Ifeon is an exotic flower for our latitudes, which has not yet reached widespread distribution. However, this miniature plant with flowers in the shape of stars will not leave indifferent experienced gardeners and just lovers of exotic novelties.
Characteristics and varieties of ifeon
The most common among us is the ifeon, single-flowered, perennial bulbous plant belonging to the lily family. It arrived to us from the South American tropics and subtropics, so the love of this flower for the sun and heat is understandable. Its greens have a rich emerald hue, and the flowers are snow-white, blue, violet, lilac, pink and dark blue.
Depending on the variety, the shape of the petals may slightly differ: from rounded to sharper.
The most common among gardeners are varieties:
- Album;
- Wisley Blue;
- Charlotte Bishop;
- White Star
- Jessie
The height of the plant from the ground to the maximum point ranges from 15 to 20 cm. Which makes it attractive both for small alpine hills or other types of flower beds, and as a houseplant.
The flowering of the ifeon begins in mid-spring and lasts 6-7 weeks. After this, the foliage gradually dies and the plant goes into a dormant stage.
There is one flower on the stem, with a diameter of about 3 cm, which can be considered quite large for such a small plant. It has a symmetrical shape with six petals. As the bulb withers, new arrows appear and flowering continues.
How to grow an ifeyon at home
The single-flowered Ifeon is an unpretentious plant that propagates easily and does not require special care. Bulbs are acquired and planted at the end of summer. It is advisable not to keep them for long without soil, so as not to overdry. The size of one bulb rarely reaches 1 cm in diameter, so they are planted several in a single pot to a depth of 3-5 cm.
The earth should be light, with the addition of peat, chopped bark or sawdust. An additional drainage is laid at the bottom of the pot. The first month, the plant takes root and gains strength, then shoots begin to appear. Sometimes flowering can begin already in the second month, but more often this happens in winter.
This photophilous plant will please with a large number of flowers in gratitude for the abundance of sunlight, so it is better to put the pot on the south window.
Iphion needs regular moderate watering so that the soil always remains moist. At the end of autumn, several dressings are carried out with standard fertilizers for indoor flowering plants. With the appearance of the first flowers, you should stop fertilizing, but watering is done regularly.
When flowering stops, yellowed foliage can be cut. Watering is minimized, only in order not to dry the bulbs during the dormant period. The flower pot is cleaned in a dark, cool place until the beginning of August, until new shoots appear and the cycle repeats again.
Lovers of summer long vacations will appreciate the Ifeyon. Indeed, during the period of absence from home, you do not have to worry about regular watering and caring for the green pet.
Features of cultivation in open soil
Ifeyon is ideal for framing flower beds and decoration. It should be placed in a calm and well-lit area or in slightly shaded parts of the garden. In warm regions with well-drained soil, flowers do not require special care other than regular watering.
Since mid-August, the plant has been fertilized with mineral fertilizers in several stages. In February, the active stage of growth begins, and in April the first flowers appear. As some of them wither, new peduncles appear, which ensures a continuous flowering period of more than one and a half months.
Bulbs are planted in small groups at a distance of 8-10 cm from each other. This is due to the fact that over time the number of bulbs increases and the flowers form a continuous carpet.
Ipheon breeding
Propagation of the ifheon is done by dividing the bulbs, which is absolutely painless and does not require special preparatory work. It is important not to overdo the bulbs in the air so as not to overdry them. It is enough 2-5 days in air at a temperature of 18-20 ° C, so that the germination of flowers does not decrease.
In the first year after transplantation, the root system is too weak and the number of shoots will be small. But as the bulb develops, the density of foliage and flowers will increase.
How to protect flowers in winter
Ifeon is thermophilic and painfully tolerates wintering in open ground if the temperature drops below 10 degrees below zero. You can insulate it in the following ways:
- non-woven warm material (lutrasil);
- plastic containers or boxes;
- hardwood substrate.
The roots should be covered before the onset of frost and the first snow. In case of snowless winters, several layers of protective coating should be used.
