Juggler flower ∗ The 10 best care and planting tips (Mimulus)

origin

Juggler flowers are a genus of plants with the scientific name Mimulus. While the species used to belong to the figwort family, today they belong to the juggler flower family. The genus includes 150 to 170 species, which differ greatly in growth form, size and flower color. Mimulus luteus, also known as Juggler flower is called, is a common ornamental plant next to the spotted juggler flower (Mimulus guttatus).

The main distribution area of ​​the genus is in Australia and in western North America. There are other natural habitats in South America, South Africa, and Asia. Mimulus luteus grows on wet meadows in Chile.

Natural habitats:

• damp locations
• Forests and forest edges
• Bank areas on bodies of water and rivers

growth

Most of the Mimulus species grow as herbaceous plants that are annual or perennial. There are few juggler flowers that develop partially woody shoots. Within the genus, most of the species are land plants and only a small part are aquatic plants that develop submerged leaves or grow above the surface of the water. Mimulus luteus is an upright marsh plant that grows to a height of between 30 and 40 centimeters.

leaves

Juggler flowers develop opposite leaves that are ovate or rounded. The tip of the leaf blade is bluntly rounded. While many species develop an entire leaf margin, the edges of the leaves of Mimulus luteus are covered with small teeth. They are green in color and two to three inches long.

blossom

Mimulus species develop single flowers in the leaf axils or grape-shaped inflorescences at the end of the shoot. The flowers are hermaphroditic and five-fold. They consist of a green calyx tube from which the corolla tube protrudes. The five raised ribs that extend over the individual sepals are striking. The corolla tube ends with two lips. The lower lip consists of three downward or forward curved lobes, which is an ideal place for insects to approach. Two fused, upright or backwardly curved petals act as the upper lip.

Heyday

Cultivated as an ornamental plant, the juggler flower blooms between June and September. Its crown is bright yellow in color and has characteristic red spots that mark the way to the throat. There are up to six large individual flowers on one stem.

fruit

In autumn the flower stalks bear capsule fruits, which contain numerous seeds. They are tiny and are scattered when moving in the wind.

use

The yellow-blooming juggler flower adorns water gardens and, due to its location requirements, is particularly suitable for planting bank fringes and pond edges. It comes into its own in the foreground, as its flowering time lasts for a long time. The plants can be set in larger tuffs and harmonize with tormentil, pechers and various sour grasses.

Is juggler flower poisonous?

There is no evidence that juggler flowers develop toxic plant compounds. The spotted juggler flower is traditionally used in Bach flower therapy and used against fears, hypersensitivity and stress.

Which location is suitable?

Mimulus luteus is an undemanding plant that is particularly comfortable in damp locations. It prefers to grow in partially shaded conditions and also thrives in sunny locations outside the blazing midday sun. A few hours of sunshine in the morning and evening encourage flower formation.

What soil does the plant need?

A moist to wet substrate offers the plant optimal growth conditions. She likes nutrient-rich soils that are occasionally flooded.

Propagate juggler flower

Older juggler flowers have developed a large root ball that can be divided in early spring. To do this, the bale is dug up and cut with a knife or spade dismembered. At the new location, the sub-plants must be well watered so that they can grow quickly.

sowing

In autumn the almost ripe seed pods can be cut off and left to air dry for a few days. Then put the capsules in an airtight container that you keep in a cool and dry place over the winter. In the coming autumn the seeds will open Growing substrate(€ 12.99 at Amazon *) scattered and lightly covered with earth. In a bright place with temperatures around 15 degrees, the seeds will begin to germinate after 14 days if the substrate has been kept evenly moist.

Cuttings

Head cuttings can be cut from the plant in early summer. The shoots should be six inches long. Remove the lower leaves before you put the shoots in Potting soil put. Alternatively, you can stimulate the head cuttings to form roots in a glass filled with water. A warm location favors the rooting, which starts after a few days. As soon as a bushy root system has developed, the young plants are placed in a planter with a mixture of soil and sand.

What is the best time to plant?

Young plants grow in the cultivation container until spring. If no late frosts are expected, the juggler flowers are planted outdoors. The ideal time is after the Ice Saints. Before placing the plant in the prepared planting hole, the rhizome should be watered thoroughly. After planting, a thick layer of mulch is spread over the substrate, which prevents the young plants from drying out.

The correct planting distance

If you want to put several juggler flowers in small groups, you should make sure that there is a distance of 20 to 30 centimeters between the individual plants.

Juggler flower in the pot

Juggler flowers are grown annually in the tub. Plant the plants in a large zinc tub with other marsh plants. The mini moor hardly needs any maintenance and can be left to its own devices. Drainage is also not necessary as the plants rely on wet conditions. The juggler flower sows itself in autumn, so that fresh plants grow in the next spring. Make sure that the bog bed does not dry out. So that the bucket does not freeze in winter, it should be protected with foil or wintered frost-free.

pond

Juggler flowers can easily be planted on moist soil or directly in shallow water in the edge of the river. The water depth is between five and ten centimeters. The excavated material should not be mixed with compost, otherwise the water will be eutrophied. Plant the plant between larger stones. They act as a natural limit of expansion and prevent the juggler flower from displacing small-grown species. Since the plants do not tend to overgrow, is a Plant basket(€ 13.29 at Amazon *) unnecessary. In the company of swampforget Me Not and Marsh marigold Mimulus luteus feels particularly comfortable
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Water the juggler flower

As swamp plants, juggler flowers have a high water requirement. Your root ball must not dry out during the growing season. There is permanent moisture in the vicinity of the pond. With bedding or container plants, you have to use the watering can regularly. The sunnier the location, the more water juggler flowers need. In the blazing midday sun, the need for water increases rapidly. If there is a lack of water, the plants wither very quickly.

Fertilize the juggler flower properly

If the location is near the pond, the plants are not fertilized. There is a risk that too many nutrients will be washed into the water through rain and that it will tip over. Container or bedding plants can be fertilized every two weeks. This is suitable guano(€ 9.82 at Amazon *) or liquid fertilizer.

Cut the juggler flower correctly

You can cut dead shoots regularly to encourage new buds to develop. If you are aiming for self-sowing, some flower stems should always remain standing and mature. As soon as the plant has wilted completely, it can be cut back close to the ground. This prevents dead plant parts from ending up in the water and being decomposed by organisms.

How do I transplant properly?

Well grown stands become more and more beautiful over the years and should not be replanted. If there is no longer enough space for the juggler flowers, you can divide the root ball and plant the partial plants in a new location. This rejuvenates the stock. Such measures stimulate the development of new shoots and roots.

Hardy

Juggler flowers survive mild winters without winter protection. If the temperatures drop significantly into the double-digit minus range, an insulation layer made of straw, leaves and brushwood makes sense. Container plants are stored in a protected location outdoors or in a frost-free winter quarters. The root ball must be kept moist during the resting phase. In spring, the potted plants are used to the outside conditions. From March, place the bucket in a shady place during the day and in the winter quarters in the evening. The final relocation to the outside will take place in mid-May.

Conditions in winter quarters:

• cool temperatures around ten degrees
• dark place
• high humidity

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Pests

In spring, the fresh shoots of the juggler flower are on the menu of snails. Check the bed regularly for snails and collect them. Sharp-edged stones serve as a barrier. You can also spread old coffee grounds on the substrate. The roasted aromas put off the voracious pests. This defense measure is not suitable for plants near water. Coffee grounds contain a lot of nitrogen, which contributes to the eutrophication of the water.

Effective measures against snails:

• Apply special nematodes before planting
• Spread beer traps with lids in the garden
• Set up walking barriers: pottery shards, snail collars or fences

sorts

• Tigrinus grandiflorus: Grows clumpy, not hardy. Flowers yellow with brownish-red spots between June and September. 25 to 30 centimeters high.
• Red Emperor: Mimulus cupreus variety with brightly colored flowers, glowing red. Flowering period from June to September. Reaches heights of growth between 20 and 30 centimeters.
• Orange Glow: Mimulus cupreus variety that forms a dense carpet. The flowers are orange-red from June to September. Between six and eight inches high.
• Mimulus guttatus: Upright or arching ascending. Flowers bright yellow. Between 30 and 50 centimeters high.