2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Marsh rank (lat. Lathyrus) - a herbaceous perennial belonging to the legume family.
Description
The marsh rank is a plant that can grow from thirty centimeters to a meter high. The rhizomes of this aquatic inhabitant are branched, creeping and rather thin. And its winged, ascending and very branched stems are most often naked, however, sometimes they can be pubescent in their upper parts or in the nodes.
The complex paired leaves of the marsh rank are formed by three, four or five pairs of lanceolate or oblong leaves, the width of which ranges from two to fifteen centimeters, and their length can vary from three to seven centimeters. The faceted rods of the leaves end in either branched or simple tendrils - these simple devices help the plant to cling to numerous supports.
The flowers of the marsh rank are irregular, moth type and drooping. All of them are characterized by a rather faint smell and a spectacular blue-purple color. And racemose axillary inflorescences are formed by two to six flowers each. The very peak of the decorativeness of this beautiful plant occurs precisely during the flowering period. As for flowering, it can be observed in June and July (and sometimes in August).
The fruits of the marsh rank are pods with a linear-lanceolate shape, slightly compressed on the sides and including from six to twelve slightly flattened reddish-brownish seeds. In width, the fruits reach one centimeter, and their length ranges from four to six centimeters. As a rule, fruit ripening occurs in the period closer to the beginning of autumn. Quite large seeds of the beauty of the marsh rank cover rather dense shells.
By the way, outwardly, the marsh rank resembles the well-known sweet peas.
Where grows
Most often, you can encounter the rank of marsh among small shrubs in damp meadows (both in wet and swampy). It also occurs on swampy willows or sedge-reed bogs.
Usage
Marsh grass is widely used for planting in picturesque swampy or coastal areas. Often, it also lands on the wet shores of various reservoirs. This moisture-loving beauty perfectly complements tall grasses, as well as slender reeds and sedges.
By the way, in damp meadows, this culture is also used as a fodder plant - it is eaten with great pleasure by cattle. If it gets into the composition of hay, then horses will not refuse to feast on it.
Growing and caring
The marsh rank boasts a fairly high shade tolerance and prefers for its full development the shores of various reservoirs, as well as shallow waters and numerous damp areas. It also tolerates slight waterlogging. And the marsh rank is also characterized by excellent frost resistance, and therefore it does not need a winter shelter at all. This amazing plant overwinters excellently even in the ground of reservoirs. If it is grown in containers outside of them, then it is added dropwise in the garden.
In the ground, this culture is planted mainly in containers, and the depth of its planting should be up to five centimeters. It is best to select fertile soils, and the marsh rank is usually planted in May.
This plant propagates by seeds. To make them possible to germinate, the seeds must be scarified (that is, their seed covers are violated). The easiest way is to soak them in very warm, almost hot water. The swollen and then hatched seeds are slightly grown in pots or immediately planted in places chosen in advance. Seedlings of the marsh rank can boast not only of rare unpretentiousness, but also the ability to develop quickly enough.
Sometimes the marsh rank is also propagated in a vegetative way - its strong rhizomes are always divided in the spring. As for transplants, this plant does not tolerate them very well - this is due to the presence of nitrogen-fixing nodule bacteria on its roots.
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Euphorbia Marsh
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The Marsh Rank Is A Gentle Beauty
The marsh rank is most often found among small shrubs in damp meadows (both wet and swampy). You can also see it in swampy willows, as well as in sedge-reed bogs. By its appearance, the marsh rank is somewhat reminiscent of the sweet peas familiar to everyone. This plant will be an excellent decoration for the shores of a wide variety of reservoirs and will delight the eye for a long time with its wonderful flowering
