Sunflower - use in traditional medicine recipes. How to grow an ornamental sunflower from seeds

Imagine slender rows of powerful plants that meet the morning sun and turn their beautiful hats after its rays. This is the helianthus, known to us under the name "sunflower" - the most light-loving culture. If you think that you can only meet it in the fields where the sunflower is grown on an industrial scale, then you are deeply mistaken. In decorative floriculture, helianthus is not the last. Thanks to the work of breeders, many hybrid varieties with interesting colors have been bred, and the unpretentiousness of the culture and its proud regal appearance attract the attention of lovers of simple but original forms.

Decorative sunflowers are often used to make bouquets, because after cutting, the plant retains a fresh look for 2 weeks.

Growing helianthus is a pleasure. It develops practically without human help, without the need for daily care. Even a single plant in a flower bed becomes the center of attention, and group compositions from different varieties sunflowers, and even in combination with other flowers, create a unique masterpiece. We offer a closer look at the ornamental sunflower and its popular species, as well as learn about the features of cultivation, so that everyone can choose a plant to their liking and decorate their site with it.

Own scientific name sunflower received due to the shape of the inflorescence resembling the sun, and Greek, in which "helianthus" means two whole words: "sun" and "flowers". That is why it is often called the "flower of the sun."

What is an ornamental sunflower?

Helianthus is a member of the Aster family (Asteraceae). All of it hybrid varieties bred on the basis of an annual wild sunflower - a medium-sized plant up to 1 m high big amount inflorescences in the form of sun hats. The inflorescence itself is a basket with small tubular petals inside, and large tongue petals along the edge. At the end of flowering, the petals wither and crumble, and black faceted seeds ripen under them.

Sunflower seeds have very good germination: even after 3 years they are able to germinate.

Varietal variety of helianthus

To date, there are almost 200 types of helianthus that are used in decorative floriculture, but breeders do not stop there, inventing new varieties of this unique plant. There are among them both dwarf specimens not exceeding 30 cm in height, and real giants over 3 m tall. The color of the hats is no less diverse: from the characteristic yellow color, to unique white petals and even deep purple. What can we say about terry varieties - their stuffed lush heads will decorate the flower bed.

Scientists also worked on the very form of the inflorescence, breeding varieties similar to dahlias, chrysanthemums or gerberas. And the very shape of the petals is different from standard view sunflower - they can be round or oval, curved or twisted.

It is worth noting that most modern hybrids are absolutely sterile. They do not have pollen, respectively, an allergic reaction to a sunflower bouquet is excluded.

Depending on the shape of the plant, the following species groups of the helianthus flower are distinguished:

• variegated (with a pattern on the leaves);
• Californian (with stuffed inflorescences);
• many-flowered (multiple inflorescences are located along the entire stem, giving the sunflower the appearance of a pyramid).

According to the total height of the bush, they distinguish:

• giant varieties "growth" from 1.8 to 3 m with large hats up to 30 cm in diameter;
• medium-sized sunflowers with a height of 1.2 m;
• dwarf varieties not exceeding 60 cm in height.

Among the most beautiful views Helianthus is worth noting the following varieties:

Where and when is it better to plant a flower of the sun?

The main thing to consider when growing helianthus is that this plant loves the sun very much and simply cannot live without it. If your site has the lightest and warm place, it's just meant for a sunflower. In addition, such a site should not be flooded with melt water.

To admire the colorful hats until the frost, you can plant the plant in several visits, starting in April and ending in the month of August.

The planting of the helianthus is carried out mainly with the help of seeds, laying them out in holes of 2 pieces. The second seed is usually used as a fallback, in the event that both germinate, one plant can always be transplanted. In general, sunflower seeds have good germination. It is not necessary to deepen the seeds strongly, 2 cm is enough - in the future, powerful roots themselves will firmly settle in the hole.

The distance between the holes depends on the particular variety and averages about 40 cm. If it is an upright species that branches little, the holes can be made closer to each other. Lush, profusely branching bushes should be planted less often so that they have enough room to develop.

If you decide to grow seedlings of helianthus (this option is also possible), it should be borne in mind that it does not tolerate transplantation well.

Dwarf varieties can be bred as pot crops by placing containers on summer period on the outdoors in the garden. Reproduction of perennial helianthus is carried out by dividing the bush, which is carried out in the third year after planting in early spring or in autumn.

Ornamental sunflower care

Despite its size and powerful structure (rarely any other garden flower has such a strong trunk, not counting the shrubs), helianthus is the most unpretentious plant. Almost all the main activities for its cultivation are carried out at the planting stage. Having chosen a suitable place for the culture, caring for the helianthus will not cause trouble in the future, because by its nature the sunflower has good vitality, having adopted it from its ancestors. His developed root system firmly fixes the plant in the soil, whether it be compact species or tall varieties, and is able to get nutrition from the lower layers.

As for watering, helianthus prefers moderate humidity. It is not worth flooding the plantings so that the roots do not begin to rot, however, in a dry hot summer, you will need to pour water under the bushes more often.

Feed twice during the season decorative sunflower to replenish the balance of nutrients that the powerful root system of the plant has chosen from the soil. But even if this is not done, the helianthus will not disappear, it simply will not be able to reveal its beauty in full force.

After sunflowers next season, you can only plant legumes, because they greatly deplete the land. Even after fertilization, the soil can fully recover only after a few years.

After the inflorescences fade, they must be cut to prolong the overall flowering of the bush (the largest caps should be left to collect seeds). In addition, pruning will help relieve stress on the stem, and it will not lean. Tall varieties of helianthus need additional support.

To bring the flowering of the helianthus closer, some gardeners use one trick: they pluck out stepchildren and small buds that grow under the central one.

If everything is clear with regard to annuals (they must be planted annually), then a few more words should be said about perennial decorative sunflowers. This applies to the wintering of the flower in open ground- when growing perennials in cold regions, they may require shelter, especially if the winter is not very snowy. For the rest, care perennial crops is no different from breeding annual helianthus.

As you have already seen, the flower of the sun is actually very flexible and incredibly beautiful. Stock up on seeds and grow this versatile plant in your yard. Tall giants with their large hats will reliably hide your dacha from neighbors, miniature crumbs with puffy heads will decorate summer veranda, and perennial sunflowers long time will meet you at the gate, nodding their heads in greeting.

Overview of ornamental sunflower seeds - video

Growing an ornamental sunflower from seeds

Ornamental sunflowers most often mean annual helianthus. Big choice varieties and forms, simple and double, but always dazzling seasonal stars - just one of the reasons for the continued popularity of sunflowers. After all, these plants are so easy to propagate that even inexperienced flower growers can grow the guards of summer. Right choice places, timely sowing and caring for young plants - that's all you need to admire the luxurious heads of sunflowers in your flower garden.

Growing seedlings of ornamental sunflower.

Annual sunflowers are one of the most popular seasonal plants. Them appearance well known to both gardeners and those who do not grow plants on their own. The largest basket inflorescences of all possible are easily recognized even in the company of crops related to the type of flowering. But understanding the variety of annual sunflowers is not as easy as identifying their luxurious heads in a flower bed. On seed bags, the type of sunflowers is often not specified and the seeds are simply labeled as Helianthus, although annual representatives of the genus and all their varieties have long been combined into a species. sunflower annual(Helianthus annuus). Annual sunflowers traditionally bloom from July to October. Single-stem annuals with thick erect shoots crowned at the tops with strikingly large baskets of inflorescences with a diameter of 5 to 36 cm, sunflowers are easily recognized. And not only classically major center of numerous tubular or arranged in strict rows of reed flowers, but also on bristly-pubescent, rough to the touch, inimitably wrinkled, heart-shaped serrate leaves of a saturated color arranged alternately on petioles, as well as on beautiful bracts around the basket, and on the strength of their peduncles.

Annual sunflowers also have dwarf varieties, up to half a meter high, or even lower, and real giants. Decorative forms (variegated, round swollen, round multi-flowered, California) and hundreds of different varieties allow you to choose annual sunflowers to your liking. Yellow, orange, red, white, brown, variations of a solid or two- and three-color color, varying degrees double and semi-double, the size of the center and the location and even the shape of the petals significantly affect the decorativeness of sunflowers and the possibility of their use. But all this diversity does not affect the reproduction of annual sunflowers. They are grown only from seeds and more often they do not use seedlings, but the simplest method is sowing directly at the place of cultivation, that is, immediately into the soil.

Sunflower breeding methods:

1. Sowing directly at the place of cultivation in spring.
2. Sowing seedlings in early spring.

Self-collection of sunflower seeds and their selection for sowing

Even the most fashionable varieties of sunflower give abundant self-seeding, but collecting seeds of the varieties you like from this plant is not difficult. Obovate faceted achenes in flat baskets make it easy to assess the degree of seed maturation (by their darkening).

The most difficult thing in collecting seeds of ornamental sunflowers is to protect the crop from birds that love to feast on seeds even annual varieties. As the seeds form, the inflorescences from which they plan to harvest must be tied with a net, transparent cloth or gauze to prevent the birds from reaching the precious seeds. After cutting the heads, the seeds are not removed from the seedlings, but allowed to dry completely. You can store the seeds without removing them from the baskets, and in a "clean" form.

Seeds of ornamental sunflowers retain their germination for a very long time: even in the third or fourth year after harvest, annual sunflowers sprout, albeit not with a productivity of 90%, but quite amicably.

The main thing in buying seeds of varieties and variety mixtures of ornamental sunflowers is to choose trusted producers. Too cheap seeds of dubious firms may not produce a single seedling at all. Pay attention to the completeness of information about the manufacturer, study its reputation, average prices on the market. Otherwise, you can focus only on the height and aesthetic qualities of the inflorescences. Before sowing, the seeds are sorted, discarding damaged and small ones (if desired, they can be sown separately for the experiment).

Inflorescences of decorative sunflower

Place for sowing decorative sunflowers

The very name of the helianthus directly indicates the conditions in which these delightfully summer flowers prefer to grow. Annual sunflowers are the same sun worshipers as ordinary sowing or perennial helianthus. They need the brightest, openest, sunniest areas. For low varieties of sunflowers, windiness is not terrible, but for tall and especially giant sunflowers, up to 3 m high or planted in borders and screens, you need to choose protected, warm, windproof sites. Even in miniature varieties with a height of about 30 cm, smaller and less bright inflorescences develop in windy places.

Much more attention should be paid to soil parameters. For annual sunflowers, it should be light and loose. Sandy loams are preferred, but if sand is added to improve the structure, helianthus will be able to grow on both loam and clay soil. Wet or fresh soil high content nutrients will allow the annual helianthus to fully show its beauty. Annual sunflowers cannot tolerate soil salinity and acidic environment.

Sunflowers are not grown continuously in the same place, after nightshades, legumes and beets.

Terms of sowing decorative sunflower in the soil

In regions where the soil warms up early, the choice possible dates planting and stretching the sowing period for several months allows you to increase the flowering time for almost the entire season. You can sow sunflower in the south in autumn, before winter, at the end of March-April.

In regions with severe winters, annual sunflowers are traditionally sown at the end of April when the weather is favorable, but more often only in May. There is no need to be afraid of early sowing: despite the fact that sunflowers themselves are not cold-resistant and wither with the advent of frost, the seedlings perfectly tolerate return frosts down to -6 degrees, which makes it possible to sow ornamental sunflower somewhat earlier than ordinary summers. Usually, plants are recommended to be sown when the soil warms up to about 10 degrees Celsius.

In any case, it is worth “stretching” the sowing, dividing the seeds into portions for sowing with an interval of 1 week. If we sow ornamental sunflowers also throughout the summer, then the parade of sunflowers will continue until the first frost and will be uninterrupted.

Sowing ornamental sunflower seeds

There is nothing difficult in the process of sowing ornamental varieties of sunflowers. You can soak the seeds in water for a day and pickle in fungicides (even in a weak solution of potassium permanganate) to increase resistance to pests and diseases. With a limited number of seeds, it is advisable to germinate on a damp napkin or paper towel, carefully pinching or cutting off the top of the seed to speed up germination.

Seeds are sown in grooves or individual pits, deepening them by approximately 2-4 cm (the maximum depth that does not affect the development of sprouts is 5 cm). It is advisable to sow ornamental sunflower sparsely to avoid the need to thin out seedlings. Usually the seeds are laid out in 2-3 pieces at a distance of 30 cm for undersized to 70 cm for the tallest sunflowers.

The first shoots of annual sunflowers usually appear within a week after sowing.

After the shoots appear and get stronger, the extra plants are removed, leaving the strongest.

Flowering from May crops can be expected in July. But it is much easier to focus on the duration growing season: annual sunflowers will bloom in 75, last resort- 90 days.

Young seedling of an ornamental sunflower

Care for young seedlings of ornamental sunflower

Sunflowers can be attacked by birds, snails and even rodents long before germination and at the germination stage. From slugs and snails, it is better to immediately decompose the bait, but sunflower crops can be saved from birds by simply covering the soil with a net or film.

Despite the status of sun worshipers, to attribute decorative sunflowers to drought-resistant plants it would be a big mistake. They are moisture-loving and the beauty of flowering directly depends on watering. Drought during the period of active development of greenery and peduncle necessarily affects flowering, so watering is provided already from the stage of young shoots. Waterlogging, dampness of the soil are dangerous to the same extent as the complete drying of the soil. Watering is carried out when there is not enough rainfall, about 1 time per week in heat and drought, soaking the soil to the entire depth of the helianthus roots.

