Matrona's noctule (Hesperis matronalis, night violet, hesperis): growing from seeds, care, use in the garden, photo. Night beauty nocturnal: features of growing from seeds

Violet belongs to the genus flowering plants violets. Lives on many continents, in different natural areas, and each of the 500 species amazes the imagination and pleases the eye unusual beauty and tart aroma.

One of these species is matthiola rosea, night violet, which was used in ancient times to decorate houses on holidays. belongs to the genus Matthiola, and is sometimes referred to as gillyflower.

Gardeners grow night violet not because of special appearance or rare medicinal properties, and because its smell when flowering is so strong, the plant becomes desirable in every yard and flower bed.

Description of the appearance and features of the night violet

Flowers are not of great interest; they are small and inconspicuous in comparison with other ornamental plants. They look like a scattering of pink and lilac stars on tall thin stalks with bright, closely spaced green leaves.

Matthiola grows from 20 to 90 cm in height. The plant is annual. The fruit is an elongated pod with many small seeds. The main feature of violets is that they bloom at sunset.

As soon as the sun begins to set over the horizon, the buds night violet flower bloom, and a tart aroma spreads throughout the yard where the plants are planted. For such dignity, flower growers love matthiola so much and certainly plant it on their plots.

Buy night violet available for a small price in the form of seeds and seedlings. In addition, matthiol is used to complete the composition of a bouquet, giving it a special aroma.

Planting and propagation of violets

Particular difficulties in care, planting of night violet are not expected. The plant is not picky in the climate, it easily tolerates different weather conditions, but the land on which the seeds are planned to be planted should be fertilized, black soil should be added, sawdust, do not use oxidized soil.

Avoid areas previously planted. If a violet has to grow in such a neighborhood, it will easily pick up various diseases(fungus) and will die.

The planting soil is prepared in advance, preferably in the fall, by thoroughly loosening it and plowing it so that it is saturated with the necessary oxygen. Night violet seeds planted in a sunny area in two periods, taking a break for three weeks. Moderate shade is also suitable, but complete darkness should be avoided, as the plants will grow thin and weak without fragrant buds.

Landing is also possible. In this case, it is better to start in March, after adding a layer of wood and sand to the soil. The seeds are not watered until the first shoots sprout. Best Temperature for seedlings 10-12 0 C, and the room in which they are located should be sufficiently illuminated by sunlight.

If one of the conditions is violated, the sprouts do not sprout. After the shoots are ready, they are transferred into the ground like seeds. Already an adult matthiola, which has taken root in the ground, can survive severe frosts.

Best places For Growing matthiola pink night violet next to people, near benches and curbs, on balconies, so that a person can enjoy the smell without being overshadowed by other views.

In the future, when the plant produces seeds after flowering, you can collect them yourself for replanting. The seeds are hidden in pods and should be collected exclusively in the autumn.

Night violet care

Although violets are easy to care for compared to others, in order for the plant to actively grow and bloom, it is better to provide the necessary comfortable conditions.

It is worth maintaining sufficient soil moisture, watering as needed, and not planting the plant in dark places. But it is dangerous to overdo it with the volume of water, flooding the roots; it is possible that they will rot.

It is necessary to weed violets from weeds and remove excess shoots. If this is not done in time and the flowers are abandoned, weeds can destroy the flowers, sucking all the nutrients and water from young shoots and even strong plants. Withered flowers gardeners cut it, this has a positive effect on the growth of violets.

Mineral fertilizers – The best decision to maintain health in plants. But manure, which unscrupulous gardeners love to fertilize, should be neglected.

The thing is that natural fertilizers take too long to decompose, unlike substances industrial production, and the plant receives the necessary vitamins for a long time.

Mineral ones quickly saturate violets with the required elements, accelerate growth, flowering and, moreover, do not have unpleasant odor, which is characteristic of manure.

If you notice a negative reaction after fertilization, you need to change the components or type of substance or recalculate the dose. It should be remembered that in large quantities, fertilizer, instead of being beneficial, can destroy the plant and the surrounding soil.

Another danger to matthiola is harmful insects and diseases. Signs of infection may include painful leaves: wilting, bald spots, dryness.

Flea beetles often gnaw holes in the leaves, causing the plant to suffer greatly. Coating violet leaves with ash, which insects do not like, can help prevent it. IN as a last resort, when matthiola is precipitated by butterflies and caterpillars, all plants are treated with insecticides.

Beneficial properties of night violet

Probably the main thing useful property, which is well observed photo of a night violet, her attractive, but not too pretentious, appearance. It will always delight the eye and organs of charm with its wonderful aroma.

The violet also has medicinal properties, the flower is used in the treatment of bronchitis, as a rub for pain in muscles and joints. Baths with violet flowers are also used. They heal skin from rashes, relax and soften rough areas of the body.

Of course, the use of violet flowers is not a panacea; it cannot cure completely, only provide a temporary effect or relieve symptoms. Treatment with matthiola is considered as complementary to other means.

Night violet is grown as a biennial. IN good conditions This unpretentious plant shamelessly weeds. For its distant resemblance to phloxes, the Matrona noctule is called in a number of places ... “bull phloxes”. Blooming hesperis can grow over a meter tall by the end of summer. The upper part of the stem is branched. The Matrona noctule with purple, lilac or pinkish-lilac flowers is more common. Less often - with whites ( nana candidissima). Terry form has been developed ( purpurea plena ) with double reddish flowers. However, we are accustomed to seeing hesperis with simple fragrant flowers, whose loose clusters adorn the garden from May to early autumn.

The dense rosette of leaves of Hesperis Matrona can always be recognized by the rich color of the elongated oval-lanceolate leaves. They are dark green, tinged with blue, with slight (sometimes almost imperceptible) pubescence.

Caring for night violet (Matrona's night violet)

Place. Hesperis Matrona grows in a bright sunny place or in partial shade. It is better to plant it where melt water does not stagnate for a long time in the spring in order to avoid the appearance of mold and rot on leaves compacted by heavy snowdrifts.

The soil. Ideal option are loose fertile soils. Slightly alkaline ones are better. On our site, the self-sowing Matrona noctule grows into tall flowering bushes even “at the foot” of a pile of sand. His life is clearly worse near the recently brought peat.

Trimming. In order for the night violet to bloom longer, you need to remove its faded inflorescences.

Winter hardiness. Hesperis Matrona often does not freeze out, but rather gets damped out during a long stay under the snow. In spring, you need to remove those leaves that have begun to deteriorate.

Diseases and pests. There are no particular problems with night violet. True, its lower leaves are occasionally eaten by slugs and caterpillars. Cruciferous flea beetles may also appear and can be easily washed off with a hose. Clubroot brassicas have not been spotted so far.

Reproduction of night violet (Matrona's night violet)

Night violet seeds are often sold under the names "Matrona's hesperis" and "Matrona's evening violet." In stores there are bags of single-color seeds or mixtures of purple, lilac and white. For example, the “Inspiration” mixture. Hesperis Matrona should not be confused with the annual matthiola bicornuum (Matthiola bicornis) up to 50 cm high, which is also often called “night violet”.

Hesperis Matrona seeds are sown in open ground in May - June, autumn or before winter. The embedment depth is 5 mm. Self-seeding, which appears in various parts of the garden, can be replanted throughout the summer and in the first half of September, if you dig it up to ensure that it contains a lump of earth. In the spring, it is possible to move the noctule of the second year of life to another place by digging it out with soil. I have even replanted flowering plants several times.

Hesperis Matrona is a biennial that blooms in its second year. However, with early sowing, night violet can bloom by the end of the summer of its first year. Matrona's Vegetarian is a very resilient plant. It first appeared on my property many years ago, when I bought a modest flowering bush from my grandmother, who sold plants near the metro station. Hesperis not only survived (although there were almost no roots), but also gave numerous offspring, which continue their lineage in modern times.

