2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Sheikhzer's kolnik (Latin Phyteuma scheuchzeri) - a flowering plant; a representative of the Kolnik family of the Kolokolchikov family. It comes from the Alps. It occurs naturally in the mountains, mountain meadows and rocks. It is actively used by gardeners and flower growers for the purpose of landscaping personal plots. The plant is suitable for the formation of alpine slides and decoration of rocky gardens.
Characteristics of culture
Scheuchtser's kolnik is represented by perennial herbaceous plants, not exceeding 70 cm in height. In culture, the plant is undersized and even dwarf, usually from 15 to 35 cm. The plant has erect or drooping stems, crowned with basal and upper foliage of bright green color with a bluish tint. The shape of the basal foliage is elliptical, oval or ovoid, the stem foliage is linear.
The flowers are small, reach a diameter of 2-3 cm, have a lilac or lilac-blue color. Flowering is long, occurs in the second decade of June and the first decade of July and lasts about a month, and with proper care and a favorable climate - 1, 5 months. Unlike its "congeners", Scheuchtser's cotter is very picky about the growing conditions, especially the soil. For successful cultivation, it is important to enrich the soil with calcium before planting.
Growing features
The Scheuchzer kolnik is a warm and light-loving culture. It is recommended to plant it in well-lit areas, protected from cold northerly winds. It is not necessary to allocate the lowlands to the plant with stagnant cold air and precipitation. The species in question will not tolerate commonwealth with a shadow, except that it accepts only a faint diffused shadow. Therefore, it is undesirable to plant it under the dense crowns of trees or in the backyards, where there is no sun at all. On such sites, the plant will lag behind in growth, often get sick, and the absence of flowering is also guaranteed.
As already mentioned, the culture makes special demands on soil conditions. It's not just about the presence of calcium in the soil. The soil should be loose, permeable, well-drained. An excellent solution to add washed coarse river sand to the garden soil. Also, do not forget about the introduction of organic matter, best of all rotted compost. It is not necessary to grow Scheuchzer's kolnik in areas with swampy, saline and heavy clay soils. The close occurrence of groundwater is also highly undesirable.
The Scheuchzer's kolnik reproduces both vegetatively and by seed. Most often, gardeners and florists use the second method. True, it is advised to sow not in early spring, but in the third decade of August - the second decade of September in open ground. Why? The fact is that the seeds of kolnik require cold stratification. Stratification can also be carried out at home by placing the seeds in the refrigerator for at least 2 months. Then they sow in seedling boxes, with the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, they dive in separate pots, but they are planted in the garden only after 1-2 years.
