Graceful Aquilegia Bushes. Acquaintance

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

In many country estates, there are bushes of wild aquilegia with blue inflorescences. Spread by self-seeding, they cover large areas under shrubs, trees on lawns. Experienced gardeners consider a flower a weed. Thanks to breeding in recent years, the variety of varieties has increased incredibly many times. I invite you to get acquainted with the features of this wonderful flower

Ancient legends

Until now, scientists have not come to a consensus about the origin of the name of the plant. All of them are associated with the structure of inflorescences. One group considers the primary source consisting of two words "to collect water" (spurs look like jugs), the second calls them eagles (the outgrowths resemble the claws of a bird), the third attributes ancient Germanic origin.

In England, aquilegia is affectionately called columbine (dove). The Germans consider them to be the shoes of elves - forest dwellers. On the engravings by Flemish masters, the catchment is depicted with seven petals, representing the number of virtues. An amazing fact, considering that such specimens do not exist in nature.

In paintings on a religious theme, the plant was present without fail, personifying the symbol of the Holy Spirit. In the Bible, pastures abound in aquilegia, predatory and herbivorous animals graze here peacefully.

Biological structure

The root system is branched, powerful. Consists of thick suction roots and many small ones. The bulk of the leaves is located in a basal rosette on long petioles. The leaf plate is dissected, formed by three separate lobes. Stem greens are small, sessile.

At the end of May, flower stalks are formed, depending on the variety, with a height of 0, 2-1, 5 m. Collected in paniculate loose inflorescences. The buds are isolated, reminiscent of drooping bells with spurs, purple, yellow, blue, pink, crimson, white, lilac, burgundy.

Simple flowers consist of 5 petals, resembling a funnel, double ones are collected from many plates. 5 pistils, many stamens. In early August, fruits ripen - multileafs 2.5 cm long (5 pods fused at the base).

Small, shiny, black seeds spill out in the phase of full ripeness from the open valves. They can give abundant self-seeding. Germination lasts 1-2 years. The plant contains alkaloids and is not eaten by animals.

Better conditions

Many species winter well without additional shelter from the steppe to the taiga zone of our country. They prefer partial shade with light, loose soils that are sufficiently moist. They will not give up nutritional supplements in the form of compost, humus.

In open, sunny areas, they lag behind their counterparts in growth, the flowers become smaller, the petals quickly crumble.

Place in the garden

Landscape designers make extensive use of aquilegia bushes when compiling complex mixborders. Low-growing varieties are great for rocky gardens, alpine slides, rabatok, as a curb plant along the edge of a flower garden, near water bodies. Looks great next to saxifrage, stonecrop, gentian, thyme, armeria, primroses, low hosts, astilbe.

Tall forms coexist with lupins, swimsuits, bells, berry, brunner, ferns, decorative grasses, oriental poppy.

After the petals fall, the arrows are cut off at ground level. Openwork foliage remains decorative all summer long, shading the bright representatives of the floral world.

Aquilegia is used to create bouquets. Twigs are cut in the phase of loose 2-3 buds. The rest of the inflorescences open in a vase. Suitable for winter compositions. When dried, it retains the brightness of colors.

In the cold season, undersized varieties are suitable for forcing for the holidays. Compact bushes surrounded by openwork juicy greenery look especially impressive on windowsills.

We will consider the variety of aquilegia varieties in the next article.