Eremurus is a flower of extraordinary beauty that can decorate any area. Eremurus: landing and care. A flower of extraordinary beauty Eremurus from seeds planting and care

Today's topic is Eremurus (planting and care in the open field, photos of compositions in the garden). After all, it is hardly necessary to talk about why early flowering plants are invariably popular among flower growers, everything is clear here anyway. Basically, a spring flower bed is decorated with undersized flowers, but accents (a design technique that enhances the impression) will not interfere with any flower bed. A truly magnificent vertical accent is Eremurus, let's get to know him!

Eremurus flower: planting and care in the open field, photo in the garden

The Latin name - Eremurus consists of two words "eremos" (desert) and "ura" (tail). In some countries, the plant is known as "Cleopatra's Needle". Another name is shrysh or shiryash, which means glue in Tajik. The dry roots are used to make glue and patches, and the young roots of some species are edible, similar to asparagus when cooked. All parts of eremurus are used as a dye (yellow) for natural fabrics, and the flower is also an excellent honey plant.

Eremurus belongs to the Xanthorreaceae family (subfamily Asphodelaceae), in total there are about 70 species, varieties and hybrids. The main habitat is the desert and steppe areas of South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The massive root of the eremurus resembles an octopus or a spider - twisted, thickened roots depart (almost horizontally) from a disc-shaped root, whose diameter reaches 15 cm. The foliage in the rosette is keeled or trihedral, flat. Peduncle solitary, tall, leafless. The inflorescence is cylindrical, racemose, elongated, bell-shaped or wide open flowers on individual pedicels arranged in a spiral. Each flower opens for only 1 day, eremurus blooms from the bottom up. The fruit is a rounded, cracking three-celled capsule, the seeds are wrinkled.

The flowering period depends on climatic conditions and species, it lasts from 10 to 40 days, after which the entire aerial part of the eremurus dies off and the plant goes dormant.

Species, hybrids and varieties of eremurus

To begin with, consider the specific eremurus and start with the high ones:

Medium-sized eremurus (up to 160 cm) include the following species:

• E. Altai (E. altaicus)- the peduncle is green with a slight bluish bloom. Inflorescence up to 60 cm. Flowers are bell-shaped, yellow inside, slightly greenish outside. Unlike other types of pedicels during flowering, they are not protruding to the side, but directed upwards;
• E. Alberta (E. Albertii)- leaves are bare, dark green. Many blood-red flowers with a pink stamen are collected in a loose inflorescence, the length of the brush is about 60 cm;
• E. Korshinsky (E. Korshinskyi)- brush up to 50 cm, yellowish-orange flowers turn brown after flowering;
• E. Crimean (E. tauricus)- inflorescence up to 80 cm, white flowers;
• E. lactiflora (E. lactiflorus)- the leaves are bluish, the inflorescence is loose, the flowers are large white with a yellow vein and a yellowish center;
• E. Olga (E. Olgae)- loose brush, pink flowers with a yellow center;
• E. representative (E. spectabilis)- inflorescence up to 80 cm, flowers are bell-shaped, light yellow inside, brownish green outside;
• E. narrow-leaved, or Bunge (E. stenophyllus = E. Bungei)- brush up to 80 cm, very dense. The flowers are golden yellow with long stamens, wide open.

Conditionally undersized species can be called eremurus comb (E. cristatus), the maximum height of the stem is 80 cm, the inflorescence is narrow, dense, up to 40 cm in length. The flowers are bell-shaped purple with a long brown stamen.

Species eremurus are, of course, good, but hybrids are the most popular Ruiter (Ruiter Hybrids), the earliest flowering among all representatives of the genus, the height of the peduncles in which can reach 150 cm. On sale you will find a huge number of varieties of flowers of different colors, consider a few of them:

• Odessa- yellow-green flowers;
• Sahara- coral-pink flowers;
• Romance- salmon-pink;
• Obelisk- white flowers with an emerald center;
• Cleopatra- orange-brown flowers, on the outside the petals are decorated with many dark veins, orange stamens;
• in general inflorescence variety Pinocchio looks orange, if you get closer you can see gray-orange flowers with red stamens;
• Roford- salmon flowers with orange stamens;
• Moneymaker andEmmy Ro- yellow.

It should be noted 2 more hybrids - Shelford (Shelford Hybrids) or eremurus isabellinus (E. × isabellinus) and Highdown (Higbdown Hybrids), they are still rarely found on sale and are collectible eremurus.

How to grow eremurus, the secrets of proper care

In nature, eremurus chooses sandy, steppe and clayey areas, so it can hardly be called a particularly whimsical plant, but some points are still worth considering.

