Acidantera: description, types, planting and care

Acidantera is a graceful bulbous plant that is grown both in a room or greenhouse and in an open garden plot. In order for the flower to bloom profusely, it will require special care. Consider the types of this plant and the intricacies of its cultivation.

Acidantera is a perennial herb with a rhizome in the form of an oblong corm with an average diameter of 5 cm. The flower comes from the iris family, but it is often called "fragrant gladiolus", Abyssinian or Ethiopian gladiolus. These two plants have some similarities in appearance, however, the petals of the acidantera inflorescences are pointed. During flowering, they smell sweet, emitting a sweet aroma.

Homeland of "fragrant gladiolus" Africa. The herbaceous plant loves warm tropical climates, but with proper care can thrive in “cold” regions. Acidantera reaches a length of about 1 meter, longer specimens are less common. On a powerful stem, leaves with a dark green color are linearly arranged. They have smooth edges and a shiny surface. Most of the leaves are concentrated at the base of the stem.

At the top of the base are flowers enclosed in spike-shaped inflorescences. Different types and varieties of plants can have different colors. Flowers can be white, yellow, variegated, pink and others. The opened bud reaches an average of 10 cm in diameter.

In nature, there are more than 40 species of acidander. They differ in their appearance and aroma. Consider the most popular varieties among gardeners.

• Tropical. The stem length reaches 100-130 cm. The plant has elongated ribbed foliage, inflorescences with 5 or 6 buds. Flowers can be white or pink with bright crimson spots.

• Bicolor or Gladiolus Muriel. The length of its stem ranges from 90 to 100 cm. There are several inflorescences at the top (from 3 to 8 buds are concentrated on each plant). Flowers up to 12 cm in diameter can be white or pale pink. Their middle is decorated with a burgundy star-spot, which gives the flower even more charm.

• Cereal. The main distinguishing feature of this acidander variety is the elongated foliage characteristic of the cereal family. The flowers of the plant reach up to 10 cm in diameter, they have a pale pink color. The middle of each petal in the inflorescence is decorated with a thin bright stripe of raspberry color.

• White or White. This type of acidantera has a straight stem, at the top of which there are small snow-white flowers without patterns, blotches and spots.

• Short tubular. One of the rare species of acidander. This plant got its name from the inflorescences located on small tubes. The buds are purple-purple in color, the petals are decorated with thin stripes. Possesses high decorativeness, is appreciated by breeders due to the possibility of creating hybrid flowers.

"Fragrant gladiolus" is able to decorate and transform any garden area. The plant can be used to create expositions in landscape design, as well as make original bouquets. It is not difficult to grow a fragrant flower, such a task is within the power of even a novice gardener. There are some nuances worth paying attention to.

Planting acidantera bulbs outdoors will directly depend on the climate. Do not forget that the birthplace of the plant Africa is a country with a tropical climate, so the flower needs sun and warmth... If these conditions are not met, it will wither away.

It is advisable to plant a heat-loving garden plant in the ground with good heating of the earth. In regions with a mild climate, this may be April; in more severe conditions, planting is carried out at the end of May. If the spring is cool and long, experienced growers recommend planting the bulbs in a pot or greenhouse in April. In this case, the corms are planted to a depth of 50 mm in loosened soil (it is allowed to use soil for indoor plants).

The pot must be removed to the greenhouse or placed on the windowsill. (you need to choose a sunny area). At the end of May, the grown plant must be planted in open ground.

For active growth and flowering of acidants, the plant needs sunlight. Therefore, when choosing a planting area in a personal plot or in a garden, you should give preference to an area under the bright sun. Wherein no shadows from trees, shrubs, building structures and other structures should fall on the flower bed.

If the "scented gladiolus" is used as a houseplant, it is important to place it on a windowsill on the south side. In this case, it is necessary to avoid direct rays of the sun on the flower. In winter and autumn, when there is not enough light, it is recommended to use phytolamps. These are sources of additional "soft" lighting for light-loving crops. Room acidanter should be protected from drafts and low temperatures (thermometer readings should not fall below +20 degrees Celsius). In the summer, you can take the flower pot out to the balcony - there, in the heat, the most favorable conditions will be created for the southern plant.

If acidander is planned to be planted in open ground in the spring, the soil should be prepared in advance in the fall. A tropical flower "loves" slightly acidic soil, it is allowed to plant bulbs in neutral soil. The flower will grow vigorously and bloom profusely in fertile and deeply dug soil.

When digging up the soil in the fall, you should fertilize it with minerals (for example, compost or wood ash is suitable for these purposes). It is important not to forget about mulching. For these purposes, hay or straw is used. To make the earth "softer and more airy", gardeners often add sand to it. In the spring, before planting, the soil is re-dug up with mineral fertilizers. (to a depth of no more than 25 cm).

If you plan to use a tropical flower as a houseplant, you can prepare a substrate to fill the pot. It should consist of turf, sand and leaf humus, taken in a ratio of 2: 1: 1, respectively.

It is recommended to buy acidantera bulbs in the spring in garden stores. The purchased material for planting should be carefully examined - it should not be overdried, without external signs of the disease. The optimum diameter of the corms is 2.5 cm. Before planting purchased bulbs, they must be prepared. To do this, they get over, cleaned of dry shells. After that, they are kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

The optimum planting depth of the bulbs is 10 cm. In such a depression, they will not die in the event of an unexpected drop in temperature at night. Corms are planted in groups (8-30 pieces, depending on the size of the beds or flower beds) at a distance of 10-20 cm from each other.When planting, one should be guided by the rule - the larger the planting materials, the more distance from each other they should be located ...

It should be noted that for growing acidanters in boxes, the planting scheme should also be followed. In this case, each bulb is placed at a distance of 20 cm from each other. For indoor growing, a 15 cm high pot is suitable. It should contain from 3 to 8 bulbs.

Acidantera, like any other garden plant, requires care. She needs watering, fertilizing with fertilizers, removing weeds and regularly loosening the soil. To reduce the number of weeding and watering, gardeners are advised to cover the soil surface with mulch (sawdust, humus can be used).

Acidantera is a plant that loves moisture. However, it is worth watering the flower in moderation. This means that it needs a lot of water, but at the same time, the bays of the root system are unacceptable. To avoid problems with stagnant water, drainage should be introduced into the soil. Otherwise, the root can rot, the plant will wither and die.

In general, the amount and volume of irrigation directly depends on the weather and soil conditions. For example, in case of strong heat, the acidander should be watered every day. In rainy weather, it is advisable to limit irrigation. During the period of active flowering of the plant, watering should be reduced even in hot weather. In this case, you should not allow the soil to dry out - it should always be slightly damp.

For watering acidants, use settled cold water. After watering, you need to loosen the soil each time, removing weeds.

In order for a garden flower to quickly grow stronger, bloom profusely and not get sick, it needs to be fed on time. This should be done when the first shoots appear (or when corms are planted in open ground), during the formation of buds or during flowering. The first feeding for active growth of acidants should include nitrogen. To feed the plant, you need to take a garden nitrogen-containing fertilizer or water it with mullein infusion. For these purposes, it is permissible to use chicken manure.

When feeding the flower a second time, you need to use mineral supplements for flowering plants. It is permissible to use superphosphate (for 10 liters of water 25 g of fertilizer).

If acidantera is grown in regions with a cold climate, the corms must be dug up in the fall, and planted again in the spring. The bulbs should be dug out before the onset of frost. After the bushes have faded, you need to cut the peduncles, leaving the stem with the lower foliage. Before the cold weather, the bulbs are carefully dug up and stored.

You need to store the tubers correctly. To do this, after digging, they are dried for a month.The optimum temperature is not less than +20 degrees Celsius. After that, rotting scales are removed. To prevent the appearance of mold, each corm is treated with a fungicide solution (potassium permanganate, brilliant green is suitable) and dried.

The bulbs prepared in this way are placed in paper bags and stored at a temperature of +15 degrees. At a lower temperature, they will plunge into a dormant state, and at a higher temperature, they can germinate ahead of time. For distillation, corms should be planted in mid-March.

Acidantera can be propagated in 2 ways - with the help of children or seeds. Growing a flower from a baby is considered the easiest. Usually, up to a dozen small bulbs grow on each corm. In the spring, before planting, they should be separated and dropped off at the site.

Care for the planted children is carried out in the same way as for the "adult" planting material. A young plant needs abundant watering, 2-3-time dressings per season, loosening the soil and removing weeds. Subject to the rules of care of the acidander, grown from children, it is capable of blooming for 2 or 3 years.

Acidantera can be propagated by seeds, but this method is more laborious and time consuming. To do this, you need to sow seeds in the winter in a container with fertile soil. To prepare the soil mixture, you need to take garden soil, peat and sand in approximately the same parts. The container is placed in heat (at least +20 degrees). To create an optimal microclimate, it is recommended to cover the drawer with foil or glass. It is important to carry out daily ventilation and irrigation with a spray bottle.

Plants are picked in the spring.

Acidantera, like any other garden plants, can be affected by rot and various types of fungus. The first signs of the disease are rusty or dark spots on the foliage. To save the flower, the affected leaves must be removed. After that, all the bushes are treated with fungicide preparations. To solve these problems, gardeners often use Bordeaux liquid (1%). Such a drug is effective even in the late stage of the disease. And you can also use "Fitosporin-M".

In addition to fungal diseases, pests such as:

• scabbards;
• aphid;
• slugs;
• bulbous mites.

For the purpose of prevention, the bushes should be periodically irrigated with mustard powder or sprayed with diluted ammonia. These funds are absolutely safe both for the garden crops themselves and for animals. When aphids or scale insects appear, acidants are sprayed with insecticides sold in flower and garden stores. To get rid of ticks, it is advisable to use acaricides. Slugs will have to be collected by hand.

Acidanters are flowers of extraordinary beauty with a "strong" sweetish aroma. These garden plants are often used in landscaping. With their help, it is possible to elegantly and originally arrange garden beds, decorate artificially created reservoirs. Due to the fragrance, acidants are often planted in places where recreation areas are provided - next to gazebos or benches. "Fragrant gladioli" can be planted separately or next to other flowers, they can be used to decorate outdoor flowerpots.

It is troublesome to look after acidantera.Behind the massive bushes with abundant buds is the daily work of the gardener.

For information on how to grow acidander, see the next video.