Platicodon is a herbaceous perennial with large, wide-open bells. The genus of plants belongs to the Bellflower family. The natural habitat is Eastern Siberia, Japan, Korea, China. Platicodon settles along glades, edges and rocky slopes. For the shape of the flowers it is often called the "wide bell". Even before flowering, it captivates with buds in the shape of Chinese lanterns. In the garden, this charming flower requires virtually no maintenance and can grow in one place for several years. Its tall inflorescences will decorate any front garden or bouquet.
Botanical Description
Platicodon is a perennial plant with a fleshy, rod rhizome and thin upright shoots that branch from the base. On average, the height of the curtain is 15-60 cm. Smooth stems are densely covered with triangular or diamond-shaped dark green foliage, which is located opposite in pairs or small whorls. Rigid leaves have virtually no petioles and are attached to the shoots with a base. The edges of the leaf plate are smooth or slightly jagged. In the center of the smooth leaf there is a relief and lighter central vein.
In mid-June, axillary flowers bloom at the tops of the shoots. They are collected in loose panicle inflorescence of 2-5 pieces. The buds are mounted on short, flexible peduncles, so they deviate slightly downward. Flowering lasts up to two months. The corolla of five fused at the base and wide open petals reaches a diameter of 8 cm. At the buds, the edges of the petals are connected and form a pentahedral air box. With the beginning of flowering, buds resemble a regular star. Short stamens and pestle are collected on an elongated white or cream column that protrudes from the center of the flower. There are semi-double varieties with several tiers of petals. Flowers have a rather diverse color, they are white, purple, blue, lilac, pink.
After pollination, the fruits ripen - egg-shaped seed capsules in which oblong, smooth seeds are hidden.
Types and varieties of plants
The genus of platicodon is monotypic, it is represented by a single plant. In order for flower growers to be able to create various compositions, breeders bred several decorative varieties. They differ in the shape and color of the flowers, as well as in the height of the curtain. The most popular are the following varieties:
- Album The bush up to 80 cm tall is covered with large snow-white flowers in the shape of a five-pointed star with the thinnest blue stripes from the center to the corners. The diameter of the flower is 8 cm.
- Mariesii blue. The variety has blue flowers with a darker vein pattern on the surface of the petals. The central column is painted in blue. The height of the bush is 35 cm.
- Apoyama. Dwarf variety up to 20 cm high. For large flowers of blue or light purple color, the edges of the petals are strongly bent back.
- Snow flakes. This semi-double variety has plain white snow petals arranged in 2 rows.
- Shell Pink. A plant 80 cm high forms a dense dark green curtain. Large light pink bells open above the crown.
Breeding methods
The main methods of propagation of platicodone are cuttings and sowing seeds. Seeds must be bought at the store or collected independently. It should be remembered that platicodon is easily pollinated, so varietal characters are rarely transmitted during seed propagation.
Seeds are pre-sown on seedlings. They are sown at the beginning of March in shallow boxes with loose, fertile soil. Seeds do not need preliminary stratification, but are sensitive to light. They must be distributed on the surface, without being embedded in the ground. The pot is placed in a bright, warm place and the soil is sprayed regularly from the spray bottle. Shoots appear 12-14 after sowing. When 2 true leaves are formed on the seedlings, they are dived in separate small pots. Plants develop quickly, but bloom only after 2 years.
You can sow platikodon in the fall in the open ground. In a snowy and not too harsh winter, the seeds will be perfectly preserved. Shoots will appear by the end of April.
At the end of spring, stem cuttings are cut. They should have a heel and 2-3 internodes. Rooting is carried out in moist sandy peat soil. Within a month, the plant forms a rhizome and begins to develop. Flowering is expected next year.
Outdoor landing
Platicodon seedlings are transplanted into the garden in late May or early June, when a stable high air temperature is established. You must immediately choose the right place for the plant, as it does not respond well to subsequent transplants. So that the rhizome is not damaged, the transplant is performed with a solid earthen lump.
The soil for platicodone should be quite loose and fertile. It can be composed of the following components:
- peat;
- sand;
- gravel;
- leaf humus;
- sheet earth.
For planting seedlings make small pits, the root neck does not need to be buried in the ground. A distance of about 20-25 cm is left between the plants. The plants should be well watered and mulched with earth compost or humus. This will protect them from drying out and the appearance of weeds.
Care Features
Platikodon should be grown in open ground in a well-lit, elevated place. If groundwater is too close to the surface, the roots will suffer from rot. Flowers can grow in partial shade, but in bright sunshine the colors become more saturated.
Attention should be paid to the presence of drafts and strong gusts of wind. High varieties grow long, heavy branches that can lie down and slope to the ground. A garter or a tight fit will help to maintain the stability of landings. Then the neighboring bushes will support each other.
Basic care comes down to regular watering. It should be carried out daily or every other day. However, water should be well absorbed into the soil and not stagnant for long at the roots, otherwise fungal diseases cannot be avoided. A sign of the disease is brown or ash spots on the leaves and bases of the shoots. In this case, severely damaged areas of the crown should be removed and fungicides treated. In order for air to penetrate the roots, the soil must be loosened periodically and weeds removed.
On fertile soils, feeding is optional. If platicodones are depleted, they are fertilized monthly with mineral complexes for flowering plants.
To bloom lasted longer, and the bushes remained neat, wilted flower stalks should be cut. Then there is a chance that in their place in the same season there will be new inflorescences.
In autumn, it is recommended to mulch the soil again with foliage or humus to a height of 2-3 cm. This will protect the root neck from freezing. Additional shelter for platicodon is not required. For winter, you should not cut the shoots, but in the spring they remove the mulch and clean the crown. Remove dry leaves and shoots. The plant wakes up quite late. The first shoots are formed only in mid-April.
In hot summer, spider mites may appear on flowers and apical leaves. This parasite is very small and not immediately noticeable. As soon as the leaves begin to be covered with the smallest punctures, you should treat all the bushes with an insecticide. The treatment is repeated twice more, with a frequency of 5-7 days.
Platicodon in landscape design
Platicodon forms beautiful sprawling bushes. They are good in flower beds, in the middle of the lawn, as well as near paths, fences or buildings. The breadth of the plant grows slowly and behaves non-aggressively towards neighbors. Large flowering bushes go well with peonies, phlox, irises. Depending on the height of the variety, platicodon is placed in the foreground or in the center of the composition.
Platicodon will be an excellent decoration for a rockery or an alpine hill. They can shade coniferous shrubs. Flowers can be planted in flowerpots and arranged on a balcony or porch. For normal development, platicodone needs an influx of fresh air, so it will be difficult to grow it indoors.
Inflorescences of platicodone can be used to make bouquet compositions. Flowers will stand in a vase for 7-10 days.
