The Cabbage family contains plants with exquisite beauty and pleasant smell. Among them is a bright lilac hesperis. Its fragrant nectar is especially fragrant in the dark, for which the people call the plant a nocturnal or nocturnal violet. In the proposed article, the reader will find information about the appearance and chemical composition of this extraordinary herb, about its medicinal properties, methods of reproduction and the characteristics of cultivation.
The fragrant nectar of the Matrona Vechernitsa is especially strong in the dark
Vechernitsa short
Matron's party
Vechernitsa (nocturnal violet) is usually a perennial herb-like plant. This representative of the cruciferous family is represented by more than thirty species. Plants are found in the Mediterranean, Central Asia and Europe. The name of nocturnal comes from the word "evening", scientists called the flower so because the aroma of the flower intensifies in the evening.
Description of the plant and species
The matron's evening party, or night violet, is a herbaceous perennial up to 80 cm high, slightly branched in the upper part. The plant is characterized by sparse white pubescence, lanceolate leaves with a toothed margin, and an aroma that increases with decreasing air temperature and before rain. The Latin name of the genus - hesperis (or hesperis) - means "evening".
The nocturnal roots form a pivotal but shallow root system. The plant blooms from May to August, and from the end of June on its shoots you can already find fruits - slightly flattened pods with several seeds.
In the second year of life, the stems of the hesperis are covered with lilac or purple flowers with a diameter of a two-ruble coin. From that moment on, it looks like phlox. It is possible to distinguish cultures by counting the leaves of the corolla: phlox have 5 of them, and at noctuary - 4. The petals are arranged in a cross, and even with a slight twist, like the blades of a motor propeller. From below, each petal ends with a long marigold.
The nocturnal roots form a pivotal but shallow root system. The plant blooms from May to August, and from the end of June on its shoots you can already find fruits - slightly flattened pods with several seeds.
Night violet blooms from May to August
The genus Hesperis includes about 50 plant species, of which the most famous are:
- hesperis matronalis (night violet, matron's noch) - a popular herb for open ground; about 30 varieties have been bred, including snow-white and terry;
- hesperis nivea (snow nocturnal) - species with white corollas and abundant pubescence;
- hesperis sibirica (nocturnal Siberian) is an elegant plant with a two-year life cycle.
Vechernitsa: features of the flower
The green lyre-shaped leaves of the nocturnal have serrated edges and are solidly petiolate. The height of straight stems is usually not less than half a meter and does not exceed one hundred and twenty centimeters. Pubescence is formed on top of the leaves and shoots. Small double flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences, can be lilac, white, pink or purple. The fruit looks like a cylindrical pod with barely visible four ribs. During the first season, the plant develops a rosette, which is formed from the basal leaves. The stem and the flowers themselves are formed in the next season.
Insects
Smooth bronze - Potosia aeruginosa Drury.
Stag beetle - Lucanus cervus (L.)
Steppe bumblebee - Bombus fragrans Pall.
Black gnorimus - Gnorimus variabilis (L.) (= G. octopunctatus (F.))
Ground beetle brilliant - Carabus Humm.
Common hermit - Osmoderma eremita (Scop.)
Bumblebee modestus - Bombus modestus Ev.
Black-headed forest ant - Formica uralensis Ruzsky
Odorous beauty - Calosoma inquisitor (L.)
Sowing seedlings
Gardeners often grow this plant in seedlings first, in which case the seeds should be sown in April. First you need to prepare containers for seedlings and fill a layer of earth there, then you need to distribute the seeds over the surface and place a layer of humus on top (one centimeter). After that, you need to moisten the ground from a spray bottle with water at room temperature. The seedlings from above must be covered with a film, when the sprouts appear, after fifteen to twenty days the protection can be removed.
The soil in the container should always be slightly damp, it is important to monitor watering. When the formation of leaves begins, the plant must be taken out into the street, this is called hardening, the duration of the procedure must be gradually increased, and it should be carried out for half a month. After the end of this process, the grown plants can be transplanted into open soil.
The place should be well lit at all times, but slightly shady areas will also be a good solution. Neutral / slightly alkaline and loose humus is best suited for nocturnia. Before planting, it is recommended to loosen the soil and, if necessary, apply top dressing. For good growth, the distance between the bushes should not be less than half a meter. The hole should be sufficient for the root system and a clod of earth, do not forget about this. After planting, the plant needs high-quality watering.
