbrella iberis does not like transplants, so it is important to immediately choose the right place for it. It must meet the following requirements:
- intense lighting;
- the soil is sandy or loamy;
- permeable soil;
- the reaction of the earth is neutral or slightly acidic;
- heavy soil and stagnant moisture are excluded.
Landing algorithm
Planting an umbrella iberis is easy according to the following algorithm:
- Prepare the selected area – dig, remove all weeds, loosen.
- Make grooves or holes.
- Sow seeds, deepening by 0,5-0,7 cm. Leave 15-20 cm between adjacent plants.
- Moisten the soil.
Shoots appear in about 1,5-2 weeks. Landings will need to be thinned out immediately.
If Iberis is planted in open ground with seedlings, then this should be done when its height is about 7 cm. Plants should be carefully removed from the containers along with an earthen clod.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
Iberis umbrella is unpretentious. It needs to be specially watered only on hot days and a long drought. The rest of the time, the plant lacks moisture from the lower layers of the earth. For greater decorativeness, you can water it regularly as the soil dries.
The flower feels great without top dressing if the soil is initially fertile. Fertilizers can be applied for more lush and long flowering. Complex mineral compositions are effective. Feed the plant twice – when the first leaves appear and at the beginning of flowering.
Loosening
For the umbrella iberis, the water permeability of the soil is important, therefore it must be systematically loosened. This should be done after watering or heavy rainfall, while removing weeds.
Trimming
To maintain the decorativeness of the umbrella iberis, it is recommended to regularly remove dead inflorescences. When the plant has faded, it should be cut back by at least a third. If self-seeding is not planned, the pods must be removed in a timely manner.
Wintering
Umbrella iberis is cultivated as an annual, therefore it is not necessary to prepare it for winter. Pruning of inflorescences and the plant itself is carried out for aesthetics.
Before winter, Iberis must be dug up and burned. This measure serves to prevent diseases and pests. The vacated area must be dug up, removing weeds, roots and debris.
Diseases and pests
Umbrella iberis belongs to the Cruciferous family, therefore it is susceptible to diseases and pests characteristic of its representatives. One of the problems is downy mildew (peronosporosis), which is expressed as a whitish coating on the leaves. It is necessary to fight it with fungicides such as Gamaira, Fitosporin-M, Alirin-B. For prevention, autumn digging of the soil and burning of plant residues is important.
A risk factor for the development of peronosporosis is high humidity.
The fungal disease of Iberis is keel. It manifests itself as growths and swellings on the roots. Affected plants must be removed, and the rest treated with Fundazol or colloidal sulfur. To prevent the disease in the ground during autumn digging, ash or fluffy lime should be applied.
Roots affected by clubroot poorly absorb moisture and the elements necessary for the plant.
One of the enemies of the umbrella iberis is the cabbage (cruciferous) flea. Its larvae and adults feed on leaves. You can get rid of the pest by dusting the plants with wood ash with tobacco dust or fluffy lime. Infusions and decoctions of dandelion, green wormwood, ash with laundry soap are also effective.
The cabbage flea can destroy young plantings in 1-2 days
Another enemy of the umbrella iberis is the mealybug. These insects are also called felters or false pillows. You can fight the pest with chemicals: Kemifos, Fufanon, Tagore, Novaktion.
Mealybugs can also be dealt with by folk methods. An effective solution of laundry soap, a decoction of horsetail.
Mealybug feeds on plant sap, inhibits their development and immunity
Conclusion
Growing umbrella iberis from seeds is also possible for inexperienced gardeners. The plant does not require special care, pleases with long flowering even without additional dressings. All varieties of this species can be planted in open ground immediately with seeds.
