Tuberose is a perennial tuberous plant from the Asparagus family. It is known for its thick inflorescences and delicate waxy flowers, which exude a very pleasant aroma. The smell at the same time resembles a lily, gladiolus and daffodil. Essential oils of the plant are widely used in the perfume industry. Perfumes with notes of tuberose were produced by such well-known brands as Gucci and Dior. The scientific name of the plant is tuberous polyantes (Polianthes tuberosa). The natural habitat of tuberose is in Mexico. From there, it spread in the 16th century to India, northern Africa and Eurasia. Plants do not tolerate winter frosts, so they are grown in pots or dug up annually for the winter.
Botanical Description
Tuberose is a perennial plant. The root system is represented by elongated corms with a diameter of 2-6 cm. They are covered with brown scales. In the lower part, long whitish roots of white color grow. The life cycle of each bulb affects 1-2 years. She grows dense foliage and shoots, and then blooms. Often in the first year of life, flowering does not occur. After flowering, the old bulb dies, and several young children develop next to it.
Grassy ground is updated annually. It consists of a dense erect stem and leaves. The average height of the bush is 35-45 cm. The shoot in the upper part is bare and covered with sedentary dense leaves below. Linear dark green leaves grow 30-45 cm in length and 1-3 cm in width.
In the flowering period (July-October), a high spike inflorescence grows at the top of the stem. Thanks to him, the height of tuberose increases to 1 m. Closed buds are painted in a light pink shade. The flowers sit tightly on the stem on separate drooping pedicels. They have an elongated tube and several tiers of pointed white petals. The length of one bud is 5-6 cm, and its diameter is 3-5 cm. Gentle, but very dense petals resemble pieces of wax.
Open flowers exude a strong, pleasant aroma. In Mexico and some Asian countries, inflorescences were used to decorate the bride’s outfit, compose a bouquet for various festivals and decorate houses. One inflorescence contains 10-30 buds. Flowering of one flower lasts 2-3 days. The lower buds are the first to blossom. After pollination, the fruits ripen — oblong seed capsules with many small, flat seeds.
Types of Tuberose
There are about 13 species in the plant genus. In domestic floriculture, you can find 2 of them and several decorative varieties.
Tuberose broadleaf. The plant has oblong bulbs 5 cm long and 3 cm wide. A single upright stalk is covered with foliage at the base. Wide-line bright green leaves with a shiny surface are collected in a basal rosette. The spike-shaped inflorescence consists of snow-white flowers with a diameter of 4 cm. Flowering is accompanied by a very weak, but pleasant aroma. It falls on April-May.
Polyantes tuberous. The height of the flowering plant is 80-100 cm. The basal rosette consists of narrow, flexible leaves about 50 cm long. Sedentary small leaves 5-6 cm long are located in the lower part of the stem. Tubular white flowers with a strong aroma bloom on the bare peduncle. Their diameter is 5-6 cm. Each loose spike-shaped inflorescence includes 10-30 buds. Decorative varieties:
- Pearl. Terry fragrant variety with a height of 45-65 cm. The diameter of the white flower is 5 cm. The plant is heat-loving, it is grown in containers.
- Sensation. Inflorescences consist of small pink-purple flowers.
- Pink sapphire. A beautiful plant with dense inflorescences. It dissolves large double flowers with a light pink core and a dark purple border along the edge of the petals.
Propagation Methods and Landing
Tuberose is propagated by seeds and daughter bulbs. Seed propagation is difficult, since seedlings in the first year of life are very weak. They need careful maintenance and greenhouse maintenance.
Usually gardeners propagate tuberose with corms. In total, a large flowering plant gives up to 20 children per season. Separate and grow separately can be specimens with a diameter of 2 cm. After flowering and until mid-autumn, corms are not dug up. They are given to mature well. Only when the leaves begin to fade, tuberoses can be dug up, dried and the socket divided into parts.
To prevent corms from drying out, they are stored in wet moss or peat at a temperature of + 15 ... + 18 ° C in complete darkness. Separating the nest is optional, but every 3-4 years this procedure is necessary. Otherwise, the plants are crushed and will bloom worse.
In temperate latitudes, it is convenient to grow tuberoses in containers, which in the fall can simply be brought into the room and not dig up corms every year. Planting soil should be nutritious and well-drained. In the garden, before planting tuberose, sand is poured into the bottom of the pit. The corms are planted strictly vertically - so that the neck is on the surface.
Care Rules
Tuberose requires some effort from the gardener, but she more than rewards beautiful and fragrant inflorescences for her work.
Lighting. Tuberose needs intense diffused light and a long daylight. At noon, flowers should be shaded from the hot sun. In the morning or evening hours, the sun will not harm the plant. In deep shade or with a short daylight, flowers rarely bloom.
Temperature. The plant needs a warm content. It is advisable that the air temperature never drops below + 20 ° C, otherwise growth and flowering cease. When reduced to + 15 ° C, the plant dies. In summer, the flower is grown outdoors (in the garden, on balconies or verandas), but reliable protection against drafts is necessary.
Humidity. Tuberose needs an air humidity of 50-80%. It is recommended to spray it up to several times a day. In hot midday spraying is undesirable. In the open sun, water droplets will serve as lenses and cause burns.
Watering. Tuberose needs moderate but regular watering. To do this, use well-defended, purified water with a temperature above room temperature. The liquid should not linger in the ground, otherwise the bulbs will quickly rot.
Fertilizer. In order for the flower to actively build up green mass and bloom, it must be fed. Liquid mineral formulations or solutions of rotted bird droppings are added to the soil from May to August every month.
Trimming and garter. As it grows, it is necessary to remove wilted, broken or damaged leaves and inflorescences. Long stems break easily, so they must be tied up. In the fall, drooping and yellowed shoots are cut. By removing the entire terrestrial part of the plant, it is possible to force the bulb to hibernate.
Forcing. After a few weeks of rest, you can distill the corm. To do this, they transfer it to a well-lit place and begin to gradually water it. The planting pot should be small (about 5-7 cm). It is filled with garden soil with the addition of sand. Very soon the first sprouts will appear. Flowering occurs 5-7 months after germination.
Diseases and pests. Tuberose can suffer from fungal infections that affect the corm. The aroma of the plant, although it is very pleasant for humans, repels insects. Therefore, parasites extremely rarely settle on it. Only occasionally aphids and spider mites appear on leaflets. Insecticides (Aktara, Biotlin) help to get rid of them.
Tuberose in the garden
Beautiful and fragrant inflorescences of tuberose are planted closer to places of rest in order to enjoy the bewitching smell. It can also be used in central positions in flower beds. To achieve the desired effect, tuberose is planted with dense curtains. It is suitable for decorating rabatok and mixborders.
Polyantes is widely used in container plantings for landscaping balconies and terraces. Most often, it is planted with gladiolus, mallow, rosemary and delphinium. Lush inflorescences are often used to make bouquets. For these purposes, it is necessary to choose plants that have more buds than open flowers.
