Description of the mimulus plant, how to plant and grow a lipstick in garden conditions, breeding rules, pest and disease control, species and varieties.
Mimulus (Mimulus) is often found under the funny name Gubastik. This spectacular flora is part of the Phrymaceae family, which includes about 190 genera. The genus mimulus in itself combined herbaceous and semi-shrub plants growing all over the globe, where a temperate climate prevails, excluding only European territories. This includes the western regions of the North American continent, and some varieties can be found on the islands of New Zealand, the Australian continent, in the eastern regions of Asia and even in Chile. A little earlier, representatives of the genus were part of the Scrophulariaceae family. To date, scientists have described about 150-155 varieties of mimulus.
| Family name | Frim |
| Growing period | Perennial, but cultivated as an annual |
| Vegetation form | Herbaceous or semi-shrub |
| Breeding method | Seed in our strip, occasionally vegetative - by cuttings |
| Landing period in open ground | Seedlings are planted in mid-May |
| Landing rules | Seedlings are placed at a distance of 20-30 cm |
| Priming | Light, drained and nutritious, best humus loams |
| Soil acidity values, pH | 5-6 - slightly acidic |
| Lighting degree | Penumbra or brightly lit location |
| Humidity parameters | Regular and frequent watering to keep the soil slightly moist at all times |
| Special care rules | Drought tolerant |
| Height values | 0, 1–0, 7 m |
| Inflorescences or type of flowers | Loose racemose |
| Flower color | The most varied with a spotted pattern |
| Flowering period | April-July (twice per season) |
| Decorative time | Spring Summer |
| Application in landscape design | Flower beds or flower beds, as a container or ground cover crop, in rockeries and rock gardens |
| USDA zone | 3–7 |
The plant got its name in Latin thanks to the word "mime", which translates as "mime" (an artist who performs pantomime - performances without words) or simply "jester". All due to the fact that these representatives of the flora have a very variegated and changing, as well as bright color of flowers, similar to the faces of circus performers. However, there is another version, according to which the roots of the name "mimulus" go back to the Latin word "mimo", which means "monkey", because looking at an open flower, the imagination draws an elongated muzzle of a cunning animal. Moreover, in England the name of the flower is translated as "monkey flower". Well, a lipstick is also called because of the corolla, since its lower petal looks very much like a protruding lip of a person.
The height of the mimulus can vary in the range of 10–70 cm, but if it takes the form of a semi-shrub, then its height parameters reach a two-meter mark. Although the plant is a perennial crop, it is grown in our gardens as an annual. The stems of the "monkey flower" can both creep along the surface of the soil and be erect. They are characterized by branching, their surface can be bare or pubescent. On the shoots, leaf plates with broad-lanceolate or ovoid outlines unfold in opposite order. They are decorated with carved notches along the edge. The color of the foliage is a rich emerald color.
During flowering, rather spectacular flowers open, which provided food for the human imagination and were famous for the most varied colors, including a spotted pattern. It was the interesting color and changeable appearance that caused the funny names of the plant. The flowering process occurs from mid-spring to July, while, when the summer heat begins and drought, the lipstick goes into a state of dormancy and so experiences such an unfavorable period. When the heat indices decrease to moderate, then the mimulus come to life and bloom again.
From the buds of the lipstick, loose inflorescences are formed in the form of brushes. The corolla looks like a tube at the base, and then it divides into two lips. The one that is below, as if protruding forward (which served as the popular name for the plant) and is characterized by a division into three lobes. The upper lip is a pair of lobes. After the flowers are pollinated by insects, the fruit is formed, which, in the plant, has the appearance of a dicotyledonous box filled with seeds. The seed size is very small. So, to make it clear - one gram counts up to 30,000 seeds. Their color is brown.
With simple care, this representative of the flora can become the highlight of the garden, only it is important not to violate the following growing rules.
Planting and care rules, growing mimulus in the open field
- Landing place "Monkey flower" is recommended to be selected taking into account the natural preferences of the plant. So the best location would be a sunny and open place, or light partial shade.
- Soil for mimulus. A soil with a slightly acidic pH of 5-6 is the best choice. Loam or humus substrate with peat crumb is suitable.
- Planting mimulus. It is recommended to plant spastic seedlings in open ground in the middle or at the end of May (depending on the area and time when the return frosts recede), after it has undergone preliminary hardening. Before planting the soil on the site, it is recommended to dig up and level it. Seedlings growing in cups should be watered before planting. The hole is dug in such a way that the root system of the plants is easily located in it without destroying the earthen coma. It is recommended to maintain a distance of about 20–30 cm between the pits. When planting, the transshipment method is used, when the earthen clod of the Mimulus seedling is not destroyed in order to avoid trauma to the roots. If the area where it is planned to cultivate the lipstick is characterized by a warm climate, then you can get a plant by sowing seeds directly on a flower bed. At the same time, this operation can be carried out in the second half of April, but only if the average daily temperature is kept at the level of 15-18 degrees. Then the seed is spread over the leveled soil, no need to cover it up. Careful watering is performed and the top of the bed is covered with transparent polyethylene. Such a shelter is not removed until the friendly shoots are visible. After that, the film is removed and they wait for the seedlings to grow up and get stronger, then the seedlings are subjected to thinning. After the planting of the lipstick seedlings has been carried out, they wait until they adapt and take root thoroughly, then pinch their tops to stimulate branching.
- Watering. Since mimulus is moisture-loving, soil moistening is carried out often, especially on hot and dry summer days. The soil around the monkey flower bushes must be kept moist at all times. If tiny holes appear on the foliage, then it is recommended to reduce watering. After watering, the soil next to the plant is loosened, and the weeds must be removed.
- Fertilizers for lipstick are recommended once a month. Apply 15 ml of a complete complex mineral preparation, which is dissolved in a 10 l bucket of water. Nim can be such a remedy as Kemira-Universal or Fertika.
- Care features behind mimulus are that the plant has two waves of flowering - in spring and autumn. The first stage stretches over several weeks, and it stops completely in the summer heat. After its completion, it is recommended to cut off all the shoots of the bush almost at the root and apply fertilizer. After a short period of time, the "monkey flower" will delight the growth of young stems. When the temperature drops, the flowering will be much more lush. During flowering, it is necessary to remove all wilted flowers so that they do not spoil the appearance of the plant. After the flowering is over, the mimulus can be overwintered indoors, when, before the frost hits, its shoots are cut short, and the bush itself has undergone a transplant. Then the container where he was dropped off is moved into the room and placed on the windowsill, where good lighting will be provided. The soil can be taken the same as when growing in the garden, or mixed from leafy soil, peat crumbs, humus (in a ratio of 2: 1: 3) and a small amount of turf and river sand. The planting pot should not be large. After spring comes, you can transplant the "monkey flower" into the garden.
- The use of mimulus in landscape design. Since there are varieties and varieties of "monkey flower" with different heights of shoots, then their areas of use are quite diverse. So, species with a small stem height can be used as a ground cover or ampelous culture, planting in hanging baskets or garden containers. It is also possible to fill with such bushes the voids between stones in rockeries and stone gardens. Tall sponge plants will be good in mixborders and flower beds.
See also tips for planting and caring for a dahlia in the garden.
Lips breeding rules
Since this representative of the flora in our latitudes is grown as an annual, the seed propagation method is mainly used for it, but some growers also carry out vegetative propagation by cuttings.
Reproduction of mimulus by seeds
Usually, seedlings are grown from purchased or self-collected seed material. Sowing is carried out in seedling boxes filled with a substrate of peat and sand, mixed in equal proportions. Some gardeners use a versatile soil combined with perlite or coconut fiber, with a small amount of river sand added. In any case, the substrate should be light and have sufficient looseness. Sowing is carried out at the end of March or in the first week of April. Since the seed material is very small, it will not be possible to distribute it evenly over the surface of the soil, therefore, subsequently, you cannot do without a pick. After the seeds are laid on the soil (they should not be sealed), spraying is carried out from a finely dispersed spray bottle. The container with crops is covered with a plastic transparent film or a piece of glass is placed on top. This measure will maintain both high humidity levels and keep warm so that the seeds germinate faster. Temperature indicators during germination are maintained within 15-18 degrees. If everything is done correctly, then the first sprouts of the sponge can be seen 2-3 days after sowing. After a short time, you can see the amicable "raising" of seedlings. So that the stems do not begin to stretch too much, it is recommended to lower the temperature of the content to the limits of 10-12 degrees, but at the same time provide good lighting. The container with the seedlings is placed on the windowsill, but shaded from the midday rays of the sun so that the delicate leaves are not burnt. Water the seedlings of Mimulus every day, but in the afternoon. Spraying can be carried out with a spray bottle with fine-dispersed irrigation.
When the seedlings of the lipstick acquire two pairs of real leaves, then a dive operation can be carried out. In this case, 3-4 seedlings are transplanted into a separate pot with the same substrate. You can use cups made of pressed peat, which will subsequently facilitate planting in a flower bed, since seedlings are not pulled out of such containers and the root system is not injured. After a couple of days have passed and the plant has moved away from the transplant a little, potash fertilization is performed, but the concentration should be weak. The second time to fertilize the sponge seedlings should be after 7-10 days.
