Ammobium herbaceous plants for open ground. Winged ammobium: photo, care, reproduction and transplantation

Ammobium is a perennial herbaceous plant native to Australia (New South Wales). In our climatic conditions grown as an annual plant.

There are several types of plants. The most common is Ammobium alatum R. Br. It got its name because of the unusual leaves, which are located at the base of the stem and are shaped like wings.

Belongs to the Asteraceae family. The inflorescence - basket has a diameter of about 2 cm.

The decorative effect of the inflorescences is achieved due to the wrapper located around the basket, consisting of oblong leaves of white or yellowish color.

The wrapper leaves are arranged in several rows.

The stem of the plant is about 60 cm long and covered with felt-like hairs. At the end of flowering, the small flowers turn black. Against the background of silvery stems, this looks very unusual, and the plant takes on a rather impressive appearance.

The achene fruit has an elongated shape and a tuft. There are approximately 2500 seeds in one gram.

Growing and care

Ammobium reproduces by seeds. The time for sowing seeds is the end of March - beginning of April.

The first shoots appear in about a week. Two weeks after the emergence of seedlings, the seedlings are transplanted, leaving a distance of about 7 cm. Planting time is the end of May - the beginning of April. Plant the seedlings in abundantly watered soil.

For best results, the plant should be planted in open areas. This is a heat-loving plant that loves sunlight.

A week after planting, it is advisable to feed the seedlings with mineral fertilizers, and after 2 weeks, feed them with complex fertilizers.

2-2.5 months after planting, the plant begins to bloom and blooms profusely from mid-summer until the first frost.

This is a fairly unpretentious plant - it only needs to be watered during transplantation and during prolonged drought.

The climate of the southern regions allows seeds to be planted directly into the ground. But this method is not suitable for the northern regions - there the seeds may not ripen, so there they are planted only as seedlings.

Application

Most often, this plant is grown for decorative purposes.

When dried, it is an excellent material for making dry bouquets. This dried flower is cut at the initial stage, until it has finally blossomed and is covered with a white wrapper.

If you skip cutting time, the plant will lose its decorative appearance. It is then dried in shady, well-ventilated areas. Ammobium Winged is not very suitable for decorating flower beds, as it does not have a very attractive appearance. But for florists this is a great find. It is used when making dry bouquets and in compositions it wonderfully sets off brighter dried flowers.

Sometimes, to achieve a greater effect, Ammobium is artificially tinted. Most often, florists use the "Bikini" variety in their work. This variety has a very tall stem, and its inflorescences are almost identical in shape and size. This greatly simplifies the work of florists, and the bouquets look more harmonious.

Also used in decorative garden design.

Ammobiums - perennial herbaceous plants with leaves collected in a voluminous rosette. The dark green leaf blades are oblong-oval, long, with wavy edges and a sharp tip.

Many stems emerge from the center of the rosette in midsummer. The shoots are tetrahedral, covered along the entire length with white fluff, reaching a height of more than 50 cm. The attached stem leaves are sparse and small, often with a silvery tint.

In the upper part the peduncle branches. Ammobium blooms long and profusely. Inflorescence-baskets appear one after another. The tubular flowers are bright yellow. But the plant’s numerous involucre scales make it especially decorative. They are petal-shaped and colored snow-white or slightly yellowish.

After flowering, Ammobiums actively bear fruit, forming elongated black or dark brown achenes.

Growing

In culture, Ammobiums are grown as annuals. During one growing season, the plants form tall and strong bushes.

This representative of the flora looks beautiful like a tapeworm on an alpine slide. When planted in mixborders, it gets along well with Calendula, Marigold, and Felicia.

Ammobium is not susceptible to diseases and pest attacks. With minimal care, it will bloom before the onset of cold weather. By promptly removing faded flower stalks, you can stimulate the growth of new ones.

The plant is suitable for creating live and winter bouquets. For drying, Ammobium is cut at various stages of flowering. To obtain white dried flowers, cut off half-opened buds. After waiting for full opening, you can prepare yellow-white flowers. Dry the plants tied in bunches in a dry and shaded place.

Diseases and pests

Not susceptible.

Reproduction

Seeds.

First steps after purchase

Ammobium is grown from seeds. In warm regions, it is permissible to sow in open ground in April–May. The shoots appear together. In order for the seedlings to have the space necessary for growth and development, it is necessary to thin out the sprouts. A distance of 25–30 cm is considered optimal.

The seedling method allows you to speed up the onset of flowering. In March, the seeds are placed in a nutrient substrate and covered with glass or plastic film. Shoots appear in a week. After half a month, the seedlings acquire real leaves, and they need to be picked. The substrate should be moistened regularly. Planting in open ground is carried out in May. Watering is necessary only before active growth begins.

Secrets of success

Ammobium is able to grow on loam, but prefers light, nutritious soils.

This plant needs bright light. When choosing a place for planting, it is advisable to choose an area open to the sun, protected from the winds.

Ammobium is drought-resistant. After the seedlings are established, watering is canceled. The plant is quite content with precipitation. In the absence of rain, rare watering is acceptable.

Ammobium is fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers a week after planting the seedlings. After another half a month, a second feeding is carried out using complex mineral or organic fertilizers.

Possible difficulties

Ammobium does not tolerate the accumulation of water in the soil. Arranging a reliable drainage layer is the responsibility of the owner.

The growth of foliage at the expense of flowering is a consequence of excessive fertilization. Poor flowering is also caused by short daylight hours or insufficient light intensity.

When cutting Ammobium for dry bouquets, it is important not to miss the deadline. If the plant’s scales bend back, you can’t expect the dried flower to be decorative.

The bright yellow tubular flowers often turn brown after drying. The bleaching method - exposure to sulfur vapor - will help preserve the festive color.

Ammobium: cultivation and care

Ammobium is a heat-loving perennial. In the climate of Russia it is grown exclusively as an annual plant.

Description of ammobium

Ornamental grass includes several subspecies. Only winged ammobium has gained widespread and popularity. It owes its name to the leaves located at the stem of the plant. They are shaped like wings. The photo of the ammobium shows that the flower itself consists of a yellow basket and a white wrapper. The wrapper may have a yellowish tint, its leaves are arranged in several rows.

Source: Depositphotos

Ammobium: a delicate wrapper flower

The height of the plant does not exceed 0.6 m. The stem is covered with fine pile, resembling felt in appearance. Dried flowers acquire a special charm at the end of flowering, when small inflorescences darken. The contrast with the silvery stems creates an unusual effect.

The flower has found application in the following industries:

• floristics;
• garden decoration.

It is not suitable for landscape design due to the lack of a presentable appearance. In floristry, bouquets of dried flowers are made with it. With its appearance, the plant perfectly shades other types of herbs.

Growing ammobium

Ammobium is grown from seeds, which are purchased in a specialized store. Sowing of a decorative flower occurs closer to the second month of spring, if weather conditions allow it. After 7 days, the first shoots appear. After 2 weeks, the seedlings are planted, maintaining a distance between them of approximately 7 cm.

The plant is planted in open ground at the end of May or at the very beginning of summer. The soil needs to be irrigated abundantly with water before planting. In order for a flower to grow and bloom well, you need to follow the growing rules. They are as follows:

• Choosing a landing site. This should be an open place where the flower can enjoy the sun's rays;
• Feeding. To ensure that the flowers are large in size and do not turn black at the end of flowering, you need to feed the plant with mineral and complex fertilizers;
• Minimal watering. Ammobium is a drought-resistant plant that does not require artificial soil moisture. It needs to be watered only during periods of prolonged absence of precipitation and when replanting.

After placing a flower in a garden bed and adapting it, it should take about 2 months before it blooms. Flowering occurs long time. The inflorescences decorate the garden right up to the first frost.

The original dried flower was loved by florists due to the length of the stem and the ability to tint the wrapper. Connoisseurs of the plant appreciated its unpretentiousness and the minimum required attention.

Appearance ammobium not very decorative in general, therefore it is almost never used for landscape design in our country - but it is beautiful in bouquets, both live and winter. His complex baskets, reminiscent of daisies, look original and always attract attention. These densely packed, medium-sized button flowers are borne on long, branched, straight, weakly leafy and strong tetrahedral stems - an ideal stem for a bouquet crop that complements other plants.

The stems are really long - up to 1 meter. The diameter of the flowers is up to 2 cm. The tubular center is bright yellow. Petals are dry white scales. It blooms profusely and actively from the beginning of summer until the coldest weather.

It is a perennial, native to Australia. Particularly widespread in New South Wales. In our climate it is grown as an annual.

Types and varieties

Of the three existing species, only one is grown in Russia - winged ammobium (Ammobium alatum).

Description: straight, pubescent shoots up to 60 cm long, covered with oval elongated leaves. Small flowers, yellow with petal-shaped scales. The species thrives in the climatic conditions of Russia and blooms profusely with a minimum of care.

Two forms of winged ammobium:

1. Large-flowered. The flowers are really larger - up to 2 cm, the stems are stronger.
2. Bikini - has a miniature size, up to 40 cm in height, but is popular due to the fact that the flowers seem to be calibrated and the plant itself is lush.

Luxurious Bikini.

Now in Russia you can find and buy two varieties of seeds: Winged Elf and Starfall. This is still the same winged ammobium; the characteristics of these varieties are dictated only by the manufacturer.

Starfall from the Sedek company, according to the manufacturer’s description, is a lower plant, 50-60 cm, with inflorescences up to 2 cm.

Winged Elf (NK Russian Garden) has flowers up to one and a half cm in diameter, plant height is 60-70 cm.

Attention: NK Russian Ogorod sells seeds of its own selection, the company does not consider packaging important, so the seeds can arrive packed in a simple plastic bag with an image sticker, as in the photo below on the right.

Landing

The planting site should be sunny and bright, preferably open flower beds. The soil is loose, sandy, nutritious, although the plant blooms well on loam. Drought-resistant and thermophilic.

Reproduction

Propagated by seeds, either through seedlings or by sowing directly into the ground. The second option is for warm regions. Seeds are sown in open ground in May, the seedlings are thinned out, leaving a distance of 20 cm between them. It blooms two months after sowing.

Growing from seeds in seedlings

For the middle zone, the seedling method is preferable. The plant takes root very well and easily tolerates transplants. Seeds are sown for seedlings in suitable containers in April, they germinate in a week, picking - after the appearance of 2-3 true leaves. You can plant both in individual cups and in planting boxes (in this case, the distance between plants is 6-7 cm). In open ground - planted in May. But in this case, the distance between plants is greater - 30-35 cm.

Planting in autumn is also possible.

Care

Only young plants require special care. And further - ammobium will stand out even among unpretentious ones. He is not afraid of drought, disease or pests. And even the weeds are not able to cope with it.

Water immediately after planting - and you don’t have to think about watering anymore. Although during a period of very long drought, you can water it.

Feedings are possible:

1. Nitrogen-containing fertilizer - a week after planting in the ground.
2. Comprehensive – in a few weeks.

Drying and preparation

There are no specific cutting dates - another plus of the culture. Unless you should take into account the timing of specific wishes for the resulting cutting material. For example, if you need snow-white flowers, best time for cutting when the yellow center just appears on the inflorescences. If the color is not so important, but the size is important, that is, it is desirable to get the largest flowers possible, then cutting is carried out a little later - when the yellow core is clearly visible.

But you shouldn’t delay cutting it, as the flowers will lose their appearance.

The shoots are cut to a length of 25 cm, tied in bunches and hung upside down to dry in any suitable place (dry, dark place).

To preserve the bright yellow color of the core, fumigation of the material with sulfur is used. It is not known whether any of the masters use this method at home; it is quite complex and dangerous: it will require quite large containers in which fumigation is carried out. These are either barrels or chambers. Sulfur is poured onto a brazier under such a container, and the cut flowers are fumigated for 10-12 hours - as a result, they acquire a much lighter shade; after 15-20 days of normal drying, the color becomes natural. That is, the cores retain their bright yellow color.

Bouquets with ammobium.

Some people find ammobium bushes attractive and quite powerful, suitable for decorating borders or flower beds. In any case, the plant really does not require separate beds, and will look good in a mixborder in some styles (, country, rustic - see photo below). This is especially true for low-growing varieties; the flowers of ammobium are quite bright and catchy. It is also used in living bouquets.

Winged ammobium (Ammobium) is a perennial plant that is usually grown in our climate zone as an annual. Ammobium winged has an erect stem, highly branched in the upper part, growing approximately 45-60 cm in height.

The inflorescence of Ammobium winged is in the form of a basket, which reaches 1.5 cm in diameter. The flowers of Ammobium winged are tubular, rather small, yellow color. At the end of flowering, Ammobium flowers turn black. The flowering period of winged Ammobium begins in mid-June and lasts until the first frost.

Among flower growers, the large-flowered variety of winged Ammobium, called Grandiflorum, is in great demand. Grandiflorum differs from the main species of this plant in its more powerful stem, sometimes reaching 60 cm in height. The inflorescences of the variety reach two cm in diameter. It blooms in June-July and blooms until the first frost.

It must be remembered that the homeland of Ammobium winged is Australia, so the plant is absolutely unpretentious, drought-resistant, which requires watering only during the period of planting seedlings, as well as during very long droughts.

Winged ammobium - care:

Lighting:

Winged ammobium feels good in illuminated areas. The plant is very resistant to spring frosts.

Temperature:

Ammobium winged is a rather heat-loving plant. Tolerates normal summer temperatures well. Does not require shelter for the winter.

Watering:

Winged ammobium loves moderate watering.

Humidity:

When growing Ammobium winged, it is not necessary to spray the leaves with water. The plant is unpretentious and reacts poorly to changes in the percentage of air humidity.

Feeding:

After a week has passed since the seedlings were planted, it is necessary to fertilize Ammobium winged with nitrogen fertilizers. After two weeks, you will need to feed again, but using complex fertilizer or mullein infusion.

Transfer:

You can sow the seeds of Ammobium alata directly into open ground in spring or autumn. Winged ammobium tolerates transplants quite well. Winged ammobium blooms already 65 days after sowing and its flowering period lasts until frost. The seeds of Ammobium alata ripen fifty days after the start of the flowering period.

Reproduction:

Ammobium winged is propagated by seeds. Seeds are sown in March - early April. In a week the first shoots should appear. Two weeks after emergence, when the first leaves appear, plant the seedlings at a distance of seven centimeters from each other into boxes or into the soil in the greenhouse. Seedlings can begin to be planted at the end of May. The soil must first be well moistened.

Some features:

Ammobium is used to make beautiful winter bouquets.

Winged ammobium - diseases and pests:

Winged ammobium is completely unaffected by pests and practically does not get sick.