The best time for planting eremurus is the beginning of autumn, the place should be sunny and calm, and the soil should be moderately fertile and non-acidic, although the Altai and lactic-flowered eremurus grow well even on slightly loosened clay. What all species do not tolerate is the high level of groundwater. Therefore, in damp areas it is appropriate to build raised flower beds.

A place for eremurus is prepared in advance, it's not about the hole itself, but about preparing high-quality drainage, in which we will describe its importance below. The size of the hole is adjusted to the planting material, all roots must be completely straightened. The depth of the hole is calculated according to the size of the Cornedonian, its top can rise above the ground by no less and no more than 10 cm. Each plant is planted at a distance of 30 to 60 cm from each other, rely on the height of the flower - each bush needs light. Before planting the rhizome, place it in a light solution of potassium permanganate for 2 hours.

About drainage

At rest, the rhizome needs to dry thoroughly, if the Altai or Crimean eremurus can be enough with the usual high beds or light drainage, then other species need additional protection from excessive moisture in the soil. Under the condition of solo plantings above the bushes, you can build a small umbrella or other protective structure, another option is to cover with a film.

Some flower growers dig up a faded bush (it is not necessary to wait for the aerial part to dry), dry the root for about 3 weeks and plant it back into the soil; it cannot be stored until spring. It is worth considering that some species in the fall (after summer dormancy) actively grow roots and form the next year's bud, digging and untimely planting can lead to disruption of the rhythm and death of the plant.

Moisture is needed only at the beginning of the growing season, then frequent watering is out of the question, eremurus survive and grow well even in sandy desert conditions. There is no need for excessive fertilizing either; in critical cases, fertilize the plant immediately after spring awakening and at the end of autumn.

Diseases and pests

Mice and moles are the main enemies of eremurus. These rodents, laying their underground paths, damage, and sometimes gnaw the roots of the plant, which begins to rot, the bush itself becomes pale and oppressed. If you find small ill-wishers, you need to dig out the eremurus, cut off the damaged parts of the root, soak it in potassium permanganate, sprinkle with ash, dry it well and plant it back.

Another problem that can arise during cultivation is viruses. Light yellow tubercles appear on the leaves. It is desirable to remove all infected plants so that the disease does not spread.

• When choosing planting material, please note that the root must be dried and contain several buds. If the main horizontal roots are broken off, refuse the purchase, only the thin tips of the roots can be removed.
• The stems of eremurus are quite strong, but during heavy rain, the brushes fill with water, become much heavier, bend and break, so it is advisable to tie especially tall species to a support.
• For the winter, the plant can be covered with a layer (10 cm) of compost, spruce branches or peat, you can remove the shelter after return frosts.
• When propagating plants by seeds, it is better to choose boxes from the lower tiers of the peduncle.
• Excessive fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers and manure is bad for wintering and can lead to the development of diseases, such as rust.

The use of eremurus in landscape design

In garden design, companions are carefully selected for eremurus. It can be sun-loving, undemanding plants for watering, such as yucca, sage, spurge, leucanthemum, ornamental onions, cereals.

It is not difficult for tall handsome men to find a good place, and the best option would be to decorate the background of flower beds, flower beds, etc. with eremurus. . So next to eremurus it is better to plant drought-resistant, perennial plants with a long growing season.

During flowering, eremurus captivates even the most capricious and selective flower growers with its appearance, if only this powerful and stately handsome man cannot be left without attention! With the right choice of place and companions, planting and caring for eremurus does not cause any trouble - well, just the perfect flower.

Giant pale orange candles, like fabulous giants, towered above the rest of the plants, giving the flower garden an outlandish look. Under the photo was the caption: "Blossoming eremuruses." I still remember what an amazing impression this picture once made on me.

Eremurus, or Shiryash ( Eremurus) is a genus of perennial herbaceous plants of the Xanthorrheaceae family ( Xanthorrhoeaceae).

Years passed, and somehow in the beginning of spring in the store among the Dutch planting material I saw a bag with the image of a hybrid orange eremurus. The rhizome looked unusual: a disc with a clearly marked bud at the top, about 3 cm in diameter, and roots sticking out in all directions almost in a horizontal plane. All this somehow reminded me of a dried octopus. In general, the diameter of the rhizome (or, as biologists call it, the root) did not exceed 10 cm.

Planting material was dry. But the seller assured me that the eremurus can withstand such dryness. And I bought 2 pieces. At home, before planting, I placed them in the vegetable container of the refrigerator.

Growing eremurus

Having studied the literature on the agricultural technology of eremurus, he began to wait for heat. When the earth thawed and warmed up, he brought the rhizomes to the dacha. I chose a place for them on the site, the driest and sunniest. In principle, there was no need for drainage, but just in case, I still poured a small square mound (60x60x30 cm) from garden soil, into which I mixed a bucket of sand, 50 g of slaked lime and a couple of glasses of wood ash.