The fruit of the night violet is a pod about 6 cm long. Many brown-brown seeds ripen in it. I maintain the “population” of hesperis very simply: in the fall, I cut or break off the stem with pods and put it on the ground in a free place in the garden. In spring many seedlings appear there. Self-seeding occurs in other places, even in a greenhouse. Terry forms are propagated by dividing the bush, which is carried out in August and September.

I don’t even know how many Matrona noctule blooms in our area. It is found in flower beds, near sea buckthorn, in the garden and vegetable garden. This is the kind of plant that you can never have too much of.

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Among the perennial ornamental plants, the nocturnal plant or night violet stands out with its unusual aroma. It has been grown in European gardens and parks since the 16th century. The night violet flower is called hesperis, from Greek word"hesperis" - evening. The bright inflorescences open and begin to smell fragrant after sunset. Thanks to the plant's unpretentiousness and excellent decorative qualities, it is cultivated by gardeners all over the world. In Russia, nocturnal plants with lilac, purple and pinkish petals are most often found. But true lovers of hesperis will definitely grow varieties with snow-white and red double inflorescences.

Botanical description and distribution

Matron's noctule or hesperis is a perennial herbaceous plant from the cruciferous (cabbage) family. It can be found in the Mediterranean, the Caucasus, Europe, Asia and Western Siberia. Gardeners brought the flower to North America, where he took root well. There are about 30 species of noctule. The shape of the inflorescences of Hesperis is similar to phlox; one of its many names is “bull phlox”. Under natural conditions it grows in meadows, forest edges, along ponds and roads.

The shape of hesperis inflorescences resembles phloxes

The erect stem of the noctule reaches a height of 80-100 cm. It branches in the upper part. The leaves are green in color with jagged edges and lanceolate in shape. The size of the leaf plates is 3-4 cm wide and 12 cm long. They are covered with silky hairs. Small flowers are collected in loose racemes. The abundance of colors will delight gardeners - lilac, pink, violet, white and lilac shades will create a riot of colors in the flower beds. Each flower has 4 petals with a diameter of 2 cm or more.

Hesperis flowers have 4 petals

Information. Night violet is a common name among decorative flowers. Hesperis is often confused with Matthiola bicorne, which is also called night violet.

The flowering of the brush begins in May and continues until the end of July. The petals gradually open from the periphery to the center of the inflorescence. The spectacular brush can grow up to 20-30 cm in length. Hesperis fruits are narrow, flattened pods containing seeds. Brown, located in two rows. Seed size is 3 by 1 mm. They have good germination, lasting up to two years. In hot weather, the flowering period is shortened. For the unique aroma that appears in the evening, the plant is called night violet.

Advice. Timely cutting of dried inflorescences will help prolong the flowering of noctule.

Decorative culture refers to biennials. In the first year of development, a dense rosette of oval lanceolate leaves is formed. In some cases, small flower stalks are formed. By the end of May of the second year, a stem with lush inflorescences will appear. From the third year, the ability to flower drops sharply, old plants give way to young ones.

Types of noctule

Most cultivated varieties have simple flowers, but double flowers are also found. In gardens and parks you can find several unpretentious, but fragrant and attractive plant species.

Matron's Evening Violet

An ornamental plant that prefers loose soil. Blooms in the second year of life. Flowers purple collected in large cylindrical brushes. They have a strong, persistent aroma. Flower diameter is up to 2 cm. Can be grown by direct sowing in the soil in May-June.

Violet Vessel

Hesperis Romance

Popular ornamental biennial with simple or double white flowers. The plant is characterized by a persistent pleasant aroma exuded at night. It prefers light areas, but also feels good in partial shade. Used for cutting and designing group flower beds and paths.

Hesperis Romance

Hesperis Inspiration

Branched biennial with simple flowers of lilac, purple or white color, collected in brushes. Prefers slightly alkaline soils. The plant is suitable for planting in mixborders or gardens. Height 80-90 cm. Abundant fragrant inflorescences will decorate any bouquet. It is frost resistant.

