Description of the brodieya plant, tips for planting and caring for the garden plot and in the rooms, methods and recommendations for reproduction, possible diseases and pests of the flower, note for flower growers, types. Brodiaea belongs to the Liliaceae family, which today is called Asparagaceae. Scientists have assigned up to 30 different species to this genus, although in some sources there is a figure of only 10 units. This disagreement is due to the fact that some botanists include in the genus varieties that, by their common characteristics (and this is the presence of a bulb, not a corm, the possession of anthers and three pairs of stamens) also find commonality with Brodieia. All species are found along the Pacific coast of North America, from British Columbia throughout California to the Baja California Peninsula. They are especially common in Northern California. That is, a subtropical or warm-temperate climate is suitable for a plant.
| Family name | Asparagus |
| Life cycle | Perennial |
| Growth features | Herbaceous |
| Reproduction | Seed and vegetative (division of an overgrown tuberous nest) |
| Landing period in open ground | Rooted cuttings, planted in May |
| Disembarkation scheme | Planting depth 8 cm, between plants 10 cm |
| Substrate | Fertile, with sand and peat |
| Illumination | Sunny location or partial shade |
| Moisture indicators | Moderate |
| Special Requirements | Unpretentious |
| Plant height | 0.45–0.5 m |
| Color of flowers | Blue to purple, yellow, snow white, light blue or pinkish lilac |
| Type of flowers, inflorescences | Umbrella or panicle |
| Flowering time | May-July |
| Decorative time | Spring-summer |
| Place of application | Rock garden, flower beds, lawns, in bouquets |
| USDA zone | 5–9 |
The plant got its scientific name thanks to the name of the botanist from Scotland James Brodie (1744-1824). This scientist specialized in cryptographic flora, that is, those representatives that reproduce by spores: algae, ferns and mosses. Brodiaea is often sold in flower shops as Triteleia or Dichelostemma. Since the local population used juicy tubers for food, in their native territories they called it "Indian potato".
Brodieya is a herbaceous perennial plant. Her bulbs (although some sources indicate that these are corms) are almost spherical in shape, their entire surface is covered with fibers. A stem that extends from the bulb is straight, the leaf plates have linear narrowed outlines. Plant height varies from 45 cm to half a meter. Leaves grow 1–2 units.
In the middle of the leaves, a flowering stem with a bare surface is extended, which is crowned with an umbrella or panicle inflorescence. By the beginning of flowering, the foliage dies off almost completely. When flowering, Tritelia has buds with a funnel-shaped perianth, which has an incision up to almost half of its length, or even more. They form a tube with free lobes. Perianth lobes are distinguished by a larger or smaller bend back. The color of the lobes varies from blue to purple, but there are species with a yellow, pinkish-lilac, snow-white or blue color scheme.
In the corolla, three sterile stamens (staminodes) are formed, they are attached to the pharynx of the perianth and resemble small petals, each of which is located opposite one of the outer lobes. Three normal stamens also have a joint at the base of the lobes and are located opposite the inner parts of the perianth. The apex of staminodes is pointed or notched. Sometimes they don't exist at all. The anthers are attached to the filaments at their bases. The ovary is formed sessile or practically sessile. The length of the flower is 4 cm. The ripening seeds are black in color with angular outlines. The flowering process occurs from late spring to July.
It is best to use Indian potatoes to decorate flower beds, rock gardens or lawns. Inflorescences can stand perfectly in bouquets. Growing as a pot culture is possible.
Brodieya: tips for grooming, outdoor and indoor planting
- Location. Since in nature the plant prefers light and open areas, then in the garden it is necessary to choose a flower bed located in an eastern, western or southern location. Most of all, Indian potatoes do not tolerate drafts, so you will need to provide a sheltered place with shrubs or walls. For indoor growing, it is better to place the pot on the sill of the east or west window. In the southern location, shading is needed, since direct sunlight can provoke foliage burns.
- Watering. Brodieya prefers well-moistened soil, but at the same time, if the soil is flooded, corm rot is possible. Abundant watering is necessary throughout the growing season, but when the foliage begins to dry out, they are reduced to complete cessation.