I did not add mineral fertilizers to the mixture, I considered that for the first time the eremurus would have enough nutrients, because the soil in my area is quite fertile. And with a shovel, I dug a small groove near the mound with a slope towards the natural lowering of the site, so that when the snow melts and during heavy rain, the water at the rhizomes does not stagnate.

Someone, after reading the article to the end, might think: this is how the author does everything easily, but I, they say, eremurus do not want to grow. To make it clear why I have no problems with this plant, I will tell you about my site. It is located in the Serebryano-Prudsky district of the Moscow region (46th km along the Paveletsky direction). This is the southeast of the Moscow region. The soils are cultivated, loam. Groundwater is deep, spring flooding does not happen.

Compared to other regions of the Moscow region, especially the northern, northwestern and northeastern regions, ours is much drier (usually less precipitation falls) and 1-2 °C warmer. There are no large damp forests or peat bogs nearby, there are fields all around, picturesque ravines and forest plantations. The winds always blow, and if it rains heavily at night, then by 12 noon it will already be dry. And when there is a wet summer and in the Moscow region there is no salvation from slugs and snails devouring foliage, we practically do not have them.

Landing eremurus

Before planting, he placed the Cornedonian for two hours in a pink solution of potassium permanganate. Then he made wide holes 10-15 cm deep at a distance of 20 cm from each other. Having straightened the roots, he put the “octopuses” on the bottom of the holes and covered them with earth. So eremurus settled in my garden.

Just a week later, the tops of the shoots appeared. And soon long narrow bluish-green leaves unfolded from them. In June, one eremurus had three small flower arrows at once, the other - two. They quickly stretched out and bloomed by the end of the month.

Orange candle-inflorescences were visible from afar. Moreover, the flowers managed to maintain their brightness until the end of flowering.

At the same time, about 50 pieces were opened. As it bloomed, the inflorescence in the lower part became brownish - these were wilted, but not fallen, lower flowers.

My neighbors, who saw the eremurus through the fence, finally decided to ask "to pinch off a piece of this beauty." I promised only seeds. Therefore, after the magnificent celebration of flowering, he began to closely monitor the flower stalks. On them, especially in the lower part, I noticed round green fruits-boxes. To get full-fledged seeds, the upper parts of the peduncles were cut off.

Care for eremurus in the open field

In Germany, eremurus is more often called a steppe candle, in England and some other Western countries - Cleopatra's needles, and in Asia - shiryash, or shrysh. The first name is clear: the birthplace of many species of eremurus is the steppe regions of Central Asia. But to unravel the second "name" you need to delve into ancient history. The fact is that the shape of the eremurus inflorescence surprisingly resembles ancient Egyptian obelisks, elongated like a candle. And where Egypt is, there is Cleopatra ...

Shiryash in Tajik means "glue", which in Central Asia is obtained from the roots of eremurus.

As they ripen, the fruits become beige. Each ball had three wings, and inside there were trihedral seeds with transparent wings. In advance, I cut off the remnants of peduncles densely planted with fruits with secateurs and put them in the barn for ripening. At the end of October, I prepared a small bed, peeled large seeds from the husk and sowed them into grooves 1.5 cm deep.

The following year, only weeds sprouted in the spring, which I ruthlessly weeded out. Then rows of thin green hairs appeared, like goose onion sprouts, a noxious weed. During the season, the eremurus grew little, although I took good care of them - weeded, watered, loosened and even fed once every 2 weeks. In the spring it gave more nitrogen, and in the summer - potassium and phosphorus. By the autumn of the first year, the single thin leaf of each seedling had grown to 5 cm.

The next year, the situation did not change dramatically - only the height of the seedlings doubled. In short, individual seedlings bloomed only in the 4-5th year.

Eremurus in the flower garden should not be in front so that other plants can mask their foliage drying in the second half of summer

In order to have something to give to friends and acquaintances, gradually began to sow eremurus every year. Firstly, not all seeds germinated, and secondly, many seedlings were pulled out during weeding or damaged during loosening. And thirdly, and this is perhaps the most important thing, hybrid eremurus give offspring with unpredictable traits. Among the seedlings, pink, beige and yellow eremurus appear.

Of course, I keep plants with new colors. By the way, they still grow on the same beds where they were sown, and at the same time they bloom perfectly. It turned out that my tricks - mounds and grooves - were not needed. If the groundwater on the site lies deep, then you don’t have to worry about the fate of the eremurus in the garden.

Spring seedlings of narrow-leaved Eremurus (Eremurus stenophyllus). © garten-frei-raum

Eremurus breeding

For the first three years, I did not touch the orange “parents”, but then it was time to divide them: many children formed the Kornedonian. In addition, I built a new flower garden - an alpine hill, and decided to decorate it with eremurus.

Having dug out the Cornedonian, he found a continuous interweaving of "tentacles" and kidneys sticking out among them. The roots were so delicate and fragile that they broke off with a crack at the slightest effort. With great care, I separated the “parents” and several extreme “octopuses”. Further attempts at division without major injuries were impossible. Therefore, with two large "sockets" he placed the eremurus at the very top of the alpine hill. I took into account that they grow rapidly, and placed them at a distance of about 50 cm from one another. And to this day they grow on a hill in the same place.

I don’t build a special shelter for these perennials for the winter, I’ll just throw a couple of branches of spruce branches - that’s all. In the Moscow region, eremurus are quite winter-hardy: they did not suffer even in the snowless frosts of 2002. True, the flowering was less lush than usual.

One day my neighbor remarked: “Eremuruses are an unsurpassed miracle in the garden. They magically transform flower beds. I completely agree with her.

Materials used: N. Kiselev, member of the club "Flowers of Moscow"

The genus Eremurus or Shiryash belongs to the subfamily Asphodelaceae, which in turn is part of the Xanthoreaceae family. This genus includes about 50 species, as well as many varieties and hybrid forms. From the Greek, the name of this plant means desert tail, which is explained by the appearance of the shoots.

The rhizome of the eremurus resembles a starfish, it is disc-shaped and has a rather large diameter. There are usually a lot of leaves, they are linear, have three edges, the width of the sheet depends on the species. In early summer, a large inflorescence-brush appears on a high shoot, painted mainly in orange and red shades. The fruit is a box. It is worth noting that this culture is a good honey plant.

Varieties and types

Or angustifolia a Middle Eastern species common in Afghanistan and the Pamirs. Sometimes it grows up to two meters, the foliage is keeled, narrow, bluish. The flower brush is cylindrical in shape, up to 60 cm tall, has a large number of small flowers of golden color.

Or robustus mountainous view that came to us from the Tien Shan. It has bare dark green foliage of a bluish tone. The inflorescence exceeds a meter in height and includes about 1000 flowers of brown-pink or white.

Probably the most famous and widespread variety. It grows up to 1 m 50 cm tall, has bluish dark green numerous leaves. The flower brush, slightly exceeding 50 cm, has a pink or white color.

In the wild, it grows mainly in the wooded regions of Afghanistan and the Pamirs. It is notable for the fact that it begins to bloom quite early in comparison with its relatives, but in return for this it has a short growing season. The inflorescence-brush has a white-pink color.

Quite a large plant, sometimes reaching 2 meters in height. There are relatively few leaves - up to 15, narrow, trihedral. The flower stem is long, the flowers are yellow.

Also a rather high view with a flower brush growing up to 80 cm. The flowers are white, small, covered with greenish veins.

Among the varietal forms are quite popular or Cleopatra's needle . It has an attractive pale orange color with a pink tint.

Attractive for its intense red petals, which is quite rare in this genus.

The flowers of this variety have a pretty pink pastel shade.

Variety Eremurus rexona flower brush dark orange, red.

There is also one, which is a mixture of different species and its external data depends on which variety formed the basis.

Sometimes meets the name. This plant is not related to eremurus, but is a representative of another rad - liatris.

Eremurus propagation by seeds

Eremurus is sometimes grown from seeds. The material is sown in the soil in early spring, and after germination, they are planted keeping about 50 cm between individuals. But the seedling method of growing is more reliable.

Sowing for seedlings is carried out in early autumn. The pot should be at least 12 cm deep. The seeds are deepened by 1 cm and kept at 14-16°C. It is worth noting that the germination of seeds is quite high, but some seeds may still not hatch, although they are quite suitable for propagation - they simply "felt that they should germinate next year."

Young seedlings need to be watered quite often so that the topsoil is always slightly moist, but only slightly, as excess moisture will be harmful. Young plants are grown in containers outdoors, and when the foliage begins to dry, they are hidden in a dark place.

When autumn comes and frosts approach, they are taken out in containers and covered with a 20-30 cm layer of dry foliage, which is removed with the arrival of spring. Thus, young flowers are grown for 3 years, and when the aerial part becomes large enough, they are transplanted into a flower bed and cared for as adult plants.

Liatris is also grown for planting and care in the open field, some varieties are even confused with eremurus. Although the plant is not difficult to grow, it is still necessary to know and observe a few nuances. You can find all the necessary recommendations for growing and caring in this article.

