Why do gladioli gradually change color? This question worries many gardeners who grow this royal flower. If the plant propagated by seeds, then everything could be attributed to cross-pollination. But many gardeners breed gladioli with bulbs, and they must fully convey the properties of the mother plant. What happens to the color scheme?
Possible reasons why gladiolus changes color
As strange as it may sound, various diseases can cause changes in the color of gladioli.Scientists came to this conclusion after conducting research.
Fusarium
Fusarium is perhaps the most dangerous fungal disease of gladioli. It can be identified by the characteristic brown spots on the bulb. If such material is planted, then with a high probability it will not sprout. Otherwise, the seedlings will bloom and then dry out. Leaves on a diseased plant immediately wither. When an infected gladiolus bulb is placed in storage, the fungus disperses its spores onto healthy seed.
Sclerotinia
This disease is also popularly called black rot. It grows well in acidic and dense soil, especially in cold, rainy weather. The first sign of damage to gladiolus is the foliage turning brown, after which the stem rots and falls off. On the affected plant, black areas are observed - agglomerations of fungi. The roots of the bulb change color to brown and then rot. Brown or dark brown spots are also visible on the planting material. There is no cure for this disease. Gradually it spreads to the formed daughter corms.
Botrytiosis
Flower growers call this disease gray rot. Its spread is favored by damp and cold weather. It is during this period that fungal spores are carried by wind and raindrops from affected gladioli to healthy ones.
Characteristic signs of the disease:
- Reddish spots become noticeable on the leaves of flowering plants.
- Flowers lose their decorative appearance, stems and corms begin to rot.
- When digging, the bottom of the bulb breaks or becomes soft.
Such planting material must be destroyed. However, it can be used to collect healthy children without signs of illness.
Septoria
Septoria disease is very similar in appearance to other fungal diseases. The spread of the disease is determined by characteristic spots on the leaves, then the stem is affected. It is no longer possible to cure gladioli. Affected bulbs must be destroyed.
In this case, timely preventive measures are very effective.
Bacterial scab
Pathogenic bacteria enter the gladioli bulbs from the ground. Scab is characterized by erosion on the body of the planting material, but on the ground part of the flower any changes are hardly noticeable. Near the soil itself, you can see brown spots on the leaves, which, without preventive and protective treatments, grow and destroy the flower.
Cancer
Root cancer causes no less trouble than fungi. Harmful bacteria invade the program of cells that are responsible for the formation of children. After digging, you can easily notice diseased bulbs with watery growths. The disease cannot be cured, so it is necessary to carry out prevention in time and get rid of nematodes.
Mosaic
Mosaic began to spread greatly only in recent years. Gardeners consider it a real scourge. A characteristic sign of the disease is the alternation of light and dark spots on the leaves, which subsequently spread to the flowers. The disease negatively affects not only the decorative qualities of gladiolus, but also its growth. Flowers not only change color, but also become smaller and produce fewer buds. At the same time, the bulb looks healthy in appearance. Timely preventive and protective treatments are necessary.
Do gladioli cross-pollinate?
It is believed that gladioli are not able to cross-pollinate.Why? Because they are propagated by seeds only by breeders in order to obtain new varieties.
And when propagated by bulbs, the characteristics of the mother flower are completely transmitted to the baby.
Various varieties
Cross-pollination does not threaten gladioli in private gardens, but it is still recommended to plant them by variety, in groups. This is done so as not to confuse the bulbs during storage and dig them up separately. After all, subsequently only the best and healthiest planting material will be selected, the rest will be discarded. As a result of such actions, only a couple of the hardiest and strongest varieties remain in the garden. As a rule, they have low decorative qualities. The owner gets the impression that the flowers have been pollinated and have all become the same color.
Growing nearby
When planting several varieties of gladioli nearby, cross-pollination necessarily occurs. But in order to observe the result obtained, you must first collect the seeds from the flower, then grow corms from them, and only then they will delight the owner with a new, unexpected riot of colors. This is a long and labor-intensive process, so most gardeners propagate gladioli by separating the bulbous children. With this method, flowers are not afraid of any cross-pollination, even if many varieties with different characteristics are grown nearby.
Gladioli are beautiful and majestic plants. Their color scheme is simply amazing. In order for them to please the owner’s eye for a long period of time and not change the withered varietal characteristics, the plants must be properly cared for, prevented from diseases and pests, and ensure that the bulbs of cultivated varieties do not mix with each other during storage.There is no need to worry that your favorite flower will be pollinated by other gladioli if the gardener does not use seed propagation and is not into selection.
