Characteristic differences, planting and caring for an acidander plant in open ground and in a pot, flower reproduction, combating possible pests and diseases, note for flower growers, species. Acidanthera is a member of the Iridaceae family, which is often called Iris. Plants of this genus in nature can be found in the southern regions of the African continent. There are many representatives in this genus, their number reaches 40 species, but only two varieties and their hybrid forms have found active use in floriculture. It prefers to grow in an open, sunny place, protected from gusts of wind.
| Family name | Iris or Iris |
| Life cycle | Perennial |
| Growth features | Herbaceous |
| Reproduction | Seed, planting babies or corms |
| Landing period in open ground | Seedlings or tubers (children) are planted in May-June |
| Disembarkation scheme | At a distance of 20-25 cm |
| Substrate | Drained, light, horticultural, fertile and slightly acidic |
| Illumination | Flower garden with bright lighting |
| Moisture indicators | Stagnation of moisture is harmful, watering is moderate, drainage must be used |
| Special Requirements | Unpretentious |
| Plant height | 1-2 m |
| Color of flowers | White, yellowish, pink, light purple |
| Type of flowers, inflorescences | Spicate |
| Flowering time | June July |
| Decorative time | Spring-summer |
| Place of application | Curbs, ridges, rock gardens or rockeries |
| USDA zone | 5–9 |
This flower has its name in Latin due to the combination of two Greek words "acidos" or "anthos", which translate as "sharp" and "flower". The reason for this was the outlines of the perianth lobes, the apex of which has a sharpening.
All acidants that grow naturally are perennials and have a herbaceous form. They are somewhat similar in appearance to gladioli, therefore, even among the people they are called "fragrant gladiolus". The roots that form in it are of the corm type. Such a formation has a rounded shape and a milky white color. In diameter, the corm measures 5 cm. Its surface is covered with a compacted light brown shell, resembling a mesh. Acidantera stems are 1–2 meters in height, grow erect and are practically devoid of leaf blades. The few leaves (usually a couple of them) have a linear or narrow-xiphoid shape, which is also similar to gladiolus. Their color is rich dark green, the length reaches 60 cm.
All the decorativeness of the plant is concentrated in its flowers, the diameter of which in full disclosure measures 5–9 cm. Their outlines are quite graceful, and there is also a delicate refined aroma that will resemble the flowering of daffodils. The corolla of the acidantera flower is distinguished by an elongated tube with a bend, reaching 12 cm and lobes of almost the same size, the apex of which is characterized by a pointed. There are three pairs of petals. A spike-shaped inflorescence is collected from the buds. Usually 3–6 flowers are connected in it. Their color can include snow-white, pink, yellowish or light crimson tint. But at the base, it becomes especially saturated, and dark crimson, dark purple almost to black prevail there. The outer part of the petal, on the contrary, is whitish.
At the same time, the acidantera opens 2-3 buds, which makes the flowering seem very abundant. The flowering process occurs in the second half of the summer period or the beginning of autumn, but if you plant the bulbs in early March, then you can admire the flowers a little earlier. Flowering stretches for almost a month. After flowering, fruits ripen, which have the shape of an elongated box.
In the open field, it is customary to grow acidander in rockeries or rock gardens, plant it in mixborders and rabatki, and also use it as group flower plantations. Often the plant is grown at home, planted in a pot. They are used for cutting, since flower stalks can stand in a vase for a long time without fading.
Acidantera: planting, growing and care in the open field and in a pot
- Landing place fragrant gladiolus should be well lit, but shaded from direct sunlight and protected from the wind. Since these herbaceous plants are thermophilic, they are usually grown in greenhouse conditions, but in the southern regions they can be planted directly in open ground. Otherwise, if the winters in your area are harsh, then you need to cultivate the acendantera in a pot or dig it out for the winters to preserve it indoors. When kept at home, a flower pot is placed on the east or west window, in the southern location it is shaded with tulles.
- Growing temperature. For a plant, heat indicators are suitable that do not drop below 18-20 degrees.
- Watering. For normal growth, fragrant gladiolus needs frequent moisture, but without waterlogging the soil. For this, a drainage layer is recommended during planting. As soon as the soil begins to dry out from above, you will need to water it. Watering is best done in the morning. After them, the soil is loosened and weeds are removed.
