Kaluzhnitsa (from the old Russian "Kaluzh", swamp) is a herbaceous plant that grows in humid areas. It occurs in a temperate climatic zone, as well as in more northern areas, for example, in the Arctic and Scandinavia.
Description and features of kaluzhnitsa
The herbaceous perennial belongs to the family Ranunculaceae. The flower is distinguished by a saturated green color of leaves and a height of 40 cm to 3 m. It grows mainly in swamps, but can also be found on dry soil, provided that it often rains in this area. Due to winter hardiness (withstands temperatures up to -35 ° C) in Russia it is often planted in open ground.
The root system is underdeveloped. Sheet plates are heterogeneous, vary depending on the location. Near the ground they are larger, 15-20 cm in size, in the middle they are already smaller and on short petioles. The stems are fleshy, especially near the root. The top of the foliage is sessile. She reacts to prolonged exposure to sunlight, folding into a tube.
The plant blooms after 8 years of development once a year. Inflorescences are open, can be located separately or several on one leg. Blossom in late April and hold until the end of May. The fetus is formed in the first months of summer. The color of the buds depends on the specific type of calendula. It can be white, bright yellow, amber.
Types and varieties of kaluzhnitsa
| View | Description | Leaves | Flowers |
| Thin-caked | Stems up to 35 cm, straight. Petioles reach a length of 5 to 25 cm. | Saturated, about 10 cm long, serrated edge. | 2 on one peduncle, with white petals and a bright yellow core. Size up to 2 cm. |
| Floating | Aquatic species, which is preferred to use in decorative ponds. | Rounded, reach a size of 4 cm. Keep on the surface of the water. | Large enough, up to 4 cm in diameter. The color is white. |
| Webbed | The main difference is abundant flowering. It is also distinguished by a branchy stem. | Reach 15 cm. Kidney-shaped, on petioles up to 30 cm. The color is dark green. | Small, yellow, up to 20 pieces on one bush. |
| Marsh | Height is up to 60 cm, the root system is developed. The stem is compacted as it grows. | Heart-shaped, with uneven edges, fleshy, attached to long petioles. At the end of the flowering period, they darken noticeably. | Corn shade, up to 5 cm in size. |
| Two-flowered | One of the lowest varieties, maximum size 10 cm. | 7 cm, smooth, heart-shaped. | Due to the long peduncle, they are located much higher than the bush itself. White, up to 2 cm. |
| Forest | It can reach 1.5 m. Mostly grows in the sun or in partial shade. | Kidney-shaped / round, 14-15 cm. | On one shoot, 5-15 buds of a light shade of 3 cm in size. |
| Duduk | Before the formation of inflorescences, the height is 30 cm, after - up to 120. Prefers shaded areas. The stems are hollow. | Leathery, grow sharply after flowering to 15 cm. | 5-7 cm, arranged in groups of 5-6 pieces. |
| White | Perennial with a root system of about 10 cm. It grows no more than 20 cm. | Glossy, with a rugged edge and rounded outlines. | Single, white, with 5-6 separate oblong petals. |
| Swamp Terry | It grows only in moist soil in partial shade or even almost without sun. The bush forms a crown in the shape of a ball. | Heart-shaped, dark green. | With many petals, terry, lemon color. |
| Swampy Lush | The stalk almost does not branch, reaches 1.5 m, mostly bare. | At the base, large, heart-shaped and tightly attached to the stem, above - small, up to 8 cm, with a town-like edge. After the death of flowers increase to 30 cm. | They last the longest, from May to early October. The color is yellow. |
| Multiple | Spherical bush, 20-30 cm in diameter. | Dark, with uneven edges, medium size. | Golden, 8 cm. |
| Marsh squat | A plant with a creeping stem. | Rarely found on the stem, a saturated shade, with a heart-shaped outline. | Single, corn shade, from 5 cm. |
Outdoor cultivation of calendula
The culture is winter-hardy, withstands severe frosts. For this reason, it can be grown in open ground without digging in the cold season. Shelter for winter is also not required.
Kaluga can be placed in water lily baskets filled with earth and left in a pond in the warm season. In this case, before the onset of the first frosts, it must be transplanted to the ground so that ice formation does not lead to the death of the root system.
Landing
It is better to place seedlings in open ground between March and April. If the soil has not yet warmed up and is digging poorly, you can postpone the event until mid-May. Since kaluga can easily tolerate cold, it makes no sense to control the temperature of the air and soil during the planting period, but it should be borne in mind that weak and too young plants can still die in adverse conditions. Therefore, if the bush is not even six months old, it is better to leave it in the open ground only during the period when the sharp night cooling has completely stopped.
Additional fertilizer during planting is not required. It is enough to gently root the rhizome, and make sure that the necessary distance is maintained between the seedlings (10-30 cm, depending on the size of the root system of an adult plant). At first, it is recommended to water the bush more actively so that it quickly takes out new roots.
Caring for the Kaluga in the garden
Since the flower is unpretentious, all care for it can be limited to regular watering. However, to make the plant bloom more clearly, it is recommended to periodically take the following measures:
- Add fertilizer to the soil. It is enough to do this once a month. Suitable mineral nutrition complex action.
- Divide the root system and plant the bush. Over 4 years, the flower grows very much and loses its pleasant appearance. To maintain the attractiveness of the foliage, it is necessary to break one bush into several parts and either evenly distribute it over the site, or dig it into the ground at a distance of at least 30 cm from each other.
- Loosen the soil, remove weeds.
Reproduction
Reproduction can be carried out vegetatively or by seed. The second method is more complicated and rarely used.
Kaluga seeds quickly lose their germination, so it is recommended to collect them and plant them in June, immediately after emergence. The first sprouts will appear in late August or early September.
It is more convenient to carry out reproduction by dividing the rhizome. It does not need to be cut, it is enough to remove the clods of earth and slightly spread the roots. After planting, seedlings need to be abundantly watered and priten for several days.
Diseases and pests
This plant is particularly resistant. It is not susceptible to disease, rotting of the root system and pests. Poison juice repels insects. The only problem that can occur during cultivation is drying when there is a lack of watering.
Kaluzhnitsa in landscape design
Landscape designers are constantly using flower in the design of public and private areas. The value of kaluga is early flowering and a rich shade of foliage. Because of these features, they prefer to plant it in a prominent place, creating bright flowering compositions in spring, and aesthetic dark green thickets with a glossy tint in summer.
The best location of the plant is the shores of various reservoirs:
- artificial or natural pond;
- fountain;
- small river;
- multilevel (cascade) installation.
Planting a plant is necessary taking into account the characteristics of its flowering. Since the period of the appearance of the buds is April-May, at this time there should not be other cultures that could distract attention with bright petals or a dense crown.
It is advisable to arrange the kaluga so that later in June later plants bloom around it. This will not allow the flowerbed to remain empty for a while.
The flower can be planted not only near the water, but also along the paths, around stone installations. It is a great setting for higher cultures. The main thing is to provide constant watering so that the leaves retain their brightness and luster. We must not forget about the quality of the soil and especially the lighting.
Some cannabis plants can grow without additional shelter, while other varieties must be planted next to buildings, trees or garden furniture so that they are in the shade for part of the day.
Mr. Dachnik recommends: beneficial properties of cowskin and contraindications
This culture is in demand in medicine due to the content of useful trace elements. It is believed that the plant promotes wound healing, destroys microbes, and stops the development of neoplasms. In pharmaceuticals, the following effects of hedgehog are used:
- relief of pain;
- removal of inflammation;
- heat reduction, treatment of symptoms of fever;
- narrowing of blood vessels;
- spasm relief, and, as a result, anticonvulsant effect.
Specialists extract healing juice from stems and leaves, and then use it for the manufacture of various pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations.
However, the independent use of the plant for medical purposes is prohibited. The juice contains a certain amount of poison, which can cause gastrointestinal upset, burns of the mucous membranes, as well as other negative consequences. Unprofessional treatment with it, especially in the framework of traditional medicine, can lead to serious poisoning.
