Platycodon, widespread in the Far Eastern forests, is increasingly used in landscape design. Learn about the features of the flower, its varieties, breeding methods and plant it on your site.
The flower is also called a shirokokolokolchikom, this is how its name is translated from Latin. It looks simple enough, but very touching. It has straight stems up to 1 m high, a fleshy root similar to a radish. Leaves up to 7 cm long are ovoid or diamond-shaped with a pointed tip and jagged edges. They are located alternately, painted green with a bluish tint, collected in a socket near the root.
Externally, the platycodon looks like a large bell
Flowers can be single or collected in panicles. They are large, up to 8 cm in diameter, wide open, resembling a five-pointed star, in some varieties they have two layers. The most common color is various variations of blue. But there are varieties of white, pink and dark purple.
Perennial plants. They grow in small bushes uniting several plants. They bloom from July to August, the fruits in the form of a box ripen in September. When the pedicels are dry, you can cut the bolls and collect the flat, egg-shaped seeds.
The plant is beautiful on its own and blends well with other flowers. It lives for more than 5 years and does without a transplant, therefore it is advisable to immediately choose a suitable place. It is easiest to plant such a flower on your site using seeds:
- Sowing. In February, stratify the seeds by keeping them in the cold, soak them in warm water for a day, distribute them evenly over the soil surface and press down a little. They are sensitive to light and should not be too deep.
- Growing seedlings. Cover the seed box with foil, constantly moisten the ground. Shoots will appear in 10-14 days. When 2 leaves grow, plant them in different pots.
- Landing in the ground. In the second half of May, when it gets warmer, plant the seedlings in a previously dug garden bed, choosing a well-lit area. The bushes will not grow much, therefore it is enough to place them 25 cm apart when planting.
With seed reproduction, the plant will bloom only after a year, and the color can be very different from the mother. But this method is the most reliable, since the cuttings take root very poorly, and it is difficult to divide a bush with strongly overgrown and confused roots. He does not tolerate a transplant well.
Plant platycodon in a flowerbed with irises, lilies, and cereals. It will serve as a beneficial backdrop for brighter colors. Different varieties located next to each other look beautiful, but due to cross-pollination, after a few years, their color may change.