Amphibians
Siberian salamander - Salamandrella keyserlingi Dybowski
Red-bellied toad - Bombina bombina (L.)
Pond Frog - Rana lessonae Camerano
Edible frog - Rana esculenta L.
Open ground
You can sow seeds directly into the ground. After sowing, the plant will bloom only after a year, so it is better to sow in late June - early July, when the ground is already warm enough. Before sowing, it is necessary to loosen the soil and apply the necessary fertilizing, then submerge a certain amount of seeds at a shallow depth into the ground.
The first shoots will sprout in about a month; by the end of the season, the rosettes will be completed in the plants. At this point, you can transplant the plant to a permanent place or wait for next spring. It is necessary to leave the distance between landings at least half a meter. If everything is done correctly, the nocturnal will take root quickly and well, if you are replanting a flowering bush, there should be a moistened clod of earth on the roots.
Application in landscape design
Vechernitsa is a night beauty - a flower that is successfully combined with ground covers and shrubs in the landscape design of the garden. It can be used to decorate paths and recreation areas, artificial reservoirs and barbecue areas, around the perimeter of the garden area. Due to the sparse foliage of the plant, it is better to plant it in groups of 5-6 specimens.
It is recommended to sow the space between the hesperis clump and other large plantings with low lawn grasses. The plant looks good in contrast with dark conifers, for example, cypress or juniper. In the lower tier, you can put pots with indoor plants: violets, streptocarpus, begonias.
How to properly care for your evening party?
Vechernitsa is simple enough for growing on the site. Requires timely watering and loosening of the soil after precipitation. Bushes require periodic feeding; if weeds form next to plants, they must be removed. Sometimes it may be necessary to install special supports if the inflorescences will bend the stems to the ground.
It is recommended to remove clusters of flowers after they have faded. If cold winters prevail in your area, you will need to cover the plant when cold weather approaches. You can cover it with non-woven materials and, as an option, with spruce "paws".
Medicinal properties and harm
According to traditional healers, the nocturnal plant has a number of wonderful properties that should be used in the treatment of diseases of an inflammatory nature:
- antibacterial;
- fortifying;
- diuretic;
- diaphoretic.
Contraindications for the use of hesperis for medicinal purposes have not been identified, however, pregnancy, lactation and individual intolerance can become a serious obstacle to taking plant preparations. In such cases, a doctor's consultation is necessary. Such a poorly studied plant should not be used in pediatrics, especially in the treatment of preschool children.
Watering and fertilizing
The plant requires watering once a week; it is better to use warm water that has been in the sun. In summer, when the temperatures are high enough, watering should be done more often, respectively, with constant precipitation, watering should be limited. In waterlogged soil, the plant can be susceptible to root pests. Loosening and watering processes are best done in the morning.
All summer flowers need mineral fertilizers with a lot of nitrogen. In the year when the buds of the plant will form, it must be fed with liquid fertilizers or phosphorus and potassium supplements.
Collection, procurement, storage and recipes
For medicinal purposes, traditional medicine uses flowering grass and hesperis seeds. Raw materials are dried under awnings, scattered in a thin layer and periodically stir up, or in dryers at a temperature not higher than 50 degrees. The finished product is stored in paper or cloth bags. Vechernitsa is used in the form of a decoction or infusion.
Traditional medicine uses flowering grass and hesperis seeds
Breeding methods for nocturnal
Species with simple flowers are propagated by germinating seeds, and if you have terry night violets, then they must be propagated by dividing the bush. If you collect seeds from a bush and sow, a plant with simple flowers will grow. The division process is carried out in early spring or autumn. The bush is carefully pulled out of the ground and divided into several parts, the cuts are processed with a mixture of charcoal. The pieces that you have divided are planted in pre-prepared holes.
To preserve the roots of plants in winter, they must be covered with mulch at the end of autumn.
Mammals
European mink - Mustela lutreola (L.)
Wolverine - Gulo gulo (L.)
Russian desman - Desmana moschata (L.)
Column - Mustela sibirica Pallas
Diseases and pests
Crucifers are susceptible to the same sources of damage, and nocturnal is no exception. Frequent pests are cabbage aphids, various caterpillars and larvae of various insects. To get rid of pests, insecticides are most often used; they are sold in specialized stores. It is better to choose a product that will get rid of insects, but at the same time will not spoil the plant itself and will not harm the environment.
