Alyssum is a perennial species of planting and care. Alyssum

Lisa
Is Alyssum a perennial or an annual?

Quite often, on flowerbeds and balconies, one can see plants that are small in height, but very elegant, as if strewn with small buds emitting the smell of honey. These bushes are called alyssum. What varieties exist and can it be grown as a perennial? The answers to these questions can be found in the article.

What is a plant

Alyssum is a perennial by nature, but it is possible to grow a bush in the garden for more than one season only in the South. In the people it is called rocky beetroot or mason.

The plant looks like this:

Strongly branched bush from 15 to 20 cm in height.
Small, lanceolate green leaves do not have a petiole.
At the tops of the stems, inflorescences-brushes are formed.
The calyx of the flower consists of 4 petals. Their coloration differs depending on the variety.
The stamens located in the center of the corolla are bright yellow.
During the whole season, wilted flowers are replaced by new ones, therefore, alyssum does not lose its decorative effect for a long time.

alyssum bloom

Its small flowers smell like honey. This attracts many insects, in particular bees. The flower is closely related to the very similar outwardly lobularia and aurinia. Some botanists place them in the same genus.

Advice. Alyssum looks very impressive in a flowerpot. Even a single bush, growing, forms a ball strewn with flowers.

How to grow and care for an alissum

In cool climates, alyssum cultivation is practiced through seedlings. Seeds are sown in early February. So you can get flowering plants in early May.

The process itself looks like this:

Fill containers suitable for seedlings with light and nutritious soil.
Very small seeds are simply scattered over the substrate and lightly crushed.
Crops are not watered - they are sprayed with their spray gun.
Cover the container with foil and arrange in a warm place. A week later, seedlings appear, after which the shelter is removed and the pots are exposed to light.

Attention! During the cultivation of seedlings, care must be taken that water does not accumulate in the container. This can cause root rot.

When the seedlings reach 2-3 cm in height, they can be planted in separate containers. After warm weather sets in on the street (usually it falls at the end of May), the plants are transplanted into the ground. Alyssum is planted on a flower bed at intervals of 10-15 cm. Branching bushes can form a continuous carpet.

Plant care includes regular pruning of stems. In this way, the alissum is rejuvenated and it blooms before the onset of frost.

Advice. At the end of autumn, it is better to transplant the bushes from the flower bed into pots and bring them into the room. So the plant can be stored until spring and planted again in the garden.

You can grow an alyssum bush in the middle lane for one year or several. Both options are completely dependent on the desire and ability to arrange a plant for a "warm" wintering.

Alyssum in the country: video

Alyssum, known as beetroot and lobularia, is a herbaceous plant that can be of various types and shapes. This genus includes 100-170 species of perennial and annual plants that are common in Europe, North Africa, and Asia.

Types and varieties of alyssum

Alyssum in appearance resembles a sprawling shrub and has many small flowers of different shades (white, red, yellow, etc.). For gardening, two types of alissum are considered to be the main ones - rock and sea. Based on them, many varieties of different colors and sizes have been bred.

rock alyssum

A perennial plant not exceeding 30 cm in height. This species has gray leaves and rich yellow flowers. Rocky alyssum blooms from April to the end of May, it is able to keep leaves on stems even in the cold season. It is a hardy plant, hardy and drought tolerant. In areas with hot and humid summers, rock alyssum is grown as an annual plant.

Alyssum marine

Alyssum sea is an annual plant that forms small rosettes (does not exceed 20 cm in height). The main colors are pink, blue, white. It begins to bloom in May and ends with the first frosts. This type of alissum is not left to winter in the open field.

The best varieties of alyssum

"Gold Placer"

Perennial, frost-resistant alissum variety with bright yellow flowers. In appearance, it resembles an oval-shaped bush. Best suited for rocky hills, in the southern regions - for various supporting walls. Planted outdoors in mid-spring. Flowering occurs a year later, in May - June and lasts about 40 days.

"Magic Circles"

This variety reaches a height of about 15 cm, inflorescences of small (5-6 cm) diameter, white, pink or lilac. Flowering continues from June until late autumn. Needs pruning.

"Golden Wave"

A lush, bushy perennial that blooms yellow. Grows up to 29 cm in height. Flowering occurs from the age of two.

"Tim Tim"

A variety of dwarf plants, the height of which is not more than 8 cm. It blooms with many white flowers that can cover the stems and leaves. Under good conditions, it grows rapidly and forms a "carpet".

Planting and growing alyssum from seeds

Growing alyssum from seeds is an economical, often the only way to cultivate it in a summer cottage. Since alyssum is an unpretentious plant, its cultivation, subsequent planting and care do not require much effort and specific knowledge from the gardener.

How to plant alyssum seeds

To germinate alyssum seeds using the seedling method, you will need wooden boxes with earth, oilcloth or glass. Alyssum seeds are small, which is why they are not covered with earth from above, but only slightly pressed into the ground. After that, the boxes with seeds are covered with glass and transferred to a lighted cool room (10-12°C).

seedling care

Growing alissum from seeds for seedlings requires more effort than planting immediately in open ground, but it has its advantages:

when creating greenhouse conditions, more seeds germinate;
plants grown in seedlings bloom earlier than those planted directly in open soil.

Shoots of alyssum appear 5-10 days after planting the seeds, then the glass or oilcloth is removed. Further care is moderate watering and abundant lighting. When 2-3 leaves develop on alyssum seedlings, they are planted in separate small pots (cups, boxes). To get low seedlings with side shoots, pinch the top of the plant.

Planting alyssum in open ground

Choose an open area with good, bright lighting for planting alissum. If there was no such place on the site or in the house, it does not matter - the alissum grows well in partial shade.

Harden off the seedlings before planting in the ground. To do this, from the beginning of May, take the plants out into the open air, each time increasing the duration of your stay on the street.

Plant alyssum seedlings in late May - early June so that the minimum distance between plants is 20 cm. Until the distance between the bushes is reduced, alyssum is regularly weeded. Water the seedlings well immediately after planting.

Planting seeds immediately in the ground, enrich the soil with organic fertilizers in advance (14-20 days in advance). After that, in early May, sow the seeds to a permanent place to a depth of no more than 1.5 cm. After emergence, the sprouts are periodically thinned out until only the strongest plants remain, the distance between which will be at least 15 cm.

You can also sow alyssum seeds in November. Then in the spring strong plants will sprout, which will bloom at the same time as those grown in any other way.

Alyssum Care

Alyssum is undemanding, so caring for it will not take much time and effort. After the alyssum seedlings have grown and closed their green rows, they do not need regular weeding, just prune the plants after they have faded. This will ensure the best growth and flowering of lobularia for the next year.

Lighting, watering, feeding alyssum

Alyssum is a photophilous plant. The more sun, the more flowers will be and the brighter their color. But do not expect bright red buds from a plant with pink inflorescences - the shade will change by only 1-2 tones with a significant change in conditions.

Watering depends on the variety, soil moisture, temperature and air humidity. Annual alissums require regular and frequent watering. Perennial alissums have enough precipitation.
Yulia Petrichenko, expert

During dry seasons, keep the soil moist. To do this, dig 3-4 cm deep into the ground - if the earth is dry at such a depth, then water the plants. Pay attention to water retention in the soil - if the liquid does not leave, the plants will rot and die. Alyssum is watered either early in the morning or in the evening after sunset.

The amount of feeding depends on the variety. Annual alissum requires 3-4 top dressings during the flowering period, and perennial alissum is enough 1 time per season. Top dressing is applied under the root, after which the fertilizers that have fallen on the plants are washed off so that the green mass does not suffer. As a fertilizer, the preparations Agricola-7, Rainbow, Flower are used. "Agricola-7" and "Rainbow" are diluted in a ratio of 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water. "Flower" is diluted at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 5 liters of water.

Alyssum diseases

Alyssum is characterized by diseases:

Of the pests, caterpillars, cabbage moths, turnip whites and cruciferous fleas most often encroach on alissum. Also, aphids are dangerous for alyssum, because. is the main carrier of the viral mosaic.

Alyssum is a plant that can be used in any area. You can make a border out of it, you can put creeping species on props or make a flowering carpet of various colors.

Do you have your own secrets of growing and keeping alyssum? Share your experience in the comments!

(there are annual and perennial species). There are more than a hundred species, widely distributed in Europe, Asia, North Africa. Moreover, breeders regularly give new items. Other names - beetroot, sea lobularia. Translated from Greek, it means "not dog rabies", maybe in the past this flower was related to scaring away dogs or treating rabies. History is silent on this.

Lobularia is a pleasure to use. It is unpretentious, frost- and drought-resistant, covers the flower bed with a dense carpet. There are colors for every taste. When planning the placement of alyssum, consider the strong sweet aroma, for lovers of smells - closer, if not - decide for yourself.

Description of alyssum

Burachok grows from 15 to 40 cm. Sometimes it can be confused with a low shrub, the branches are very dense, the leaves are oblong, slightly fluffy. It blooms in small racemes of white, pink, red, purple, light lilac, yellow. It blooms in May (if it is very warm, then from mid-April), blooms until late autumn. Fruits ripen - long pods with seeds. Seeds are collected, then lobularia is grown from seeds (they remain viable for two years).

Alyssum and lobularia sea flower growers belong to the same species, although these are different plants, but very very similar. True, alyssum always has flowers, and marine lobularia is white, pink, purple.
Both those and others are excellent honey plants, as they attract bees with a bright smell.

Borachok is used both annual and perennial for flower beds, borders, alpine slides, hanging flowerpots. Many amateurs grow on the windowsills of their own apartments.

Alyssum from seeds at home and in the open field

Alyssum growing from seeds

You can grow alissum from seeds in seedlings and without seedlings. As they say, what are you up to?

There are three possible options:

If you have the opportunity to tinker a little and want earlier flowering, then do seedlings.
If you are not in a hurry, you can sow directly into the ground. This should be done in early May, and when the sprouts rise densely, they must be thinned out. We take into account that the plant will grow in width.
Winter sowing is possible, then during the winter the seeds will naturally be disinfected and in the spring they will also sprout, even stronger, although there is a danger of the development of fungal diseases.

Sowing alyssum for seedlings

Most flower lovers, of course, want to see earlier flowering, and seedlings come to the rescue here. Alyssum growing from seed when to plant? We start seedlings in mid-March. We need a light nutrient soil, a slightly acidic environment (pH 5.5-6.2). However, it will grow in any, but we are talking about optimal conditions. We fill the soil in a seedling box, lay it out on the surface and lightly sprinkle it with the same soil or simply press it to the surface, moisten it with a spray bottle.

We create conditions close to ideal:

cover with glass or film,
temperature 10-15 degrees,
moderate humidity.

In less than a week, friendly shoots will appear, we remove the protective film or glass. After the appearance of the first true leaf, the time comes for the first feeding - complex fertilizer is suitable. When two or three leaves appear and the seedlings get stronger, you can transplant. Carefully dive the seedlings into pots using a fork or a toothpick.

Informative video about growing alyssum from seeds and picking seedlings:

Landing in the ground

The best time to land on a permanent place is May when night frosts no longer return to 100%. The place is preferably sunny, the soil is dry, generously fertilized and drained. Plus alyssum - it grows beautifully between stones and slabs heated in the sun.

The distance between plants is about 40 cm, make the pits a little larger than the rhizome, it is not necessary to deepen it much.
Water generously immediately.
In total, a little more than six weeks pass from seed germination to flowering.

Alyssum Care

I don't think there was anything difficult up to this stage. Growing lobularia is a simple matter. Caring for her is also easy. It consists of watering, weeding, top dressing and pruning.

The plant loves water, it must be watered regularly, and in a dry summer it is also plentiful, otherwise we will not see flowers, alyssum will shed flowers and buds. How do you know for sure that watering is necessary? We dig to a depth of 3-4 cm, if it is already dry there, it is necessary to water it.
On the other hand, if the soil is clayey and does not pass water well, it is necessary to ensure that there is no stagnation of moisture. You can take care of this in advance - in the spring, mulch the soil (cover the soil between the seedlings with sawdust, bark, needles, straw, you can also use grass, the main thing is that there are no mature seeds in it). This technique is used for different plants and alissum is no exception. This procedure will reduce the number of weeds. Mulching prevents the formation of a crust on the soil, stagnation of moisture and excessive drying out. In general, there are many advantages, as you can see.
However, it is still necessary to loosen the soil, although much less frequently.

