Rudbeckia, Tradescantia, Function, Phloxes. Rhizomatous Perennials Wintering in the Soil of Kyrgyzstan

Rudbeckia (Rudbeckia L.).

It grows wild in North America and Mexico, where up to 30 species can be found. It is a hardy and unpretentious plant.

The stem is simple or branched. The inflorescence consists of baskets. The flowers are simple or double, with a diameter of up to 15 cm. The marginal flowers are yellow, brown, or purple. It reproduces by seeds and division of clumps.

More commonly found in gardens are: R. hirta, up to 60 cm tall, with orange-yellow ray flowers and black tubular flowers; R. laciniata, up to 2 m tall, with simple or double inflorescences, bright yellow and quite large, blooming from July until frost; R. fulgida, up to 1.5 m tall, with a stem densely covered in hairs, large orange-yellow flowers, blooming from June 20 to September; R. hybrida, up to 1 m tall, with a stem and leaves densely covered in hairs, dark orange to golden-yellow ray flowers, and black tubular flowers, blooming from late June until frost.

Tradescantia (Tradescantia L.). There are about 90 species, widely distributed in America. The plant has a simple or branched stem, reaching heights of 40—100 cm. The leaves are sessile, linear-lanceolate, densely arranged on the stems! The flowers are gathered in umbrella-like or paniculate inflorescences.

For planting near water bodies and in damp shady places, T. virginiana and four garden varieties with flowers of blue, purple, pink, and red colors are of the greatest interest. Tradescantia blooms from mid-May to mid-August. The stems and leaves remain until late autumn. The plant is shade-loving and moisture-loving, wintering without cover.

Funkia (Funkia Spreng.). Its homeland is Japan and China, and in the USSR, it is found in the Far East. It is a beautiful flowering and ornamental-leaved plant. The leaves are large, basal, on long petioles, oval or lanceolate; the flower stalk ends in a racemose inflorescence, which is sturdy. The flowers are funnel-shaped, white, lilac, or blue. The plant is moisture- and shade-loving.

In cultivation: F. ovata with broad heart-shaped leaves and lilac-blue flowers; F. lanceolata with dark green leaves and pale lilac flowers; F. semi-heart-shaped with large, pale green heart-shaped-oval leaves, with white fragrant flowers.

Phlox (Phlox L.).

Its homeland is North America. About 50 species are known in nature. The name "phlox" translates from Greek as "flame." This name was given to the plant due to its bright color and very abundant flowering.

Morphologically, all species of phlox are divided into creeping and bushy types. The former have a height of 10—25 cm, while the latter range from 40—150 cm.

In decorative gardening, the most common is P. paniculata and its numerous varieties obtained through complex hybridization with other species. Unlike creeping forms, the flowering of phlox of this species occurs in the summer-autumn period. The stems of the plants are upright and become woody by autumn. The leaves are lanceolate and opposite. The flowers are 2.5—4 cm in diameter, gathered in large inflorescences of spherical or conical shape. The flower colors are diverse, except for blue and yellow. With timely removal of faded inflorescences from the axils of the upper leaves, lateral branches grow, and flowering continues.

The root system is fibrous, originating from a shortened rhizome, on which renewal buds are laid.

Phlox propagates well both vegetatively and by seeds; however, when sowing seeds, varietal traits are not preserved. The simplest method of propagation is by division of clumps. For this, the clump is dug up and carefully cut into separate parts with a knife, ensuring that each division has one stem of the current year with 3—5 buds at the base.

Another equally common method of propagation is green cuttings. For this, spring shoots with 5—7 leaves are used, which are broken off with a "heel." Rooting is done in shaded beds or in transplanting boxes, for which a layer of sand 2—3 cm thick is placed on nutrient soil, into which the cuttings are planted. For cuttings, longer shoots can also be used before flowering, which are then cut into pieces with two or three internodes.

Phloxes are quite unpretentious plants; however, they bloom more profusely in light, well-fertilized soils, and with frequent watering and feeding, they develop a fairly powerful above-ground part. They can be used in solitary plantings, but they are especially beautiful in mass plantings, either monochromatic or selected by height and color. Many varieties have a delicate pleasant aroma, making them suitable for cutting.

Peonies, Primroses. Rhizomatous perennials wintering in the soil of Kyrgyzstan