Voskovnik
Content:
In this article we will reveal the secrets of the Voskovnik / Сerinthe / - an annual or perennial plant belonging to the Borage family. These are plants of the southern regions of Europe. Voskovnik is a very bright and picturesque culture, with its own significant differences and characteristics. The bluish leaves and inflorescences of the waxweed are unlike any other plant.
On the territory of Russia, in the garden plots, the waxweed is quite rare, until this plant has sufficient popularity. It can be assumed that exotic lovers will appreciate this rare plant in our latitudes, this is a matter of time. The unusual beauty of graceful twisting shoots with bearing decorative two-color buds at the ends will still win over beauty lovers.
Voskovnik looks great not only in the garden space, but also in any bouquet arrangement for the home.
Voskovnik: description of the plant
Voskovnik: photo
The plant is bushy with straight shoots, reaching a height of no more than half a meter. The stalks of the gorse are little branching. Root system with layering close to the surface.
The leaves are triangular or heart-shaped. The deciduous cover is dense, from the side - like a soft protection of wavy shoots. From the outside, the leaves are, as it were, covered with a wax coating, shimmering in the sun. Hence the name from the word "wax".
The ground part of the plant is greenish-purple, each leaf (up to 15 cm long) has a convex vein in the center. The color of the top of the gristle is very intense.
When flowering, rare drooping peduncles appear with many tubular protruding buds. Petals of medium length - up to 30 mm yellow or purple.
The buds open alternately with the gradual replacement of old flowers with new ones. The opened buds of the lower tier bloom first, as if inviting their friends from the upper tier to join. The flowering period is June-October.
As a result, a small round bone fruit with a diameter of up to 0.5 cm is obtained from a wilted bud. Fruits - with a flat base and a black smooth skin, cast in gray silver, sometimes with specks.
Varieties
The Voskovnik genus has many species. Let's talk about the most common ones.
- Small waxweed
Small voskovnik: photo
This undersized, branched annual has gray-gray leaves, the inner surface of which is painted gray. There is more blue in the leaves near the crown. Leaves of gorse are growing along the entire length of the ribbed stem. The tops of the stems are decorated with bright purple tubular inflorescences. The bloom of the small gorse occurs in the middle of summer.
Basically, Lesser Voskovnik is common in Mediterranean countries. Along the rocky roads, you may not even notice the wild plantings of the small gristle.
- Common waxweed
Voskovnik ordinary: photo
Common gristle bushes are prone to strong branching. The plant tends to be up to one meter in height.
Petiole ovate leaves have jagged tips covered with yellowish specks. The common gorse blooms in summer. Numerous short tubes appear on the inflorescences, which gather at the tops in spike-shaped inflorescences. This blooming waxweed has a rich, sweet aroma. But be careful, as the smell is toxic.
The main place of growth of the common waxweed is the swampy lowlands, the territory of the north-west of the Russian Federation.
- Tarot wax
Voskovnik Tarot: photo of a plant
The taro plant is a bush up to 0.4 meters high. The main color of the leaf cover is green. The upper tier of the tarot plant has blue leaves. The inflorescence, like all wax plants, differs in color. At the Taro gorse, the base of the inflorescences is purple, then there is a color transition to dark blue.
- Marsh waxweed
This rare tall-growing variety of gorse has a sprawling crown with brown stems. Due to the fact that the marsh plant is an endangered species, it was listed in the Red Book. The color of the elongated oval leaves of the marsh waxweed is dark green.
The marsh gorse blooms in the middle of spring, forming ovaries, from which oblong earrings appear over time. Marsh wax is an annual plant, its growing places are Asia, North America.
Voskovnik has effective healing properties and is actively used by traditional healers. For many years, the goal of the breeders' work was to create new varieties of gumboil in terms of palette and sophistication. All these efforts only add to the popularity of this plant. Now the horticultural sector can boast of the novelties of the wax crop with specific botanical characteristics, such as:
- purpurascens;
- atropurpurea;
- purpurascens.
Voskovnik: growing from seeds
The plant is grown using the seed and vegetative method. To get seedlings using seed breeding, they start in February. So, first, the seeds of the gumboil are soaked. It is necessary to distribute gristle seeds in the soil to a depth of 10-15 mm at a distance of 50 mm from each other. The sprouts (two from one seed) appear in about one and a half to two weeks.
The seedlings should be well lit with occasional watering. The temperature should be maintained - + 15 + 20 ° С. After half a month, the sprouts are transplanted into open soil at a distance of about 25 cm. The best time for transplanting is mid-spring. Voskovnik begins to bloom from about July.
Hybrid and domestic varieties of gorse are propagated by cuttings. In this case, there is a huge probability of varietal differences. The stalk is taken from the shoot in the apical region, the cut is dipped into a growth stimulant solution, then after about a day, it is placed in the soil.
Voskovnik: outdoor care
Voskovnik: photo
Special care for the gristle is not required, that is, it is minimal. It is planted in fertile soil, fed with mineral and organic fertilizers. Mulching a site with leafy humus will not hurt. Air exchange is necessary for the root system of the gristle, so the bushes should be weeded more often.
For a gruel, the optimal planting site is a lighted area or a small shade. Frequent watering is not required, as excess moisture can lead to root rot. Of course, additional watering is necessary in case of prolonged drought.
When the fruits ripen (after cracking of the drupes), they spill out of the drupes. Thus, self-seeding is obtained. Cross-pollination occurs for crops located next to the beesweed. As a result, the formation of varietal varieties with new traits.
It is worth remembering: in order to prevent self-sowing, it is enough to remove the wilting buds.
Tips for Using Plants in Garden Design
Voskovnik: photo
Voskovnik is a fairly ornamental plant, which leads to its use for landscaping various spaces.
Domestic species are transferred to loggias and balconies, so it is easier for the plant to endure hot days. In addition, the sun has a wonderful effect on this culture.
It is also good to place the crockery in a pot on terraces or along the edges of a garden path. In the fall, when the air temperature drops sharply, the gristle should be brought into the room.
The culture goes well with Mediterranean plants. The curbs and curtains of the lawn carpet are decorated with low types of gristle.Successful combinations with gristle can create petunia, pelargonium, verbena.
Combinations of the same color cannot be discounted. For example, a combination with blue fescue, it will become an excellent neighbor for a gristle.
Separately, it should be said about the cut branches of the beeswax, which remain fresh for a long time. Vase flowers can stay in a vase for more than 20 days and bring joy to others. However, do not forget about pruning the tips of branches and changing the water frequently.