Flax or linaria (lat. Linaria) is an annual or perennial ornamental plant belonging to the Plantain family since 2013. Until that time, he was classified as a member of the Norichnikov family. The name “flax” was given to this culture because of the foliage, reminiscent of flax leaves. The plant gained its popularity in ornamental gardening due to long flowering and unpretentiousness to growing conditions.
Description
The genus Lnyanka includes about 70 plant species. Some of them have decorative value, others are known for their medicinal properties. Most varieties have a shallow root system, thanks to which the grass develops rapidly, displacing neighboring crops. The height of the plants also varies depending on the species. They can reach both 10 and 100 cm.
The stems are straight, slightly branched, thin, but very strong. Shoots of low-growing varieties tend to the ground, so they are used as ground covers. According to the botanical description, the toadflax herb leaves are linear, entire, sometimes serrated or wavy at the edges, smooth, with a pronounced central vein, gray-green, densely cover the stem. The length of the leaf plates is 2 – 7 cm.
Inflorescences – wide panicles, brushes, or single. The flowers are two-lipped, consisting of an upper dicotyledonous and a lower convex part. The color of the flowers is yellow, white, coral, lilac, purple. Flowering can be observed throughout the summer months. With the onset of autumn, after the flowers wither, oval or rounded fruits appear on the plants – boxes containing small seeds.
All parts of the toadflax contain poisonous juice, which, when it comes into contact with the skin, causes irritation. For this reason, it is necessary to work with this culture in protective gloves.
Species and varieties
Alpine toadflax (Linaria alpina). This species is a ground cover, which forms a dense cushion on the ground with a diameter of 30 cm.
The height of the plant is 10 – 15 cm. The leaves are lanceolate, fleshy, gray-green. Violet corolla with an orange central part, 2 cm in diameter. Flowering of this species begins in early summer.
Dalmatian flax (Linaria dalmatica). Ascending weakly branching stems grow up to 1 m. The bush grows up to 50 cm. The corolla is yellow with a bright orange center. The flowers are enclosed in a spike-shaped inflorescence.
Moroccan flax (Linaria maroccana) is the most popular species in ornamental gardening, with the help of which numerous varieties are obtained, which are herbaceous plants 40–50 cm high. Purple flowers with a central part of lemon color.
Varieties:
Carminea – lush plants with spicate inflorescences of carmine-pink color;
Ruby King – a spectacular variety of Moroccan linaria, with buds of a rich burgundy hue. The bush during flowering looks very expressive;
Excelsior – a variety that differs in flowers of different shades.
Purple toadflax (Linaria purpurea). A bush with straight, slightly branched stems, growing up to 80 cm. The flowers are purple, collected in an inflorescence – an ear.
Growing seedlings
You can get a flaxseed plant with the help of seeds that are harvested in autumn from a faded bush, or you can buy seed in a store. Before planting, the seeds are hardened, keeping from January to April in a cool place with a temperature of 5 – 7 degrees. After stratification, the seed is placed in disposable cups or peat pots filled with a loose substrate.
Since the seed of this crop is very small, it is evenly scattered over the soil surface, then sprayed from the sprayer. From above, the crops are covered with cling film to create greenhouse conditions. Mini-greenhouses are placed on a window sill facing south or east so that the crops receive enough light. The temperature in the room should be 20 – 24 degrees.
The film is removed daily for several hours for airing and watering crops. Under such conditions, sprouts will appear in 1.5 weeks. The grown seedlings should be thinned out, and with the advent of a pair of leaf plates, planted in separate pots. At the end of May, seedlings can be planted on the site.
Other methods of reproduction
Linaria is propagated by dividing the bush, if it is already on the site. In early March, a well-grown bush is chosen, dug out of the ground and carefully separated from it 2-3 equal parts so that each of them has roots. The resulting delenki are immediately planted in prepared holes.
Cuttings are another effective way to get a new plant. Planting material is harvested in the first weeks of summer, or at the end of autumn. Cuttings 8-10 cm long are cut from an adult strong bush. Each cutting must have at least 4 growing points. The leaves at the bottom of the cutting are removed, at the top they are cut off by ½.
Planting material is treated with a root growth stimulator and placed in a moist substrate, covered with a jar on top. The shelter is removed every day to ventilate the cutting, watered as the substrate dries. When the cutting takes root and takes root, the shelter is completely removed.
Linaria is one of the most unpretentious plants in terms of growing conditions. It easily tolerates prolonged heat and drought, many varieties have high frost resistance. For this reason, every gardener can breed this crop on the site.
Watering. Water the flower should only be on hot, dry days. After watering, the soil around the bushes should be loosened and weeding should be carried out. These procedures will help maintain a decorative, neat appearance of plants.
Topdressing. It is enough to apply fertilizer during planting of seedlings, using any mineral composition for flowering crops.
Other care. It is necessary to eliminate faded inflorescences to preserve the decorative appearance of plants and so that new buds can form on the bush.
Wintering. Flax well tolerates low temperatures and does not need shelter for the winter. In the northern regions, the plant may freeze slightly, so in the middle of autumn the above-ground part of the bushes is cut off, the roots are covered with spruce branches.
Applying
Low-growing varieties of linaria flower are used in landscape design as ground covers, with which they decorate the empty corners of the garden, create bright islands on the site. Tall varieties are planted in flower beds, used to create discounts, alpine slides, hedges, and decorating arbors. Also, this culture is great for decorating garden paths, creating borders.
Flax looks harmoniously with such plants as marigolds, marigolds, asters, irises, petunias, columbine, dahlias, peonies, decorative ferns. Low-growing varieties are grown in flowerpots and used as a decorative element of the interior of a dwelling, veranda or loggia.