Contents
The photo and description of the Levizia flower give an idea of an unpretentious perennial plant that can decorate a summer cottage. Before planting a crop, it is worth studying its features and requirements.
Description of Levia
Lewisia (Lewisia) – a plant of the Montiaceae family, which has a developed root system, consisting of numerous nodules. The aerial part is represented by a leaf rosette up to 35 cm above the ground, the plates are oval or lanceolate, with a smooth edge and a leathery surface.
The flower-bearing stem is able to stretch up to 20 cm; in the middle of spring, small buds up to 2,5 cm in diameter bloom on the shoots. Perennial petals are narrow and elongated, with a pointed or torn top. In the core of the corolla are long stamens. By color, levisia is yellow, pink or snow-white, there are red and lilac plant varieties.
In its natural form, the perennial grows in the west of North America. It occurs at an altitude of 800-4000 m above sea level.
Levizia prefers to settle on dry or rocky ground.
Winter hardiness of levisia
Perennial levisia has average frost resistance. With minimal shelter, the flower tolerates cold snaps down to -30 ° C.
Levisia flowering period
The timing of flowering perennials depends on the variety. But most often the buds begin to bloom in May and June. The decorative period lasts about one and a half months, after which the perennial forms rounded dark brown or black seeds with a hole in the middle.
Usually levizia blooms once a year. But at the same time, some varieties release buds twice during the season – in spring and early autumn.
Types and varieties of levisia
Photos of the perennial Levizia flower show that the culture is represented by a large number of species. There are several of the most popular plants.
Levizia obtuse (Cotyledon)
Levizia obtuse, or Cotyledon (Lewisia cotyledon) is an evergreen plant with smooth, fleshy leaves. The plates reach 15 cm in length, have a wavy edge or a reddish border. The photo of the dull levisia shows that in spring or early summer the plant produces several peduncles from the rosette, on which white, orange or reddish buds bloom.
Tupolis levisia blooms in May and June
Levizia long-petal
Long-petal lewisia (Lewisia longipetala) is a low succulent up to 20 cm above the ground. Brings buds in late May or June, begins to bloom in the first year after planting. The petals of the plant can be pink, yellowish, red or purple.
Long-petal levisia is able to withstand temperatures down to -28 ° C on average
Levizia nevada
Nevada lewisia (Lewisia nevadensis) is a perennial plant that rises only 10 cm above the ground. The leaves of the culture are grooved, up to 15-20 cm in length, the buds are pinkish or white. Perennial prefers to grow on well-moistened clay or sandy soil.
Nevada Levizia blooms late, in July and August
Tweed
Lewisia Tweedyi (Lewisia tweedyi) – a miniature variety up to 15 cm above the ground. It blooms creamy pink or whitish flowers with glossy silky petals. It develops well in partial shade, under natural conditions it settles on rocky soil in gorges and on rocks.
The diameter of the buds at Levisia Tweed reaches 5 cm
Colombian
Columbian Levizia (Lewisia columbiana) is a medium-sized variety of perennial up to 30 cm tall. It blooms from May to August, bearing small flowers of a pure white or pink hue with veins on the petals. You can meet culture in its natural form in Oregon, British Columbia and Washington.
Colombian levisia prefers stony, light soils, but needs good moisture.
Updated
Updated Lewisia (Lewisia rediviva) is one of the smallest, as it reaches only 5 cm above the ground. It blooms with pink or lilac buds with narrow, highly elongated petals. The flowers of dwarf levisia open only in warm sunny weather.
The roots of the updated levizia are suitable for eating
Growing Levisia seedlings at home
It is quite easy to grow lewisia at home in a pot for subsequent transfer to the ground. It is necessary to observe the optimal timing of sowing seeds, and then provide the seedlings with good care.
The landing procedure is usually carried out at the end of February or at the beginning of March. For a perennial, a shallow wide container with drainage holes at the bottom is selected and a nutritious loose substrate is prepared. It can be made from garden soil, peat and sand, taken in approximately equal proportions. Both the soil and the container are disinfected before use with boiling water or potassium permanganate from possible bacteria.
The algorithm for planting perennial seeds is as follows:
- The plant material is mixed with sand and put in the refrigerator for three weeks.
- After stratification, the seeds are removed and pickled in a solution of potassium permanganate.
- Fill the seedling box with nutrient soil and properly spill it with tepid water.
- Spread the seeds over the surface of the soil.
- Sprinkle on top with a thin layer of substrate.
- Copiously spray plantings from the sprayer.
After that, the container is covered with a film and placed in a warm, moderately lit place. After the formation of sprouts, the polyethylene will need to be removed. The box is moved to the sunniest window sill and seedlings are grown until the final heat is established at home. Care comes down mainly to watering, after the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, you can also pick in separate containers.
