Ageratum (Ageratum) is a representative of the aster family. In total, the genus includes 51 species, and the most common of them is a.
Houston (Gauston). The second name of this species is Mexican. Translated from Latin, the name of this flower is translated as “ageless”. Indeed, the Houston Agerantum (Mexican) herb for open ground has rightfully earned the title of champion in the duration of flowering, it is not for nothing that it is often called “long-flowered” among the people.
Several species of Ageratum in the botanical classification have the status of “unknown name” (unresolved name), as scientists still have not come to a consensus about whether they should be considered independent or attributed to other taxa.
Be careful when growing this plant, as some of its species are toxic due to the high content of plant alkaloids.
After reading the material below, you can familiarize yourself with the photo and description of the Houston Ageratum (Mexican), find out when to plant seeds for seedlings for growing in the garden and how to care for this beautiful flower on the balcony.
Houston’s Ageratum – open field herb
The birthplace of the Ageratum Houstonianum (Ageratum Нoustonianum) is Central and South America (from Peru to Mexico).
This is a perennial herb, quite compact (50-60 cm high), long and abundantly flowering. In this it is second only to verbena and lobelia. In the middle lane, it is grown as an annual, since this flower does not hibernate in the open field.
The leaves are rough, diamond-shaped or heart-shaped, sometimes oval, opposite.
Inflorescence is a basket consisting of small flowers, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, collected in complex umbellate shields. The flowers of varietal plants can be azure blue, lilac, bluish lilac, purple, pink, white and other shades. They have a delicate pleasant aroma. Throughout the summer, bees and bumblebees willingly visit the flowers of Аgeratum Нoustonianum, pollinating other plants at the same time.
The seeds are harvested many times as they turn brown.
Blooms in June-October, until the first frost.
Mexican Ageratum varieties
Houston’s Ageratum is the most decorative species of this genus.
The first variety was developed in Germany in 1890. Until the 60s of the last century, over 40 varieties were cultivated. Then there were tetraploid varieties with very large inflorescences (Blue Mink with blue and Bavaria with pale blue inflorescences), which still exist today.
The next achievement was the breeding of heterotic hybrids. Currently, almost the entire assortment is made up of them.
As you can see in the photo, the varieties and hybrids of the Ageratum Gauston (Mexican) differ in height (from 20 to 60 cm), in the color of the inflorescences (white, pink, purple, blue and blue) and in the size of the leaves:
The size of the baskets and complex inflorescences depends on the size of the leaf plates. If the leaves are large, then the complex inflorescences – baskets – are also denser and larger. In small-leaved varieties and hybrids, the opposite is true.
The latest achievements of breeders are the breeding of plants with bright pink and purple-pink inflorescences. In addition, rather tall potted species appeared with pale blue, pink, purple and pure white flowers.
The variety ‘Royal Hawaii’ is very interesting ; it has inflorescences of a rich purple hue.
The Kalinka variety is extremely popular .
Seed germination reaches 80%. It is an ideal plant for sunny balconies. The fluffy caps of the inflorescences, similar to delicate puffs, are very attractive and extremely fragrant. Their volume and number increase markedly if you make early and repeated pinching.
This variety is compact, rather bushy, reaches a height of 20 cm. Its leaves are oval-rhombic. Fragrant red-burgundy flowers are collected in inflorescences up to 5-8 cm in diameter. Flowering is very abundant from June until the first frost. Ageratum “Kalinka” is warm and light-loving, drought-resistant enough. This plant prefers light, moderately fertile soils.
The decorative variety of the Mexican white ageratum “Snow Cover” also blooms profusely from June until frost.
Seed germination reaches 82%. Its flowers are small, narrow-tubular, bisexual, fragrant, collected in small inflorescences-baskets 1-1.5 cm in diameter, which, in turn, are collected in complex corymbose inflorescences up to 10 cm in diameter.
The variety “White Cover” is quite drought-resistant, photophilous, but can grow with little shade, prefers light, moderately fertile soils.
The Pink Beauty variety is distinguished by its special compactness of bushes, the height of which is only 15–20 cm. The flowers of the plant are light and bright pink.
Ageratum Houston of the Blaue Kappe variety has hemispherical bushes 20-30 cm high, lilac-blue medium-sized inflorescences 5-6 cm in size. They adorn the plant from the second half of June to October.
Blausternchen is the smallest variety – its bushes grow no more than 15 cm in height.
The blue flowers of this Mexican ageratum are very small, no more than 1 cm in diameter. The plant blooms at the same time as the previous one.
Differs in reduced resistance to drought. Plants of this variety are suitable for border planting.
Blue Ball is also very short, no more than 18 cm in height.
The bushes are spherical, and the flowers are lilac-blue in color. This plant is resistant to lack of moisture in the soil.
Ageratum Houston of the Blue Mink variety is taller, reaching 20–25 cm, its bushes are columnar. Inflorescences are lilac-blue in color, reach 2.2 cm in diameter.
Fairy Pink is 20-30 cm tall and has vibrant colors – deep pink and lilac. The fiery pink flowers of this Mexican Ageratum variety are especially beautiful.
Another ageratum variety – Bavaria – is characterized by an average height of 25-30 cm for this plant and unusual inflorescences.
They are loose and two-colored – white with sky blue.
Also very popular is the Mexican ageratum white “Alba”.
Hybrid varieties of ageratums have different heights (from 15 to 80 cm).
Their flowers can be white, blue, lilac, blue, purple and mixed in color.
Hybrid Adriatic F1 undersized (15 cm tall, with blue-blue inflorescences)
Atlantic F1 and North Sea F1 (purple-blue flowers)
Ocean F1 (20 cm tall, light blue flowers).
Those who like colorful flower beds can plant not one-color varieties, but variegated mixtures (for example, “Hawaii Mix”). Sowing such Mexican ageratums, you will grow flowers of pink, white, purple, blue and other colors.
Planting and caring for ageratum in the ground and on the balcony
Requirements for environmental conditions. The plant is light-loving, undemanding to soils, but does not like acidic soils, prefers abundant watering. Ageratum Houston (Mexican) refers to thermophilic plants, does not tolerate even minor frosts. Prefers sandy or loamy, light, non-acidic soils. It has a highly developed root system, so it easily tolerates high temperatures.
Sowing seeds. One gram contains up to 2000-10,000 seeds. For seedlings a. Mexican is sown from March to mid-April. If the seeds are planted earlier, the seedlings will need to provide additional lighting. The seed is lightly covered with soil at a shallow depth. To obtain seedlings, the boxes after sowing the seeds are covered with glass or foil. Seedlings appear at 18-20 ° C in 5-7 days. At this time, the drawers are slightly opened for good ventilation. They are placed in a bright place at a temperature of 16-18 ° C. Watering is moderate, but the soil is not overdried, otherwise the small seeds dry up, and the base of the stem of the seedlings lignifies, and they stop branching. Seedlings dive in 3-4 weeks at the stage of 2-3 true leaves, you can thin out with tweezers. In the process of picking, the seedlings are transplanted into other boxes.
This plant does not spread by self-seeding. It is extremely difficult to get your own seeds.
Planting seedlings. Ageratum is thermophilic, in spring even weak return frosts are dangerous for it, therefore, seedlings are planted in the ground only when the danger of a cold snap has passed (as a rule, this is the beginning of June). Planting is done at a distance of 15-20 cm, depending on the height of the variety or hybrid. Seedlings of Ageratum Houston are regularly and moderately watered, every week they are fed with complex fertilizers. Feeding with full mineral fertilizers is possible at the rate of 20-30 g of substance per bucket of water (10 l) and organic fertilizers. Water only in the morning, as the seedlings cannot stand dampness and can get sick. The soil where the seedlings are planted must be weeded and loosened. It is recommended to pinch the elongated shoots.
The plant begins to bloom 60–70 days after the shoots have appeared. For late varieties of ageratum, this period can extend for 100 days. In order for the inflorescences to completely cover the plants, you need to regularly remove the fading baskets. If the garden is very dry and hot, the flowering may stop. It can be restored only by cutting the plants to a height of about 10 cm and feeding them with complex fertilizer. The flowering of plants does not stop even at low positive temperatures.
Care. After planting, when leaving in the open field, the Mexican ageratum needs weeding; in dry weather, watering and loosening of the soil are necessary. In order for the plants to bloom profusely, they must be fed regularly with an interval of 10-12 days with complex fertilizers, avoiding excess nitrogen. If the ageratum is overfed with organic fertilizers, especially fresh manure, then the bushes will become powerful, and they will bloom weakly.
The plant tolerates a haircut well, it is easy to give it any shape. After shaping, ageratum is fed with a complex mineral fertilizer, and then watered.
Reproduction by cuttings. Cut cuttings are placed in water or in boxes with soil. The planting material takes root easily and quickly. Even on the stems of mature plants, in contact with the soil, numerous adventitious roots can form. Cuttings are most often propagated by hybrids for pot culture.
Disease. Ageratum Gauston under unfavorable growing conditions is affected by root rot, cucumber mosaic virus and may undergo bacterial wilting. Also, plants often suffer from insect pests (root and leaf nematodes, whiteflies, spider mites). In this case, the leaves become covered with yellow spots, and they must be removed from the plant.
Using. Ageratum Mexican is planted in rabatki, flower beds, balconies. The border of snow-white flowers resembles mink fur. Due to the long flowering time, this plant is indispensable in any continuous flowering flower bed. If you group several varieties and hybrids together, you can get a spectacular mono flower. It contrasts well with salvia, zinnia, marigolds, rudbeckia and petunias. It is best to create a border in addition to ageratum flowers that do not grow too wide: ageratum, arctotis, balsam, ever-flowering begonia, etc.
Can be grown on balconies, loggias and terraces in containers, hanging pots and flowerpots in the vicinity of alissums, antirrinums, snapdragons, and other plants. The length of the balcony boxes can be any, but their depth should be at least 25 cm, and the width – at least 20-25 cm. Small boxes, of course, are much more convenient in terms of mobility, but the earthen mixture in them dries quickly, as a result of which the plants need more thorough care. If you purchased or made your own boxes from unpainted wood, before planting ageratums, as well as other flowers, they must be painted in 2-3 layers to protect the plants from decay.
Low-growing varieties can be used as carpet plants.
It stands for a long time in the cut, for these purposes tall varieties are grown. Can be used to make bouquets of dried wood.
These photos show how planting and caring for the Mexican ageratum flowers on the balcony is carried out:
