Plant ID card |
|
|---|---|
Botanical name |
Convolvulus tricolor. |
Common name |
Daylight, morning glory, tricolor bindweed. |
Family |
Convolvulaceae. |
Origin |
Southern Europe. |
Dimensions |
35 to 45 cm. |
Foliage |
Deciduous dark green, oval leaves. |
Bloom |
The ephemeral diurnal flowers, of varied colors, appear during the summer season, from the end of spring until September. |
Exposure |
Non-burning sun. |
Ground |
Rich, fresh and well drained. |
Rusticity |
Up to -10°C. |
The belle de jour is an ephemeral diurnal flower that blooms in the morning, only to close and fade in the evening. New flowers thus appear and follow one another for several months to offer a beautiful colorful spectacle. The belle de jour is suitable for growing in beds,
as a ground cover,
in a pot or even in suspension…
Where to plant the daylight?
Belle de jour has the advantage of being able to be planted in many soils, even if they are poor in nature. The flowers will, however, need well-drained soil to flourish and
a sunny
or partially shaded position (especially if you live in the South). It is indeed better to avoid places that are too hot.
The belle de jour is planted in flower beds and flower beds in the garden, at the edge of flowerbeds, in dry rockeries but also in hanging pots and planters. The flowering of the beautiful day flower is
very honey-producing
and attracts a large number of foraging insects.
How to sow the daylight?
It is possible to sow the seeds of the daywort in a terrine, in March or April; or in the open ground, in May or June when the earth is sufficiently warmed.
Sowing in a terrine:
is carried out in a seedling soil composed of one third garden soil and two thirds universal compost. Sow the seeds one by one, in a previously created furrow. Pack well so that the substrate wraps the seeds well;
After two weeks, at a temperature between 18 and 20°C, it is possible to transplant the plants of the belle du jour flower. Get small pots, with a diameter of 10 cm, which you will then place in a cold greenhouse or on the balcony, if it is protected;
From May, replant your day beauties, which will have had time to produce beautiful roots. Plan for 3 to 5 plants m2 and space the plants 0.30 to 60 cm apart.
How to maintain the beauty of the day?
Maintaining the belle de jour flower will require little effort. It is often said that it is a perfect flower for beginners. You just need to water regularly to keep the soil fresh (especially for pot-grown plants!), but be careful
of stagnant humidity,
which these flowers hate. Remove spent flowers when you see them and pinch the ends of the stems so they branch. Nothing complicated to enjoy long, colorful months!
How to multiply the beauty of the day?
The flowering of the beautiful day flower is very honey-producing and attracts a large number of foraging insects. Copyright (c) 2016 JRJfin/Shutterstock. No use without permission.
To multiply the dayflower, in preparation for next year, wait until the end of flowering to collect the seeds in the capsules that have formed.
Keep them carefully until you can consider re-sowing them,
in March-April
if you are sowing them in a pot or in May-June if you plan to sow them in the ground.
What is the difference between beauty by day and beauty by night?
Despite their similar names and their slight resemblance, the beauty of the day and the beauty of the night do not belong to the same botanical family: Convolvulaceae for the first and Nyctaginaceae
,
for the second, like bougainvillea.
The night beauty
(Mirabilis jalapa
), nicknamed "wonder of Peru", is
a tuberous perennial plant
whose beautiful, brightly colored flowers are only visible at nightfall. Like the beauty of the day, it has a very short lifespan but the bushy tuft that it forms is adorned with numerous new flowers every evening.
What are the main varieties of belle de jour?
The Convolvulus
genus
has
around 250 species,
including
Convolvulus tricolor,
which itself has several cultivars:
Convolvulus tricolor 'Pavillon Bleu'
, bright blue;
Convolvulus tricolor 'White Ensign',
with white flowers with yellow centers;
Convolvulus tricolor 'Crimson Monarch'
of a pronounced cherry red;
Convolvulus tricolor
'
Rose Ensign'
with lilac pink flowers and white and yellow hearts.