Agrostemma githago 'Milas'

Common name: Calendaria, Neguilla

Description:

The calendaria or neguilla ( Agrostemma githago ) is an annual herbaceous plant that usually grows in wheat fields as a ruderal plant, it belongs to the Caryophyllaceae Family. Agrostemma githago 'Milas' is a variety characterized by its greater flowering capacity. It is a potentially dangerous poisonous plant.

It can reach 100 cm in height, with erect stems covered with gray hairs. Linear leaves 5-25 cm long are arranged on these stems, in opposite pairs, very erect and attached to the stem.

From the apex of each stem sprouts a very petiolate pink flower of up to 5 cm in diameter and with 5 sepals characteristically longer than the petals, in the Northern Hemisphere flowering occurs from May to September. They generate a capsule-shaped fruit with numerous seeds inside.

Culture:

Widely distributed in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, it is a ruderal plant typical of wheat fields that prefers exposure to full sun and can grow in almost any type of soil, preferring limestone soils. It has a generous and abundant flowering that does not require great care.

The temperatures must be moderate, it does not tolerate droughts and excessive frosts. Irrigation should be moderate, maintaining humidity but without flooding.

An organic fertilizer can be added during the planting of this species and, subsequently, mineral fertilizer applied during flowering every 15 or 20 days according to the characteristics of the product.

It can be affected by powdery mildew, aphids and the red spider, and products must be applied to subdue these pests. Although it is a very resistant plant that will respond well to treatments.

Multiplication:

Propagable in seedbeds by germination in late winter and spring.

Applications:

Ruderal plant, very vigorous with abundant flowering, widely used to break the ocher lines of xerophytic gardening. Very suitable for populating and generating a floral dynamic in rockeries and flowerbeds characterized by poor and limestone soils.