Hesperis Inspiration

Matron's Evening Crimson

An unpretentious flower known as night violet. The branched, erect stems are decorated with many crimson flowers. At night and in the evening, the biennial spreads a pleasant fragrance. Blooms from May to July. Looks great as a background plant for gardens in landscape style. Seedlings are planted in June at a distance of 30 cm from each other. Can reproduce by self-sowing.

Matron's Evening Crimson

Evening night beauty

One of the most aromatic varieties Hesperis blooms in the second year after planting. Its flowers of a soft lilac hue are collected in beautiful large brushes. The plant is resistant to frost and disease. It grows to a height of 50-75 cm. The flower is suitable for cutting and is used in group and single plantings. Can be grown on the balcony.

Vechernitsa night beauty

Evening party sad, dark

One of rare species plants Hesperis tristis L. Found in central and southern Europe. Its height is 25-50 cm. The light-loving and moisture-loving plant grows on clay and sandy soils. The brushes are large, the flowers are whitish or cream, covered with red veins. The petals are oblong in shape with a blunt tip, their length is 2-3 cm. It blooms from May to June. The leaves of the basal rosette grow up to 10 cm, the stem leaves are shorter.

Sad evening

Selection of location and soil

It is recommended to plant night violets in lighted areas. In the lowlands, where meltwater stagnates and snowdrifts lie for a long time, better plants plant. Excessive moisture will lead to rot on the leaves. Hesperis feels good in partial shade; it can be placed under the crown of a tree.

Priming

The plant grows well in slightly alkaline soils. It loves air, so loosening is advisable after each watering. Neutral fertile soil is also an acceptable option. But acidified peaty areas are unacceptable; the noctule will die on them. One of the significant agrotechnical measures is regular weeding. Weeds should not be allowed to grow.

Watering

Overmoistening is not desirable for night violets, so you should take care of drainage. During the growth period, it is necessary to provide sufficient watering, but without stagnation of moisture. Dryness leads to poor flowering. Watering is done once a week, preferably in the morning.

Top dressing

On depleted soil, before flowering, hesperis needs to be fertilized with complex mineral fertilizers. Then it is enough to add wood ash once a month. It will improve the structure of the soil and make it looser. Wood ash reduces soil acidity and increases plant resistance to infections.

Fertilizer for noctule

Madonna's veil is resistant to frost, it can withstand temperatures down to -20°C. In a winter with little snow, it’s better not to take risks ornamental plant and cover it with non-woven material.

Growing Hesperis

Planting and caring for the night violet flower is not difficult; the photo shows how profusely it blooms when self-seeding in the field.

Evening grass has grown by self-sowing

Madonna's noctule propagates in several ways: by seeds, seedlings and cuttings.

Advice. To prevent self-seeding plants from filling the entire flowerbed, plant young shoots every three years.

Seeds and seedlings

Noctule seeds

The plant also propagates by seedlings. To do this, you will need a container with loose soil fertilized with humus. Seeds are sown in early April, covered with a 5 mm layer of soil. The soil is watered from above and then covered with film. The containers are kept in a room with a temperature of 20°C. After 15-20 days, shoots appear. After the formation of three main leaves, the noctule plant is transplanted to permanent place. They are seated 25-30 cm apart. During the adaptation period, the plant especially needs watering. The development of the root system is facilitated by air exchange, which ensures loosening. Weeds that slow down the growth of flowers should be promptly weeded.

First year vespers rosette

Cuttings

Terry forms of hesperis do not reproduce by seeds. It is necessary to divide the bush in August-September. Used for cuttings side shoots, formed on the plant after flowering.

Diseases and pests

Night violets are resistant to disease, so problems with their maintenance rarely arise. One of possible pests on flowers - cruciferous flea beetle. These insects eat leaves, stems and roots of plants. You can get rid of them by generously watering them with a hose. But this is not the best option, because the noctule does not like dampness. Another method is more suitable for the plant; it involves pollinating the leaves with a mixture wood ash and tobacco dust 1:1.

Vechernitsa in landscape design

The long flowering period has made the night violet a desirable acquisition for city parks and garden beds. Hesperis, which opens after sunset, is planted in flower beds near gazebos. The pleasant aroma of flowers will make your evening relaxation unforgettable. Designers recommend planting Madonna noctules in groups of at least 10 plants. They look great against the backdrop of ferns and ornamental grasses.