Eremurus planting and care in the open field

In spring and until mid-July, in dry weather, watering should be carried out. After flowering, watering is not needed.

Also, caring for this crop requires fertilizing before winter at the rate of 35 grams of superphosphate per square meter of land, in addition, complex mineral fertilizing is applied in the amount of 50 grams per square meter in the spring.

If the soils in your area are poor, then it will not hurt to fertilize with ammonium nitrate before flowering - 20 grams per square meter. It is undesirable to apply manure or nitrogen fertilizers in excess, as this reduces the plant's resistance to disease and frost.

In addition to the above procedures, it is necessary to loosen the soil and get rid of weeds, but this must be done carefully, since the roots of the eremurus are quite tender.

Eremurus transplant

As you can see, caring for this plant is not difficult, but there is one feature in the care that should be taken into account. In the summer after flowering, when the foliage dries up, you should dig up the rhizomes, dry them a little and keep them in the fresh air for at least 20 days. Even if the foliage does not completely dry out, it is dangerous to leave the roots in the ground until autumn, as they can rot later.

If you cannot or do not want to dig up the Cornedonian, then try to make a shelter from precipitation above the landing site. We also remind you that it is necessary to carefully remove the roots from the ground due to their tenderness.

High-quality seed material is formed only in the lower part of the inflorescence, this must be taken into account when collecting seeds.

Eremurus wintering

Eremurus normally tolerates cold, but heat-loving species should be covered with peat for the winter. You can’t leave the Cornedonians, dug out in the summer, until the very spring - in the fall they are again planted in a flower bed and covered with peat, and if there is a possibility of severe frosts or lack of snow, then also with spruce branches.

In the spring, the shelter is removed without worrying that frosts will return, since in the case of these plants, you can always cover the area with lutrasil.

Eremurus reproduction by division

In addition to the generative propagation of eremurus, there is also a vegetative one. It is carried out by dividing the outlets that may appear next to the mother.

They are carefully separated, having treated the places of breaks with ashes and dried a little, and then they are seated. Please note that division cannot be carried out more than once every five years, so as not to harm the plant.

Diseases and pests

The cultivation of eremurus is associated with the fight against pests and diseases of this plant.

The most common pests slugs, mice and aphid.

• The latter is eliminated by washing the plants with soapy water or spraying them with citrus infusion. If the pest is too annoying, then you can resort to insecticides.
• To protect the site from slugs, it is sprinkled with ashes or crushed eggshells.
• Traps are prepared for mice, poisons are laid out on the site and burrows are flooded.

The most common diseases among fungi and viruses.

• Rust appears during high dampness. She is found in brown and dark spots on foliage . In case of infection, it is necessary to carry out the treatment with fungicides, for example, Topaz, as soon as possible.
• In case of damage by other fungi, the symptoms are about the same - dark spots andweakening plants. They fight almost all fungal diseases with the help of fungicides, the most common of which is the Bordeaux mixture.
• It is impossible to cure a plant from viruses, and if you notice on the foliage strange mosaics , then, most likely, the flower will have to be burned.

Eremurus "Cleopatra" is a rather tall and spectacular plant native to Asia. The height of the stem reaches 120 cm, and the flowers have an orange-pink color. resembles a flaming candle, as the inflorescences are collected in panicles, which are located along the length of the peduncle. From the ancient Greek language eremurus is translated as "tail", it is also called "Cleopatra's needle".

The root of the plant contains a polysaccharide, which in ancient times was used as an adhesive or plaster on a wound. Young roots are suitable for eating boiled. They are said to taste like asparagus. The leaves and stems are used to dye fabrics, mainly silk. Eremurus "Cleopatra" looks very beautiful in the garden, but you need to consider that this plant is exotic and it is quite difficult to grow it. However, the most purposeful flower growers will be able to do this task.

The most successful time for planting eremurus is early autumn. Planting material are bulbs-rhizomes. They are sold in sealed bags, inside which there is a peat filler. Roots diverge from the bulb, which should not be dry and brittle. This fact indicates low-quality raw materials.

There are usually 1 or 2 buds on the top of the bulb.

If the kidney is broken off, or blackened, then, most likely, such a plant will not sprout. The color of the bulb should be uniform, without any spots and rotted areas.

How to plant bulbs:

• The landing site should be closed from drafts and well warmed up by the sun.
• The soil should be mostly dry. Suitable soil composition: turf, greenhouse soil and humus.
• When preparing the site, drainage is placed in its base - gravel or pebbles, they are added dropwise with soil on top, with a layer of up to 40 cm.
• For planting, a recess of about 10-15 cm is prepared, the width should freely accommodate all the roots of the bulb. It is important that the kidney remains on the surface of the soil.
• The distance between the bulbs should be from 30 to 60 cm.
• Two hours before planting, the roots of the bulb are placed in a solution of potassium permanganate. If the roots are too dry, then they are soaked with plain water. The main thing is not to submerge the kidney itself under water.
• After planting, sprinkle the plants with straw.