Growing levisia in open ground
Levisia planting for outdoor care is usually performed in early June. On the site for culture, a dry, well-lit place is selected on the western or eastern side of the garden. It is best to place the perennial on a hillock or on a rocky wasteland. The plant needs plenty of light with light midday shading. It is also important to worry about the presence of drainage in the soil – the flower does not tolerate waterlogging.
Before planting Levizia for cultivation in open ground in the Moscow region, the earth is properly dug up and sand or gravel is added to it to increase friability. It is also desirable to add minerals and humus to the soil. The direct scheme for planting a perennial looks like this:
- Several holes are dug on the site up to 50 cm deep.
- A thick layer of drainage is laid at the bottom of the pits.
- A loose substrate is poured on top with the addition of sand and humus.
- Set seedlings in the center of the holes.
- Sprinkle voids with the remains of the substrate.
Immediately after planting, the perennial should be watered abundantly. It is also recommended to sprinkle the trunk circle with gravel, overlaying the root collars of plants.
The optimal pH for Levizia is 5-7 units.
Care instructions
When growing on a perennial site, you need to provide quality care. It comes down to a few elementary procedures.
Watering
Levizia is a drought-resistant plant. It is necessary to moisten the perennial mainly after planting, so that it takes root faster in the ground. In the future, watering is minimized. Water is applied only during severe drought and prolonged absence of precipitation.
Fertilizer
Top dressing for perennials is carried out twice during the growing season. At the beginning of budding, the plant is fertilized with a solution of mullein for more abundant flowering. At the end of summer, superphosphate is added to the soil, which helps to increase the endurance of the crop.
Trimming
The perennial does not need a full-fledged haircut, however, it is recommended to remove drying buds during the flowering process. In addition, at the end of the decorative period, it is worth trimming or pinching off the withered stems.
wintering levisia
With the onset of autumn, the plant in the open field is covered with a thick layer of dry foliage. If the winter is expected to be cold, then from above it is necessary to additionally cover the perennial with lutrasil or agrofibre. It is also allowed to throw the plant with spruce branches, which will protect the bushes from frost and wind.
During wintering, Levisia may suffer from waterlogging of the roots. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to ventilate the perennial during the thaw period.
Reproduction of Levia
The perennial can be propagated on the site in a generative or vegetative way. For rare varieties, cuttings are usually used, simple varieties are grown from seeds.
Cutting
After the formation of daughter rosettes in an adult perennial, they are carefully separated with a sharpened knife and slightly dried on the cut. Then the cuttings are treated with a fungicidal preparation and a growth stimulator. After disinfection, the sockets are planted in a loose substrate, moistened and covered with a cut glass bottle. When the cuttings begin to grow, they can be carefully transferred to a permanent place while maintaining an earthy coma.
Seed Reproduction
Perennial planting for seedlings is carried out in early spring, the material is sown in loose soil in home containers. Until about the beginning of June, the seedlings are kept on a well-lit windowsill and watered regularly, and then transferred to the site.
It is also allowed to plant perennial seeds directly into the soil. The material is laid in the ground in October or November, the flower bed is reliably insulated, and with the onset of spring, green shoots are obtained. It is not necessary to water the perennial during autumn planting, it can start growing prematurely and die.
Diseases and pests
Subject to agricultural technology, perennial rarely suffers from fungi and insects. But in adverse conditions, it can be hit by:
- root rot – the disease poses a great danger to a drought-resistant perennial, the leaves become soft and flabby, covered with brown spots;
Root rot develops when waterlogged and in the absence of drainage in the soil
- slugs – molluscs feed on a low plant in wet weather.
To protect against slugs, Levizia is recommended to be treated with wood ash infusion or metaldehyde preparations.
For the prevention of diseases, it is necessary to carefully observe the agricultural technology of cultivation. Particular attention is paid to the intensity of irrigation – the soil cannot be swamped, it should only be slightly moist.
If the symptoms of the fungus nevertheless appeared on the leaves of the levisia, it is urgent to remove badly affected plants from the flower bed. The remaining perennials are treated with copper preparations from decay, and, if necessary, transplanted to a drier area.
Application in landscape design
Most often, the plant on the site is planted on alpine slides or in rockeries. The culture goes well with saxifrage and bluebells, gentian and cuff. Perennials can be located near conifers that have similar care requirements.
Levizia is used to decorate rocky wastelands in the garden.
Conclusion
The photo and description of the Levizia flower give an idea of a low perennial with modest care requirements. The culture is suitable for planting on dry rocky soil, does not need abundant watering and frequent top dressing.
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