Geum

The genus Gravilate, or Geum, includes more than 50 ornamental perennial herbaceous species, with about 20 in cultivation, which are suitable for stony gardens and borders. The plant is 30-60 cm tall, with an erect stem, rosette and small stem leaves. The flowers are different, depending on the type, color, bright, simple and double. Gravilate bright red (Geum coccineum) grows up to 50-60 cm in height. Lower leaves pinnately dissected, stem-sessile trifoliate. Flowers up to 3 cm in diameter of orange-red color bloom in June, and flowering ends in autumn. Garden forms and hybrids with simple, semi-double or double flowers of yellow, orange and scarlet color are bred. Mountain gravilate (G. montanum) - a high-altitude species up to 30-40 cm high. The flowers are golden yellow in color. The flowering period begins in late spring and lasts until mid-summer. Creeping gravilate (G. reptans ) is a carpet plant up to 20 cm tall. It has red thin shoots crawling on the ground, from the nodes of which leaves and roots are formed. Leaves are compound; flowers are yellow. It can be used as a groundcover plant. Boris's gravilate (Geum x borisii ) is a hybrid obtained from crossing creeping gravilate and Bulgarian gravilate (G. bulgaricum) and is well suited for border decoration. It grows up to 30 cm in height. Flowering is long: from May to the end of summer. The three-flowered gravilate (G. triflorum ) is a dwarf species with strongly indented leaves. Cream or pink color of flowers has a purple hue; there are white flowers with a red border. Flowering begins in July.

The genus Gravilate, or Geum, includes more than 50 ornamental perennial herbaceous species, with about 20 in cultivation, which are suitable for stony gardens and borders. The plant is 30-60 cm tall, with an erect stem, rosette and small stem leaves. The flowers are different, depending on the type, color, bright, simple and double.

Gravilate bright red (Geum coccineum) grows up to 50-60 cm in height. Lower leaves pinnately dissected, stem-sessile trifoliate. Flowers up to 3 cm in diameter of orange-red color bloom in June, and flowering ends in autumn. Garden forms and hybrids with simple, semi-double or double flowers of yellow, orange and scarlet color are bred.

Mountain gravilate (G. montanum) - a high-altitude species up to 30-40 cm high. The flowers are golden yellow in color. The flowering period begins in late spring and lasts until mid-summer.

Creeping gravilate (G. reptans ) is a carpet plant up to 20 cm tall. It has red thin shoots crawling on the ground, from the nodes of which leaves and roots are formed. Leaves are compound; flowers are yellow. It can be used as a groundcover plant.

Boris's gravilate (Geum x borisii ) is a hybrid obtained from crossing creeping gravilate and Bulgarian gravilate (G. bulgaricum) and is well suited for border decoration. It grows up to 30 cm in height. Flowering is long: from May to the end of summer.

The three-flowered gravilate (G. triflorum ) is a dwarf species with strongly indented leaves. Cream or pink color of flowers has a purple hue; there are white flowers with a red border. Flowering begins in July.

Cultivation

Gravilate is grown outside the house, in the open ground. These plants are hardy - they tolerate cold climatic conditions. The land should be fertile, plentifully filled with organic fertilizers, sufficiently moist, but without stagnation of water. Gravilate does not grow well on both dry and waterlogged soils. Planting in the open ground is carried out either in September or in early spring. A distance of 30-40 cm is observed between the plants when planting. The plant can be used for cutting bouquets and composing compositions.

Location

In mild climates, plants prefer partial shade, in cold – open sun.

Temperature

Gravilat tolerates winter cold well. For growth and development, the optimal temperature is 18-25 °C.

Watering

The land should be kept moderately moist, and watered frequently during hot periods and prolonged droughts.

Reproduction

Propagated by seeds and division of bushes. Seeds are sown in spring in a seedling box filled with soil - a mixture of peat (3/4) and sand (1/4), with the addition of a full mineral fertilizer at the rate of 1.5 g per bucket of soil. As soon as the seedlings grow up, they are transplanted into cups or boxes, where they are kept until they are planted in the open ground, which is produced in September or early spring.

Propagated by seeds and division of bushes. Seeds are sown in spring in a seedling box filled with soil - a mixture of peat (3/4) and sand (1/4), with the addition of a full mineral fertilizer at the rate of 1.5 g per bucket of soil. As soon as the seedlings grow up, they are transplanted into cups or boxes, where they are kept until they are planted in the open ground, which is produced in September or early spring.

Diseases

Poorly drained soil and excessive watering contribute to root rot. In this case, stop watering for a while. If, on the contrary, watering is insufficient and the air humidity is low, a spider mite may appear, which makes the leaves yellow-speckled. Plants are treated with acaricidal preparations and try to maintain moderate humidity around them.

Acquisition

Ready-made seedlings in pots are purchased in the spring in flower nurseries.