Diascia is a perennial ampelous plant

Diastia can be grown to decorate a terrace, balcony, loggia and, of course, flower beds. When planted in open ground, this flower develops as a creeping or climbing plant.

Popular species and varieties

There are 50 types of ampel diastia, but flower growers prefer to grow only a few of them. Popular types of diastography:

• bearded. Forms a compact bush with lush peduncles and small flowers of various colors;
• felt. Outdoors, this species blooms throughout the summer. On the bushes, many unusual and multi-colored flowers and glossy leaves are formed, which give the plant additional beauty;
• elegant. The plant is characterized by very small foliage and pink flowers;
• alert. This species is distinguished by long creeping stems and beautiful pale pink flowers.

Salmon ampelous diastia

The most popular diastia varieties among gardeners:

• The pink queen. This variety has pale pink flowers with a bronze edging;
• Blackthorn Apricot. Stems are thick, soft, lodging. Flowers with spurs, apricot or salmon shade;
• Ruby Field. The flowers are pink with a dark center.

How ampelous diastia blooms magnificently

Diastia in landscape design

Diastia is a perennial ampelous plant that is best planted on an alpine slide, in a flowerpot or hanging planter. To fill the empty space between other plants, the flower can be planted in a flower bed. Also, diastia looks great in a single planting or in a composition with other colors. In addition, the plant can be planted to decorate the garden path and small paved area. The flower looks spectacular in a suspended balcony container or a tall flowerpot. Its long stems will dangle beautifully to form a floral fireworks display.

Diastia flowers in a basket in a composition with other flowers

Methods for growing and breeding diastia

Diastia can be grown by seedlings or propagated by rooting cuttings.

Growing from seedlings

Ampel diastia, growing from seeds step by step:

1. Plant seeds are laid in a prepared substrate, consisting of garden soil and river sand. The seeds are not sprinkled with earth, but only easily pressed to the surface of the soil.
2. The plantings on top of the container are covered with foil or glass and left indoors at a temperature of 18-20 ° C.
3. When the first shoots appear, the air temperature is lowered to 10-15 ° C.
4. The seedlings are moistened with a spray gun as the top layer of the earth dries up.
5. The grown seedlings are dived in separate containers and pinching the top is carried out to stimulate the growth of the bushes.

Growing seedlings of diastia from seeds

Propagation by cuttings

How to propagate diastia by cuttings:

1. Separate the root cutting (7-9 cm) with 2-3 leaves from an adult bush.
2. Plant in a pot filled with garden soil and wet river sand (in a 3: 2 ratio).
3. Place the pot with the shank in a cool, bright place for wintering.
4. At the end of May, pinch the top of the cutting and transplant it into open ground.

Planting diastography in open ground

For the landing of diastia in open ground, a well-lit and wind-sheltered place is chosen. Prepare the ground before planting. The most suitable soil composition: rotted peat, garden soil, coarse river sand. All are taken in equal proportions. When planting seedlings, it is important to maintain a distance of at least 15 cm.

How diastia grows in a flower bed in a garden

Further care of the plant

It is quite simple to care for ampel varieties of diastia, it is only necessary to water, fertilize and trim the bushes in a timely manner.

Watering

The plant is watered as the top layer of the earth dries up. Watering is best done in the morning or evening, so the moisture will evaporate more slowly.

Top dressing

Only mineral fertilizers are used to feed the flower. The frequency of fertilization is once every 2-3 weeks.

Pruning

Pruning is carried out at the end of the first wave of flowering. All stems are cut, leaving only 5 cm above the ground. During the entire flowering season, it is necessary to remove all inflorescences that have faded or wilted.

Diseases and pests

Diastia is resistant to fungal diseases, but in the presence of excessive moisture in the soil, stem or root rot can develop, which can be eliminated with the help of fungicides.

Bloom

If the plant is planted through seedlings, flowering will occur in early July. When planting by cuttings - at the end of May. Diastia blooms during periods before the onset of frost.

Wintering diastia

Organization of the correct wintering of the plant:

1. Dig out the bush, place it in a pot with loose soil and transfer it to a cool room (temperature no more than 10 ° C).
2. Provide the flower with enough light.
3. Watering is very rare (every 10-14 days).
4. In early March, the plant should be cut, leaving stems no more than 10 cm high.
5. After preliminary hardening, the flower can be planted in open ground.

Other perennial ampelous plants

You can also use other ampel flowers to decorate your home or in landscape design.

Rhipsalis - ampelous forest cactus

Ampel cactus is unpretentious in cultivation, propagated by seeds or cuttings. The plant has thin and long stems on which small but very beautiful flowers appear. The blooming chilocereus cactus looks quite elegant and decorative. Such a beautiful and soft thorn is suitable for decorating your home or any office.

Ampel cactus in pots

Tuberous ampelous begonia

This type of begonia is distinguished by many beautiful double or semi-double flowers, which are located on long stems. Begonia blooms almost all year round, which gives it special value. You can propagate such a begonia by simply cutting the tuber and rooting it. Anyone can easily grow a flower if they know how to plant a tuberous begonia and how to care for it.

Ampel tuber begonia in pots

Katarantus (periwinkle) ampelous

Periwinkle ampelous Riviera has long stems that are capable of rapid growth and branching. It blooms with large, long unfading and dense flowers of a blue or purple hue. The flowering period is quite long - from late May to late August.

How ampelous periwinkle blooms

Bacopa ampelous

The bakopa trailing plant is an annual or perennial that can be grown for several years in a row. As a rule, in warm climates, bacopa is grown as a perennial, and for the period of cold weather it is simply well covered. In the northern regions, the plant is most often grown as an annual, since it is impossible to determine whether it will survive or not in severe frost.

The description of Bacopa says that it is a plant with long stems, small leaves of green-olive color, located in pairs on the shoots. This is an ampelous flower, which, depending on the variety, amazes with a variety of shades. There are some very amazing bacopa varieties, for example, Scopia Double Lavender, in which the flowers have a two-tiered arrangement of petals.

Bacopa ampelous in pots

Blue

Bacopa blue has a long flowering period. Does not require special attention or any special care. Can be planted not only in hanging flowerpots, but also used for planting in open ground.

Pink

Bacopa rosea has long shoots (up to 60 cm) with beautiful openwork leaves and delicate flowers that are painted in a lavender shade. The flower goes well with petunia.

Blue avalanche

This variety has long drooping stems and many green leaves. Flowers are both lilac and blue. Differs in a rather long flowering. Cultivation of Bacopa Blue Avalanche is possible by means of seeds, as well as by cuttings.

Lilac

Bacopa lilac is distinguished by long stems, lush, dense foliage and small lilac flowers. Doesn't need a lot of light and grows well in the shade.

Carolina (Bacopa Caroliniana)

The peculiarity of the variety is long light green leaves, which, under the influence of direct sunlight, change their color to a copper-red hue. The flowers are bright blue, small. Grows well in the shade.

Gulliver pink

Bacopa Gulliver Pink is distinguished by a lush bush, as well as pink and fairly large flowers. This variety is considered quite capricious to grow.

Bacopa Monnieri Psychosis

This plant is also called small-leaved bacopa. Differs in long creeping stems with small leaves. The sheet plate has an oblong shape and a rounded top. Sheet length 0.8-2 mm. Small flowers of white, blue or purple color.

Home ampelous plants will decorate a window or balcony, and will also become an exquisite element in landscape design. There is plenty to choose from - diastia, bacopa, catharanthus and others.