Garden Ixiais a very showy bulbous plant with magnificent multicolored inflorescences. It is not often found in our gardens, as its rather high cultivation requirements discourage people from being interested in this beautiful perennial. Meanwhile,planting and cultivating xia in the gardenare not so difficult if we know its needs well. Learn the secrets of ixia care!
Garden Ixia - Ixia
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Iksja - description and application
Iksja(Ixia) is a tuberous plant belonging to the Iridaceae family, found in the natural environment in Africa, and in Poland known only for cultivation.It grows up to 60 cm in height. It produces sword-shaped leaves from small tubers, among which there are unbranched stems. The flowers are radiant, star-shaped, six-lobed and multi-colored.Iksja blooms from June to Julybut the flowering date also depends on how the tubers are grown and when the tubers are planted, and may also be slightly different for individual varieties of xia.
The termgarden ixia(Ixia hybrida) refers to ornamental, hybrid varieties of ixia, intended for cultivation in gardens, greenhouses and pots. They are garden hybrids of different species of ixia.
Ixia has a wide range of applicationssuitable both for growing as cut flowers and for planting in containers, decorating balconies and terraces. Due to the quick drying of the leaves, it looks good when planted in groups with other species. It is suitable for borders as well as for colorful bedding plantings accompanied by spring plants such as tulips and hyacinths.Ixia is equally attractive in the company of flowering perennials and ornamental grasses.
Iksje grow especially wellin the company of short dahlias, as they have similar growing requirements.
Good to knowIxia exudes a very sticky juice. The name of the plant comes from this juice, derived from the Greek word ixios, meaning glue used in catching birds. Therefore, it is better to wear gloves when carrying out any maintenance work.
Iksja - variants
Attractive Ixii inflorescences , depending on the variety, are characterized by expressive colors with a dark spot clearly visible inside (e.g. white, yellow, magenta, pink, cream). Below we presentthe most interesting varieties of ikiaworth planting in the garden.
Iksja 'Blue Bird'- characterized by white flowers adorned with purple centers and stripes of the same shade on the outside of each outer petal. The tips of the petals are often purple as well.
Iksja 'Castor'- is a variety of Iksja with pink flowers up to 90 cm high.
Iksja 'Spotlight'- a hybrid variety with pink and white flowers that fits perfectly with ornamental grasses.
Garden Ixia - Ixia
Fig. Majka, forum.PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
Iksja 'Venus'- long, pointed leaves grow from small bulbs. A thin shoot sprouts between them, on the apex of which large, six-petalled, red flowers clustered in loose spikes develop. The flowering date of this variety of ixia falls on July-September. These showy plants are recommended for low flower beds, sheltered flowerbeds and rock gardens.
Iksja 'Rose Emperor'- blooms with many pink flowers with darker spots in the center of each. They work well in flower beds, containers, perennial gardens and are an excellent cut flower.
Iksja 'Mabel'- has wonderful purple flowers. Bulbs of this variety are recommended to be planted in mid-March. The planting depth should be two and a half times the height of the onion. The spacing between individual plants is approx. 8 cm. The flowering period of Ixia 'Mabel' falls in the summer months of June and July.
Iksja 'Giant'- with white flowers, reaches a height of 50 cm. The flowering date is at the turn of May and June. It is perfect for a cut flower. It can be planted in containers and pots as an ornamental plant.
Iksja 'Yellow Emperor'- it has yellow flowers and can reach a height of 50 cm. The flowering period is in the summer months of June and July.
Iksja - cultivation
The ixia cultivation site should be sunny and sheltered from the windGarden ixia prefers fertile, nutrient-rich, light and well-permeable substrates with a pH close to neutral (pH 6.0 -7,).This plant does not tolerate heavy and wet soils.
Iksia tubers are planted in the spring from March to April or autumn from September to NovemberIksje planted in autumn, will bloom in late spring or early summer. Iksje planted in spring will bloom in late summer. Due to poor frost resistance, tubers planted in autumn should be covered with mulch material, e.g. leaves, compost or straw.Planting of Xi in autumnis possible in cold greenhouses and in warm and sheltered places in gardens. If we live in a cool area, it is better to plant Xi in spring.
Garden Ixia - Ixia
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Ixia tubers are planted 6-8 cm deepIf the flowers are to decorate the garden, use a spacing of 5 cm, but if we grow them primarily for cut flowers, we provide a spacing about 10-15 cm. Before planting xia, it is worth enriching the soil with organic fertilizer.
Before flowering, the plants are watered and fed with compound fertilizer once to induce them to bloom more abundantly.Reduce watering when ixia fadesso that the plant goes dormant.
Iksja - wintering
Iksje are sensitive to low temperaturesand if we do not have a sufficiently warm and sheltered place for their cultivation, it is worth digging up the tubers in the fall. We do this when the leaves are not yet completely dry. Then the tubers are dried for about 2 weeks at 15-25 ° C and cleaned, discarding the damaged and diseased ones. Then we move them to a moderately cool, airy room with a temperature of 8-15 ° C.Ixia tubers are placed in openwork boxes or air-permeable containersto prevent moisture from the stored material.
Flower bulbs should not be stored together with fruit and vegetables, as excessive ethylene concentration in the room may damage the buds of shoots and flowers.We should also remember to choose only he althy flower bulbs for storage, with no signs of disease. Otherwise, all the xiaia tubers stored may become infected with disease.
Ixia can also be grown at homeTubers planted in autumn, for example in pots with a mixture of sand and peat, should overwinter in a cool, unheated room (at 4-6 ° C). Watering is kept to a minimum. In such conditions, plants should be kept until the formation of an inflorescence. When the inflorescence appears, we transfer the Ixia to a warm room with a temperature above 10 ° C and increase watering. It should bloom in April.
Iksja - reproduction
Like other tuberous plants,iksia can be vegetatively propagated by dividing the tubersAfter the plants have faded, dig out the tubers, dry them and separate the incoming tubers. For autumn planting, keep tubers at 17-20 ° C, and for spring planting throughout the winter at 10-12 ° C.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
