Emilia - perfection of fiery inflorescences

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Emilia is often called one of the most capricious flyers. In the wrong surroundings, with a careless landing, Emilia can look not only plainly, but also seem like a weed. But, on the other hand, in compositions where this special yearbook fits into the color concept and is combined with the right partners, emilia will become one of the most spectacular accents. Dense-terry inflorescences of Emilia seem to soar in the air, offering to add boring ensembles to add originality and bold restraint.

Soaring terry inflorescences and airy bushes

Emilia is not easy to understand. Perhaps the whole reason was one of the wild plant species, even in our country often found in the form of weed. Plants with thin shoots, small lilac flowers and leaves very similar to sow thistle give gardeners a lot of trouble. But cultural emilia - plants are much more grateful. And not at all aggressive. Moreover: even today, when it is difficult to surprise the choice of unusual plants, they remain an exotic curiosity native to India, which is difficult to get used to.

Emilia (Emilia) - one of the most representative pilots of the Astrov family (Asteraceae) In the genus of these beauties there are about 110 species of plants, and not all of them are annuals. But it was just one single seasonal, non-frost-resistant and long-flowering species that glorified this plant as an ornamental one. In gardening and floriculture use only Emilia is bright red (Emilia coccinea).

Emilia bright red can be ranked as a medium-sized flyers. Reaching a height of only 40-60 cm, it grows in the form of an elegant, almost fragile bush, which does not look at all massive and favorably sets off more magnificent partners. The leaves are dark, shiny, not growing by shoots, but collected in a basal rosette. You notice the foliage of the plant only at close range, while in the distance you can see only airy, weightless, finest and bare shoots that branch only in the upper part. Each branch of the emilia peduncle is crowned with a fluffy inflorescence, which seems to soar in the air. Thickly terry, looking like small pompons of an inflorescence slightly wilted, seem furry. In diameter, inflorescences are limited to a modest 1.5 cm, but this does not prevent them from being very catchy.

Emilia blooms very long. Since the end of June, all summer on the bushes you can observe the same number of inflorescences, which seem to not be replaced by new ones. The flowering of emilia continues until frost.

Emilia's color palette includes only fiery shades: yellow, red and orange colors are represented in the plant by rich, vibrant variations. Emilia with a brick tone of inflorescences is most often found, but brighter tones also look exotic.

Emilia greens are not only very beautiful, but also edible. Its leaves can be used like any garden greens or herbs.

The use of emilia in decorative gardening

Emilia is one of the most underrated flyers with an extremely narrow palette of design uses. Indeed, for Emilia to reveal her beauty, she will need a suitable environment, the right place in the compositions.

This flyer can be used in the design:

mixed compositions with variegated colors;
in ensembles with a focus on the fiery palette, but in the company of decorative deciduous plants;
on flower beds with massive, large curtains of perennials, which need to bring air lightness;
as an original, exotic element of a Moorish lawn;
as a cutting crop (requires burning or lowering the ends of the shoots in boiling water to prevent thickening of the milky juice, which the plant releases very actively).

The best partners for Emilia: hawk, terry marigolds, lichen, gravilate, yarrow, pearl mussel, verbena

Emilia cultivation

Emilia is a sun-loving flyer. On shaded areas, she will survive, but if it blooms, it will more likely be similar to her weed relative than to a luxurious garden exotic. To enjoy the unusual look of this summer, to understand why it is ranked among the most original garden crops, you need to choose only bright, and better brightly lit areas for planting. One of the disadvantages of emilia is low wind resistance. The bushes of the plant decay, fall apart, the shoots lie down if the site is not sufficiently protected from active air currents. Therefore, choosing a location for emilia, it is better to stop at such places in the garden in which there are no drafts. But then this culture is not afraid even of extreme heat.

Soil selection directly affects the form of growth of emilia. On high-quality and fertile, loose garden soil, it grows in large, spectacular, neat and tall bushes. The poorer the soil, the more elegant and lower the emilia. But even in poor conditions, she will still be beautiful. The only thing that emilia can not stand is wet, swampy soil.

This is hardly the only flyer who is not afraid of transplants at any age. Even in the middle of flowering, the luxurious emilia, along with the flowers, can be calmly dug up and transferred to a new site. Or, for example, change the open soil to a container culture.

Garden Emilia Care

The main advantage of emilia is ease of care. It is not just minimal, but boils down to just a few procedures per year. Emilia watering is not needed. It belongs to drought tolerant species. Only if summer is extreme both in terms of rainfall and temperature can this crumb be watered to maintain flowering rates.

Nutrient dressing for full-color emilia is also minimal. The first dressing for the plant is applied exactly one week after thinning the seedlings, watering the plants with water with a standard dose of full mineral fertilizers. In the future, this summer is content with one single top dressing per season, even on the poorest soils. Complex mineral fertilizers in a standard dose for emilia are applied at the fruiting stage, in anticipation of the flowering itself.

Pest and Disease Control

The only problem that can arise when growing emilia is the fight against slugs. They love this weightless plant, they quickly occupy the greenery and deal with bushes. Pests can be controlled using traps or mulching the soil. Diseases in emilia practically do not occur (with the exception of cases of extreme violation of the growing conditions).

Propagation of Emilia from Seeds

Emilia can be propagated only by seeds, while the plant is suitable for growing seedlings, and for sowing directly at the place of cultivation.

Emilia seeds are sown in open soil in mid-May. Sowing can be done frequently, but it is better to sprinkle seeds with a high degree of germination less often in order to avoid loss of plantings during thinning. It is not necessary to deepen the seeds, it is enough to sprinkle them along the grooves with a depth of 1-2 cm. Germination usually takes about 1 week. If the seedlings are thickened, then during thinning between plants leave a distance of 15 to 20 cm.

Seedlings are sown earlier, in April. Sowing can be carried out in any loose and nutritious substrate, preferably not in small, but in large containers. For germination of emilia, it is only necessary to cover the seeds with glass or film and ensure a standard room temperature. Shoots grow quickly, after the second pair of leaves appears, they can be planted in individual containers. Carrying seedlings in open soil is carried out only at the end of May.