Leucanthemum is a perennial herb from the Astrov family. Its large delicate inflorescences are similar to an ordinary chamomile. No wonder the people often call it "garden daisy." The official name of the leucanthemum is leucantemum. Inflorescences give the flower garden a delicate natural style and set off other, brighter flowers. At the same time, the leucanthem is not lost at all against the general background. Many decorative varieties are so good that they can solo and are used in single plantings. The native landfill is southern Europe, where it independently occupies large fields and meadows. In culture, the plant behaves unpretentiously, quickly forms spreading flowering sods and fills the garden with a pleasant aroma.
Plant description
Leucanthemum is a genus of perennial and annual rhizome plants. Straight, slightly branched stems 30-100 cm high are covered with bright green leaves. Oblong or obovate leaflets with an elongated petiole grow next. They can have a whole or cirrus-dissected leaf plate with serrated edges.
At the end of June, inflorescences-baskets 6-12 cm in diameter bloom on the stems. They consist of long snow-white petals and a yellow core. On the edges are reed flowers of white or yellowish color, and the center is represented by small bright yellow tubular flowers. Leucanthemum inflorescences can be simple, semi-double and terry, similar to a snow globe.
Some plants bloom twice a year. For the first time - at the end of spring. And again - at the end of summer. After pollination, multi-seeded boxes mature with a one-sided crown at the top. In 1 g of seed material there are up to 650 units. Small oblong seeds retain germination up to 3 years.
Types of Leucanthemum
The genus of Leucanthemum has about 70 species of plants, but only a few are used in domestic gardening.
Leucanthemum vulgaris (meadow chamomile). An unpretentious, shade-tolerant and drought-tolerant plant 60-80 cm tall dissolves simple inflorescences-baskets up to 8 cm in diameter. Large, shiny leaves with serrated edges are hidden under them. Varieties:
- Maxim Koenig - stems about 1 m high end with large simple baskets with a diameter of up to 12 cm;
- May Queen - undersized variety (up to 50 cm) with semi-double flowers;
- Master - thickets up to 60 cm in height are decorated with snow-white flowers with a golden core.
Leucanthemum is the largest. A perennial plant 50-100 cm tall nourishes a horizontal, sprawling rhizome. The leafless lanceolate leaves with gaudy edges are painted dark green. In early summer, baskets with a diameter of up to 12 cm of simple or complex structure open. Until the fall, new sprouts and flowers appear. Varieties:
- Alaska is a frost-resistant plant with simple baskets about 10 cm in diameter;
- Snow Lady - a tall annual with inflorescences up to 17 cm in diameter, consisting of wide petals and a lush core;
- Wirral supreme - large terry inflorescences bloom on shoots up to 80 cm high;
- Little Princess - a dwarf variety 20-30 cm high with simple flowers;
- Silver Princess - thickets up to 40 cm high are covered with beautiful dark green leaves with a shiny surface, and the tops are decorated with simple baskets with a diameter of up to 6 cm;
- Broadway Lights is a medium-sized plant with simple baskets and light yellow petals.
Leucanthemum is magnificent. Intraspecific hybrid reaches 1 m in height. Its strong, erect stems are covered by the ground with large lanceolate or egg-shaped leaves up to 30 cm long. In July-August, simple inflorescences-baskets with a diameter of 8-10 cm open. The frost-resistant plant withstands cooling to -29 ° C. A very interesting variety is the hybrid Fiona Goghill. Beautiful terry baskets bloom on stems up to 75 cm high. Narrow petals of various shapes are gradually shortened to the center, they are painted in a creamy white color. The center is also quite lush and has a lemon yellow tint.
Seed cultivation
Leucanthemum seeds are sown immediately in open ground or for seedlings. Crops are planted in late autumn or April. For this, shallow wells are prepared at a distance of 20 cm from each other. Planting depth is about 2 cm. Immediately after sowing, the soil is well watered. Shoots appear 2-3 weeks after the thaw. At first, they develop quite slowly. In the first year, the nyvnyak actively increases the root mass and foliage, and begins to bloom from the second year of life. The grown seedlings are planted in flower beds with a distance of 30 cm.
If you grow seedlings in advance, there is a chance to see flowers in the first year. In February, seeds are sown in cassettes or boxes with sandy peat soil to a depth of 1 cm. The earth is watered and covered with a film. Containers should be kept in ambient light and at a temperature of + 22 ° C. Every day they are aired and sprayed. Shoots appear in 15-20 days, after which the shelter is removed and the plants are transferred to a well-lit room with a temperature of + 17 ... + 20 ° C. With the advent of three true leaves, they make a pick in separate pots. Already at this stage, the soil is mixed with deciduous humus. In mid-May, grown seedlings are planted in open ground.
Vegetative propagation
Throughout the summer, Leucanthemum can be cut. To do this, use root processes with a full leaf outlet and a small rhizome. They are cut with a sharp blade and immediately planted in a prepared hole. After planting, the soil is watered well.
Every 3-5 years the nyvyanik forms dense sods and begins to lose its decorative effect. In order to rejuvenate, the bushes are divided into parts. Manipulations are performed in spring or early fall, at the end of flowering. The bush is completely dug up, freed from most of the land and dismantled into small delenki, which are planted in fresh soil with a distance of 30 cm.
Plant care
In open ground, the leucanthemum behaves unpretentiously. However, to get abundantly flowering decorative thickets, you will have to make some efforts. A place for a flower garden is selected in the open sun or in slight shading. With insufficient lighting, the number of flowers is greatly reduced, and the stems of high varieties are bent.
The soil for planting should be fertile and light, but not dry. On sandy and clayey soils, the novyanik grows poorly. He also does not tolerate too acidic soil. Suitable chernozems or loams with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. Before planting, they dig the earth, make compost, peat and humus.
Leucanthemum needs regular watering, but without stagnation of water. During a period of drought, the leaves wilt very quickly, so they pour out a bucket of water under each bush. So that the soil does not dry out too quickly, the surface is mulched with sawdust, wood chips or pine needles. Periodically, it is necessary to weed the ground near the flower garden. This not only improves air access to the roots, but also eliminates weeds.
Twice a month, the nyvnyak is fed, alternating mineral and organic complexes. You can use nitrofoska, mullein solution or other complexes for flowering plants.
As the inflorescences wither, if there is no need for seeds, they are cut. This stimulates repeated flowering and prevents loss of strength by the plant. In the autumn, after flowering is completed, the stems are shortened and only basal foliage is left. For the winter, the plants are mulched with peat. Additionally, they are covered with fallen leaves and spruce up to a height of 15 cm. In early spring, the shelter is removed so that the plants do not look.
Leucanthemum can suffer from fungal infections due to fungal diseases (fusarium, rot, rust, leaf spot, downy mildew). Sometimes it affects a bacterial cancer. From diseases helps sprinkling with ashes and spraying with "Bordeaux mixture". Parasites bother plants rarely. Only from time to time you can see thrips or chrysanthemum miners on them.
Leaves in landscape design
Looks nice in a group landing. Thick greens, covered with white flowers, resembles a dense pillow with a snow cap. Large daisies behave perfectly when cut. They are used to make bouquets that will stand in a vase for 7-10 days. In a mixed flower garden, a nyvyanik is combined with a delphinium, a cornflower and bluebells. Dwarf varieties can be used to decorate a border or an alpine hill.
