Muscari - planting and care in open ground, varieties with photos and descriptions

Blue muscari flowers are one of the first harbingers of the approaching spring. Their intense color attracts attention, and the aroma is similar to musk, from which the plant gets its name. Currently, other color variations are emerging, but the blue varieties are by far the most popular and prized. Find out how muscari is grown (planting and care in open ground), look at photos of species and varieties in this article.

Muscari planting and care in open ground photo

The age of primroses is short, but beautiful. Even during the short period of their active growing season, they manage to bring joy to the hearts of gardeners, announcing the arrival of spring. Meadows and fields, gardens and parks are illuminated with bright heads, introducing notes of warmth into the landscape that has just awakened from its winter sleep. One of the first to appear is the mouse hyacinth with its bright blue inflorescences. An unpretentious perennial that will easily fit into your garden design, even if you have absolutely no experience in growing flowers. This article will tell you about the primrose muscari: planting and care in open ground, photo of the plant, the intricacies of cultivation and propagation.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Many novice gardeners are interested in the following questions:

. Why do flower stalks become low and flowers become small? Is their number significantly decreasing? The main reason is soil depletion, missing the optimal timing of plant replanting.

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. What is the right thing to do with bulbs used for forcing or when grown in decorative containers? The bulbs are returned to the open ground bed to recuperate. There they can remain until the next excavation

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. How to preserve the decorative appearance of flowering bushes? To do this, remove faded buds. They are left only on terry varieties such as Blue Spy. The seed pods look beautiful on them

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Proper care has helped create the famous blue, white rivers of mouse hyacinth, for example, in the famous Keukenhof park in Holland. It’s not at all difficult to admire the same landscape on your own site.

Muscari: origin, description, photo

The bulbous perennial received the Latin name Muscari thanks to the botanist F. Miller. The scientist noted that the aroma of flowers is similar to the smell of musk. The plant is included in the Asparagus family, but the ancient botanical classification put it on a par with hyacinths. The external similarity of these cultures has only minor differences, which is why the name mouse hyacinth has taken root among the people. The perennial was nicknamed viper onion because of ancient stories that told about snakes eating deciduous mass. In fact, the reptiles were simply basking in sunny meadows, where primroses often grow.

Informative! Other synonymous names for the bulbous crop are associated with its bright appearance and love of moisture - rain flower, grape hyacinth, earthen lilac.

Representatives of the genus Muscari are low herbaceous plants, the underground part of which is represented by a perennial bulb. The shape of the vegetative organ is ovoid, the covering scales are painted in light colors. The length of the bulb is from 1.5 to 4 cm, diameter is 20 mm.

With the arrival of spring, fleshy, narrow-lanceolate leaves, covered with pronounced parallel veins, sprout from the bulb. The length of the leaf blades is 10-17 cm, they form a basal rosette. Each rosette consists of 2-7 leaves.

The erect, bare peduncle ends in a multi-flowered raceme. The flowers are simple, bell-shaped. The corolla consists of six petals fused together with a bent, jagged edge. The length of the flowering raceme is 2-8 cm. Each bud is attached to the stem with a shortened peduncle. Depending on the species and variety, the color of the petals can be white, yellow, pink, but the main color is blue-violet. Some varieties have a combined color, with a white skirt running along the edge of the blue perianth. The shape of the corolla also depends on the species. There are barrel-shaped, tubular and cylindrical flowers.

Inside the flower there are 6 stamens with blue or purple anthers and one pistil. The apical buds are sterile and serve to attract pollinators. During flowering, a thick, pleasant aroma spreads throughout the garden.

Know! By its nature, culture is ephemeral. In a short growing season, a tiny bush 10-30 cm high manages to germinate, bloom, and form seeds. The rest of the time, the viper onion rests and accumulates strength for the winter.

After the flowers fade, spherical or heart-shaped boxes with three chambers are formed. The seeds of the viper onion are very small, wrinkled, black. The seed quickly loses its germination capacity.

The Mediterranean is considered to be the birthplace of the primrose. The largest number of species is concentrated in this region. The range also includes Europe, western Asia and North Africa. Bright heads grow on grassy slopes, along forest edges, in mountainous areas covered with forest, near melting snow.

The introduction led to the naturalization of the Mediterranean in Australia and North America. About 10 species of mouse hyacinth have spread across Russia. They are more common on the Crimean Peninsula and the Caucasus. The population of the Caucasus is strenuously fighting against flower thickets that sprout at the planting sites of various crops.

Medicinal properties of muscari

The composition of primrose petals includes esters, alcohols, flavonoids, organic acids and ascorbic acid. The combination of these substances endowed mouse hyacinth with anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, bactericidal, and rejuvenating properties.