Now let's talk about feeding alyssum. While the green mass is being set, we feed it with nitrogen fertilizers (one tablespoon of Agricola - 7 or urea per 10 liters of water), when the buds appear - it's time for complex fertilizers. This applies to perennial plants, for annuals, more frequent top dressing is needed - four times, if you want a long and abundant flowering (the first top dressing, like perennials, is before flowering).

After flowering, it's time to trim the alyssum. In general, lobularia lends itself perfectly to a haircut. Shorten the branches, cutting to 8 cm, give the plant a neat look. After the procedure, the lobularia has an additional incentive to re-bloom, the bush will delight you until late autumn. For the winter, perennial alyssum is not cut off, but is done in early spring. After examining the whole plant, we remove dead branches, shorten the living ones and wait for a complete revival.

It is worth noting that alissum can also be propagated by dividing the bush. This must be done before the start of the sokotoka, usually in April.

Alyssum pests

cruciferous flea most dangerous for all cabbage. The beetles wake up when the soil warms up and feed on beetroot relatives - wild turnip, shepherd's purse, rape, then they can move to the planted seedlings. Therefore, it is important to get rid of weeds in the flower bed.

In case of infection, it is necessary to urgently fight
Folk methods include careful processing with wood ash (every 4-5 days), ash with shag, black pepper. Adult plants can be treated with a solution of vinegar (2 tablespoons of essence or half a liter of vinegar in a bucket of water). Also, dog shampoo treatment (dilute in water and spray) gives good results. If you consider chemistry more reliable, then insecticides are suitable: for example, Aktelik, Decis, etc.

caterpillars- common pests, we meet with them all the time. You can treat the plant with chamomile infusion or tobacco with soap.

cabbage moth(whitefish) - also a pest of alyssum. Treatment with lepidocide or entobacterin will help.

Diseases of Alyssum

late blight(brown rot) - affects the basal part of the flower during stagnant moisture. We face this problem everywhere. The method of struggle is treatment with a fungicide.

powdery mildew(real or false) - the name speaks for itself. A white coating appears on the leaves that looks like flour or just dust, but this is a fungus that spreads quickly if left untreated.

Powdery mildew is destroyed by Bordeaux liquid or topaz, and false - by a solution of oxychrome, ordan or the same Bordeaux liquid.

Very bad virus mosaic infection because it is not treated. When you notice a lesion, you must very carefully get rid of the infected plant, trying not to hook on the neighboring ones, because the virus is transmitted by touch. You also need to treat garden tools with alcohol, just vodka, a solution of vitriol (4 tablespoons per 1 liter of water) or potassium permanganate (2 tablespoons per liter of water).

It is recommended to regularly process the cutting parts of the tool, even when cutting, keep a swab dipped in disinfectant on hand and wipe the working area of the pruner every time (it is clear that this is too much, but if we want to get rid of it, we will do our best).

Seed collection

If you want to propagate alyssum or give to friends
Seeds should be collected in late September or early October. Collect brushes with pods, rub them in your hands, remove large debris. Dry the seeds as usual in a dry, ventilated place, store in a paper or cloth bag. Suddenly you did not have time and the seeds fell to the ground. No problem. Sweep the ground with seeds from under the bushes with a brush, dry and store (the earth will not interfere with sowing).

Wintering perennial Alyssum

As already mentioned above, before winter we do not injure the plant, we leave it alone. Burachok can withstand up to 15 degrees of frost, however, it is better to help him. Sprinkle the plant with dry grass, and later make a snowdrift, so we will keep the bush until spring.

Types and varieties of alyssum

Alyssum rocky(alyssum saxatile) - perennial, quite dense, up to 30 cm in height and slightly more in width.

More like a shrub - the branches become stiff at the base, the leaves are oval, oblong, remain on the bush even in cold weather (which is an additional advantage). Brushes of flowers are small, yellow. They bloom in spring, continue to bloom for up to forty days. In autumn, you can wait for re-flowering.

It blooms better on infertile loamy soils, feels great in rock gardens. There are varieties:

Citrinum - the color of lemon flowers, undersized.
Compactum - speaks for itself (up to 18 cm), the flowers are also small.
Golden wave - a little higher, up to 20 cm, does not bloom only at the age of two.
Plenum - this variety is terry, bush up to 30 cm.

