Molecule, or Irish bells

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Irish bells are today considered one of the most original garden plants. And this is not surprising: the plant, better known by the name of the mucella, is indeed exotic and unusual. No matter what quality the mucella is used for, it will add originality and extravagance to the design of the garden. But there are other virtues of the molucella, in addition to unusual flowering. Beautiful greens, a non-standard palette of colors, excellent resistance in bouquets compensate for not even such a simple plant care.

Exotic Flowering Molecule

Irish bells, molucella, Moluccan grass and Molucca melissa - as representatives of the genus of molucella do not name, this will not diminish their beauty. Unique exotics with the status of an exclusive accent today from the category of rare plants are slowly moving to the lists of the most fashionable cultures. And the growing popularity of the mucella is not surprising. After all, another green plant with the same original flowering can not be found.

Molecule (Moluccella) - a genus of flowering plants of the family Iasnatkovye (Lamiaceae).

Among the three varieties of Irish bells, there are plants both perennial and annual. But in decorative gardening, universal admiration and love received only one kind - smooth molucella (moluccella laevis)

Smooth molucella - Mediterranean plant origin. This is an annual with a height of 70 to 90 cm with branched shoots and powerful peduncles that form beautiful and original-looking bushes. The leaves of the molucella are rounded, with a beautiful serrated edge. Their color is several tones darker than the color of inflorescences. It is they that attract admirable attention to the mujelle.

True, the flowers themselves have nothing to do with it: small, white, with a barely noticeable aroma, they are almost invisible. And all the admiring attention is attracted by bracts in the form of a pale green cup-funnel, which, without careful observation, seem like bell-shaped flowers. From such "cups" a very dense spikelet inflorescence was collected, sometimes reaching a length of more than half a meter. Tight candles of light green inflorescences, massive and elegant, perfectly straight - a spectacle of unprecedented effect. After flowering, neat fruit boxes are tied with unusual, buckwheat-like tetrahedral seeds.

The flowering of the mucella lasts a very long time. At the very height of summer, at the end of June, the first flowers begin to bloom on the inflorescences, but luxurious green candles will decorate the garden for a very long time - until the fall. In summer, it is very difficult to find such a fresh-looking plant in flower beds and discounts.

The color scheme of the mucella fully justifies the nickname "Irish bells". The saturated light green color of the inflorescences seems refreshingly original, stands out against the usual garden greenery and flowers and reminds of the emerald hills of Ireland.

It cannot boast of the variety variety of the mujelle. The only option to diversify the collection is a dwarf form with smaller cups of bracts, which are located in the inflorescence not with a continuous spikelet, but with peculiar tiers.

In decorative gardening, molyucell use:

as a piece accent, an exotic element in flower beds and discounts;
as a background, central, style-setting plant in mixborders;
in compositions with a focus on green and white;
in the role of an unusual, extravagant decoration of the most catchy design elements -
in particular, in duets with garden sculpture;
as a houseplant;
as a cutting culture - both for live bouquets, and in the role of a dried flower (the mucella perfectly preserves not only its shape, but also its color).

The best partners for the molucella: balsamic, fragrant tobacco, coleus, cineraria, snapdragon, amaranth, dolphiniums, roses, lupins, bells, sages, catnipers, milkweeds.

Conditions Required for Irish Bells

Molecules - plants are photophilous enough, but do not need the brightest lighting. In the garden, they can grow on the brightest and slightly shaded areas. In this case, a change in the intensity of lighting usually does not affect the size of the inflorescences and their beauty. One of the main advantages of the molucella is its ability to tolerate even hot conditions, insensitivity to the summer heat. Despite the fact that light green inflorescences seem delicate, filigree, the mucella will not suffer from the scorching sun. Especially if you provide her with proper care.

But the soil needs to be paid much more attention. In order for Irish bells to please you with decorative flowering, try to avoid heavy and damp soils. But the rest of the mucella to the soil are undemanding. They bloom most spectacularly on fertile and loose soil, but can also settle on almost any garden soil.

Molecule Care

One cannot call complex care for the mucella. It just needs to be attentive, with mandatory procedures that compensate for any vagaries of the weather. And the main task is not to forget about watering. Molyucella needs regular watering, rare with normal rainfall and very frequent on hot days and prolonged droughts.

Irish bells are more than responsive to feeding. Fertilizing leads to more active growth and more magnificent flowering. At the same time, the plant gratefully accepts both conventional mineral nutrition and organic matter. For the molute, which is grown for cutting, fertilizers are applied every 2 weeks. Many gardeners prefer this feeding scheme for ordinary garden flyers, because it allows you to achieve the most colorful flowering.

A very important component of caring for the molucella is the removal of fading flowers. If you notice that a leaf turns yellow on a plant or begins to wilt a flower in an inflorescence, immediately remove it from the bushes.

Annual plants from flower beds and compositions are best removed at the end of autumn. Perennial molucells need a completely different preparation for wintering: plants need to be pruned, sprinkled with soil and covered either with dry leaves and spruce branches, or any reliable method available to you.

Pest and Disease Control

Molecule can be safely ranked among the most sustainable garden plants. But Irish bells will demonstrate their stamina only if they are provided with proper care. With waterlogging, planting in moist soil, plants can suffer from rotting, which affects the roots of the plant.

Propagation of the molucella

Irish bells are propagated only by seeds:

Seedling method

Sowing is carried out in early April in large containers, germinated in cool conditions with a temperature of 14 to 17 degrees under a film or glass. Shelter is removed after sprouts appear, and diving is carried out after the appearance of the first leaf. Molecules need to be planted in individual pots.

For seedlings, not a normal substrate is used, but a mixture of peat and sand. Moulcell seedlings can be transferred to open ground in May, as soon as strong return frosts pass. When planting, you need to maintain a distance of 40 to 50 cm between plants.

Soil sowing

Seeds must be sown immediately in a permanent place at the end of spring. They should not be buried too deeply into the grooves; as they grow, it is necessary to thin out the seedlings.