Agrostemma

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Agrostemma (lat. Agrostemma) - flowering culture; a genus that unites only three species and belongs to the Clove family. Another name is Kukol. The plant got its name from two Greek words "agros", which translated into Russian means "field or arable land", and "stemma" - a wreath. In nature, agrostemma is found in European and Asian countries, less often in North America. Currently, it is actively cultivated in Russia, however, only two species are used in ornamental gardening. Sometimes the agrostemma is called an adonis, although this name is inherent in a representative of a different genus - the spring adonis. Perhaps this is due to the bright flowers of the plants.

Characteristics of culture

Agrostemma is represented by annual or biennial herbaceous plants up to 80-100 cm high with erect pubescent weakly or strongly branched stems equipped with linear, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate green leaves, which do not exceed 10-12 cm in length. The root system of the considered variety is branched, the main root is rather branched, covered with grayish-white or white short hairs.

Flowers of medium size, up to 6 cm in diameter, single or collected in few-flowered inflorescences, are formed on the tops of the stems. The calyx of the flower is five-petal, slightly oblong or ovoid, equipped with lanceolate or linear denticles and a tube with obvious veins. Depending on the variety, agrostemma flowers can be light pink, pink, dark pink, purple or dark purple in color. Fruits are polyspermous or single-seeded capsules, opening with five teeth when ripe, contain small black seeds, convex on one side and covered with small thorns.

Agrostemma is a warm and light-loving crop, but undemanding to growing conditions. Plants grow quite quickly, forming dense and beautiful bushes, over which rich flowers flaunt. Some gardeners call agrostemma a weed, and in vain. Indeed, in the process of growth, the dense green mass of agrostemma actively suppresses any weeds. As a result, crop care is minimized. In order to get beautiful ornamental bushes, it is enough to sow seeds in the ground and thin out as necessary.

Growing features

Agrostemma, like many other annual and biennial flower crops, prefers areas open to the sun, protected from the cold northern winds. The culture is resistant to night frosts, in fact, as well as to drought. Soil conditions are not particularly important, but agrostemma develops in the best way on nutritious, moist, loose, neutral or slightly acidic soils. Heavy clay, waterlogged, waterlogged, saline and poor soils can affect plant growth and flowering.

Too high varieties, reaching a height of 70-100 cm, require support, it can be absolutely any - wooden or metal. This does not play a special role. Agrostemma (or cockle) is propagated exclusively by the seed method. Sowing is carried out in early spring. Seedlings appear in a couple of weeks, of course, with optimal weather conditions and regular maintenance. Thinning is carried out when the seedlings reach a height of 8-10 cm. The optimum distance between plants is 20-30 cm (depending on the variety).

Application

Agrostemma has found wide application in ornamental gardening. It looks great in combination with marigolds, escholzia, brachycoma, snapdragon, as well as cereals and ornamental grasses. By the way, in a composition with herbs, agrostemma is ideal for creating flower beds in an eco-style and a rustic style, which has recently become a fairly relevant phenomenon. Agrostemma is good for decorating lawns, flower beds and flower beds, they can also be grown as a container plant.