The sprouts may be prone to black stem. An adult plant can get sick with other fungal diseases (Fusarios, Alternaria, and so on). Vechernitsa is susceptible to bacterial diseases, but viral diseases are considered the most dangerous. Viruses are mosaic and blotchy. Now viruses are considered incurable, and fungi can be fought with the help of fungicides. Bushes infected with something should be removed from the soil and processed as soon as possible. Nothing should be grown on this plot for several years.
With proper care, plants will be less susceptible to pests and diseases.
Chemical composition and application
Vespers are not included in the register of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation, therefore, their chemical composition has been little studied.The plant is known to accumulate up to 0.2% essential oil, which provides a strong nectar aroma. In addition, the shoots contain flavonoids and the nitrogen-containing compound hesperidin. Drying fatty oils and steroids such as brassicasterol and campesterol are found in the seeds of the plant.
In folk medicine and veterinary medicine, Siberian nocturnal is used. Its main application is a general tonic for serious illnesses, injuries, and wounds. The plant is also used for:
- colds;
- urolithiasis;
- gout and rheumatism;
- edema and dropsy.
Fatty oils of hesperis seeds have found application in soap making, and essential oils in perfumery.
Flowers nocturnal Matrona: photo, growing from seeds
One of the most charming flowers in the garden is hesperis. Matrona's evening party (this is how its name is translated from Latin) includes about 30 different types. It is found in the wild in the Caucasus, the Mediterranean, Western Siberia, as well as in Eastern Europe.
The plant began to be cultivated in Europe in the 16th century. The flower was brought to our country in the 18th century. Matrona's evening parties were decorated with lawns, flower beds and paths of landowners' estates. Today this beautiful flower is used for various compositions in gardens and backyards. To breed hesperis yourself, you will need to know the features of this process.
general description
The flowers of Matrona's nocturnal are also called the night violet. This is due to the enhancement of its aroma in the evening. This plant belongs to the genus Cabbage. The stem of the plant can grow up to 1 m in height. It has a small fluff. In the upper part, the stem forks. On these peduncles, lilac inflorescences bloom in clusters.
Violet leaves have a rich green color. They are narrow (no more than 3 cm), but rather long (up to 12 cm). During flowering, Matrona's nocturnal vaguely resembles lilacs. The buds have four petals. They are located crosswise relative to each other.
The flowering period begins in late spring. It lasts about one and a half months. If the yard is hot, dry weather, the flowering period may be shortened. With their aroma, the buds may resemble the Saintpaulia violet, which is widespread in our area. However, these two plants belong to different families. The night violet bewitches with its delicate buds, forcing the gardener to admire it. That is why the popularity of the plant is constantly increasing.
Plant features
Matrona's evening party is a small plant. Its small flowers are quite small. They gather in small groups on their branches. The delicate shade of the petals can vary from white to rich lilac.
These small buds exude a dizzying sweet scent. They open up in the evening. All night long they envelop gardens and flower beds with their aroma. This creates an indescribable magical atmosphere in the backyard. In the morning, their sweet smell gradually disappears.
The presented flower is considered a perennial plant. However, with each subsequent year of growth, it will exude less and less aroma. Therefore, nocturnal violets have been grown for more than two years.
The matron's evening dresses can be grown not only in the open field, but also in tubs on the balcony or veranda. This plant is a honey plant. This allows it to be used as an additive to livestock feed. Also, in many recipes of traditional medicine, a night violet is involved.
Growing and care requirements
Matrona's evening party (night violet), the photo of which is presented below, is an unpretentious plant. It grows in well-lit areas and is not even afraid of direct sunlight. In partial shade, the flower also feels great.
Night violet prefers to grow on light, neutral soils with a good drainage system. She also loves fertile slightly alkaline soils. The plant needs regular watering.This is especially felt during the growing season (late spring - early summer). However, the flower does not tolerate waterlogging. Its roots start to rot. It also blooms poorly during dry periods. Therefore, it is necessary to water the night violet in a timely manner, but not too abundantly.
This is a frost-resistant flower that easily survives the winter even without shelter. Only in winters with little snow, but frosty winters, is it recommended to cover the plant with some kind of protective material.
