Freesia

The genus consists of 20 species of perennial herbaceous corm plants. Erect funnel-shaped fragrant flowers, up to 5-6 cm long, are collected in inflorescences directed horizontally to one side. Elongated leaves form a bush at the base of the plant, from which thin peduncles grow up to 50 cm long. Corms are small. Most commonly grown varieties of hybrid freesia (Freesia x hybrida), obtained as a result of crossing broken freesia (Freesia refracta) with pale yellow flowers and Armstrong freesia (F. armstrongii) with pink flowers. Other species of this genus include, for example, Freesia leichtinii (F. leichtinii), which is characterized by yellow flowers with orange spots. Golden freesia (F. aurea) has golden-yellow flowers; corymbose freesia (F. corymbose) has yellow and orangish flowers. Especially beautiful are the varieties obtained from these species, with simple or double flowers. For example, 'Aladdin' with yellow flowers, 'Blue Baumera' with blue, 'Figaro' and 'Santorini' - with red,' Purple rain 'with intense pink flowers,' Kelly 'with white flowers,' Sky 'with blue,' Ardesh ' with variegated yellow flowers with a pink border.

The genus consists of 20 species of perennial herbaceous corm plants. Erect funnel-shaped fragrant flowers, up to 5-6 cm long, are collected in inflorescences directed horizontally to one side. Elongated leaves form a bush at the base of the plant, from which thin peduncles grow up to 50 cm long. Corms are small. Most commonly grown varieties of hybrid freesia (Freesia x hybrida), obtained as a result of crossing broken freesia (Freesia refracta) with pale yellow flowers and Armstrong freesia (F. armstrongii) with pink flowers. Other species of this genus include, for example, Freesia leichtinii (F. leichtinii), which is characterized by yellow flowers with orange spots. Golden freesia (F. aurea) has golden-yellow flowers; corymbose freesia (F. corymbose) has yellow and orangish flowers. Especially beautiful are the varieties obtained from these species, with simple or double flowers. For example, 'Aladdin' with yellow flowers, 'Blue Baumera' with blue, 'Figaro' and 'Santorini' - with red,' Purple rain 'with intense pink flowers,' Kelly 'with white flowers,' Sky 'with blue,' Ardesh ' with variegated yellow flowers with a pink border.

Cultivation

Freesias are grown both outdoors and at home. In cold climates, corms are planted in gardens or pots in the spring to produce summer blooms. After cutting, when the leaves turn yellow, the corms are dug out, dried in the shade, after cleaning and sorting they are stored until the next spring. Where winters are mild, cultivation begins with burying corms in late summer. Flowering occurs next spring. Corms can be left in the ground without digging. The ground should be loose, moisture-permeable, and richly filled with organic materials. and complex mineral fertilizers at the rate of 40-50 g per 1 m2 surfaces. When growing flowers for cutting in the open ground, sand, neutral peat and fresh foliage are added to the soil, fed monthly with a full mineral fertilizer at the rate of 20-30 g per bucket of irrigation water, and at the beginning of flowering weekly. In fact, freesia can be grown all year round - the flowering time mainly depends on the time of planting corms.

Location

Freesia is light-loving, it is placed in the open sun.

Temperature

Freesias do not tolerate winter temperatures below 5 °C, it is better to maintain it in the range of 10-15 °C. In spring, the temperature is increased and kept at 18-20 °C.

Watering

Freesia does not tolerate droughts. Water regularly before flowering. During the flowering period watering is plentiful. In the fall, they are watered a little and completely stopped for the winter.

Reproduction

Propagate by seed and vegetatively. Before sowing, the seeds are pre-soaked in water for a day at a temperature of 21-22 °C, which stimulates germination. Sow in peaty ground, prepared by an industrial method, or in neutral peat with light top dressing. As soon as the seedlings grow up, they are planted in pots filled with soil for cultivation. More often, the daughter corms formed next to the mother are used for reproduction - babies. At the end of summer, they are separated from the main corm, stored in a place protected from the cold and planted in April: large-immediately in the open soil or pots, and put small ones in boxes until they grow up.

Diseases

Mites and aphids cause yellowing of the leaves, the plant withers. Aphids, in addition, are carriers of viral diseases that cause malignant formations and flower fall. It should be treated with acaricides and preparations against aphids. The most dangerous of fungal diseases is gray rot, which appears due to excessive humidity. Wounds on stems and leaf necrosis occur due to the causative agent of fusarium rot-Fusarium oxysporum. In this case, the plant or corm must be removed. Before planting corms, they should be thoroughly disinfected.

Acquisition

Freesia corms are easily found in horticultural centers and specialty stores. Check their condition: there are no traces of mold. In potted plants, look for signs of upcoming flowering; there should be no pests.