- Fertilizers. When planting tritelia plants in open ground, it is recommended to use organic preparations, since they are better for growth. You can use compost or humus. Such dressings must be mixed into the soil during planting and then mulch the substrate around the brodieya. If the cultivation is carried out in indoor conditions, they are fed with both organic matter and complex mineral fertilizers for bulbous plants. For example, the "Stimul" agent is suitable, which is applied once every 2 weeks throughout the entire growing season.
- Planting and soil selection. When caring for a brodieya plant, any light and loose substrate will do. It can be leafy soil (or garden), mixed with river sand and peat, taken in equal quantities. In heavy soil, growth practically stops. Tritelia is planted in September or mid-spring. When planting corms, dig a hole 15 cm deep and 30 cm in diameter. 7-10 bulbs are placed in the hole. At the bottom, a drainage layer is needed, which can be coarse-grained sand. The corms are placed with their tops upward so that the depth of the touchdown is 5–8 cm. Sprinkle them on top with a prepared substrate, lightly press down and watered.
- Wintering. Since the plant is not too frost-resistant, and the region in which the tritelia is grown is distinguished by long and frosty winters, it is better to dig out the corms with the arrival of autumn, clean them of soil residues, dry them and store them in boxes with dry sand. The temperature at which the corms should be stored should not exceed 3–8 degrees Celsius. Moreover, if you carry out the spring planting of bulbous material, then flowering is possible only at the end of summer. Since the plant has a negative attitude towards transplanting, it is possible to immediately grow tritel in pots and, with the arrival of autumn, bring the containers into a cool room. But many growers simply mulch abundantly and cover the plantings of Indian potatoes with dry foliage or peat.
- General advice on care. So that the bulbs do not weaken, the inflorescences that are peppers are removed.
Ways and recommendations for breeding brodie
To get a new Indian potato plant, it is necessary to sow the harvested seeds or divide the overgrown bulbous nest of the mother bush.
To plant brodieya bulbs, the time will come at the beginning of autumn (when the mother plant will bloom) or with the arrival of April. It is recommended to inspect the bulbs and select only those whose surface is not damaged, and they themselves are elastic to the touch. If the planting takes place in the fall, then this is done to distill young plants and then it is necessary to plant the triteli in pots or seedling boxes. The best substrate is one with a high content of coarse sand and compost. The planting depth of corms is 8 cm, while trying not to place them too close, the distance between the plants is kept 10-12 cm. After planting, the soil is carefully moistened. For the winter, it is recommended to cover planted plants in open ground with mulching material (a large layer of soil, fallen dry leaves or sawdust) and spunbond.
For seed propagation, seeds of a black color with an elongated shape are selected. Sowing seeds of brodieya is carried out in April. In this case, the material is placed in garden containers filled with peat-sandy soil (a mixture of vermiculite and sand can be used). Growing temperature should be at least 15 degrees. Then the containers with crops are placed in a warm and bright place, but shaded from direct sunlight. The watering necessary for the seedlings is kept moderate, they make sure that the soil does not dry out, but it is not too waterlogged. It is even better if bottom watering is carried out, since young foliage reacts very sensitively to waterlogging. Planting tritelia seedlings in a permanent place in the open field is carried out in the fall (if the climate in which the Indian potatoes will be grown is warm) or in the spring. With the arrival of September, you can transplant young brodiei into pots and grow them like that until spring. When transplanting, it is recommended to keep an earthen lump in the corms. Flowering can be admired with this method of reproduction only in the second year from the moment of planting the seeds.
Possible diseases and pests of brodieya
When planted in the open field, Tritelia may suffer during a too humid summer from damage to the bulb by gray rot or fungal diseases. If such problems are identified, it is recommended to carry out treatment before planting the bulbs with fungicides (colloidal sulfur or Bordeaux liquid). Also, spraying with such means is carried out during cultivation for the purpose of prophylaxis.
Of the pests that annoy the fermenting plant, spider mites, thrips and nematodes are isolated. In the first and second cases, it is recommended to carry out treatment with insecticidal agents with a wide spectrum of action, for example, Aktara, Aktellik or Fitoverm. Today, there are a large variety of such drugs in specialized stores. If there is no opportunity to purchase such chemical agents, then you can use folk remedies - tincture of tobacco, onion peel or garlic gruel.
