In Europe, this little plant was only introduced a good 200 years ago. There are only 7 types of hussar heads, but many varieties. They are mainly used as hanging plants, balcony flowers, but also as bedding plants. They are good ground cover, suitable for underplanting or for underpainting higher or larger-flowered types of flowers. The hussar heads find ideal conditions in rock gardens.
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The hussar button
Sanvitalia procumbens forms dense mats of rich greens with many small flowers. These hang over the rim of their vessels like a cascade. The plant grows rather flat, prostrate or creeping, but densely bushy and reaches a maximum height of 20 to 35 cm. The flowering time is long, lasts from June to October, sometimes even longer, until the first frost. Unfortunately, these small permanent bloomers are only annual. They are not hardy.
Sanvitalia procumbens is easy to care for and robust. It goes well with vanilla flowers, noble lizards, blue fan flowers, elven spur and other common balcony and container plants. The closely related Aztec gold (Sanvitalia speciosa) is favorable as a neighbor, since the care is the same. The visual similarity is also great. Laypeople can hardly distinguish the varieties.
sorts
There are numerous varieties. But many are so similar, the color differences so minimal, I wouldn’t have a clear view. Except for a few orange varieties, all are yellow. There is also a significantly lighter or darker yellow underneath, but 80 to 90 percent are just yellow. I can’t see any differences, at least not in the pictures I found.
Sanvitalia procumbens
- ‘Gold Carpet’ – yellow flowers, very compact, very early flowering
- ‘Gold Braid’ – golden yellow flowers with a brown-black center, very warm yellow
- ‘Irish Eyes’ – flower color is stated inconsistently, with yellow or orange. Unfortunately I have not found any details.
- ‘Sprite Yellow’ – yellow flower
- ‘Mandarin Orange’ – orange flowers
- ‘Plena’ – double or semi-double yellow flowers
- ‘Yellow Bird’ – yellow flower
- ‘Cuzco Ideal’ – medium yellow variety
- ‘Emily’ – slightly darker yellow flowers
- ‘Million Suns’ – medium yellow flowers
- ‘Sanvitos Sweet Penny’ – slightly darker yellow flowers
- ‘Solaris’ – medium yellow flowers
- ‘Sunbinii’ – warm yellow flowers
- ‘Sunvy Super Gold’ – bright yellow flowers
- ‘Sunvy Trailing’ flowers in warm yellow
- ‘Superbini’ – medium yellow to dark yellow flowers
- ‘Yellowstar Dark Leaved’ – bright yellow flowers
- ‘Talya Sunny’ – yellow flowers
- ‘Aztec Gold’ – medium yellow variety
Care of the hussar button
Sanvitalia procumbens is definitely one of the easiest balcony and container plants to care for. The plants also get along well outdoors. Don’t forget to water them, because the soil shouldn’t dry out completely. They don’t take it well. Nor should they be drowned. Otherwise they are absolutely undemanding and robust. A little fertilizer, a suitable substrate and a warm, preferably sunny location, these plants do not need more. If they should stop blooming, simply prune them back vigorously and new buds and flowers will form. The hussar button is a permanent bloomer, a grateful plant until frost.
location
In terms of location, one can say that the warmer and sunnier the hussar button is, the better the plant develops and the more flowers appear. A partially shaded place is also possible, but the flowering is less pronounced. Shade is unfavorable. In pots you should make sure that the plants are placed on the edge so that they can grow overhanging.
- Undemanding
- Full sun to partial shade
- As warm as possible
- Not susceptible to wind or rain
Plant substrate
The Sanvitalia procumbens is not very demanding when it comes to the plant substrate. Usually balcony and potted plant soil is sufficient. It can be made a little more permeable, this is beneficial for the roots. Since waterlogging is harmful, drainage at the bottom of the pot works very well.
- Undemanding
- Well-drained, loose and fresh, somewhat nutritious
- Commercially available flower and balcony box soil
- Make heavy soils more permeable with sand or gravel
- Sensitive to waterlogging
plant
It is often recommended to put several hussar heads close together because this creates a really thick carpet. I don’t think that’s so nice. I prefer to plant these permanent bloomers in the foreground and some taller balcony flowers in the background. Or even better, delicate grasses. But that’s a matter of taste. A round bucket with the shoots hanging down on all sides is sure to be a feast for the eyes.
- There is nothing else to consider when planting.
- Drainage at the bottom of the pot is good.
- Three plants per hanging basket are absolutely sufficient.
Watering and fertilizing
When watering, it is important not to give too much or too little water. The hussar button does not allow the soil to dry out, but neither does stagnant moisture. That causes the roots to rot and that’s it. Even watering is best.
- Water when the surface has dried well
- Do not let it dry out
- No permanent wetness, then the roots will rot
- Fertilize every two to three weeks with liquid fertilizer
- Alternatively, slow release fertilizers can be used
- It is beneficial to incorporate compost into the soil.
To cut
A cut is usually not necessary. The plant is only to be cultivated as an annual, so there is no need for it. That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t sometimes make sense to use scissors every now and then. A pruning is recommended when the flowering subsides and the plant is otherwise healthy.
- No cutting necessary
- Simply clean off the faded parts of the plant, and new buds and flowers will be formed all the time
- Prune bare plants vigorously, cut away up to two thirds. The plants recover quickly and form dense carpets of flowers again
- Simply cut back shoots that have become too long.
Overwinter
The hussar’s head is an annual plant. It develops from seed to flower and seed maturity in one year and then dies. Wintering is not possible.
Multiply
For this, the hussar button is quite easy to multiply. This is done by sowing, as early as possible in the year. Growing is actually not difficult, but also not that uncomplicated. If you don’t know your way around, it is better to buy young plants. They are inexpensive and bloom early and long.
- Collect seeds from the dead flowers
- From February these can already be sown.
- Of course you can also buy seeds.
- Sowing under glass
- Preculture on the windowsill
- Mix seeds with sand so that the fine seeds mix better.
- Only sieve very finely earth over it.
- Germination at 18 ° C after about 1 to 2 weeks
- The hussar’s head is a bit sensitive in the cultivation phase.
- Separate with the help of a stick
- After the ice saints in the open air
Diseases and pests
Sanvitalia procumbens is robust and healthy and not prone to disease at all. Pests also usually stay away, even snails. If the plants are too wet, there is a risk of botrytis infestation and root damage.
Conclusion
Sanvitalia procumbens or better the hussar button is an easy to care for and blooming plant. It is not as conspicuous as some other balcony and container plants, but convinces with its long flowering time, its many, many flowers and its easy care. If you don’t let it dry up or if you drown it, it will bloom inexhaustibly for months. It does not push itself into the foreground and is therefore a great companion plant for other balcony and container plants. I can only recommend Sanvitalia procumbens. I find the orange varieties particularly beautiful, but I haven’t found them at the gardener’s yet.
