Pustynnik(Eremurus), due to its impressive inflorescences and high tolerance to drought and frost, is more and more often planted in our gardens. Attention is drawn to the impressive inflorescence of the desert house in vivid colors, rising among the vegetation. See what it should look likedesert cultivationand when to dodesert house plantingwhich varieties to choose and how to do it yourselfdesert house breeding in your own garden.
Pustynnik - Eremurus
Fig. depositphotos.com
What does a desert farmer look like?
Pustynnik , also known as the steppe lily or Cleopatra's needle, produces a fleshy rhizome from which grows a long shoot sprinkled with small flowers. The inflorescence itself can be as long as 60 cm.Pustynniki bloom from May to AugustNarrow and sword-shaped leaves of the desert wormwood form a blue-green rosette. After flowering, the desert leaves dry up and their aerial parts fade away.Pustynniki belong to the subfamily of golden-headed plants (Asphodeloideae) and are closely related to plants such as: aloe, havorsia and tritome.
Pustynnik - planting
Pustynniki are perfect as bedding plants , as well as cut flowers, because their flowers stay in a vase for a long time. Owners of sunlit gardens, with soil that is not very fertile and easily drying out, will surely be pleased that Pustynniki are excellent plants resistant to drought.
In gardens, Pustynniki look nice when planted Discount point or as a backdrop for lower grades.Pustynniki stand out very effectively against the background of such plants as: peony, poppy seeds and decorative garlic from the Giganteum group. After blooming, Eremurus leaves quickly die, so it is worth planting plants that grow widely. These can be small ground cover roses and ornamental grasses, e.g. turf daredevil, Japanese decay or sugar miscanthus.
Pustynniki is best planted in September , sprinkling a 15 cm layer of coarse sand under them as their roots are sensitive to excess water in the soil. The sand strewn under their roots will drain the excess water quickly.
Narrow-leaved desert mite - Eremurus stenophyllus
Fig. depositphotos.com
Pustynnik rhizomes should be planted at a distance of 30-60 cm , depending on the size of the cultivar planted. Despite the fact that we plant them at a depth of 15 cm, they need to be arranged in such a way that the main bud is not deeper than 3-5 cm below the ground.
Good to know!
An acceptableplanting date for desert rhizomes is also spring , however, this planting date will delay the flowering of the plant. Well, flowering begins in April, when the plant was planted in the fall (September to November), while Eremurus, planted in spring, in April or May, begins flowering only from June.
Pustynnik - cultivation
The natural habitat of desertersare mountain, steppe and desert areas, thanks to which they are frost-resistant and feel great on light, dry, fertile soils with a reaction similar to neutral (pH 6.0-7.0). It is worth providing similar conditions for these plants in the garden.
Thanks to fleshy rhizomes and extensive roots,pustynnik copes well with long-term water shortages , and does not need watering during the rest period. Plants of the genus Eremurus should only be watered during the period of intensive development of leaves and shoots, especially when rain is scarce.
Pustynnik - reproduction
Pustynniki is reproduced mainly by dividing the rhizome.We divide older plants, ie 4-5 years old, which require replanting. We separate the adventitious bulbs so as not to damage the roots. We perform this treatment in September. We do not store the rhizomes, we plant them right away, as they dry up quickly.
Pustynnika can also be propagated from seedsbut seedlings only bloom after 4-5 years. We should also remember that only species can be reproduced in this way, because garden varieties propagated from seeds often do not retain the characteristics of the mother plant.
Pustynnik in the bed with other plants
Fig. Donkum, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
Desert desert seeds require stratification (cold treatment of seeds). It is best to sow them in the fall and then they will cool down naturally. They can also be stored for a month in a negative temperature in a freezer and sown in spring, when the temperature reaches 13-15 ° C.
Desert desert seeds require light for germination , therefore, when sowing, do not cover them too much. Annual seedlings are planted permanently (preferably in July) at a distance of 60 x 70 cm. For winter, we cover the soil with a layer of leaves, spruce twigs or peat, as plants tend to grow very early in spring, which leads to freezing.
Pustynnik - species and varieties
Among the desert species grown in gardens, the most popular are:
Giant Pustynnik(E. Rubustus) - one of the largest deserters reaches a height of 3 m, and its inflorescences, appearing in May, are composed of pink flowers on long stalks.
Giant Desert - Eremurus robustus
Fig. Agnieszka Kwiecień, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Elwesa Pustynnik(E. Elwesii) - is another large desert desert, producing inflorescence shoots up to 2 m in height. The flowers that develop in May and June turn pink.
Narrow-leaved desert(E. Stenophyllus) - grows up to 1 m in height and produces dense yellow, white or pink inflorescences.
Olga's Pustynnik (E. Olgae) - this latest flowering (July-August) desert rose produces inflorescence shoots up to 2 meters, and its flowers are pink with a maroon stripe.
Himalayan desert(Eremurus himalaicus) - this is the most popular of all deserters mentioned here, which is characterized by strong growth, lush inflorescence, and also shows high resistance to low temperatures, down to -30 ° C.
Himalayan Desert - Eremurus himalaicus
Fig. depositphotos.com
Interesting varieties have been bred within this species, the most famous of which are:
Pustynnik Himalayan 'White'- an indispensable variety for lovers of bulbous plants. Beautifully presented white inflorescences will be an unusual decoration of flower beds, rock gardens or floristic compositions.Reaches 100-150 cm in height, blooms from May to June. It produces clumps of narrow blue-green leaves.
Himalayan Desert Desert 'Pinokkio'- this exotic looking desert desert variety has beautiful orange flowers. It grows up to 60 - 120 cm tall, blooms from May to June.
Himalayan desert 'Cleopatra'- it is an extremely decorative plant that boasts a magnificent orange-red inflorescence. Reaches up to 150 centimeters in height. When the plant begins to bloom in late May and early June, its leaves wither. That is why this impressive inflorescence is the greatest decoration of this plant.
Himalayan Desert 'Romance'- has characteristic long and slender pink-salmon inflorescences that open slowly, starting from the lower flowers, thanks to which they bloom all summer. It reaches 120 cm in height and blooms in July-August.
Himalayan Desert 'Bungei'- this is an impressive variety with intense yellow inflorescences growing up to 140 cm.The flowering period is June-July. The 'Bungei' desert house is adapted to harsh winters and hot summers. Recommended for rockeries, flower beds, it also looks nice as a cut flower.
Pustynnik Himalayan 'White Beauty Favorite'- in summer this variety produces delightfully beautiful white inflorescences with long orange stamens. Plants can be up to 120-150 cm tall during the flowering period.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
