Highlander plants for ponds. The variety of species of the mountaineer flower, especially its home cultivation and reproduction. Small-headed Highlander "Red Dragon"

Domestic plant with a long and thin rhizome. It can take an erect form if it grows on the shore, and floating if it grows in water. The latter form is more interesting. Its shiny oblong leaves up to 15 cm long lie on the surface, the ends of the stems are bent, raising inflorescences above the water up to 4 cm long of bright pink flowers. It blooms in June - August.
Landing and care.   They are kept in a container, immersed in water to a depth of 50 cm, since it is actively spreading: you have to make sure that it does not jump out of its container and does not become fixed in the neighboring ones. It masks well the transition from shore to water and decorates the coastal zone.
Application.   This species contains tannins in the rhizome and is used in folk medicine. Water infusions and decoctions of leaves in proportions of 1:10 are used to relieve gastric colic, as a mild astringent and diuretic. Brew grass to expel kidney stones, drink with arthritis and gout, back pain. Rhizome has a more pronounced astringent and hemostatic effect and is prescribed for diarrhea (especially dysentery), colitis, hemorrhoids with the separation of "black" blood, etc. The broth is prepared at the rate of 1 teaspoon of powder from dry rhizomes per 250 ml of boiling water, poured into a thermos for 3 hours or boiled under a lid for 10-12 minutes (daily dose). Take 1/2 cup 4-5 times a day. Uterine bleeding is also well stopped by this decoction, the daily dose is 2 glasses for 4 doses.

1

, or cancer necksso named for a short, thick, curved rhizome. Long, elongated basal leaves with sharp ends form a dense bunch, flower-bearing stems up to 150 cm tall are planted with rare small leaves. Inflorescences are light pink, up to 7 cm long. It blooms in May - June. Grade Superbum   - with especially large inflorescences.
  planted on a damp shore, it does not grow aggressively, so you can not limit it. In the autumn it is cut off. "Cancer necks" successfully fit into compositions with different plants and even go to cut.

Highlander pepper, or water pepper - an annual herbaceous plant. The stems are bare, 20-50 (70) cm high, reddish, usually erect, moderately branched from the base, often slightly articulated. The leaves are alternate, oblong-lanceolate, sharp, narrow-wedge-shaped at the base, 3-8 cm long, 0.5-1.5 cm wide. The bells (stipules fused into the tube) are membranous, reddish, cylindrical, bare on the surface, sometimes with short cilia. Fresh leaves have a burning taste. Flowers 3-4 mm long with a simple greenish-pink perianth. The flowers are collected in thin loose drooping intermittent spike-shaped brushes reaching 4-6 cm in length. Fruits - ovoid, black or dark brown nuts. It blooms from July to September. This plant is so inconspicuous that if you pass by, you will not pay attention. But if you pluck it and chew, you will feel a bitter hot-pepper taste. It is often mixed with highlander (Polygonum persicaria), which has a large, pink spike and leaves on a thick reddish stem with black spots that disappear upon drying.
  Highlander pepper is widespread throughout the European part of Russia and Siberia (except the Far North), in the Caucasus, less often in Central Asia and the Far East.
  Highlander grass contains flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, phenol carbolic acids, essential oils, sesquiterpene compounds, vitamins C, K, P, carotenoids.
  In folk medicine, decoction from the herb of the mountaineer pepper is taken for malaria, difficulty urinating, rashes of various origins, tumors and bruises, as an astringent, painkiller, for uterine and hemorrhoidal bleeding. Freshly picked water pepper grass is used externally as a substitute for mustard plasters.
  Currently, in scientific medicine, infusion and liquid extract of water pepper herb are used as a hemostatic agent, mainly for uterine and hemorrhoidal bleeding.

Highlander is fossil (foul grass)

