Among the perennial ornamental plants, the nocturnal plant or night violet stands out with its unusual aroma. It has been grown in European gardens and parks since the 16th century. The night violet flower is called hesperis, from the Greek word “hesperis” - evening. The bright inflorescences open and begin to smell fragrant after sunset. Thanks to the plant's unpretentiousness and excellent decorative qualities, it is cultivated by gardeners all over the world. In Russia, nocturnal plants with lilac, purple and pinkish petals are most often found. But true lovers of hesperis will definitely grow varieties with snow-white and red double inflorescences.
The shape of hesperis inflorescences resembles phloxes
Botanical description and distribution
Matron's noctule or hesperis is a perennial herbaceous plant from the cruciferous (cabbage) family. It can be found in the Mediterranean, the Caucasus, Europe, Asia and Western Siberia. Gardeners brought the flower to North America, where it took root well. There are about 30 species of noctule. The shape of the inflorescences of Hesperis is similar to phlox; one of its many names is “bull phlox”. Under natural conditions it grows in meadows, forest edges, along ponds and roads.
The erect stem of the noctule reaches a height of 80-100 cm. It branches in the upper part. The leaves are green in color with jagged edges and lanceolate in shape. The size of the leaf plates is 3-4 cm wide and 12 cm long. They are covered with silky hairs. Small flowers are collected in loose racemes. The abundance of colors will delight gardeners - lilac, pink, violet, white and lilac shades will create a riot of colors in the flower beds. Each flower has 4 petals with a diameter of 2 cm or more.
Information. Night violet is a common name among decorative flowers. Hesperis is often confused with Matthiola bicorne, which is also called night violet.
The flowering of the brush begins in May and continues until the end of July. The petals gradually open from the periphery to the center of the inflorescence. The spectacular brush can grow up to 20-30 cm in length. The fruits of Hesperis are narrow, flattened pods with brown seeds arranged in two rows. Seed size is 3 by 1 mm. They have good germination, lasting up to two years. In hot weather, the flowering period is shortened. For the unique aroma that appears in the evening, the plant is called night violet.
Advice. Timely cutting of dried inflorescences will help prolong the flowering of noctule.
Decorative culture refers to biennials. In the first year of development, a dense rosette of oval lanceolate leaves is formed. In some cases, small flower stalks are formed. By the end of May of the second year, a stem with lush inflorescences will appear. From the third year, the ability to flower drops sharply, old plants give way to young ones.
Analogue flowers
If for some reason it was not possible to plant matthiola bicornuum on the site, then it can be replaced by its closest relative - grey-haired left-handed grass. The noctule, otherwise hesperis, is also suitable as a replacement .
You can plant lupine, clove or clover on the site. These plants have a less pronounced but pleasant odor.
Matthiola bicornuum is a modest plant, but once planted on the site, it is difficult to refuse the rich aroma that accompanies the plant.
Types of noctule
Most cultivated varieties have simple flowers, but double flowers are also found. In gardens and parks you can find several unpretentious, but fragrant and attractive plant species.
Matron's Evening Violet
An ornamental plant that prefers loose soil. Blooms in the second year of life. Purple flowers are collected in large cylindrical racemes. They have a strong, persistent aroma. Flower diameter is up to 2 cm. Can be grown by direct sowing in the soil in May-June.
Hesperis Romance
A popular decorative biennial with single or double white flowers. The plant is characterized by a persistent pleasant aroma exuded at night. It prefers light areas, but also feels good in partial shade. Used for cutting and designing group flower beds and paths.
Hesperis Inspiration
Branched biennial with simple flowers of lilac, purple or white color, collected in brushes. Prefers slightly alkaline soils. The plant is suitable for planting in mixborders or gardens. Height 80-90 cm. Abundant fragrant inflorescences will decorate any bouquet. It is frost resistant.
Matron's Evening Crimson
An unpretentious flower known as night violet. The branched, erect stems are decorated with many crimson flowers. At night and in the evening, the biennial spreads a pleasant fragrance. Blooms from May to July. Looks great as a background plant for landscape style gardens. Seedlings are planted in June at a distance of 30 cm from each other. Can reproduce by self-sowing.
Evening night beauty
One of the most fragrant varieties of hesperis blooms in the second year after planting. Its flowers of a soft lilac hue are collected in beautiful large brushes. The plant is resistant to frost and disease. It grows to a height of 50-75 cm. The flower is suitable for cutting and is used in group and single plantings. Can be grown on the balcony.
Evening party sad, dark
One of the rare plant species, Hesperis tristis L. Found in central and southern Europe. Its height is 25-50 cm. The light-loving and moisture-loving plant grows on clay and sandy soils. The brushes are large, the flowers are whitish or cream, covered with red veins. The petals are oblong in shape with a blunt tip, their length is 2-3 cm. It blooms from May to June. The leaves of the basal rosette grow up to 10 cm, the stem leaves are shorter.
Propagation using seeds
To properly plant flower seeds in open ground, you must adhere to the following rules:
- Sowing should be carried out from May to October. If you do this in the fall, small shoots will appear in early spring, as soon as the snow melts.
- Seed grains should be buried in moist soil at a depth of 1–2 cm.
- The plant tolerates replanting well; to do this, you need to dig up the flower and, together with a lump of earth on the roots, plant it in the planned place.
- The space between violet bushes should be 30–40 cm.
- Plants begin to bloom in the second year, but if planting is done early, the first flowers will appear at the end of August.
- Night violet can reproduce by self-sowing.
- Seeds usually ripen in late summer - early autumn.
Selection of location and soil
It is recommended to plant night violets in lighted areas. In the lowlands, where meltwater stagnates and snowdrifts lie for a long time, it is better to plant plants. Excessive moisture will lead to rot on the leaves. Hesperis feels good in partial shade; it can be placed under the crown of a tree.
Priming
The plant grows well in slightly alkaline soils. It loves air, so loosening is advisable after each watering. Neutral fertile soil is also an acceptable option. But acidified peaty areas are unacceptable; the noctule will die on them. One of the significant agrotechnical measures is regular weeding. Weeds should not be allowed to grow.
Watering
Overmoistening is not desirable for night violets, so you should take care of drainage. During the growth period, it is necessary to provide sufficient watering, but without stagnation of moisture. Dryness leads to poor flowering. Watering is done once a week, preferably in the morning.
Top dressing
On depleted soil, before flowering, hesperis needs to be fertilized with complex mineral fertilizers. Then it is enough to add wood ash once a month. It will improve the structure of the soil and make it looser. Wood ash reduces soil acidity and increases plant resistance to infections.
Madonna's veil is resistant to frost, it can withstand temperatures down to -20°C. In winters with little snow, it is better not to risk the ornamental plant and cover it with non-woven material.
Landscape use
Due to the shape of the stem, which branches only at the top, and the modest size of individual inflorescences, single plantings of this crop are lost against the background of surrounding flowering plants and do not look advantageous. It is best to plant them in fairly dense groups, without dispersing them over a wide area. In this case, they form a single array with a spectacularly blooming cloud on top. Multi-colored groups can be scattered throughout the garden, filling its empty corners. With such a planting, there is not a lot of noctule on the site. Flowering large plants will look great in the background.
In some cases, you can mix hesperis plantings with other flowers of equal growth and run them in a ribbon along the path or fence. And, of course, it is worth remembering the main value of the night violet - its charming but unobtrusive aroma, especially in humid weather at sunset. The best place for her will be near the recreation area, in close proximity to the summer veranda or gazebo, near a secluded bench in the depths of the garden, a sun lounger or hammock in the patio. Other pleasant-smelling flowers or modest fragrant herbs will be wonderful neighbors in the aromatic garden for the evening plant.
Growing Hesperis
Planting and caring for the night violet flower is not difficult; the photo shows how profusely it blooms when self-seeding in the field.
Madonna's noctule propagates in several ways: by seeds, seedlings and cuttings.
Advice. To prevent self-seeding plants from filling the entire flowerbed, plant young shoots every three years.
Seeds and seedlings
Noctule pods are harvested after the first frost. Small oblong brown seeds ripen in them. Seeds are sown in the spring after the soil warms up or in the fall. When sowing in spring, the beds are covered with plastic film, creating greenhouse conditions.
The plant also propagates by seedlings. To do this, you will need a container with loose soil fertilized with humus. Seeds are sown in early April, covered with a 5 mm layer of soil. The soil is watered from above and then covered with film. The containers are kept in a room with a temperature of 20°C. After 15-20 days, shoots appear. After the formation of three main leaves, the noctule plant is transplanted to a permanent place. They are seated 25-30 cm apart. During the adaptation period, the plant especially needs watering. The development of the root system is facilitated by air exchange, which ensures loosening. Weeds that slow down the growth of flowers should be promptly weeded.
Cuttings
Terry forms of hesperis do not reproduce by seeds. It is necessary to divide the bush in August-September. For cuttings, side shoots formed on the plant after flowering are used.
How to grow seedlings
The most suitable time for sowing seedlings is the end of March - beginning of April. The seeds need to be planted in a box with soil, and the seedlings should then be transplanted, but you can use small cups for this at once, so as not to have to pick them later.
Seedlings should be grown in this order:
- First you need to prepare the soil with a rich content of organic fertilizers or buy a ready-made one that is suitable for night violets.
- The seeds are poured into the soil to a depth of about 1 cm.
- The distance between future shoots should be at least 2–3 cm.
- After the seedlings appear and the first leaves form on them, they must be transplanted into separate pots.
- For full growth, seedlings need to be provided with good lighting and regular watering.
- When the seedlings reach a length of 8–10 cm, they can be taken out into the open air or onto a balcony if the weather is not too cold.
- After 14–17 days, the seedlings can be transplanted into open ground.
To do this, young violets with a lump of earth on the roots are placed in pre-prepared holes and sprinkled with soil. The distance between them should be 25–35 cm. Then the seedlings must be well watered and continued to be cared for as adult plants.
Mattiola care
The plant is considered unpretentious, so even a beginner can grow it. By fulfilling small requirements, the bushes will bloom and smell fragrant:
- Mattiola is a winter-hardy plant, but does not tolerate heat. Therefore, flowers should be watered abundantly. Carry out the procedure in the morning in two steps (10 minutes apart) to allow the flowers to be saturated with moisture. Evening watering is undesirable, as it provokes diseases. Drip irrigation is good for bushes, but don’t forget about excess.
- When caring for mattiola, use mulch - this will protect the bushes from weeds and retain moisture in dry weather.
- Seeds are obtained only from matthiola gillyflower with simple inflorescences. Therefore, terry faded buds are immediately cut off for greater decorative effect.
- Flowers are suitable for cutting and creating various compositions. For these purposes, plants are pulled out of the soil with their roots. They are freed from the ground under running water. Then the bouquet will last 30 days.
- The shrub responds very well to feeding. The flower likes organic matter only before planting. It is introduced in the fall, and the plant is planted in the spring. Fertile soil needs mineral fertilizers up to 5 times a season. Then, as poor soils are fed even more often - 8.
- Loosen the soil, but very carefully so as not to injure the stems.
- Remove weeds in a timely manner and do not leave them on the field.
Mattiola is not fussy to grow
