Phlox Drummond

Description and varieties. This is the only annual of more than 60 species of phlox. His homeland - the southern regions of the United States. In Europe, it was introduced in 1835 by the botanist Drummond. According to the brightness of the color, early and prolonged flowering, this annual is not inferior to perennial species, and sometimes exceeds them.

Phlox Drummond is a branchy plant with a height of 20-60 cm. The flowers are carnation-shaped, up to 1.5 cm in diameter, collected in wide dense brushes, bright - white, pink, red, violet, sometimes two-colored, with a peephole in the center. Blooms abundantly and continuously from June to autumn. Flowers are not afraid of rain and small frost. The variety of forms and varieties of the Drummond phlox differ not only in height, but also in the shape of the bush, the size and shape of the flowers collected in a complex umbellate scute. Flower corollas, consisting of 5 petals, are wheel-shaped and stellate. Varieties with a wheel-shaped flower shape are more suitable for group plantings. Elegant flowers of stellate phloxes are better to admire near, for example on an alpine hill or on a balcony. Their petals of the most diverse coloring - from pure white, tender pink, light lilac tones to glowing scarlet, red, burgundy and violet - with an eye or rim. The garden groups of large-flowered phloxes

Grandiflora and Gigantea, , whose inflorescences reach in diameter of 10-12 cm, are of particular decorative nature. In our country the most widespread is the grade Feuerball with bright red flowers.

Phlox most often used as a curb plant, as well as in prefabricated flower gardens. It can be planted in groups on the background of the lawn, where it creates bright color spots. Tall forms( 40-50 cm) are planted in flower beds and used for cutting;undersized( 10-15 cm) are good for landscaped gardens, rock gardens, for plant carpets, on balconies and in pots on the window;from medium-tall( 20-30 cm) create bright strips in curbs, brochures and flower beds. Phlox is quite undemanding, thermophilic, but it tolerates light frosts, grows well on rich, limed, sufficiently moistened soils and sunny places. In principle, the Drummond phlox transports any soils, but on light fertile areas its flowering noticeably improves. Shadow and wetlands are not suitable for phlox, but in open sunny areas, with moderate watering, timely loosening and weeding, it blooms abundantly until late autumn.

Phlox varieties Drummond

There are tall( 40-50 cm), medium-sized( 30 cm), short( 15-20 cm) and dwarf( 15 cm) varieties of Drummond phlox.

Tall

Apba ( white flowers), Purpuren ( purple), Cockcines ( fiery red).

Tiny

Triumph ( red, shiny), Diamond ( pink with yellow eyes), Leopold ( bright red with a white spot).

Low-growth, or nana

Defiance ( flaming pink-red flowers), Slendens ( bright red with white center, velvety).

Dwarf

Snow ball ( pure white flowers), Meteor ( bright red), Fiery ( bright scarlet, shiny).

Cultivation and care. Propagate the Drummond flock with seeds that are sown either directly into the soil, or into boxes to obtain seedlings. With seedlings, seeds are sown in late March and early April. Seedlings appear after 8-11 days, but only if the soil temperature is not lower than 22-25 ° C, at lower temperatures the germination slows down. The seedlings dive 2-3 weeks later in the phase of the first real leaf into pots or boxes( 4x4 cm plant layout).At the March planting time the seedlings can be planted in the soil in the middle - the end of May for a distance of 15-20 cm between the plants, then the flowering will begin in June.

In the open ground seeds are sown when the soil warms up well - in mid-May. Seedlings are thinned so that, depending on the height of the plants, the distance between them is 10-20 cm. They blossom later - at the end of July. To improve the tillering, seedlings are pricked over the third sheet. During the summer, the plants are fed 2-3 times with complex mineral fertilizers, for example nitrophenic: 10-20 g( half or full matchbox) of fertilizer per 10 liters of water. Top dressing significantly improves the ornamentality of plants. Do not put dung under the drums of Drummond, as the plants grow very much and bloom poorly. To make the Drummond's phlox look more attractive and longer to bloom, the wilted inflorescences are removed from the plants.