Seedlings continue to be kept until transplanted into open ground at high humidity and stable temperature indicators. When the middle or end of May comes, you can move the seedlings of the "monkey flower" to a prepared place in the garden. The flowering of plants obtained in this way will be lush and can stretch out until the onset of frost. However, before planting, it is recommended to harden the seedlings two weeks in advance. To do this, the plants are first exposed to the street for 15–20 minutes, gradually increasing the time by 15 minutes, until it reaches around the clock.
Reproduction of mimulus by cuttings
Rooting blanks should be cut in the summer, when the flowers are already withering. The length of the cutting should not be less than 10 cm. They are planted in containers with river sand and covered with a cut plastic bottle or plastic wrap. After three weeks from planting, the cuttings take root successfully. Since the spongy has the property of self-seeding and its properties can be lost, it is the vegetative propagation method that is recommended for the most valuable varieties. After the cuttings are rooted, they can be planted in pots until next spring.
Pest and disease control of the gnome plant
Despite the fact that the "monkey flower" is distinguished by enviable resistance to both harmful insects and diseases, but being in the seedling stage, it can suffer from waterlogging of the soil and low temperatures. Such conditions, in turn, can provoke such diseases as:
Powdery mildew
or, as it is also called - linen (ash). In this case, foliage and shoots can be covered with a bloom that looks like a whitish cobweb or lime mortar. If the treatment is not carried out in time, the plant wilts and dies.
Blackleg,
in which part of the shoots in the root zone becomes soft and acquires a black tint, the stems quickly break off and the plant dies.
In case of detection of signs of these fungal diseases, it is recommended to carry out immediate treatment with fungicidal preparations, such as Topaz or Fundazol.
If the weather is hot for a long time, then the lipstick may be amazed. gray rot of viral origin, which cannot be treated. This disease is characterized by the formation of a dry spot on the stems of a light brown color, and it is also visible due to a grayish, dust-like plaque, resembling a fluff. All affected plants are recommended to be dug up and burned so that the disease does not spread to other representatives of the garden.
If the soil moisture is too abundant and exceeding the norm, then Mimulus may suffer from the attacks of snails and slugs. Gastropods are taken to destroy all the foliage and therefore will have to protect the lipstick bushes. So some gardeners around the plantings of the "monkey flower" mulch the soil with sawdust, scatter crushed eggshells. But if these measures did not work, then you should resort to such means as metaldehydes, like Meta Groza.
It happens that such pests as whitefly or aphids can become interested in mimulus. In the first case, on the back of the leaves there are clearly visible whitish dots (insect eggs), over time they turn into a swarm of white small midges. At the same time, the foliage becomes sticky from the honeydew (waste product of the pest). Aphids also produce honeydew and suck out the nourishing juices of the plant. The foliage of the lipstick turns yellow and withers. The fall, in turn, can cause soot fungus disease. Insecticidal-acaricidal preparations, for example, Aktara, Aktellik or Fitoverm, will help in solving these troubles.
Read also about the fight against possible pests and diseases of the white flower
Description types and varieties of mimulus
Orange Mimulus (Mimulus aurantiacus)
resembles a native of the US lands in the west. Differs in thermophilicity. Shoots are stretched to a height of 1–1, 2 meters. Upright stems will have to provide support, otherwise they will bend to the surface of the ground and creep along it. Leaves are rich green, glossy surface.
The flower is tubular and has 5 petals in the corolla. Their shape is wide. Flowers are characterized by a diameter of 4 cm. The petals are painted in bright orange or salmon pink, or the colors range from whitish to blood red. In the foreground of the dark emerald foliage, the open flowers look quite impressive. The buds can open from May to mid-September.
Due to its spectacular appearance, the plant is suitable for cultivation in planters and garden pots. Overwintering can be carried out in cool rooms, after transplanting into pots.
Mimulus pomegranate (Mimulus puniceus)
more often called Pomegranate sponge … It is native to the southern lands of California and the regions bordering Mexico and the United States. Flowers have an iridescent color, which includes a wide variety of shades of red color, while the neck of the tubular corolla has an orange tone.
Mimulus yellow (Mimulus luteus)
also called A yellow lipstick. The plant was first introduced to the world at the beginning of the 19th century by a French priest, Father Feye. Already in 1736, the famous flora taxonomist Karl Linnaeus was engaged in its description. Although it has a long growing period, it is usually grown as an annual. Possesses erect shoots, characterized by abundant branching. The height of the stems can be measured at 0.6 m. Their surface is either bare or with pubescence. The foliage on the shoots takes on an ovoid or heart-shaped shape. The edge of the foliage is decorated with pointed teeth. Leaves can also be bare or pubescent.
When flowering, it flaunts with a bright canary color of flowers, from which inflorescences are formed, originating in the leaf axils or crowning the tops of branches. Although it is characterized by its spectacular appearance, and the beginning of cultivation falls on the distant year 1812, it is almost impossible to meet it in our gardens.
Mimulus speckled (Mimulus guttatus)
or as it is also called Speckled lip, was first described in 1808 by the naturalist from Russia GI Langsdorf (1774-1852). At first, plants of this variety were found especially in the western regions of the North American continent, but due to their high degree of adaptability, they were able to spread in the north and east. It is possible to meet similar plants in New Zealand and even in European temperate climates.
The height of the shoots is within 0, 1–0, 8 cm. The stems grow erect and are characterized by branching. The foliage is rounded or oval in shape, while the leaves can be either serrated or division into lobes. When blooming, they are dotted with flowers of disproportionate sizes (rather large) and a bright golden hue, while the mouth of the tubular corolla is decorated with mottling from red and dark red to brown. This pattern mainly extends to the lower lip. The variety has a highly decorative form Richard Bish, characterized by a variegated deciduous mass, where the leaf plate has a gray-green color and a whitish edging.
Mimulus red (Mimulus cardinalis),
which may be called Lipstick red or Lipstick purple … Also native to the North American continent. The growing period is perennial, the surface of the stems is pubescent, there is a branching from the very base. In our latitudes, it is customary to grow it as an annual crop. The height of the shoots, through which dense bushes are formed, will be more than 40-60 cm. The foliage on the stems is opposite, the edge is decorated with denticles. The outlines of the leaf plates are ovoid, the veins are clearly visible on the surface due to their convexity. The color of the leaves is dense green.
When blooming, flowers with a tubular corolla open, exuding a pleasant fragrant aroma. The rim has a two-lipped limb. The color of the petals is red-scarlet. Flowers take their origin in the leaf axils. This variety has been cultivated as a garden variety since 1835. The most popular varieties among florists are:
- Aurantiacus characterized by flowers with red-orange petals.
- Cardinal when blooming, it opens flowers of large sizes, in which the corolla is scarlet-red with a pattern of yellow specks.
- Rose Queen or Rose Queen, characterized by large colors of a red tint in which a darker tone is visible speckling.
- Red Dragon or Red Dragon, from the name it is clear that the variety has flowers of a red hue.
Mimulus copper-red (Mimulus cupreus)
resembles from the territory of Chile. It is represented by a perennial, the height of the shoots of which is in the range of 12-15 cm. The stems are slightly raised above the ground surface. Their surface is bare. In the leaf axils, buds open to crown the shortened peduncles. The diameter of flowers is no more than 3 cm. From the very beginning of flowering, the color of the corolla can take on a copper-red or copper-orange color, which by the end of flowering is replaced by a golden yellow. Cultivation began in 1861. The following garden forms are available:
- Red Emperor or Red Imperial, when blooming, pleases the eye with a corolla painted in a fiery red tone.
- Andean Nymph or Andean Nymph … It is represented by a plant with cream-colored flowers, on which there are specks of a pale purple tone.
- Roter Kaiser when blooming, flowers with a red corolla color open.
Mimulus tiger (Mimulus x tigrinus)
may appear under the names Mimulus tigrinus or Mimulus leopard … Among florists there is a synonym for it - Hybrid lip (Mimulus x hybridus) or Mimulus large-flowered and Mimulus maximus … This name was given to an association that contains forms and varieties resulting from the crossing of speckled and yellow lipstick species. All bred plants have blooming blooms. The height of the stems of the bushes does not exceed 25 cm. The leaf plates are characterized by ovoid outlines and a serrated edge. At the ends of the shoots or from the leaf sinuses, inflorescences grow, taking the form of a brush. Flowers in them are variegated. Today, the variety is most in demand in culture. But, the most popular are the following:
- Fire King or Fire King, characterized by a red tint of flowers, with brown specks and a yellow throat.
- Sun or Shade or as it is also called Sun to full shade … The height of the bush is not more than 0.25 m, the color of the corolla of the flowers is very variegated.
- Viva whose shoots reach 25 cm in height. Flowers of yellow color bloom on the stems, the surface inside the corolla is decorated with a large dark red spot.
- Magic Spots or Magic Spots, characterized by the height of the stems, not exceeding the indicators of 15-20 cm. The flowers are painted in a white-cream tone, with the presence of spots of a red-crimson tone.
- Magic Mixed or Magic Mix, forms a bush that does not go beyond 25 cm. When blooming, flowers open with corollas of a monochromatic pastel tone or with the presence of two shades.
- Twinkle Mix or Twinkle mix He combined a variety series in which the plants do not exceed 20-30 cm in height. Flowers have a wide variety of colors from snow-white to deep red, while the color can be either spotted or monochromatic.
- Brass Monkeys or Brass Mankays, is a hybrid plant characterized by lodging shoots, which makes it possible to use it as an ampelous culture. The bloom is profuse, in which the buds open with corollas of bright orange color and a speckled pattern.
Video about growing mimulus in the garden:
