Schizanthus or schisanthus (lat. Schizanthus) is a lush bush that is covered with an abundance of buds during the flowering period. In the south of the country it is grown as a perennial, in the middle latitudes it is an annual plant. This culture looks very elegant in the flower garden, because its loose inflorescences resemble orchid flowers. The color of the petals is rich in colors. For the specific form of flowers in the people, this culture is called the “flower-butterfly”.
Description
Schizantus is a flower with a one-year or two-year life cycle, depending on climatic conditions.
It has straight, branched shoots. The stem can be divided into 2 – 3 parts. The height of the bush also depends on the growing conditions and varies from 30 to 100 cm. The surface of the shoot is covered with thin fluffy hairs.
Leaves are deep green or light green. The shape of the foliage is pinnately dissected, due to which it looks openwork, which gives the plant, in combination with buds, even more decorative effect. Shizanthus blooms for a long time and abundantly, starting from April – May, ending with the first frosts.
Schizanthus inflorescences are loose, have a zygomorphic structure. The cup is made up of five parts. The corolla is double-lipped. Upper lip with triangular shape. The central petal is pointed. The diameter of the opened bud is 2 cm. The color of the petals is varied, the flower has a rich color palette. Basically, these are shades of yellow, white, purple, pink, red, orange, blue. The surface of the petals is dotted with small dots, strokes.
During flowering, open buds attract pollinating insects. After pollination, the plant produces fruits – boxes with two flaps. When fully ripe, the bolls burst, releasing the seeds.
To date, many spectacular varieties of schizanthus with exotic petal colors have been bred. Due to its expressiveness, beauty and not particularly pretentious care, this flower is in great demand among both experienced and novice gardeners.
The botanical description of the schisanthus (schizanthus) has been supplemented with a photo that will help you better imagine what this flower looks like.
Kinds
The genus Schizantus includes 12 species. The most popular of them in ornamental gardening are described below.
Schizanthus Graham (S. Grahamii).
It is an annual plant 60 cm high, with straight branching shoots. The flowers are pink-violet with purple dashes and lemon-colored spots on the surface of the petals. The corolla is double-lipped. The upper lip is much shorter than the lower.
Schizanthus Cirrus (S. Pinnatus).
An annual species 50 cm high. Shoots are straight, slightly branching. The leaves are pinnate, bright green, 14 cm long. Inflorescences – brushes look like orchid flowers. They contain small purple and pink buds with a diameter of 4 cm. Purple spots are present on the petals. Flowering continues throughout the summer months.
Schizanthus Vizetonsky (S. Wisetonensis).
A lush bush 40–60 cm high. The leaves are deeply dissected, as if cut, rich green, 13 cm long. The flowers have an irregular shape due to the fact that the petals have splitting, which makes them even more unusual in appearance. The diameter of the flower is 2 – 2.5 cm. The color of the petals is light and rich pink, brown, white. On the outer and inner parts of the petals there are spots, dashes, dots and a border.
The photo below shows the types of schizanthus, which shows the characteristic features of each of them:
Varieties
“Angel wings” – bush 40 cm high.
In May, inflorescences begin to form in the upper part of the shoots – brushes consisting of small, dotted flowers of a snow-white, purple, scarlet hue. The flowers are 20 mm in diameter. Flowering comes along with the establishment of warm spring weather, lasts until frost. This variety is grown in flower beds, bred as a pot culture at home;
This variety is grown in flower beds, bred as a pot culture at home;«Fiji “- due to the characteristics of the growth of shoots, it is a cone-shaped bush 60 – 70 cm high.
During flowering, a large number of buds of red, lavender, sometimes white hue are formed on the plant. On the petals there is a pattern of spots, stripes and dots. The flowers are collected in inflorescences – panicles. The grade is intended for cultivation on a flower bed or the volume container;
“Monarch” – an annual plant with straight, unbranched shoots 40 – 70 cm high.
In their upper part, in the first days of May, inflorescences in the form of a panicle begin to open. The flowers are composed of irregularly shaped petals. Their color can be white or crimson;
Mixture F1– this varietal mixture includes annual plants 50-70 cm high.
Inflorescences – panicles are formed in the upper parts of the stems. They include flowers with a diameter of 2 cm, pale pink, lilac, purple. Flowering occurs in early June, lasts until the end of September.