Party at the windows of the house

Attention. Heavy inflorescences lower the stem, which results in the loss of the decorative appeal of the composition. Installing supports will help avoid this situation.

Growing night violets on your own plot does not require any special knowledge or skills of a gardener. With minimal care, hesperis will delight you with its aroma and abundant flowering most of the summer.

The main value of the evening plant is its extraordinary aroma. This flower is known among gardeners under the name Hesperis, which means evening in Greek. The name was given to the plant in ancient times because its flowers fill the surrounding air with fragrance and intoxicating aroma in the evening and at night.

There are other euphonious names for this unusual flower– Hesperis female, Hesperis matron. This plant has been cultivated since the 16th century, decorating the luxurious flower beds of landowners and nobles, creating a unique atmosphere in the landscape parks of Russian estates, country estates. Hesperis was Queen Marie Antoinette's favorite flower.

Hesperis is loved by many gardeners and is happily grown in flower beds. Due to the numerous fragrant caps of inflorescences, matron's noctule is becoming a very popular plant.

Description of night violet

Hesperis belongs to the cruciferous family and resembles paniculate phlox in appearance. Distributed throughout the European part of Russia, found almost everywhere, from roadsides to forest edges, and the banks of reservoirs. It has a straight stem branched at the top, up to 80 cm long, covered with silky hair. The leaves are alternate, oval-lanceolate, attached to the stem with or without cuttings.

Lilac in color, but in culture there are white and purple, simple and double, they do not open at the same time - first the lower ones, then those closer to the top of the head. Collected in loose, paniculate inflorescence. The plant is perennial, but is considered biennial - in the third year it usually falls out and grows from seed again. Flowering begins in the last ten days of May and lasts until August. After flowering, narrow, oblong pods with seeds are formed. To avoid self-sowing in the wrong place, you should pick off faded inflorescences.

Growing hesperis from seeds and dividing the bush

The noctule reproduces by sowing seeds or division. Vegetative propagation used for terry forms. The transplant is tolerated quite well if the earthen ball is moistened or this operation is carried out after rain.

When to sow open ground? With the onset of June, seeds are sown in loose, nutritious soil. In a week, sprouts will appear, which will subsequently develop into a rosette of oval-lanceolate leaves. Next year, stems will grow from the rosettes and flowering will begin in May. Care for the seedlings as usual - weed and water as necessary. After flowering most of plants fall out.

Non-double forms usually self-sow. For more you can feed mineral fertilizer. To renew your plantings, it is better to stock up on noctule seeds. To do this, the faded bush is pulled out of the ground and placed in a dry place to fully ripen. When the bush dries out, you should thresh it - to do this, wrap it in newspaper and roll a rolling pin over it. The seeds pop out of the pods - all that remains is to collect them.

You can also sow before winter or by seedlings.. This method is available to every gardener, regardless of experience.

Sowing is carried out in early March.
Containers with planted seeds are covered with film, which is removed after the sprouts appear.
It is necessary to regularly water young plants, add a little soil to the roots as they grow.
For thickened seedlings, pick as soon as 3-4 true leaves appear.
With the onset of warm weather, the seedlings are transferred to a permanent place or hardened off within two weeks.
Planted after the seedlings are completely accustomed to the open air, maintaining a distance of 25 cm between plants.
The holes are prepared in advance in order to injure the roots as little as possible and quickly transfer the plants to a permanent place.
During rooting in a new place, it is worth ensuring sufficient watering. Matron's noctule, grown from seedlings or sown before winter, will bloom a little later.

Terry forms of hesperis are propagated by dividing the bush in August-September. Dig up the plant and carefully separate it with a sharp knife. After drying for a short time, the cut is planted in a prepared place, which is thoroughly watered beforehand.

How to care for hesperis

The night violet prefers semi-shaded corners of the garden under the canopy of trees with moderately moist soil. Acidified and overdried soils have a depressing effect on the plant - they become smaller, reducing the intensity of flowering. Due to the small branching of the stem, a single plant is quite unstable and gets lost against the background of other flowers.

