Stachis

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

Stachis (lat. Stachys) - a genus of annual and perennial herbaceous plants or dwarf shrubs of the Yasnotkovye family. Other names are Chinese artichoke, chisetz or khorogi. The genus contains more than 300 species distributed around the world, with the exception of Australia and New Zealand. About 10 species grow on the territory of Russia, the plant is mostly distributed in Western Siberia, Altai and the European part of Russia. In central Russia, the following species are most often found: straight chisel (lat. Stachys recta), annual chisel (lat. Stachys annua), forest chisel (lat. Stachys sylvatica), marsh chisel (lat. Stachys palustris).

Characteristics of culture

Stakhis is a perennial, less often an annual herb or densely pubescent dwarf shrub up to 100-110 cm high. The leaves are whole or toothed, opposite. The flowers are small, purple, lilac, pink, yellow or white, collected in false whorled inflorescences, forming spikelets. The calyx is five-toothed, bell-shaped or tubular-bell-shaped, equipped with sharp teeth. The fruit is an oblong or ovoid triangular nutlet. The corolla is two-lipped, the upper lip is helmet-shaped or concave, the lower lip is three-lobed.

Growing conditions

Stachis develops best in open sunny areas, with the exception: large stachis - prefers partial shade. Soils are preferable loose, fresh, with a moderate content of rotted manure or plant humus. Woolly Stachis loves poor soils. The culture of saline, acidic and waterlogged soils does not accept.

Care

In early spring, the area under perennial specimens is cleared of debris and mulch. During the entire growing season, watering, feeding and loosening are carried out. In woolly stachis, peduncles are cut off during budding, since they reduce the decorativeness of the plantings. Over time, perennial bushes become very bare in the central part, therefore, in the spring, part of the plant is cut out with a shovel, and young rosettes are planted on the vacated territory and humus is added.

Reproduction and planting

Stachis is propagated by seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush. Seeds are sown in spring or autumn directly into open ground. Cultivation of a culture by seedlings is not prohibited. In the phase of 2-3 true leaves, the crops are thinned out, leaving a distance of 5-8 cm between the plants. The stachis is planted in a permanent place after a year, maintaining an interval of 15-20 cm. The bush is divided in spring, August or September.

In the same period, cuttings can be carried out. Cuttings are cut from the bottom of the stem. Cuttings take root quickly, it is necessary to ensure that the planting material does not rot and dry out. Stachis is also propagated by nodules, which are planted in pre-prepared holes 5-7 cm deep. The distance between plants should be 30-35 cm, between rows - 70 cm. As a rule, one tuber gives up to 200 specimens.

Harvesting

The tubers are harvested in September-October. Tubers are stored in cellars or basements at a temperature of 0-2C in boxes filled with dry sand. The tubers can be used throughout the winter and spring; they have a rather long shelf life.

Application

Stakhis is widely used in cooking and traditional medicine. In particular, wood stachis is recommended by official medicine for women in the postpartum period. Stachis marsh acts as a diuretic, anti-inflammatory, choleretic and anti-exudative agent. The chemist's purse has the same properties. The culture is also used as an ornamental plant; woolly stachis will look very impressive on the garden plot.