Planting and caring for a delphinium, a herbaceous flower from the genus Ranunculáceae (lat.), was mastered back in ancient Greece, but they knew about this plant not only there!
Content: [Hide]
- Introduction
- And what about the Slavs? Folk use of "Greek grass"
- Application in academic medicine
- Botany, names and garden flowers of "Greek grass"
- Groups and varieties of garden delphinium
- Grow, delphinium, big and small!
- Preparing for winter
- reproduction
- Distillation
- cut
- Diseases, pests and ways to eliminate them
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Introduction
The ancient Greeks, massively planting the delphinium in the vicinity of the Delphic Temple of the Pythian Apollo, near Mount Parnassus, laid the first "stones" in the cultivation and selection of this magnificent flower through careful care of the temple plantations.
The city itself - the religious center of Greece - was named after the son of Apollo. Since the son's name was Delphi, both the city and the temple, and the flowers dedicated to Apollo and his son, have a common root in their names:
- city of Delphi
- temple and oracle with him - Delphi
- son of Apollo, turned into a miracle of the sea - Dolphin
- flowers - delphiniums
The flower itself really resembles the body of a gray dolphin that lives off the coast of Greece.
It was believed that the aroma of Delphinium and the smoke of the burning stems of this plant contribute to the "expansion of consciousness" of the oracle.
The ancient Greeks were not far from the truth! All types of Delphinium are the closest relatives of Aconite (Aconítum - lat.), which means they contain alkaloid aconitine, which has a destructive effect on the central nervous system, causing hallucinations and convulsions, up to respiratory arrest or prolonged clouding of consciousness.
Delphinium is a poisonous plant!
The degree of its toxicity depends on the soil, climate and age. The southern species of Delphinium (Delphínium - lat.) contain the maximum concentration of aconitine.
American Indians prepare blue flour from the flowers of the "Greek grass", which is used as a medicine and for adding to paints. As a dye for yarn, such a "potion" is used in Iran and Afghanistan in the manufacture of clothing and world-famous Persian carpets.
The Tibetans know how to use the juice and dried parts of "delph" for severe poisoning. Since ancient times, the Mongols have been preparing ointments and decoctions from the wild plant not only as a treatment, but also to rejuvenate the skin of the face and thicken the hair.
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The Slavs also knew this poisonous plant well! Only the name was used differently - Larkspur, Comfrey (obsolete) or Spur. Judging by the name, Larkspur is widely used in folk medicine, despite the content of dangerous alkaloids in it.
No delphic magic! “Only flowers, grass and roots!”
The ability to block pain by relaxing the muscles, made comfrey an indispensable medicinal plant in the treatment of inflamed joints, bone fractures and relieving headaches and toothaches.
Decoctions, balms and poultices from larkspur are a pure miracle for backaches (lumbago) and duck (rheumatism).
Spur root juice, mixed with honey, even raised the seriously ill from their deathbed, and the same composition successfully cured consumption (tuberculosis).
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Application in academic medicine
Restrictions for their use:
- pregnancy (limited to oral use only)
- age up to 12 years (only with the permission of the pediatrician)
- individual intolerance to the components of drugs
Take oral preparations and external ointments-creams - only according to the instructions!
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Larkspur (Delphinium) has about 500 species, about 100 grow in the territories of Russia and adjacent lands.
The most common 2:
- Perennial Larkspur high (Delphinium elatum - lat.)
- Annual Larkspur field (Delphinium consolida - lat.)
All of them are allocated by botanists to the adjacent genus of field Sokirks (Consolida regalis) and they are all poisonous to one degree or another.
The concept of longevity for Delphinium elatum is somewhat overstated. The root of the plant dies after 5-7 yearsThis means that the planting of delphiniums of perennial varieties beloved by gardeners must be renewed every five years.
If in the scientific and medical literature the name "spur" or "larkspur" is used for the plant, then the people call the field "wild" specimens semi-scientifically, but very affectionately - "sokiriki".
variety "King Arthur"
Books and articles on gardening use the term delphinium. It's justified! – It is rare to find real sokyriki in the garden! They are mainly grown not for their medicinal qualities, but for the beauty of their hybrid variants.
Spur hybrids really differ from the modest Sokirik in stem height, inflorescence structure, and petal color., like a small bow-legged mongrel dog from Apollo among dogs - a Great Dane.
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Groups and varieties of garden delphinium
The options and variations of garden delphiniums are so diverse that they were even divided into several separate groups, each of which has its own name:
Belladonna
Delphinium Belladonna
It is characterized by a strongly dissected leaf and paniculate branched inflorescences with blue flowers of various shades - from pale blue to dark bright blue.