Attention! Official medicine does not use drugs based on plant bulbs. They contain plant alkaloids.

Traditional medicine uses only alcoholic infusions of petals and essential oil. This limitation is due to the fact that the perennial is poisonous. Inflorescences are used as medicinal raw materials. Alcohol extracts are used exclusively for external use. Use should be limited to children, pregnant women, and people with allergies. Inflammatory skin diseases, burns, open wounds, acne in Asian countries are treated with an alcohol extract of the petals.

For cosmetic purposes, treatment of bronchitis, diseases of the nervous system, increasing libido, essential oil is used. It is used for massage and aromatherapy. The range of its application extends to the field of cosmetology. The oil is added to cosmetics because it has anti-aging properties and easily removes fine wrinkles. The perfume industry has long included the honey notes of primrose in perfumes. It perfectly complements floral aromas. But annoying mosquitoes and cockroaches cannot tolerate fragrant inflorescences. Dried petals will also help keep moths out of your wardrobe.

Important! Experts recommend that gardeners with sensitive skin use rubber gloves to protect their hands. The juice from the bulbs can cause contact dermatitis.

Distribution area of ​​armeniacum (armenicum)

The natural distribution area of ​​Armenian muscari covers the northwestern part of Turkey, southwestern Transcaucasia, Greece, the eastern Mediterranean, the Caucasus, including Armenia, which gave the specific name to the plant.
However, the plant has expanded far beyond its natural range. Grows in meadows and forests.

Armenian muscari is one of the most popular species, which has been grown in European gardens since the mid-19th century . Thanks to frost resistance, unpretentiousness, high decorativeness and early long flowering, this species has won the love of gardeners around the world.

Features of growing a plant

When growing a Mediterranean guest, it is important to provide it with a large area. The curtain spreads quite quickly. Flowerbed neighbors are selected taking into account the fact that you will only be replanting in a few years; it is better to plant together with other perennials.

Among the unique properties of the viper onion, it is worth noting its love of light, but the ability to grow in the shade. This feature is associated with the early flowering period. The bright heads will appear before the leaves emerge on trees shading the garden.

Ephemeroids are planted in small groups. A single flower will not give the desired effect. Like other representatives of bulbous crops, mouse hyacinth is used for early forcing. Even when there is snow outside the window, the house can be filled with the honey aroma of a flower.

Plant requirements for planting site and lighting

Muscari goes well with various perennial flowers. Planting in shaded areas is allowed, since the flowers on the plant bloom quite early. At this time, there is still no foliage on the trees and shrubs, and sunlight penetrates well through them to the muscari plantings, warming and enriching the plant with nutrients. When the leaves on the trees grow and block the sunlight, then the muscari will already bloom and will not need sunlight and heat. After the foliage on the muscari plant begins to die, the leaves of the bushes will hide them from human view. The presence of dry and yellow leaves under the bushes will not spoil the appearance of the flower bed.

The muscari plant does not have any special requirements for establishing high air humidity. Due to the fact that the plant begins its vegetative growth immediately after the snow melts, the air is sufficiently humid and saturated; additional moistening of the plant is not required.

Perennial muscari culture: types, varieties

Muscari is a genus of 44 species of bulbous perennials. The most common varieties found in culture are:

• Armenian (Colchian);
• Oshe (Tubergena);
• changeable;
• grape-shaped;
• crested;
• multi-flowered;
• broadleaf;
• large-fruited;
• pale;
• strange;
• racemose;
• pretty.

Some varieties growing in the Caucasus have high decorative qualities and are just being introduced into culture. These also include European species, which are rare in Russia due to their poor winter hardiness. The densely flowered, Azerbaijani, musky, blue, and white-green varieties are considered promising, as well as muscari Schowitz, Geldreich, which is neglected.

Know! Ornamental varieties planted by humans in the wild quickly go through the process of naturalization.

Spring in the southwestern Caucasus and northwestern Turkey gives local residents the opportunity to admire sky-blue primroses. By the beginning of May, multi-flowered clusters of flowers, similar to blue balls, are visible in various parts of the natural landscape. Each flower looks like a tiny barrel, 0.5 cm long. The place where the petals meet the bend is indicated by a constriction. The edge of the flower is jagged and white. At the top of the 20 cm long inflorescence there are several lighter buds that serve to attract insects. They do not produce seeds. Three-chambered boxes are tied only by fertile flowers. Flowering lasts 3 weeks.

The underground part is represented by an elongated bulb up to 3 cm long, with a diameter of 2-2.5 cm. The leaf rosette consists of 3-7 plates, tapering at the top. The height of the bush is 15-20 cm, the width of the lower part of the leaf is 5-8 mm. In winter, the leaf mass dies off, the bulbs have a high threshold of winter hardiness and do not need shelter.