To maintain an upright position, hesperis needs support. It is best to plant Hesperis in a dense group - individual plants will merge into a single massif with a blooming lilac-violet spot on top and will serve as support for each other. It makes sense to place the noctule plant between the foreground plants and the background large plants.

The soil for planting is neutral or slightly alkaline with good drainage.
It is advisable to place such plantings near gazebos, open verandas, benches, since the main value of vespers is its delicate aroma.
Requires moderate watering at the beginning of growth and in hot weather.
Hesperis is frost-resistant - it does not require shelter; snow cover is usually sufficient.
In the absence of snow cover, you can cover the plantings with non-woven material.
Hesperis may disappear completely if planted in areas that are flooded in spring.

The video will tell you about the cultivation, care and use of hesperis:

Pests and diseases of night violet

Hesperis belongs to the cabbage family and is affected by diseases and pests characteristic of them. Its lower leaves are gnawed by snails. Plants are attracted to cruciferous flea beetles, leaf miner butterflies, and aphids. It is easy to get rid of all these pests by watering the bushes with tar water at the root. Dilute 1 tbsp. spoon of birch tar in 10 liters of water, mix everything thoroughly. Insects cannot tolerate the smell of tar - preventative watering will ensure the complete absence of these insects on the noctule.

The night suffers from false powdery mildew in dense plantings, it is affected by clubroot and viral mosaic. Maintaining distance between plants is the key to healthy plantings. Clubroot is introduced along with seeds. It is worth disinfecting purchased seeds before sowing. If clubroot gets into your area, avoid re-seeding hesperis on the infected area for 5 years.

Popular varieties with descriptions and photos

Gardeners really liked the Inspiration variety. It is a perennial plant grown as a biennial plant. Dense double flowers abundantly cover the bush. The color is purple, white, lilac: in a mixborder this combination looks truly fantastic. Loves slightly alkaline soil containing a little lime. Excellent for cutting, they decorate ridges, flower beds, group and single plantings.

The variety is different amazing beauty large snow-white flowers up to 2 cm in diameter, collected in inflorescences. The stunning evening aroma cannot be forgotten, which is why flowers are so popular among gardeners.

Application

Traditional medicine uses matron's noctule as a diuretic and diaphoretic. The Belgians apply crushed leaves to tumors. Leaves and twigs are used in folk veterinary medicine. Fatty oil is used in soap production.

It is an excellent honey plant, actively visited by bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. It can be planted along paths as a background plant to enjoy the exciting aroma while walking in the evening.

The bright, tall inflorescences of hesperis are clearly visible at long distances. The plant is suitable for making bouquets; it lasts a long time when cut, harmoniously combining with other flowers. It is happily planted near evening resting areas to enjoy the gentle, intensifying weather in the evening and during rain. Matron's Vegetable is a completely easy plant. It balances between a cultivated garden and ornamental weed. Very popular in creating a natural style on a site.

Hesperis matrona flower white photo in the garden variety Hesperis matronalis ‘Alba’

The night violet is a rather simple, unassuming, but at the same time very special flower. It’s not for nothing that it has a second name – vespers.

At dusk, when other flowers close their corollas and go to sleep, the night violet envelops the entire garden with its delicate fragrant aroma. Thanks to this amazing smell, even simple appearance Evening party acquires a certain charm and grace.

Types of night violet

The description of this plant was found in the works of ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus. Noctule belongs to the cruciferous family and is divided into many different species.

Most of them are common in Asia and Central Europe. In our country, night violet is presented mainly in two varieties: hesperis and matthiola.

It's erect perennial with long stems. Height hesperis varies from 50 to 120 cm. The leaves of the plant are long, narrow and pointed. They are slightly pubescent. The closer the leaf is to the ground, the larger it is. But the most important thing is the flowers. They are quite small, each consisting of four petals. The flowers are united in large inflorescences, similar to clusters of lilacs.

Hesperis can be pink, lilac or white. Due to the small and dull flowers, an individual plant is lost in the garden, so it is better to plant the noctule in groups. White night violets look especially beautiful, which at dusk look like small stars.

Mattiola

Another popular nocturnal plant is mattiola. It is popularly known as “levkoy”. Mattiola has a lot different varieties, but four of them are most familiar to gardeners:

two-horned gillyflower is an annual self-pollinating plant, its flowers do not exceed 2-3 cm in size and have a dark pink tint;
gray-haired lefty - more decorative variety, the flowers of this plant can be either smooth or double, they have a wide range of shades;
“Starlight” - these plants seem to have mixed several varieties; on one stem there can be flowers of different shades;
“Evening Aroma” is a very actively flowering gillyflower, the most fragrant of all matthiolas.

The most decorative matthiolas are, of course, varieties with double flowers. They will not only give the garden aroma, characteristic of all night violets, but will also serve as a worthy decoration for any site. In each double flower, the number of petals can reach up to a hundred, and the flowering period of such gillyflowers lasts up to two weeks.

As is the case with other night violets, a photo of matthiola is not able to fully convey its beauty. Levkoi They are best in person, when a weightless cloud of small flowers among the greenery saturates the twilight with a delicate magical aroma. It is not for nothing that in ancient times a unique atmosphere reigned in parks and estates, in the creation of which night violets played an important role.

Growing and care

very unpretentious. It is often found in the wild, where it grows quite independently. But in order for this plant to be as pleasing to the eye as possible, you need to pay some attention to the rules of planting and growing.

First of all, you need to choose a place for the future fragrant cloud. Despite the fact that the night violet is a twilight flower, it still loves light very much. Therefore, it is better to choose a well-lit area for her. At the same time, the nocturnal bird calmly tolerates both straight Sun rays, and diffused light. However, if the air temperature is excessively high, the plant will feel comfortable in the shade.

The next location selection option is the soil. In the wild, the noctule is most often found on the banks of water bodies; it also loves meadows and fields. Accordingly, this plant prefers moist, loose and fertile soil. It is desirable that lime is present in the soil, and its reaction is either neutral or slightly alkaline.

Night violet is very resistant to various pests and diseases. However, you should not plant it in an area where cabbage previously grew. All the health problems that this vegetable had can quickly transfer to noctule.

You also need to select in advance the optimal neighborhood for the evening party. This factor does not affect the health and comfort of the plant, but is important for enhancing effect. Night violet goes perfectly with various types summer flowers and herbs. The most popular neighbors of the evening party are:

petunia;
viola;
nasturtium;
yarrow;
cornflower;
geranium;
monarda;
Melissa;
fragrant basil;
mint;
climbing rose.

The smells of these flowers and herbs and the aroma of night violet form a unique combination.

Landing

Some varieties of noctule can reproduce by dividing the bush, but this is more typical of terry varieties. The main method is considered to be seed.

Planting can be done first in seedling pots, this is done at the beginning spring. But night violet seeds are different high level germination, so they can be planted directly in open ground.

Optimal period for sowing: late spring - early summer. The seeds are very small, so they should not be sown at great depth. When sowing, avoid large clustering. The ideal option would be to plant plants in individual containers. This will make future weed control much easier.

After planting the seeds, the soil must be properly moistened. This is done using spraying. Watering should not be used, as this can lead to erosion of the soil along with the seeds. After moistening the soil, you need to cover the sown area with film. Subsequently, it will need to be removed periodically to provide access to the earth. fresh air.

The first sprouts of the noctule appear in about a month. As soon as the first three leaves are formed, the seedlings necessary dive. Then you need to water abundantly and cover the sprouts from the sun. If the noctule has risen too crowdedly, then it needs to be thinned out. Each plant needs a space with a diameter of about 30 cm or more.

If you still decide to pre-grow seedlings, then you need to prepare small containers. First you need to pour soil into them, then sow seeds on it. Then a layer about 0.5 cm thick is laid on top, consisting of peat and humus. At the end, the soil needs to be lightly compacted and watered. Hydration should be moderate. After watering, the containers are covered with glass or film that allows light to pass through.