, or grassy grass - An annual plant with a weakly branched stem root. The stem is straight, sometimes rising in the lower part, 20-80 cm high. The leaves are lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, alternate, 3-10 cm long, almost sessile, long-pointed, glabrous, with a red-brown spot on top. The sockets tightly cover the stalk, pinnate, along the upper edge with long cilia. The flowers are collected in final spike-shaped brushes up to 2-3 cm long. The perianth is simple, corolla-shaped, pink, rarely whitish, 2.5-3 mm long. Fruits - black ovoid nuts about 2 mm in size. It blooms from July to September. Widespread weed. It occurs throughout the territory of the Russian Federation: in the European part, in the Caucasus, southern Siberia, the Far East, and Central Asia. It grows along the banks of water bodies, wetlands, moist meadows and ditches, sometimes forming large thickets.
  Highlander grass contains vitamin K, tannins, essential oil, acetic, butyric and ascorbic acids, flavonoids, mucus, sugar and pectin. It increases the viscosity and coagulability of the blood, helps to reduce the muscles of the uterus and intestines, has a laxative, diuretic and weak anti-inflammatory effect, and constricts blood vessels. In domestic folk medicine, a decoction of the grass of the mountaineer is used, with diarrhea, as well as to strengthen the mucous membrane of the gums.
  In medical practice, the infusion of grass of the mountaineer is used as a hemostatic agent for uterine and hemorrhoidal bleeding, as a laxative for atonic and spastic constipation. The grass of the highlander is included in the fees used to treat bleeding of various etiologies and gastrointestinal diseases.

Highlander bird
  Popular names - knotweed, goose grass, wood lice.
  Food, feed, melliferous and medicinal plant.
An annual, bare, short plant (20–40 cm) with a stem root and prone or rising shoots. The stems from the base are branched, dark green, densely leafy. The leaves are small (5-20 mm long), alternate, green or bluish-green, oval, oblong or linear, sessile, at the base with membranous sheaths. The flowers are small, regular, inconspicuous, sit 2-5 in the axils of the leaves. The perianth is deeply five-parted, greenish, along the edge white or pink; stamens - 8, pestle - 1. Fruit - 3-sided, dot-tuberous, black nut. It blooms in May - August, the fruits ripen in July-September. Photophilous plant. It grows near roads, ditches in weedy open places, like weed in fields, vegetable gardens. Often forms continuous thickets. The aerial part of the plant contains a significant amount of ascorbic acid, carotene, fiber, organic acids, sugars, tannins and other substances. Young, leafy shoots of knotweed are used for salads, vegetable soups, as well as seasonings for fish and meat dishes. A melliferous plant with low honey production, although flowers secrete nectar throughout the summer. It is valued as a good grazing and haying plant with high fodder qualities. Cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, rabbits and poultry readily eat it. From the aerial part of the plant, dyes for fabrics are obtained.
  The plant is resistant to trampling, grows quickly, and therefore it is used to create lawns in stadiums, airfields and in parks.

1

  - a ground cover plant with dark pink inflorescences 30 cm high. It blooms in June for three months, is decorative even after flowering, when the fruits and leaves acquire a dark red color. It prefers shade, but grows well in the sun, and is drought tolerant. Used to design the coastal zone of water bodies. The dense green carpet of leaves and elegant inflorescences are perfectly combined with astilbe, peonies, barberries, hydrangeas, spireas, filling all the free space. In fertile soils, the mountaineer related can greatly grow, suppressing weeds and less hardy species.

, or   Sakhalin buckwheat - a plant with a powerful creeping cord-shaped rhizome. The stems are straight, hollow, strong, up to 3 m high, green or brown. The leaves are large, up to 30 cm long and 20 cm wide, oval-oblong, with short petioles. The flowers are small, whitish-cream, collected in a large racemose inflorescence up to 20 cm in length. It blooms from the second half of August to the end of September. The plant is unpretentious, grows well in a bright or semi-shady cool place with moist air. It prefers moist, fertile, well-fertilized, slightly acidic soils.
  During the season they are fed with complex mineral and organic fertilizers. In the dry period, watered. In late autumn, the shoots are completely cut off at soil level.
  Propagated by division, root offspring. Easily tolerates a transplant with a lump of earth. Rhizome mountaineers grow rapidly, in one place they can grow up to 6-10 years or more.
  The mountaineer of Sakhalin is planted as a decorative and deciduous plant to mask farm buildings and create thickets. It goes well with delphinium, meadowsweet, window sill, rudbeckia, phlox.

3

  - a vigorous semi-evergreen plant, whose long spike-shaped inflorescences are able to decorate the end of the garden season. When grown on wet soil, it is practically not a hassle. The main thing is not to plant it next to fragile plants, which it can easily displace. Prefers sunny and semi-shaded areas with moist soil. In a cold climate, it needs shelter for the winter, especially young plants. Most decorative in summer and autumn. Height and width 0.9-1.2 m.

A country artificial pond that does not adorn coastal and aquatic plants is just a pit filled with water. And only with love, a pond planted with caring hands can rightfully be considered a real decorative element of a personal plot.

Depending on the location relative to the water, several groups of vegetation are distinguished, each of which plays a special role in the life of the reservoir.

