Lizichiton

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

Lysihiton (lat. Lysihiton) - a moisture-loving perennial plant, which is a representative of the Aroid family. The name of this plant comes from the Greek language and is translated as “losing cloak”: at the end of flowering, the coverlet of the inflorescences gradually dry out and fall off.

Description

Lizichiton is a rhizome perennial, equipped with short thick rhizomes. And the height of this plant usually ranges from ten centimeters to half a meter.

The bright green leaves of lysichiton located on short petioles boast a pronounced oval-elliptical shape. Downward, they taper wedge-shaped, gathering into small rosettes at once, several pieces at a time.

Small flowers of lysichiton gather in bizarre cylindrical buds, the length of which ranges from ten to thirteen centimeters. As for the wide-oval elongated bedspreads, they can boast of a fairly strong, but at the same time, a very pleasant aroma, and very impressive dimensions: their width reaches thirteen to sixteen centimeters, and their length ranges from sixteen to twenty-five centimeters. By the way, the inflorescences of lysichiton are somewhat reminiscent of calla lilies. And the green fruits of this plant are stationed in the fleshy white axis of the cobs.

Where grows

Lysichiton American can most often be found in temperate zones from Alaska to the western part of North America, and the main places of growth of Kamchatka lysichiton are Kamchatka, Bolshoi Shantar, Moneron, Sakhalin, the territory of the Kuril Islands, as well as the Udsky region of the Far East and distant Japan (in particular, Honshu and Hokkaido).

Usage

In decorative floriculture, both varieties of lysichitone are used: American and Kamchatka. These plants are planted in damp and fairly shaded areas of parks or gardens, as well as on the banks of various reservoirs or near streams. They will grow very well in swamps or in not too deep areas right in the ponds themselves (but not deeper than five centimeters down!).

It should not be forgotten that both rhizomes and flowers of lysichiton are poisonous - they contain in their composition saponin-like substances, and glycosides, and alkaloids. But the leaves contain not so many alkaloids.

The boiled and carefully chopped tops of lysichiton are often used for fattening domestic pigs. In addition, Japanese scientists have found that this handsome man can be very successfully used for various ailments of the respiratory tract.

Growing and caring

Since lisichiton grows in the same area for quite a long time, it is necessary to take care of the choice of a suitable area in advance. The best option would be shady or semi-shady areas near pools or on the banks of various reservoirs, that is, in places characterized by sufficiently strong moisture. As for the soils, moist acidic, as well as fertile and fairly light peaty soils will be most preferable for lysichitone. At the same time, Kamchatka lysichiton will definitely be the most suitable for cultivation in the middle zone - it boasts impressive winter hardiness.

Lysichiton is usually propagated by freshly harvested seeds, while a beautiful plant blooms only in the third or even fourth year after sowing these seeds. But transplanting this plant is capable of adequately transferring only at a young age. By the way, the adult Kamchatka lysichiton is not only not transplanted, but also not divided, but American lysichiton is quite permissible to multiply by means of division.