Cheiranthus

The genus Cheiranthus has about 10 species of one -, two-and perennial semi-shrub (plants with a lignified base, from which herbaceous shoots are formed) species. Otherwise, they are called "yellow lefties". These are garden plants of spring flowering with characteristic racemose inflorescences of very decorative, with a pleasant smell, differently colored flowers. Alpine Cheiranthus (Cheiranthus alpinus) is a species 30-40 cm tall with an unbranched peduncle, dark lanceolate leaves and sulfur-yellow flowers that bloom in spring. Many garden forms with flowers of various shades of yellow and even purple were obtained. Cheiranthus Cheri (C. cheiri) - a species up to 70 cm tall, with lanceolate pubescent dark green leaves and simple or double golden-yellow, golden-brown, red-brown, brown-purple flowers with a diameter of 1.5-2 cm. Cheiranthus mutabilis (C. mutabilis) is a species up to 90 cm tall with linear-lanceolate pubescent leaves. The flowers are light at first, then darkening, purple and other shades, in particular bronze and red. Blooms from late spring to August. Cheiranthus Alliona (C. allionii) is a natural hybrid, a plant 30-80 cm high. It has lanceolate leaves and bright orange flowers in apical racemes that appear in spring and summer. Several garden forms with flowers of various shades of orange and yellow are obtained from it, usually the plants do not exceed 30-40 cm in height.

The genus Cheiranthus has about 10 species of one -, two-and perennial semi-shrub (plants with a lignified base, from which herbaceous shoots are formed) species. Otherwise, they are called "yellow lefties". These are garden plants of spring flowering with characteristic racemose inflorescences of very decorative, with a pleasant smell, differently colored flowers.

Alpine Cheiranthus (Cheiranthus alpinus) is a species 30-40 cm tall with an unbranched peduncle, dark lanceolate leaves and sulfur-yellow flowers that bloom in spring. Many garden forms with flowers of various shades of yellow and even purple were obtained.

Cheiranthus Cheri (C. cheiri) - a species up to 70 cm tall, with lanceolate pubescent dark green leaves and simple or double golden-yellow, golden-brown, red-brown, brown-purple flowers with a diameter of 1.5-2 cm.

Cheiranthus mutabilis (C. mutabilis) is a species up to 90 cm tall with linear-lanceolate pubescent leaves. The flowers are light at first, then darkening, purple and other shades, in particular bronze and red. Blooms from late spring to August.

Cheiranthus Alliona (C. allionii) is a natural hybrid, a plant 30-80 cm high. It has lanceolate leaves and bright orange flowers in apical racemes that appear in spring and summer. Several garden forms with flowers of various shades of orange and yellow are obtained from it, usually the plants do not exceed 30-40 cm in height.

Cultivation

Cheiranthus is usually grown outdoors to decorate borders, flower beds, rock gardens (dwarf varieties) and grown in pots and boxes in gardens, as well as on balconies and terraces. In cold climates, potted plants are removed indoors in the fall. They prefer loose loamy, well-drained, humus-rich soils. Plants are planted in the spring in the open ground at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other, depending on what size they will reach by the beginning of autumn. For plants in pots and boxes, the optimal substrate is a mixture of peat (50%) and fertile soil. land (50%) with the addition of a complex fertilizer of 30 g per bucket of soil. In spring and summer, once every 15-20 days, a full mineral fertilizer is added to the water for irrigation in the amount of 10 g per bucket - top dressing is performed. It is not recommended to apply fresh manure.

Location

Cheiranthus are light-loving and prefer well-lit areas, but they can also tolerate partial shade.

Temperature

These plants are thermophilic, usually do not overwinter in the open ground. They must be brought indoors for the winter and preferably placed in a lighted place, maintaining a temperature of at least 5 °C.

Watering

Plants, both in pots and in flower beds, are watered as needed, only when the ground is properly dry.

Care

Remove faded inflorescences and damaged parts of plants.

Reproduction

Propagate by seed. They are sown in May, seedlings dive, in the summer they are grown in the open ground. In autumn, they are transplanted into boxes and removed to a cool room before frost. Such plants bloom in March. Specimens selected for testicles are transferred to a greenhouse for wintering in the fall, planted in the open ground in the spring, where seeds are collected after flowering and maturation in the fall.

Diseases

Cheiranthus can be affected by white cruciferous rust, which causes white spots to form on the leaves and stems, and oidium, which damages the leaves. Mold forms on the surface of the affected areas. These diseases are eliminated with the help of maneb or mankotseb - in the first case and dinokap (karathane) - in the second. Agrobacterium tumefaciens causes bloating at the base of the stems. Affected plants are removed. Plasmodiophora brassicae, which causes thickening and rotting of the roots, leads to a slowdown in growth and even to the death of plants. This happens primarily in acidic soil, and it is only possible to prevent its occurrence by planting plants in suitable (with a neutral pH) land. Young plants wither when affected by the Delia radicicum pest, which chews through the passages in the roots. They get rid of it with the help of insecticides based on carbamates.

Cheiranthus can be affected by white cruciferous rust, which causes white spots to form on the leaves and stems, and oidium, which damages the leaves. Mold forms on the surface of the affected areas. These diseases are eliminated with the help of maneb or mankotseb - in the first case and dinokap (karathane) - in the second.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens causes bloating at the base of the stems. Affected plants are removed. Plasmodiophora brassicae, which causes thickening and rotting of the roots, leads to a slowdown in growth and even to the death of plants. This happens primarily in acidic soil, and it is only possible to prevent its occurrence by planting plants in suitable (with a neutral pH) land. Young plants wither when affected by the Delia radicicum pest, which chews through the passages in the roots. They get rid of it with the help of insecticides based on carbamates.

Acquisition

When buying, be sure to check the shelf life of seeds, and that the seedlings are healthy and compact.