Growing the flower "Night Beauty": planting seeds for seedlings, care. Night beauty or mirabilis

Mirabilis is one of those flowers, all the beauty and sophistication of which you understand far from immediately. His unusual lifestyle surprises not only novice flower lovers, but also experienced gardeners. After all, its delicate flowers do not enjoy the warm sun, but the cold moonlight. They bloom only closer to sunset, when the night luminary already appears in the summer sky. For this feature, Mirabilis is often called "night dawn" or "night beauty".

Another amazing feature of the sublunar beauty is a huge variety of colors of flowers. Her "gramophones" surprise with snow-white, pale pink, lilac and purple, carmine and golden hues. But the most interesting thing is that in some species and varieties, this entire palette can miraculously coexist together not only on one plant, but even on one flower. There are specimens with contrasting stripes, specks and spots. Sometimes only one calyx segment can be of a different shade.

A lush green bush, all strewn with bright flowers, with the onset of evening begins to emit a delicate tropical aroma that cannot leave nocturnal insects indifferent. At dusk, a real fluttering cloud of moths and night butterflies forms over Mirabilis.

This incredible plant comes from Mexico and the northern part of the South American continent, where its wild varieties can be found everywhere. In our latitudes, out of 50 cultivated varieties, the Mexican version of the night princess, mirabilis jalapa, has taken root best of all. Its interesting varieties begin to bloom already at the beginning of summer, delighting with their expressiveness and bright aroma until the first frost.

Selecting a landing site

Wild types of mirabilis, growing in places with a warm climate, are perennial plants. However, under our conditions harsh winters the root system of the night beauty does not withstand low temperatures, therefore V middle lane In Russia, this flower is grown as an annual plant.

The right choice of a place for planting a heat-loving guest will be the key to the good development of the plant, its abundant and long flowering. Considering the tropical nature of Mirabilis, choose a sunny and draft-protected place for it with fertile, water- and breathable soil. If a native of hot countries is calm about the lack of moisture, then its excess has a detrimental effect on the plant, so when preparing a flower bed, do not choose places with a low level of the earth or provide good drainage.

In addition, the increased acidity of the soil also negatively affects the vegetation of the plant. If your site has just such a soil, it is necessary to carry out its liming.

Landing of the night beauty

Mirabilis can be grown in several ways: from seeds, tubers or cuttings. The simplest and therefore the most common option is planting a plant with seeds. This is the most affordable option also because in our latitudes, under the condition of a sufficiently dry and warm summer, the seeds of the princess of the night ripen remarkably, retaining their germination for several years. In addition, they are quite large and have a hard shell, so landing them does not present any problems.

If you want to get flowers already in June, then you should grow mirabilis through seedlings.

For this, the seeds are already in the first decade of April should be planted in pots filled with a light substrate with neutral acidity.
To speed up the germination of seeds, pre-soak them for a period of 12 hours to a day in a damp cloth.
Plant the seeds in prepared pots with a substrate, deepening no more than 2 cm.
Cover containers with seeds with a film or glass to create the effect of a greenhouse, which will also speed up the germination process.
Place the pots in a warm (+ 22–25 ° C) place for germination. At this stage, lighting does not play a role. Shoots usually appear a couple of weeks after planting.
When the first seedlings appear, move the containers to a window sill with sufficient sun or another location with similar conditions. Optimum temperature for the development of seedlings is in the range from + 18 ° C to + 20 ° C.
Seedlings require moderate watering, which is done after the soil has dried on the surface. Excess moisture can kill plants.

When there is no opportunity to grow mirabilis seedlings, you can plant the seeds of the night beauty directly into the ground.

Landing dates should be chosen not before the end of April when the soil warms up properly.
Pre-soaked seeds are planted on a prepared flower bed at intervals of 5–7 cm, taking into account subsequent thinning. deepen planting material no more than 2 cm.
Landings are abundantly watered with warm water and covered with a film or nonwoven fabric before the appearance of the first shoots.
If the threat of night frost has already passed, the mini-greenhouse can be removed.

Mirabilis seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of May, after the weather becomes consistently warm. Don't forget that there is a place for tropical beauty should be chosen in the sunniest and warmest corner of your garden. Leave the interval between seedlings from 30 cm to half a meter, depending on the future size of the plant. Usually the height of the bush reaches from 80 cm to 1 meter, but in Lately received dwarf varieties up to 40 cm high.

