Plant type: herbaceous.
- Origin: South Africa.
- Care: Utsonia is easy to care for.
- Lighting: full sun.
- Watering: moderate. The soil should be watered when it is dry.
Description: A hardy perennial that grows up to 2m tall. The soil should be watered when it is dry. The soil should be watered when it is dry. The rhizome is a corm with a diameter of 30 to 40 mm with a gray-brown cover. The rhizome is a corm with a diameter of 30 to 40 mm with a gray-brown cover. Their width is 20-40 mm. The edges of the leaves are colorless and compacted. The flowering stem usually forms one or two bracts at the top, is branched and reaches up to 2 m in height. The flowers are clusters, with about 20 flowers appearing on the main one, and about 10 on the side ones. The flowers are clusters, with about 20 flowers appearing on the main one, and about 10 on the side ones. They have a great aroma. The tepals have a dark line in the middle and a white stripe at the base. Very rarely there are species in which the tepals are completely white. Utsonia flowers are zygomorphic, that is, there is only one plane of symmetry that divides the flower in half. The flowering period falls on late spring and early summer, as well as from October to December. Sometimes flowering continues until January. There are about 12 species in the genus. The shade of flowers varies considerably between species, and gardeners generally prefer crossed varieties.
Wild growing utsonia in nature in the photo
Soil type: Utsonia soil may not be rich in nutrients, and it is able to grow in poor soils.
Fertilizers: It is recommended to apply top dressing during planting, as well as during the flowering period. After the first flowers fade, you need to fertilize the utsonia once every 15-20 days with special top dressing for bulbous plants.
Reproduction: carried out by planting seeds or bulbs. If you grow utsonia from seeds, then it will most likely bloom only after three years. Seeds should be planted to a depth of 3 mm in autumn. Seedlings should be transplanted into the garden after the last frost in the spring.
If you are starting to grow the plant indoors, then you need to plant the seeds 1-2 months earlier. If you are starting to grow the plant indoors, then you need to plant the seeds 1-2 months earlier.
Planting: Choose a spot in the garden where the soil is well-drained. When preparing the beds, you can add organic fertilizers to the soil. Peat, tree bark or compost is best suited. Planting depth should be about 10 cm, and the distance between plants should be from 12 to 14 cm. After planting the bulbs, the soil must be watered abundantly. Roots and shoots will form in autumn. In winter, utsonia will grow noticeably, and flowers will appear in spring.
If you plant utsonia in containers, then they should be large enough. The soil in the container must be of good quality, the most important thing is drainage holes. The soil in the container must be of good quality, the most important thing is drainage holes.
Application: Gorgeous flowers are mainly used for cutting. It should be noted that cutting flowers does not have a negative effect on the plant.
Optional: Fresh utsonia bulbs should be purchased from September to mid-November. When flowering ends, the foliage does not need to be cut. At this time, the leaves accumulate nutrients for the next year. During this period, regular watering is required. At the end of summer, the leaves turn yellow, the plant begins a dormant period, and only then can they be cut.
Over time, flowering will become less spectacular. When you notice this, you should dig out the thickets and divide them into several small plants. The flower needs to be repotted immediately.