This is interesting! High decorativeness and frost resistance attracted the attention of breeders, so more than 170 varieties were bred based on the species.

Gardeners prefer the Dutch cultivar Blue Spike. Its lush inflorescences consist of a large number of buds. This became possible thanks to the branched pedicels, each of which bears 2-3 flowers. In total, the erect peduncle bears up to 170 blue corollas. The bulbs of this variety are somewhat larger, reaching a diameter of 3.5-4 cm, but the number of children does not exceed 3 pieces. And there are no seeds on the peduncle, since all the buds are sterile. Blue Spike blooms 2 weeks later than Armenian, pleasing to the eye for 20 days. The leaf rosette reaches 20 cm in height, the peduncle is 5 cm higher. The advantages of the variety include unpretentiousness, high decorative qualities, winter hardiness, and the ability to be used for cutting.

The following varieties are no less popular:

1. Fantasy Creation with double buds that turn from greenish to bright blue.
2. Seifir with white-edged dark blue flowers in a pyramidal inflorescence.
3. Peppermint has pale blue petals edged with white teeth. It has a very long flowering period and the ability to grow quickly.
4. Artist is a cultivar up to 15 cm high. Its inflorescences turn from green to blue with a white border and emit an incredible fragrance.
5. Christmas Pearl is a hybrid with purple-blue barrels. Used for forcing, has international awards.
6. Superstar has an elongated inflorescence consisting of many white-edged deep blue buds.
7. Cambridge - a low bush blooms quite late, has azure corollas.
8. Dark Eyes forms dense heads with blue bells. A white border runs along the edge of the corolla. The bush reaches a height of 30 cm, blooms for 3-4 weeks.

Advice! In addition to being placed in the garden, bright heads can decorate a balcony or windowsill. For these purposes, planting in containers and early forcing are used.

The Tubergen variety got its name from the botanist who brought it from Iran to Europe. The bulbs are small, up to 2 cm long, about 10 mm in diameter. The rosette consists of 2-3 leaves 15 cm long and 5 mm wide. The flowering stem reaches a height of 25 cm and forms a dense blue inflorescence. The crown corollas are lighter. The petal teeth are white. The period of decorativeness falls in the middle of spring; by winter the deciduous mass fades. Excess moisture is detrimental to perennials.

The Magic variety series is very popular. The bulbs of this cultivar produce a large number of flowering stems. The Ocean variety has blue petals with a white crown on the inflorescence. White Magic has rounded snow-white heads, while Blue Magic has a flower brush that gradually changes color from the crown. Snow-white corollas are located on top, then light blue and sky blue.

The changeable viper onion has settled in the wild on the grassy slopes of the Mediterranean. It has large bulbs 3 cm long and 25 mm in diameter. The leaf cover, 30–40 cm long, forms a basal rosette of 5–6 narrow plates. The flowers are oblong, blue-violet with white teeth. The edges of the bud are curved inward. Decorative for 3 weeks in mid-spring. Used for landscaping in central Russia and Uzbekistan.

Know! Most species, in addition to being unpretentious, have good winter hardiness.

The cluster-shaped variety grows in the mountainous areas of Europe, where it has been widely used to decorate gardens for more than four hundred years. The small narrow heads consist of small blue-violet barrels with white teeth. The height of the bush is 10-12 cm, the leaves are narrow. Blooms in early May, decorative for up to 3 weeks. The garden form Alba has snow-white petals, while Carneum has a light pink corolla.

The crested appearance looks quite unusual. His arrows with blue-violet tufts will certainly attract everyone's attention. The number of buds in a brush reaches hundreds. Grows in meadows and forest edges of Europe, North Africa, and southwest Asia. Often turns into a weed.

The corollas of fertile flowers are colored brownish with a lighter edge. The shape of the perianth is pitcher-shaped. The arrow appears at the beginning of summer, gradually growing, reaching a height of 50-70 cm. There are 3-4 leaves, but when cultivated in a fertile substrate, the number increases. It also becomes possible to see 2 inflorescences. Dense bulbs rarely produce offspring, but abundant fruiting allows the crop to be grown from seeds.

On a note! The hybrid "Plumosum" has a larger number of sterile buds and is distinguished by the purple color of the crest. It looks great surrounded by decorative deciduous crops with a bluish tint to the blades.

The multi-flowered species is widely distributed in the mountainous meadows of Transcaucasia and Turkey. But it is used for landscaping even in the Moscow region. A bright blue head appears among the long foliage in mid-spring. The length of the leaf blades is 20-25 cm, the flowering stems are only 10-15 cm tall. A pale blue edging runs along the edge of the tubular rims.

The broad-leaved variety has gained incredible popularity due to its external resemblance to hyacinths. Sheet width up to 25 mm. Widely-lanceolate plates 15 cm long “embrace” a deep purple peduncle. Arrow height 22-26 cm, cylindrical shape. Each inflorescence consists of 70-100 elongated buds. The homeland of this smaller copy of hyacinth is Asia Minor, so the exotic is heat-loving in nature and is suitable for cultivation in the south of Russia. Decorative for 20-30 days from mid-spring. In cool climates it is used for forcing.

Another heat-loving species is large-fruited. In Turkey and Greece it blooms in May. A brown edging runs along the edge of the yellow petals. The height of the bush is 20-23 cm. Recommended as a potted crop, overwinters indoors.

This is interesting! The combination of bright yellow open buds and closed purple ones attracts the attention of flower growers. The species is promising for the southern regions.

Quite a rare species - pale. Grows in the mountainous areas of the Caucasus. A very delicate and beautiful ephemeroid 12-17 cm high. The arrow appears by the end of May, has a pale blue color with a white skirt along the edge. The brush contains up to 40 bell flowers. Flowering is short-lived, only 10-12 days. The covering scales of the bulb have a pinkish tint. It reproduces poorly by vegetative and generative means. It has a white-flowered form, as well as the White Rose Beauty variety with a two-color white and pink corolla and the pale blue Blue Sky variety.

The strange variety is very attractive. Her homeland is Transcaucasia, where the decorative period falls at the end of April. Dark purple heads 2 cm long with elongated flowers delight the eye for 3-4 weeks. The height of the perennial is 10-12 cm.

Racemose ephemeroid is widespread in Europe, the Caucasus, Crimea and the Mediterranean. Prefers to grow on the slopes of warm meadows, among thickets of bushes. The rosette consists of 2-6 leaf blades 10-12 cm long. The flowering stem with dark blue oblong flowers reaches the same height. Decorative for 20-30 days, the flowering period falls in May. It has been used for landscaping for almost 450 years and withstands harsh winters with dignity.

Know! Sosnovsky's species attracts with large barrel-shaped flowers with a white skirt. Petals are dark blue. The culture resembles the Armenian viper onion in appearance, but prefers to grow on a rocky substrate.

The homeland of muscari pulchellum (pretty) is the Mediterranean. Bright blue heads appear in winter. The inflorescence is small but very dense. The exotic is characterized by short stature, reaching a height of 8-12 cm.

Description and varieties

Small bells, neatly collected in dense inflorescences, appear in May and early June. They come in blue, blue, white, yellow. The bright greenery of the lawn in spring emphasizes the beauty of this flower.

The plant genus has about 50 species. They all have narrow leaves, underground bulbs, peduncles up to 25 cm high, and fruit in the shape of a winged box. The bell-shaped flowers resemble bunches of grapes. Therefore, it is called not only mouse hyacinth, but also grape hyacinth.

The most commonly grown types of muscari are:

1. Armenian. Blue flowers with a white lacy edge appear in May. This is the most common type. Varieties often grown include Heavtnly Blue, Cantab, Dark Eyes, and the double type Blue Spike, which blooms in late spring. Chameleon variety Fantasy Creation.
2. Bunch-shaped. Large inflorescences are decorated with numerous small bells of white, purple, and soft blue shades. It blooms for about 20 days.
3. Turgenevsky. Dark blue flowers with a blue tip. Blooms in May. Flowering duration is 10 days.
4. Racemose. Large purple and white flowers fit tightly to the peduncle and form a powerful, beautiful cluster. The species reproduces well by self-sowing. An example is the Album variety.

Armenian

bunch-shaped

Racemose

Turgenevsky

Muscari landing

In the wild, viper onions grow beautifully without human intervention, annually illuminating forest clearings with blue clouds. But varietal varieties will still require a little attention from the gardener. First of all, you need to choose a place for the flower carpet and plant it correctly.

When to plant

The culture is unpretentious, but it will take some time to take root. This process works best in cool weather with constant moisture. Therefore, planting work is traditionally carried out in the fall until mid-October. Spring planting of bulbs is also possible. It is carried out very early, as soon as the snow cover melts and the ground warms up to 5⁰C.

It is much more convenient to plant in the fall, since the bulk of the work in the garden plot has already been completed. Such periods are also associated with the propagation of perennials. Daughter bulbs ripen by autumn, so planting material is easy to purchase. When buying bulbs, remember that they must correspond to the dimensions described above.

Remember! There should be no areas of rotting, flabby, traces of mold or injury on the planting material.

For spring planting, grown seedlings are often used. It is sold in nurseries or garden centers. It is better to plant such material in late April or early May. Carefully inspect the seedlings for diseases. A sign that should alert you is the presence of yellow streaks on the foliage. From a pot, transplantation is carried out using the transshipment method.

Selecting a location

When choosing a location, it is better to give preference to areas protected from strong winds. A slight slope is welcome. The ephemeroid develops well in direct sunlight, but light shading will not harm it. But stagnation of water can lead to rotting of the bulbs, so planting primroses in lowlands is contraindicated. Try to match the snake onion with other perennials, but give it room to grow into a clump. When massed, mouse hyacinths look more impressive.

Soil for muscari

The condition of the soil for the proper development of the Mediterranean guest is only partly important. It is preferable to plant on loose fertile substrates with a slightly acidic environment. Hydrogen index 5.7-6.5. The more fertile the soil, the larger the bulbs will form and the more magnificent the flowering will be. Loams flavored with humus are ideal.

Attention! Clay and peat substrates are not suitable for normal development - the former provoke stagnation of moisture and contribute to the deterioration of the underground part of the plant, and from the latter the moisture evaporates too quickly.

If the soil does not meet the requirements, replace it to a depth of 15-20 cm. To prepare the site, add humus or mature compost. For each square meter of flower bed, take 5 kg of fertilizer.

Preparation of planting material

Before planting, the bulbs are subject to culling and mandatory disinfection. Select only dense, healthy specimens. For etching, use a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Planting material is kept for 30-60 minutes. You can soak the onions in a solution of Karbofos or Fitosporin, prepared according to the instructions. Disinfection will destroy spores of fungal pathogens.

How to plant muscari correctly

A few planting instructions will help you organize the process correctly:

1. A few days before the planned event, dig up the area to the depth of a spade bayonet. When digging, add mature compost or humus in an amount of 5 kg per square meter of area.
2. Prepare grooves or holes, the depth depends on the size of the bulbs. Large material is planted at a depth of 5-8 cm, small material 3 cm.
3. Planting density depends on the desired result. Usually mouse hyacinth is planted in groups of 20-30 individuals, but compacted planting of up to 200 individuals per square meter is also possible.
4. The day before the event, water the flowerbed. Add a 1-2 cm layer of sand to the bottom of the hole to ensure sufficient drainage.
5. Plant the crop in increments of 4-8 cm, depending on the size of the planting material.
6. Fill the grooves with substrate and compact them a little.
7. Water the crop generously with warm water.

Remember! Excessive deepening of the bulbs will complicate the germination process, and too shallow a depth will lead to freezing. It is optimal if there is 2 cm of soil above the onion.

Propagation of earthen lilac

Mostly, flower growers propagate muscari vegetatively, but in industrial greenhouses they also propagate by seeds. They are first sown indoors, and then the seedlings are transplanted into greenhouses.

Growing muscari from seeds

The most powerful and healthy muscari leave flower stalks and wait for the seed pods to ripen.
They are collected from the lower shoots. Make grooves to a depth of 1-2 cm.

The seeds are sown in the fall and covered with soil.

In the spring, young shoots emerge and bulbs begin to form.

The bulbs are formed within 3 years.

Vegetative methods of propagation

They dig up bulbs that are from 2 to 5 years old. This is done after the foliage has completely dried. Then the children are carefully separated and planted in the ground. Such plants begin to bloom 2 years after planting.

Storing muscari bulbs

If you want to save the bulbs until next year and then plant them in a flowerbed, then:

• they are dried for 4-6 days;
• peat or river sand is poured into the boxes, moistened and the bulbs are placed;
• they are constantly inspected and the soft bulbs are thrown away; those that are damaged; rotten.

The viper onion can easily withstand low temperatures in winter , even if it is not covered. Flower growers love it for its easy care and early blooming of buds. After flowering, the bulbs are dormant in the ground and require almost no care.

Muscari care

Even a beginner can handle caring for a Mediterranean guest. The culture is undemanding and can grow without human intervention, but you can only get a harmonious flowerbed with lush heads with some effort.

Watering

At the beginning of the growing season, exotic plants require frequent, abundant watering to prevent stagnation of water. Irrigation is especially important in the south, where spring is swift and the soil dries out quickly. In the middle zone, it is important to focus on weather conditions. A prolonged spring period with long-term retention of moisture in the soil contributes to the best growth of the crop. By the time the flowering stems wither, watering is gradually reduced. When the bush enters a dormant period, excessive moisture threatens to rot, so it is not customary to water the ephemeral plant after flowering.

Feeding and fertilizers

You can feed the jacket in spring or autumn if you are going to separate the babies. Organic matter is used as fertilizer, since primroses do not particularly need mineral complexes. Liquid mineral fertilizers are used only when cultivating in containers and forcing. Then fertilizing is applied every 2 weeks, because the soil in a closed space is quickly depleted. In the spring, humus is poured under the bushes, and in the fall, fertilizer is applied for digging.