How to take care of the princess of the night

Mirabilis at all unpretentious flower, and if the soil and the landing site are correctly selected for it, then it will not cause you additional trouble. Like most cultivated plants, the night beauty requires regular watering, fertilizing, weeding and loosening.

IN open field mirabilis loves abundant, but not frequent watering. Stagnation of moisture should not be allowed, watering the plant on average once a week, depending on the amount of precipitation. The princess perfectly tolerates nights and dry periods, but then flowering may slow down, and its intensity will be somewhat lower. To prevent this from happening, in the complete absence of rain, water the plant once every two days.
Mirabilis responds well to top dressing, which he needs at least three per season: at the beginning of the growing season (before the first buds appear), in the middle and at the end of summer. Use mineral complexes for top dressing, and note that the second and third time the fertilizer should not contain a lot of nitrogen, as it inhibits flowering and promotes the growth of green mass.
The essential advantage of mirabilis is that it is very resistant to various pests and diseases and therefore does not require additional measures for protection.
So that your night beauty pleases her blooming view, do not forget not only to water and feed the plant, but also regularly loosen the ground under the bushes and remove weeds.
With the onset of frost, you can dig up mirabilis tubers and put them away until the next season in a cool, dark place, placing them in a container filled with sawdust or newspapers. If winters are mild enough in your area, you can leave the tubers for the winter in the ground under a thick layer of mulch or covered with spruce branches.

Mirabilis in landscape design

Among the many varieties of night beauty, there are both tall (up to 1 m) and dwarf (up to 40 cm) varieties. Depending on these features, they choose the role that the princess of the night can play in your garden.

Mirabilis is still quite a rare guest on our summer cottages. It's beautifully blooming herbaceous plant The Niktaginov family, numbering almost 60 species, is often referred to as the "night beauty". Its large flowers bloom in the evening (after 4 p.m.) and remain open until dawn. On cloudy days, Mirabilis buds remain open even during the day. But for everything there is an exception and the will of nature, so sometimes even on a sunny day we see them open. This unpretentious plant for its exquisite beauty is popular with landscape designers, planting and caring for the "night beauty" is not at all difficult, everything necessary actions can be mastered even by a beginner.

Mirabilis is a perennial, like a plant, but, like them, it is cultivated in our country as an annual. In mid-latitudes, only one species of this family, Mirabilis Jalapa, feels good. Flowers have elongated lush bushes, the height of which ranges from 25 to 100 cm. Their roots are tuberous. The funnel-shaped flowers of the plant, having a diameter of 2-2.5 cm, are collected in corymbose inflorescences. In each of them grows 3-5 flowers. They differ in a variety of colors (from white to purple). Two-color varieties have also been bred. It is often observed that specific feature: buds of various colors can bloom on the bush. It is not uncommon for various stripes of various shades to appear on the petals of mirabilis. Such buds look very impressive against the background of green foliage.

How to arrange mirabilis on the site

Mirabilis look great in group plantings in the country. Their bushes look very impressive against the background of green lawns. The flower is used in discounts and mixborders. Tall bushes of these plants look very good as a hedge. Since mirabilis flowers exude a wonderful fragrance, they attract different insects those wishing to enjoy delicious nectar. The bushes of the plant are covered with buds from top to bottom. To replace the fading ones, more and more new ones are formed.

Mirabilis blooms from June to late autumn. Its seeds are right conditions storage do not lose their germination for 3 years. We usually plant plants with their help.

How to grow mirabilis

What place is needed for flowers

For this heat-loving plant, we select only illuminated areas. The soil must be well drained. Since it is drought tolerant, it is not suitable for wet soils. But, despite this, with prolonged drought, mirabilis can suspend its development and flowering. It tolerates even strong drafts well, since its strong stems are resistant even to sudden gusts of wind.

Restrictions on the choice of soil

Soils for "night beauties" we choose only deep, clay or loamy, well-calcified. Mirabilis does not tolerate acidic soils at all. It develops well only on neutral and alkaline soils. The most fertile soil for this flower on the site should consist of clay-soddy soil, peat, river sand, crushed brick chips and dolomite flour (2: 1,5: 1: 0,25: 0,25).

3 ways to plant Mirabilis

We plant this flower different ways: seeds, rhizomes, cuttings.

When and how to sow seeds for seedlings

We sow seeds for seedlings in late March-early April. We sow them in boxes, which we place in a heated greenhouse or greenhouse. At home, we grow mirabilis seedlings right on the windowsill. The optimum temperature at which the seeds germinate quickly is 18-20 degrees. The first shoots appear after 2 weeks. Seedlings of this plant develop quite quickly.