The seedlings should be in warmth room with an air temperature of at least 20 degrees. The first shoots will begin to appear on about the fifteenth day. Sprouts need to be watered regularly. When three leaves appear on each of them, the seedlings can be transplanted into open ground.

Before offensive In winter, the soil needs to be mulched - covered with a layer of compost. This is necessary so that the sprouts can safely survive the cold. Winters with thin snow cover and severe frosts are especially dangerous for immature plants. Therefore, covering with compost is a mandatory procedure.

Night violets begin to bloom only a year after planting. This usually happens at the end spring. The first flowering is the longest, it can last a whole month. However, this period varies depending on the variety. After two years, the duration of flowering is significantly reduced, so the plants will need to be renewed by planting new ones. Although quite often the night violet copes with this matter itself. After flowering, pods with seeds appear on it. As the grains mature, the pods burst and the ground next to the plant is automatically sown.

Caring for an adult plant

Night violet absolutely not demanding, so caring for it comes down to following a few basic rules.

Watering. The nocturnal plant is quite capricious about the amount of moisture. Too much a large number of water, and especially its stagnation, are unacceptable. Dry soil will also have a very negative impact on the condition of the plant. Therefore, when watering, you need to follow the golden mean. It is best to moisten the soil in the evening. If garden plot located in a swampy area, then before planting you need to provide the ground with high-quality drainage.
Loosening the soil. This process must be done regularly. Loosening will help retain soil moisture longer, preventing it from drying out.
Weeding. Like other garden flowers, night violet does not feel comfortable near weeds. Therefore, the flowerbed should be weeded as they appear.
Garter. Many varieties of noctule are distinguished by their tall growth and dense, heavy inflorescences. Therefore, they can lie down, especially in windy weather. To avoid this, you need to organize nearby supports in advance, to which you can tie the stem as it grows.

Also, we should not forget about the love of the nocturnal plant for fertile soil. Therefore, the soil needs to be fertilized periodically, but not more than once a month. Night violet prefers slightly alkaline and neutral ground.

Therefore, it is considered an ideal fertilizer for it. It will give the soil all the necessary nutrients and also strengthen the alkaline reaction. As a result, the acidity of the soil will decrease. In such conditions, the noctule will feel most comfortable, and its flowering will become abundant and long-lasting.

Diseases and pests

Night violet not too much susceptible to diseases and damage by pests. But still, not a single plant is immune from these situations. Therefore, it is better to study in advance possible diseases, most often overtaking noctules.

Root rot. This problem occurs when the soil is over-moistened. The main symptom is leaf damage. As a treatment, you need to dry the soil as quickly as possible and subsequently carefully monitor the amount of watering. Affected leaves should be removed immediately. If timely measures are not taken, the plant will die.
Kila. This is a root disease that affects many cruciferous plants. A plant with this disease begins to die. There is no treatment. You need to immediately burn the diseased plant and treat the soil by special means and mix with lime.
Cruciferous flea beetle. This pest leaves behind small holes on the leaves. Defeating flea beetles is quite simple - just sprinkle the plants and soil with ground wood ash.

Beneficial properties of night violet

Vechernitsa gives people not only an amazing aroma. It contains a lot useful substances, which help in the treatment of certain diseases. The pharmaceutical name for this plant is roots. salepa.

For medical use only tuber roots night violet. They should be collected during the flowering period or immediately after it.

Procurement of raw materials

For dug up tuber roots, you need to cut off the above-ground part and remove the bark. Then the cleaned roots are immersed in boiling water for several minutes. This is necessary so that they do not germinate later. The processed raw materials must be dried outdoors. Also for this procedures You can use dryers or ovens, the temperature of which should not exceed 55 degrees. Dried roots can be stored for no more than six years.

Application

The roots of salep contain a lot of mucilage. Therefore the main function this medicinal product- enveloping. With the help of a decoction of the roots, you can relieve symptoms and speed up healing for diseases of the digestive system, indigestion, and inflammation of the genitourinary system.