Gomfrena

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

Gomphrena (lat. Gomphrena) - a genus of perennial or annual flowering herbaceous plants, included by botanists in the Amaranth family. Like the main representative of the family, Amaranth or Shchiritsa, Gomfrena is a completely edible plant that can be enjoyed in the countries of East Asia. In Russia, one of the species is used as an ornamental plant.

What's in your name

The roots of the plant's name are hidden deep in human history and do not give an understandable decoding. Pliny the Elder, describing the plant in the first century AD, borrowed the already existing name, which was later duplicated by Carl Linnaeus, bringing order to the classification of the plant world.

Description

The low branching bushes of Gomphrenia are densely covered with simple green leaves with an even edge, sitting directly on the stem, or holding on to the stems with short petioles. Plants can be annual or perennial.

In the axils of leaves on short peduncles, capitate inflorescences of petal small flowers appear in the world. Although the individual flower does not resemble the butterfly flower of the Clover, the overall inflorescence resembles the head of the Clover. The color of the inflorescences can be white, yellow, red.

The fruit completes the growing season - a non-opening box with smooth seeds.

Varieties

The genus unites 51 species of plants that are known only to selfless botanists. For example, we will consider just a few of them.

* Gomphrene spherical (lat. Gomphrena globosa) - an annual plant, most often used as an ornamental plant in flower beds and for arranging borders along garden paths or flower beds. The compactness of its low bushes (from 20 to 40 cm in height) with globular inflorescences of different colors (white, red, lilac, purple, lavender, pink, yellow-orange) is an excellent edging of paths.

Bright inflorescences are used in bouquets of dried flowers, after drying them according to all the rules. But the peoples of East Asia use the plant to prepare various dishes. In addition, Gomfrena spherical has healing powers.

Until July, when flowering begins, the bushes are decorated with oblong-lanceolate green leaves that cover the stems with a thick carpet. There are varieties sporting variegated leaves.

Seeds of Gomphrenic spherical are often found in sachets with seeds of dried flowers.

* Gomphrene absent-minded (lat. Gomphrena serrata) - a fast growing species with creeping stems - an excellent ground cover plant. Its thermophilicity suggests landing sites protected from wind and late or early frosts. Suitable for pots on terraces protected from the cold wind.

* Gomfrena Hage (Latin Gomphrena haageana) - reddish-orange inflorescences against a background of dark green elongated leaves similar to Strawberry fruits. Low-growing bushes (up to 30 cm high) with numerous shoots create a continuous living carpet. It is used in different types of flower beds, as well as for growing in flower pots.

Growing

Gomfrena loves warmth, and therefore it is grown through seedlings, sowing in early spring and planting in open ground, when late frosts are already in the past. She is provided with places with good lighting and protection from the wind.

For abundant flowering, the plant needs a fertile, generously fertilized, loose soil that does not create stagnant water. Watering is required only during a prolonged period of drought, since Gomfrena is a fairly drought-resistant plant. During the period of active growth, once every three weeks, watering is combined with mineral dressings. Bushes growing in pots are watered regularly.

The decorativeness of the plant is supported by the removal of wilted inflorescences and damaged leaves.

Gomfrena is quite resistant to pests and diseases. Only viruses trapped in seeds can harm the plant, deforming its leaves and shoots.