- How and when to plant acidander in open ground. Usually, the time for such an operation will be from May to June. The soil in the chosen place is loosened and fertilized, and then watered well. Plants are planted to a depth of about 10 cm, leaving up to 20–25 cm between them. But the guideline here will be the size of the bulb itself, and therefore this parameter must be adjusted. A drainage layer of crushed stone, broken brick or expanded clay is laid at the bottom of the hole.
- Planting acedantera in a pot. A container for a flower is selected with a diameter of 12-15 cm. The planting depth should not exceed 4-5 cm. 3-4 corms are placed in one pot to ensure lush flowering. A drainage layer is required.
- Soil for fragrant gladiolus. When grown outdoors, a light, well-drained formulation is recommended. You can use fertile garden soil with low or neutral acidity and add a little peat to it. In pot cultivation, the soil mixture is mixed from leafy earth, humus, turf soil and coarse sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 1. With this care, the flower will require annual transplants.
- Fertilizers. During the growing season, it is recommended to carry out weekly fertilizing with the use of a full mineral complex, for example, use Kemira, Pokon or Agricola.
- Wintering aceantera. It is clear that in the southern regions it is not necessary to disturb the plant for the winter period, but in areas with severe winters, this procedure is necessary. If there is no severe frost in your region, then the plantings of fragrant gladioli are simply covered with fallen leaves, spruce branches or straw. With such care, acidander flowers can spend up to five years in one place. Otherwise, the entire aerial part must be cut, and the corms must be dug out. They are left to dry at a temperature of 20-22 degrees. Then scales, the remnants of roots and leaves are separated from the dried corms. Then they are placed in paper bags, in which holes are made for ventilation. Store such material until spring in a dry and dark place.
- General advice on the care of the acidander. If the seed is not needed for reproduction, then it is better when the flower begins to dry out to cut the peduncle, as this will weaken the plant. Nutrients are needed for admission to unopened buds or accumulation in the corm.
Important
In order for the acidantera to please with early flowering, differ in power and health, then it will need to be grown up before planting in pots. Planting is carried out in March, and then in the days of May, the grown bulbs are moved into open ground.
Reproduction of acidants
When growing fragrant gladiolus in the open field, the seed method is used for reproduction, as well as the planting of children or corms (tubers).
The seed method is practically not used, since flowering will have to wait for grown plants for quite a long time. But if you want to experiment, then the seed material that was collected in the fall is sown in seedling boxes in winter (preferably in February), they will not need stratification. The substrate is calcined before sowing (you can warm it up in the oven) so that no pathogenic bacteria or parasites remain in it. The seeds are spread over the soil surface and sprinkled on top with a small layer of the same composition. Then you will need to thoroughly moisten the crops, and cover the container itself with a plastic transparent film (you can put a piece of glass on top). Caring for the crops of the aceantera will consist of regular airing and moistening when the topsoil dries out. A fine spray can be used here. The temperature at which germination will be carried out is 20-24 degrees.
The development of seedlings is quite rapid (14–20 days) and by the summer the seedlings will be ready for transplanting into open ground. Since the fragrant gladiolus is extremely negatively experiencing transplants and damage to the bulbs, at this time a dive is carried out, for which peat pots (tablets) are used, so that, without removing the plant from them, plant them in the holes in the flower bed. Such seedlings will bloom only after 1-2 years from the moment of their sowing.
However, some growers plant seedlings in small pots with peat-sandy soil mixture and continue to grow young fragrant gladioli for another 2-3 years, until their corms become large enough to allow flowering. As soon as this period comes, then next spring you can plant the seedlings of the acidantera in open ground without fear. But flowering can also be expected only in the 3rd year. Since the tubers need to gain strength, grow and accumulate juices to ensure the flowering process.
Reproduction with the help of children is the easiest and fastest. A plant always has a great variety of such daughter formations on tubers. They can be easily separated after the mother's bulb has been excavated and planted immediately in a prepared place. It is simple to take care of such seedlings: they water it, feed it on time, loosen the soil after watering and dig it up for storage for the winter. Flowering can come as early as August or early autumn.
