Kirkazon - lignified or grassy vine with large beautiful leaves. It is often used for strict landscaping of vertical structures. The medicinal properties of kirkazon are also known. In the descriptions you can find the same plant under the names "aristolochia", "woman in labor", "camphor" or "febrile grass". It belongs to the Kirkozon family. The genus of plants is so ancient that it existed even before the division of land into continents. Therefore, individual varieties are found throughout the globe. Most often, kirkazona live in the tropical and subtropical zones of Africa, Australia, Asia and Latin America.
Plant description
Kirkazon is a grassy perennial. It has a branched rhizome, which is located shallow from the surface of the earth. Weakly branched shoots grow 8-14 m in height. In the lower part, lignified stems grow vertically. At a young age, they are covered with a green-brown smooth bark, which gradually turns brown and crackes. The upper part of the vine is more flexible and covered with pile.
The leaves of kirkazon are very decorative. A large heart-shaped, palmate, or arrow-shaped leaf plate is painted in light green or bright green. On the underside, the leaf is covered with short villi. The length of the leaf plate is 5-30 cm. The leaves have long arched petioles and are arranged next. They form a continuous green cover, receiving maximum light during the day.
The flowering period in kircasone occurs in May-October, depending on the species. It lasts up to 20 days. Axillary flowers grow singly or in groups of up to 8 buds. They have a very unusual shape. Curved tubes resemble jugs, saxophones or gramophones. Insects get into them. Since kirkazon is pollinated mainly by flies, its flowers exude an unpleasant smell of rot. The color of the petals can be red, reddish brown or yellow. Flowering begins at the age of 5 years.
After pollination, hanging seed boxes of rounded or oblong form ripen. Under the thin skin are many seeds. A ripened box opens on its own, and trihedral seeds spill out of it or spread in the wind.
Types of Kircasone
In the world there are almost 200 species of aristolochia. In the vastness of Russia only 7 of them grow. The most common:
Kirkkazon ordinary (lomonosovidny). A large vine with grassy shoots up to 15 m long is distinguished by large ovate leaves with a dull rough surface. Foliage ends with a blunt edge. At the end of May, small jugs of flowers, painted in yellow, appear on the plant. In July, the fruits ripen in the form of elegant spherical boxes, similar to miniature pumpkins or watermelons.
Aristolochia is large-leaved. The plant is a vine. The young bark on it is smooth, marsh green. Over the years, it cracks and acquires a light brown hue. Heart-shaped bright green leaves grow up to 30 cm in diameter. On one shoot, the leaves may vary in color, giving the liana a mosaic color. In the fall, remaining green, the leaves fall off. Flowering begins in June, yellow-green tubular flowers, similar to small jugs, bloom in the axils of the leaves. After pollination, oblong seed capsules mature. However, fruiting almost never occurs due to the lack of natural pollinators.
Circason Manchu. Deciduous woody liana is covered with large dark green leaves. On leaf blades, glands exuding camphor aroma are located. The width of the leaves reaches 30 cm. Flowering occurs from the beginning of May, when cream-brown axillary flowers bloom on the vines. Autumn yellowed leaves fall off.
Kirkazon felt. Deciduous climbing plant grows to a height of 10 m. Its young shoots and leaves are densely covered with felt pile. The foliage is painted a light green dull color. Spectacular ovoid leaflets grow 16 cm in length. In early June, wrinkled yellow flowers bloom about 3.5 cm long.
Circason is elegant. Liana with beautiful heart-shaped leaves is distinguished by larger flowers. The buds are located singly or in the amount of 4-6 pieces in the axils of the leaves. The length of the wrinkled curved tube is more than 10 cm, and the width is about 8 cm. Outside, the corolla is painted in cream color, and from the inside it is covered with a mesh of red-brown veins. The variety blooms in July and delights with unusual corollas until September.
Breeding
Although kirkazon is absolutely unpretentious in leaving, its reproduction requires efforts. Kircasone is propagated by seed and vegetative (layering, cuttings, dividing the bush) methods. The most convenient for an amateur gardener is the method of rooting layering. It is enough to dig part of the vine into the ground and crush it. In this case, the surface of the cortex must be slightly scratched. The roots are guaranteed, but the process will take a lot of time. Only two-year lay-offs are capable of separation and independent development.
In the southern regions, the method of rooting cuttings is effectively used. In the spring, before budding, the shoots are cut and rooted in the open ground. Autumn cuttings are also practiced. The lower section is recommended to be processed with "Kornevin". Rooting is done in wet sand or in loose nutrient soil. It must be moisturized regularly. The first month, the cuttings are kept under a transparent cap and cover for the winter especially carefully. The soil is mulched with a thick layer of peat. Next spring, you can transplant young kirkazona to a permanent place.
Some species of vines form many basal processes. In the spring they can be dug up and transplanted separately. Caring for basal shoots is no different.
To grow kirkazon from seeds, crops are made in the fall in the open ground. Fresh, mature seeds are distributed in the wells up to 3 cm deep. They are sprinkled with soil and mulched with compost. Shoots appear in April-May, in the first year the plant grows only 20-50 cm, but the rhizome is actively developing. Transplanting seedlings to a permanent place is planned at the age of 2-3 years.
Planting a plant
Kircasone seedlings prefer loose fertile soil. On depleted or heavy soils, dig a hole deeper (50-60 cm). The drainage layer is lined at the bottom, and the free space is filled with compost, humus, sand, peat and turfy soil. Kirkazon is poorly developed on acidic soils, therefore, softwood lumber can not be used for loosening. For the same reason, compost is made from waste deciduous trees.
It is important to maintain a distance between plants. Since kirkazon forms shoots very actively, the distance between the seedlings should be at least 0.8-1 m.
Care Rules
Aristolochia prefers open terrain without drafts. Best plants develop in partial shade. In direct sunlight, they bloom worse, and leaves often lose turgor. It is recommended to plant kirkason near water bodies and along river banks. The plant loves water and high humidity. When watering, water is poured both in the soil and on the crown. In conditions of high humidity, the bush develops better. Periodic bathing and sprinkling will benefit the plant only.
You can get rid of weeds with the help of weeding and loosening the soil. So you can destroy the crust after watering and facilitate the penetration of air to the roots. A lot of effort is not needed, just loosen the top 5-8 cm of the earth.
In the summer, once a month, kirkazon is fed with organic fertilizers. The solution is applied to the soil at the roots, and then a portion of clean water is poured. So fertilizers will not burn the shoots.
In spring and summer, the daily growth of shoots reaches 25 cm, so the vines will have to be pruned regularly. In the early spring, dried shoots and extra shoots are removed, otherwise the support may not be able to cope with a lot of weight. Before wintering, thermophilic and young kirkazons need careful shelter. The soil is covered with fallen leaves and spruce branches. The plant is completely removed from the support or covered vertically with non-woven material.
In too dense plantings or with excessive watering, the roots and leaves of kirkazon suffer from powdery mildew and rot. Only radical pruning and fungicide treatment will save the plant. Among parasites, the most harmful are spider mites. Subtle insects settle on the leaves and feed on the sap of the plant. Regular spraying with clean water helps prevent infection. If pests are detected, they are treated with an insecticide.
Kirkazon in landscape design
The thick liana forms a continuous green cascade, under which lies any unsightly farm building or fence. With the help of kirkazona with large leaves create arches, corridors, as well as decorate arbors. The plant is able to form a thick shadow in which you can spend time on a hot day. Kircasone has been living for at least 30 years, gradually increasing in size, decorating the site and purifying the air near the house.
Healing properties
All parts of kirkazona, and especially leaves and shoots, are rich in acids, resins and essential oils. Plant-based preparations have anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, disinfecting, analgesic and wound healing properties. In folk medicine, decoctions and infusions with kirkazon are used to lower blood pressure, improve kidney function, and fight infectious diseases. Compresses with plant juice help to cope with boils, itchy skin, heal purulent wounds and facilitate the course of mastitis.
With all the positive properties, kirkazon can be dangerous. An overdose or unreasonable regular use leads to the formation of a tumor in the kidneys and the development of liver failure. A severe allergy is possible as a result of contact with the plant. For these reasons, treatment with kirkazon is practiced only after a detailed consultation with a doctor.
