Brunner (Altai forget-me-not)

In fact, this perennial has very delicate blue flowers, and it is because of them that the plant is very often confused with forget-me-nots. Corollas are indeed very similar to forget-me-nots, just as the shapes and sizes of flowers are similar. But there is also a difference, which lies in the floral center - if it is yellow, then this means that we are dealing with forget-me-not. But if the middle is painted in a snow-white color, then this is undoubtedly a brunner.

As for the planting process and the subsequent care of the brunner, it will depend solely on what species this plant belongs to, and therefore, in this case, the florist should keep this in mind and be very careful. If the plant receives the wrong care, then this can lead to the fact that it simply stops giving any flowering, and, as a result, this will also lead to the fact that special decorative features will no longer be shown. Brunners are especially attractive at the very beginning of the summer season, when the inflorescences resemble delicate blue clouds. But from about mid-July, Brunners can generally surprise any grower with their spectacular and very brightly colored foliage. Again, all this is possible only if the care measures and their conditions are perfectly followed. Otherwise, you should not expect something special from the Brunner, since she will lack trace elements, resources to reveal her decorative potential in its entirety.

Also, not every person knows about the medicinal properties of Brunner. As a rule, when the plant begins to bloom actively, then the entire ground part of it can be prepared in order to be further used as a component of traditional medicine. In addition, brunner-based solutions have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, laxative and antipyretic properties; they are completely safe for both adults and children. The homeland of the Brunners is considered to be Eastern and Western Siberia, as well as the foothill regions of the Caucasus and Asia Minor. But due to the fact that the plant is actively cultivated in Russia, it can grow in various regions. The people also call Brunner the Caucasian forget-me-not, or simply call it forget-me-not, and most often these names quickly diverge among the people, although, as we have already noted, the plant essentially has nothing to do with forget-me-nots, except that they are very similar in appearance characteristics. In the article we will consider the characteristic features of the brunner, we will list the most common varieties and species. We will also talk about how to properly care for a plant so that it not only retains its external decorative characteristics, but also absorbs all the maximum of useful substances.

Brunner description

One of the features of the Brunner is that the flower develops a very powerful and long, thick rhizome. Basal leaves are also present in large numbers, and the leaf blades have an interesting wide heart-shaped shape, which can also distinguish Brunner from many other plantings and crops. At the same time, the leaves are attached to elongated petioles, everything looks quite decorative on the whole, although it cannot be said that the bush itself is large - it is rather very compact.

Stems are thin, drooping, branching, and very actively. The branches turn into flower stalks, their length is usually no more than 45 centimeters above the soil level, but if the bush looks very densely packed, then this makes its appearance quite compact and very attractive. At the same time, the inflorescence turns out to be very loose, sometimes it can acquire a paniculate shape, here a lot depends on the type and variety of brunner, as well as on the care that is provided by the gardener himself. The inflorescence consists of small bright blue-blue flowers that are incredibly similar to forget-me-nots, which is why they are so often confused.

Flowering begins in the midst of the spring period, lasts for one month, if the plant is in the most favorable conditions for itself. At times, repeated flowering can form, which usually occurs at the very beginning of autumn. The fruits are then formed in the form of miniature nuts, seeds are located in them, which in general, after processing, can be used as materials, thanks to which the plant actively reproduces. The most important thing, of course, is to properly care for the plant, and care always depends on which variety and species this plant belongs to. Next, we will just give a description of some species and varieties of Brunner, which today are so often found both in the wild and on personal plots.

Brunner varieties

In the genus Brunner, which also belongs to the interesting family - Buranchikovs, there are today three main species, but at the same time only two species have been cultivated, since flower growers considered that they are the most suitable and most decorative, therefore they are so actively used to decorate personal plots and flower beds.

• Eastern Brunner is the first species that we will consider in this article. In general, Eastern Brunner is practically unknown, if we talk directly about growing a flower in open ground. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that it does not have any special decorative features, and therefore it practically does not attract absolutely any attention to itself. One way or another, it can often be found in natural, wild conditions, especially on the territory of countries belonging to the Middle East.
• Brunner Siberian variety - it is incredibly popular, as it adapts well and takes root in gardens located in the middle of our country. Moreover, the variety gained popularity not only due to the fact that incredibly attractive flowers painted in a dark blue tint are located on the bushes, but also due to the fact that the brunner of this variety is in great demand precisely because of its medicinal properties. One way or another, like any culture, this Brunner also has its drawbacks. One of them lies in the fact that after the inflorescences completely wither, the deciduous part also dries up. So the plant, after flowering, completely and completely loses its decorative features and characteristics, becomes completely unattractive, and this can largely scare away flower growers. So, for one and a half to two months, the perennial is bare, which is why the appearance of the entire flower bed or flower garden changes for the worse. But around the middle of August, the plant is gradually recovering and again pleases the landscape with the brightness and freshness of its green ground part, it is important to just wait for this moment to then understand that any efforts in caring for this plant were not at all in vain.
• Brunner macrophylla - this species in the Brunner genus is considered almost the most popular and in demand, and he gave a very large number of varieties, which differ in that a very attractive pattern is formed on the leaves that looks incredibly decorative. The homeland of this flower is the Caucasus, although today it can be found almost everywhere, since flower growers love to distribute and cultivate it. The bush turns out to be quite compact - its height reaches about forty centimeters. At the same time, the rhizome is very strong and powerful, which is generally difficult to think about when looking at this miniature shrub. A large number of pagons, which have dark green heart-shaped leaves, extend upward from the root system. The tops of the leaves are pointed, they look very decorative and attractive.
  The flowers of this species of Brunner are quite small, reaching only one centimeter in diameter.At the same time, they appear in large numbers around the middle of April, bloom until the last days of June. Unlike the Siberian variety Brunner, this Brunner is able to maintain an attractive and bright color of the leafy part even after the flowers themselves have already faded. These greens can persist until frost, so this plant is highly valued, especially by landscape designers or very demanding growers who strive to constantly improve the appearance of their site. Another reason why this species is so appreciated among flower growers is that brunner formed the basis for the creation of many unique and very decorative varieties that really attract attention, and therefore it is certainly worthwhile to pay more attention to the selection of varietal flowers and plantings on your site. Nevertheless, brunner perfectly coexists with many other flowers and plantings, so you can not be afraid that it will survive other plants from the site or from the flower bed.

