Gazania hybrid herbaceous plants for open ground. Gatsaniya - flower of midday gold

Midday gold. This is what gatsaniya was called in Europe. There are two reasons for the name. The first is the warm tones of the plant’s buds. The second reason is that flowers do not bloom in the morning, but only towards noon.

In the West, these features were noticed in the 17th century, when the flower was brought from Africa. Hence another name for the plant - African chamomile. Similar appearance is a consequence of kinship.

Both chamomile and gatsaniya belong to the aster family. As for the scientific name of the heroine of the article, it is given in honor of Theodor von Gas. So, it is more correct to call African chamomile gazania.

Von Gaz was a priest, but became famous for his literary work. The man translated the works of Aristotle and Theophrastus. The name of the priest has been preserved for centuries and gatsaniya. Let's take a closer look at the flower.

Description and features of gatsaniya

The heroine of the article is not one plant, but a genus. It includes both annual and perennial flowers. Gatsania Both types are short, not exceeding 30 centimeters in height. This length falls on the rosette of basal leaves. There is often no stem, or it barely rises from the ground.

Gatsania foliage is always dark. Green color can be pure or with a gray tint. The back side of the leaves is often covered with villi and velvety. In cold weather, the silvery “coat” warms the greenery, and in hot weather it retains moisture. It is no secret that in the desert landscapes of Africa, sharp temperature changes between day and night are a common occurrence.

In order not to quickly freeze and not instantly lose moisture, the leaves of gatsania became dense, slightly fleshy. The form of greenery is varied. There are feather-shaped, round, elongated, single and collected in pairs on one branch. For the 40 species of gatsania known to science, there are about 8 varieties of foliage.

The color of the buds is also varied gatsaniya. Photo representatives of the species display red, yellow, orange flowers. The color of the petals can be white or pink, but only in combination with warm tones.

They “run” along the core, or periphery of the buds, and are present in the form of spots. By the way, gatsania buds are not one, but many flowers collected in a basket. On one plant there can be about 30 such associations. The diameter of the inflorescences reaches 9 centimeters. Minimum - 50 millimeters.

Blooming, gazania perennial, like the annual one, forms achenes. They have a tuft and are hairy, like the foliage of a flower. The achenes are the fruits of the plant and allow you to grow a new generation of asters. Their petals, like the greens, are velvety.

The root of all gatsanias is elongated and not branched. The rod shape helps to penetrate into the depths, drawing out life-giving moisture from there. Does this mean that the flower needs an elongated, tall pot?

Growing gatsania

Gatsaniya at home, indeed, blissful in large and deep pots. They must have drainage, for example, expanded clay. These porous clay granules absorb excess moisture and prevent the roots from rotting.

If you skip watering or give the plant insufficient water, the flower will receive it all from the same drainage. The root will draw moisture from the reserve granules. Temporary drought is common for gatsaniya, which is why gardeners who cannot provide regular watering love it.

In the photo there is a sprout of gatsaniya

Given Gatsania’s habit of dry soils, the flower is planted in steppe regions, or similar soil is selected for it. It should be fertile but contain ¼ sand.

In such soil it will grow and gatsaniya from seeds, and from cuttings. Rooting the side shoots of the plant may be the only way to propagate it. African chamomile has varieties that do not produce seeds.

Cherenkovaya gatsaniya seedlings It takes root successfully if strong, tall shoots with a heel at the base are taken. This is what the thickenings on the stems are called. They accumulate moisture and nutrients.

This supply helps root the cuttings, speeding up the process. Soon the buds will bloom. When planting cuttings, flowering follows within 1.5-2 months. If it is carried out sowing gatsaniya seeds, buds are usually formed 2.5-3.5 months after germination.

Knowing the waiting time for flowering, it becomes clear when to plant gatsaniya seeds or cuttings. Gardeners, in order to decorate the site by mid-summer, lay the material in March and April. You can take cuttings in early May.

In the photo there are gatsania seedlings

Not only the form of planting the plant is important, but also the growing conditions. Expect wild flowering only on sunny sides. Planting gatsaniya in the shade will lead to bending of the stems, scanty leaf rosette and lack of buds.

Midday gold can also wither at temperatures below 18 degrees. This is during a period of active growth. During periods of rest and wintering, many gatsanias can withstand temperatures of +10.

In order to maintain the temperature in the trays with seeds, they are covered with film. Condensation forms on polyethylene. It must be removed, otherwise the seeds may rot.

When removing the film, you need to let the seedlings air out. This way the plants will get used to the conditions. environment, will be hardened. The ventilation time is increased gradually, starting from literally a couple of minutes.

At proper care, it takes about 7 days for cuttings to take root, and 1.5-2 weeks for seeds to germinate. Given the bushiness of gatsania, seedlings are placed in deep and spacious boxes.

From them, overgrown flowers can be easily transplanted, both into pots and into the garden. Its neighbor, African chamomile, is unpretentious and grows equally well next to any other flowers and crops.

Gatsaniya care

Conditions for growing Grazania suggest bright lighting, but not direct rays. While adult plants are still able to repel their “attack,” cuttings are not. For young animals, you need to look for sunlit places where the light does not penetrate at a right angle.

There is no need to worry about watering thanks to the taproot and spreading rosette of leaves. Greenery forms shade, slowing down the evaporation of moisture from the soil under the flower.

Even with prolonged drought, gatsaniya only reduces the size of the buds and reduces the number of inflorescences. The main thing is to protect your pet from the rain. They weaken the immunity of African chamomile, making it susceptible to pests and viruses.

Gatsania is fed every 2 weeks during the growing season. In winter, it is enough to add fertilizer only 3 times. Full spectrum mineral blends are used. If Gatsaniya in the open ground, it is distributed at the rate of 20-25 grams per square.

Gazania, or Gazania, belongs to the Aster family. It can be either annual or perennial. Find out when to sow gatsaniya and how to properly care for it so that the plant decorates the flower garden until late autumn.

Gazania comes from South Africa, so the flower is often called African daisy. However, with its large single baskets, it more closely resembles a gerbera. Depending on the type, the diameter of the flowers ranges from 5 to 10 cm. At the same time, the height of the peduncle does not exceed 15-30 cm.

The flowers come in a variety of colors: white, orange, red, crimson, yellow. Typically with dark spots or stripes at the base that form a ring pattern around a yellow or tan center. There can be up to 35 such inflorescences on one plant.

Their attractiveness is complemented by dark green or grayish-green leaves. They are dense, varied in shape, with thick silvery fibers on the underside of the plate, which serve the plant as protection from cold and retain moisture during drought.

The plant blooms at noon, which is why in Western Europe it is called “midday gold.” And in cloudy weather and twilight, the petals of many types of gazania curl and cover the center of the inflorescence. IN middle lane flowering begins in June and lasts until the autumn cold.

The flower was named after the priest Theodor von Gatz, who translated the botanical works of Theophrastus and Aristotle from Greek into Latin.

Growing gatsaniya from seeds

In the middle zone, gatsaniya is grown in seedlings. Seeds are sown in early March. This can be done at the end of the first spring month, but in this case flowering begins in early July. Please note: seedlings need a lot of light, and if you cannot provide additional lighting, then it is better to sow gatsaniya in April, when daylight hours increase.

The soil in the container for seedlings should be light, well-drained, with an acidity level of pH 5.5-6.5. The seeds are laid out on the surface of the soil in a checkerboard pattern, keeping a distance of 2-3 cm between them, and pressed to the ground. Then they are sprayed with water from a spray bottle, covered with film and placed in a well-lit place with a temperature of 18-20°C. The crops are ventilated daily, condensation is removed, and the soil is moistened with a spray bottle as it dries. Shoots usually appear after 7-14 days.

If the seedlings grow in a fairly deep container, then they can be avoided and planted in open ground in mid-May - early June. If the sprouts are crowded (they have rather long roots), with the appearance of 4 true leaves they need to be planted in peat-humus pots and grown in a room with a temperature of 12-16°C.

Before planting gatsaniya in open ground, it is gradually accustomed to lower temperatures. During the day, the window in the room is slightly opened, but at the same time the plants are protected from drafts.

Planting gatsaniya in open ground

The seedlings are planted in an open sunny place with nutritious but light garden soil. Gatsaniya is drought-resistant, but does not tolerate shade at all, so you need to choose open area, you can even with direct sunlight. It is also important that the area is not damp. If the area is wet, gatsaniya is placed in a raised flower bed with sides so that after rains the water drains away faster.

The picked seedlings are planted together with peat humus pots. And the specimens located in a common container are carefully taken out of the container along with the earthen lump and transferred to a hole previously made in the flowerbed. The distance between plants should be about 20 cm. As a rule, gatsania blooms 3 months after sowing the seeds, so you won’t have to wait long.

Caring for gatsaniya in the garden

Long roots help the plant survive drought, so the flower can survive without watering for several weeks. Gatsaniya is watered only during hot summer. The plant requires almost no care. To obtain a neat flower garden, weeds and wilted inflorescences are regularly removed, the soil is loosened, and the gatsaniya is also fed with liquid complex fertilizer once a month. flowering plants. To curb the growth of weeds, the soil can be mulched. Then maintenance will be reduced to a minimum.

Gatsaniya can tolerate short-term cold snaps down to –7°C, so it usually blooms until November. Each basket does not fade for 2 weeks. With proper care, the flower does not get sick and successfully resists insects.

If you grow gatsaniya as an annual, then in the fall the remains of the plant should simply be destroyed. But you can try to save the flower until next season. For this the most beautiful yet flowering bushes dig up, transplant into containers and keep in a well-lit room at a temperature of 8-10°C. The plants are periodically watered so that the soil does not dry out completely, and in the spring they are planted again in open ground, having first shortened the shoots by half.

This flower looks great in a mixborder, border and border. Long-shooting and single-flowered Gatsania can be used as ground cover plants, because they create a dense blooming carpet. And low-growing specimens (for example, Potsi gatsaniya) are good in containers as decoration for balconies, terraces and houses.

Gatsania - flower of midday gold

This is what they call gatsaniya - one of the most colorful annual plants. There probably won’t be a person who can resist her beauty.

Gatsania - annual or perennial herbaceous plants With short stem or without it at all. The leaves are dark green or grayish-green, dense, very variable in shape, from elongated-lanceolate to pinnate, woolly below, collected in a basal rosette. The inflorescences are single baskets on more or less long peduncles, exceptionally bright and showy, white, yellow, orange, dark red, 5-9 cm in diameter. The dark spots at the base of the reed flowers give the inflorescences a special charm, creating a finely outlined ring pattern, which The color resembles the eyes of a peacock's tail. Achenes are hairy, with a tuft. In 1 g there are up to 250 seeds that remain viable for no more than two years.

Gatsaniyas are exceptionally drought-resistant, heat- and light-loving. For successful cultivation, they require open sunny places, light, nutritious garden soils. They cannot tolerate excess moisture. Quite cold-resistant.

SO MANY INTERESTING SPECIES

The genus Gazania (or Gazania) is named after Theodor von Gaza- Italian priest who translated the works of Aristotle and Theophrastus. In Germany, gatsaniya is called Mittagsgold- “midday gold”, since its inflorescences open only at midday, and even then only in sunny weather.

About 40 species of gatsaniya are known, whose homeland is- Cape Province of South Africa. Relatively few species have been introduced into culture.

Gazania pinnata- This low-growing perennial ground cover plant forms a continuous carpet on the ground surface, suitable for planting in containers and hanging baskets. Flexible, cascading stems of gazania decorate their walls in the best possible way. The leaves are long, pinnately dissected, although they are also lobed, and covered with white hairs. The inflorescences have orange flowers with black spots at the center. It blooms for a long time, although fewer buds are formed in autumn than in summer.

Long-shooting Gatsania (Ga zan ia lon giscapa)- plant 15-20 cm high, with short, creeping stems, narrowly elliptical, entire or slightly cut leaves, bright green above, below- white-pubescent. Inflorescences up to 7 cm in diameter, yellow tubular flowers, ligulate- golden yellow with a brown base and a white border around the edge. Flowering begins in August and continues until cold weather.

Gazania pavonia- a perennial subshrub, grown here as an annual plant. The stem is very short, the leaves are narrow, up to 20 cm long, entire or slightly cut, green above, with hard pubescence, white-pubescent below. The inflorescences are large, more than 8 cm in diameter, yellow tubular flowers, ligulate- bright orange with a black spot at the base. Blooms from mid-summer until frost.

Gazania uniflora- perennial 10-15 cm high with creeping stems. The leaves are long, variable in shape, glabrous above, white-pubescent below (except for the central vein). Inflorescences are up to 5 cm in diameter, light yellow. It blooms from mid-summer to autumn, forming dense, abundantly flowering carpets.

Snow-white Gazania (Gazania nivea)- a perennial plant, has a compact rosette, a woody stem at the bottom and a very strong peduncle. The leaves are whole or pinnately dissected; due to the abundant white hairs, they appear snow-white. Inflorescences are yellow.

Gazania linearris- amazing frost-resistant plant with yellow flowers that bloom for a long time. This variety is especially suitable for dry, sunny rock garden areas.

Gazania splendens hort. has been cultivated since 1755 and is most popular among gardeners. This is a semi-shrub plant that is grown as an annual in temperate climate zones. Its stems are 20-30 cm high, densely leafy, with ascending side shoots. The leaves are up to 10 cm long, dense, entire, sometimes moderately incised, dark green, white-pubescent below, without petioles. The inflorescences of the plant are similar to those of gerbera- large, single, extremely showy baskets with a diameter of 6-8 cm, growing vertically upward. Reed flowers are bright, yellow-orange, orange or red, with spots of brown, black and white at the base; tubular - purple-black. Blooms profusely from July to November. On one plant at good care up to 35 inflorescences can develop.

REPRODUCTION

Gatsaniyas are propagated by seeds and cuttings. To grow seedlings from February to April, seeds are sown in boxes with loose substrate. At the end of April you can sow in cold greenhouses and open ground. At a temperature of 18-20°C, seedlings appear in 1-2 weeks. 4 weeks after sowing, the seedlings are planted in peat pots and grown at a temperature of 12-15°C. They are planted in open ground with a moist clod of earth in mid-May, maintaining a distance of 15-20 cm between plants. Before this, the seedlings must be hardened off. The plant blooms 80-100 days after sowing.

In mid-summer, gatsanias can be propagated by cuttings. Cuttings about 10 cm long are cut from strong shoots and rooted in a loose, moistened substrate. For rooting, they are kept in solutions of growth regulators of auxin nature.- 0.1% naphthylacetic acid (NAA) or 0.5% indolylbutyric acid (IBA). At first, the cuttings are protected from direct sun rays and drafts. Subsequently, before planting in flower beds, they are grown at a temperature of 15-18 ° C and good lighting, watered as needed.

GATSANIA: GROWING CONDITIONS

Gatsania- typical inhabitants of South African arid regions with high humidity at night and heavy dew. It is protected from excessive evaporation during hot times for gatsania by dense, dark green leaves with silvery-white pubescence on the underside. In addition, the pubescence traps drops of moisture. Gatsaniyas are exceptionally drought-resistant, heat- and light-loving. For successful cultivation they require open sunny places. They tolerate high temperatures and lack of moisture well, but with prolonged drought the inflorescences become smaller and flowering stops.

SOIL AND CARE

Gatsanias prefer light, well-drained, nutritious garden soils. They also grow on loose, gravelly soils and receive water thanks to tap roots, which extract it from the depths. They cannot tolerate excess moisture. On heavy clay soils, especially in rainy years, they feel depressed.

Caring for plants involves moderate watering, mulching and loosening the soil, removing faded inflorescences, which promotes the formation of new buds. On fertile soils plants are fed every 4-6, and on more meager- every 2-4 weeks with a weak solution of complex mineral fertilizer at the rate of 20-25 g/sq.m.

DISEASES AND PESTS

Gatsaniya is susceptible to gray rot, which causes tissue rotting. In this case, fungicide treatment is carried out. To prevent the occurrence of this disease, you should avoid excess moisture and do not allocate areas with stagnant water for these plants.

Pests of Gatsania- aphids, snails and sometimes spider mites.

VARIETY OF VARIETIES

Recently, a large number of varieties of gazania have appeared, which are presented on the market under the name hybrid gazania (Gazapia x hybrida hort.). Most often, they are obtained by hybridizing Gatsania brillianti with other species, so they can be called varieties of Gatsania brillianti.

Modern hybrids have inflorescences of different colors- from yellow and pink to reddish-bronze, with sterile tubular flowers, thanks to which the baskets do not fade for a long time. There are also terry forms. Such varieties practically do not produce seeds, so they are propagated only by cuttings. New varieties obtained through seed propagation differ from old varieties in early and abundant flowering. In addition, they are more flexible, tolerate cool weather better, and in the morning the inflorescences open much earlier. Such varieties have low, compact bushes and brightly colored, large inflorescences, often with dark spots at the base of the reed flowers, which makes them more decorative.

Of interest are hybrids with varied colors of inflorescences. Reed flowers are white (Talent Byte, Chansonep Byte), cream (Claire Vanilla), golden yellow (Mipags Gold), fiery orange (Orange), dark pink (Freddy), with large inflorescences(Sunlight).

FOR SUNNY FLOWERS

Gatsania- one of the most colorful annual plants for sunny flower beds, ridges, borders, groups, carpet flower beds, rocky gardens, alpine slides, mixborders, slopes and for cutting. Gatsanias stand well when cut, maintaining freshness for about 8-9 days. They are among the few plants suitable for planting on retaining walls and between slabs on platforms. Suitable for decorating the edges of flower beds, as well as for creating compositions in containers. They are planted in wide outdoor vases or containers in combination with blue ageratum or lobelia. Thanks to the pubescence of the leaves, the plants tolerate high gas pollution of city streets well; they can be planted in ridges on highway medians, etc.

In flower beds they fit perfectly with their South African “countrymen”- arctothis, dimorphotheca, ursinia and venidium. Stunning contrast is achieved in a composition with blue ageratum. Pairs well with chamomile and gypsophila.

BY THE WAY

Gatsanias overwinter indoors without any problems. At the end of September, bring the plants transplanted into boxes or pots into the house and place them in a bright, cool place (temperature no lower than 8-10°C). In winter, plants are watered very sparingly, but the soil is not allowed to dry out completely. In the spring, before planting overwintered plants in open ground, the shoots are shortened by half.

Svetlana Mashkovskaya , Candidate of Biological Sciences

The Astrov family gave the world many bright and original plants. One of them is perennial gatsaniya. They consider her homeland South America. Popularly called South African chamomile, for its similarity with this representative of the flora. They are indeed very similar to the daisies familiar to the inhabitants of our country. Low-growing bushes (up to 30 cm) may be without a stem or have an almost inconspicuous shoot. Inflorescences are presented in single numbers, in the form of a basket. The petals are brightly colored: yellow, orange, lemon and other extraordinary shades. One representative of the flora can be the owner of up to 30 baskets.

It blooms for a long time: from July to October. Thanks to one feature, the plant has another unofficial name - midday sun. It is at this time of day that it opens its petals. The leaves, depending on the species, can be elongated, feather-shaped, or palmately dissected. Color dark or light green.

Use in landscape design

Thanks to his decorative appearance, long flowering and unpretentiousness, gatsaniya is very popular among flower growers and landscape designers. It will become a colorful decoration or. Abundant, breathtaking blooms will maintain attractiveness appearance until frost.

Despite its short stature, the flower is actively used to frame garden paths and as a living border. It performs the same functions in the office. The variety of forms and bright, rich palette amaze the imagination of even the most sophisticated contemplators. As a tapeworm, the South African miracle is planted on a green lawn in small groups, no more than 3-4 bushes.

The plant is the undoubted leader in any flower garden. Bright color, lush flowering and resistance to weather conditions allow the midday sun to transform an extraordinary flower bed into an unconventional, exotic spectacle. The uniqueness of the garden composition will be added by the combination of several varieties of crops, where the color of the plants contrasts with each other.

Combination with other plants

The perennial creates special harmony with such “neighbors” as:

• Iberis;
• ursenia;
• dimorphothecae;
• Venidiums and many others.

The plant is unpretentious and gets along well with other representatives of the flora. It is thanks to this feature that unique ensembles are created in the garden, stunning in their picturesqueness.

Reproduction

There are two ways to increase such beautiful bushes on your site: seed and vegetative.

Seed propagation

The first method, thanks high percentage germination, is very popular. Seeds can be stored in soil for up to 2 years. The plant, unlike many others, blooms already in the first year after sowing. During this process, the seeds are carefully pushed into the ground one at a time, then sprinkled with a thin layer of soil. After lightly spraying the planting site (container) with water, cover it with glass or film.

The most suitable conditions for the germination of South African chamomile are a temperature of 20 degrees, a well-ventilated room. The first shoots appear after 2-3 weeks.

The appearance of the first 3-4 leaves on the shoot is a sign of the need to reduce temperature regime. This will give the crop the opportunity to grow more actively. To better preserve the root system, gardeners use peat cups. Young plants are planted in the ground along with them. In late spring - early summer, when the risk of sudden frosts has passed, you can move the garden planting to a permanent habitat.

Reproduction by cuttings

Cuttings are carried out in mid-summer. This method is not in great demand. It is used because some species do not have seeds. To prepare the material, use a sharp knife. A small part with a bud is cut from an adult plant. The stalk should be about 10 cm. Bottom sheet no longer needed, it is cut off. The cut site is treated with root.

The growth of the root system can be stimulated by immersing the cutting in a root solution. The procedure takes 2-3 hours. Cuttings are planted not in the ground, but in containers. After watering, they are covered with glass. They are transplanted into open soil in mid-March.

Planting and caring for gatsaniya

Soil preparation and planting

Careful preparation of the planting site is the key to a beautiful and flowering bush. The choice is influenced climatic conditions Garden plantings thrive in heat, drought and dry soil. The gardener’s task is to find a plot that will best meet such conditions. When the danger of frost has completely passed, the seedlings can be safely planted in open ground. 3 days before this they are hardened: the containers are taken out into the fresh air. The earth is dug up and loosened. The hole for planting should be of such a size that it can accommodate a seedling with a lump of earth.

The distance between plants should be about 15-20 cm. It is important to provide each hole with a good layer of drainage. For this, gravel, brick fragments or are used. When removing a seedling from a container and transferring it into the ground, you must make careful movements. To avoid damage root system A small spatula with a long handle is used for this process. You can simplify this procedure by planting the seeds in separate peat cups. South African chamomile can be placed in the soil with them. After the seedling has fallen into the recess, the area around it is sprinkled with earth and compacted. It is necessary to organize abundant watering.

To protect the garden planting from weed attacks and moisture evaporation, the hole is mulched. Peat, sawdust and large tree shavings are suitable for this. Further watering does not need to be done daily. Do not forget about the natural adaptation to drought of this gift of the hot continent. Moderate, but regular or abundant, but rare - the garden planting will “approve” any regime that is optimal for the garden owner. Good drainage will remove any excess moisture, thereby protecting the root system of the bush. After each interaction with moisture, mulching is mandatory. Carrying out the procedure in the tree trunk circle, gardeners perform 2 important functions at once: protection against water evaporation and enrichment of the soil with oxygen. At the end you can add a little mulch.

Fertilizers, diseases and pests of gatsaniya

Once a month it is necessary to support the culture with mineral fertilizers. Fertilizer is added during watering. For 1 m², 25 grams of the substance is enough. The plant is susceptible to many diseases and cannot resist insect pests.

A common disease - gray rot . Its appearance is closely related to violation of the rules of watering the plant. When moisture stagnates, it affects the leaves, they become covered with white spots. This unpleasant phenomenon can also become a threat to neighboring garden plantings. When the first signs appear, it is necessary to urgently treat the seedling with a fungicide (special) or Bordeaux mixture. It is always easier to prevent a disease than to treat it. Therefore, it is important to remember and follow the watering requirements.

The most harmful insects are aphids and spider mites.. You can get rid of the first pest without using chemicals: manually or with steady water pressure. For prevention, gatsaniya is treated with various insecticide preparations. You can also plant plants nearby that repel aphids by natural means - smell. This is onion or garlic. In the fight against spider mite insecticide solutions are used. For a positive result, it is necessary to alternate them so that the pests do not become addicted. The midday sun is covered with cling film for two days.

Given the limited knowledge about the world of flora, most likely, not every novice gardener will be able to answer the question of what a gatsaniya plant is. However, if you see this flower at least once, it will be difficult to forget it. Its main advantage is its very bright, beautiful inflorescences, the sight of which brings pure pleasure.

Many people note that gatsaniya strongly resembles a large chamomile. She is one of the popular indoor plants, thanks to the rich color palette and ease of care. However, in order for this plant not to cause problems when growing in a flowerbed, you still have to take into account the characteristics of this plant, as well as follow certain care rules.

general description

Gazania is one of the brightest representatives of the Asteraceae family, which is usually classified as a group of perennial Compositae plants. The Gatsania genus includes more than 30 species. Under natural conditions, it can most often be found in Africa. In our country it is better known as “African chamomile”.

Europeans also came up with their name for it, who know it as “midday gold.” And there is a logical explanation for this, since it is at noon that the plant opens its flowers. After sunset, as well as during bad weather, gatsaniya hides its flowers from others.

Gazania has a rich color palette, which includes shades from white to dark red. Most flowers look impressive thanks to dark spots, located at the base of the reed petals, the sight of which evokes an association with the pattern present on the peacock’s tail. It is necessary to regularly monitor the moment when the flowers begin to fade. At this time, they must be removed, since new buds will take their place.

The most common types

Before planting gatsaniya, it doesn’t hurt to decide on the variety, because there are quite a lot of them, and each has its own characteristics.

Harsh gatsaniya

Among all varieties The harsh gazania especially stands out, thanks to its bright design. Although it is a perennial, it is often grown as an annual plant.

Hybrid gatsaniya

Also known in the genus Gazania is the hybrid one. It appeared thanks to the crossing of a group of varieties: watery, long-shooting, etc. It is also grown as an annual. Of the features of the species, it is worth highlighting more large flowers, having a diameter of 8 cm. The efforts of breeders to develop new varieties were crowned with success: today, domestic flower growers have access to double varieties that do not form seeds during the growing season.

Because of this they can only be reproduced vegetative way . Rich color palette have inflorescences of a hybrid gatsaniya, which includes shades from yellow and pink to bronze-red.