Reproduction
Gardeners use one method to obtain schisanthus – growing from seeds that are planted for seedlings in the second half of March or early autumn. When sown in spring, the plant will bloom in mid-summer, and when sown in autumn, flowering can be observed at the end of May.
To plant seeds for seedlings, prepare small containers, fill them with a loose nutrient substrate. A mixture of peat and sand, which are taken in equal parts, or a composition of humus and sand in a ratio of 2: 1, is suitable for this. Soak the seeds before sowing for a couple of hours in water at room temperature so that they swell. Plant to a depth of 2 – 3 cm, then sprinkle the crops with earth or sand. Moisten the substrate from a spray bottle with warm water. Cover the container with a thick film, put it in a room with a temperature of 15 – 17 degrees. At higher temperatures, the seedlings will stretch. It is important that the sprouts receive enough light, so the room should be well lit. Care should consist in daily airing the mini-greenhouse and moistening the soil as it dries.
Shoots of schisanthus will appear in 2 to 3 weeks. After they unfold the second sheet plate, a pick should be made into separate containers with the same composition of the substrate. The care of young plants will include maintaining the soil in a moderately moist state, airing the greenhouse up to 30 minutes a day. After 14 days, it is recommended to dive the grown seedlings again.
Landing Features
Before transplanting grown plants to a permanent place in the garden, it is recommended to harden them by exposing them daily to the street, gradually increasing the residence time. Start hardening should be from 15 – 20 minutes a day.
Landing on a permanent place is carried out in the second half of May, when warm days set in and low temperatures on the soil at night will be left behind. For schisanthus choose a sunny or semi-shaded place in the flower garden. Only by receiving enough light, the plant will form a large number of buds.
Schizanthus requires a loose, mineral-rich substrate with neutral acidity. To enrich the soil composition 1 – 2 days before planting, humus is introduced into the soil and the site is dug up. Pits for seedlings are made at a distance of 25 cm.
If seedlings are grown in the autumn, young plants should be removed for wintering in a cool, but not freezing place. It is important to provide seedlings for the cold season with short daylight hours with artificial lighting. Bushes should be lit for 12 – 14 hours a day, otherwise the stems will stretch.
In the spring, after the establishment of consistently warm weather, seedlings can be planted on the site, but taking into account the fact that return frosts should not return.
Care
It is not at all difficult to create suitable conditions for growing schisanthus, it is enough to provide the plant with abundant watering, fertilize and perform other work described below.
Watering. When caring for a spectacular flower, watering should be carried out regularly, maintaining high soil moisture. But it is important to avoid stagnant moisture, which can cause root rot. On hot days, you need to irrigate the bushes at least 2 times a day. When the soil dries out, the schisanthus will quickly lose its decorative effect. Moisture-loving culture is best watered in the evening after the heat subsides. This will stimulate shoots to form new buds, which means it will provoke abundant flowering. When watering, you need to ensure that water does not get on the leaves and buds, as this will lead to burns and the formation of spots on the bush. Water for irrigation should be warm and settled. Suitable water accumulated from precipitation.
Topdressing. Fertilizer is applied throughout the summer season, using mineral complexes for flowering ornamental crops. Feed 2-3 times a month every 10 days.
Other care. Like other flowering plants in the garden, the schizantus needs weeding and loosening the soil. Weed grass that is not removed in a timely manner will take away valuable substances from the bush, and dense, not loosened earth will not pass air well to the roots. All this will adversely affect the well-being and appearance of the flower.
For branching and splendor of the bush, you should regularly pinch the tops of the shoots. This procedure will also contribute to the active formation of buds. Tall bushes require a garter to a support that will protect the shoots from damage. Under the weight of flowers and foliage, or with gusts of wind, they can bend to the ground or break.
How the work of caring for a schizanthus flower after planting in open ground is carried out is shown in the selection of photos below, which will help even a beginner to understand the nuances of breeding this culture:
Application in ornamental gardening
This luxurious exotic-looking flower is very popular in landscape design. Schizanthus looks spectacular in tapeworms, but it is more expedient to plant it in group plantings. So you can create colorful original compositions and prevent the thin stems of this crop from lodging.
Plantings with schisanthus make it possible to advantageously fill voids in personal plots, decorate flower beds beautifully, and add color to rock gardens and rockeries. The best neighbors will be large daisies, phloxes, lilies, gypsophila. With the help of low-growing varieties, curbs are made out. Many varieties and varieties are used for growing in containers and flowerpots. One or more plants can be placed in one pot.