Among the varieties of large-leaved brunner, several can also be distinguished. Which are especially popular among gardeners:

• silver hut - has a gray-silver color of the leaf plate, but at the same time the leaves are painted in a rich green hue along the edges, which makes them very decorative and unusual, completely atypical for ordinary forget-me-nots when compared with each other
  
• hadpen cream - on green foliage, an uneven white or cream edging is located right along the edge, which also makes the leaves incredibly attractive, especially in group or flower bed plantings
• Kings Ransom - small leaves, heart-shaped. They are distinguished by a light greenish-gray tint. On the leaves, you can see a clear pattern, which consists of emerald veins.
  
• looking glass - in fact, from the name it becomes clear that the shade of the leaves is very silvery, as if mirror-like, and it all looks extremely unusual during the growing season. But after all, it is precisely for this atypicality that varieties are very much appreciated.
• jack frost - the background of the leaf predominates in a silvery scale, but at the same time green veins are clearly visible on the leaves. At the same time, a very narrow edging runs along the edge, which gives even more decorativeness to the planting, especially if we consider it in a brighter and more group planting. Although it is worth noting that the shrubs look great even when planted alone
• langtries - the leaves have a deep, dark green background. At the same time, dots and specks of a silvery shade are scattered around the leaf plate in a chaotic manner, which should not be perceived as some kind of deviation or illness, since they are quite normal, and in this case, also a feature of this Brunner variety
• brunner variegata - the leaves are very wide, they have the same wide, creamy edging. The leaves as a whole can also be slightly filled with the tongues of this very edging, which looks incredibly interesting. In addition, the edging and its abundance largely depends on how illuminated the area on which this plant is located. The more sun, the wider the bright area on the leaves, so it's worth remembering this moment. In general, of course, you should follow the rules for planting and caring for plants in order to get such a decorative result, and we will talk about this in the next part of this article.
• In principle, it is also worth mentioning such a species as the millennium zilber - this is a brunner with very large silvery spots, which are located directly on the leaf blades. From this, a very unusual, bizarre pattern can form on the leaves, which distracts the grower from many other aspects of this plant.There are also several more popular Brunner varieties that can be found in plantings in personal plots. Among them are Silver Wings, Betty Bowring, Dawson's Wile and Alexander Great. There are also many other varieties that may also be of interest to flower growers, but we have listed just those that are especially relevant and popular.

Brunner reproduction and care

A plant of this species can reproduce by seed or vegetative methods, and as a rule, if these are varietal specimens of Brunner, then there is generally no point in propagating them by seeds. For the rest, the choice of the method is exclusively the prerogative of the gardener himself, and the choice is his. We will consider all possible methods, and after that the gardener will be able to make a decision on his own exactly as to which method he wants to use, and which method will be more appropriate.

As a rule, there are reasons why it is not recommended to propagate some Brunner varieties with seeds. Firstly, they do not always have time to fully adapt and mature before the frost sets in. Secondly, their varietal characteristics when propagated by seeds may not be preserved at all, and a weaker variety will be obtained, which will have the least attractiveness. One way or another, a lot, of course, depends on the type and variety of Brunner and on their own capabilities, the availability of free time with the grower.

Dividing the Brunner's rhizome - this method is perhaps best combined with a complete plant transplant from one place to another. But it is best to prescribe both a transplant and a division of the bush for the period when it has already completely bloomed. For this, the bush should be carefully dug out of the soil, the roots should be freed from all soil accumulations, after which the root system is lowered into a container filled with not too cold settled water. As a rule, the root part independently splits into several parts, and usually no special physical effort or mechanical stress is required from the gardener. But if, nevertheless, difficulties have arisen, then it is best to use a sharpened and disinfected tool to make cuts in the necessary places. Disinfection is a mandatory part, otherwise an infection will be introduced into the incision sites, as a result of which the plant will become infected with bacteria and will soon die due to fragile immunity.

