Iberis, or Iberis sphaeroides, is a plant in the cruciferous family, a herbaceous genus. It has other common names, including "petal plant," "wall plant," and "pepper plant." It is found in the wild in the foothills of southern Europe, Asia, southern Ukraine, the Caucasus and Crimean Mountains, and the Don steppes. The Iberis genus includes 40 interesting varieties of annual and perennial plants, warm-loving and frost-hardy, herbaceous and subshrubby. Perennial Iberis is planted and cared for to enhance garden landscapes, and photos of it later adorn the walls of city apartments, reminding us of the summer season. Gardeners plant Iberis sphaeroides as a border for lawns, large flower beds, and to decorate stonework and rock gardens.
Description of Iberis
Iberis grows on a taproot, making it difficult to transplant. Its shoots, depending on the species, are either erect or prostrate. The leaves are simple, small, and dark green. The subshrub is adorned with umbel-shaped inflorescences consisting of numerous small flowers no more than 1 cm in diameter.
Iberis flowers are always lush, with the leaves hidden behind a mass of umbel-shaped inflorescences. Flower color varies depending on the subshrub variety and can range from pink, purple, white, lilac, and red. The inflorescences are very fragrant, adding a fresh, aromatic scent to any garden.
Iberis has an interesting flowering season: it blooms in May or August, and the flowers are profuse but short-lived—only about eight weeks. The inflorescences produce fruits in the form of oval or round, two-valved pods. If dried and stored, the seeds remain viable for up to four years.
You may be interested in:Many gardeners grow perennial Iberis from seeds, planting them in greenhouses and carefully tending them. The photo shows which specimens of this amazing plant can be grown in a garden plot.
Care Features
Growing and caring for perennial Iberis after planting it in the garden is easy. Water it only during dry periods to avoid overwatering the roots.
The plants don't require any additional feeding. If gardeners want lush blooms, they feed the Iberian plant twice a summer with a complex fertilizer and promptly remove faded flowers.
After flowering, the stems are shortened by a third to give the bushes a neat appearance. Perennial Iberis flowers, planted at least five years ago and properly cared for, are replanted to maintain large blooms and bushy growth.
You may be interested in:Iberis shoots are planted directly into the ground in the warm spring, after all frosts have passed. This is usually in May. In the garden, perennial Iberis requires a sunny spot with suitable soil, making care easy. The soil should be loamy, sandy, or rocky.
After successful flowering, seed pods grow in place of the flowers. Due to the long flowering period, the pods ripen continuously and are harvested as they mature. They are then dried in a warm place, and the seeds are shelled. The seeds are stored in a cool, dry place.
Many gardeners leave the pods unharvested, allowing Iberian sage to propagate by self-seeding. With the first warmth of spring, seedlings emerge uniformly from the previous year's plantings, which are then thinned out and transplanted to a new location.
This perennial overwinters easily, even in severe frosts. However, when planting perennial Iberis in a garden, care requires covering it with spruce branches for the winter. The photo shows how to prune the bush beforehand, and what part of it remains above ground.
Reproduction of Iberian
This flower grows from seeds sown directly into the soil. Gardeners often use self-seeding because the seeds have time to root in the fall and survive the winter well. Sowing is done in the warm fall to allow the seeds to produce root shoots before winter.
Most varieties of perennial Iberis are sown directly into the ground with the first warm spell in April. Sow the seeds 2-3 weeks apart in different areas, ensuring long-lasting blooms throughout the garden.
The first shoots appear within one to two weeks, depending on warm weather. Young shoots are thinned out, leaving a distance of 25 cm between them. Gardeners choose when to sow Iberis flower seeds. This easy-to-grow plant offers a wide range of options.
Propagation by seedlings requires gardeners to sow the seeds as soon as the spring warms up. To ensure the soil is loose, the seeds should be planted no more than 1 mm deep. The seedbed is then lightly covered with sand from the river bank and covered with glass or plastic to retain moisture and heat.