If the children are very small in size, then they are grown on specially formed beds to the desired size according to the same rules.
Fight against possible pests and diseases acidants
The biggest problem when growing a plant in an open field is waterlogging, which can occur due to planting in too heavy a substrate or prolonged rainfall. In this case, it is unlikely that the acidantera corms can be saved, but you can try to save the children if the putrefactive process did not have time to affect them. At the same time, it is recommended to plant the bulbs only when there is confidence that the return frosts are already behind. The soil at the landing site should already be well warmed up, and the thermometer at night should not go beyond the lower limit of 5-8 degrees. If this rule is violated, then the plant will inevitably be destroyed.
As a preventive measure, it is recommended to treat the acidander bulbs with fungicidal preparations before planting. After that, they are thoroughly dried for several weeks and stored in a dry and dark place. Only by adhering to such rules can one expect that the plant will not get sick in the future. If the place is chosen incorrectly (cool and humid), then fragrant gladiolus can be affected by powdery mildew, leaf rust or root rot.
Of the pests that annoy this flower when grown in the open field, slugs and snails are isolated, gnawing leaves and stems. Hand picking of these gastropods by hand or with a fan-like device is recommended. Also used drugs like "MetaGroza".
When the weather is dry for a long time, the fragrant gladioltsus becomes a victim of spider mites, thrips or aphids. To combat them, it is recommended to use insecticides (for example, Aktara or Aktellik).
To a florist on a note about acidander, photo
A variety of Muriel's acidantera can be found under the name Muriel's Gladiolus or Muriel's Skater. All because of its resemblance to gladioli, as well as its delicate aroma, the plant is called "fragrant gladiolus" This type of acidantera became available when a breeder from England Calvey offered to put the plant on sale in 1885, under the name Gladiolus murieli.
Types of acidants
Acidanthera bicolor (Acidanthera bicolor)
The variety is the most popular of all members of the genus. Ethiopia is considered the native land. This plant has been in cultivation since 1896. On the territory of Russia, you can find it in almost all areas, capturing even the taiga zone. A perennial plant with a corm with a diameter of about 2.5 cm. The height of the resulting stem can be 1–2 m. The length of the leaf plate is 40–50 cm. The shape of the leaf is xiphoid-linear, the color is dark green.
In the inflorescence, star-shaped flowers are connected, which have a snow-white or cream color scheme, but at the very base each of them has brown-reddish specks spreading from the center to the outside. In a spike-shaped inflorescence, there are 2-3 flowers. The length of the bracts is 7 cm, their color is dark emerald, the shape is lanceolate. Flowers begin to open in July. However, in floriculture, it is customary to grow multiple hybrid forms, which were bred by crossing this species of acidantera and gladiolus. The most famous is the form called "Gladantera".
Acidanthera tropical (Acidanthera alquinoctialis Baker)
The native range also falls on the Ethiopian lands. The height of erect stems is 1, 1–1, 3 m. The leaves have a multi-ribbed form. The inflorescence is versatile and includes 5-6 large flowers. The perianth segments in them are snow-white with spots of crimson or crimson color. The corolla tube measures 10–12 cm in length. The size of the corm is large. Igving Bailey (1884-1967) believed that this species is the taller form of the previous species. The best growth and flowering results can be obtained by growing the plant in a greenhouse environment.
Acidanthera white (Acidanthera Candida Rendle)
is a native of tropical Africa (eastern zones). The owner of a weak, straight and leafy stem. The color of the flowers is snow-white, which gave the specific name, completely devoid of spots. Flowers have a strong aroma.
Cape Acidanthera (Acidanthera capensis Benth.)
The inflorescence combines flowers with snow-white petals, decorated with reddish-lilac veins. This species was first discovered on the Cape Peninsula.
Acidanthera graminifolia Baker
In culture, the species is practically unknown, although quite interesting. Plants are compact in size and have thin, cereal-shaped leaf plates. Usually, a couple of flowers bloom in the inflorescence, the petals of which have a snow-white color scheme with a crimson or pale pink tint. They can be decorated with longitudinal stripes of bright crimson color. The corolla tube is weak, the flower looks drooping.
Video about acidander:
