Rare bulbous plants from the Liliaceae, Allium and Colchiaceae families. Bulbous perennials for the garden: color catalog

Instructions

Nerine is a large genus of bulbous plants in the Amaryliaceae family, native to Africa. Thanks to its bizarre backward-curved petals, the narine is called a spider. The plant blooms in all shades of pink, with flowers of white, crimson and red-orange. Flowering time is autumn, when little else blooms in the garden, and in summer the bulb is dormant.

It is recommended to plant the beautiful nerine in southern, well-lit areas. Watering is moderate, especially in the cool period, and after the leaves die off at the beginning of summer, it should be stopped completely before the start of the autumn growing season, so the place for nerine must be chosen in such a way that there are no plants near the flower that require abundant watering in the summer.

This flower resembles a crocus, but unlike it, thin leaves appear along with the flowers in the fall, and sometimes the flower appears first and then the leaves grow.

Sternbergia loves warm, sunny places. The flower is not frost-hardy, but it can be grown in central Russia in open ground, if the bulbs are covered in a thick layer of snow in winter, but it is best to dig them up and store them in a cool, dry place.

The plant is called a rain lily. The homeland of zephyranthes is Northern and South America. The flowers are quite large in various shades of white and pink flowers. Like other exotic bulbs, it prefers to grow in a dry and hot place.

The story about the still rare flowers of those species, the bulbs and tubers of which can now be found in our stores, ends with a review of plants of several families: oxalis, bignoniaceae, cannaceae, hyacinthaceae, and commelinaceae. They will not only delight you with their flowering soon after planting, but will also make your garden or balcony completely different from others.

FAMILY Oxalisaceae

This extensive family includes about 800 species kislits , among which there are both annual and perennials. However, only a few species are used in gardening, including those that reproduce by small nodules. Most often there are two types of oxalis on sale.

Oxalis four-leafed

This lovely plant also called Depp's wood sorrel (Oxalis deppei). It is very simple to distinguish it from other types of wood sorrel: by the reddish-brown spot in the center of the leaves, consisting of four lobes (hence the name of the species). It is believed that this oxalis brings happiness to the house, since if all other species have four-lobed leaves random deviation, then in Depp's wood sorrel this is a species characteristic.
Thanks to its elegant two-color leaves, this sorrel looks very attractive even in the absence of its reddish-pink small flowers. The flowers bloom about a month after the nodules are planted in the ground and decorate the plant until late autumn. Depp's oxalis looks great both in the flowerbed and in hanging pots or in balcony boxes

Most difficult moment- this is her winter quarters. We often sell the nodules of this sorrel not only in spring, but also in autumn, which means they are overwintered in open ground. Alas, in the conditions of the middle zone, tubers planted in the garden in the fall and not yet properly rooted almost always freeze out in the winter. But if you plant them in the spring (necessarily in well-drained soil in the garden), then by autumn they will have settled in perfectly and, given an impressive shelter of leaves and spruce branches, it is quite possible that they will overwinter. But only if the winter is not too harsh and quite snowy. If you don’t want to take risks, dig them up with the onset of the first autumn frosts and store them in peat (in the refrigerator or other cool place).

Even if this plant didn't bloom at all, it would be worth growing for its absolutely lovely leaves: deep burgundy with almost black veins. In the evening or on windy days depending on the weather, the leaves fold (as indeed do other wood sorrel trees), resembling a flock of exotic burgundy butterflies sitting down to rest. The homeland of this wood sorrel is Brazil, where such butterflies are found in huge numbers.
In addition to its unusual leaves, this plant will delight you with numerous flowers all summer. True, they are small and pale in color (white, pink or purple), but they perfectly emphasize the beauty of the leaves.
Oxalis triangularis is an absolutely frost-resistant plant. It cannot stand even short-term spring and autumn frosts, let alone wintering in the open ground! It is often grown as houseplant, taking it outside only in the summer months.

If you decide to decorate your garden or balcony with this oxalis, I advise you to plant its nodules in a pot or hanging basket, and transport it home before the first autumn frosts. Place triangular wood sorrel on a bright but cool windowsill and reduce watering in winter. In the spring you need to fertilize the plant several times - and you can transport it again to the garden after the end of frost.

FAMILY BIGNONIAaceae

Of the numerous species of this family, only one is popular in European and now in our gardens.

Incarvillea

Of all the variety of incarvilleas, only incarvillea Delaware, which because of its beautifully carved leaves is often called " blooming fern", and because for the forms of elegant flowers - “garden orchid”. The rhizomes of incarvilles resemble the thickened roots of dahlias; the height of the plant can reach 40-50 cm. The most commonly found on sale are incarvilleas with bright pink and white flowers, which are collected in an inflorescence on a high peduncle. The first wave of their flowering occurs at the beginning of summer, the second (less abundant) - in August-September.
The planting site for incarvillea should be sunny or semi-shaded. Incarvillea winters well with shelter in the middle zone, but for this you need to maintain certain conditions: the soil must be loose with very good drainage and, preferably, with the addition of lime (especially when using peat to loosen the soil). Her winter shelter Peat or leaves must be removed no later than the end of April, otherwise the rhizome may rot in the spring.
Incarvillea can grow in one place for up to 15 years, turning over time into a huge bush with many flower stalks.

CANNACEA FAMILY

Ten species of plants in this family have been used to decorate gardens for centuries. Nowadays, hybrid forms of Indian canna (with green or purple leaves) with a height of 60 to 120 cm are mainly grown.

Canna

Most people associate this plant with the south, where you can often find canna in city flower beds and large tubs. However, under certain conditions eland It can also be grown in the Moscow region, where it will look very exotic against the background of much more modest plants in the middle zone. The only condition: for successful growth and when canna blooms, the summer should be hot and dry - then there is a chance to see it lush flowering in the garden.
For earlier flowering, large canna rhizomes are planted in pots in the spring and grown on the windowsill; plants are planted in open ground only in early June, when the threat of frost has passed. However, when planted early, cannas often become very elongated due to lack of lighting.

When planting cannas for growing in mid-April, by the time they are planted in the ground the plants will be quite compact (but then the cannas will bloom no earlier than the end of August).
You can immediately plant the canna rhizome in a fairly large pot, and in early June put it in the garden or on a sunny balcony. In the event of early autumn frosts, you can remove the pot with canna into the house, and then put it outside again, where the cannas, in good warm and not too rainy weather, will delight you with flowering until the cold weather.

We often lack sun and warmth in Gangnam. That is why to plant them you need to choose the sunniest place, protected from cold winds (and preferably from rain). For example, cannas grow very well against the south wall of the house. In addition, cannas need very fertile soil, regular watering and fertilizing.
In early October, canna rhizomes are dug up and stored in peat during the winter, placing them in a cold, frost-free room.
There are a huge variety of canna varieties with different colors (uniform or variegated) of flowers.

HYACINTHA FAMILY

This family unites a huge number of all kinds of bulbous flowers, many of which are well known to gardeners (hyacinth, scilla, muscari, etc.). But some plants are still exotic for us.

Compared to other plants of this family, galtonia - a real giant, sometimes reaching a meter in height. Galtonia leaves resemble iris leaves, and on its tall The peduncles (usually there are 3-5 of them on the plant) contain about 20-40 white drooping bell-shaped flowers with a slight aroma of hyacinth.

Galtonia usually blooms in the second half of summer: if you plant its bulbs in May, it will bloom in August; The flowers last for about two to three weeks,
It is better to plant at least 10 bulbs together, since single plantings of galtonia do not look so impressive.

As usual, the most difficult question- this is wintering. If you plant galtonia bulbs deep enough (to a depth of about 18 cm) in well-drained soil, and cover them with a thick layer of leaves and spruce branches for the winter, there is a chance that they will survive the winter near Moscow. If you don’t want to take risks, dig up the bulbs in early October and store them in peat in a cool place.

FAMILY COMMELINADE

Many plants known to us (for example, Tradescantia) belong to this family. Of the 170 species of Commelina that are part of the family, only one is found in our stores.

Despite the assurances of many sellers in flower shops and garden centers, Commelina tuberifera does not winter in the Moscow region. Even in European reference books it refers to conditionally overwintering plants in the ground, and even less so will survive our harsh winters.

However, this is not a reason to refuse to grow Commelina. It has absolutely stunning bright blue flowers with bright yellow stamens (there are varieties with white and purple flowers). Each Commelina flower lives only one day, but a lot of them are formed on the plant. Therefore, flowering lasts about a month (when planted in May, it begins at the end of August).

The height of commelina usually reaches half a meter, and best conditions for its growth - a sunny place or light partial shade, very nutritious loose soil and regular watering.
For the winter, Commelina tubers are dug up, covered with peat and stored in a cool place.

I don’t know what conclusion you will come to if you decide to get acquainted with the plants I described in practice. I made this conclusion for myself quite a long time ago: all kinds of exoticism is wonderful, but only as a small addition to long-familiar and familiar colors. Exoticism is simply a way to add variety to your garden and make it different from other gardens, an opportunity to experiment. Or - just a reason to show off some rare exotic thing to your friends. But it’s still not worth planting the entire garden with such plants. Moreover, modern varieties of seemingly “banal” gladioli, dahlias, begonias or my favorite tulips and lilies, other long-familiar flowers, can amaze no less than all sorts of exotic new flowers. In addition, in our gardens these familiar plants bloom profusely and feel much more comfortable, not requiring so much effort and time to care for them!

Every gardener sooner or later wants to make his garden unique and inimitable. Of course, the main parameter of beauty is thoughtful landscape design, but the plants themselves also play an important role, because it is to them that the admiring glances of passers-by, neighbors and garden guests are riveted.

Such plants are certainly exotic trees, shrubs and rare perennials, which seem impossible to grow in our climate. There are indeed difficulties in cultivating them. Many of the exotics are heat-loving sissies, so you have to tinker with them, growing them in pots and putting them away for the winter in a frost-free room or insulating them in various ways. In this article we will look at some types of exotic plants that are quite winter-hardy in the conditions of the Moscow region.

What to choose for your favorite garden among the huge variety of plants? What will grow well and make you happy? You can't do this without trial and error.

Among the trees, the most beautiful are magnolias ( ). They hold the palm among exotic plants in central Russia. About culture, winter hardiness and varietal diversity I already wrote about magnolias in the article “Magnolias in the middle zone - this is real!”

Another amazingly beautiful tree is the lyriodendron ( Liriodendron) or tulip tree. The plant is given a USDA winter hardiness zone of 6-7 (and middle lane Russia is zone 4). However, it has been growing beautifully in my garden for over 15 years. Over the years, it has never frozen, reaching a height of 4 m. True, it has not bloomed yet, but the beauty of the leaves is mesmerizing. Liriodendron likes fertile, slightly acidic soil and full sun.

Among the trees I would also like to mention the staghorn sumac ( Rhus typhina). It has been growing in my garden for 20 years. Height up to 3 meters. This plant is wonderful at any time of the year. The structure of the branches resembles deer antlers. In spring, feathery leaves bloom on tomentose-pubescent stems, soft and pleasant to the touch. In summer, dark red panicles of infructescence appear and adhere to the plant more than a year. In autumn, sumac bursts with orange-red leaves. And in winter, velvet fruits flaunt on bare branches in the snowy silence. At the same time, it is absolutely not demanding. Grows on sandy loam, in dry conditions and in the sun.

Also contributing to the exotic design of the garden: leather mackerel ( Cotinus coggygria), catalpa ( Catalpa), Cercis canadensis ( Cercis canadensis), snowflower ( Chionanthus) and flowering calicanth ( Calycanthus floridus). These plants need to find a special place in the garden: they should be planted near the house, in a quiet, windless place, with a sufficient amount of snow in winter. In harsh winters, these shrubs can freeze slightly, but are easily restored.

So beautiful trees and shrubs require a retinue of equally beautiful perennials. What can I recommend? Next to tree trunk circles magnolias, liriodendron and other trees will look great with flowering curtains of trilliums, native North America. Some species, for example, Trillium Kamchatka ( T. kamtschaticum), Small ( T.smalii), Chonoski ( T.tschonoskii) grow here in Kamchatka and Sakhalin.

There are many species and varieties of this plant in my collection, but my favorite is trillium grandiflora “Snowbunting” ( Trillium grandiflorum “Snow Bunting”). It has large double snow-white flowers that turn pink over time. It will certainly become a leader in ceremonial flower beds.

In the partial shade of trees you can plant glaucidium ( ) and terry sanguinaria “Flore Pleno” ( Sanguinaria canadensis “Flore Pleno”). This unpretentious plants, preferring fertile, moist soils. Their flowering begins almost immediately after the snow melts. In glaucidium, against the background of large green leaves of an unusual shape, soft lilac bell-shaped flowers bloom. And in sanguinaria, the flowers are like meringue cakes, lying on the leaf as if on a plate. Can't stop looking at it!

Podophyllums are incredibly beautiful ( ). Especially the “Kaleidoscope” variety ( "Kaleidoscope") and “Spotty Dotty” ( "Spotty Dotty"). Beautifully shaped leaves with an intricate pattern of brown and silver spots, large white or red-crimson flowers and proven winter hardiness are reasons to become interested in this exotic plant. Podophyllums prefer partial shade and moist, well-drained soils.

In sunny places, everyone will be surprised by Spigelia marilandica ( Spigelia marilandica). I have never seen anything like it. The flowers are very bright, red, interesting shape with yellow petal flaps. The plant is up to 40 cm high, prefers light, fertile soils, and is responsive to complex fertilizing. mineral fertilizers in the form of a solution of 30 g per 10 liters of water.

The range of plants of the Gesneriaceae family for open ground is small, however, there is a plant of a very exotic appearance with thick smooth leaves and pubescent tubular flowers with a yellow-brown throat and specks. This is the hemiboya of the subcapital ( Hemiboea subcapitata), very rarely occurs in anyone. Blooms in late summer and autumn until hard frosts. Suitable for partial shade. It grows well in light, fertile soil, forming underground stolons.

Perfect for shady, damp places, Kirengeshoma palmate ( Kirengeshoma palmata) with graceful stems and bright yellow flowers with dense petals, as if sculpted from wax. It blooms in late summer, prefers moist, acidic soil, and reaches a height of 60 cm.

On sunny side alpine slides you can grow many beautiful plants, but the undisputed pride of a gardener will be blooming prickly pear cacti ( ). They grow well in the Moscow region. They overwinter with me without any shelter and bloom every year. It’s impossible to get used to this - every time you perceive a successful wintering as a miracle! It is very interesting to watch them: in the fall, the stems of prickly pears wrinkle and fall to the ground. It seems that the plants die, but in the spring, filled with juice, they rise again. In May, active growth begins and buds appear. Prickly pears propagate well from cuttings, which are immediately planted in a permanent place.

For us, lovers of garden highlights, the time has come great time try to tame exotic beauties. Experiment, try, and the impossible will become possible!

If you want to grow something unusual and incredibly beautiful in your garden, we offer you exotic plants. Or you want to somehow surprise your neighbors, again, choose something exotic. We will tell you how to grow such plants and what exactly to choose. Just keep in mind that most exotic plants do not overwinter in open ground.

Arum - an unusual exotic plant that looks very similar to calla lilies. It attracts flower growers primarily for its bright orange-red decorative berries that appear in the summer. Currently, this plant is very rare in our gardens and apartments. But in vain. Arum blooms in spring, mainly in April. The flowers are creamy-white with a spathe, about 15 cm high. At the end of summer, ears with seed pods, which, as the seeds ripen, change color: from green to orange-red. Arum grows best in partial shade or full sun, in fertile, calcareous, well-drained soil. Withstands - 28.8 ° C frost.

Tigridia. This is a bulbous plant with a height of 30 to 70 cm. Its flowers are very bright (red, yellow, white, pink), with a beautiful tiger-colored center with dark speckles. The flowers are of an original shape and resemble rare tropical butterflies. You can start planting bulbs in the garden only when a stable warm weather. This, depending on the region, is the second or third ten days of May. Bulbs germinate only when the soil temperature warms up to 18 – 22°C. Plant tigridia in open sunny areas. Tigridia tubers are not adapted to our winters. They need to be dug up after the above-ground part dies. Dig out very carefully, as they are easily injured and can rot. Dry the bulbs in the room for a month. Then place them in boxes with peat or sand and transfer them to a cool, frost-free room (at a temperature of 5 - 7 ° C) or in the lower basket of the refrigerator. Bulbs cannot be stored in their pure form (without peat), as they quickly dry out and die.

Ixia . It is better to plant the bulbs first in pots for germination, in March-April. How to establish stable warm weather (second ten days of May) - in open ground. Ixias prefer nutritious, neutral soil containing plenty of sand. Prepare soil mixture from turf soil, coarse sand and peat. Corms are planted in the soil to a depth of 5 cm, at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other. After planting, the soil is mulched (mulch thickness 2-3 cm). In open ground, Ixia grows in a sunny, windless place. Ixia can be grown in containers, garden vases or regular pots. Just don't forget about a thick layer of drainage. These bulbous plants exclusively decorative and unpretentious. They grow easily in open ground and in containers. Even novice flower growers can be advised to have them.

Nerine. A breathtaking plant, especially on a dreary autumn day. It will certainly be the most exotic plant among autumn-flowering plants. Numerous pink flowers collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences, 5-12 pieces each. The flower size is 6-8 cm in diameter. The flowers emit a faint musky aroma. You can admire the flowering of nerine in the garden from September to early November, a period when many plants have already faded. Umbrella-shaped inflorescences rise on a leafless peduncle, 30 cm-50 cm high. Leaves appear later, after flowering (and can survive the winter, remaining intact). They are narrow, belt-shaped, linear, glossy, up to 30 cm long. Thanks to the abundance of leaves, nerine looks good even after flowering. Although flowers and leaves can also appear at the same time. For the winter, you need to transplant the nerine into pots and keep them in a bright room at a temperature of 8-10 °C. In winter, until spring, leaves continue to grow and lay flower buds. In spring (usually May), the leaves turn yellow and die, and the plant prepares for a period of dormancy.

Liatris. Special attention deserves Liatris spica. This is a perennial rhizomatous plant slightly higher than half a meter in height. Its rhizomes sometimes resemble an onion. Liatris flowers are small, collected in beautiful, spectacular spike-shaped inflorescences. Plant liatris in groups on the lawn, in mixborders in the center of flower beds; such group plantings will attract the attention of everyone passing by. They can also be planted in single plantings - the appearance of a lit candle in white or purple - but they look better in groups. Liatris bloom for a long time, from July to September, about forty days. But the most unusual thing is that the flowers bloom from top to bottom, as if going down the peduncle, and not vice versa, like other spicate perennials that bloom from bottom to top. Growing Liatris is very easy. Give it a warm, sunny place, with fertile and light soil, without stagnant water and close standing. groundwater. Liatris never get sick, but they can suffer from mice, which like to feast on their rhizomes in snowy winters. The plants are quite frost-resistant, so there is no need to cover them for the winter.

Ranunculus or buttercups. The colorful flowers of the Asian buttercup will be a wonderful decoration for flower beds, edgings and borders. These plants will delight you with their flowers throughout the season if you plant them in the right place. When creating vibrant borders, use colorful buttercups. The root cones of buttercups cannot withstand frost, so dig them up in the winter and plant them again in the spring. Buttercup grows and develops better in sunny areas, but blooms longer in semi-shaded areas. The place where buttercups will be planted should be protected from wind, drafts and late frosts. The soil is moderately moist; in waterlogged soil, the tubers become infected with fungi and rot. They prefer slightly acidic (pH 5.5-6.4) and nutritious (rich in humus), permeable, loose and light soil. We recommend using drainage at the bottom of the planting hole, sand or crumbs. As soon as the plants sprout, loosen the soil and remove weeds in a timely manner. Dig up the tubers after the leaves die, in August - September, dry them, cover them with sawdust, moss, fine sand or peat, and store them in this form until spring.

Sparaxis. Corm, plant. It has charming flowers that are painted in all the colors of the rainbow. Plant them in open ground only after the threat of return frosts has passed. That is, not earlier than the second half of May (for our area). Give the plants a sunny, warm, windless place without drafts. The soil should be nutritious, well-drained, without stagnant moisture. Before planting, add compost and coarse river sand to the soil. Plants planted in May will bloom in August and will bloom throughout the month. Dig up the corms before the onset of frost (late September - early October), in sunny, dry weather. Place clean, dried corms in boxes or cardboard boxes, sprinkle with dry peat or sawdust and store in a dark, well-ventilated room with a temperature of 7-10°C.

These unusual things will also help transform your garden beautiful plants like alstroemeria, kniphofia, agapanthus, cannas, crocosmia, lycoris.

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