Mattiola, levkoy or nocturnal violet is a herbaceous plant native to the Mediterranean. Matiola is nicknamed night violet due to the fact that closer to night its aroma is significantly enhanced.
Mattiola - features and description
In the last century, Matthiola (Night Violet / Levkoy) grew in many gardens and parks. Today - a flower is not in fashion at all. But some flower lovers find old enthusiastic notes about the plant and become interested in an unusual flower.
Mattiola ancient Greek flower
Mattiola refers to plants that most closely match the classic park style, it can be either an annual plant or a perennial. It grows, as a rule, with straight-line shrubs that have bare fleece branched stems.
The height of the stems sometimes reaches 80 cm, but more often they are slightly lower. Leaves on a stalk with whole or serrated edges, lanceolate and oblong.
Flowers can have the most diverse color:
- white,
- pink,
- purple,
- yellow.
Inflorescences are simple, there are double ones that gather in ears of corn.
The flowering period falls in June-November - it depends on the growing conditions and the specific species.
After flowering in the inflorescence, fruit pods are formed, in them narrow-winged and flat seeds.
Important! A special feature of the plant is the smell, which cannot be confused with anything.
Not terry varieties of matthiola are excellent melliferous plants, but terry varieties are exquisite and modest decorations of the flower garden.
You can plant a beautiful plant in your garden, as the flower is unpretentious and it is not difficult to care for it.
The story of the flower Levka
Incredibly modest, beautiful and fragrant flower comes from ancient Greece.
The name Levkoy means "white, bright." The plant began to be called Mattiola later - in the first half of the 18th century.
The name "Mattiola" is borrowed from the name of the famous botanist Pietro Andrea Gregorio Mattioli. He deserved such an honor by the fact that during his life he was engaged in a detailed description of plants, published several books.
Mattiola was named after the famous botanist
Common varieties
Today, Mattiola has more than 50 species, of which 600 varieties are bred, which are conditionally divided into:
- dwarf
- medium
- high.
You can also divide plants into terry and simple.
Among the most popular varieties of Mattiola:
- Bicorn Mattiola. Perennial.
- Gray night violet. Perennial.
- Fragrant Levkoy. Annual plant.
Interesting! It is worth noting that it was the two-horned night violet that fell in love in ancient Greece. She decorated the room, wine goblets and other items.
Mattiola or Levkoy incredibly fragrant plant
Mattiola in the open ground - features
Levko’s care is unpretentious, but you should still pay attention to the recommendations of flower lovers before you go to the store for seeds of such an incredible plant.
- Lighting
That is why the night violet is called undemanding to light.
But if you want to enjoy its dense flowering, in the garden, it should take a place under the sun.
- Watering
It tolerates drought poorly. It is important not to miss the watering time. Watering should be systematic, preferably in the morning.
An important feature - it is advisable to carry out watering in two passes, with a break of 10 minutes.
- Spraying
As a spray, a solution based on wood ash is suitable, which will protect Matiola from the attack of insects. No other spraying is required.
- Humidity
It does not tolerate too wet soil - root decay immediately begins. For this reason, it is advised never to water Levka in the evening.
- Top dressing
As a rule, with growth they do not require special top dressing. But gardeners advise adding wood ash before planting in the ground. To apply mineral fertilizers into the soil no more than 8 times per season, depending on the soil. Feeding from phosphorus-potassium is very useful, especially before flowering.
White night violet
Flowering period
Each variety of Matthiola blooms differently, for example:
- The bicorn Mattiola blooms from June to August. In this period, inflorescences resemble four-leafed. Petals are lilac or light pink in color, have an intense aroma.
- The gray-haired levka has a lignified stem, on which terry inflorescences of pink, blue, white and yellow colors flutter with corollas. You can also meet annuals with dark purple and purple flowers.
- The allspice leaves blooms in early summer, has simple yellow-brown buds that open after sunset.
Growing Mattiola Seeds
Having bought night violets, how to plant them in the garden or garden? This plant is so understandable and uncomplicated that it is perfect for an inexperienced gardener.
But it is worth noting that, of all the difficulties, the selection of seedlings with double flowers is difficult. Experienced gardeners can distinguish them already at the cotyledon stage. Leaves of ordinary varieties are larger, saturated green. While seedlings with double flowers, they are smaller and dark green.
Growing Levka in open ground
Wonderful levok is not whimsical and is able to adapt to any soil. It is especially successful to grow it in fertile, well-lit areas of the site with organized drainage. From the soil, he prefers loam or sandy soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction.
Also, this culture is quite demanding on the level of humidity. To achieve full flowering from matthiola with insufficient watering will not work.
Important! Mattiola is a frost-resistant culture; its shoots easily tolerate small frosts. Therefore, it can be sown at the end of April directly into the ground at a permanent place.
In addition, this culture does not tolerate transplantation very well.
It is best to plant matthiola along the edge of higher annual plants, and it is also very advantageous to place it along arbors or paths. This will allow you to enjoy the aroma in the evening.
Incredibly beautiful plant with a pleasant aroma
Growing matthiols in pots and transplanting in open ground
Matthiola seedlings should be grown through sowing seeds in containers or boxes with a moist substrate in which future seedlings will sprout. The substrate should consist of sand and soddy soil in a ratio of 1/3.
Further care of seedlings is timely watering and loosening of the soil. When growing gray-haired matthiola, it is very important to maintain the soil in a moderately moist state, since it is quite easily affected by such a dangerous fungal disease as the black leg.
One month before planting, seedlings should begin to harden. To do this, put flowers on a terrace, balcony or veranda in the daytime. Subsequently, well-cured Levka seedlings easily tolerate return frosts to -5 ° C.
Hardened plants are planted in a permanent place at the beginning or in the middle of May. More precise dates depend on the weather conditions of each particular region.
Landing Features
Flowers of night violets with a wonderful smell emanating after sunset, it is better to sow thick bushes, then you get beautiful groups of silver-green shoots.
To enjoy the aroma more, they plant it in flower beds near the house. Then, upon arrival home, you can feel all the charm of this plant.
For reference! For longer preservation of flowers after cutting, they can be pulled out directly with the roots, and then thoroughly washed from the remnants of the earth.
Common Leukemia Problems
Despite the simplicity and unpretentiousness, the plant suffers from pests and various diseases.
- Common diseases
Most often, levoky can be affected by fungi if sown in dry and not loose soil. Otherwise, it is resistant to many diseases.
- Pests
In a dry season, a plant can die from cruciferous fleas and other insects. To avoid this, you need to apply wood ash powder on the flowers. If it does not help, you need to use insecticides.
Beautiful garden left
- Possible problems
Growing Levka is not a problem. But you need to know some features.
It is categorically not recommended to plant with a levok near a cabbage, since it is from it that matthiol can become infected with various diseases.
It is rightly said that everything new is well forgotten old. Mattiola perfectly confirms this famous expression. A beautiful plant with a simple appearance, unassumingly and unique with its gift - to exude a wonderful aroma. The plant looks beautiful on a flower bed, garden bed or in group plantings. A variety of varieties are available for the lover of flowers. The buds are not only fragrant, but also delight the eye with their lush flowering, as soon as the sunset falls to the ground.
