Kentrantus is a medium-sized bright plant with beautiful inflorescences, which is actively used in landscape design and for decorating flower beds. It belongs to the Valerianov subfamily, which is why it is called red valerian in the common people, but it does not have medicinal properties. The homeland of the centrant is considered to be the Mediterranean, so he prefers light sandy soils, heat and sunlight.
Description
This perennial has a short superficial root system with dense branched stems. Due to its structure, it more often resembles shrubs rather than ordinary grassy crops. The average size of the bush is up to 90 cm in height and up to 60 cm in width. Along the entire height of the stem are leaves of bluish and dark green color. The lower leaves have small petioles, while the upper ones are densely seated on the stem.
The stem is crowned with a branched peduncle, each process of which is dotted with small flowers collected in semi-umbrellas. There are petals of all shades of red, which is why the plant is also called centrantus red. This species is considered the only among cultivated that gardeners use.
Bushes bloom twice in one season, filling the garden with a pleasant strong aroma. The first flowering occurs in June-July, and the second in August-September. Seeds also have time to ripen twice and easily fall out of the box, so regular self-seeding occurs.
Varieties of centrantus
Breeders bred several varieties of centrantus, which allows gardeners to choose the most suitable option or combine several varieties at once. Here are their main differences:
- Ruber (red). Bushes up to 1 m high and 60 cm wide, densely covered with leaves and young shoots. Scarlet large inflorescences have a round or pyramidal shape. Among the subspecies there are flowers of white, pink, purple tones.
- Narrow-leaved. The second most popular and very similar to ruber variety. It differs in the shape of the leaves and the pointed end of each. Non-specialists often do not see the difference and combine these two types of centrantus.
- Long flowered. Tall bushes with lots of bluish leaves are covered with a whitish bloom. The leaves are oval and lanceolate with a blunt edge. It differs in the size of the inflorescence. Peduncle up to 20 cm in length is covered with large flowers compared to other varieties. The size of each bud is about 15 mm. The flowers are dark, purple.
- Valerian. The smallest representative. Its height does not exceed 10-30 cm, and the inflorescences have a pink and ash red hue. It blooms before others and delights gardeners from April to the end of June.
- Among the new achievements of breeders, a centrantus variety can be distinguished Raspberry Jingle. It is characterized by large raspberry inflorescences with flowers up to 1 cm in diameter. The shape of the inflorescences is pyramidal. The bush is branched, covered with gray leaves, the maximum height is 80 cm.
Breeding
The main method of propagation of centrantus is considered to be sowing seeds. You can sow a plant in September or in May. Autumn crops are additionally insulated with a layer of foliage. To grow seedlings in March, the seeds are sown in pots, not sprinkled with earth. To shoots were plentiful, it is necessary to expose the containers at room temperature to the light. When growing to 5 cm in height, the sprouts thin out, leaving the strongest shoot in the pot. In mid-May, seedlings are planted in the garden, at a distance of 40-45 cm from each other.
You can also propagate centrantus by cuttings or by dividing bushes. To do this, transplant in July or August, or cut strong branches and stick into fertile soil in a pot to a depth of about 10 cm. After rooting, you can plant in open ground.
The plant grows old pretty quickly, so every 3-4 years you need rejuvenation of the flower garden with new shoots or seedlings. Otherwise, the number of flowers decreases, and part of the branches at the base becomes stiff and loses foliage. Partly an easy method of propagation compensates for the loss of decorative properties of the plant.
Cultivation and care
As a bright representative of the Mediterranean flora, centrantus loves well-lit, calm areas. It is suitable for adjoining areas, decorating borders, masonry and rock gardens.
For planting, choose fertile soil with the addition of lime. It is necessary to ensure good permeability of air and water, as well as drainage so that the roots are not affected by rot. If the soil composition is far from optimal, plants should be fed monthly with nitrogen (during the growth period) and nitrogen-free (during the flowering) fertilizers. Since mid-summer, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are added.
Excess moisture is undesirable, so watering is necessary only with prolonged drought, in other cases enough natural rainfall. Excessive dampness leads to the formation of spots on the leaves. If this is found, all affected greenery is cut off.
Due to the high probability of self-seeding and overgrowth of bushes, regular pruning and thinning of young shoots is necessary. Without these activities, the centrantus will go beyond its territory in 1-2 years.
When the first flowers wither, you need to cut the flower stalks to the first pairs of leaves, and soon new buds will grow. In mid-autumn, stalks are trimmed completely.
Winter care
If the winters are frosty, you need to cover the roots. With a slight decrease in temperature, it is enough to sprinkle the rhizomes with a layer of peat and fallen leaves. If the frosts are more severe and there is little snow, you should build a frame shelter or use polyethylene, rags or agrofiber (special non-woven material), branches and other ways to protect the plant from excessive moisture and frost.
