Aquilegia Spatula

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

Aquilegia oxysepala (Latin Aquilegia oxysepala) - a rare but rather attractive species belonging to the genus Aquilegia of the large Buttercup family. Another name of the species is the Cultivar catchment. In its natural environment, it is found on the territory of China, more precisely in the northern and eastern regions, as well as in Korea, southern Siberia and the Far Eastern Federal District. Typical habitats are wet meadows and river banks.

Characteristics of culture

Aquilegia is represented by tall plants reaching a height of 1 m. This is one of the brightest representatives of the genus, suitable for decorating the background of mixborders. It has a far from fragile stem, bearing many complex double-triple leathery leaves of green color. Like other species, the lower part of the foliage has a bluish tint. The lobes of the basal foliage are ovoid, obovate, broadly ovate, oval or round, less often wedge-shaped, serrated along the edge, do not exceed 5 cm in length. The stem foliage is different, it is palm-shaped, pointed at the tips.

The flowers of the considered representative of the genus are small, do not exceed 4 cm in diameter, but specimens with flowers up to 2.5 cm are more common. Sepals in flowers are wide, lanceolate, can be white or purple in color. Spurs (the pride of all aquilegia), short, do not exceed 10 mm in length, slightly bent into the flower. The flowering of the aquilegia acuminatus is observed in the third decade of May - the first decade of June. Flowering lasts about a month, although this factor largely depends on climatic conditions. The species is drought-resistant, frost-resistant and resistant to pests and diseases. It does not belong to the category of whimsical, however, it nevertheless puts forward some requirements, the observance of which promises active growth and abundant flowering.

Aquilegia is suitable for decorating various types of flower beds, including the mixborders mentioned above. Also, plants are not forbidden to use for making bouquets and creating winter compositions. In culture, he chooses moderately moist, light, fertile, drained and neutral soils. Clay, heavy, acidic and compacted soils are negative. The location is preferably semi-shaded, although the culture does well in the open sun. The only disadvantage of cultivation in a sunny area is the shrinking of the flowers and the dullness of the shade.

Seed growing

The seed method cannot be called laborious, but it has some subtleties. Sowing is recommended after harvesting the seeds. Spring sowing requires stratification. In autumn, seeds are sown directly into the ground, and with the onset of heat, the seedlings are planted in a permanent place; in the spring - sowing is carried out in seedling boxes in March - April, with the appearance of a couple of real leaves on the seedlings, a pick is made in separate containers, the seedlings are planted in a permanent place not earlier than the first ten days of June. The seedling boxes should be filled with a nutrient medium containing humus. It should be noted that the seeds of aquilegia are rather small, they do not require deep pits and grooves, it is enough to scatter them over the substrate, sprinkle with soil, water and cover with plastic wrap.

Before the emergence of seedlings, it is recommended to constantly ventilate and water the crops, but not overmoisten and not wait for overdrying. With the right approach, seedlings will delight with their hatching in the third week. The optimum temperature for sprouting is 17-18C. When planting still immature plants in the ground, it is very important to provide them with careful and careful care. At first, the seedlings need to be shaded, otherwise sunburn cannot be avoided. Aquilegia obtained by seed will bloom in the second year, but abundant flowering will show itself only in the third - fourth year after planting in the ground.