Knifofiya: variegated buds to the envy of all country neighbors!

Modern flower gardens often adorn exotic specimens previously unknown in our country. Mostly these plants come from the tropics, but this does not stop lovers from successfully breeding them in the suburbs. Knifofiya is one of such perennial flowers. Tall bizarre candles rising from a rosette of narrow long leaves - such splendor is spectacular both as a solitary plant, and as part of a mixborder or alpine hill.

Knifofiya in nature

Knifophia was brought to Europe from Africa

The charming flower got its name in honor of the botanist Johann Kniphof, who first described an exotic plant. In wildlife, it can be seen in Africa (Southern and Eastern parts) and in Madagascar. Cultivated flowers, also known as knyphophia, tritoma and notosceptrum, are bred all over the world. However, due to the heat-loving nature of this culture, hybrid knizofia varieties, which grow well in the southern regions, are most widely used.

Features of growing decorative culture

The origin of the plant dictates its own laws - for favorable vegetation and confident flowering, most varieties require a hot climate with sunny weather and a short mild winter. In the northern regions and the central part of Russia, only one species of perennial is more often planted - the book of Tukka.

It is better to grow exotic plants in areas where the sun reigns most of the day - elevated spaces, southern slopes. To make the plant bloom for longer, only light partial shade is allowed. When determining the landing site, drafts should be excluded.

Knifofiya is best planted in places open to sunlight and near water bodies

Due to the fact that knifofiya is a rather tall plant, it is better to use it in the middle of flower arrangements. And the brightness of the coloring of this African exot recommends a competent approach to the formation of flower beds - next to the perennial it is better to place squat representatives of the flora with discreet flowers and an abundance of greenery.

In natural conditions of growth, knifofiya gladly settles in places with high humidity - near swamps, ponds. In landscape design, you can use this natural "love" for water and plant a flower next to artificial ponds in the garden.

Popular varieties

The botanical reference books describe about 75 modifications of knifofiya. The most famous are the following types:

• Knifofiya Tukka is the most hardy variety, which is quite successfully grown in central Russia. The only kind of culture that can winter in the open ground. The height of the bush is 0.8 meters, inflorescences spikelets reach 15 cm in height, have a dense red-yellow color. Bright torches delight gardeners for a month starting in July.
  

  Knifofiya Tukka - the variety most adapted to the climatic conditions of central Russia

• Hybrid knifofiya - a variety developed on the basis of berry knifofiya. Variations of hybrid knifofiya are characterized by a variety of colors - from burgundy and dark pink to bright yellow. Its height ranges from 0.6 to 1.0 meters.
  

  Hybrid knifofiya can be of various shades

• Berry knifofiya - the tallest representative of the perennial. It is characterized by beautiful coral-yellow inflorescences, plentiful foliage of a greenish-gray hue. Mass flowering begins in July and lasts for 60 days. The following varieties of berry knizofia are in demand among amateurs:
  • Popsicle;
  • Flamenco;
  • Surprise.
    

    The tallest variety of this decorative culture

• Hairy knifofiya - hairy fibers covering the leaf surface give this plant a special decorative effect. The inflorescences are conical, have a small size - only about 3 cm in length - and a classic red-yellow color.
  

  Knifofiya shaggy has a traditional yellow-red color

Application in landscape design: examples in the photo

Landing methods

Cultural types of knifofiya can be planted in open ground and seeds, and the separation of the bush. A plant sown with seeds is able to sprout even the next year, so for faster vegetation it is advisable to plant knifofiya through pre-grown seedlings.

How to grow seedlings

The agricultural technology of growing knifofiya from seeds is reduced to the following manipulations:

• seeds for seedlings must be planted in specially prepared boxes in March;
• the soil should be loose and light, with good drainage properties;
• after disembarkation, the earth is watered, and the box is closed with a film. So that the seeds do not suffocate and do not mold, you need to periodically remove the coating for ventilation;
• after 15-20 days, sprouts appear that must be peaked after the appearance of three leaves. When the seedlings become friendly, the film is removed so that young plants receive a sufficient amount of oxygen;
• for two months, seedlings, spread on separate containers, grows and hardens. When steady heat sets in, it should be taken out onto the balcony or terrace.

Flowering begins only two years after planting seedlings

In early July, the planted perennial seedling can be settled on a permanent place in the open ground. Flowering will occur in the third year after planting seedlings.