Know! If you feed the clump annually with organic fertilizers, it can grow in one place for 7-10 years, after which it will require rejuvenation.

Muscari when and how to propagate

The ephemeroid reproduces vegetatively by separating children, as well as by seed. Wild individuals often reproduce by self-sowing, but many hybrids do not form seeds, so vegetative propagation is preferable.

The baby onions will be trimmed in September. To do this, the curtain is dug up and the material is sorted. Large specimens are immediately planted in a permanent place; they will bloom in the spring. The children are planted on a training bed in a little shade. They are grown for 1-2 years, planted in increments of 2-3 cm. Separating the children allows you to rejuvenate the clump; it is carried out every 3-5 years.

Seed propagation is used extremely rarely, since seedlings will develop to adulthood in 3-4 years. They will also require special attention from the gardener. Seeds are sown before winter so that they undergo natural stratification. Sealing is carried out to a depth of 10-15 mm. Thread-like seedlings will appear in the spring. They are carefully monitored, removing weeds, avoiding stagnation or moisture deficiency, and crust formation. You can plant shoots that appear as a result of self-seeding, but usually faded flower stalks are removed.

Know! The scientific name for the generative reproduction of wild relatives is myrmecochory. The seeds have glands containing fat that attract ants. Insects carry seeds far from where they grow.

Transfer

Muscari can be propagated in two ways.

The first is the use of seeds. After ripening, the seeds are collected. Germination lasts up to twelve months. Sowing is done in the fall, and by spring seedlings will appear. But you will have to wait 3-4 years for flowering.

Muscari can be propagated by seeds

Vegetative propagation is carried out by planting young bulbs. An indispensable condition is that the source for replanting can be a bush that has been growing in the same place for 5-6 years.

In September, a bulb with “babies” is dug up, of which there are up to 30 pieces per specimen. They are separated from the main bulb, dried in the sun and treated with preparations to stimulate the roots.

On a note! Then they are planted according to the scheme described above.

The “babies” are separated from the bulb and then planted

It is necessary to mention that muscari can reproduce by self-sowing. To maintain the shape of the flower bed, you need to monitor the number of flowers. Excess flower stalks can be removed after the flowering stage.

Specifics of planting and caring for muscari in Siberia

The Siberian region has an inhospitable climate with cold early winters. The autumn landing of the Mediterranean guest is carried out towards the end of summer. In order for roots to form, the temperature of the substrate should not fall below 14-15⁰C. If planted in August, the crop will have time to take root before severe frosts. It is recommended to place the planting material in a cool room for 3-4 days. This measure promotes rapid rooting.

Do not neglect the application of fertilizers, because the growing season in the risky farming zone is shortened. Organic feeding will help the bulb gain strength for a successful winter. Frequent irrigation is not required, since in spring in Siberia the soil remains wet for a long time. With the arrival of winter, young individuals must be mulched with humus to avoid freezing.

Advice! Container cultivation of viper onions is also possible, then the pots are brought indoors for the winter. Heat-loving individuals are grown in this way, or the bulbs are removed annually for winter storage at home.

Muscari flowering

The ephemeroid remains decorative for 3-4 weeks. During this period, he will not need special care. Towards the end of flowering, reduce watering, regularly loosen the top layer of soil, being careful not to damage the underground part. Be sure to pull out the weeds. It's up to you to decide what to do with the faded arrows. If you leave them, the likelihood of self-seeding will increase and the decorative qualities will suffer. If it is necessary to collect seeds, leave 1-2 heads, wrapping them in gauze. If you notice a deterioration in the decorative qualities of the curtain, plant the children in the fall.

Flower care after flowering

When the decorative period comes to an end, remove the wilted heads, but do not touch the foliage. Thanks to the green leaves, the underground part will be able to accumulate enough nutrients for the production of children and wintering. You can help the exotic by adding liquid fertilizer based on potassium and phosphorus. When the leaf mass withers, the need for watering will disappear. Remove dry leaves. If necessary, rejuvenate the jacket.

Preparing for winter

The bulbous perennial is winter-hardy and can withstand even harsh winters without shelter. Before wintering, remove plant debris from the site. Mulch the young shoots with peat.

Viper onions are often planted with other bulbous relatives. The underground part of these plants, according to rodents, is a real delicacy. To protect the flowerbed from damage by voles, do not use straw as mulch and be sure to lay spruce branches on top of the bed. Using traps and sprinkling the soil with hot pepper won’t hurt either.

Advice! If you choose an imperial hazel grouse as a neighbor to a mouse hyacinth, the mice will forget the way to the flowerbed. In addition, the color scheme of these exotics harmonizes perfectly.

Do I need to dig up the bulbs every year?

Winter-hardy perennials do not need annual digging of bulbs. If you are worried whether heat-loving species will survive the winter, it is better to dig up the planting material and store it at home. But container cultivation will make it easier to cultivate exotics. With this method of growing, it is enough to simply bring the pot into a cool room.

How to properly store bulbs

To store planting material indoors, use the following rules:

• remove the bulbs only after the foliage has withered;
• Before storing, be sure to dry the bulbs under a canopy;
• store the material in boxes with wet sand or peat;
• weekly inspection will protect against spoilage; be sure to throw away bulbs that have rotted or become soft;
• maintain a humidity level of 70%, temperature background 15-17⁰C.

But it’s better to completely avoid removing the bulbs from the soil.

Growing bulbs after forcing

It is quite reasonable to want to preserve the bulbs after forcing. To get larger replacement bulbs, you need to remove them from the peduncles at the end of flowering, with the flowers wilting, and fertilize them with a fertilizer solution for bulbous plants. For some time, until the foliage turns yellow, leave them in the same conditions in which the forcing was carried out - with good lighting and a temperature of +15 + 16 ° C. With the beginning of yellowing of the foliage and peduncles, the additional lighting is turned off, the temperature is raised to room temperature, watering is stopped and the foliage dries. After this, the bulbs are selected from the soil, dried and stored in dry peat at +17°C until autumn planting in the garden, in September. The bulbs are not suitable for repeated forcing, although they grow quite large. Only the best children are selected for rearing - the small ones will produce a bad breed. After 2-3 years, you can again select bulbs for forcing from these plantings.

Photo: Maxim Minin, Rita Brilliantova

How to replant a flower correctly

Transplanting primroses has two goals - reproduction and rejuvenation of the clump. The procedure is carried out 5-7 years after planting, but the timing varies depending on the condition of the flowerbed. If the decorative appearance is lost or excessive growth occurs, exotic plants can be planted earlier, for example, after 3-4 years. If the Mediterranean guest feels well, the curtain can be left untouched for up to 10 years.

Plants are dug up and bulbs are removed from the ground. After sorting, they are seated in a new place in accordance with the requirements described above.

Remember! Be sure to disinfect the bulbs before planting them in a new location.

The nuances of planting muscari in open ground in the fall

Regardless of the season, planting work is carried out according to the same scheme. Don't forget the following rules:

• pickle the bulbs in a solution of potassium permanganate or fungicide;
• Place sand or pebble drainage at the bottom of the holes;
• a layer of soil from the top of the onion to the soil surface of at least 2 cm;
• planting is carried out in groups in sunny areas with a slightly acidic environment;
• do not forget to apply organic fertilizers.

If your chosen one is a broad-leaved species or Tubergena, do not neglect mulching the root collar.

Disembarkation rules

Before planting, you need to sort out the bulbs, removing the sick and damaged ones, and treat them with a strong solution of potassium permanganate or the drug “Fitosporin” before planting.

"Fitosporin"

You can add a layer of sand up to 2 cm into the soil under the bulbs. It will serve as drainage for liquid and protection from pests.

It is better to plant the plant in groups, but the distance between the bulbs should be at least 4-7 cm. The planting depth of the bulb is 6 cm. When planting, the soil should warm up to eighteen degrees Celsius.

The distance between the bulbs should be at least 4 cm

On a note! If sowing is done with seeds, they are placed in the soil to a depth of 2 cm. Flowering in this case will begin only in the third year after planting.

Muscari armeniacum (Armenian) planting and care in open ground photo

Muscari armeniacum is a frequent guest in Russian flowerbeds. Its cultivation has no special features and is carried out in accordance with the recommendations described in the article. But it is worth knowing that there is another common method of cultivating mouse hyacinth. It involves planting under a layer of lawn. After awakening, the stems will emerge through the layer of turf, forming a luxurious carpet of flowers.

The process looks like this. A section of turf is cut out on the selected part of the lawn. The depth of removal of the turf layer is 7-8 cm. The scrap is carefully set aside. A few more centimeters of soil are removed from the hole and thoroughly mixed with compost. The bulbs are planted in the prepared substrate. Density depends on the design idea. The surface is covered with a removed piece of lawn and watered abundantly.

Attention! With this method of cultivation, it is impossible to cut the grass until the mouse hyacinth rosettes wither.

