Care of the Lotus creticus, an ideal plant for gardens near the sea

The Lotus creticus is a plant that produces yellow flowers

Image – Wikimedia Commons / Colforn

Do you dream of a garden whose maintenance is minimal? For that it is important that you choose plants that do not need much attention, such as washed Cretan. This is a herb that lives for several years, and also produces small yellow flowers, but with a very interesting ornamental value.

But if this doesn’t convince you, let me tell you something else: it grows on sandy soils, like those on beaches. So If you live near the coast, this is a plant that you should definitely grow.

Origin and characteristics of washed Cretan

The Lotus creticus is a perennial herb

Image – Wikimedia / Nanosanchez

The washed Cretan or sea horn is native to the Mediterranean region, and to be more specific from the coasts, forming part of grasslands and shrubs typical of those areas. It reaches an approximate height of 40 centimeters, and has long stems that reach a length of up to 150 centimeters.

Blooms during springand when it does, it produces flowers that are grouped in inflorescences of about 2-7 flowers. These measure approximately 2 centimeters, and have a bilabiate calyx and a rounded corolla. The fruits are dehiscent legumes that measure up to 4 millimeters, and contain between 15 and 30 globose and brown seeds of 1,5 millimeters.

What are the care that must be given?

Cultivate a washed Cretan it’s simple. Even if you do not have much experience caring for plants, this is one that will not cost you much to maintain since it is very resistant and grateful. It can grow in nutrient-poor soils, and you don’t have to water it very often, especially if it’s planted in the garden.

It is a herbaceous plant that will last us about 15, 20 years, and that we can easily replace by multiplying it with seeds.. The growth rate is fast, so we just have to decide where we are going to have it. So, let’s see how it has to be taken care of so that we can have it as long as possible:

Location

The sea horn it has to be put in a sunny place. Inside the house, the light conditions are not always the most ideal for plants, and even less so if it is a species that is used to receiving the sun so directly as is the case with our protagonist.

Another thing would be if you had an interior patio or a room with a glass roof; then yes it could grow more or less well. But taking into account that it supports the cold, I recommend that you leave it outside, unless winter in your area brings episodes of intense snow.

Earth

The lotus creticus blooms in spring

Image – Wikimedia Commons / Julius Reis

You need soils that are light and therefore have perfect drainage. If we take this into account, we must choose a suitable land for the washed Cretan:

  • Flower pot: we will put for example a mixture of peat with perlite in equal parts (for sale here!). Other options are mulch with 40% perlite; or peat with perlite and earthworm humus in equal parts.
  • the garden: it is a plant that needs soils that are well drained. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid planting it in those that are compact, since if it is done, the roots would die from lack of oxygen and / or from excess humidity. But if it turns out that the one we have is precisely like this, we will make a 50 x 50 centimeter hole and fill it with some substrate that we have mentioned before.

Irrigation

Rainwater should be used whenever possible, but anyone that does not have chlorine or is neither very acidic nor very alkaline (ideally it has a pH between 6 and 7) will also work. When watering, avoid wetting the leavessince otherwise we would run the risk of being burned by the sun; In fact, this is one of the reasons why it is preferable to water in the late afternoon, since in this way we also get the soil to retain moisture for longer.

If grown al washed Cretan in a pot, it is necessary to avoid putting a plate under it. If we do, we have to think that the water that is not absorbed will end up in that dish, and this is a problem because the roots can rot if we don’t drain it. Therefore, it must be emptied every time we water. But be careful: it is not necessary that we throw that water away. We can pour it into a bottle and use it later.

How often to water? It will depend on the climate and where it is being grown. In general, it will have to be done about 2 times a week in summer, and every ten days the rest of the year.

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It is advisable to pay at washed Cretan with fertilizers such as worm castings (on sale here!) or cow dung from time to timelike once every 15 days during spring and summer. The rest of the year will not be necessary, since their growth rate is reduced and, as a consequence, their nutritional needs as well.

Multiplication

The sea horn multiplies easily by seeds. These have to be sown as soon as possible, as soon as they mature towards the end of spring or summer, following this step by step:

  1. First of all, you have to put the seeds in a glass of water for 24 hours. This will allow you to know which ones will germinate (which will be the ones that sink), and which ones will not.
  2. Meanwhile, it’s time to choose the seedbed. As such you can use anything that is waterproof, be it a flowerpot, or a glass of yogurt with a hole in its base for example.
  3. The next day, fill the seedbed with specific soil, or if you prefer, with universal substrate and water.
  4. Next, place the seeds on the surface, separated from each other, and bury them a centimeter or a little less.
  5. Finally, leave the seedbed outside, in full sun.

The seeds will germinate in approximately 10 days.

Transplant

It is transplanted in springtaking advantage of the rise in temperatures, but only if the roots come out of the pot, or if it has been in it for 3 years or more.

Rusticity

Resists up to -5ºC minimum and up to 38ºC maximum. Nor does the drought hurt if it is in the garden and has been in the ground for more than a year.

The Lotus creticus is a perennial herb

Image – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Care of the Lotus creticus, an ideal plant for gardens near the sea

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