2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Sparrow (lat. Lithospermum) - a genus of ubiquitous herbaceous perennial plants that have not yet reached only Australia. Leaves silvery from pubescence, spectacular small flowers that abundantly cover the plant in spring or summer, unpretentiousness to living conditions attract the attention of gardeners. And traditional healers use a number of types of Sparrow to get rid of people from ailments.
What's in your name
The reason for the Latin name of the genus of herbaceous plants was the seeds - nuts, which are ovoid, white in color and hard to the touch. They created the appearance of small pebbles adhered to the branches of plants, and therefore the botanists gave the genus the name "Stone Seed". After all, this is how the word "Lithospermum" (Lithospermum) is translated from Latin into Russian.
In Russian names, "white nuts" are associated not with stones, but with delicate pearls, and therefore one can hear that the plant is called "Pearl Grass". But the name "Sparrow" is more often heard.
The Latin name "Lithospermum" competes with another genus name, "Lithodora" (Litodora).
Varieties
* Lithospermum calabrum (lat. Lithospermum calabrum) is a creeping perennial herb, the bushes of which do not rise above the earth's surface above 35 cm. It can serve as a ground cover plant, or decorate rocky gardens and alpine hills with its lanceolate leaves. The cold-hardy plant shows its blue flowers to the world in the spring.
* Lithospermum purplish blue (lat. Lithospermum purpureo-caeruleum) is a shrub that clearly divided its shoots into two types. On creeping shoots, only leaves are located, the shape of which can be lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate. And erect shoots act as peduncles, showing the world inflorescences formed by purple-red flowers. As it matures, the purple-red color develops into blue. It blooms in spring, sometimes catching the beginning of summer.
* Lithospermum sprawling (lat. Lithospermum diffusum) is a dwarf shrub, the thorny stems of which rise above the ground to a height of up to 10 cm. Despite the proximity to the ground, the plant does not like the cold, and therefore adds spectacular flowers to its dark green narrow leaves only with the onset of summer heat. Bright natural specks give a special charm to glossy blue flowers.
Being a root-offspring creature, Lithospermum spreading creates a bright dense carpet of leafy thorny shoots on the site. Such a carpet will perfectly disguise places that a person's hand cannot reach.
Breeders have bred varieties that differ from the original in natural colors. So, flowers can be blue or violet-blue, and single-color dark green leaves turn into variegated ones, having absorbed several colors at once.
* Lithospermum olive (lat. Lithospermum oleifolium) - like the previous species, it is a dwarf creeping dwarf shrub. But the shape of the leaves is oblong, similar to the leaves of an Olive tree. Brown-green dark leaves from May to August are decorated with flowers from lilac-pink to blue, gathering in inflorescences.
* Lithospermum Caroline (lat. Lithospermum carolinienses) - stands out among dwarf species with its stems stretching up to a meter in length. A very formidable plant, armed with stem thorns for protection from enemies. Even the leaves have sharpened their tips to intimidate them. To match the size of the stems and the size of the flowers, reaching a diameter of 2.5 cm and having yellow-orange petals.
Growing
Many types of Sparrow are popular plants with gardeners when it is necessary to shelter the soil from the scorching rays of the sun, which are not terrible for this plant. Moreover, the Sparrow is not afraid of either heat or cold. Only the Sparrow Sparrow does not like the spreading cold.
Therefore, the best place to plant the Sparrow is sunny places, which are rich in stone walls, alpine slides, where Sparrow feels comfortable.
The soil for successful branching and abundant flowering requires fertile, loose, permeable soil, which does not allow the creation of stagnant water that provokes putrefactive root diseases. Watering the plant is required only with prolonged drought. Periodically, watering is combined with top dressing.
Propagated by seeds, cuttings, dividing the bush.
Recommended:
Red-rooted Sparrow
Red-rooted sparrow is one of the plants of the family called borage, in Latin the name of this plant will sound like this: Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold et Zucc. As for the name of the family of this plant itself, then in Latin it will be like this:
Sparrow Medicinal
Sparrow medicinal (lat.Lithospermum officinale) - behind the unpretentious appearance of a plant from the genus Sparrow (lat. Lithospermum) of the Boraginaceae family (lat. Boraginaceae) hides a skillful healer, whom people met long before they learned to more accurately determine the composition and abilities of the representatives of the plant kingdom of the planet.
The Sparrow Living On The Rocks
Another unpretentious plant that blooms profusely in spring or summer (depending on the species) with miniature showy flowers. Sparrows look great in rock gardens and on rocky slopes, masking hard-to-reach places. Juicy greenery, silvered with pubescence, the brightness of the flowers, the firmness and unpretentiousness of the plant make it attractive for gardeners. Some species of sparrow have amazing medicinal properties
