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Aquilegia

Aquilegia flower is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Ranunculaceae. The Latin name of culture sounds like "Aquilegia". The people the flower is called the Orlik or catchment. Still, there are disputes about the origin of the word: there was an opinion that Aquilegia is derived from "aqua"is water, and"legere,"meaning to gather. The opposite view is that the name of the flower related to the word"Aquila", is the eagle.

Data regarding the number of species of this plant vary. Some scientists claim that science knows only 60, but others point to 120 varieties. The natural habitat of Aquilegia – the mountainous regions of the Northern hemisphere of the world. Cultivated about 35 varieties of Aquilegia.

Aquilegia flower quite famous. It is mentioned in such a great work of art like hamlet, where Ophelia, Laertes offers Columbine. Exactly what in England are called columbines.

Repeatedly Aquilegia was captured in the paintings of medieval times. There is a flower always been a symbol of the Holy spirit.

The content of the article:


Aquilegia flower – description

The development cycle of Aquilegia includes two years. The first year of growth is characterized by the emergence of a point of renewal, which is located at the base of the shoot. In the fall, when Aquilegia fades, at this point the socket is formed. After spring awakening flower of rosettes new leaves and stems. From him in the future will go cauline leaves and new flowers. The leaves, which depart from the stalks, Ternate and sessile, and the leaves around the rosette –Ternate-dissected, sitting on long stalks.

A plant gives flowers of different colors, depending on the type of Aquilegia. You can meet violet, purple, blue, white, yellow, and even multicolored flowers. Most of them have a spur with nectar (except Japanese and Chinese varieties Aquilegia). They are represented by growths inside the sepals or petals.

Spur have these types of Aquilegia, such as:

  • Alpine;
  • Olympic;
  • Ordinary;
  • Glandular;
  • Canadian;
  • Blue;
  • California;
  • Gold;
  • Aquilegia Skinner.

Flower a fruiting mnogovintovoy. Aquilegia seeds are poisonous, are of small size and black color. To seed a new plant for a year, after which their viability is worsening.


Growing Aquilegia from seed

The optimal time for planting the seeds of Aquilegia in the ground, the fall, immediately after harvest. In spring when seeds sprout, flowers can be transplanted to the place of their permanent growth.

If you put seeds into the soil immediately after harvest is not possible, you should store them in a cool and dark place. They are mixed with soil and kept in the fridge. In mid-spring, seeds will need to be cleaned from the soil. Then they are planted in wooden boxes filled with humus, leaf of earth and sand in equal parts. After the seeds are placed in soil, they sprinkled the ground, sifting it through a sieve. The layer of earth should not exceed 3 mm. On top of the drawer lay out newspaper or a cloth.

Then the boxes with the seeds removed into a dark place where the temperature is maintained at 18 degrees. The seeds are not watered, but as drying of the soil need to moisten it by spraying. As a rule, the shoots observed after 7-14 days. Transplant the seedlings outdoors after the appearance of the first leaves.


Planting Aquilegia

In the first summer month you can transplant the flowers in the open ground. This is done to Mature plants. We cannot allow the young columbines got the scorching summer sun. To do this, the flowers must be shaded. For permanent "residence" columbines relocated either in August or in may or April next year. The plant will provide color for several years.

Adults Aquilegia not afraid of the sun, but feel quite well in the shade. The first flowers can be seen the following year, and in the third year of life Aquilegia reaches maturity.

For planting plants any soil, but best of all it feels in humus soil. Before planting flowers in the soil you need to dig over and add compost or humus. 1 cubic meter will need 1 bucketfertilizers. Aquilegia not like too tight of check-in. Therefore, a square meter should not have more than 12 stems. If you have selected varieties of plants with a high stem, the distance between them should be about 0.4 mif the stems are low, about 0.25 m.

It should be remembered that the flowers themselves throw seeds in the ground, so you'll have to periodically remove self-seeding. Although some gardeners leave these flowers. After all, a few years later the first landing will lose its former beauty. Old stems can be dug, and new and young to leave.


Aquilegia – plant care

Aquilegia prefers moderate watering. The flower has a strong root system that is able to extract moisture from the deep soil layers. Therefore, lack of fluids can occur only in the very driest months.

It is crucial to weed the soil, not allowing to grow weeds. After a rain or after watering the ground need to loosen. This is especially true for the first months of life colors.

The soil need to fertilize, but too often to make it not worth it. 2 is enough dressing for 3 months. When the flower is in growth, you can add minerals superphosphate (50 g), potassium salt (15 g), nitrate (25 g) and mullein ( 1 square meter the bucket solution). After 1.5 month of feeding must be repeated.

Very easy to propagate flower cuttings. In the early spring until the first leaves, the escape you need to cut the lower part Kornevina rinse, and then place the flower in the greenhouse or in the open ground, but the top cover of the plastic container. Shoots very well feel the shadows in the sand. Watering young cuttings was carried out in a greenhouse. After 10 days it is removed. In order for the plant is ingrained, it will take about a month. After that, the flower can be carefully uprooted and planted in permanent soil.

Pests and diseases Aquilegia

The most common diseases of Aquilegia are:

  • Rust. When a flower rusted, damaged parts should be removed. Then the plant should be soaked in soapy water with added copper sulfate or spraying itpreparations containing sulphur.

  • Grey rot. If the flower is striking gray mold, then you need to promptly remove all damaged leaves and flowers. Diseased parts of the plant necessarily burn. No products against Botrytis are not working.

  • Powdery mildew. This disease affects the flower more often. The stem and leaves of plants covered with fungal bloom, and then die. To cure columbines using processing sulfur colloid with the addition of green soap.

With regard to pests, the flowers most often starts aphid, Cutworm, spider mite and nematodes. Tools such as Malathion, Actellic & pasta yarrow can effectively deal with mites and aphids.

For getting rid of nematodes, you will need to transplant the plant to another place. To were no vermin in new planting in a flower bed you can plant garlic or onions. Those flowers that were nematodes, should be burned.


Aquilegia after flowering

After color period has passed, columbines need to be cut at the socket. If the stems or leaves were exposed to any disease, they must burn. Healthy parts of the plant can be useful for compost.

The next year it is planned to propagate columbines from seed, the stalks need to leave before that time, yet they do not ripen seeds. To the plant itself they are not thrown off, you must cover the stems with gauze.

Also, after the flowering period gardeners start dividing and planting flowers. In the first month of autumn in the soil making seeds for germination next year.

Aquilegia winter

When the plant lives in one place more than three years, its root system greatly expands. The roots begin to emerge from the soil outside, preventing the growth of new shoots and leaves.

In order not to damage the plant and enable the growth of new flowers, cutting stems under columbines spiked peat mixed with humus. This allows not only to cover out-of-ground roots, but also to protect them from frost, and also to feed the flower.


Species of Aquilegia

Species Aquilegia growing in natural conditions, many. At the same time often cultivate the following varieties of plants:

  • Alpine Aquilegia. The flower stalk to the height does not exceed 0.3 malthough there are plants to 0.8 m. Alpine Aquilegia gives a very beautiful and dimensional flowers that diameter can reach 8 cm. They appear in early July. Flowers can have all the shades of blue.

  • Fan-shaped Aquilegia. This sort is called analysis of Akita. The stem height is able to reach 0.6 m. The flowers get delicate blue-purple tint, the edges of the petals bordered with white. On a single inflorescence holds flowers 1-5. This is a fairly undemanding plant that tolerates frost and is actively propagated by seeds.

  • Common Aquilegia. The plant reaches a height of 0,4-0.8 mflowers in diameter reach 5 cm. The color of the petals covers the entire purple and blue scheme. Cultivated plants from the spur without them and also with the petals covered with terrycloth. The plant is not afraid of the cold winters and can withstand temperatures below -35 degrees.

  • Hybrid Aquilegia. This kind of flower is the result of crossing several varieties. Therefore, the height of the plant can reach 0.5-1 m. Flowers often large, the color of the petals varies.

  • Zolotistotsvetkovogo Aquilegia. The flowers have a Golden color and a long spur. Equally well the plant tolerates dry summer and frosty winter. In Russia is rare.

  • Canadian Aquilegia. The upright flowers have a spur, petals reddish-yellow hue. The plant prefers shady glade, does not tolerate drought. Among Russian gardeners up to the present time the canadian Aquilegia is not widely spread.

  • The dark Aquilegia. The maximum height of the stem – 0.8 m. The leaves have a bluish hue, and the flowers dark purple color. In diameter the flowers reach 4 cm. Spur short and curved, petal visible stamens. The color of this variety of Aquilegia is gaining before. First flowers it is possible to wait at the end of the spring. The plant feels good in partial shade. Due to its saturated dark color such analysis is a regular participant in various floral arrangements.

  • Olympic Aquilegia. In height this plant does not exceed 0.6 m. The stem is covered with thick fluff, the flowers havebluish tint, spur very long. Begins flowering Aquilegia Olympic in mid-may. The plant is widely distributed in Iran and the Caucasus.

  • Aquilegia Skinner. The plant tolerates up to 12 degrees. Has a red-yellow petals and straight spur. Common Aquilegia Skinner in North America. This region is the birthplace of the plant.

Alpine Aquilegia

Fan-shaped Aquilegia

Common

Hybrid Aquilegia

Zolotistotsvetkovogo

Canadian Aquilegia

The dark Aquilegia

Olympic Aquilegia

Aquilegia Skinner

In addition, the interest among gardeners call these types of Aquilegia, such as:

  • Blue;
  • Austrocaledonicum;
  • Dichroic;
  • Dribnokvitkovi;
  • Zelenotsvetnaya, etc.

Aquilegia is a flower that definitely deserves to become a decoration of any suburban area.