Olympic Aquilegia

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

Olympic Aquilegia (Latin Aquilegia olympica) - one of the brightest representatives of the genus Aquilegia of the Buttercup family. In nature, it lives in moderately humid meadows, as well as among low shrubs that do not interfere with the development of culture. Natural area - Asian countries, the Caucasus (Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan) and Greece. Nowadays, in nature, the plant is on the verge of extinction, but so far no measures have been taken to protect it.

Characteristics of culture

Aquilegia Olympic is represented by perennial plants up to 60 cm high, forming thin stems during growth, on which complex double-triple foliage flaunts, which has a bluish color on the underside. The flowers of the species under consideration are rather large, white-blue, attractive, reaching 7-10 cm in diameter. The flowers have an unusual color, for example, the edges of the petals are snow-white, and the calyx is deep blue. Like other representatives of the genus, the flowers of the Olympic aquilegia are equipped with a short, slightly curved spur, which gives the plant incredible beauty.

The flowering of the culture is observed in late spring - early summer, which largely depends on the climatic conditions of the place of growth. It should be noted that the Olympic aquilegia is one of the species that can boast of repeated flowering. As a rule, this happens in August - September, but only in warm weather (both day and night). Even after flowering, the plant looks very dignified, the green foliage continues to decorate the garden. Leaving before winter, the species in question sheds only part of the foliage, the rest is covered with a green pore of snow.

Aquilegia Olympic is actively used by gardeners and flower growers for landscaping gardens, summer cottages and personal backyards. It is suitable for decorating rocky gardens, rock gardens, rockeries, mixborders and even a rabatka. It is also suitable for decorating areas located near trees with an openwork crown that allows a sufficient amount of sunlight to pass through. This look looks good in summer bouquets. Often it is used to create creative compositions, decorated in glass frames, and suitable for interior decoration of houses and apartments.

Care

Caring for the Olympic aquilegia is subject to even an inexperienced florist. It does not require a lot of attention, time and money investments. However, the activity of culture development and the abundance of flowering depend on the quality of care. By the way, aquilegia can grow in one area for up to 5 years, after which division and transplantation are necessary, since the bushes are pretty thin and bloom poorly.

Care also consists in systematic, but moderate watering, cleaning weeds, loosening and feeding. A short-term lack of moisture does not threaten the culture with anything, since its root system extracts moisture from deep soil layers.

But plants cannot do without weeding and loosening. They react painfully to the absence of these aspects. Often affected by diseases and pests. With good care, such incidents do not occur. It is impossible not to touch upon the topic of fertilizers. Olympic aquilegia needs them. During the season, two dressings are enough: in the spring - with mineral fertilizers and mullein infusion, at the time of bud formation - only with mineral fertilizers.

Pests and the fight against them

Among the dangerous pests that can damage the Olympic aquilegia, and indeed all representatives of the Aquilegia genus, are scoops. They manifest themselves as eaten holes in foliage, flowers and even stems. Both caterpillars and adult plants eat plants. Caterpillars are green creatures whose body is covered with yellowish dots. It is quite difficult to deal with scoops, folk methods are useless, only spraying with pesticides is effective.

Also, the culture can be harmed by nematodes. The first signs of villainy are yellow spots forming on the foliage. In addition, plants affected by nematodes are very stunted, wither and look painful. With untimely intervention, aquilegia die. With primary signs, you can do with insectoacaricides of a new generation, with a strong defeat, it is impossible to save the culture, the plants are pulled out of the soil and destroyed, and the soil is cultivated.