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Oenothera missouriensis (lat. Oenothera missouriensis) is a perennial herbaceous plant that is characterized by lush flowering in the evening. Therefore, the culture is also called the night star. The plant belongs to the numerous genus Oslinnik and is a representative of the family Cypress. In the wild, evening primrose Missouri is found in the south-central part of North America. The plant has been cultivated since 1811 and is valued for its high decorativeness and unpretentiousness.
Oenothera Missouri has gained wide popularity as an element of landscape design.
Description of the Missouri primrose
This perennial is a low growing herbaceous shrub. Its stems rise above the soil. Their length reaches 35-40 cm. The shoots are rigidly pubescent. The leaves on them are arranged alternately. The plates are dense, narrowly lanceolate or oval with a solid edge. Their length reaches 10 cm, and their width is 3-4 cm. The leaves have a smooth surface, dark green color. Light streaks are clearly distinguished on them.
The evening primrose perennial Missouri, unlike other types of culture, has large flowers with a diameter of about 10 cm. They consist of five rounded golden yellow petals that close together and have a cupped shape. In anticipation of dusk, the buds open in a matter of seconds.
The lifespan of each flower is only one day. In rainy and cloudy weather, the buds remain open for the whole day, and in sunny weather – until noon. Evening primrose Missouri blooms in July and continues for two months in the presence of favorable conditions. The buds of this species are solitary, they appear from the axils of the leaves on the tops of the shoots. When opening, the flowers almost completely hide the green leaves. After pollination, the fruit-boxes appear on the plant, inside of which there are small dust-like seeds. They remain viable for up to three years.
Missouri evening primrose flowers exude a pleasant citrus scent.
Planting evening primrose seeds in open ground
For planting Missouri evening primrose, it is recommended to use seeds. In order for them to successfully ascend and be able to fully develop, it is necessary to correctly carry out the procedure, taking into account the requirements of culture.
Site selection and preparation
For the Missouri evening primrose, it is necessary to choose a sunny open place, protected from cold gusts of wind. The best option may be the south or southwest side of the site. When choosing a place, it should be borne in mind that the perennial does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil, therefore, during thaws and rains, water should not stagnate on it.
Evening primrose Missouri is undemanding to the composition of the soil. The main thing is that the soil is loose and has good moisture and air permeability. The plant prefers a neutral level of acidity.
At least two weeks before planting, the site must be dug up, the roots of perennial weeds removed. At the same time, it is recommended to add 5 kg of humus to the soil for each square. m.
Seed sowing
It is recommended to plant seeds of Missouri evening primrose in the spring, when the soil warms up enough and the threat of return frosts has passed. To do this, you need to prepare furrows 1 cm deep, keeping a distance between rows of 10-15 cm.
Before sowing, the seeds must be mixed with sand, which contributes to an even distribution. After planting, cover with sand and level the surface, and then water the area by sprinkling.
Growing seedlings of Missouri evening primrose from seeds
To get stronger perennial seedlings by the beginning of the season, it is recommended to grow pre-seedlings at home. To do this, you will need to prepare wide containers about 10-12 cm high. They need to be filled with a nutritious soil mixture consisting of turf, sand and peat in equal volumes. Two days before planting, the substrate must be watered with a solution of potassium permanganate and slightly dried until a characteristic flowability appears.
It is recommended to plant seeds to a depth of 0,5 cm in a moistened substrate. After that, cover the container with glass or film and transfer to a dark place with a temperature of +20-22 °C. Under all conditions, seedlings appear in 2-3 weeks. After that, the container must be rearranged on a light windowsill.
Caring for seedlings of evening primrose Missouri involves the implementation of standard measures. Watering seedlings should be dosed as the topsoil dries up. It is also recommended to ventilate the seedlings daily. And when the seedlings get stronger, they need to be adapted to external conditions and the shelter completely removed.
At the stage of 2-3 true leaves, it is recommended to dive into separate cups for seedlings of the Missouri evening primrose. And ten days after that, feed with a complex mineral fertilizer intended for seedlings. The optimal mode of maintenance during this period is + 18-20 ° С.