Bush division

You can accelerate the flowering of knizofia when the plant propagates by dividing the bush. Perennial three-year-old begins to form sockets, which are used for transplantation. Young layers are separated by a disinfected sharp knife from the mother bush and left in the air for 2-3 hours. The slice needs to be treated with charcoal and wait for a slight withering. Then the outlet can be landed in a permanent place.

Immediately after transplanting, the young bush needs intensive watering, after a few weeks you can switch to watering 1-2 times a week. In hot weather and bright sunshine, the seedling is shaded.

Outdoor Landing Scheme

Knifofiya is a rather large plant, therefore, for a more comfortable existence, it requires free space. Both seedlings and daughter sockets should be planted at a distance of at least 0.4 meters from each other.

Perennials do not need to change their permanent "residence" without good reason. A transplant is justified only if in the old place the plant more and becomes weaker.

Garden care

Caring for a decorative plant is not complicated

The cultivation of knizofia in the open ground is not fraught with special difficulties. The thermophilic plant is basically unpretentious, perennial agricultural technology consists in the following techniques:

• loosening and mulching of the soil with regular removal of weeds;
• fertilizer application;
• periodic watering;
• regular removal of faded spikelets.

Despite the moisture-lovingness of knifofiya, it does not tolerate stagnation of water at all - the roots of the plant begin to rot and the perennial can die. Therefore, knizofiya landed on hills or in pits with drainage. For a more intense heating of the soil around the perennial, you can place a black film or small pebbles.

After the fall months, the flower stalks must be completely removed and the plant prepared for wintering. To do this, the bushes are covered with a large amount of straw, leaves or coniferous litter. You can use a special covering material with holes for ventilation.

Knifofia must be covered with a special film for the winter

With the onset of spring, the protective shelter is removed from the bush, but this must be done gradually so that the perennial gets used to the ambient temperature.

If a cold winter is expected, it is better to dig out the bushes, plant them in separate containers and bring them into a cool room with a temperature of no higher than 8⁰ FROM.

Pests and diseases

Cultural types of knizofia are very resistant to flower diseases. The main pest of the plant is root rot, which develops due to a constant excess of moisture in the soil and too dense soil. If signs of the disease are found, knifofiya must be dug up, examined rhizomes and remove the affected parts. After aseptic processing (dusting with charcoal, ash or sulfur), the bush is transplanted to a place more comfortable for perennial.

In rare cases, knifofiya can be attacked by pests - aphids, thrips, spider mites. For prevention, fragrant herbs or green manure can be planted next to the perennial, and if pests are found, the plant is treated with an insecticide.

Reviews of growers about the features of growing

I bought 2 spring ago in a supermarket a small rhizome of Knifofia (Kniphofia uvaria), it quickly grew and easily wintered, sprinkled with dry peat. The next year bloomed in July and again in August. I really like it, hassle-free and pretty.

anttisepp

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Seated her kniffophia. In the spring it needs to be transplanted in late April and early May, but if the spring is early and warm, then at the end of March. After dividing the rhizomes, it is very important to immediately plant the dividers into the ground, preventing drying. Therefore, first you need to prepare the landing pits and then proceed to the excavation and division. Delenki with dried roots are sick for a long time and poorly take root, or even they can disappear altogether.

Sanovna

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I bought the first knifofiya small in a pot. In the year of planting, it did not bloom with me. The next two years bloomed, the flowering time was the beginning of July. She survived two winters (they didn’t cover the first winter for sure). After the third winter did not get out. Until the knifophia bloomed, it looked like a fairly powerful bush of grass. I bought the second one last year with a rhizome. Overexposed in the refrigerator. All three rhizomes of Knizofia Ice Queen have taken root and have grown powerful bushes. It bloomed in the last days of September and all of October. For the winter did not harbor. Let's see what happens ...

Danka

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And I like knizofiya {103605}. It happens that it freezes. I try to cover it with something dry for the winter: leaves or grass, or cleaned annuals. I tried to spud for the winter, but I didn’t clean the spud in time, and the knifophia wandered. Anyway, I plant again and not necessarily with seeds, roots, easier, grows faster, begins to bloom earlier.

buhova

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She perfectly grew and flourished in the Tula region until she got wet. I overlooked that in the spring meltwater got to the place where the knifofiya grew. It requires shelter for the winter.

Irina Lazukina

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Elegant and exotic knifofiya with large torch-shaped inflorescences blooming for 1-2 months, can decorate any garden plot. The African plant, although it does not require special efforts in growing, but under adverse conditions, can refuse to bloom. At the same time, this decorative culture responds to the care of the gardener with rapid growth and prolonged flowering.