Gomphrena White Ping Pong

Class

Dicotyledons

Division

Angiospermae

Family

Amaranthaceae

Order

Caryophyllales

Genus

Gomphrena

Species

globular

Description

Ornamental annual herbaceous plant with vigorous and rapid growth and an upright habit. Appreciated in the landscape for its distinctive head-like inflorescences that rise above the foliage and are well liked by pollinating insects, thus helping to preserve the biodiversity of the site. Easy to grow, it withstands the heat making it ideal in flowerbeds, borders and roadside roundabouts to create perspective views, as well as inside tubs or planters to add elegance and sensory movement to terraces or balconies.

Variety description

Plant with a very distinctive spherical pon pon flower, white in colour resembling a ping-pong ball, slender high in the foliage. The flower can also be used as a cut flower. Easy to grow and maintain, it withstands heat and dryness well. It can be used both in flowerbeds and tubs, alone or in a mix with neon pink gomphrena. Flowering is continuous from May to early autumn.

Curiosities and special features

It belongs to the Amaranthaceae family comprising some 175 genera and more than 2500 species of plants, some of which are important as food crops such as beet and quinoa and as garden ornamentals such as Gomphrena globosa and Celosia.

Its inflorescences, cut and dried, can be used in dried flower arrangements, retaining their colour for a long time.

The generic term, Gomphrena, derives from the Greek 'gómphos' meaning nail and from 'phrén' meaning membrane or diaphragm, while the specific epithet, globose, comes from 'glóbus' and means globe in reference to the spherical inflorescences.

Origin and distribution

Native to the tropical and subtropical zones of Central and South America, including Guatemala, Panama and Brazil, it was introduced to Europe from India in the early 1700s; today it is distributed worldwide.

The name Gomphrena globosa was first mentioned by Pliny the Elder to indicate a Species of Amaranth; the official classification is instead attributed to Linnaeus.

Flower size

The flower is considered to be medium-sized, small, clustered in a distinctive inflorescence that lends lightness and elegance to the bloom.

Leaf

Leaf has an oval lamina.

Flowering period

Flowering lasts from late spring to late summer and lasts between 120 and 150 days.

Inflorescence

Inflorescence flower head.

Leaf colour

Solid colours.

Plant height

The height of the plant varies from 0.25 to 0.45 m, making it ideal for creating compositions with other ornamentals of different development.

Lifespan

Annualplant.

Where to plant

Used to add ornamental value to flowerbeds, outdoor tubs, borders, planters

Stem

The stem is herbaceous, the variety has no thorns.

Flower

The flower is pom-pom-shaped, small to medium-sized, with a gamopetalous corolla and plain petals. It is arranged in small head-like inflorescences. It flowers from late spring to late summer, with a flowering period of between 120 and 150 days. It is attractive to bees, bumblebees and butterflies.

Growth

Medium to vigorous growing variety.

Plant habit

Plant habit gives an elegant decorative appearance in which the Flower prevails over the vegetation with a strong, dominant touch of colour.

Branching

The upright bearing combines with a medium branching giving an excellent result from an aesthetic point of view.

PH

For gomphrena the optimum pH of the soil or substrate is between 5.8 and 6.2. A level above 6.5 can reduce the availability of boron leading to leaf scorch and chlorosis; check the pH of the irrigation water in this regard.

Soil preparation

Before transplanting in late spring, carry out surface tillage by digging, removing any weeds, bulky stones and residues of previous crops. Bury slow-release organic or chemical fertiliser, which will provide the necessary nutrients for the first stages of development after planting, and break up the most compact or coarse clods. To improve the drainage of excess water, continue by creating a raised bed by slightly bouldering the soil and then carefully levelling by preparing the planting holes at a suitable density.

Sun exposure

Grows well in half shade, full sun, afternoon sun; if possible prefer bright Sun exposures for better flowering.

Ideal climate and temperature

The biological temperature is between 12 and 35 °C. The ideal temperature is between 18 and 20 °C. It also adapts well in hot and relatively dry climates.

Use

With its distinctive head-like inflorescences, it is appreciated in
Outdoor ornamental Landscaping

Hardiness

A variety of medium hardiness, it adapts to climatic conditions not always well tolerated by other ornamentals.

Soil

The ideal soil is medium-textured or tending to sandy, fertile and especially well draining to prevent water stagnation and root rot; for use in pots and planters, a substrate for spring plants based on fibrous peat and perlite is recommended.

Difficulty

A plant that is easy to grow and maintain, the level of management effort required is low, a feature that adds value to the plant.

Growing tips

Some valuable variety-specific tips for best cultivation results:
Prefers warm and humid climate Exposure to direct light

Combinations with other plants

In compositions with Bidens, Catharanthus roseus, Impatiens New Guinea, Lobularia, Mecardonia x hybrida, Petunia x hybrida, Rudbeckia, one can achieve results of refined beauty in flowerbeds, borders or planters by creating perspective movements.

Planting

An average bedding density of 15 plants per square metre is recommended so that each individual specimen can develop compact growth and thus obtain a proportionate and formally balanced overall composition.

Position each seedling with the collar above the soil surface, ensuring that the root ball is well moistened without damaging the roots and watering immediately after transplanting but avoiding water stagnation.

Propagation

Multiplication is by apical cuttings; it is also possible to proceed by sowing, in February in a seedbed or in May outdoors.

Watering

Use rainwater, alternatively from the aqueduct, either manually or by irrigation. After transplanting, assist the seedling to ensure proper initial development in the new site by keeping it at a constant humidity but preventing waterlogging that can lead to root rot. Care should then be taken to allow the soil or substrate to dry out between one watering and the next, avoiding wilting of the plant of course but also excessive watering with stagnation. It is advisable not to water the aerial part of the plant during the afternoon/evening to prevent the possible development of fungal diseases.

Fertilising

During soil preparation, carry out background fertilisation by burying slow-release organic or chemical fertiliser. During the spring-summer period, following proper post-transplant settling, apply a balanced liquid fertiliser specifically for ornamental plants to the medium or soil, to be diluted in the irrigation water according to the appropriate doses and frequencies as indicated on the relevant information label.

Pet safety

Ingestion toxicity for pets not known, consider case-specific.

Edibility for humans

Ornamental varieties are not edible.

Toxicity for humans

Toxicity not known, avoid ingestion.

Tip

The height depends on the amount of water given in summer. In a flowerbed it can reach up to 60 cm in a well-watered and fertilised peaty soil. In height, but normally it is around 35-40 cm. With a spherical crown shape. It does not require removal of the dried flowers as they are also attractive. Gomphrena can also be grown for cut flowers; it requires well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Space the plants 10 x 10 cm apart to encourage taller stems. Use a support net. Harvest 3-4 open flowers. The lifespan of the cut flower is remarkable and sometimes the stem in water starts to emit roots.