We sow the "night beauty" in open ground only in May, when the frosts stop and the soil warms up well. For earlier plantings (in April), we use covering materials ( polyethylene film). Before sowing, the largest seeds are placed for 6 hours in a moistened napkin. We do this to encourage them. After this procedure, Mirabilis seeds germinate faster. We close them in the ground no deeper than 2 cm.

Mandatory dive

With the seedling method of growing seedlings, one by one, we dive into pots or cups, the diameter of which is 6-9 cm. In June, strengthened young plants are planted on permanent place. In this case, the distance from one to another may be different. The interval is 25-30 cm for dwarf flowers (up to 30 cm) and 45-50 cm for tall, up to a meter, varieties.

Rhizomes, after winter storage

Mirabilis forms a rather large rhizome during the season. In our latitudes, the heat-loving "night beauty" is rarely cultivated as a perennial. In some cases, to preserve valuable plant specimens, propagation by dark-colored root tubers can be used. In the autumn we dig them up before the first frost, carefully clean them from the ground, dry them well and store them until spring in a dry, cool and dark place under a thick layer of wet sawdust or peat. The optimum temperature for storing fleshy nodules is 8-10 degrees. In the spring we plant them on pre-prepared beds.

Such difficult propagation of mirabilis by cuttings

It is also possible to propagate mirabilis vegetatively, namely by cuttings, but this method is more laborious and ineffective. To grow a new plant, cut semi-lignified cuttings. After that, a slightly dried-up cut is dipped in growth stimulator powder ("Kornevin"). We root the cuttings in a nutrient substrate. The optimum temperature for the development of roots is 20-22 degrees. Plants take root in 2-3 weeks. If the lower part of the container with rooted cuttings is constantly heated to 24-26 degrees, the roots will form much faster. Rooted cuttings are planted in pre-prepared soil. During the growing season, such a plant forms large nodules. Most often for breeding these beautiful flowers it is the seeds that are used in our conditions that have time to ripen in sufficient quantities.

During the formation of the flower garden, we use various varieties mirabilis. Look good in group planting undersized and tall specimens with various colors.

Mirabilis Care

Caring for these flowers consists in regular weeding and regular loosening of the soil. Mirabilis is very responsive to feeding. To enhance growth and increase the number of buds of the "night beauty" we carry out 2-3 top dressings complex fertilizers. They are practically not susceptible to any diseases and are very resistant to damage by common pests of flowering plants.

Beautiful flowers are loved by all people, but many are stopped by the need for complex plant care. In such cases, we recommend that you start growing mirabilis. These brightly scented, tropical flowers are hardy and don't require a Ph.D. in Horticulture.

Description of Mirabilis

Mirabilis - in Latin Mirabilis - is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Nyctaginaceae (Nightflowers). It includes 50 species, but only one of them is common in the Russian Federation - Yalapa, which is sometimes called a laxative.

Among gardeners, this plant is known as "Dawn" or " night beauty”, because it blooms in the evening and blooms until dawn.

Where does Mirabilis grow?

Mirabilis is native to South America. It grows in warm tropical countries, and therefore in our country it is more common in the southern regions. In warm regions mirabilis is known as perennial, and where it is much colder, it grows like an annual, as the roots freeze through in winter.

Mirabilis is often referred to as "the joy of the budding gardener" because it is so easy to plant and care for. Not only a personal acquaintance with the plant, but just photos - bright, juicy, colorful - make you want to grow such a miracle in your garden. Growing mirabilis from seeds does not require special equipment and complex skills, just follow the seedling care instructions and enjoy the delicious twilight aroma of the Night Beauty.

The buds bloom in the afternoon, wither after a few hours, but then others bloom to replace them - and this goes on all night. Sometimes mirabilis begins to bloom in bad weather, when the sky is covered with clouds. The season lasts from May until the first frost.

The appearance of the flower

Mirabilis jalapa is a herbaceous plant growing in strong compact bushes. In rare cases, they reach more than a meter in height, but usually do not exceed 80 centimeters. Roots swollen, tuberous. Mirabilis flowers look like patterned funnels or a gramophone trumpet. They amaze with a variety of shades: there are white, yellow, pink, red, orange, crimson-purple, lilac, purple.

Many photos of mirabilis show that the flowers are both plain and colored in two or more shades. An interesting feature: on one bush there can be flowers of various tones! Sometimes the petals are striped.

After the plant has faded, ribbed dark brown fruit-boxes appear, each of which contains one seed, which will certainly come in handy when growing mirabilis. Germination lasts up to three years. The seeds are large, oval, dark, the surface is wrinkled and hard.

How to grow a night beauty

Growing from seeds is one of the most reliable ways. In the southern region, plant seeds directly into the soil, but do not before the first numbers of May. Then the earth is already warm enough, and the seeds have a chance to take root. If you use a semi-warm greenhouse, then plant mirabilis in early April. Still, this way of landing is risky.

It is more efficient to plant seeds at home.

Planting seeds for seedlings

Take deep cups for seedlings, plant one or two seeds there. The sprouts will be large enough, and if you plant more, then the seedlings will have to be thinned out. In a few days, mirabilis will rise, and after about a month and a half (in June), plant it in open ground.

When planting in a permanent place of residence, observe the interval between sprouts. The gap is from 25 cm (for dwarf plants) up to 60 (for tall bushes).

It is not necessary to soak the seeds before planting, it is enough to moisten the substrate well. Keep in mind that soaked seeds will sprout much faster - in just 1-2 days.
Yulia Petrichenko, expert

For seedlings, a substrate is needed, consisting of the following parts:

turf;
peat;
river sand or fine gravel.

Take a little more sand than turf and peat. Some gardeners plant seeds in loam or clay soil with the addition of lime - the unpretentiousness of mirabilis allows for variations. Remember: the flower does not tolerate acidic soils!

Cups for growing Mirabilis should be deep, because the roots grow down, not in breadth. Before planting the seeds, add ashes to each of the holes - ash soils favorably affect the growth of the Night Beauty.

Other ways to propagate mirabilis

Mirabilis can also be propagated by budding, but this is more difficult than growing from seeds. To do this, separate the semi-lignified cutting from the plant and dry the place of the cut. Then place in a special growth stimulator to activate rooting, and plant in steamed nutrient soil. With careful care and regular watering room temperature the stalk will successfully take root, and in May you will plant it in open ground.

There is another way to propagate mirabilis - with the help of tubers. Most botanists and gardeners agree that this method is not optimal. Dig up the tubers and place them in sand or sawdust. Store at a temperature of approximately +3-5 until the next sowing season. However, practice shows that this method is unreliable, and most tubers die due to insufficient moisture and lack of nutrients.

Mirabilis Care

Mirabilis is an unpretentious flower and does not require constant monitoring and care, it easily tolerates drought.

Important growing principles:

mirabilis loves warmth;
organize good lighting, but protect the flower from direct sunlight;
treat him with top dressing several times a season (no more than 3-4 times);
fresh compost and manure are detrimental to the plant;
the soil should not be overdried (mirabilis will react to this by temporarily stopping blooming), but waterlogging should also not be allowed;
carefully pick off wilted buds.

Useful properties of the plant

Mirabilis in landscape design

Mirabilis is best known as ornamental plant. It is beautiful and fragrant, so gardeners are happy to use it to decorate home gardens. Some fans keep mirabilis at home, in spacious tubs filled with clay soil - this option is not suitable for everyone due to the strong and pungent smell of the plant.

Mirabilis is often used in landscape design. Dwarf bushes are planted in flowerbeds and in flower beds, and colorful hedges are formed from tall, almost meter bushes. The aroma of flowers always attracts large evening and night butterflies.

Application in medicine

In addition to decorative functions, mirabilis has useful properties. Its tubers are often used as a laxative, and the flowers as a food coloring. Some parts of the plant (such as leaves and stem elements) are believed to have anti-inflammatory effects. A decoction of the leaves is a good drawing agent for abscesses. Mirabilis leaf juice is known as a wound healing drug.

In some cases, mirabilis leaves can be eaten, but this is not recommended unless absolutely necessary.

Mirabilis flower, night beauty, royal beard - the names of the same garden flower. A real storehouse of beauty and unpretentiousness, even for beginner flower growers.

Growing a night beauty does not require special skills. It is unpretentious, takes root on any soil, hardy to climatic surprises. Yet pleasing to the eye bright inflorescences and beckons with the secret of its night flowering.

Mirabilis flower opens fragrant buds after 5 pm and keeps them all night long. This is where the name “beauty of the night” came from. The flower is always full of buds. Some bloom, others appear.

The night beauty is a bush that some flower growers grow as an annual, others as a perennial. Funnel-shaped flowers have five petals and reach a diameter of up to 2.5 cm. The color palette of Mirabilis varies from pure white to bright scarlet.

Flower care night beauty

The night beauty is distinguished by its unpretentiousness. To enjoy all summer abundant flowering plants, you must follow a number of rules:

Once in 3-4 days we water the flower in the evening.
Important! The flower cannot be filled. Otherwise, instead of bright flowers, you will end up with long, barren stems.
We fertilize only organic fertilizers. It can be mullein or bird droppings. We apply fertilizer strictly under the root.
After the first frost, the plant is pruned, leaving 10 cm above the ground.
When the cuttings of the cut flower dry up, you should dig the rhizomes, dry them and put them in wooden box, previously sprinkled with sawdust.
We store dug tubers in the basement or underground. The temperature should not be below +5 degrees.
Rhizomes should be refrigerated if they sprouted too early.

Video: Storage of mirabilis flower tubers

Rules for growing mirabilis from seeds

For successful cultivation flower growers recommend adhering to a few simple rules:

Sowing is carried out in late March - early April.
Before sowing the seeds in the soil, it is necessary to soak them in warm water within 24 hours.
For sowing, you can take a universal soil.
Immerse the seeds 0.5 cm deep, pour with warm water and cover with glass or film.
Seedlings should be in a warm place, perhaps even near a central heating battery.
After 2 weeks, when the first sprouts appear, it is necessary to remove the film or glass and place the container with seedlings on a bright windowsill.
Picking in individual cups is possible after the appearance of the first true leaves.
In the open ground, the night beauty is planted when the frosts are behind. Best time for a transplant - a rainy day. So small mirabilis will quickly take root in the soil.

Video: Planting mirabilis from seeds

Other ways to plant a mirabilis flower

Mirabilis can be grown by purchasing ready-made tubers in the store. Until planting, they are stored in the refrigerator, and they are planted in open ground in mid-April, when the earth warms up by 15 cm.

Having planted tubers in open ground, they are covered with cut plastic bottles. In case of sudden night frosts.

Remove shelter when frost passes. If the plant is weak, then you can pinch it.

Decorating your front garden with mirabilis flowers is a matter of minimal effort. Having provided the night beauty with proper care, you will inhale the delicate aroma of lush flowers all summer long.

Description of mirabilis

Despite the opinion of many domestic gardeners about the Russian origin of Mirabilis, in fact, it was brought from hot Latin American countries. In literal translation from Latin, the name of this shrub means "extraordinary". Now more than 60 varieties are known. Growing from seeds in our country is only one of them. We are talking about a species such as Yalapa. Due to the fact that from late evening to early morning, people call it "night beauty", as well as "dawn". Our plant is an annual, while under more favorable climate it has been cultivated for many years.

Planting and growing

In the month of April, the sowing of seedlings of Mirabilis flowers begins. Growing from seeds in this way is considered the most reliable. In about two to three weeks, the first shoots of the plant will appear from under the ground. After the threat of spring frosts has passed, the seedlings can be safely transferred to a permanent place in the garden. For a plant such as mirabilis, planting is done at a distance of about 40 cm from neighboring seedlings. These flowers are very fond of warmth and light, and therefore their location should be appropriate. After the leaves begin to open, it is recommended to pinch the bushes, which will allow them to grow in width, and not in height, and will contribute to the appearance of more flowers. As for the soil, clay and loamy soils, which contain lime, are most suitable for the plant. At the same time, it will not grow in damp or acidic soil conditions. Growing from seeds is not the only way to propagate. Some gardeners use tubers for this, despite the fact that it is very laborious and not very effective. Among the advantages of growing, one should also note the drought resistance of the plant, which does not need constant watering. In care, it can be called very unpretentious.

Mirabilis bloom

These shrubs grow very densely and luxuriantly, reaching a height of one meter. The flowers of a plant such as mirabilis, the cultivation of seeds from which we practice more and more every year, have a purple, red, pink, yellow or white color. "Dawn" blooms luxuriantly until the onset of frost in autumn. The main feature of these bushes is that flowers bloom on each of them at the same time. different shades. Moreover, there are times when multi-colored stripes appear on the petals. The seeds are oval in shape and are under a hard shell that must be removed in order to provide more high level germination. Mirabilis, the cultivation of which is no longer a curiosity in Russia, will be a real discovery, especially for beginner gardeners, because it is able to decorate any flower bed or flower garden with itself, while not requiring much trouble when planting and caring for it. Despite the lack of exotic and spectacular flowers of this plant appearance, their pleasant aroma is hardly comparable to any other. And this is especially felt in the evening.