Long rifle gatsaniya

The main feature of the long-shot gatsaniya is its compactness. Adult specimens are not taller than 20 cm. Sufficient Its inflorescences are also miniature, reaching a length of 5 cm. The spots formed at the base of the reed flowers are usually brown, the characteristic color of the flowers is yellow and orange. Regardless of the variety, the tubular flowers are exclusively yellow.

Peacock gazania

Belongs to the group of perennials, main feature is a low-growing stem, elongated leaves, which have hard pubescence on top. During the growing season large flowers are formed, the diameter of which is 8 cm. The tubular flowers have a yellow tint, the reed petals, at the base of which there are black spots, are bright orange.

Reproduction and care features

Gatsania is a light-loving plant, so when planting in shaded areas it is difficult to wait for it to bloom. It is imperative to pay attention to soil fertility, as well as the presence of drainage. It is important to remember that gatsaniya is a drought-resistant plant, for which stagnation of water can be fraught with death. The flower is cold-resistant and can tolerate temperatures down to - 5 degrees Celsius. It also withstands wind loads well.

In order to increase the resistance of gazania flowers to diseases, it is recommended to regularly fertilize with mineral fertilizers every 4-5 weeks. In the soils that contain less nutrients , fertilizers are applied even more often. It is not recommended to choose clay soils for growing gatsania, since there is a high risk of it being affected by various diseases.

The main method of propagation of gatsaniya is sowing seeds. But first we will have to prepare the ground, in which use a mixture of sand and peat with the addition of the necessary fertilizers. It is recommended to place young plants in a checkerboard pattern no closer than 2–3 cm from each other. You need to be especially careful when growing gatsaniya in regions with harsh climates.

• Before the first shoots appear, the seeds should be in the ground under glass to maintain the temperature in the bed at 18–22 degrees Celsius. In places with a milder climate, sowing can be done directly in open ground. Seeds begin to germinate in the second week. Subsequently, it is imperative to pick the seedlings, choosing the moment when the seedlings have formed their first true leaf. During transplantation, be sure to tear off the tip of the root;
• to grow seedlings, you can use any suitable container, for example, containers or individual pots. After about 10 days, the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent location. From now on, caring for gatsaniya will be reduced to keeping the soil moist. Watering should be regular and carried out three times a week;
• You can also grow gatsaniya indoors, using pots for this purpose. An equally common option is when it is planted in vegetable gardens to produce bouquets, as well as for design purposes when decorating streets and parks. IN the latter case they are planted in flower beds. After cutting, gatsania flowers retain their decorative properties for no longer than five days.

The above rules for cultivation, care and propagation apply to all types of gazania plants, since each variety responds positively in the world, however, Excessive moisture is harmful for them.. Therefore, it is enough to follow these recommendations when growing this unpretentious plant, and then gatsaniya will be able to give you pleasure with its bright flowers every season.

Conclusion

Every beginning gardener should get acquainted with gatsaniya, because thanks to its extraordinary qualities it is worthy of growing. First of all, it deserves attention because varied design of its inflorescences. But this is not the main thing, since every gardener can have such beauty, because garcinia is easy to care for. Therefore, in order to be able to admire these flowers, it is enough to familiarize yourself with the basic rules for growing and caring for gatsaniya and follow them exactly.

You must immediately remember that gatsaniya is a light-loving plant, so the decision to plant it under the canopy of trees or in another place where it will be provided with shade will be a big mistake. After all, then she will not be able to please with abundant flowering. No less important for gatsaniya flowers is the watering regime., because if there is an excess of moisture, it will begin to feel uncomfortable and may soon die. At the same time, gatsaniya is a cold-resistant crop, so it easily tolerates light frosts down to -5 degrees. Therefore, it can be safely planted in a flowerbed already in mid-April, when the daytime temperature will steadily remain above zero, without worrying too much about return frosts.