Ixia bulbous flowers: photos and varieties

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Ixia bulbous flowers are native to South Africa. They have been known as a cultivated plant since 1770. The name of the plant comes from the word “ixios”, which means “bird glue” – a special compound used to catch birds. The juice of the flower is highly sticky. The smell is quite specific, but not too sharp. For most insects, including bees, the aroma of flowers is attractive. In nature, there are about 25 species. In floriculture, as a rule, hybrid varieties are grown.

Depending on the timing of planting, the plant blooms in June-August.

  • Name – Ixia (Ixia)
  • Family of iris (iris)
  • Life cycle – perennial
  • Type of underground part – corm
  • Cultural value – beautiful flowering

Garden flower ixia: description with photo

This charming tropical flower is a plant with xiphoid leaves arranged in 2 rows. Today there are a huge number of varieties with a wide variety of colors. Depending on the species, the flowers can be red, pink, white, bright yellow, green with a dark red or brown center.

Ixia in the photo

The shape of the flowers is stellate. The size in diameter is 2.5-5 cm. 10-12 of these flowers are collected in a thin spike-shaped inflorescence 30-45 cm high. Ixia blooms only in clear weather. It is closed on cloudy days and at night. A feature of this plant is its absolute symmetry, which is very rare among iris.

Unfortunately, ixia has a short flowering – no more than 3 weeks, after which the leaves begin to fade and the plant loses its decorative properties.

Ixia plant varieties

Most often, gardeners use a mixture of varieties. However, there are varieties that are strictly selected for color characteristics and features.

The most common varieties of hybrid ixia (ixia hybrid):

“Blue Bird” (Blue Bird) – delicate blue flowers with white patches

“Rose Emperor” – Ixia Rose Emperor is distinguished by a light, slightly noticeable pink color

“Early Surprise” – coloring red with white

“Giant” (Jaint) – graceful white flowers

“Marquette” – bright saturated yellow color

“Castor” – red ixia. A very well-known variety, famous for its chic bright flowers.

‘Vulcan’ – orange flowers with a reddish brown center

“Hogarth” (Horart) – cream color

“Hollands Glory” – yellow petals

“Uranus” – dark yellow color

“Yellow Emperor” – Ixia Yellow Emperor has a pale yellow, lemon color with a maroon center.

Green-flowered ixia (ixia viridiflora) is also common – the original green with dark purple colors, turning into black.

Ixia spotted (ixia maculala) is multi-colored with a dark center.

These are not all types of garden hybrids. After the plant has gained popularity, flower growers conduct constant experiments to create new colors and new, amazingly beautiful varieties appear on sale. You just have to look at the presented photos, Ixia flowers fascinate with their tropical beauty.

Location of the ixia plant

Ixia in the garden prefers the open sun. Grows best in windless places. Like all tropical plants, it loves warmth, sun and moisture. But if the summer turns out to be too dry and hot, then flowering can not wait.

However, the cold climate does not mean the impossibility of growing this South African plant. For these purposes, covered ground is used with sufficient good lighting and cool air.

In conditions of poor lighting and high temperatures, the plant will stretch and lose all its visual appeal.

The soil for ixia should be chosen loose. It is very good if the soil contains chopped moss, bone meal or horn shavings.

Planting an ixia bulb

Ixia is planted in two ways: in spring or before winter. In temperate climates, corms can be planted to a depth of 8 cm in November. A prerequisite is that the ixia bulbs do not germinate before winter. If there is a threat of freezing, then it is better to plant in the spring. The planting depth in this case will be 5 cm.

Since the plant is considered quite sensitive and does not even withstand temperatures of 0 ° C, it is better to plant corms in early May, covering with covering material. Delays in planting are also fraught with negative consequences: at temperatures above +7 ° C, the shoots grow weakly and for the most part dry out.

excavation

After flowering, the bulbs will remain in the ground until the end of July. Closer to August, they need to be dug up and stored in a cool, dry place until a new planting in the ground. Optimum humidity for storage is 70-80%, temperature 7-9 °C.

Reproduction of ixia

Ixia reproduces well by corms with young children. When propagated by children, flowering should be expected, as a rule, in the second year. When planting the bulb, it blooms in the first year and by the end of the growing season is overgrown with baby bulbs.

It is possible to germinate from seeds, but it is much more difficult. Some flower growers propagate by dividing the bulb. To do this, a large, healthy corm is cut into 2-3 parts. Each of these parts should have a root rudiment and a well-visible leaf bud. The cut must be processed with crushed charcoal or greenery. This material is ready for planting.

Ixia in the garden and garden

Some flower growers consider this flowering tropical plant quite whimsical and capricious, others do not see anything complicated in caring for it. In any case, the beauty and uniqueness of this “tropica” deserve to be planted on your site. And if climatic conditions allow you to grow a flower as a perennial, then care is practically reduced to a minimum. Ixia in all its manifestations and colors goes well with other bulbs, looks great on an alpine hill, an ordinary flower bed, in a flowerpot, rocky rockery. A flower bed with ground covers looks very impressive, among which a group of various ixia flaunts. Ixia “mix” is the best option for this. Today, it is easy to find sets of colorful mixtures on sale. Thus obtained, a bright multi-colored panel on a green background will not leave anyone indifferent. Let the short, but noticeable flowering be sure to bring variety to the garden during the summer period.

From this tropical plant you can make beautiful bouquets and amazing compositions. Just cut them off until the buds are incompletely opened. In this case, they will stand in water for 2-3 weeks.

Ixia hybrid with a wide variety of colors and shades is most often used in mixed plantings: flower beds, mixborders, discounts. When planting a flower in a flower bed, it is better to place it along the edge, forming a kind of flower border. The plant gets along well with other bulbous crops. It is successfully used in rock gardens and as a container culture. Recently, the flower has been widely used for highly decorative cutting. Hybrid varieties are especially popular with flower growers and simple flower lovers. Whether they are yellow, orange, red or pink flowers, each one has a dark contrast eye.

Exotic lovers will like the green-flowered ixia plant, so named because of the green-blue color with dark eyes.

Landscape designers advise planting this flower in large groups – it’s more spectacular. With the help of ixias, vegetable beds are even ennobled. Graceful flowers look great among greens and vegetables. And since they are not winter-hardy, then harvesting, you can simultaneously prepare the corms for wintering. Freesias and gladioli are also good neighbors for the Tropican. Blooming inflorescences will enliven any flower bed. At the same time, they are perfectly combined with annual plants, such as: petunia, salvia, lobelia. All of them are available in numerous colors. Therefore, it is very easy to create a beautiful composition by playing with color effects. Of the blue and white neighbors with ixia, fassen, flax, catnip and low lobularia look good. The effect of such a “neighborhood” will be doubly stronger if the listed plants are planted at the foot of the ixias.

But not only in flower beds you can grow these representatives of iris. And in tubs, and on the balcony.

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