It is difficult to fight nematodes and not all drugs can help, but in order to prevent this pest from starting on the site, plants are planted on it that produce substances intolerable by nematodes. These flowers are marigolds, calendula, nasturtium or mustard.
To a flower grower on a note about tritelia
Brodiei corms are so versatile that they were used for food not only in boiled, baked form, but also raw, they have excellent taste. It is curious that the flowers can also be eaten and the local population of the North American coast adds them to various salads.
Types and varieties of brodiei
Brodiaea laxa is also referred to as Triteleia laxa. The native area of natural distribution falls on the lands of California, decorating the hills and valleys. The plant has a corm that gives rise to leaves and flower-bearing stems. The height of the plant can approach 70 cm. The leaf plates are long, narrowed, the color is rich green. By the time flowering begins, they completely die off.
The buds of this variety begin to open between May and June. The flower shape is stellate, tubular or bell-shaped. They form a loose panicle inflorescence. The color of the perianth lobes is lilac, violet, blue-violet or snow-white. Transplanting this plant is very difficult.
The most popular varieties are:
- Queen Fabiola with a stem of about 40 cm, multiple blue or blue-violet flowers with bell-shaped outlines are collected in a panicle inflorescence. The flowering process occurs in June-July.
- Koningin Fabiola (Koningin Fabiola) can reach the height of the stems up to half a meter. The flowers have a purple tint.
Brodiaea grandiflora or Triteleia grandiflora. Differs in decorative blue flowers, large in size with star-shaped outlines. There are its varietal variations with purple-pink flowers, snow-white, golden yellow. It happens that the perianth has a two-color color or even double forms.
Brodiaea coronaria is also referred to as Brodiaea coronaria. It has a bulbous rhizome and begins to bloom in July. The variety is distinguished by the greatest demands on humidity. During the period of activation of vegetative processes, abundant soil moisture is required. It prefers to grow on any substrate, but only so that it has drainability, nutritional value and is not too light. Bulbs and flowers are used for food. The height of the peduncle can reach 25 cm, it is crowned with an umbrella multi-flowered inflorescence. Each flower has elongated pedicels.
Each flower is a tube several centimeters long, opening into a bell-shaped corolla of six bright purple lobes up to 3 cm long. In the center are three stamens and whitish sterile stamens known as staminodes.
Brodiaea elegant (Brodiaea elegans). The bulbous plant is native to the mountain ranges of California and Oregon, where it grows in wooded areas and grasslands. Perennial, which forms a strong stem inflorescence up to 50 cm high. The inflorescence is composed of bright flowers on pedicels up to 10 cm long. Each flower has six curved tepals up to 3 cm long in shades of bright purple. In the center of the flower are white or pale purple sterile stamens known as staminodes; they are flat with sharp or serrated tips and are half to one centimeter long. Next to them are fertile stamens topped with large anthers. In Northern California, the species is one of the later flowering wildflowers that bloom in May.
Brodiaea filifolia. It is endemic to southern California, mainly in the region around the junction of Orange, Riverside and San Diego. Prefers to settle on spring bows and pastures. The species is endangered and protected at the state level. A perennial plant with inflorescences from 20 to 30 cm high, containing bright purple flowers. Each flower has six spreading leaves 1 to 1.5 cm long with a center containing three stamens and narrow or small staminodes, which are flat sterile stamens lying opposite the leaves.
Brodiea californica (Brodiaea californica). Differs in resistance to dry conditions and can grow on dry and light soils, does not tolerate waterlogging.
Brodiaea of the Mayan mountains (Brodiaea ida-maia). The flowers have red petals with a green edge. Crowned perianth has a snow-white tone. From the flowers are collected inflorescences in the form of a heavy "bunch". The height of the thin flowering stem is 30-50 cm.
There is a garden form "Pink Diamond", which was bred on the basis of the Californian brodieia species and is distinguished by large flowers and a crimson-pink color of the perianth.
Video about brodie:
