Sanvitalia – creeping herbaceous plant, strewn with sunny flowers reminiscent of miniature sunflowers. Its homeland is Central America, but it takes root well in our temperate climate.
Description
Among the wide variety of sanvitalia varieties, there are annual and perennial specimens. The plant has highly branched shoots that spread along the ground. It reaches only 15-25 cm in height, but the width of the bush will easily exceed 45 cm. Lateral processes are actively formed from leaf rosettes independently without pinching.
The leaf blades are smooth and dark. The leaf shape is ovoid or elongated elliptical with a pointed end and smooth edges. The average leaf size is 6 cm. The color of the greenery and shoots is uniform, dark green.
During the flowering period (from July to October), the entire crown of sanvitalia is abundantly covered with single flowers in the shape of baskets. The color of the petals ranges from whitish and light yellow to rich terracotta. There are varieties with simple flowers (where the petals are arranged in one row) and complex (multi-row) inflorescences. The heartwood can be bright orange or dark brown. The flower is small, 15-25 mm in diameter. After sowing on a young plant, the first buds appear after 2-2.5 months. Flowering is continuous, new buds immediately appear in place of faded ones.
Varieties of sanvitalia
Although Sanvitalia is quite diverse in the wild, less than two dozen varieties are used in culture. The most notable among them are:
- Prostrate. At low altitude side shoots spread to 45-55 cm. The plant is densely covered orange flowers with brown eyes.
- Orange Sprite. Stands out with semi-double orange flower heads and a darker shade of greenery.
- A million suns. Low plant covered yellow flowers in the form of daisies. The heartwood is lush and black. Suitable for growing in hanging pots, from which it hangs in twisted shoots.
- Aztek Gold. The flowers of this variety have a yellow center and petals that cover the green crown with golden stars.
- Bright eyes. The variety was named for the expressive colors of the buds. The black eye of the core is framed by orange petals.
- Ampelnaya. It is distinguished by beautiful side shoots that look impressive in hanging flowerpots and balcony compositions.
- Honey saved. Creeping bushes have a large number of flowers that are constantly renewed. The plant forms a continuous cover on the lawn. The petals are honey-yellow and the centers are dark brown.
Reproduction
Sanvitalia reproduces by seeds. This heat-loving plant requires special temperature regime. Seeds are sown in early March in bowls and boxes. They are immediately placed in a greenhouse or other place where the temperature does not drop below 18-20 degrees Celsius.
For planting, choose loose, fertile garden soil, which is mixed with coarse sand. The sand is pre-washed. The seeds are deepened by 5-10 mm and sprinkled with earth. Upward watering is preferable, for which a high tray is built. To reduce evaporation, the surface is covered with polyethylene or glass until shoots form. IN favorable conditions they will appear together 10-12 days after planting.
The greenhouse is ventilated periodically. This helps remove excess moisture and hardening of seedlings. After two true leaves appear, the seedlings dive and are planted in open ground. To do this, choose sunny places in the garden with well-drained soil.
At the planting site, shallow holes are dug (up to 10 cm), brick chips, expanded clay or other small stones are poured into the bottom. They will provide air access to the roots. The fact is that the root system is very sensitive to dampness and rots easily. Leave a distance of about 25 cm between the bushes.
In the south of the country, you can sow the seeds directly in the garden in late May or early June. After the appearance of sprouts of 10 cm in height, areas that are too dense are thinned out.
Growing and caring for adult plants
In the garden, open sunny places with moderately fertile soil are suitable for sanitation. Be sure to ensure good drainage. It is important to carry out periodic weeding to aerate the roots and remove weeds.
Moderate watering is needed; in damp summers there is enough rain moisture for normal growth. Lack of water does not affect the abundance of flowers. The bushes are also wind-resistant, although strong gusts can disrupt their shape. To avoid this, frame supports are used.
The root system tolerates transplantation well, it can be done even if there are flowers. If the bush needs to be moved to a new place in the garden or a larger pot needs to be selected, this will not lead to a decrease in flowering or disease of the plant.
For good growth During the period of transplantation and bud formation, fertilizers must be applied. Usually liquid complex mineral supplements are used. Fertilize sanitation twice a month.
The plant is thermophilic and almost does not tolerate strong temperature changes. Can survive short-term frosts down to -3°C. To prolong the life of flowers, they are transplanted into flowerpots and brought indoors. The optimal temperature is not lower than +5°C.
Possible problems
This disease-resistant plant rarely causes trouble. Still, it is important to periodically inspect the shoots to prevent serious problems.
If the bases of the stems begin to darken, this indicates disturbances in the root system. Perhaps due to stagnation of moisture, rot appeared. You need to let the substrate dry and loosen the soil thoroughly. In too dense thickets, thinning is carried out. If no measures are taken, the plant may quickly die.
The appearance of light curled leaves indicates a lack of moisture. In very dry weather this is possible. It is enough to increase watering so that the sanitation comes back to life. Small flowerpots with drainage holes can be completely placed in a tub of water for 1-1.5 hours. After this, the containers are removed and the water is allowed to drain.
Usage
Sanvitalia will decorate open flower beds, balconies and verandas. When planted independently, it creates a shimmering effect. sun rays on the site or in a flowerpot. Can be used in compositions with other plants of contrasting flowering. Pairs well with sweet peas, nasturtiums, salvias, bloodroot, forget-me-nots and other annuals.
Last spring I purchased Sanvitalia seeds of the Honey Spas variety. I saw some cheerful bright eyes in the catalogue, and they also recommended the plant as an unpretentious hanging and ground cover plant. Indeed, it is very elegant and does not require any care.
How to plant in the ground
As little as possible, so as not to dive before planting in the ground, I sowed the seeds in April for seedlings. At the end of May, along the edge of the bed at a distance of 30-40 cm, I planted it in open ground.
Sanvitalia grew very quickly, turning into a spreading bush. I didn’t pinch the tops, it bushed well anyway. Soon buds appeared and it bloomed. Its flowers are open in any weather, last a very long time, and faded baskets are not at all visible behind the inflorescences that bloom again and again.
Even last year's rainy weather did not spoil the flower beds - the sanvitalia did not droop, did not fall apart and did not lose its vigorous appearance. And it bloomed constantly until the frosts.
What plants to choose as neighbors for Sanvitalia
True, now I understand that I didn’t choose her neighbors very well - dahlias. Sanvitalia caught up with them in height, and they somehow got lost, unable to withstand the competition. Now I know that it needs to be planted with flowers that are taller than 40 cm. I think it will look good in flowerpots, hanging flowerpots and balcony boxes.
So this flower turned out to be another pleasant discovery for me and, of course, will now take up residence in my garden for a long time.
Incredibly beautiful sanvitalia flowers, growing in the wild in Central America, today can be grown in our latitudes. This genus includes both annual and perennial species. The plant received its name in honor of the botanist Sanvitali, a native of Italy. The peculiarity of sanvitalia is that it does not grow in height, but spreads out in thick branches from the stem, covering the ground around itself at a great distance. Some types of sanvitalia form thick spherical cushions, others more closely resemble bushes that have grown in width. The leaves of Sanvitalia have a rich dark green color, are large in size, and their shape is ovoid. And at the very beginning of summer, the plant begins to bloom with small but very colorful flowers, which delight the eye until November. If autumn is late and the temperature does not drop below +5, then flowering will last. There are also varieties with large double fluffy flowers, painted white, bright yellow or orange.
Rules for growing seedlingsSanvitalia is grown by sowing seeds. Planting material characterized by high germination. Of course, if you purchased a quality product that was stored in proper conditions. Preparations for growing sanvitalia from seeds begin by preparing the soil. For the plant to feel comfortable, the substrate must be fertile, light, and loose. You can prepare it yourself by mixing three parts clay soil with one part coarse sand. The sand must be thoroughly rinsed before doing this. You can sow seeds either in a common container or in individual cups. Be sure to provide good drainage, as roots are prone to rot if there is excess moisture. After you have buried the seeds into the substrate to a depth of 0.5-1 centimeters, sprinkle them with soil and irrigate them with water using a sprayer. Then cover with film or glass. In a well-lit place at a temperature of 20 to 25 degrees, seedlings will appear in 13-15 days. Ventilate the greenhouse from time to time and water the seedlings every two days. When they get stronger and have a couple of leaves, they can be transplanted into open ground.
Choose a well-lit place for planting sanvitalia. Prepare holes no more than 10 centimeters deep, at the bottom of which place several pebbles or a handful of expanded clay. The fact is that access to oxygen to the roots of the plant will ensure its full growth and development. Then sprinkle the roots of the seedlings with soil and water generously.
Sanitary careAfter growing the seedlings and planting them on the site, caring for sanitation will not take a lot of time and effort. During the first two weeks after planting in open ground, seedlings should be watered moderately so that the roots can strengthen well. Then watering is gradually increased. Be guided by the soil around the plant. If it is wet, but not flooded, it means it is too early to water the sanitation plant. Twice a month, the bushes can be fertilized with liquid fertilizers, but even without them, sanvitalia feels good. But if you 
If you overdo it with watering, don’t worry. Even after this “flood”, the sanvitalia will go away after two or three days. And if you forgot to water a plant, don’t be surprised that its leaves change color and twist into tubes. Provide your sanity with moisture, and it will quickly return to normal.
Magnificent sanvitalia flowers look great in, on, along borders. If there are large stones on your site, then sanvitalia planted near them will quickly grow, beautifully entangling them with its creeping branches. If you wish, you can plant the plant in hanging planter, which can be used to decorate gazebos, balconies and verandas.
Wonderful ground cover plant Sanvitalia came to us from South America. Among her main advantages: unpretentiousness to growth conditions and long flowering from July to October. This culture is an annual, and therefore propagated exclusively by seeds, which you can collect yourself.
Sanvitalia, growing from seeds of which will interesting experience, suitable for garden alpine slides, shaded by snow-white edelweiss, and for balcony flowerpots. She loves a large number of sun and warmth. However, at the same time, sanvitalia can withstand slight frosts and is not afraid of wind and drafts.
Sanvitalia planting technology
To grow this crop in the garden, seedlings begin to be sown around the twentieth of April. Seeds do not need preparation and, since Sanvitalia easily tolerates transplantation, standard seedling containers with trays are used for sowing.
The soil For this flower there must be light and fertile neutral acidity. To ensure good drainage qualities, mixtures for indoor flowers or ordinary garden soil are mixed with river sand or perlite. A layer of sea pebbles must be placed at the bottom of the container to drain moisture.
Sowing carried out randomly, the seeds scatter on the surface of the moistened soil. Next, the crops are lightly pressed down with a thin bar to be buried in the soil and sent to germinate in a lighted place with minimum temperature the air is about eighteen degrees Celsius.
The seeds germinate within a week, but there is no need to cover them with film, like other plants, since sanvitalia is very sensitive to excess moisture. Even watering seedlings must be done through a tray.
When the shoots will just appear, on the surface they are sprinkled with a layer of dry soil, and the air temperature is reduced to sixteen degrees Celsius.
Daylight hours during this important period should be at least fourteen hours, and in cloudy weather, illumination with phytolamps is required.
At the stage of formation of the first true leaves, picking is performed. If there are many shoots, the weak ones are removed.
Sanvitalia is transferred to open ground on the twentieth of May. In general, you can plant earlier, but when the temperature drops below ten degrees Celsius, the seedlings will greatly slow down their growth.
Planted in a flowerbed with an interval of fifteen centimeters between plants. This flower goes well with other ground cover flowers.
After two weeks they complete feeding with universal liquid fertilizers and repeat it throughout the entire growing season twice a month. Weeding is carried out in the flowerbed until it grows completely.
Bloom Sanvitalia occurs ten weeks after germination.
Sanvitalia is a low-growing herbaceous annual or perennial with creeping, highly branched stems. Sanvitalia has opposite leaves that are ovoid or elongated. Sanvitalia has basket-shaped inflorescences with white, yellow, orange reed flowers and tubular black-violet flowers. The diameter is up to 2.5 centimeters.
Sanvitalia blooms from July to October. The plant forms wide bushes, flowering is very abundant. The fruit of the sanvitalia is an achene. The seeds ripen well and are collected.
Decorative properties of sanvitalia
Sanvitalia is grown to decorate flower beds, flower beds, hanging baskets, containers, and balconies. Sanvitalia looks very beautiful when decorating borders, when creating rock gardens or near large stones. The plant grows quite quickly and can take on different beautiful forms.
As for other plants that look beautiful together with sanvitalia, these include cineraria, bitter iberis,. In general, many flowering plants, having a contrasting color, will go well with sanvitalia.
In gardening, Sanvitalia prostrata is most often used. This annual plant with prostrate and widely growing thin and strong stems, which blooms profusely from July until frost. The inflorescences are numerous and very showy.
Sanvitalia is grown using seeds. The seeds are sown in March or April in a warm greenhouse, where the temperature will be maintained at approximately +18-20 degrees. The seeds are sown in a box with loose and fertile soil and lightly sprinkled with soil. It is best to water from below, making a special container under the box. When the seedlings become stronger, they can be transplanted into pots. An important procedure is hardening off the seedlings.
Seedlings are transplanted into open ground in May. By this point, the threat of possible frost should have passed. The distance between plants should be about 20 centimeters. Sanvitalia blooms two months after sowing the seeds.
You can sow sanvitalia in open ground both in May and June. After forming the bushes, it is important to thin them out and make them 20 cm apart from each other.
Main principles in sanitary care
- Location and soil
Sanvitalia prefers sunny open spaces with moderately fertile and well-drained soil. When planting a plant in a container, prepare a substrate consisting of clay soil and sand (ratio 3 to 1). The soil around the sanvitalia must be periodically weeded and loosened. It is also important to remove weeds on time.
- Moisture and watering
The plant is unpretentious to moisture; it blooms well in both dry and damp summers. Sanvitalia is resistant to wind and tolerates drought well. Therefore, there is no need for abundant watering. While the plant is young, watering should be quite economical. In the future it can be made a little more intense. But not watering the plant for too long is still dangerous.
- Fertilizers
Sanvitalia can be fed with liquid fertilizers. It is enough to do this procedure once every two weeks. Sanvitalia will especially need feeding after planting the plant in open ground and during the period of bud formation. A full range of mineral fertilizers is suitable.
- Temperature
Sanvitalia loves warmth. If the air temperature does not drop below +5 degrees, you can count on abundant and long flowering. Frosts for the plant are permissible only within -3 degrees. But if possible better plant transplant to a warm room.
- Transfer
This procedure does not harm the plant at all. It can be carried out even during the flowering period, especially if the root system is closed.
- Possible diseases
If the foliage begins to curl and change color, you can judge the lack of moisture. If this happens, then you need to water the flower abundantly. If Sanvitalia grows in a hanging pot, you can also place it in a bucket of water for an hour. Then take it out and let the water drain.
If the leg of the plant darkens, then this condition is detrimental to the flower. To prevent this problem, it is important to ensure good air circulation for the seedlings. Also, do not sow the seeds too thickly. As already mentioned, seedlings should be watered from below into a tray. You can place the box with seedlings on a tray filled with warm water for about 15 minutes.
As the experience of many gardeners shows, growing sanvitalia is not particularly difficult. Therefore, this beautiful plant can become worthy decoration your site, house or balcony. Such a bright and sunny plant will always lift your spirits, even if the weather is cloudy or rainy.