Perennial seedlings bloom in the year of planting
Planting seedlings in open ground
It is possible to plant seedlings of Missouri evening primrose in open ground at the end of May, at the beginning of June. Since by this time stable warm weather is already established.
For planting, you need to prepare holes 10 cm deep at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. This will enable plants to fully develop and not compete for moisture and nutrition. When planting, seedlings should not be buried. At the end of the procedure, water the plants abundantly and cover the area with agrofibre for 2-3 days, which will speed up the adaptation of seedlings.
Missouri evening primrose care
The perennial does not require complex care and even a novice grower can handle its cultivation. However, in order to achieve maximum decorativeness of the Missouri evening primrose, it is recommended to follow the simple rules of agricultural technology.
Watering
The culture is able to withstand short-term drought. But with a long absence of rain, it needs regular watering, as it quickly fades. Water can be poured under the root or from above from a watering can. During particularly hot periods, it is recommended to lay mulch at the base of the plant to prevent excessive evaporation. To do this, you can use peat or humus.
fertilizers
Evening primrose Missouri is recommended to be fed twice per season. The first time you need to apply fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season, when the plant grows shoots and leaves. During this period, the use of nitroammophoska at the rate of 30 g per bucket of water is relevant. The second dressing for perennials is recommended after flowering. At this time, you need to use 40 g of superphosphate and 25 g of potassium sulfide per 10 liters of water. These fertilizers contribute to the maturation of young shoots and increase the winter hardiness of the Missouri evening primrose.
Loosening the soil
The culture does not respond well to stagnation of moisture in the soil. Therefore, throughout the entire growing season, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil at its base. This will provide air access to the roots of the plant.
At the initial stage of plant development, it is necessary to regularly remove growing weeds around
Preparation for winter
Before winter, it is recommended to cut off faded and obsolete perennial shoots completely. After that, it is necessary to lay a layer of mulch 5-7 cm thick at the base of the plant. And the upper part of the Missouri primrose must be covered with agrofiber and spruce branches on top.
Diseases and pests
Evening primrose Missouri has a high natural immunity, which greatly facilitates the care of her. However, when moisture stagnates in the soil, the plant is affected by root rot. In this case, his leaves and shoots sharply lose their turgor, but retain their shade. To remedy the situation, it is recommended to dig up a perennial, remove the affected root processes and transplant it to a new location. After that, the plant must be watered with Previkur Energy.
Of the pests, the larva of the Proserpine hawk moth can cause damage to the Missouri primrose. The caterpillar eats the leaves of the plant, thereby weakening it. Therefore, at the first sign of damage, it is recommended to spray the culture with any insecticide.
Reproduction
Perennial must be periodically rejuvenated, which makes it possible to propagate it. In this case, it is necessary to dig up the Missourian evening primrose in the spring and divide it with a pruner into several parts. Each of them should have well-developed roots and shoots. After this cut point, you need to sprinkle with charcoal and immediately land the delenki in a permanent place.
You can also use seeds that are formed at the end of the season for propagation. To do this, the fruits-boxes must be cut in advance and dried on a sunny windowsill, and then used for planting.
Application in landscape design
The unpretentiousness and high decorativeness of the plant were appreciated not only by professional flower growers, but also by amateurs. After all, this plant can be called universal, since the perennial evening primrose is capable of being a tapeworm against a green lawn and goes well with other garden crops.
In landscape design, it is suitable for:
- borders;
- rockarian;
- slaves;
- rock gardens;
- front gardens;
- various flower beds.
Perennial is able to suppress the development of neighboring crops when planted close
Conclusion
Evening primrose Missouri is a unique plant that opens its buds in anticipation of dusk. It attracts the eye and creates bright accents in the garden, in the flower bed, in the garden. In addition, the perennial is unpretentious, caring for it does not cause any particular difficulties. But when growing Missouri evening primrose, it must be borne in mind that it can grow excessively. Therefore, this process must be controlled.
