2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Dryakvennik (lat. Dodecatheon) - a light-loving perennial belonging to the Primroses family.
Description
Dryakvennik is a spring-flowering low-growing rhizome perennial with a height of ten centimeters to half a meter, equipped with rosettes of dense oval leaves (this plant usually has quite a lot of them) and very unusual flowers, the mouth of which always looks down. And the anthers peeking out of these flowers form sharp little cones. Dryakvennik flowering usually covers the period from May to June.
At the end of fruiting, the plant begins to gradually enter a state of dormancy, completely losing its aerial parts by August. As for the stalks, it is usually one of the woodworms, but sometimes you can also meet specimens with several upright stalks at once.
In total, the genus of dryakvennik includes about three dozen species, and each of these species is further subdivided into subspecies.
Where grows
In nature, the duckweed can most often be found in North America (by the way, the American continent is the homeland of this plant!), In the mountains of its Pacific part. And in Russia, this beautiful plant is found in the Far East (in the Arctic regions).
Usage
In modern floriculture, mainly one single species of this plant is used - this is the common duckweed. This plant looks great both in group and in curb plantings, as well as in rocky gardens, in addition, it is quite acceptable to grow it for cutting. Dryakvennik is especially well combined with low-growing conifers, as well as with astilbe or ferns. And this wonderful plant perfectly helps to fill in the so-called "pause" between delicate primroses and the main part of summer flowers - the woodworm blooms approximately in May or June, when all the primroses have already bloomed, and the flowering of the bulk of summer flowers that are in the budding stage is not yet began.
Growing and caring
Both in shaded and in open areas, the duckweed will grow equally well. And this plant prefers soils that are sufficiently moist, loamy, fertile, light and well-drained. If there is no loam, then it is quite permissible to plant woodwort on other soils, however, it is previously recommended to add a small amount of old compost, fibrous peat or rotted foliage to them. It is best to plant this handsome man in small groups, each of which should include five to seven specimens, placing the plants at a relatively small distance from each other (up to ten centimeters).
Dampness during the growth period is very good for the duckweed, but it is intolerant of high humidity. In addition, he is very loyal to severe drought. It is necessary to water the dryakvennik regularly, but at the same time quite abundantly, trying in every possible way to prevent stagnation of water in the area.
Dryakvennik is very winter-hardy, but light mulching will never harm it. But this handsome man is extremely rarely affected by various pests and ailments.
Dryakvennik reproduces either by dividing the bushes closer to the end of summer, or by seeds. At the same time, seed reproduction in this plant is very difficult - the fact is that during self-pollination the duckweed does not produce seeds at all, for these purposes it needs a genetically different partner. Also, the seeds of this plant invariably need stratification (this procedure is carried out in the cold for one to two months), and when sowing under winter, they begin to sprout only next spring, and in some cases even after a year.
