Unusual columnar ratibide at their summer cottage

The plant, called ratibida columnar ("Mexican hat"), growing from the seeds of which is not particularly difficult, is one of the most popular among hobbyists. This is a very beautiful and easy-care culture that can beautify any area.

Features of ratibide columnar

This type of flower belongs to the group of large plants with expressive buds. The homeland of the columnar ratibide, or, as it is also called "Mexican hat", is the lands of Mexico and Canada. But despite its origin, it develops well in our latitudes.

In its homeland, the plant is also referred to as:

• thimble;
• echinacea narrow-headed;
• the ratibide is long or columnar.

The flower belongs to the group of herbaceous plants. In nature, it prefers drier areas. Ratibida columnar is a flower that grows on the prairies and along highways. Often the plant "settles" near abandoned houses and covers areas that have not been cultivated for a long time.

Cultivation of columnar ratibide began in 1811.

A distinctive feature of this culture is its elongated deciduous plates. They can be either feathery or divided. The lower leaves are grayish. They grow up to 16 cm in length, and their width does not exceed 7 cm.

The plant grows in the form of a bush with many spreading branches. On average, it reaches one meter in height. The stems of this variety are rough, slightly covered with fine hairs.

On adult plants, an arrow forms on which a bud is formed. The diameter of the columnar ratibide flower can reach 7 cm. Often, loose buds have a burgundy hue, but there are also those that are colored in a brownish-yellow tone. At the end of flowering, fruits are formed in the form of seeds. Mature grains are light brown.

Caring for this species is very simple. To grow a flower in your flower bed, you do not need to have special skills. Compliance with the minimum number of rules will make the plant the most colorful crop of your site.

Correct care of ratibid columnar

If you want a lot of butterflies to settle in your flower bed, then the Mexican hat plant is what you need. The flowers of this culture emit a special aroma and components that are very fond of some of the most beautiful inhabitants of our planet.

Choosing a landing site. This is an important condition for growing columnar ratibide. In order for the bush to develop well and please for a long time with its unusual flowers, it should be planted in areas with a lot of sun. You can take any soil for a flower. An excellent option would be a loamy substrate with neutral indicators. acidity.

It is not recommended to plant the plant near water bodies. Ratibida columnar poorly tolerates excess moisture.

Irrigation. The bush does not need frequent watering. This procedure should be carried out only if the soil is very dry and after weeding. For this you need to use settled or rainwater.

Fertilizer. As for feeding, there is no special schedule for this crop. Thanks to its well-developed root system, the flower is perfectly capable of extracting useful components for itself. Several applications are enough per season fertilizers... Complex preparations are best suited. You should not get carried away with such mixtures, since their excess can cause the rapid development of green mass and reduce the flowering period.

Seed collection should be carried out after the plants have faded and dried well. To do this, you need to cut off the boxes with a sharp knife and grind them into dust, thus freeing the grains from other parts.

In the fall, when the fruit is harvested, the stems will need to be cut. You do not need to cover the bushes for the winter, they perfectly tolerate low air temperatures.

Propagation of ratibide by seeds

To grow a new plant can be used as a method cuttingsand grains. The second method is one of the simplest and most effective. With proper care, the flower is able to reproduce itself, thanks to abundant self-seeding.

It is easy to grow columnar ratibide from seeds. Sowing seeds for seedlings should be carried out in early February. This rule must be observed, this will allow the bush to please you with its flowering in the same year.

Before placing the grains in the soil, you need to:

1. Stratify the planting material (all grains should be kept for about 30 days at a temperature no higher than 7⁰ FROM).
2. The earth should only be used with neutral acidity.
3. To make the grains germinate faster, you need to cover the container on top with polyethylene.
4. Carry out a pick when two full leaves appear on young plants.
5. Plant on the site in mid-May, and until that time keep in a cool room.

Before planting seedlings in a flower bed, you need to harden them a little. To do this, within two weeks, the container with young plants should be taken out into fresh air, constantly increasing the time. Before moving them to the flower bed, the soil in the flowerpot must be watered and wait about two hours. At the end of this time, the pots from each plant should be removed, preserving the integrity of the earthen coma and placed in a pre-made depression.

Sowing seeds can also be carried out directly into the open ground. The procedure should be carried out in March or April. The seeding period depends on the region and weather conditions. Before placing the planting material in the soil, the site must be carefully dug up and well leveled. Then make paths with a depth of about 2 cm.The distance between the rows should not exceed 30 cm.If the seedlings are dense, they will need to be thinned out, keeping the distance between the plants at 35 cm.

Seed propagation of the columnar or "Mexican hat" ratibide, described above, once again confirms the simplicity of its cultivation. Observing simple rules, you can radically transform your site in a short time and fill it with incredible aromas.