If the stems are tall, they can bend under the weight of their stems. To prevent this from happening, you can tie the plant to a support.
Reproduction
Matrona's evening party, the cultivation of which the gardener performs for the first time, requires him to have minimal knowledge in the field of cultivating plants in a greenhouse method. To do this, you need to collect seeds. After a long period of flowering, which ends in mid-June, a pod-shaped fruit forms on the stem. The seeds ripen in it. They are brown in color. Their size is 3 by 1 mm.
The plant can reproduce on the site by self-sowing. However, the decorative qualities of such night violets can gradually decrease. For this plant, it is important to make frequent planting updates.
To remove flowers using the seedling method, seeds purchased in a specialized store should be planted in prepared soil in early April. The earth is poured into a container, and then seeds are poured onto it. Another layer of soil is poured onto them. Its thickness should be 0.5 cm. The soil should consist of peat and humus. This layer is compacted and watered. Seedlings are covered with glass or foil.
Growing seedlings
The matron's party, grown from the seeds of which is carried out by seedlings, requires maintaining certain conditions in the greenhouse. The temperature must be at least 20 ° C. Watering should be moderate. You cannot fill the plant.
If everything was done correctly, the first shoots will appear in 15-17 days. The seedlings are watered and ventilated. Inside the greenhouse, the specified conditions are maintained until 3 full-fledged leaves appear on the stem. At this time, the night violet can be prepared for transplanting into open ground.
After this process, the plant should root well. To do this, it is recommended to loosen the soil near the trunk. This will provide oxygen access to the roots, contributes to their full and rapid development. In the first year after transplanting, the plant will not bloom. It builds up the mass of sheets. Flowering will occur next year.
Application of seeds to the soil
Matrona's evening party (night violet) reproduces by seeds. Dividing the bush, cuttings in this case are considered laborious techniques. The seeds are purchased in specialized stores. This contributes to the renewal of the site.
Not wanting to grow seedlings, you can apply seeds directly to the soil. This method is used both in spring and autumn. In the second option, it is necessary to have time to add seeds to the soil before frost. In the spring, the ground should warm up enough. Therefore, you should not rush to disembark. Some gardeners claim that this procedure can be performed even in late June or early July. At this time, the soil will already be well warmed up.
Seeds are not applied deep into the soil. The top layer of soil should be no more than 1 cm. The distance between the seeds should be sufficient. After that, the soil must be watered. Further, the seedlings need to be provided with proper care.
Choosing a landing site
Matrona's evening party requires the gardener to choose the right site for sowing. This could be a shaded area under trees. In this case, young leaves will not be affected by the scorching sun rays. For residents of mid-latitudes, it is recommended to plant seeds in a well-lit area. Shading is preferred in hot climates.
Before planting, the soil must be well dug up. The soil must be fertile. A high-quality drainage system is also encouraged. In this case, the water will not stagnate in the area, the root system of the plant will not rot.
The beds must be fertilized with organic matter before planting. Mineral dressings are also added. The first shoots should appear in three weeks or even earlier. Seedlings need to be thinned out. There should be at least 40 cm between each plant. Then they are watered in a timely manner. At the end of summer, flowers can be transplanted if desired. There are no special requirements for the choice of neighbors for a flower.
Care
Flowers nocturnal Matrona are undemanding to air humidity. This is a fairly hardy plant. It grows equally well in both high and low air humidity. In general, the night violet does not require special care.
In order for the flowering of the plant to be long-lasting and beautiful, it is recommended to weed the soil around the stem, watered (but not poured), and loosened. You can also fertilize periodically. If the weather is normal, there is no drought or prolonged rains, the flower is watered about once a week. The soil around is loosened. It is best to do this in the morning.
The night violet fears drought more than excessive watering. It is resistant to pests. With excessive watering, the root can rot, the likelihood of it being affected by earthen fleas increases. However, the flower does not need to prevent disease. Fertilizers do not need to be applied. If the soil is poor, you can feed the flower with mineral compounds twice a month.
Landscape design
Matrona's evening party is actively used in modern landscape design. It is recommended to use it in the process of decorating a yard, front garden or walking paths. The plant looks beautiful in a flower garden. Designers recommend planting night violets in groups. They can include up to 10 plants.
During the flowering period, such a concentration of flowers will delight the eye with its delicate shade. You can select groups of inflorescences of various shades. This will create an additional decorative effect.