Popular varieties:
- Arnold Becklin
- Berghimmel
- Volkerfrieden
- Casa Blanca
- Kleine
- Capri
- Connecticut Yankees
- Mannerheim
- Lamartine
- Folkerfrieden
- Piccolo
Pacific or Pacific hybrids
Astolat
In Europe, these 12 varieties are grown as a 2-year-old crop. Plants form large bushes up to 1.5-2 m tall. The bush is densely leafy, many-flowered, the brush is pyramidal, multi-colored, with large semi-double flowers. The length of the brush is up to 1m.
The most resistant varieties:
- Astolat
- Black Knight
- Blue Jay
- Blue Bird
- Galahad
- Ginivier
- Camelliard
- King Arthur
New Zealand hybrids of the New Millennium (New Millennium)
Delphinium elatum New Millennium (Purple Pashin)
The incredible beauty of pure, bright colors of semi-double and double colors, collected in dense vertical brushes! Some flower stalks have up to 8 rows of petals, more reminiscent of rosebuds than a common spur flower.
Favorite varieties for cutting:
- Royal Aspiration
- Green Twist
- Sleigh Skies
- Monin Lights
- Blueshin Brights
- Dusky Maidens
- Pink Panche
- Sweetats
- Deep Sweets
- Purple Pashin
- Inness
- Blue Lize
- Purple Giant
The last of these - Blue Liz ("Blue Lace") is distinguished by deep blue flowers with a pink or lilac tint - beauty inexpressible in words! Lilac Giant is simply striking in its majesty and luxury of its lilac-blue terry flowers!
Marfin hybrids - Malyutin varieties
Variety Spring Snow
These delphiniums were brought out by N.I. Malyutin on his own plot in the village of Marfino (Moscow region). His "children" are in no way inferior in beauty to the Pacific Pacific, they are even better! - When propagated by seed, the plant retains more than 90% of the "pedigree traits", which is a big problem for other hybrids.
Varieties obtained in Marfino:
- Spring Snow
- Daughter of Winter
- Blue lace from Marfino
- Pledge of Youth
- Caravan
- Lavender Obelisk
- Morpheus
- Pink Sunset
- Crane Wedge
- Memory
- South Pole
- Lilac Blizzard (Spiral)
- Blue Venus
Based on the Malyutin hybrids, bred back in the 60s of the last century, a modern domestic hybrid has been created that meets all the indicators of Marfino - a snow-white Crystal Fountain, whose height of the "jet" rises by 2 meters or more!
Elatum or Foster group
Delphinium elatum Blue White Bee
An extensive group of varieties of perennial delphiniums, bred by the breeder K. Foster on the basis of Delphinium elatum - High Larkspur. This is the most popular group!
Here are just a few familiar names:
- Amethyst
- Abgesang
- Bornimer
- Berghiml
- Lady Belinda
- Lanzent
- Malvina
- Mutrbaum
- pearl mutrbaum
- Nakhtwakhe
and many others.
Peduncles can have the entire widest range of color shades. - from transparent white to hyacinth blue or mixed shades. Flowers - from simple to terry.
Ajaxes or garden juicers
Delphinium Ajax
Almost each of the tall delphiniums has its own miniature analogue, often not exceeding 10-15 cm in height. Maximum - up to 45.
This is a field annual Delphinium consolida (sokirik) and garden "little growth" Ajax (Delphinium ajacis). Ajax can be up to 80 cm tall, but it is rarely planted, because there are varieties of tall "delphi", which are much more interesting than the half-wild sokirik, dishevelled by the winds.
Ajax is not offended, willingly inhabits alpine hills and rocky areas of the garden, all the more so because he also has many varieties:
- Blue Eye (modified lat. "glaucum") - 30-40 cm; not hardy, but easily reborn in spring from its own seeds.
- Kashmiri - 20-30 cm; the colors are different, as are the forms of the peduncle (except for terry).
- Short-spurred - crumb 10-15 cm with large dark blue, but very few flowers.
- Cardinal - very similar to the Blue Eye, but the inflorescences are orange-red or deep scarlet.
- Hollow-stemmed - the name speaks for itself: small red flower stalks sway on thin bare stems, reminiscent of hummingbird nests or the fairy-tale dwelling of elves.
- Connecticut Junkies will please the eye with delicate white flowers.
- Merheim - white-foam undersized columns.
African
Delphinium luteum
Of those cultivated in our gardens, the large-spur variety Macrocentrum Oliv enjoys a special location, characterized by a stem height of up to 1.5 m with blue-green inflorescences arranged densely and densely.
The flowers themselves are more reminiscent of asters in the splendor of their petals and their closing on the receptacle.
