Fragrant gladiolus atsidantera: descriptions and varieties, planting and care rules

Atsidantera is a true child of the distant African continent. It is refined, thermophilic and mysterious. Her appearance evokes vague memories from books read about great travelers. "Sharp flower" - this is how the inhabitants of Africa called the plant. Among Russian gardeners there was a lot of controversy about how the flower is correctly called. Fragrant gladiolus or acidantera, does it matter? The adorable plant is growing in popularity.

Description of acidantera

Exotic plant attracts attention with tall peduncles. Their height reaches from 1 to 1.9 m.The flowers of the acidantera are collected in groups and look like a flock of carefree butterflies. The size of the flowers does not exceed 10 cm. The slenderness of the plant is emphasized by a pair of pointed leaves. Their length is 50-65 cm. Fragrant gladiolus has an unpretentious character.

Types of variety

Science knows many varieties of acidantera. Some of them are popular with flower lovers.

Atsidantera called Tropical. Tall fragrant gladiolus. Plant height reaches 1.1-1.3 m. 5-6 white flowers are formed on a high stem. Each petal is decorated with a crimson speck.
Grass-leaved acidantera. The most graceful representative of the fragrant gladiolus tribe. Narrow leaves are in harmony with the shape of the flowers. The drooping flower heads are characterized by narrow petals and pink coloration. The petals are marked with a purple stripe.
White. The most fragrant guest in the garden. The plant boasts white flowers and strong, slender stems.
Atsidantera called Cape. White petals, streaked with red, are the hallmark of the variety.

Propagation of fragrant gladiolus

You can propagate a fragrant plant using seeds, daughter bulbs or babies. Using seeds is the least convenient way to propagate. In this case, flowering will have to wait a long time. Seeds can be collected from faded plants or purchased at the store. In February, you can start sowing. To do this, the box is filled with a substrate made from peat and sand.

Seeds are spread over the surface of the soil and sprinkled with soil. Moisten the soil with a spray bottle and cover the crops with a plastic bag. After the procedure, you need to put the container with future plants in a warm place.

The first sprouts will hatch in 15-20 days. Seedlings that have grown stronger are planted in separate pots.Plants can be planted in open ground only after 2-3 years. Acidanters are planted in the spring right in the open ground. The planting depth for a miniature bulb is 5-9 cm. In the future, caring for plantings and adult plants is no different. Young plants bloom in 2-3 years. The daughter bulbs of the acidantera are propagated in the traditional way. With the advent of spring, planting material is planted in a flower bed.

Planting a flower

The procedure for planting a plant is not fraught with any difficulties.

When to plant?

Atsidantera is planted in the second half of May. The main thing is that the threat of spring frosts has passed. Bulbs are planted in sun-warmed soil.

Selection and site preparation

Fragrant gladiolus feel great in sunny, wind-protected areas and tolerate partial shade well. It is better to plant plants in light, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. The earth needs to be carefully dug up and fertilized.

Planting technique

Before planting, corms are soaked in a solution of fungicide or potassium permanganate. Holes are dug in the prepared soil with a depth of 12-15 cm. A little river sand is poured into the bottom of the landing hole, and then the bulb is placed. Fall asleep planting with fertile soil and moisturize.

The distance between large tubers is 17-20 cm. A gap of 10-12 cm is left between medium-sized tubers. Skillful gardeners recommend germinating the seed before planting. This trick will help bring the flowering period closer. The process starts in March. To do this, the bulbs are planted in a pot and germinated in a bright and warm place. In May, acidanters are planted in open ground.

Rules for plant care

Unpretentious accidantes are content with little, but they still have some requirements.

Regular watering

Like most tropical plants, the fragrant gladiolus needs abundant watering. In hot weather, you need to carefully monitor the condition of the soil at the roots of plants. Lack of moisture can lead to shrinkage of tubers. For good he alth acidanters need 2 to 4 buckets a week. Flowering plants are watered less often. This trick will help correct the color of the flowers. Graceful acidants will acquire a rich shade. In order for moisture to evaporate less, it is advisable to mulch the plantings.

Loosening and weeding

After each watering procedure, the flower bed is weeded and loosened. You need to cultivate the soil carefully, trying to affect only the top layer of soil.

Fertilization

Feed acidanters every 2 weeks. Complex mineral fertilizer is applied to the soil. Top dressing is applied to moist soil.

When purchasing fertilizer, you need to pay attention to the composition of the top dressing. For example, a high concentration of ammonia in the product can lead to vigorous growth of leaves and peduncles, while the size of the buds remains small.

Wintering

African beauties are not adapted to severe frosts, so in the fall the bulbs are dug up and put away for storage until spring. Plants prepare for wintering gradually. Faded specimens are cut off, preventing the formed seeds from ripening. The bottom pair of leaves is left so that the bulbs can stock up on nutrients.

Disease and pest control

"Sharp Flower" can be attacked by thrips and aphids. It will be possible to get rid of trouble with the help of insecticides. There are many products on sale, for example, Actellik or Decis.

In rainy weather, the plant is annoyed by slugs.You need to fight enemies in the old proven way, collecting pests manually. Acidantera often suffers from powdery mildew. You can cope with the problem with the help of a fungicide. For this purpose, it is convenient to use the drug Forecast.

Cleaning and storage

As soon as there is a threat of frost, the tubers are removed from the soil and dried thoroughly for 3-4 weeks. Dry, clean bulbs are wrapped in newspaper and put away for storage. Planting material can be stored in a pot or in a peat bag. The main thing is that the room was warm and dry. Bulbs do not tolerate high humidity and low air temperature. In this case, the planting material may rot. The optimum temperature for storing corms is 21-25 degrees.

Application in landscape design

Acidanters look harmoniously off the coast of artificial reservoirs and are able to decorate the front area at the entrance to the house.Fragrant gladioli are organically combined with undersized plants on the rocky ledges of the alpine hill. Flowers are easy to grow in containers. Fragrant mobile flower beds can be moved to different parts of the garden.