Description of the ixia plant, advice on planting and caring for a personal plot, how to breed, fight against possible diseases and pests, interesting notes, species.
Ixia (Ixia) is a plant that is part of the herbaceous perennial genus, assigned to the Iridaceae family. According to various data provided by botanists, there are from 40 to 66 varieties in this genus. The native area of natural distribution is in the southern regions of the African continent, mainly in the Cape region. Today, the plant is deservedly popular with flower growers due to its variedly colored flowers and not too high pretentiousness.
| Family name | Iris |
| Life cycle | Perennial |
| Growth features | Grassy |
| Reproduction | Seeds or corms |
| Landing period in open ground | May (beginning or middle) |
| Disembarkation scheme | Leave at least 5-8 cm (for children) and 10-20 cm (for adult bulbs) between the corms |
| Substrate | Lightweight yet nutritious |
| Soil acidity, pH | 6, 5-7 (neutral) |
| Illumination | Sunny location |
| Moisture indicators | Regular but moderate watering is required, in the heat - spraying |
| Special Requirements | Certain growing conditions are needed |
| Plant height | 30 to 45 cm, occasionally reaching 0.7 m |
| Color of flowers | White, red, pink, green or yellow, can be bi-colored |
| Type of flowers, inflorescences | Spicate |
| Flowering time | May to June |
| Decorative time | Spring-summer |
| Place of application | Alpine slides and rockeries, garden containers and border landscaping, group flower beds, for bouquets |
| USDA zone | 4–9 |
The scientific name of this highly decorative plant is due to the Greek word "ixios", which translates as "bird glue". All due to the fact that the juice of ixia has a rather sticky consistency and the local population uses this tool for catching small birdies - hummingbirds. In the homeland of Ixia, birds fly to its plantings, attracted by a pleasant tart aroma.
All members of the genus Ixia have corms, which give rise to stems and foliage. The height of the stems mainly varies within the range of 30–45 cm, but some specimens reach a maximum of 70 cm. The stems themselves are rather thin, surrounded by elongated leaf plates. The shape of the leaves is belt-shaped or xiphoid. The color of the foliage is a rich green color. The leaves take their origin directly from the corm.
The greatest value of ixia is its flowers, which have an actinomorphic structure. In this case, at least a couple of planes can be drawn through the flower, dividing the corolla into equal parts. When fully opened, the flower resembles a beautiful star. By the way, it is worth noting that in the Iris family, such a flower shape is a rarity (you can take a look at the irises). The diameter of the flowers ranges from 2.5 cm to 5 cm. One flowering stem can bear up to a dozen open buds. The surface of the stem is sticky, the inflorescence on it has the shape of a spikelet.
The flower has three pairs of petals, with different colors. This includes a snow-white, yellow, red or pink hue, but at the same time, at the base, the petals take on a darker tone, including a dark red, brown color, sometimes thickening to almost black. This is what gives the formation in the flowers of Ixia of the center of the contrasting and dark "eye", which is so characteristic of them. There are varieties with a green color with a dark center.
These plants begin to bloom from May to early summer, while flowering lasts up to a month and is very abundant. Just like many "natives" from the Cape, Ixia have the ability to close their buds at night and cloudy days. During flowering, a rather specific, but not too strong aroma is heard over the plantings, which attracts pollinating insects (mainly bees) and hummingbirds.
The beauty of plants cannot leave indifferent flower growers. Despite the fact that they require some effort in leaving, popularity in our latitudes is growing relentlessly. They are grown not only in the garden, but also as an indoor culture.
Tips for planting and caring for Ixia outdoors
- Landing place. This "native" from the Cape province is quite photophilous, afraid of cold winds and drafts. If the flower bed is not sufficiently illuminated by the sun's rays, then ixia will quickly wither away, and there can be no talk of a beautiful flowering. It is recommended that the place be away from garden trees and tall shrubs, which can create an openwork shade with their crowns. It is better to find a new place for the bushes every year with the exception of stagnation of moisture in the soil.
- Soil for planting ixia. Despite its natural origin, this tropical plant prefers fertile and light substrates to allow water and moisture to freely reach their corms. At the place where the future planting of Ixia is planned, it is necessary to distribute a layer of humus (humus) or use rotted manure. 1 bucket of the drug is scattered on a square meter. It can also be mixed with fertilizers: 50–70 g of superphosphate, 20 g of magnesium and 200–300 g of wood ash. The acidity of the soil should be neutral, with a pH of 6, 5–7. If the soil is heavy on the site, it is recommended to sprinkle it on each square. meter to a bucket of river sand, which will increase water permeability. Some growers add bone meal or horn shavings to the substrate. Then the whole dredged mixture is carefully dug up and leveled.
- Ixia landing. Since the plant is afraid of frost, the "bird glue" bushes are planted in spring, when the threat of a decrease in heat has passed, and the soil warms up well. If you live in southern regions with a warm climate, then planting can be carried out both in the spring and before winter, but in the latter case, you will need shelter with dry foliage or straw. If the disembarkation is carried out before winter, then the best time will be November. In this case, the holes for winter planting are made to a depth of no more than 8-10 cm. Bulbs are placed in them, then they are watered and mulched on top. A layer of mulch can be sawdust, 6–8 cm thick. With the arrival of spring, this layer will need to be carefully raked off with a rake. In our latitudes, it is better not to risk ixia corms, since they will not survive the temperature drop to 1-2 degrees of frost, so planting is carried out only in the spring. At the same time, it is important not to be late, since if the average daily heat indicators become 7 degrees Celsius, then the sprouts will be weak. It is better to plant Ixia from the beginning of May, and to protect it from frost, cover it overnight with non-woven material, for example, spunbond. After planting, the same mulching of corms will be required, but the layer in this case should not exceed 2–3 cm. Watering is not carried out immediately, it is performed after 15–18 days from the moment of planting, so that the first shoots can appear. Use only warm water. The bulb is deepened by 3-5 cm. Between them they stand up to 8-12 cm when planting children, and for adult corms - up to 10-20 cm. However, basically these parameters directly depend on the type of ixia - the larger it is, the more space required for the future bush. Usually, in the same year, only large-sized corms will bloom, otherwise a couple of years should wait for flowering. Before planting, it is necessary to inspect the planting material. If the bulb has become soft and moldy places are visible on it, then it is not worth using it, since putrefactive processes have most likely begun in it. It is not recommended to make a layer of mulch more than 1–2 cm (unless it is a planting before winter), otherwise the corms may rot. Before planting, you need to lay drainage material in the holes, which will protect the roots from waterlogging and mold. Such material can be small expanded clay, crushed brick or crushed stone, pebbles.
- Watering. It will take the entire growing season to moisten Ixia only with warm water, especially when it comes to budding and flowering. If the weather is dry and hot for a long time, you can spray using a fine spray gun. It is better to time this operation in the morning or evening hours, so that the drops of moisture have time to dry out and do not harm the foliage. It is important that the soil does not dry out even for a day, otherwise the leaf plates will begin to wither quickly. Constantly waterlogged soil will lead to rotting of the bulbs, so it is important to find a "golden mean" when watering. To prevent this from happening, it is important not to forget about drainage when planting.
- Fertilizers for ixia should be used to improve flowering. It is recommended to use complex mineral products, for example "Kemiru-Universal" or "Agricola". It is better that the preparations are in liquid form, which will help dissolve them in the water for irrigation. You can alternate with organic.
- General advice for the care of ixia. If leaves or buds are noticed to be dry, it is recommended that they be removed immediately to provide more room for new ones. Signs of the beginning of rest can be considered a complete cessation of flowering and wilting of foliage. During this period, watering and feeding are stopped. With the arrival of autumn, if your region has a temperate climate, you need to dig up the corms.
- Storage of corms. With the arrival of October (and in some areas a little earlier), Ixia corms are removed from the soil, since they will not be able to survive a temperature drop of more than 1-2 degrees below zero. When the foliage is completely dry in the fall, the bulbs are dug out with a garden pitchfork, but the main thing here is accuracy so as not to injure the surface of the planting material. After that, the bulbs are left to dry in a place where constant air circulation is ensured. When the corms become dry, they are disinfected using potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate). The solution should be light pink, otherwise the bulbs may burn. Then again, drying is required, after which the corms are wrapped in dry newspapers or put in boxes with sawdust and stored in a dark and cool place. The best place would be a refrigerator (bottom shelf) or basement. The suitable storage temperature is 7-9 degrees with a humidity of 70-80%. Once every 14 days, it is recommended to inspect the corms in order to timely detect those affected by diseases or decay. Occasionally, flower growers, after removing Ixia bulbs, plant them in pots and grow them at home in the winter months, so that with the arrival of spring they can be moved to a flower bed. But with such care, during the winter months the plant will grow, but it will not have the strength for budding.
- The use of ixia. Since the flowers of this tropical plant are striking in their beauty, bouquets and phytocompositions are made from them. Cutting is best done before the buds open, then you can enjoy the flowers for 14-20 days. Often, Ixia plantings are used for landscaping ridges, borders and mixborders, you can form group beds from variously colored ixia. Bulbous flowering representatives can perfectly coexist nearby, the plant feels good in rockeries and rock gardens. Some gardeners even ennoble vegetable beds with such plantings. Freesia and gladioli are good "neighbors" for ixia, and such summer as lobelia, salvia and petunias are also good. If you want blue color spots next to the bright ixia flowers, then catnip, flax, low lobularia and fassena are planted there. Often, balconies and terraces are decorated with highly decorative bushes of this tropical plant if they are planted in garden containers.
How to propagate Ixia?
To get a new flowering tropical plant, it is recommended to sow seeds or plant corms or root shoots.
Seed reproduction
This method is the most difficult and only growers with extensive experience can cope with it. Seed material is purchased in a specialized store, since our seeds do not ripen. Peat-sandy soil is poured into the planting tank and thoroughly moistened with warm, settled water. You can also use the purchased soil "PETER PEAT", intended for germination (the package often says "For seedlings") from the HOBBY line. Since the seeds are very small, it is recommended to mix them with sand. Seeding is carried out at 0.5 cm in the soil mixture. From above, the container is covered with plastic wrap. The container with crops is placed in a well-lit place at a temperature of 20-24 degrees. It is important to remember that seedlings will need 15-16 hour daylight hours for successful germination. Therefore, it is recommended to use a phytolamp and place it no closer than half a meter above the crops.
When leaving, it is necessary to ventilate 4–5 times a day, removing the shelter for 20–30 minutes. If the soil begins to dry out, it is sprayed from a spray bottle with warm, settled water. After 2-3 weeks, the first shoots become noticeable and then the shelter can be removed. Once a week, after spraying, fertilizing is carried out using the humic preparation "Living Power: Healthy Seedlings" produced by PETER PEAT.
When the seedlings of Ixia reach a height of 3-4 cm, they will need to be dived into separate pots, it is better to use those made of peat. Each container holds 2-3 plants. After 3-4 months, you can get fully formed corms, which grow to large sizes, planning to plant them in open ground by spring. Such plants will please with flowering only for 2-3 years from the moment of sowing the seeds.
Reproduction with the help of children
With the growth of ixia during the growing season, some corms form small bulbs, called "babies". When the mother corms are removed from the soil in the spring, these babies can be separated, and the cuts can be treated with crushed charcoal or activated carbon. Then they are dried and placed in the cool, waiting for the spring disembarkation. With the arrival of spring, the children are planted, following the instructions in the "Planting Ixia" section. With this reproduction, it will be possible to enjoy flowering after a year.
Separation of root bulbs
They are engaged in the division of ixia corms and planting in the spring. When such a corm becomes very large, it can be divided and then planted. Since each of the bulbs has a number of root buds, the division is performed in such a way that each of the sections has a renewal bud and roots. It is not necessary to make the divisions very small, as they may not take root. Before planting, all decontamination sections are treated with activated charcoal or charcoal powder. The planting of the cut is carried out with the pointed part upwards, while the planting depth should be 5–8 cm. The Ixia cuttings take root completely in two weeks. During this time, it is recommended to water the plantings with water a couple of times, with the humic fertilizer "Living Power: Healthy Seedlings" from PETER PEAT dissolved in it.
Fight against possible diseases and pests of ixia
Florists can be pleased with the fact that this tropical plant behaves quite steadily in relation to harmful insects, and problems arise only if the cultivation techniques are violated. In the latter case, too moist soil causes harm, due to which mold formation of corms occurs. This applies to places where the soil is very heavy or clay is present. In this case, it is required to add river sand during the planting process, and put a drainage layer in the holes.
You can also highlight the following problems when caring for ixia:
- yellowing of foliage occurs due to an excess of light or the plant lacks nutrients;
- if the soil moisture is insufficient, then the leaf plates and stems become sluggish.
In rare cases, you can see small green bugs - which means that Ixia has become a victim of aphids. You need to immediately start the fight with insecticidal drugs, for example, Fitoverm or Aktara. Some flower growers recommend using the Nicotine Sulfate product at the rate of 1 g of the drug per 1 liter of soapy water. It is necessary to quickly solve the problem due to the fact that the sticky secretions of the pest can cause a sooty fungus. If necessary, re-processing is performed after 5-7 days.
Interesting notes about ixia
The plant has been cultivated everywhere since the beginning of the 18th century. Although its juice is poisonous, some varieties are used in medicine, for example, a variety of Chinese Ixia (Ixia sinensis), which is called Pardanthus chinensis or She-kan. Its height can be almost a meter, flowers with snow-white petals, fruits of black color. The rhizome of the plant is commonly used in Chinese medicine. By weight, this part of the plant is heavy, it is covered with small root processes, and when broken, the rhizome is chrome-yellow.
When fresh, it tastes pungent, so medications are considered poisonous. However, the rhizome of this type of ixia has a diuretic and expectorant property, it is also characterized by a carminative and anti-obstructive effect. Helps the separation of phlegm for colds and throat diseases. Chinese doctors prescribe drugs based on Ixia Chinese for delayed menstruation, malaria and breast cancer, such drugs will help with dropsy and wound with arrows with a poisonous tip, and for many other diseases.
Although the plant is thermophilic and in central Russia is not able to survive the winter, today there are many hybrid forms that can withstand such conditions.
Ixia species
Ixia Hymenokallis pleasant (Hymenocallis festalis),
which is often referred to as Ixia Hymenokallis early. This plant is unusually decorative, since the petals of snow-white flowers have an arched shape. Flowers gather in spike-shaped inflorescences, reaching a height of 0.7 m. During flowering, a tart fragrant aroma is clearly audible, attracting many butterflies pollinating the plant.
Green-flowered Ixia (Ixia viridiflora)
is attractive for many lovers of floral exoticism. When flowering in the inflorescence, flowers are connected, which have the shape of an open asterisk. The petals in the flowers are cast in a pale greenish color. Zev has a dark purple, almost black color scheme, against its background, the petals look defiantly defenseless. In early summer, this variety blooms. The inflorescence in the form of a spikelet reaches a height of almost half a meter.
Ixia hybrid (Ixia hybrida)
is a bred species that can withstand wintering in our conditions. These plants attract the eye with inflorescences of a wide variety of colors, which include shades of cream, yellow, whitish pink, pale purple and bluish white. The height of their stems varies within 35-50cm, and this indicator directly depends on the variety. The following varieties are considered to be the most popular among florists:
- Blue Bird or Blue Bird - the owner of flowers with blue petals and a decoration of white specks.
- Pink Emperor or Rose Emperor the flowers of this variety have a whitish shade with a subtle pinkish tint.
- Early surprise or Earley Surprise (Early Surprise) has flowers of a red tint with white.
- Giant or Giant) when blooming, large flowers with snow-white petals bloom.
You can also highlight highly decorative types:
- Ixia spotted (Ixia maculata) with wide-spread, spotted petals and a dark throat.
- Ixia orange - a dwarf species with a height of no more than 20 cm and bright orange petals with a dark red pharynx.
Video about growing ixia:
