Owners of garden and summer cottages have to constantly think about what flower crops will be in harmony with the already established flower garden and how to organize the flowering periodization so that plants can please the eye throughout the season. In this situation, perennial flowers - grouse help out. These modest but surprisingly pretty plants, due to their variety, will transform the site, adding their unique features to the overall picture.
Botanical Description
Chesset fritillary (or mixed fritillaria meleagris) is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Liliaceae family. Another name is "tree of paradise" and "glass". The plant received these very unusual names among the people due to its appearance. In Eastern European countries, the hazel grouse, so named because of the checkered color, is considered the most popular name.
Grouse chess
Botanical Description:
- Perennial unpretentious herbaceous plant up to 35 cm high. Suitable for planting on flower beds and on the side of the paths.
- Habitat - Central and Eastern Europe, Russia. Habitat - mountain slopes, forests, ravines and steppe zones.
- It has a small flattened bulb and a low thin stalk, which is covered with tubercles below.
- The property is small. Bright green-gray thin leaves have an elongated shape.
- One flower has the shape of a glass.
- Lilac flowers are strewn with light patches that are staggered.
- The flowering period is the end of April - mid-May.
Attention! With rare exceptions, there can be more than one flower per plant.
The main varieties of hazel grouse
In total, there are from 80 to 180 species of hazel grouse, while only 30 of them are suitable for cultivation. The most popular are:
- Grouse Alba (Meleagris Alba). The variety is bright and unusual. The grouse height is up to 20 cm. Flowers have a white color with a green spot. Prefers to grow in partial shade under trees and shrubs. The beginning of flowering of grouse meleagris falls at the end of spring - the beginning of summer.
- Grouse Radde (Fritillaria raddeana). Plant height up to 80 cm. Leaves are dark lanceolate, large, widely bell-shaped flowers have a pale yellow or cream color. Inflorescence brushes are friable, the orientation of the flowers is versatile. An early variety of hazel grouse radde is able to tolerate late frosts. The beginning of flowering is the first half of May.
- Grouse Lutea (Fritillaria imp lutea). Plant height - up to 90 cm. Large flowers have a bright light yellow color. In inflorescence up to 8 petals. Petals can reach 7 cm in length. The green leaves are pretty narrow. The beginning of flowering is mid-May.
- Grouse imperial (Fritillaria imperialis). Plant height - up to 1.5 m. A spherical bulb in diameter reaches 10 cm. Lanceolate foliage is located on the stem in 3-4 whorls. 3-5 flowers - in a single umbrella inflorescence in the upper part of the shoot.
Distribution and ecology
Under natural conditions, the hazel grouse grows most actively in the temperate latitudes of the Eurasian and North American continents. However, the place where this culture is most widespread is Asia Minor, where many of the fritillary species originated.
In Russia, it can be found in the central regions of the European part. It grows in forests, meadows and slopes. In mountainous areas, it occurs mainly at the base or in the middle belt region.
Distribution and ecology
Necessary security measures
Since the natural thickets of the hazel grouse are significantly reduced every year, it is listed in the Red Book and needs protection. Restrictive measures include a ban on gathering, specific dates for haymaking, and prohibitive measures on grazing. Effective control systems are in place to stop the illegal collection of protected plants. Regular searches for new locations of flower growth and the protection of found populations are carried out.
Grouse chess as an ornamental plant
Fritillaria fritillaria has been known since the 16th century. Cultural specimens have 2-3 flowers. Some of the flower species are grown in gardens since the Middle Ages. And although at the moment only about 30 species are introduced into the culture, not all of them are able to attract attention. The most widely used are hazel grouse and imperial grouse.
Many gardeners have heard about the hazel grouse pale. The most rarely grown species are hazel grouse Russian and Kamchatka.
Use in landscape design
Chess grouse is widely used to decorate the landscape. Due to its unusual tender appearance, the flower looks great in rock gardens. In combination with other plants, it helps to build vibrant floral arrangements. In addition, it is perfect for planting on the lawn or in the beds.
Use in landscape design
Important! In addition to the decorative function, the flower will help protect garden crops from all kinds of pests.
Chess hazel grouse propagation
A grouse chess-like propagates in only two ways - bulbs and seeds.
Bulb propagation
This method of reproduction can be used in cases where the bulbs become crowded on the site, and they begin to experience a lack of space. The best period for breeding is the end of summer.
In order to propagate hazel grouse with bulbs, you need:
- Carefully dig out the flower, do not remove the earthen lump.
- Separate the little bulbs from the plant-children.
- Drop them on a pre-prepared site.
With the onset of autumn, cover the planting with mulch. This will warm the habitat of the future flower.
Attention! Bulbs can be stored for only a few days before planting in new soil. To do this, they are placed in a container with peat and left in a cool place.
Seed propagation
Since the hazel grouse has a seed box, it is able to independently disperse the seed. He does this randomly, and the flowers are planted very systematically. This situation, few of the beetle eaters are satisfied, so many resort to transplanting a hazel grouse to a place designated specifically for it. But it is best to immediately and manually plant the plants in the desired area.
Landing procedure:
- Collect seeds - the collection is made in mid-July.
- Prepare the soil and the area on which the seed will be sown.
- Deepen the seeds into the ground by 1 cm, but no more.
- The first gatherings can be expected only by next spring.
They will begin to bloom only after 3 years.
Planting a plant
Landing in the open ground and caring for a hazel grouse is a relatively simple matter. But to do this correctly, you should know some rules.
The most optimal time for planting grouse is the end of summer. Many of the flower growers do not recommend transplants from the site up to 3 years in a row.
Seat selection
A sunny place in the garden is suitable for planting, while the hazel grouse will feel fine in a small partial shade. The site is recommended to be protected from gusts of wind and water stagnation.
Watering
It is necessary to ensure that the soil on the site does not dry out. The bulb should be constantly in moist soil. Humidify the earth should be about 2 times a month.
Fertilizer application
The first top dressing should be carried out in mid-spring with dry fertilizers with nitrogen micronutrients. Experienced gardeners also use humus, chicken droppings, wood ash. After flowering during watering, hazel grouse should be fertilized. In this case, superphosphate and potassium sulfate are suitable.
Important! The proportion of fertilizing should be calculated based on the instructions on the package.
Loosening and mulching
At first, the soil around the plant should be regularly loosened. This should be done with caution so as not to touch the roots located in the upper layer of the earth. For mulching usually use sawdust or peat.
Planting and caring for a hazel grouse is a snap
Plant care
Hazel grouse is a very unpretentious plant, so caring for it is quite simple. However, especially demanding flower growers who want to achieve truly high-quality flowering will still have to devote some of their leisure time to the flower.
Shelter for the winter
The plant tolerates small temperature fluctuations quite easily, so no special measures need to be taken. However, in the case of severe frosts with minimal rainfall, the plant must be covered with spruce branches.
Fertilizer and fertilizing
When the last frost ends, you need to start feeding the flower with complex mineral fertilizers and humus. Fertilizers are applied on top of the soil right next to the flower. During flowering, wood ash should be used, and after the flower begins to fade, superphosphates.
Diseases and Pests
Grouse have an amazing feature - the smell of their bulbs scares away many pests, but unfortunately, not all. The most commonly found leaf beetle on this plant is that it harms leaves and buds. The effects of this insect are eliminated by treating the plant with insecticides. In addition, the flower can suffer from slugs and wireworms.
Grouse stability
The flower is quite resistant to various kinds of diseases, and sometimes it can rot. In this case, the most effective solution is to remove the affected parts by cutting them out.
Growing chess grouse is an excellent training experience for beginner gardeners. The planting and care process itself is quite interesting and gives a lot of opportunities for implementing plans for cultivating the site. At the same time, the result of cultivation will allow you to enjoy the whole palette of colors that this wonderful flower presents.