Chinese grandflowers
Delphinium Blauer
These are semi-wild varieties of "Delphs", massively grown in China, Korea, Mongolia and Eastern Siberia. The straight stems (20 to 80 cm) often have branched shoots adorned with large, bright flowers. Under the influence of selection on Grandiflorum, Chinensis and Blauer Zwerg, double and semi-double flowers of various colors swayed.
All types of delphiniums are very beautiful! Amazing variety of colors even in one group! Flower growers - lovers of these flowers have 850 subtlest shades!
Having decided on the desired variety-type, it's time to find out how to properly arrange this beauty in your own garden and how to care for it.
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It is impossible to call a cultivated spurr especially fastidious, but you will have to follow some rules when growing:
- Landing site should be sunny
- "Greek grass" reacts poorly to through wind
- "Delph" will die if its roots are constantly blocked
- Mulching for a plant is a must for the development of a proper root system
- Tall hollow stems break and require mandatory garter
- Repeated flowering is possible with the complete removal of the first peduncles.
- With all the winter hardiness (up to 35-40 * below zero), the flower may not survive the first "joyful" spring thawed patches - the roots are too close to the surface of the earth.
- Pacific beauties require a transplant every 4 years, Marfin and New Zealand - once every 5 years, Elatum calmly bloom in one place up to 7 years.
Feeding, watering and loosening
To build up green mass and abundant flowering of domesticated larkspur, proper feeding is required:
The soil under the bush must be regularly loosened!
But this must be done carefully, trying not to damage the small superficial roots, which grow up to half a meter from the base of the bush. The optimal depth is 5 cm.
In order for the bush to “breathe” freely not only with its roots, in the spring it is necessary to break out part of the shoots from the middle, removing weak and thinly transparent. These will not give powerful flowering, they will only spend the “life force” of the plant, but they will make good cuttings for propagation. In few-flowered species, no more than 10 flower stalks are left; for many-flowered species, 5 are enough.
All your efforts with top dressing, thinning and loosening will not help the "delph" feel comfortable if watering is insufficient. Watering should be plentiful so that the water goes to the very bottom of the roots! Surface watering will do more harm than good.
Delphinium oxysepalum
Plants suffer greatly from dry air, but they suffer no less if cold water showers them in the heat.. Watering should be carried out in the late afternoon, when the heat subsides, and only under the root and along the "stem circle" of 40-50 cm.
The lack of care for the garden spur during the budding period often ends up with the fact that he simply discards the flowers.
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If it's about perennials, then after the second flowering (end of August - mid-September) leaves and stems should be cut to a height of 25-30 cm from the soil surface.
So that through the hollow tubes left after cutting, water does not penetrate to the root neck of the plant and the root does not rot, it is advisable to close up the cavity with clay or bend the upper part of the stump down.
“Greek grass” often suffers from pests and other diseases (more on this below), in order to prevent the infection from “taking root”, all parts of the plant cut for the winter must be burned.
Despite the declared winter hardiness, it is better to cover the remaining blades of grass for the winter with a spruce forest, cover it with sand from above, and throw leaves on the very top.
Shelter needles plants for the winter
Throw some leaves at least! The buds of the renewal of the delphinium every year are laid a little higher than the previous ones, which means that in severe frosty winters they will simply freeze.
After the first flowering (May-July - depending on the climatic zone), it is customary to remove faded flower stalks, breaking them out along with the stem at the very root.This approach stimulates the appearance of new shoots at the base and the forcing of flower stalks for re-flowering. As a result, the plant weakens, leaves to winter unripe, blooms poorly in the next season, or even dies altogether. Such a sad result is typical until the "delph" is 3 years old.
To prevent this from happening, take your time with re-coloring! - In the first years of life, cut off only the inflorescence brushes themselves, leaving the stem-trunk intact!
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There are no particular difficulties here. We propagate the variety we like without any problems by cuttings, seeds and dividing the bush.
seed way
This method is most often used for one-year-olds. Seeds are planted in sun-warmed spring soil or in autumn before frost.
Delphinium seeds are easy to collect, they are quite large and located in the same places where an amazing flower bloomed - leaflets
Ascended seedlings should be thinned out, maintaining a distance of a little more than 20 cm. Moreover, if you decide to plant delphinium seedlings in a ditch, you do not need to freeze the seeds! And you don’t need to keep them under a greenhouse either - optimum temperature for germination UP TO 15 C. Higher - germination drops to 50%.
Shoots appear on the 10-15th day.
Keep in mind that seeds collected in August-September (the second flowering period) will give color only after a year and a half - consider this when planting.
Seeds are best planted in late April - early May for permanent residence in open ground! Young seedlings do not tolerate transplanting well! It is necessary to collect seeds from the lower leaflets - they are the first to bloom, respectively, the first to give ripe fruits.
cuttings
The seed method is not very effective in the presence of perennials - they are hybrids, which means they do not support certain hereditary features: color, quantity, density and similarity of peduncles with the parent plant. Hybrid plants are best propagated by dividing the bush and cuttings.
For cuttings, young plants are used, removed when thinning the bush in spring, or the upper top of the peduncle until buds appear on it (7-10 cm)
The narrower the cavity inside the shoot (ideally, it is absent at all), the better and faster the cutting takes root.
Parts that are broken out at the very root neck take root well - with a “heel”. The cutting is planted in a box or greenhouse, where there is already a prepared sand-peat mixture 50x50 to a depth of 1-2 cm.
The greenhouse can be covered or left uncovered. The main condition is sufficient soil moisture and a temperature not exceeding 20 C. What is really important is the absence of direct sunlight.
After 2 weeks, plant tissue called callus (callus - corn) develops at the end of the cutting, after which - adventitious roots. After 1-1.5 months, the petioles can be planted in open soil at a distance of 40-45 cm from each other, but know that they will bloom only next summer.
Propagation by root
For the complete preservation of all hereditary factors, it is optimal to use root division during vegetative propagation. - rhizomes, as biologists would say.
The use of rhizomes in the propagation of valuable varieties of delphiniums is a guarantee of the preservation of the variety
- Parts of rhizomes separated from the main root are commonly called delyonki. The best time to get strong and healthy divisions is spring, as soon as the "delph" has released new leaves.
- The best plant age is 3-4 years. This is due not so much to the state of maturity, but to a lesser threat of receiving infected material for planting.
- In the spring, the extracted root of the garden spur is dug up and examined for the presence of buds and emerging shoots. Each of the divided parts must have at least 1 shoot and sufficient healthy rooting.
- A large root is broken or cut at the desired points, sprinkling each break (cut) with ash or crushed activated carbon. After a day, the delenki are planted in a permanent place in well-moistened soil.
- The composition of the mixture that covers the delenka: garden black soil + sand + humus in equal parts.
- No additional dressings are produced! In this case: “The best is the enemy of the good!”
- It's better to share in the spring, but if, for some reason, you did not have time, then do it in the fall, immediately after the last flowering, when the formation and ripening of seeds in garden sokiriks is only at the beginning.
- The rhizome is dug up, the embryonic and damaged parts and shoots are removed, the root is dried and rid of excess land. They find the kidneys and distribute and divide the divisions along them.
- The delenki are planted in prepared soil (1x1x1) and wait for the shoot to take root.
- These sprouts are left in the house until spring., until planting time, caring for them as usual - this is a premium class seed!
- A delenka in a pot will throw out a peduncle by 99%. Break it off to avoid weakening the sprout and do not regret it!
- Contrary to popular belief, the division of the "delph" rhizome does not lead to the rejuvenation of the bush. The destruction of old tissues continues in divisions. So you have to take care of the new seed in advance.
- The division of the same bush after 4-7 years (depending on the species) leads to the degeneration of the variety - once, and new divisions from the old rhizome do not take root well, get sick or even die.
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This method is not used as a reproduction, but in order to make the plant bloom ahead of schedule.
Only perennial hybrids are suitable for forcing!
We prepare the material in advance - in the fall. Young, well-formed, strong plants are dug up and planted in separate pots. The pots are transferred to a cool, shaded (not dark!) place, for example, an unheated greenhouse.
From February, delfo blanks can be transferred to the house or you can start heating the greenhouse to 18-20 C the plants are waking up. When the first green appears, the daylight hours are increased with the help of additional illumination up to 10 hours.
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Cut flower stalks in the early morning, while the plant is in a normal tone and the turgor (elasticity) of the leaves is well expressed. Those “plumes” are suitable for cutting, on which at least half of the buds have already opened.
The slender and noble flowers of the Malyutinskiye and Pacific hybrids will decorate any bouquet, but they cost less when cut - up to 10 days.
"New Zealanders", "Fosters" and "Africans" - in themselves a ready-made bouquet from one stem! However, their life span after cutting is the shortest - 5-7 days.
Diseases, pests and ways to eliminate them
No matter how poisonous the delphinium is, this does not save it from many parasites that want to occupy the flower and destroy it in the end.
In the table - diseases, pests, ways to prevent and eliminate these misfortunes:
table 1
table 2
table 3
Diseases abound. Most of them are the result of adverse weather conditions., but compliance with the rules of agricultural technology when growing a delphinium can minimize the risk of disease.
Remember! First of all, young underdeveloped plants suffer!
Having missed the moment, you will never get a slender handsome soldier with a magnificent sultan of magnificent flowers! And your garden will no longer be painted with fantastically refined shades from the bizarre patterns of pyramidal or carpal inflorescences that the incomparable delphinium gives it!
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