Having considered how to grow a flower nocturnal Matrona, each gardener will be able to independently decorate his site with delicate lilac inflorescences.
Mushrooms
Category 2
Sarcosoma globular - Sarcosoma globosum (Schmidel) Casp.
Curly sparassis (mushroom cabbage) - Sparassis crispa (Wulfen) Fr.
Asian Boletinus - Boletinus asiaticus Singer.
Hedgehog raincoat - Lycoperdon echinatum Pers.
Category 3
Boletinus cavipes (Opat.) Kalchbr.
Olive brown oak - Boletus luridus Schaeff.
Belted row - Tricholoma cingulatum (Almfelt.) Jacobashch.
Amanita phalloides (Vaill.ex Fr.) Link.
Yellow Milk - Lactarius scrobiculatus (Scop.) Fr.
Giant Bigfoot (Giant Langermany) - Calvatia gigantea (Batsch) Lloyd
Lacquered polypore - Ganoderma lucidum (W. Curt. Fr.) P. Karst
Hericium coral (Hericium coralloides (Scop.) Pers.
Common jelly - Phallus impudicus L.
Semi-white mushroom - Boletus impolitus Fr.
Category 4
Pluteus fenzlii (Schulzer) Corriol & P.A. Moreau
The most beautiful climacodon is Climacodon pulcherrimus (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Nikol.
Tyromyces Kmeta - Tyromyces kmetii (Bres.) Bondartsev & Singer
Leaving during flowering
The evening party does not require any special care. During the period of rapid growth, which usually occurs at the beginning of June, you can feed the plant with superphosphate dissolved in water for irrigation. It is important to water it regularly, with settled water, in the evening. The night violet at this time exudes a pleasant aroma, and in combination with watering, it will intensify even more. Weeding if necessary.
During abundant flowering, wilted inflorescences must be removed in order to maintain an aesthetic appearance. The bush, in order to avoid damage in adverse weather conditions (strong wind, hail), must be tied to a solid support.
The only drawback of the night violet is its spread by seeds throughout the garden.
Growing
In the temperate zone, nocturnal is cultivated as a biennial plant with a long flowering period. Planting and care in a pot at room conditions is possible. In any case, the following cultivation features must be taken into account:
- the substrate is light, slightly acidic;
- the illumination is moderate;
- top dressing with complex fertilizer twice a year: at the beginning of the active growing season of the second year of life and in the middle of the flowering period.
It is important to observe moderate watering, avoiding stagnation of water in the ground. The soil should be loamy or sandy loam, well-drained. The plant tolerates winter perfectly, but in the conditions of Siberia or the northern Urals, it is necessary to cover the nocturnal with agrofibre, which is removed after the snow melts.
There is only one way of reproduction of hesperis - by seeds. They are harvested from adult plants, starting in mid-summer, and stored in a cool dry place until February, when it is time to sow the matron's nocturnal seedlings. Seeds are tough-emerging: the first shoots will appear not earlier than in 3-4 weeks. In the phase of two true leaves, the seedlings dive into the peat-melted cups, in which you can later plant the seedlings in a permanent place.
The propagation of the matron's nocturnal can also be carried out by self-sowing. In this case, it is necessary to especially carefully free the flower garden from weeds and monitor the planting density. Plants that are grown from seeds bloom in the second year of life, after which they lose their decorative effect and must be replaced.
Hesperis care
This flower loves both well-sunlit places and partial shade. Also adapts well to shaded areas.
The composition of the soil should be light, fertile, neutral or slightly alkaline (the percentage of lime is small). The plant does not tolerate too much moisture and dampness, but does not really like drought either. Therefore, watering should be mandatory, but in moderation.
The soil not only should not be dry, but it is also advisable to loosen it regularly so that the root system receives a sufficient amount of oxygen and does not rot.
In winter, the night violet does not require any special shelter, as it tolerates frost normally. A snow cap serves as protection. But if there is no snow, then you can cover it with spandbod.
Matrona's evening party can be cut a little to make the shrub look neater. It is also recommended to remove dried inflorescences and leaves, then the flowering process of the night violet will be slightly larger. And in spring, the plant often weeps out under the snow, so in early spring, the leaves are removed.
So that the shoots do not break and bend under the weight of the inflorescences in spring and summer, you need to put supports or tie up twigs as necessary.