Oxygenerators

These plants help the artificial pond to “breathe”: they absorb carbon dioxide, releasing oxygen into the surrounding space. They have a wonderful feature - to delay water pollution for a long time. Serve as food for some species of fish. The entire body of the oxygen generator plant is immersed in water, and the upper part only occasionally appears above the surface of the water surface. Among them: swamp (in the photo below), turkish, fontinalis, elodea, rdest, hornwort.

Surface floating plants

Representatives of this species are not fixed at the bottom of the reservoir - they grow and exist, freely floating on the surface of the water mirror. They save water from evaporation under the scorching rays of the sun and blooming. These include azolla, cheesecake, pistach, duckweed, water-red, water chestnut (pictured).

Deep water plants

These "inhabitants" of a summer cistern absorb substances harmful to the water microclimate, they are a natural shading of the water surface and save it from overheating in the sun. These are water lilies (pictured), water buttercups, nymphaeum, egg capsule.

Marsh plants

They prefer wet, never-drying, swampy soil. Their main mission is decorative. Among them are marsh calamus, marshland, marsh callas (pictured), bulrushes, common loosestrife, cattail, water sedge, common arrowhead.

Coastal plants

They are a link between an artificial reservoir and a garden, serve as decoration for a country pond.

Functions of coastal and aquatic plants

• decorate the pond;
• protect water from excessive overheating in hot weather;
• enrich water with oxygen;
• regulate the amount of nutrients and organic matter in the pond;
• prevent decay and flowering of water;
• are an obstacle to the propagation of algae.

  Popular coastal plants

There are a lot of plants suitable for “living” on the banks of a summer cottage pond. Let's get to know some of them better.

Calamus

This low (about 20 cm) perennial plant is ideal for decorating an artificial pond: it can withstand any seasonal adversity. Feels good in open sunny places. Air perfectly takes root on moist, humus-saturated soil; moreover, even silty earth will not confuse this grass.

In the first time after planting, it is important not to forget about regular watering of calamus. And when the plant gets stronger, it can do without water for 2 to 3 weeks. Air is regularly removed from the ubiquitous weeds, since in a year or two thickets of this plant of the coastal strip, the roots will “crush” all weed grass under it, and it will be practically impossible to weed.

Air calmly tolerates frosts in a cold greenhouse or cellar. The plant is transplanted in the fall or with the advent of spring.

Veronica

There are several species of this perennial plant of the coastal zone, the most popular of which is Veronica crib. With its long creeping stems with many oval small leaves, it beautifully covers the vast coastal parts of the pond. Miniature blue flowers are clearly visible on the background of bright greenery.

For the winter, the plant throws off leaves, frosts await its aboveground parts, hiding in the muddy ground, so that in the spring they again acquire a carpet of new shoots growing in all directions. Sometimes Veronica is immersed in water - it does not have enough air, and then on the stems of the plant a large number of air-borne pores are formed. They make Veronica light, which allows it to swim on the surface of the water surface. The plant is propagated by cuttings.

Highlander Serpentine

Describing coastal plants for a pond, one cannot help but recall the highlander. The long pink shades of this beauty's inflorescences bring a revitalizing note to the overall monophonic picture of the coastal strip.

The highlander blooms in early summer, he loves the sun and boldly tolerates the cold, not needing shelter. It grows well on moist ground, especially where there are humus loams. The plant does not require close attention in terms of pruning, since it grows at a moderate pace. Highlander cut off in the fall.

The plant is divided using rhizomes and seeds. In the first time after a transplant, the highlander needs to be watered often. Without a transplant, this perennial can live in one place for quite a long time (from 5 to 10 years).

St. John's wort

A short plant prefers shallow water. Its creeping cloth, decorated with small pubescent leaves, is perfect for filling the "bald" places between tall coastal plants. From mid to late summer, St. John's wort blooms with elegant yellow flowers, similar to calyx.

Planting depth is approximately 5 cm from the water level in the pond. St. John's wort can be easily propagated by dividing a bush in spring or using cuttings in summer.

Iris Swamp

These coastal plants of water bodies can be called universal: their rhizomes feel good both in water and on land. Iris - perennial, begins to bloom in late June.

The plant is not afraid of a sudden increase in the water level in the country pond and withstands flooding for a long time. But the drying of the soil does not affect the iris in the best way - it loses its decorative qualities. The plant tolerates shade well, despite the fact that it is very fond of the sun. When landing, it is best to choose a place where the iris will be protected from the wind from all sides. The plant does not need shelter for the winter period.

Iris is propagated by seed and vegetatively. Some of its species can easily be propagated by the kidney-bearing parts of the roots. Before planting, examine its rhizomes, without fail removing those old parts where there are no buds. Planted to a depth of 5 - 7 cm. Recently planted iris is abundantly watered. The rest of the plant almost does not need care.

Fire lobelia

A tall plant can grow on average 75 cm from the ground. Plant seeds are planted in the soil in winter, in January, and sent to open ground in June, deepening to a distance of 20 - 25 cm.

Lobelia loves warmth: it is open and sunny places that reveal all its huge decorative potential. Damp coastal soil is suitable for her; Lobelia is not afraid of short-term flooding. Most of all, loamy or sandy loamy soils are suitable for the plant. Lobelia of the middle lane is hidden in the cellar for the winter, and those that grow in the south winter without problems in the open ground. The plant is propagated by seeds, which are sown in February in greenhouse conditions. Seedlings are transferred to a permanent "place of residence" at the pond immediately after the spring frost ends.

Water Mint

This creeping plant quickly and reliably takes root in the soil, is growing rapidly. In connection with this feature, it is recommended to grow mint in containers so that neighboring plants do not “eat” it overgrown. In the middle of summer it blooms with delicate lilac flowers in small fluffy inflorescences, which bees love very much. Mint rarely grows more than 50 cm in height, plant it to a depth of 7 - 8 cm. Propagated by bushes with the advent of spring.

Powdered waist

It can reach a height of 2 m. The aerial parts of the plant are covered with whitish bloom, like powder, hence the name. Waist flowers are collected in large (20 - 45 cm in length) panicles, their size is not more than 2 cm in diameter. This plant is considered one of the most beautiful among those that are suitable for planting near ponds. Waist grows well in shallow shallow water. Pots with plants of the northern strip for the winter shelter in greenhouses. In spring, the plant is propagated by rhizomes.

The main provisions in the process of coastal landscaping of a reservoir

1. Before greening the shore of a reservoir, you need to decide on a set of plants for planting: they must be of different sizes, different heights and bloom at different times.
2. When choosing plants for the coastal zone, it is better to resist the temptation to plant too many perennial flowers, otherwise it will be very difficult to control them in the future - they will turn the coast into an impassable thicket.
3. A miniature pond is easily “lost” among large plants, it is better to surround it with small-leaved greenery.
4. The size of tall plants in the vertical should not exceed half the width of the reservoir.
5. The alternation of elongated high vegetation with decorative elements of inanimate objects with a rounded shape: pebbles, coarse-grained sand or dry snags will perfectly decorate the edge of the pond bowl.
6. The main emphasis can be shifted to a tree planted not far from coastal plants, such as willow or alder.

Coastal planting

Flowers that can grow in shallow water are best planted not in the ground, but in special mesh baskets that are planted with one or two layers of burlap before planting. Then pour the soil mixture. It's okay if the package says "for aquatic plants" - to some extent, coastal flowers can be called aquatic. Particularly densely compacted soil around the roots of the plant, after which the surface of the earth is sprinkled with gravel. This will protect the soil in which the flower grows from erosion by water and even the fish will not be able to damage the landing. The basket is lowered to the bottom of the coastal shallow so that 3 to 5 cm of water is above the planting ground.

The remaining plants are planted in open soil, given their individual planting requirements. They green the pond on one side so that the coastal vegetation does not block the access of oxygen and the sun to water colors.

An unpretentious and spectacular plant is a Sakhalin mountaineer, which belongs to the genus Polygonum and has been known in culture for a long time, from the mid-19th century. But so far, many are not familiar with this gigantic grassy perennial. Its distinctive feature, which led to its introduction into culture, is rapid growth, which is why it was called the Siberian bamboo. In a short time, the mountaineer is able to reach three meters in height and form dense thickets, behind which you can hide an unsightly structure or a neighboring fence.

Figure 1. The Sakhalin Highlander is a noble and unpretentious plant that can decorate any site.

The leaves of this plant are spectacular: dark green above and pubescent below, oval with a sharp tip, they reach a length of 30 cm. And by the end of summer, cream-white flowers with a faint honey aroma appear on the tops of the shoots. Fig. 1. In winter, bare articulated stems up to 3 cm thick stick out of the snow, resembling a real bamboo.

How to care for the Sakhalin mountaineer?

An alien from the south of Sakhalin and the Japanese islands, the mountaineer, however, does not like intense heat. Its natural habitats are wet ravines and streams of streams. Therefore, when choosing a place for planting Siberian bamboo, one must take into account its tendency to increased soil and air humidity. A suitable place in the garden for giant grass can be the shore of a reservoir, the surroundings of a stream running along a section of the river or a damp lowland.

With a lack of sunlight, the leaves of the Sakhalin mountaineer will be small.

The lighting requirements of the Sakhalin mountaineer are quite moderate: it can grow in bright sunlight, in partial shade, and even on the north side of the building. With a lack of light, its leaves will be slightly smaller, and the inflorescences are not so magnificent. And it is unlikely to reach its normal size. But in a place with sufficient or excessive lighting, the giant will look great.

This plant is very demanding on soil fertility. In places of natural growth of the mountaineer of Sakhalin, the soil is saturated with residues of decayed parts of plants and nutrients. In composition, these soils are close to the leafy soil of Russian broad-leaved forests. To achieve the full flowering of the highlander, the plant must be fed with grass compost, rotted manure, abundantly watering it at the same time. Planted near the compost heap, Siberian bamboo usually feels great and gives neighbors a reason to wonder what kind of outlandish plant appeared on the site.

In winter, the highlander does not require shelter and tolerates low temperatures even in the Siberian region.

Early growing green shoots can freeze during frosts. But even a completely lost aerial part grows again with the onset of warm days.

Propagation of Sakhalin buckwheat

The Sakhalin mountaineer easily tolerates low temperatures and does not require shelter in the winter.

Highlander seeds are like peeled buckwheat. This is not surprising, because they are relatives. Sowing seeds is carried out in March or early April in loose fertile soil. After about 2 weeks, sprouts will appear. Highlander sprouts do not need to be dived, so it is best to sow large seeds immediately at a distance of 10 cm from each other or in peat pots of 1-2 pieces.

During the growth of seedlings, it should be fed 2-3 times with complex fertilizer of the Kemira type or another, diluting it in water according to the instructions. Planting seedlings can be done only after the threat of return frost has passed, around the beginning of June. After this, the care of the plants consists in timely watering and top dressing 1-2 times per season with complex fertilizers or organics.

Due to the fact that the Sakhalin mountaineer blooms late, in most parts of Russia its seeds do not have time to ripen completely. Therefore, most often, reproduction is carried out vegetatively: by dividing the bush or root offspring. Delenki with sufficient moisture take root very quickly and during the first year of growth can produce a significant amount of green mass. This feature makes the mountaineer a convenient plant for creating curtains and hedges near transparent fences.

When planting a mountaineer on a site, it must be remembered that it is an aggressive weed that can penetrate roots to a depth of 2 meters. Therefore, the decorative landing should be fenced in by the stoppers dug to the maximum possible depth. This can be sheet slate, plastic or similar materials that are resistant to destruction and corrosion.

The leaves of the mountaineer of Sakhalin can be used as a filling for the pie.

The question is often asked about how to deal with the Sakhalin mountaineer if he got out of control.

Complaints of the population boil down to the fact that digging up the rhizomes of Siberian bamboo is practically impossible and the liana grows again in an already dug up place. It really is.

The method of struggle in the form of digging planting is ineffective for a simple reason: each small piece of rhizome that breaks off during the fight against weed gives a new shoot. A loose soil contributes to its successful growth.

The correct way to destroy unnecessary overgrowth is that the entire aerial part of the plant must be mowed or cut off as it grows, every 10 \u003d 14 days. This depresses the mountaineer and does not allow him to accumulate enough nutrients in the rhizomes for a successful wintering.

The use of the highlander for economic purposes

In addition to exceptional decorativeness, the mountaineer is considered a valuable vegetable plant. The population of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands eats young shoots and leaves of the plant. They have a pleasant sour taste and are very juicy. You can use them as a component of salads, for the preparation of soups or pie fillings. The special value of the Sakhalin mountaineer in the culture lies in the very early growth of young greenery. Comparable in taste and vitamin content with rhubarb and sorrel, the Sakhalin mountaineer is quite capable of replacing them when these plants are still at rest.

Large soft leaves of the plant are readily eaten by livestock, rabbits and poultry. You should not just abuse this vitamin feed, as the high content of oxalic acid can adversely affect the kidney function of rabbits, goats and breeding cattle.

The green mass mown during weed control can be fed to the animal along with the stems. In the absence of livestock and poultry on the farm from immature soft stems with leaves, good compost is obtained. It is prepared in the usual way, but when using ready-made fertilizer to reduce its acidity it may require the addition of chalk or lime-fluff. Last year's mature stems, which have to be cut in the spring, can serve as a support for peas or similar plants. These hollow stems can be successfully used as the basis for a warm bed. The porous layer will provide a good flow of oxygen into it.

The impressive Siberian bamboo is multifaceted. It can be a valuable addition to the diet of people and animals, and an ornamental plant, and the worst weed, as its relative is an Alpine mountaineer. It all depends on the attitude of the owner of the site to the beautiful creation of the Far Eastern nature.

Highlander is a perennial herb, a garden giant up to 2 meters high with long lush flowering, filling the garden with a honey aroma.

The Highlander belongs to the vast Buckwheat family. In the genus of highlanders (Polygonum), about 300 species, 20 of which are used in cultural floriculture. Among them there are low and tall grassy perennials, and creeping, and neat bushes, and even creepers. Some species of highlander can be quite aggressive. For example, a Sakhalin highlander, or Sakhalin buckwheat (Polygonum sachalinense), can easily turn your garden into tall impassable thickets.

However, the hero of today's publication is not like that. The highlander is volatile, although it is a huge bush, however, his temper is quite peaceful and not prone to aggression.

Variable Highlander (Polygonum polymorpha) - one of the most interesting for the gardener representatives of the genus, native to East Asia. It is a luxurious bush up to 2 meters high, about 1.5 meters in diameter, and also has long (more than 2 months) flowering. Durable thick shoots hold large inflorescences well and do not require garter. An airy white cloud of panicled inflorescences fills the garden with a spicy honey aroma until mid-August. The bush of the mountaineer is variable and does not lose decorativeness after flowering, dried inflorescences remain on the plant until late autumn, and the shoots are painted in purple tones. If you cut off the dried panicles, then the lateral shoots will bloom.

Highlander is changeable. Cultivation and care

Highlander changeable prefers a sunny location, but also tolerates slight shading. It is undemanding to soils, but prefers moist fertile with a slight acidity.

Leaving consists of watering in dry periods, pruning in late autumn.

Highlander volatile can grow in one place, requiring a transplant up to 10 years. The plant is quite winter-hardy and does not need shelter in central Russia.

Propagated by division or root offspring in the spring and cuttings or layering in the summer.

Highlander majestic in garden design

Highlander is undoubtedly an architectural plant, loved by landscape designers. Large perennials, unlike ornamental shrubs, are not always in the condition of the same size. It is very interesting to observe how a wall of huge bushes gradually forms in the place of a meadow of low spring flowers. There is some intrigue in this.

The highlander can be used to design the background of the flower garden, decorate buildings, delimit the garden into zones, to design a pond. In any case, he will be good! But it is better to plant it solo, for example, on a lawn, then you and your guests will be able to plunge, that is, with your head, into fragrant thickets, because the inflorescences are just at the height of human growth. For the same reason, it is good to plant a highlander changeable near a place to rest or under the windows in the front garden.

You can combine a highlander with completely different plants - perennials, but you must take into account the size of the giant. The neighbors should correspond to it, if not in height, then at least in terms of planting, that is, for one highlander bush, you can select several copies of a less stately plant, for example, a milky-flowered bell, in the neighbors. Also, a highlander changeable will be good in combination with decorative cereals, veronikarum, geraniums, echinacea, etc.

One of the most common ornamental plants can rightfully be called a flower with the heroic name Highlander. There are about 300 of its species. Gardeners have a mixed opinion about this plant. In one season, the flower can grow up to 2 meters in height and delight the owner’s eye with unusual scarlet panicles. On the other hand, the plant requires careful care due to rapid growth.

Description

Highlander - a perennial herb from the buckwheat family. May have the appearance of a liana and a shrub. It grows almost everywhere. Its greatest accumulation is observed on the banks of water bodies, highlands and in forests. The stem of this plant is upright or curly, and the leaves are simple alternate. Small flowers are collected in inflorescences. The fruit is in the form of a nut. The highlander is quite unpretentious, so it can not grow in the most favorable weather conditions. About 20 of its species have a decorative function.

Kinds

Ayan (Aconogonon ajanense)

This species is found in Siberia, the Far East and China - most often on mountain slopes and embankments. Reaches a height of 35 cm. The branches are directed in different directions, and the stem is covered with small hairs. Leaves are elliptical in shape, and pointed at the edges. The base of the leaf is wide-wedge-shaped. Flowers are collected in brushes that are on top of the main stem. Perianth is white.

Aubert (Polugonum aubertii)

The birthplace of the species of Hubert is considered the western part of China. It is a low curly shrubby vine. The stem and shoots harden slightly. The leaves are ovoid with carved edges. The ombre effect is also observed - from red to green. The brushes located above the shoots consist of small light green or pink flowers. White fruits are small and inconspicuous. This species is propagated by seeds. It grows mainly on chernozems and moist soils. It can develop in partial shade. Appreciated by gardeners around the world - used to form hedges.

Alpine (Polygonum alpinum)

It grows in mountain meadows and steppes of the temperate climatic zone. It has the appearance of a large bush 1.5 m high. The stems are branched, and the leaves are spiky. The peak of flowering occurs in mid-summer. Multiple flowers form paniculate inflorescences. The alpine mountaineer is frost-resistant, so it does not need to be covered. This is essentially an unpretentious weed.

Lingonberry (Polygonum vaccinifolium)

The homeland of this species is the Himalayas. It is a creeping plant 15 cm high. The stems are woody and have many branches. Leaves are ovate, narrowed from the ends. Flowering occurs in August. Lingonberry mountaineer is resistant to cold, but requires protection from excessive moisture.

Eastern (Polugonum orientale)

It grows in India. This is an annual herb up to 2 meters in height. He is picky about the soil, because for a full-fledged existence he needs moist, nutritious land with deep cultivation. It is used to decorate walls, fences, as well as when creating mixborders (combined flower beds).

Weirich (Polygonum weyrichii)

This wild mountaineer species grows in the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin and in Japan. Creates tall and strong thickets. The stems of Weirich are branched, and the leaves have an oval elongated shape. The roots are tenacious and creeping. Inflorescences are formed by small white flowers. It blooms in late summer. It is frost-resistant, therefore shelter is not required. This species is quite unpretentious, but prefers high fertile loamy soils. It is applied to a decor of fences.

Virginian (Polugonum virginianum)

Fairly beautiful perennial view of the mountaineer. The flowers are white with a greenish tint, but the main advantage is multi-colored foliage. Therefore, it is highly regarded among gardeners. In order for the leaves to show themselves fully, the plant must be planted in sunny places. Small penumbra is acceptable. The virgin highlander grows mainly on moist soils, but tolerates dry periods well.

Capitate (Polugonum capilatum)

The capitate highlander is a rather rare and unknown species, but this does not prevent him from being beautiful. Refers to annual plants. It has a unique ability - it grows very quickly. This species loves heat and moisture. In the shade, the leaves fade, and the plant becomes not so elegant. This mountaineer is spread on the ground, its height barely reaches 15 cm. Small rounded inflorescences consist of pinkish flowers. It performs a decorative function from the beginning of summer until the first frosts. The capitate highlander is bred by both seeds and cuttings. They can make a mixborder or a vase in the garden, from where the shoots will come down beautifully.

Viviparous

Distributed in the mountains of Europe, Asia and North America (Alps, Carpathians). It occurs in zones of temperate, tropical or subtropical climate and can grow up to 50 cm. It prefers meadows, marshy areas and forests, as well as tundra and mountain slopes. For development, he needs moist fertile soils. It tolerates winter well, but if there is no snow, it is better to cover the plant. The stalk is straight and leaves with curled edges. Inflorescences are narrow and loose. Fruits have 3 sides.

Volatile (Polygonum polumorpha)

This species came from East Asia, so it will feel good in our latitudes. A height of 2 m, a branched stem with large inflorescences and tenacious roots distinguish the Volatile Highlander from other species. Blooms all summer with white flowers. Unpretentiousness in the choice of soil and weather conditions, help him easily move the winter. On the bush there are long oval leaves, which gives the plant volume. With the help of a highlander, hedges are created in the country, which exude a pleasant aroma with notes of spices.

Widespread (ram)

This perennial appearance has a large number of stems 1.5 m high. The main advantage in its appearance. A large openwork bush combining burgundy stems, whitish flowers and elongated green leaves. It reaches the peak of flowering at the very beginning of summer. He loves drought, since the main places in which it grows are steppes and dry fields. The middle strip of Russia is also suitable for the development and wintering of the Spread mountaineer. The properties of the root system make it impossible to transplant it to another place. Widely used in the creation of lawns and mixborders.

Sakhalin

Polygonum cachalinense grows in the Kuril Islands, Japan and Sakhalin. This is a perennial with a tenacious root. The stem is erect brown or greenish. In height reaches 3m. Large leaves are located on a short petiole. Light cream flowers formed in inflorescences. It blooms in mid-summer. The fruit is a nut with three faces. Sakhalin Highlander decorate and mask the outbuildings. It is able to quickly grow and capture significant territories, so you need to use limiters.

Small Head (Red Dragon)

The birthplace of this species is China. It is not an aggressive, slowly growing perennial. Height is up to 90 cm. On reddish shoots carved red leaves are located. The small-headed mountaineer is unpretentious, therefore, it can grow even on clay soils.

Japanese

Polygonum cuspidatum is considered a weed. Due to the lack of chlorophyll, top dressing is required. It develops well in a shady place on moist ground.

Preparation for landing

Site selection and soil preparation

It is not difficult to grow a mountaineer, but problems can arise due to its strong growth. A flower can turn a patch into thickets if it does not receive proper care. The choice of place will depend on the characteristics of the type of mountaineer that you have chosen to land.

For planting the mountaineer of aubert, you need to choose loose soil. Earth temperature should be 4 degrees higher than air temperature. This effect can be achieved by fertilizing the garden with manure or peat. You also need to prepare a support for curling. Fertilizing the soil should occur regularly, otherwise the highlander will not take root. If you chose a highlander changeable for landing, then it is worthwhile to find a partial shade or an open sunny place. Fertile moist soil with a low acidity rate is a priority. Before planting, be sure to fertilize the soil with compost with ash in order to raise alkaline indicators. It should be planted shallow to avoid decay of the roots.

Due to its large size, a mountaineer can hide some places in the country and small buildings. It can be used as a delimiter of garden areas, for example, separating the pool from the main territory. Choose a place for planting, taking into account the fact that this species is aggressive, and more tender plants do not take root near the mountaineer. Sakhalin mountaineer is demanding on soil fertility. Able to form dense thickets, so choose the place you want to disguise. The best place to plant this species is considered the shore of a reservoir or lowland with high humidity. Lighting will only affect the size of the bush, so the mountaineer will develop in the sun and in the shade.

Seed selection

For better seed germination, cold stratification is performed. Stratification is a process that simulates winter cold and moisture. Thanks to this, germination is accelerated. Seeds with sand in the package should be placed in the refrigerator. The term of stratification for each species is different (on average 60 days).

Landing

Landing in open ground is made with the onset of heat. Adaptation is quick. The soil should be loose. Treat the cuttings with “Kornevin” and store them for several hours in a room with a temperature of 23 °. At first, the plant needs regular, but not excessive watering. Plant to a depth of 1-1.5 cm. After planting, cover with a film to maintain the microclimate.

Care

Basic care rules:

1. High-quality abundant watering in the heat (a small excess of moisture is permissible, but the constant presence of roots in moist soil is not acceptable);
2. Not all species can tolerate frost, so you need to cover before the onset of heat. If the leaves wilted - cut the stems;
3. Yellow and brown leaves must be cut at the end of winter;
4. If you have Japanese or small-headed mountaineers growing, it is better to get a greenhouse;
5. Continuous soil fertilization is essential for nutrient intake.

Breeding

Highlander can propagate by seeds and cuttings. Each species has its own method. Seed propagation is suitable for snake, oriental and widespread mountaineers. They are planted by the end of winter in boxes or open ground. Cuttings are also prepared by the end of spring. Two nodes should appear. A stalk is planted in a warm bed. The lower node should be at a depth of 2 cm. It is covered with a film on top, and is dug up and stored at a temperature of about 2 ° C for the winter.

Beneficial features

ethnoscience

Highlander Serpentine can help with diarrhea, sore throat and oral cavity. Highlander root is used for bleeding, cholelithiasis and urolithiasis. You can relieve inflammation caused by cystitis. In eastern countries, they are even used for douching and treatment of tumors. Has a sedative effect.

Cosmetology

Means, which include a highlander, will help normalize the water balance of the skin and get rid of burns and dermatitis. A decoction from the roots will eliminate sweating of the legs and corns.

Supplements

Young leaves and stalks of the highlander snake are edible. Dried root powder is added to bread and spirits.

Procurement and storage

Harvesting roots is better in late summer. The roots need to be cleaned, washed and cut into small pieces. Then put on paper and leave to dry on the street, but in the shade. If all the conditions are met, they will be pink and odorless. Put blanks in bags and store in a dry place. Shelf life is 2 years. The mountaineer is spread all over the world due to its unpretentiousness and useful properties, so spend a little time studying the rules of care and grow this undoubtedly valuable and beautiful plant on your site.