Alyssum marine(alyssum maritimum) - marine lobularia, a perennial plant, covers the soil with a dense carpet, spreads along the ground, reaches a height of 8 cm to 40 cm, the leaves are oblong, often with a margin, the flowers are collected in brushes with a pronounced sweet smell. Natural colors are white and lilac, although pink, purple, and red alissums have already been artificially bred. Blooms from May to September.

Consider several varieties:

Tiny-tim is a ground cover plant, up to 8 cm high, blooms very densely, beautiful white background.
Easter Bonnet Deep Rose - by the name it is clear that it is pink, I will only add - the color is rich and plentiful.
Princesses in Purple - for lovers of hanging flowerpots, wall planters, forms a sprawling lively bouquet (up to 35 cm) and pleases the eye with lilac tassels.
Violet Konigin is a low (up to 18 cm), neat bush with abundant purple flowers.

Alyssum Gmelin or mountain alissum(alyssum gmelini or alyssum montnum) - a distinctive feature - frost resistance. Perennial evergreen bush with creeping and ascending branches, leaves with a bluish edge, yellow flowers are collected in brushes. It can grow among stones and propagate by self-seeding.

Alyssum silver(alyssum argentum) - got its name because of the grayish-green (like felt leaves).
It blooms in May-June with yellow flowers. It is not whimsical to the soil, drought- and frost-resistant. It is used to decorate retaining walls and borders.
Varieties:

Dudley Nivil - yellowish brown flowers.
Flora Plena - double flowers.

Consider several varieties bred by breeding:

Palette - the variety of colors is simply amazing: white, pink, red, raspberry, lilac, brown. The bushes are very low, so you can create a whole picture in a flower bed, thanks to such a palette. Or you can buy a mixture of different colors in the store and get a lush multi-colored carpet.
Big Jam is a very resistant variety (it can bloom even at three degrees of frost), large, up to 35 cm high, and the flowers are one and a half times larger than usual. Suitable for cutting. Colors - white, purple, lavender.
Gold placer - a spherical bush, the lower branches almost lie on the ground, suitable for alpine slides, creating large yellow beads in a flower bed.
White carpet is a ground cover plant with white flowers, characterized by an extended flowering period. Used as background for other colors.
Pink rug - undersized alyssum, with small gray leaves and dense twigs. The flowers are not lush, collected in brushes, pink. It is used as an ampelous plant for framing flower beds, alpine slides, in hanging and wall flowerpots.

Alyssum - application, combination with other plants

How to plant alyssum

Once again, we note some properties of alyssum:

unpretentiousness to soils;
frost resistance;
drought resistance;
the ability to break through between stone barriers;
the ability to create a lush carpet or bright islands of flowering;
variety of color palette;
for annual plants, self-sowing is a big plus, the main thing is that you yourself do not weed out the ascending seedlings (for this, in the fall, enclose the place where the lobularia was with pegs and wait for the seedlings to germinate in this place in the spring).

Creating a background and a variety of colors helps in combination with other plants:

a solid carpet of beetroot forms a beautiful edging for tall lilies, roses, salvia, phlox.
you can create a two-level flower bed of tulips, irises and alyssum, and after that the alyssum will close the faded plants.
looks good combination with undersized petunias or begonias.

This is only a small fraction of the use of this plant. Your imagination, the landscape of the site will suggest other combinations, because nature itself has made sure that we have enough opportunities to frame our flower beds, paths and even balconies.

How alissum looks in a flower garden, look at the video:

Attracting insects with its honey aroma. A variety of perennial forms will not leave indifferent even a lazy flower lover. It is not difficult to grow it, for this you do not need to have a lot of knowledge, a little diligence and love for beauty is enough.

Alyssum perennial, a representative of the Cruciferous family, has several names - beetroot, sea lobularia. More than a hundred plant species have been bred; they adorn gardens in Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. In addition to perennial varieties, there are also annual, shrubby varieties.

Bushes of a fragrant flower do not reach a large size. They are characterized by a height of ten centimeters to a meter. The latter belong to low shrubs and are common in the southern territories. Decorative alyssum in its inflorescences with small petals of yellow, pink, lilac, rarely yellow. Flowers grow quickly and throughout the summer period, until frost, endow everything around with waves of pleasant aroma. Clusters of inflorescences are framed by oval bright green leaves on creeping stems.

