Osteospermum is a herbaceous plant with large flowers. Its homeland is the Cape Valley on the African continent, so plants are often called "Cape Daisy" or "African Chamomile." The flower belongs to the Astrov family and dissolves beautiful pink-lilac baskets with a blue-black or purple center. Due to the long and plentiful flowering, osteospermum is a welcome guest not only in the garden, but also on the windowsill. It is a great decoration for the room and can serve as a charming gift instead of the usual bouquet.
Botanical Description
Osteospermum is a herbaceous perennial that is grown in culture as a one- or two-year-old plant. Its shoots branch strongly from the base and form a spherical bush or grow vertically. Part of the lateral processes slopes to the ground. The height of the vegetation can reach 1-1.5 m, but varieties with a height of 30-50 cm are more popular in the culture.
Cylindrical, slightly pubescent stems are covered with petiole leaves. Dense dark green leaves have an oval or ovoid shape. Their edges are unevenly covered with teeth and grooves. On the leaves are aromatic glands that exude a specific tart smell.
The flowering period begins in June and lasts until late autumn. Large inflorescences-baskets bloom in the upper part of the stem on bare peduncles. Their diameter is 3-8 cm. Flowering of one basket lasts no more than 5 days. After withering, new buds appear. In the center of the inflorescence are sterile tubular flowers, painted in dark blue or purple tones. Rare reddish-orange dots are visible on top of the core. Reed flowers grow on the outer edge. Their petals are pink, lilac, yellow, red or orange, plain or with tints, flat or twisted into a narrow tube.
Unlike other members of the family, osteospermum sets the seeds in the extreme, reed flowers. After pollination by insects, large dark achenes mature. If moisture gets on the flowers, they quickly fade. Therefore, to protect from rain and dew, the petals are closed at night and in cloudy weather. The buds are opened with the first rays of the sun.
Garden varieties
In total, there are 70 species of plants in the osteosperm genus, but only units are used in the culture that became the founders of many decorative varieties.
Osteospermum of eclon. The most popular variety with strong branched stems forms dense thickets of 50-100 cm in height. The shoots are densely covered with obovate jagged foliage. Plants do not tolerate the cold too well, so in a temperate climate are considered annuals.
Osteospermum pleasant. Heat-loving and very decorative variety, which is covered with flowers almost all year. The purple-pink large inflorescences consist of several rows of flat petals and a dark blue-violet core. It was on the basis of this species that several varieties appeared whose petals change color.
Osteospermum hybrid. This group brings together many interspecific hybrids that are most interesting for gardeners. They are resistant to weather conditions, the unusual structure of inflorescences and the ability of the petals to change color. The most interesting varieties:
- The sky and ice are simple baskets with snow-white linear petals and a bright blue core.
- Congo - pink-purple petals.
- Pemba - purple-pink petals in the center are twisted into a tube and resemble small spoons.
- Osteospermum cool - annuals resistant to heat and frost form bushes up to 50 cm high. They are abundantly covered with large (6-8 cm) daisies.
- Peshne - dissolves a large number of simple baskets of pink or purple color with a diameter of up to 5 cm. This is a very compact variety, which is suitable for growing in pots.
- Aquila is a cold-resistant variety with beautiful dark purple inflorescences that exude an intense pleasant aroma.
- Symphony cream - on the surface of lemon yellow flat petals is a narrow purple strip.
- Sparkler - a bush with a height of 25-30 cm is covered with unusual flowers. The surface of the petals is white, and the underside is painted blue. On the leaf blades there are golden cream stripes.
Breeding methods
Most often, osteospermum is propagated by seed. Near the flowerbed, if you do not remove the inflorescences in a timely manner, abundant self-seeding will certainly appear. You can sow the seeds yourself immediately in open ground at the end of May. However, flowering will come only by August. To see the first flowers in June, seedlings are grown. During seed propagation, the decorative characters of varieties (coloration and terry) are not preserved.
In early March, seeds are sown in peat pots or tablets in groups of 2-3 pcs. They are buried by 5-10 mm. The soil is moistened and covered with a film. They are kept in a room with a temperature of + 18 ... + 20 ° C. Shoots will appear in a week. In a cooler place, some of the seeds may not sprout. With the appearance of a pair of real leaves in seedlings, it is daily transferred for several hours to a cool place for hardening. The temperature is lowered gradually, by the time of planting in open ground, it should be + 12 ° C.
To preserve rare varieties, they are propagated by cuttings. Use the upper part of the process 7-9 cm long with 3-4 leaves. Cuttings can be cut throughout the year. The lower leaves are removed and put the twigs in a glass of water. Contain them at a temperature of about + 20 ° C. With the advent of the roots, osteosperm cuttings are planted in small pots with a mixture of sand, deciduous humus and greenhouse soil. Watering is carried out sparingly. On warm days, plants are exposed outside. An open-air transplant is planned for next spring.
Landing and care
Osteospermum is considered a very easy-to-care plant. It should be planted in open, well-lit places, since in the shade flowering will be less plentiful and buds will often close. The soil can have any density, but best of all, flowers grow on loose nutrient soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. To determine the density of planting, take into account the height of the variety. On average, the distance between the bushes is maintained at about 30-50 cm. Pinch the top of a young plant for better branching.
Osteospermum can withstand temperatures down to -5 ° C and extreme heat. The first wave of flowering occurs in June. On hot July days, a short rest period sets in. In mid-August, when the heat subsides, flowering begins with renewed vigor.
Water the osteospermum sparingly. The plant tolerates light drought well, but can reduce the number and size of flowers. It is important to ensure that water does not stagnate in the soil, otherwise root rot will develop.
Since the beginning of May, osteospermum has been fertilized twice a month. Organic and mineral complexes for flowering plants alternate. Young plants may suffer from weed dominance. Soil near the flower garden should be regularly weeded. The stems of tall varieties are tied so that the bush does not fall apart from gusts of wind or heavy rain. Wilted inflorescences are removed in a timely manner, then new buds will soon appear in their place.
If in winter the air temperature does not drop below -10 ° C, the osteospermum will survive until spring, preserving foliage and shoots. In colder regions, in order to preserve flowers, plants are dug up and transplanted into pots for the winter. Osteospermum tolerates transplantation and is quickly restored. In winter, plants are kept at a temperature of + 5 ... + 10 ° C and good lighting. Watering is significantly reduced. In the spring, the bush is again planted in the garden or taken out to the veranda right in the flowerpot.
With proper care and moderate watering, the osteospermum does not suffer from diseases and parasites, so you do not have to take care of prevention and treatment.
The use of osteosperm
Beautiful bushes, densely covered with colorful daisies, are actively used in landscape design. They are good in group plantings in the middle of the lawn, along the curb, in a discount or in a mixed flower garden. Osteospermum creates bright accents and pleases with beautiful and fragrant flowers for a long time. Low-growing or creeping varieties are suitable for creating a continuous carpet or ampelous growing. Dwarf varieties grow well in flowerpots and flowerpots, which are placed on the verandas, balconies and indoors.
