Kobeja is a liana of amazing beauty.The ornamental plant belongs to the family of Bonyukhovs. His homeland is the humid mountain forests of South America. Named a flower in honor of the Spanish monk Barnabas Kobo, known as a naturalist.
Botanical certificate of the plant
Kobeja climbing got its name because oftenacious creeping stems. This is a lianon-like plant that reaches a height of six meters. Thanks to the numerous antennae with which the flower stems are covered, the kobei clings to any support and creeps until it reaches the top point.
The liana has a strong friable root system withabundantly branched cord-like processes. Flowers large to 80 mm in diameter, the form - graceful campanulate, peduncle elongated. Grow alone or grouped 3-4 pieces in leaf pauses.
Who saw the Kobe - noticed a significant protrudingfor the petals of the stamen and pestle, giving the flowers a special charm. The leaves are soft, light green with a complex peripheral form, which includes three parts.
In landscape design for vertical landscaping, Kobei began to be used in the late 18th century. Since that time, gardeners have begun to be interested in growing kobei.
Species variety of flowers
In native places of kobei grows in the wildnature and is represented by 9 species. At home, a man grows only one variety, considered in the article - kobeya climbing, known and under other names: creeping, curling, Mexican ivy and monastic bells. Kobeja gives many shoots, reaching more than 3 meters in length. Leaves, resembling feathers, openwork with small folds, on the tips of leaf plates branched antennae. As soon as the flowers blossom - they are green and give off a musky smell, over time they acquire a lilac shade, later become dark purple and exude honey smell.
Breeders succeeded in breeding kobei, and as a result of persistent labors a new variety with white flowers was introduced - Albu.
How to grow a kobe in the home
At home, growing in nature, a plantrefers to the number of perennial. In the conditions of domestic growing in our region - this is an annual liana. Being a thermophilic flower, Kobei does not survive the winter. Usually bred by seeds. Reproduction of the plant is not difficult and many gardeners are of particular interest. Doing this, it is worth knowing something about growing a plant from seeds. Seed requires special training.
Sometimes vines are propagated by means of cuttings from the uterine stems.
How the seeds are sown
The conditions for cultivation of kobei include the preparation of planting material. Let's take a closer look at this.
Seeds begin to prepare for planting inthe last weeks of February. Germination sometimes causes difficulties in the structure of the seeds - they are large with a thick, hard shell. Therefore, planting material requires special preparation before landing in the ground. This will make it possible to clean the seeds from the crust by hand. To do this, the seeds are laid out in one layer in a small wide vessel and filled with water. Capacity is covered to slow the process of evaporation of water. Wait until the shell is wet. After that, the outer peel is removed, and the seeds are put back in the vessel. Further purified planting material is worked through:
- folded in two or three layers of paper, moistened with a solution of potassium permanganate;
- Lay the seeds on paper;
- the packed material is placed in a polyethylene bag;
- Kobeju under a film put in a warm, well-lit place.
Cultivation of Kobei seeds is a long process.One sprouting can last up to 20 days. During the process, careful monitoring of the condition of the seeds is required, maintaining the humidity constantly. In the chamber, mold often appears. Watching this, gently rinse the planting material and change the paper.
After germination, the seeds are placed in loose soil,laying them on a flat barrel. From above, about 1.5-1.7 cm of the soil mixture are covered. Kobei is sensitive to the pick and hardly experiences this process. Therefore, experienced gardeners recommend planting seeds in separate plastic cups and top to tighten with a film, simulating the greenhouse conditions.
Growing kobeju climbing, it is necessary to provide the conditions optimal for germination: to place the containers in a bright room and to keep the temperature around 20aboutFROM.
Be sure to sprout glasses with seeds,removing the film daily, for the purpose of airing and increasing the humidity of planting. If the seeds sprouted prematurely, the shoots appear after 7-10 days.
How to Dive Kobey Saplings
Waiting until the plant develops the first twoleaf, hold a dive. When growing from seeds at home, the kobei must be prepared with voluminous pots (not less than 3 liters), filled with drainage, and topped with nutritious soil composition. Transplantation into bulk containers will contribute to the activation of growth and development of the root system, which will allow the plant to easily transfer the planting to the open ground. In addition, the plant will give active growth, the formation of strong shoots, large numerous buds.
Before diving sprouts, the ground is goodwatered. This will facilitate the careful removal without damaging the root system of the young flower of Kobei. When transplanting into new pots, the earth clod is retained to minimize stress for the plant. During the cultivation of kobei, it is worthwhile to ensure the availability of supports to support successful shoots.
Features of the landing of kobei in the open ground
It is better to choose for planting in open groundLight, but protected from drafts. Young seedlings do not like the cold, so the plants are pre-hardened, keeping them for several days before planting on the glass loggia.
Over time, when the threat of frost passes,Seedlings are transferred to a permanent place when grown from seeds. When to plant kobeju? As a rule, this is the end of May - the beginning of July. But even at this time, low temperatures, though very rare, make themselves felt. To protect the Kobe, it is recommended to cover it for some time with non-woven fabric, laid in several layers.
Seedling planting scheme
Flowers are planted, retreating 0.5-1 m betweenplants. At the bottom of the hole pour a mixture of turf, peat and humus in equal proportions. A prerequisite is loose soil. The seedlings are watered, before being removed from the pot, after being placed in the soil, they are only slightly moistened.
The ground around the stem of the plant is mulched. Peat or sawdust is suitable for this purpose.
Do not forget about the supports necessary forweaving and growth of climbing kobei. Cultivation from seeds is accompanied by infrequent moderate watering. Although the plant loves moisture, but from its excess quickly rot.
Application of fertilizers
In the period from the development of the first leaves to the momentthe formation of buds with kobei is fertilized with nitrogen-containing mixtures that promote the build-up of green mass. After that they will be replaced by phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, introduced to stimulate and support flowering.
Considering that Kobei is a large liana, it needs intensive feeding: 2 times a week.
If there is time and desire, then mineral organic fertilizing can be made alternately.
Cultivation and condition of kobei in the winter season
As it was said before, in the domestic conditions of cultivation on the open ground of the kobei there lives exactly one year. Gardeners try to preserve the life of the plant and cultivate kobei as a perennial plant.
Waiting for the end of flowering, the liana neatlydig up, making sure that the root system is not injured, and placed in a container that corresponds to the volume. The pot with the plant is placed in a dark cool room (9-11aboutC) and left alone until spring.
Keeping the kobei in the cellar, the soil is moistened once a month, following the condition of the root system.
After waiting for March, the plant is moved to a warmer room and increases the amount of watering. When the first leaflets are inserted, it is desirable to start feeding the plant, introducing nitrogen compounds.
Growing kobei from cuttings
Activating in growth, young cuttings becomesuitable for reproduction. When taking material, consider that these are fragile processes, and act extremely carefully. Each shoot is planted in a separate small pot filled with moist sand and placed on a light sill, covering the top with a glass jar.
When growing kobei in this way and, if done right, the branches take root already before the beginning of summer. After that they are planted on a permanent place of growth.
As a result of competent care for the kobei youyou will be able to enjoy a colorful carpet of lianas, full of bright purple bells until late autumn. This chic decorative plant is loved by many and is used as a hedge in landscape design, decoration of park areas, for decorating arbors.