For all plant varieties, the shape of flower brushes, creeping stem, and abundant flowering are common.

There are several types of ornamental plants:

In rocky alyssum, the bushes are similar in shape to a hemisphere with a diameter of forty centimeters and a height of thirty. The leaves are velvety egg-shaped, the flowers have all shades of yellow.
For, or lobularia, creeping shoots with small flowers forming brushes are characteristic. The plant is distinguished by a variety of colors and a cloyingly sweet smell.

A perennial mountain view of a flower with grayish shades of stems and leaves begins to bloom in April, covered with bright yellow inflorescences.

The main method of reproduction of a flower is seed. They start growing by choosing a place that should be sunny, otherwise the start of flowering of alyssum will be delayed. Seeds are planted to a depth of no more than one centimeter. With a high density of seedlings, they need to be thinned out, taking into account the characteristics of the creeping stem. So that the plant blooms early, the seeds are planted in November. Thanks to winter sowing, the plant hardens, and it will not be afraid of frost.

Many believe that it is safer to first grow flower seedlings, which should then be transferred to a permanent place. Having chosen this method of cultivation, the perennial seeds are laid out on the surface of the soil. The soil in the container should be loose, moderately nutritious, with a small addition of slaked lime. Boxes with seed are placed in a warm place with good lighting. You can cover them with film or glass. For the rapid emergence of sprouts, future shoots need watering and daily ventilation.

Planting a bright perennial is a simple matter, accessible even to a novice grower.

As soon as the first leaves are visible on the sprouts, they take up the application of complex fertilizers. carried out after the appearance of the third leaflet. You can immediately plant seedlings in a permanent place, and with a protracted spring - in individual pots. After the threat of frost, well-lit places are prepared for perennial alissum with well-drained soil that is neutral in composition. Seedlings are planted so as not to deepen it much. The distance from bush to bush should be at least fifteen centimeters.

Contributes to the development of infection too diligent care of the plant. Excess moisture, overfeeding with nitrogenous fertilizers only help bacteria and fungi to grow on the tissues of a herbaceous plant.

Perennial pests:

The similarity of a flower with vegetable crops is manifested in plant diseases, pests gnawing a flower.

The flower is a wonderful tool in the design of garden plots:

Dense plantings of lobularia, both white and pink, beautifully frame islands of tall lilies, Turkish carnations, rose bushes.
White air bushes are combined with two-level plantings of tulips, irises.
Low-growing crops -, - look original in the neighborhood with a color-matched alissum.
The carpet of an ornamental plant is harmonious against the background of conifers: yew,.
In rocky gardens, flower bushes are planted around boulders. To avoid fussiness, it is necessary to use no more than three tones of inflorescences on such a site. A flower is suitable for growing in discounts, on alpine hills. Alyssum plantings are ideal for decorating the edges of paths.

The ability to use beetroot on various types of flower beds allows you to introduce the most original decor fantasies on the site.

More information can be found in the video:

Ground cover plants are an indispensable element of a beautiful flower bed. Among them, perennial alissum stands out favorably for its unpretentiousness and long flowering. Its other names are beetroot, lobularia, mason. Alyssum's strong honey scent attracts insect pollinators.

Description of alyssum perennial

Alyssum belongs to the cabbage family. About 40 species of beetroot grow on the territory of Russia, among which there are both annual and perennial. Plants are undersized, small four-petal flowers of white, yellow or lilac color are collected in brushes. The fruit is a pod containing a large number of small seeds. The root system is fibrous, shallow.

Varieties are low - only 20-40 cm. Alyssum starts growing in early spring and blooms quickly. The homeland of the flower is the mountains of Southern Europe. Therefore, it looks beautiful on alpine slides, in curbs, discounts. On the flowerbeds creates a solid carpet of delicate and bright colors. Photo of alyssum in landscape design:

Among the perennial representatives of the genus, the following species are popular: rock, mountain and sea.

Alyssum rocky

Perennial shrub with strongly branching stems up to 30 cm high. With age, the plant requires rejuvenating pruning, as the stem becomes bare. Popular varieties of rocky alissum:

Alyssum mountain

Frost-resistant perennial no more than 20 cm in height with creeping stems and densely pubescent leaves, which makes them appear grayish. Flowering begins at the end of April. Inflorescences are yellow, with a strong sweet smell.

Alyssum marine

This type of beetroot reaches a height of no more than 20 cm. As a perennial plant, it is grown only in southern latitudes. In central Russia, it is popular in an annual culture. It has hard, almost recumbent stems. Small flowers with a honey smell are collected in dense numerous brushes. It blooms from June until frost with white, pink, lilac and purple inflorescences. Alyssum marine is easily propagated - a mountain plant. For abundant flowering, it needs bright sun and nutritious soil with a neutral reaction.

This type of lobularia is especially effective in wide ribbons, arrays, borders. It is indispensable as the lower tier of flower beds of different heights.

Variety Tiny Tim - snow-white flowers cover the bushes like a hat. This creeping variety, no more than 8 cm in height, creates a complete illusion of sea foam among the boulders in rock gardens.

Violet Koning - an ampelous variety creates whole lilac waterfalls in hanging planters.

Princess in Purple is another ampel variety. In a pot, this variety forms long hanging purple shoots. On the flower bed, it will look like a solid carpet.

Reproduction of perennial alissum

This plant is propagated in three ways:

seeds,
cuttings,
dividing the bush.

Seeds are sown outdoors in early spring, after the threat of frost has passed.

Perennial alyssum seeds need sunlight to germinate, so the seeds are scattered over the surface of the soil and lightly pressed down with your hands.

To increase germination, it is better to cover the sowing place with plastic wrap. A few days later it is removed. Seedlings do not dive, so it is undesirable to sow them densely. Excess seedlings are weeded out, leaving at least 10 cm between the shoots.

Propagation by cuttings is suitable for an adult mature plant. This procedure can be combined with shaping pruning in early or late summer. With a sharp pruner, excess branches are cut out and rooted in the ground. The resulting young plants are planted in a permanent place no closer than 30 cm from each other.

The division of the bushes is carried out in April. The bushes are dug up and cut with a shovel. There should be several shoots on each part. Delenki are planted in the same way as rooted cuttings. After planting, the alissum is watered.

How to trim an alyssum

All varieties and varieties of lobularia need regular pruning. It promotes strong growth and better flowering.

Bushes that are not pruned begin to lose their decorative effect over time. Their stems are exposed and the number of inflorescences is reduced. In addition to pruning faded brushes, shoots are additionally shortened to 7-10 cm, while forming beautiful, lush and moderately sparse bushes. Proper pruning improves decorativeness and significantly reduces the likelihood of powdery mildew. Rocky alissum after flowering is shortened by a third of the length.

Pests and diseases of alyssum

Like all plants of the cabbage family, the alyssum flower suffers from cruciferous flea. To protect against fleas, it is sprayed with an infusion of garlic, wormwood, tobacco dust. In case of severe damage, chemical agents are used: "Aktaru", "Aktellik", "Fitoverm".

With high humidity and thickening, beetroot suffers from root rot and powdery mildew. Rot is manifested on it by yellowing of the leaves. Sick specimens are dug up, the roots are washed in a pink solution of potassium permanganate and planted in another place.

With powdery mildew, the leaves become covered with a whitish coating and eventually become brittle and brittle. Severely affected plants are destroyed, the rest are treated with a fungicide solution. In the future, it is necessary to observe the irrigation regime and try not to thicken the plantings.

Alyssum perennial in landscape design

Designers prefer to combine perennial alyssums with ampelous and ground cover petunias, Turkish carnations.

A favorite place for alyssums is alpine slides. A dense scattering of delicate flowers exquisitely frames the stones, covering everything with a solid carpet.

High varieties are traditionally cut, adding honey notes to the aroma of bouquets. In the flower beds they are combined with tulips, begonias.

When choosing a place to plant lobularia, its strong sweet aroma must be taken into account. Neighboring plants should not interrupt it.

In addition to perennials, annual varieties of white alissum Snow carpet and Esther Bonnet are very popular with summer residents.

Planting a perennial alyssum in your summer cottage will allow you to enjoy lush flowering and a delicate honey aroma from early spring to the very frost.