Pests and diseases are practically not afraid of hesperis. Sometimes caterpillars or slugs can settle the lower leaves near the soil, and sometimes cruciferous fleas do, but washing the leaves and stems well can get rid of the pests pretty quickly. Root decay occurs due to overly moist soil.
Growing and care requirements
Matrona's evening party (night violet), the photo of which is presented below, is an unpretentious plant. It grows in well-lit areas and is not even afraid of direct sunlight. In partial shade, the flower also feels great.
Night violet prefers to grow on light, neutral soils with a good drainage system. She also loves fertile slightly alkaline soils. The plant needs regular watering. This is especially felt during the growing season (late spring - early summer). However, the flower does not tolerate waterlogging. Its roots start to rot. It also blooms poorly during dry periods. Therefore, it is necessary to water the night violet in a timely manner, but not too abundantly.
This is a frost-resistant flower that easily survives the winter even without shelter. Only in winters with little snow, but frosty winters, is it recommended to cover the plant with some kind of protective material.
If the stems are tall, they can bend under the weight of their stems. To prevent this from happening, you can tie the plant to a support.
Decoction
To prepare the broth, a teaspoon of chopped nocturnal herb is poured with a glass of boiling water and insisted for 2 hours. The cooled infusion is filtered and taken in three doses before meals for inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract.
For the treatment of gout and rheumatism, a decoction is prepared from the seeds of hesperis.They are taken in the amount of one teaspoon, pour a glass of boiling water, simmer in a water bath for 6-7 minutes, after which they insist for another two hours. After cooling, the broth is filtered and taken two tablespoons before meals three times a day.
The night violet is a plant whose medicinal potential has not been fully understood. But even with its graceful appearance and delicate aroma, it is able to cheer up and calm the nerves. If you have a garden, and evening parties are blooming in it, stand before going to bed among the flower beds, and the restored peace of mind will allow you to sleep well and meet the morning with renewed vigor.
Better in a group.
Due to the low branching of the stem, and the small size of the inflorescences, a separate nocturnal plant is lost against the background of other flowers. Therefore, it is customary to plant this flower in more or less extensive, but dense, closed groups. At the same time, individual plants merge into a single array, with a purple flower "cloud" on top. The "specks" of nocturnal can be placed in various places of the garden. In the front garden, for example, in the evening party, it makes sense to give the middle ground, and in the back to arrange such flower large-sized ones as telekia, buzulniks, black cohosh, delphinium, etc. A mixed flower garden interspersed with a nocturnal can be run with a ribbon along a path or fence.
Since the main value of the nocturnal is its extraordinary aroma, the participation of the plant in a special aromatic garden is an attractive idea. It is advisable to arrange it in a recreation area, for example, near a gazebo, on a summer terrace, in a courtyard, next to a secluded bench in a remote corner of the garden, etc.
The garden is arranged in the manner of a flower bed or a mixed flower bed-mixborder. And its participants can be both annual fragrant flowers (sweet peas, scented tobacco, mignonette), and perennial pleasantly smelling flowers and fragrant herbs (thyme, cotton wool, kalufer, rue, wormwood).
Seat selection
When choosing a place for a flower, it is necessary to take into account its high growth (it can shade other flowers). When decorating a flower bed, it is usually planted in the center or along the fence. In summer cottages, they are located near windows or around benches in order to enjoy the evening aroma to their fullest.
Any place is suitable for a nocturnal bush. The plant tolerates sun, shade, partial shade well. With excessive moisture, you can thoroughly loosen the soil before planting seedlings. Gardeners who have chosen a night violet to decorate their plot are well aware of the pleasant aroma of this flower.
Some, when planning a flower bed, combine not only plants that are suitable in color and growth, but also in smell. For example, you can create an amazing aromatic composition of nocturnal, thyme and nasturtium, or add some other aromatic herbs of your personal preference.
Reproduction of night violets
This flower is perfectly capable of self-propagation. No special effort is required. But if you wish, you can propagate hesperis in a seedling way.
If you decide to transplant any of the bushes, then it is desirable that the root system be with a lump of soil in which it grew. This can be done even with flowering plants.
- It is better to plant in the first warm June days directly on the site in the ground.
- Seeds are pre-planted in bowls or small pots. This is how the weed problem is solved.
- If, nevertheless, seeds are simply sown into the ground, then not deeply and not too often. It is necessary to maintain some distance between the seedlings.
- If a method of breeding hesperis from seedlings is chosen, then it should start in the first decade of April. The boxes are taken, the earth is prepared and seeds are poured on top.
- From above, they can be sprinkled with a small layer of soil (about 0.5 cm), which consists of humus and peat.
- Then compact and moisten the earth.
- Cover with foil or glass on top. It is important to periodically open the shoots so that fresh air gets in and mold does not start, and spray to avoid dry soil.
- The air should preferably be warmed up to 18 - 20 degrees Celsius. Then after 2 - 3 weeks small shoots appear. During germination, it is very important to ensure timely moderate watering of the germinated hesperis seeds.
- The appearance of several large leaves indicates that it is time to transplant the shoot to the flower bed. The distance between seedlings should be at least 30 cm.
Description of varieties bred on the basis of Hesperis matronalis
Vechernitsa is a plant that blooms in late spring, ahead of other garden flowers. Hesperis is usually planted in places where its enchanting scent can be enjoyed with comfort. It will be appropriate to place it along the paths, by the window or near the gazebo.
Night violet - what it is called and what it looks like
Classification of the most decorative species:
- Hesperis Sibirica or nocturnal Siberian: plant endemic to Siberia 0.3 - 1.30 m high, shoots and foliage are covered with hard hairs, inflorescences are mauve, milky white, flowering begins in mid-summer;
- Hesperis Tristis - sad or dark nocturnal: compact bush 0.25 - 0.60 m, characterized by an unusual color of inflorescences - at the beginning of dissolution they are chocolate-purple, gradually changing color to pale yellow. Early flowering, from late spring to mid-summer.
On a note: The fragrance is most intense after sunset and on cloudy days. In drought, the aroma is noticeably weakened.
To create fragrant flower beds, varieties of Hesperis matronalis are used:
- Lilacina Flore Pleno - lilac pink
- Albiflora - lilac, terry variety;
- Nana Candidissima - plant up to 50 cm high with white fragrant flowers;
- Purpurea Plena is a hesperis with purple double flowers.
- Malinovaya - large inflorescences of a juicy color, a tall, low-leafed bush is used in the company of ornamental grasses;
- Rodmoskovnye vechera - tight elongated inflorescences are painted in pale pink and white;
- Lirika large flowers of all colors typical for hesperis are collected in loose brushes.
Double-flowered varieties are suitable for cutting. They are stored in a vase for 10 - 12 days and all this time they delight with a charming aroma.
Inflorescence of the Vechernitsa Matrona
Spread
Hesperis is quite unpretentious, therefore, widespread in Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia Minor, found in the Carpathians, in the Crimea and the Caucasus. The Siberian evening party, contrary to its name, is found not only in Siberia, but practically throughout Russia, up to the Kaliningrad region.
The plant easily tolerates frost and moderate drought, but prefers floodplain meadows and undergrowth of deciduous forests: alder, linden, oak and beech groves. In mountainous terrain, hesperises grow both in open grass stands and along river banks overgrown with bushes and even at the bottom of gorges.
Hesperis in your garden.
It can be noted that in the gardens, wild nocturnal plants most often form independent communities in semi-shady corners under the canopy of fruit trees, on moderately moist, fertile loams.
Such conditions must be adhered to when breeding it. The soil must be fertile and sufficiently moist. The most preferable are medium loams rich in humus with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction - pH = 7.0-7.5. Acidic and dry soils oppress plants, they become smaller, reduce the intensity and duration of flowering. The roots of the nocturnal are not deeply penetrating, therefore, the sufficient depth of the cultivated soil layer is 15 cm. The soil mixture is turf, humus and sand, mixed in an approximate ratio of 2: 1: 1. The place is preferably sunny, but inconsistent lateral shading or light lace partial shade is practically equivalent. Care - weeding and loosening the feet, avoiding drought with regular watering.
Vespers can be diluted with seeds, or a finished plant can be planted. When the soil is well wetted with rains, the nocturnal tolerates transplanting well, even in a flowering state.Since individual nocturnal plants do not live long, it makes sense to create a permanent, self-renewing self-sown clump. With this arrangement, seedlings appear in abundance, they can only be thinned out and planted.