Planting and caring for Iberis flower seeds is easy, which appeals to many gardeners. Choose sites that receive the most sunlight for growing Iberis. The soil should be well-drained to prevent waterlogging, which can damage the root system.
Seeds are also sown in special boxes, following the same guidelines. Covered boxes are placed outdoors in a sunny location. If frost is forecast, they are moved indoors. Water both the seedlings in the ground and the boxes using a sprayer only, lightly moistening the top layer of soil and sand.
The seedlings do not require picking. They are immediately removed from the lightly loosened soil with a clod of soil to avoid disturbing the delicate roots. They are planted in flowerbeds, maintaining a distance of 15 cm. Then, lightly compact the soil around the newly planted plants and water them lightly.
You may be interested in:Different varieties of Iberian cherry cross-pollinate when grown close together. Therefore, they are planted in different areas or at increasing distances.
Iberian rhododendron is propagated by cuttings, as shown in the video. This applies to perennial varieties that produce strong bushes. Cuttings of 10-12 cm are taken in June and immediately planted in moist soil. The cut area on the bush is treated with ash. However, gardeners often soak the cut shoots in water with Epin, Kornevin, or Heteroauxin for one day.
These are special products that stimulate the growth and development of the root system. The cuttings are then planted in flower pots to allow the roots to grow and strengthen. By the end of summer, they are transplanted to a new location. Before the first frost, the young cuttings establish themselves in the soil, forming strong, independent plants.
Three- to four-year-old bushes are divided after digging if the roots have branched. They are carefully cut, and the cut area is treated with ash. Dividing the root system rejuvenates the plants, and the gardener receives young shoots for new plantings. Photos with these flowers in the background become a source of pride for the gardener.
Pest and disease control
Caring for Iberis flowers after planting includes protecting them from various diseases and pests. Iberis is susceptible to cabbage aphids, flea beetles, and mealybugs. To combat flea beetles, it is recommended to moisten the soil around the bushes.
To get rid of aphids, infested plants are treated with a solution of potassium soap at a rate of 200 ml per half bucket of water. Repeat the treatment after a week. Mealybugs are eliminated by treating the plants twice, with a week's interval, with solutions of Mospilan, Aktara, and Fitoverm.
The root system is often susceptible to fungal diseases. To prevent this, before planting cuttings or sowing seeds, water the area prepared for Iberia with a fungicide solution.
When a fungal disease does occur and the roots rot, the infected flowers are dug up and burned, and the area where they grew is disinfected. This plant is resistant to other diseases and insect infestations. With proper watering, the Iberian daisy's roots will be immune to fungal attack.
Iberis varieties
Of the annual varieties, gardeners cultivate 2 types of Iberian:
- Bitter iberis, Iberisamara;
- Iberis umbrella, Iberisumbellata.
These annuals grow up to 0.3 m tall, with noticeable pubescence at the root collar where the roots branch. Sturdy stems bear blade-shaped leaves with serrated edges, and develop racemose flower stalks bearing numerous 1.5-2 cm white or lilac flowers.
Of the other varieties, the most popular among gardeners are:
- Iberis Tom Thumb, with bushes 15 cm high, white flowers;
- Iberis Hyacinthenbluetige Riesen, bushes up to 0.35 m, lilac flowers;
- Iberis Weiss Riesen, bushes up to 0.3 m, white flowers;
- Iberis Fairy Mixed, bushes 0.25 m high, flowers in a variety of colours.
Popular perennial varieties of Iberian:
- Iberis sempervirens;
- Crimean Iberis, Iberissimplex;
- Rocky Iberis, Iberissaxatilis.
Subshrubs, particularly the perennial Iberis Gibraltarica, require standard planting and care; their beauty and splendor are evident in the photo. This semi-evergreen plant is covered in numerous small pink flowers, which almost obscure the leaves. When grown in the garden, this variety can produce lilac and white flowers. All Iberis varieties require similar planting and care during growth and flowering.
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