Ursinia

Family Lastovnevye. Name: named after the clergyman I. X. Ursinus, who compiled a manual on dendrology, "Arboretum Biblicum". In South Africa Ursinia is called "treasure of the fields", and it fully justifies this name.

Description: the genus includes about 60 species, distributed in South Africa.

Annual and perennial herbaceous or semi-shrub plants. Stems glabrous or pubescent, fragrant. Leaves alternate, toothed, pinnately lobed or pinnately dissected. Inflorescences are heads (capitula), solitary or grouped in clusters. Ligulate flowers yellow or orange, often purplish-brown beneath; tubular (disk) flowers small, dark, fragrant. Fruit - a ribbed achene with a pappus.

Location: cold-hardy and sun-loving. Ursinia are planted in an open, sunny, warm site.

Soil: prefer loose, deeply worked, moderately fertile, permeable, well-drained soils.

Propagation: by sowing seeds directly in the ground in late April–May. Seedlings emerge in about two weeks. Saplings are thinned to leave 20 cm between plants. For seedlings, seeds are sown from late February to late March, covered with sterile sand to a depth of 3 cm. Before germination keep at a temperature of 15-20°. Prick out once. Transplant outdoors after the last frosts at 25-30 cm spacing.

Uses: all the listed species are remarkably beautiful; even the fact that some inflorescences open only in sunny weather does not detract from their merits. Ursinia with delicate leaves and bright inflorescences combine well in flower beds with other annuals and perennials. U. ukropnaya is very good in bouquets, and the inflorescences can be cut even in bud. Ursinia are also planted in containers, large vases, and balcony boxes.