Top dressing for sunflower, provided there is sufficient nutritional value of the soil, can be omitted altogether. If the soil has not been improved, then about a month after germination, sunflowers can be fed with nitrogen fertilizers, and at the stage of budding and flowering - with full mineral or potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

It is better to tie high sunflower varieties to supports as they grow, especially if the plants are still planted on windy areas. For sunflowers, a simple peg is enough.

In adult annual sunflowers in further care comes down to several procedures:

• watering;
• loosening the soil;
• weed removal;
• removal of faded bushes (if you kept the inflorescences, you should not rush to cut, because the sunflower will not only decorate the autumn and winter flower beds, but also serve additional source food for birds).

Removing fading flowers from sunflowers speeds up the opening of new buds and helps prevent drooping flower heads. If you are growing plants for cutting, then it is really better to cut off the inflorescences in a timely manner (with the exception of a few "heads" left for collecting seeds). But if you are just decorating a garden with sunflowers and setting accents, then leave as many inflorescences as possible: they will serve useful birds in the garden no worse than regular filling of feeders. Yes, and your eyes will be pleased.

Growing seedlings of decorative sunflowers.

Growing ornamental sunflowers through seedlings

The soil for sowing annual sunflowers is suitable for standard, universal, nutritious and loose, but not with a slightly acidic, but with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. But more attention should be paid to containers: sunflowers do not like transplanting, in order to avoid root injuries, it is better to sow them in individual cups or peat pots.

Sowing seeds is carried out depending on the desired time of planting in the soil. Since the grown seedlings are not frost-resistant, planting can be carried out only at the end of May-June, and the sowing of seeds - at the end of April or the beginning of May (20-25 days before planting on permanent place). But the main thing that you need to focus on is the intensity of lighting, the ability to organize additional lighting.

Seeds are sown in 2-3 pieces in personal cups, removing weaker plants from emerging seedlings. Sunflower is germinated under glass or film, sowing is carried out to a depth of 1.5-2 cm in moist soil. Any temperature for germination is suitable within room indicators, but the lighting should be very bright.

Growing ornamental sunflowers.

Growing sunflower seedlings is not an easy task. With a lack of light, the plants turn out to be weak, the stems bend, the plant stretches and does not look like itself. For sunflowers, only a place on the southern windowsill or with additional lighting is suitable. Soil moisture should be consistently light. Feeding is not carried out. Hardening seedlings should begin as early as possible.

Planting decorative sunflowers grown through seedlings is possible only at the end of May or June, after the threat of return frost has disappeared. Plants are planted in the same way as they were sown in open ground, at a distance of 30-70 cm. The earthen lump around the roots cannot be destroyed. Care for young seedlings is similar to care for young seedlings.

Decorative sunflower.

Hello. Today's meeting involves a new acquaintance. Let's talk about unusual colors. This is an ornamental sunflower, growing it from seeds will undoubtedly be a pleasant pastime for you.

Perhaps you have seen fields sown with sunflowers, and if not, look at the photo: the spectacle is ardent and impressive. Few know that the usual technical culture has more than one and a half hundred decorative species.

A plant brought from America to Europe in the 16th century unusual flower called helianthus - a sunny flower. At first, the culture was grown because of its beauty, only then it began to be sown for agriculture. Later, breeders bred decorative varieties.
Helianthus are grown all over the world. Bouquets are made of them, they become an ornament of landscape design, they are cultivated as indoor plant. Many varieties of decorative sunflower look so unusual that it is difficult to correlate them with the progenitor -. They differ:

• different colors, flowers are white, cream, apricot, orange, burgundy, brown, yellow;
• the shape of the flowers, which happen to be simple, semi-double and double;
• flower size from 5 to 30 centimeters;
• height. There are giant varieties that grow up to three meters, medium-sized - a meter and a half high, compact - grow up to 60 cm.

Please check out some of the popular helianthus varieties:

1. The most favorite variety of domestic gardeners is "Bear cub". Its height is not more than one meter, it has large double flowers of bright yellow color. Blooms from mid-summer to autumn.
2. "Red Sun" - a variety of domestic selection, known throughout the world. It blooms for a long time, the petals are red-brown, the height is up to two meters.
3. "Vanilla Ice" - a variety with vanilla-colored flowers is grown for bouquets.
4. 'Moulin Rouge' has two-tone petals: red on the inside, yellow on the outside. The heart of this variety is black.
5. "Kong" - these sunflowers up to five meters high often form a hedge.
6. 'Pacino' has attractive bright yellow flowers and is a very short growing plant.
7. "Big Smile" grows up to 30 cm, the flowers are yellow, the middle is black.
8. 'Sunspot' is a dwarf-height cultivar with huge flowers.
9. 'Music Box' has a whole inflorescence on one stem.

Planting in a flower bed and care

Choose for landing sunny place. Fertile soil will eliminate the need. Sharp gusts of wind can break fragile stems, choose a protected place. Decorative annuals are propagated by seeds. Their preparation is very simple:

• make an aqueous solution of wood ash;
• saturate the fabric with it;
• wrap the seeds in it;
• soak for a day, moisturizing the fabric if necessary

Sow directly in open ground or in seedling boxes. Growing seedlings makes sense only in regions with a cold climate and short summers.

In most areas, sunflowers are successfully bred by sowing seeds directly into open ground. Sow no deeper than 3 centimeters. The distance between plants depends on the variety: large sunflowers are placed 70 cm or more apart, smaller ones - 30-40 cm apart.
Landing time comes in early May. Shoots appear in a week. The culture begins to bloom in July and continues until October. Some flower growers, in order to please the helianthus with their flowering for as long as possible, sow them with an interval of two weeks.
The solar flower is unpretentious and requires simple care:

• weekly watering if the soil dries out;
• removal of weeds with simultaneous loosening.

Can be sustained longer when cut flower baskets before seeds are formed. The sunflower will have new buds and the flowering cycle will resume.

sunny flower on the windowsill

In a warm apartment, culture will delight all year round. Caring for him is very simple, you can entrust even children. First of all, you need to choose dwarf variety, which is more suitable for growing on the windowsill.
Take the container, taking into account the size of the sunflower, so that you do not have to replant later - he does not like this procedure. You can buy a long container and plant several plants at once, or you can use a flower pot. For dwarf varieties, a diameter of 40 centimeters is suitable. For a sunflower of medium height, a box with a volume of 20 liters is needed.

Before planting, the pot must be disinfected to prevent diseases. At the bottom, make drainage from pebbles. Pour in the universal potting mix for flowers, not reaching the top of the container 2 centimeters.

It is possible, add humus 1: 1 to the soil to increase its fertility. There are also special crystals to support optimal moisture balance. Don't forget the bottom stand to collect excess water.
Sow the seeds to a depth of 2-3 cm and water well. Planting is carried out with two seeds in one hole, so that later the weaker plant can be removed. Continue watering every three days, observing soil moisture. After 3-8 days, sprouts will appear. Move the sunflowers to their permanent sunniest spot.

Protection against diseases and pests

Of particular danger are insects that eat away the inside of the stem and lead the plant to death. Do not forget to inspect sunflowers from time to time and, as soon as you notice pests, treat with insecticides. One treatment will destroy uninvited guests.
Plants can be subject to bacterial diseases:

• false powdery mildew;
• rust;
• brown spot.

The causative agent of dew is carried by insects, its occurrence is facilitated by high humidity both air and soil.

The inner side of the leaves is covered with a white coating, dark spots appear on the outer side.

To avoid chemicals, you can use folk remedy: 3 grams of copper sulfate and 25 grams of soap per liter of water. Plants are sprayed with a solution until the signs of the disease disappear.

Decorative sunflower often suffers from brown spotting. It can hit plants in the garden and. high air temperature and high humidity contribute to rapid development. Infection can occur from water, soil.

Signs: the appearance of round or oval spots on the leaves and stems, which then become dry. As soon as you notice, remove the affected areas. If a houseplant is sick, isolate it from others.

After you finish cutting off the affected areas, wipe the instrument and hands with alcohol. Cut wounds should be sprinkled with powder from activated carbon. Noticed in time, these measures will be enough to prevent further development of the disease.
In the case when it was not possible to extinguish the focus of infection, the disease progresses, you will have to resort to antifungal chemicals.

Diseases can be prevented by adhering to: loosening the soil, removing weeds.

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Growing an ornamental sunflower in your garden can brighten just about any well-lit area in your garden. This species, belonging to the Asteraceae family, has more than 150 different varieties, differing in color, bud size, stem length. In Europe, the first sunflower seeds appeared thanks to the expedition of Columbus to Mexico. This plant was admired not only by amateur gardeners, but also by many artists and poets, after which it received the name - Helianthus, or "sun flower". Sunflower was brought to Russia from Europe by Peter I. By his order, culture received wide use and has been used in agriculture. Decorative sunflowers appeared only many years later.

Varieties of decorative sunflowers

Helianthus have spread throughout the globe: they can be found in the North and South America, in European countries and African continent. In Austria, there is even a "Sunflower Park", where you can find various wild varieties and hybrids of this plant. Sunflowers can grow both in a pot on the windowsill and in the garden. They make magnificent summer bouquets and floral arrangements.

Currently, the view is divided into 2 subspecies:

• agricultural,
• decorative.

Some decorative varieties are difficult to correlate with their progenitor, they look so unusual. Coloring can be not only yellow, but also white, beige, brown, reddish. Terry and non-double flowers are found in shape, their petals can be twisted, wavy, oblong. The diameter of the inflorescence reaches 30 cm.

Plants differ in stem height. Conventionally, sunflowers can be divided into several groups according to this feature:

1. large-sized, reaching a height of 3 meters;
2. compacts - stem height reaches 60 cm;
3. medium-sized, 1-1.5 meters high.

by the most famous varieties in Russia are:

• Teddy bear - one of the best medium-sized varieties, blooms with large double orange flowers;
• Vanilla Ice - variety with non-double light beige flowers;
• Big Smile is a compact cultivar (maximum 30 cm) with lemon petals and a black centre;
• Sunspot is a miniature plant with huge inflorescences up to 25 cm in diameter.

Landing and care

Growing an ornamental sunflower starts with choosing suitable place: it must be sunny and with fertile soil, then caring for the flower will be easier and you will not need to regularly feed. It is advisable to choose a site protected from drafts so that sudden gusts of wind do not break the fragile stem. Within the territory of middle lane In Russia, mainly annual ornamental sunflowers are grown from seeds.

Seed material must be prepared in advance for planting: dissolve in 0.5 liters warm water wood ash, soak a small piece of cloth with a solution and wrap the seeds in it for a day. Seeds are planted in May, they are planted to a depth of no more than 3 cm. For compact varieties, the distance between plants should be about 40 cm, large varieties planted 70 cm apart. The first shoots appear within 7 days after sowing. Young plants bloom in mid-summer, new buds continue to open until the end of September.

To prolong the flowering of a sunflower, you can plant plants with a difference of 2 weeks throughout the summer.

Caring for a sunny flower does not cause any particular problems - these plants are unpretentious. It is necessary to water as the topsoil dries up, avoiding moisture stagnation, about 1 time in 7 days. It is advisable to loosen the soil around the sunflower and remove weeds. After flowering, wilted inflorescences are removed without waiting for seeds to speed up the formation of new buds. It is possible to plant and grow several plants in one container, then flowering helianthus will look like a living bouquet. To remove the dried stem, the flower is cut at the root, but not dug up - this can damage other plants.

Growing at home

It is possible to grow compact varieties of decorative sunflowers on the windowsill in ordinary apartment. This is such a simple process that you can entrust it to a child. Having chosen the variety you like, you need to purchase the usual flower pot up to 40 cm in diameter - this size is usually enough for miniature plant. But if the variety is large or it is planned to plant several plants in one container, it is better to take a larger container, otherwise the flowers will be crowded and they will have to be transplanted. For medium-sized varieties, it is better to take a large balcony box with a volume of 18 liters or more.

Boarding takes place in a disinfected nutrient soil, drainage from expanded clay or pebbles is placed at the bottom of the pot. After planting, the soil is moistened. You can add special additives to it - aquatic soil, which will retain moisture and prevent the root system from drying out, mineral fertilizers or rotted compost. Ornamental sunflower seeds are planted in pairs, deepening by 2.5 cm. After germination, the seedlings are watered every 2 days. Growing a sunflower in open ground takes place on well-lit areas, so you need to place a flower pot on a very bright windowsill.

Proper care of the plant is the key to its health and strong immune system. Helianthus can be attacked by pests - moths, barbels and spikelets. At the first sign of the appearance of insects, plants should be immediately treated with insecticides. Bacterial diseases such as brown spot, powdery mildew and rust are also dangerous. The causes of their occurrence may be pests, excessive moisture in the soil or air. The affected areas must be removed, and the stem and leaves should be treated with fungicides.

Output

The decorative sunflower is unpretentious, its planting, growing from seeds and care do not cause difficulties for amateur gardeners. There are many beautiful varieties, differing from each other in the size and color of the inflorescences, the height of the stem. Large varieties can reach 3 meters in height, while compact ones can be grown as indoor ones. Sunflowers love a bright location, regular watering and fertile soil.

Seeds can be sown immediately in a permanent place, shoots usually appear within a week. At first, the seedlings need regular watering, the subcortex is applied only on poor soils. Sunflowers bloom in the middle of summer and continue to delight with new buds until September. At home, plant pots are placed on a bright windowsill and watered regularly. Helianthus can be damaged by pests and get sick. At the first signs of illness or when insects appear, flowers are treated with special preparations.

It's an annual herbaceous plant with wonderful "sunny" flowers will decorate any personal plot. How many gardeners know that the sunflower we are used to belongs to a species that has more than 150 ornamental varieties?

Origin of the ornamental sunflower

Even from the Mexican expedition of Christopher Columbus, seeds were brought to Europe unusual plant, which was later named after the shape of the flower - Helianthus (from the Greek "helios" - the sun and "anthos" - a flower).

Then, in the 16th century, the plant aroused genuine admiration for its unusual shape of flowers: paintings and poems - artists captured the beauty of this culture in their works.

The sunny flower came to Russia thanks to Peter the Great: he brought seeds and ordered domestic gardeners to grow an unusual crop. Just like ornamental plant then the sunflower spread, which is now used in agriculture. But varieties for flower beds were bred by breeders much later: new varieties are still appearing, differing in height, size of inflorescences, their shade and quantity.

Description of the species

Helianthus is a herbaceous plant that is grown all over the world: in the South and North America, Europe, Japan and even Africa. Decorative sunflowers are included in bouquets, used in landscape design and grown as potted flowers on the windowsill. And the inhabitants of Austria fell in love with the sunny flower so much that they even opened the “Sunflower Park”, where all possible wild and breeding varieties of this crop are collected.

To date, the species is usually divided into 2 subspecies:

sowing sunflower;

decorative sunflower.

There are both annual and perennial varieties.

Many varieties of helianthus look so that it is even difficult to associate them with their progenitor - now an agricultural sunflower, from the seeds of which oil, beloved in every family, is obtained.

Color. The color of helianthus flowers can be very diverse: white, cream, apricot, orange, burgundy, lemon, brown and, of course, yellow.

The shape of the flower is simple, as well as semi-double and even terry.

The shape of the petals: round, long, twisted into a tube, curved.

In diameter, flowers of different varieties can be from 5 to 30 cm.

Plant stem height. Conventionally, plants are divided into 3 groups according to height:

giant varieties reaching 2-3 m in height ("Russian Giant", "Toll Single", "Yellow Giant", "Titan", "Russian Mammoth", "Bismarckianus");

medium-sized varieties, the height of which is from 1 to 1.5 m;

compact varieties, up to 60 cm high ("Teddy Bear", "Pacino", "Music Box", "Sunny Bunny").

All varieties have a delicate aroma and are honey plants.

Varieties of decorative sunflowers

We will not list all the varieties known today. Let's talk about the most popular of them:

"Teddy Bear" - this variety is very loved by gardeners in our country. An annual plant does not exceed 1 m in height, in the middle of summer it blooms large (22 cm in diameter) double flowers which are bright yellow in color. Flowering continues until autumn.

"Red Sun" - a variety bred by domestic breeders, has gained popularity around the world. It has red-brown petals, a long flowering period, and can reach a height of 2 m.

Vanilla Ice is a famous cut variety. Flowers non-double vanilla shade.

"Moulin Rouge" - has an unusual color: burgundy-red petals become lighter towards the edges and darker closer to the middle of the flower.

"Kong" is the tallest ornamental sunflower - the height of an adult crop is 5 m. Often on household plots planted to create a hedge.

"ProCut Red Lemon BiColor" - has inflorescences of two shades: the inner part of the petals is red, the outer is pale yellow, and the heart of the flower is black.

"Pacino" - very small plant with expressive bright yellow flowers.

"Big Smile" undersized variety(maximum 30 cm) with yellow flowers with a black center.

'Sunspot' is an amazing dwarf variety with huge flowers (20-25 cm in diameter).

"Music Box" - a variety characterized by a large number of flowers on one plant.

Planting helianthus in the garden

The very name of the solar flower suggests that it likes to grow in well-lit areas. Choose a site with fertile soil for the plant so that there is no need to fertilize during the growing season. The plant will feel better if the landing site is protected from sudden gusts of wind that can break its fragile stem.

Ornamental annual sunflowers are planted from seeds. Preparing seed is very simple:

dissolve wood ash in 0.5 l of warm water;

soak a piece of cloth with the resulting solution;

wrap sunflower seeds in cloth;

leave for a day;

if the fabric dries out, moisten it with the same solution.

Seeds need to be planted in the soil to a depth of no more than 3 cm. It is very important to think over the planting pattern: if the variety is compact, then 30-40 cm between plants will be enough, and if it is large, then at least 70 cm.

The first plants can be planted in early May and shoots will appear within a week after planting. Flowering will begin in July and last until the end of September. Some gardeners, in order to extend the flowering period of the flower bed, plant plants in groups with a small interval in time (about 2 weeks) throughout the summer.

Decorative sunflower: plant care

Solar flowers are unpretentious in care. They need:

watering as the soil dries (it is important to prevent stagnant water) - at least 1 time per week;

loosening the soil;

weed removal.

As the flowering progresses, flower baskets need to be cut off without waiting for the formation of seeds - this will stimulate the plant to form new buds and resume the flowering cycle. In addition, removing wilted blooms will help keep your garden decorative.

If you want to remove the plant completely, then just cut it at the root: digging up one bush, you can inadvertently damage the delicate roots of neighboring, still actively flowering crops.

How to grow a decorative sunflower at home: instructions

At any time of the year, a bright sunny flower will delight you, sitting on the windowsill in warm apartment. The cultivation process is so simple that many parents are happy to entrust it to their children, who are watching the development of culture with great interest.

So the first thing to do is choose interesting variety by driving to the nearest garden center. Most importantly, do not forget that dwarf varieties are more suitable for home cultivation.

Container selection

To plant an ornamental sunflower, purchase a standard flower container, taking into account the height of the future sun flower and the number of plants you are going to plant:

too small a pot will soon become cramped for the plant and it will have to be transplanted, however, the culture does not tolerate transplantation well - so you should not do this;

if the variety is dwarf, a pot for planting with a diameter of 30-40 cm will be optimal;

if you have a special balcony flower box, it is perfect for planting several sunflowers at once;

if you still want to plant a medium-sized sunflower in an apartment (height up to 1.5 m) - you will need a large box (from 18 liters), for example, one in which vegetables are transported.

sunflower soil

Disinfect the pot before planting to prevent the development of diseases in the plant. Provide a stand for water to drain under the bottom.

Be sure to provide drainage - put pebbles (pebbles, gravel) or pieces of foam on the bottom of the container for planting. Pour the soil mixture (universal soil for flowers) over the drainage layer. There should be enough soil so that another 2-2.5 cm remains to the top of the container. Water the soil well.

you can add special crystals to the soil mixture that retain moisture - this will help maintain an optimal moisture balance;

so that the decorative sunflower receives the necessary nutrients, add rotted compost (1: 1) to the soil.

Landing and care

When the pots are prepared, proceed to planting. Seeds are best planted in pairs, when the plants sprout, remove the weaker one. It is necessary to deepen the seed into the soil by 2.5 cm.

Until the seeds germinate, you need to water the soil every 2 days, observing the soil moisture.

Seedlings will be noticeable in 3-8 days. But if 2 weeks have passed, and the sunflowers have not hatched, they will no longer sprout.

Place a container with decorative sunflowers in a well-lit place, so that the culture receives the sun's rays throughout the day.

Pests and diseases

Sunny flowers are subject to many dangers. Most often they are attacked by moths, barbels and thorns. Pests settle on the crop and eat away the contents of its stem, soon bringing the plant to death. Inspect the plant and as soon as you notice the appearance of uninvited guests on them, treat with insecticides. One treatment session will be enough to eliminate the threat.

Among the bacterial diseases that a crop can become infected with are rust, downy mildew and brown spot.

Downy mildew. The cause of the disease may be the defeat of insect vectors of infection. Most often it is an aphid, a worm or a scale insect. Also, increased humidity of the soil or air can contribute to bacterial lesions.

Downy mildew manifests itself as a white bloom on inside leaves, dark spots appear on the outer.

To stop the spread of the disease, remove the most affected parts of the plant while carefully sterilizing the pruning tools. Then treat the entire planting with special antifungal drugs - fungicides.

If you don't want to apply chemicals, then use the popular recipe: dissolve 3 g of copper sulfate and 25 g of laundry soap in 1 liter of water. Spray the plants with this remedy until the symptoms of the disease have disappeared (usually after 3-7 days).

Brown spotting (phyllostictosis) for ornamental sunflowers is also a fairly common problem. Moreover, both the sunny flower in the garden and the one that is grown on the windowsill can get sick.

If you notice spots (round or oval) on the stems and leaves of a sunflower that dry out over time, this is brown spotting.

Phyllosticosis can spread through soil, water, and even be carried by the wind from neighboring diseased plants. The development of the disease occurs rapidly at high air temperatures (above +26 ° C) and high humidity.