Shell flower type exotic leaflet opposite flower white shaped like shell pot plant simple, elegant and beautiful

Shell flower (Labiatae)

Shell flower (scientific name: Moluccella laevis Linn.) is an one-or two-year herb of the family Labiatae. Plant height 50 Mel 60 cm, stem quadrangular, unbranched. Leaves opposite, cardioid-rounded, margin sparsely dentate; petiole nearly as long as leaves. Flowers white, Corolla lip-shaped; nutlets smooth. The florescence is from June to July.

The shell flower shape is strange, the leaflet is opposite, the flower is white, resembles the shell. Simple and elegant and beautiful, it is often used as a flower arrangement, as well as dried flowers and potted plants. It forms white after drying, which is a good material for dried and fresh flowers. Each shell flower can absorb 150g carbon dioxide and release 56g oxygen every year, so it is a very green plant.

Morphological characteristics

Height is 40-100cm, cordate leaves opposite, with obtuse teeth. The seeds of shell flowers are triangular, they emerge about 1 week after sowing, the seedlings grow slowly, the true leaves grow after 20 days, and they are still seedlings after more than a month. It takes more than 2 months to look like it, and the flowers can be seen in about 3 months.

Small trumpet-like is its sepals, white florets, six whorls, fragrant calyx like shells, florescence from June to July, green is very beautiful. Corolla lip-shaped, calyx green like shell, hence the name. The stem is erect, the stem is quadrangular, and the branching force is weak.

Growing environment

Foliage and flowering plants, like sunlight and well-drained soil.

Distribution range

West Asia and Syria.

Reproduction method

Reproduction: sowing method, autumn, winter, early spring can be sown.

It can be propagated by sowing method in spring, summer and autumn, and the suitable sowing temperature is 15-25 ℃. It can germinate in about a week and transplant in 5-6 true leaves. Cultivation soil with fertile, loose, well-drained loam is better, the soil quality should not be too sticky, otherwise it will not grow slowly. Fertilizer will be applied once a month after transplanting, and stop fertilizing after flowering. In order to promote its branching, coring can be carried out. Shell flowers grow strong, few diseases and insect pests occur, but we should pay attention to the harm of leaf miners. For ornamental needs, sowing can be divided into different stages.

Cultivation techniques

Sunshine: sunshine needs to be good.

Temperature: the shell flower is warm in nature, and the suitable temperature for bearing is 15-25 degrees.

Management: shell flower cultivation soil with fertile loam, good drainage. The shellfish seedlings are 10-15 cm high and pick the heart once, which promotes the branching.

Fertilization: topdressing once a month.

Planting tools / conditions

Tools: flowerpots, sand, shell flower seeds

Conditions: sufficient light, moist soil (note: do not keep watering, easy to rot roots. Water can be irrigated once a day during the seed germination period to ensure that the seed absorbs water, and no light can be seen at this time. When the seeds germinated, the watering time was adjusted according to the soil moisture, but the soil moisture could not be watered. If you pour it, you will pour water through it.

Planting steps

1. Planting shell flowers generally requires flowerpots 15 centimeters in diameter, which can hold 10 to 15 seeds. You can also change the diameter of the flowerpot according to your actual number of seeds.

2. It takes some sand and pebbles to grow shell flowers. Put the pebbles on the bottom first, and then spread the sand on it.

3. Sow the seeds in the prepared pot soil. After putting it, cover it with a layer of five millimeters of sand and keep it moist.

4. Under suitable conditions, it takes about a week to half a month for seedlings to emerge.

Pest control

The land requires fertile, good drainage, 5-6 leaves with soil transplanting, after survival should be fertilized and watered, in order to promote more branches can be topped in the early stage, this flower management is easier.

Strong growth, few diseases, but sometimes there are leaf miners, we should pay attention to prevention and control.

Main value

The shell flower is of peculiar shape, elegant and beautiful. It is a popular flower arrangement lining material in the world. It can also be used as dried flowers and potted plants.

There are a variety of horticultural varieties, but the calyx green is the most, there are white, yellow and other types.

Each shell flower can absorb 150g carbon dioxide and release 56g oxygen every year, so it is a very green plant.

Plant culture

Charming, coquettish.

The only love.