In the spring, when the plant is just starting to grow, it needs watering. However, it is important to ensure that there is no standing water. A good solution would be to plant an eremurus on a slope. In the event of prolonged rains, it is necessary to cover the area with a film, as waterlogging harms the plant.

For the lush flowering of eremurus, you need to take care of regular feeding:

• The first top dressing is best done in the spring, as the plant wakes up and begins active growth. On a 1 sq. m. contribute about 50 grams of complex fertilizer and 7.5 kg of manure or.
• The second feeding is carried out in the fall. On a 1 sq. m. contribute about 35 grams of phosphate fertilizers. Do not exceed the dose of fertilizer, as this will only harm the plant, reducing resistance to diseases.

In order for the wintering to pass without problems, the eremurus is covered with spruce branches and peat. From above, you can build a box and cover it with roofing material. Ventilation will take place through the side openings. After heavy rain, the peduncle may break under the weight of the water. To prevent this from happening, you should take care of the support for the plant. Plant care cannot do without loosening the soil and weeding. However, be careful not to damage the roots. Eremurus flowering depends on weather conditions. Most often this occurs in early summer, however, in rainy and cold climates, flowering may be delayed by a month or not at all.

In summer, the leaves of eremurus usually dry out. It is advisable to dig up such plants and store in a well-ventilated area for about three weeks. This is a very important stage for the further life of the plant. It is highly undesirable to leave plants in the ground until the end of summer, since a large amount of precipitation passes during this period, and waterlogging can harm eremurus.

In order for the eremurus to look spectacular on the site, it is recommended to plant a composition of five or more pieces.

They look best in the center or in the background. This location is due to the fact that it was possible to hide the foliage withering in summer. Eremurus gets along well with, and a cleaner. And if you plant a tall onion nearby, then it will protect the eremurus from aphids. Cut eremurus is able to maintain freshness for a long time. In addition, excellent dried flowers are obtained from it, which will perfectly dilute the interior.

Reproduction of eremurus occurs through seeds and the vegetative method.

How to collect seeds for propagation:

1. Seeds are collected only from the lower part of the inflorescence, while the upper flowers are recommended to be removed so that the plant does not spend too much energy on them.
2. Ripe seeds are beige.
3. Seed collection takes place from mid-August.
4. Seed storage should take place in a dry and well ventilated area.
5. In September-October, the seeds are peeled, and they are ready for sowing.
6. Seeds are planted in containers with a depth of at least 15 cm and kept in a cool, dry place.
7. Seed holes should be about 2 cm.
8. In the spring, the first shoots appear. In the third spring, seedlings can be planted in open ground.
9. Such plants will bloom only after 4-5 years.

Vegetative reproduction occurs if daughter buds appear next to the main plant. You can see them already in early spring. Each kidney already has its own, respectively, you can separate them from the main trunk.

If the kidneys do not break off with light pressure, then reproduction should be postponed until next year. The fracture site must be processed, dried well and seated. Daughter plants can bloom 2 years after breeding. Planting by vegetative means cannot be carried out more often than once every 5-6 years.

Pest control is an integral part of growing eremurus. Among the variety of pests and diseases, the following can be distinguished:

• Slugs. With a small amount, you can collect them manually. If slugs have flooded the area, then you should set traps with dark beer, which will certainly attract gastropods. You can also resort to the help of some spices that can scare away slugs. These include: rosemary, and cilantro, allspice. Spices are scattered on the site where eremurus grow. Prevention against slugs is mulching with ashes. With the low effectiveness of these methods, you can use store-bought insecticides.
• Mice and moles. Such pests damage the roots of the plant, gnawing them. Sooner or later, this leads to the death of the eremurus. In this case, it is necessary to expose the root system, removing rotten and damaged roots. Slices need to be treated with ash, let them dry and place the plant in the ground. Traps with baits are set up against mice and moles. You can use ultrasonic repellers, as well as plant them on the site, as their smell repels rodents.
• - a fairly common and dangerous pest. The diseased plant stops growing, the leaves dry up, and the trunk is deformed. Aphid colonies become active with the beginning of spring. Hungry insects suck the juices from the plant and are the distributors of viral diseases. If you do not start fighting aphids immediately after the first signs of infection, then their active reproduction will cause great harm to the entire planting of eremurus. Prevention against aphids is the autumn disposal of the remnants of old foliage and stems. In the spring, it is worth spraying the plants with oil-mineral compounds. In the summer, plantings should be carefully inspected and, if aphids are found, resort to insecticides.
• Spider mite. These pests live on the underside of the foliage, covering it with cobwebs. Since the mites feed on the juices of the plant, the leaves quickly turn brown, curl up and dry out. If a tick is found, the plant must be washed with soapy water, and then sprayed with an insecticide. All dried leaves and trunks must be collected and burned.
• Rust on leaves. Rust appears as brown-black strokes on the surface of the plant. If the disease is started, it will disfigure all the leaves. A diseased eremurus requires treatment.
• The viral disease is manifested by yellow spots, and the leaf surface itself becomes uneven. The carriers of the viral disease are aphids, bedbugs and other pests. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease, so you should carefully monitor plantings and prevent mass accumulation of pests. The diseased plant should be removed and destroyed immediately so that the virus does not spread to healthy eremurus.

Knowing all the subtleties of growing eremurus, you can enjoy its unforgettable flowering in your area. Despite the fact that the plant is quite capricious in its care and requires a lot of work to grow, its original and unlike anything will noticeably decorate any landscape and attract attention.

More information can be found in the video:

Eremurus is a perennial plant with powerful bright inflorescences. It belongs to the Xanthorrhea family. Its homeland is the steppe and desert regions of Eurasia. In our country, eremurus is better known as "shiryash". The first name can be translated from Greek as "desert tail". It reflects the habitat and shape of the inflorescences. The plant is very unpretentious, already at the end of spring it pleases gardeners with bright and fragrant inflorescences. Eremurus will perfectly decorate the spring garden and attract the attention of not only households, but also passers-by.

Botanical description

Eremurus is a perennial herbaceous plant. It has a massive rhizome with a spherical thickening in the center, from which powerful thick roots extend. Every year, the processes die off, forming another thickening or "bottom" on the central part. The height of the flower is on average 100-150 cm, but there are specimens up to 2.5 m high.

At the base of the earth is a numerous basal rosette of leaves. Dark green triangular foliage grows up to 100 cm in length. Smooth, rigid sheet plates have a keeled shape. Sometimes they bend outwards. In mid-spring, a bare, fleshy stem emerges from the center of the leaf rosette. Its top is decorated with a racemose inflorescence about 1 m long.

Whitish, gray-red, yellow, pink or brown-brown flowers are located close to each other. Corollas in the form of bells begin to open at the base of the peduncle in a spiral. Each flower lives no more than a day. In total, the flowering period of one plant lasts up to 40 days. At this time, eremurus attracts many bees and other beneficial insects, therefore it is an excellent honey plant.

After pollination, fruits ripen - round, fleshy seed pods. Inside there are partitions that divide the space into 3 compartments. They contain small trihedral seeds with a wrinkled brown surface.

The life cycle of eremurus is peculiar. The first leaves appear in the snowy thawed patches. In mid-spring, a thick stem already begins to grow, and flowers bloom in May. Sometimes they can suffer from spring frosts. In mid-June, flowering ends and fruits begin to ripen. By the end of the month, they dry out, like other parts of the plant. Eremurus goes into hibernation, the entire ground part dies. This must be taken into account when drawing up a flower arrangement so that the site is not empty.

Types and varieties of eremurus

The genus eremurus includes 60 plant species. All of them are perfectly cross-pollinated, therefore, in addition to the main varieties, there are many hybrids. In Russia, only a few species are most common.

The plant is found on the rocky plateaus of Southeast Asia. It blooms one of the first in April, but the variety also has a very short growing season. The leaf rosette has up to 27 long, bright green leaves. A racemose inflorescence blooms on a dense peduncle up to 1 m long. Its diameter reaches 17 cm. 120-300 buds can form on one plant. There are varieties with white, purple and hot pink flowers.

It grows in mountain valleys and reaches a height of 120 cm. Bare, upright leaves are painted in dark green. In the center is a large stem with a grayish coating. Its top is decorated with a loose racemose inflorescence 60 cm long. White corollas are bordered with meat-red perianths.

Grows in the highlands. It has brown spindle-shaped roots and bare, keeled leaves. Dark green linear foliage covered with a bluish bloom. The smooth bluish-green stem grows up to 1.2 m in height. It is decorated with a cylindrical inflorescence. On one stem there are up to 1000 small pale pink buds with brown or whitish perianths.

In height, the plant does not exceed 1.5 m. The dense spike-shaped inflorescence is painted white. It consists of rather large bell-shaped buds.

The plant is distinguished by its special beauty due to the bright color of the flowers. Fiery pink small flowers bloom on a stem up to 120 cm high. They are located very close to each other and form a continuous burning shroud around the peduncle.

Reproduction methods

Eremurus is propagated by sowing seeds and dividing the rhizome. To collect the seeds, it is necessary to cut off the drying peduncle with seed pods and dry it outdoors under a canopy. Then the seeds must be freed from the shell. In October, they are sown immediately in open ground. To do this, the soil is dug up, leveled and grooves are made 1.5 cm deep. The seeds are distributed evenly in the holes, and then sprinkled with earth. In the spring, the first shoots appear, they need more thorough care. Young plants should be carefully watered and regularly weeded from weeds. Flowering is possible for 4-5 years of life.

In regions with severe winters, it is recommended to pre-grow seedlings. Seeds are sown in containers with loose sandy-peat soil in October. It is necessary to place them at a depth of 1-1.5 cm. The container is kept at a temperature of + 15 ° C until spring. In March, the first shoots appear. Plants with two true leaves are seated in separate small pots. In the summer they are kept outside. When the ground part dries, the pots are transferred to a dark place. In autumn, seedlings are left outside, but covered with spruce branches and fallen leaves to a height of 20 cm. Planting in open ground is carried out only next autumn.

The division of the rhizome is carried out at the end of summer, when the ground part completely dies off. In August, the root is completely dug out with a large clod of earth so as not to damage the lateral processes. It is soaked in water and freed from the soil. Then the rhizome is dried and divided into several parts. Places of cuts are treated with crushed charcoal. Root segments are stored for several weeks in a cool, dry place. Landing in open ground is carried out at the end of September or in October. By next spring, each division forms its own leaf rosette.

Landing and care

For eremurus, you need to find a sunny, open place in the garden. The flower is not afraid of drafts and strong gusts of wind. Although its stems are quite tall, only a hurricane can knock them to the ground. All procedures for planting and transplanting plants are carried out in August-September. The soil must be well drained. The proximity of groundwater or water bodies is undesirable, because the roots are sensitive to moisture stagnation and can rot. Choose alkaline or neutral soils.

Eremurus does not impose special requirements on the fertility of the land. However, it has been noticed that the more fertile the soil, the later the young seedling will bloom (it will increase the root mass for several years), but on poor soils, flowering begins 1-2 years earlier. When planting at the bottom of the pit, it is recommended to pour a layer of rubble or pebbles. This will provide good drainage. To optimize the composition of the soil, leaf humus, soddy soil and sand should be added to it. The distance between plantings depends on the type of plant. Large specimens are planted at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other, small enough 25-30 cm of free space.

During the active growing season, eremurus needs abundant and regular watering. However, it is important not to overdo it. If the spring is rainy enough, irrigation is not needed. Otherwise, water stagnation cannot be avoided. When the flowering of eremurus comes to an end, watering should be reduced or stopped completely. In the homeland of the plant, drought begins during this period, so excessive soil moisture can destroy the rhizome.

For abundant flowering, you can not do without fertilizers. Organic fertilizers are applied in early spring. Before winter, the soil surface is fertilized with superphosphate powder, and the soil is also mulched with compost or rotted manure. It is important to limit the proportion of nitrogen salts, since their excess reduces the winter hardiness of plants.

The soil under the primus must be regularly weeded so that the air can better penetrate to the roots, and the weeds do not oppress the flowers.

In central Russia, eremurus winter normally without shelter. When growing heat-loving varieties for the winter, the soil is mulched with peat. It makes no sense to dig up the roots and keep them warm until spring, as the seedlings will wake up long before planting.

In the middle of summer, when the vegetation dries up, it is necessary to cut off the flower stalks first, and then the leaves. This will help maintain the decorative look of the flower bed.

Diseases and pests

The most common pests of eremurus are slugs and snails. They happily gnaw through the fleshy stem and feed on the juice of the plant. Roots and ground growth can also be attacked by mice and moles. With improper care of eremurus and frequent flooding of the soil, root rot may develop. Affected areas must be carefully trimmed and treated with ash or fungicides.

Sometimes a viral infection develops on foliage and shoots. Its main features are pale yellow bumps shallow from the surface. Diseased plants cannot be saved. It is necessary to cut them off and destroy them as soon as possible in order to prevent further infection of the flower garden.

Eremurus in landscape design

Tall and dense inflorescences of eremurus are good in group and single plantings. They can perform zoning of the site, decorate fences and outbuildings, and also plant a flower garden in the background. Fawn and snow-white, yellow and pink thick panicles are used to decorate a natural or desert landscape.

In flower arrangements, the best neighbors for eremurus are tulips, peonies, irises, mallows, yuccas and cereals. When choosing flowers for a flower bed, it is necessary to focus on similar conditions of detention. It is also important to choose plants that will bloom in turn. So it will be possible to achieve continuous flowering from early spring until autumn frosts.