Botanical description of the plant

Muscari is a perennial, ephemeral plant, in which, after the end of the growing season, the leafy part dries out and may remain green throughout the warm winter, and the bulb, after accumulating the necessary supply of nutrients, remains alone. There is no need to dig it up; in this dormant state, it remains in the ground until next early spring. Muscari do not grow tall, about 25 centimeters, the bulbs are small, ovoid in shape, no more than 2 centimeters in diameter. The plant forms a basal rosette consisting of nine erect, sharp leaves. It produces a muscari peduncle, the top of which is decorated with a spike-shaped raceme of small bells. The awakening of a plant planted on a personal plot occurs during a warm winter already in February. The first flowers can be cut in March. The plant blooms until mid-June. The onset of flowering and durability depend on the selected plant variety, planting location and air and ground temperatures.

Pests and diseases of muscari

Pests bypass the Mediterranean guest, and the only diseases that pose a danger are plant viruses - onion yellow dwarf, cucumber mosaic. Stunted growth, shortening of flowering stems, too narrow leaf blades, the presence of streaks or a mosaic pattern on the foliage are dangerous signs of infection. There is no escape from the disease, so you will have to remove the diseased specimen and burn it away from the site. Treating, destroying aphids, and purchasing individuals only from a nursery will help prevent infection.

If an aphid has settled near a flower, do not hesitate to destroy it. Treat your flowerbed neighbors with soapy water or use insecticides.

It is extremely rare for spider mites to settle on leaves. They are detected by the presence of yellow specks on the foliage and threads of silvery cobwebs. The colony is destroyed with garlic infusion, Fitoverm, Aktara.

Muscari in landscape design, combination with other plants

Blue, lilac, white and pink primrose caps are widely used in garden design. Experts recommend planting the Mediterranean guest on alpine slides, lawns, and flower beds consisting of several tiers. Rocky rock gardens, narrow border edging, tinning of fruit tree trunks - landscape designers have found such uses for the flower.

Advice! Pots or flowerpots with mouse hyacinths will decorate a balcony, window sill, or terrace. A combination of forget-me-nots, pansies or daisies will complement the composition.

Peonies, hyacinths, hazel grouse, and daffodils are suitable neighbors for viper onions. They are planted in the background. In the immediate vicinity you can plant scillas, anemones, crocuses, dwarf tulips, and primroses.

Reviews from gardeners

Armenian muscari is a favorite of many gardeners due to its combination of minimal effort to grow and spectacular appearance.
According to many gardeners, it can be classified as a flower that is “planted and forgotten.” Moreover, they can easily tolerate transplantation in any condition, even flowering , which is very convenient. This allows you to understand how the plants will look in compositions next to other species, and also not to make a mistake when purchasing the desired variety.

The properties of varieties may also differ from those declared. For example, in the opinion of most gardeners, the most resistant varieties are those with blue flowers, and among double varieties, the palm is occupied by Blue Spike, which is simply recognized as “unkillable.” At the same time, exotic varieties with white and pink bulbs are much more tender and in the northern regions may fall out in a couple of years. Varieties with old flowers grow more slowly.

Of interest is the experience of growing plants in various garden compositions. In single plantings they do not make an impression, but in group plantings they look very impressive. It is good to plant muscari in company with other spring bulbs, as well as near bushes, so that they later cover the bare ground and dying leaves.

Some gardeners complain about the aggressiveness of the natural species . It not only grows actively, but also self-sows. Sometimes you have to actively fight the invaders.

The opinions of gardeners can be found here, here and here.

How to plant a flower to create a beautiful combination in the garden

To get harmonious compositions, it is important to choose the right neighbors for the exotic. They are selected taking into account the nature of the growing season of the Mediterranean guest. Since the ephemeroid does not retain its decorative appearance for long, its unsightly clearings are masked by planting later flowers nearby - awl-shaped phlox, hostas, woodworm, ground covers. By the time they actively grow, the tops of the perennial will already wither.

European landscape designers recommend a continuous carpet composition combining multi-colored varieties. In parks you can find mouse hyacinths along the paths. Clearings under deciduous trees look harmonious. Such a neighborhood will benefit fruit crops, because during flowering the Mediterranean guest attracts many pollinators.

Beautiful compositions are obtained when planting snake onions on an alpine hill or rock garden; you can fill the flower bed with decorative stones.

Conclusion

Growing muscari in open ground is very simple, the main thing is to follow the planting and care rules described in the article. This fragrant, bright flower will delight you with its presentable appearance for a long time, and every year herald the arrival of spring.

Conclusion

Muscari has a beneficial effect on the flower neighborhood. The plant fertilizes the soil and repels flies and mosquitoes with its scent. Cut flowers retain the same properties. You can plant other flowers at the muscari growing point, for example, roses, dahlias, and daffodils.

Muscari is a good “neighbor” for other colors

By correctly choosing the color scheme of muscari and neighboring plants, you can create a beautiful composition in the flowerbed.