2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Kobea (Latin Cobaea) - a genus of climbing plants of the Sinyushnikovye family (Latin Polemoniaceae). Born in the tropical regions of the American continent, today they adorn the gardens of many countries, winning the hearts of flower growers with their complex decorative leaves, numerous large bell-shaped flowers and their ability to easily climb up to six meters in height.
What's in your name
The Latin name of the genus "Cobaea" retained for descendants the glorious name of the Spanish Jesuit, Padre Bernabe Cobo, who at the age of 14 went to South America not to exterminate the local population, but to study the natural resources of the new continent "discovered" by Europeans. Having devoted 61 years of his life to such a noble cause, he left the material he had accumulated in his books, which also contain a description of a vine, deftly climbing a support and decorating the tropical forest with spectacular large bells.
Description
Plants of the Kobei genus, according to various sources, number from 9 to 20 species, represented in nature by woody vines, which have the skill of climbers, clinging to their antennae for the support that has turned up and rushing to the heavens.
The stems of the lianas reach a length of 6 meters. Kobei leaves are complex. On a long petiole, short-petiolate simple leaves of an elongated-oval shape are located in pairs. The same leaf is located at the top of a long petiole. Leaves with well-defined veins, giving them a decorative effect.
The liana owes its popularity to its large, spectacular flowers, which, like bells, appear on short peduncles from the leaf axils. It seems that as soon as you touch such a bell, a gentle melody will flow through the garden from the touch of the fragile stamens of the stamens on the bright corollas of the flower. Corollas can be white, creamy white, or various shades of purple.
The fruit of the plant, to which Kobei rarely manages to grow in the climate of central Russia, is a leathery box with seeds, similar to a plum.
Varieties
* Climbing Kobea (Latin Cobaea scandens) - a species of the Kobei genus, which can most often be found in Russian gardens. Although the perennial Kobeya climbing does not tolerate frost, due to its rapid growth, it may well claim a place under the Russian sun as an annual plant.
If the climate of New Zealand allows Kobee climbing to grow well anywhere, turning into an annoying weed, then for its successful growth in the Russian open spaces it is necessary to create a number of conditions for the beauty that not every summer resident can provide for her.
Although the plant can grow in partial shade, a sunny place would be preferable for the heat-loving Kobei.
The soil should be fertile, loose and moist, but not soggy, with good drainage.
Shoots should be promptly directed in the direction necessary for the gardener, without waiting for them to intertwine with each other.
With proper care, Kobea, who climbs during the summer season, perfectly drapes the place offered to her, decorating it with her leaves and large bell-shaped flowers of all shades of purple.
* Kobea Pringlei (Latin Cobaea pringlei) - the specific epithet of the plant honors the memory of the American botanist, whose name is Cyrus Guernsey Pringle, life years 1838 - 1911. The length of the liana stem reaches 5-7 meters. Funnel-shaped creamy white flowers on long peduncles slyly tease with their intricate stamens.
The plant is grown on well-drained, fertile, moist soils, choosing a site protected from the wind. Withstands low temperatures up to the mark on the thermometer "minus 5 degrees". It prefers to wait out lower temperatures in greenhouses, although the stems neatly laid on the ground, reliably protected from frost by covering materials, are able to withstand lower temperatures.