The length of each individual element must be at least eight centimeters in length. In addition, roots and buds should be located on them, so that in the next season the planting material has more chances to recover and also give excellent growth and flowering results. Delenki are located in separate holes, covered with soil, after which each bush should be very abundantly moistened with warm settled water. The seeding depth of the divisions should be no more than three centimeters, since the Brunner root system has one feature - for its successful growth, it should not be too deeply buried, it should be located almost on the very surface of the soil. Therefore, when caring for a plant, this factor should be borne in mind and the areas should be treated very carefully. After the cuttings have been planted, the root part should be mulched using one of the indicated elements for this - it can be sawdust, it can be wood ash. Also, gardeners often use small pieces of bark, which are also great for mulch for the root circle. Mulch performs several main functions at once - it protects the root trunk from the attack of pests, slows down the evaporation of moisture from the soil and retains the required amount of heat in the soil.

Seed propagation - this method is most suitable if the gardener has decided to propagate natural crop varieties.But at the same time, sometimes flower growers are faced with difficulties in collecting seeds, since the plant blooms before the very first frosts, respectively, the fruits are formed even later, and this is already a rather serious difficulty. The planting material simply does not have time to mature to the end, although as for self-seeding for perennial crops, this phenomenon is extremely rare among them. However, seeds can always be purchased in specialized gardening stores, and they are not expensive at all. Sowing is carried out directly into previously prepared open ground, and it is best to sow seeds in the fall. If the gardener has decided to plant seeds in the spring, then it is best to stratify them for about four months in the refrigerator, or pre-sow them in a box, and then plant them in open ground when the frost subsides. A box of seeds can be dug into the snow on the site, if the gardener has such an opportunity. Then the brunner will be more adapted even to the most severe conditions, and only the strongest and most resistant seeds will sprout. Seedlings hatch in the spring, after they grow up, they should be carefully transferred to a permanent planting site. It is best not to expose the plant and its root system to any mechanical stress.

The plant takes root well in those places and areas that are illuminated in the morning. At the same time, it should be understood that this place should be in partial shade at lunchtime and in the afternoon, it is such areas that are ideally suitable for the brunner to grow calmly, and subsequently demonstrate excellent results of its growth and development. If the site is completely shaded, then the brunner's shoots will be strongly elongated, and the flowering will not be so bright and decorative - it will rather become very scarce, completely unattractive. A fully lit and very sunny place is also not suitable for a Brunner. This is due to the fact that the plant will suffer from a lack of moisture, but the situation can be saved: it is enough to choose a lighted place, which will be located very close to the garden reservoir, then the brunner will feel very comfortable.

If Brunner grows on loamy soils, then, in principle, she can do without any special care. Also, she does not need to introduce a large amount of moisture or fertilizing, because it is not at all necessary to constantly fertilize good soil. If the soil is rather lean and poor, then of course it is better to incorporate some nutrients into it. Ideally, this can be compost, which is introduced by a florist even during the preparation of the site for planting brunner. However, if the soil is very oily, then the introduction of certain substances, especially organic ones, can lead to the plant growing too actively the green mass. At the same time, the root system will remain weakened, and it will be practically unprepared for winter. As a result, the roots freeze, because of which the brunner may not come out of dormancy anymore, and the only result will be the removal of shrubs from the personal plot. In general, species specimens of Brunners are generally not so sensitive to all this, but varietal specimens usually die if not create suitable conditions for them. So this point should be taken into account if the gardener wants to get an excellent flowering bush - he must definitely take care of him and look after his general condition, not treating him dismissively and without proper attention.

Brunner can grow in the same place for 15 years, while completely losing its attractiveness and decorative properties.But still, experienced florists recommend rejuvenating the plant from time to time, and the best way is to divide the bush about four years after it was planted in open ground. It is possible to plant a perennial, periodically replanting it during the growing season, but these procedures should not be prescribed for a period later than September, because then there is a great risk that the plant will not have time to adapt to new conditions.

The optimal time, which is ideal for transplanting a plant, is from July, when flowering ends, and to August, when the plant feels most comfortable and in general can calmly respond to such procedures for itself. If you listen to experienced gardeners, then you should pay attention to the fact that they do not recommend transplanting a plant in the spring, since the plant has not yet fully recovered after winter, and therefore its immunity is not high enough for the plant to withstand possible viruses and diseases. If there are no other options, and the gardener can transplant only in the spring, then the bush should be moved only on a cloudy day, and the clod of earth around the root system should not be destroyed in any case - it is transferred to a new place entirely.

It is also worth noting that a successful Brunner transplant is one that corresponds to the following algorithm:

1. - the ground part of the plant should be completely cut off, you can leave no more than 12 centimeters from the total plant height
2. - the rhizome is carefully dug out, then immersed in warm water in order to clean the root part of excess dirt and soil residues
3. - due to the fact that the plant and its root part will be cleaned, it will be much easier to examine the root system for various damages or diseases
4. - defective, rotten or damaged areas should be quickly removed, for this you should use a well-sharpened and disinfected knife
5. - if necessary, the rhizome can be divided into several parts; for this, a well-sharpened and disinfected knife is also used
6. - the holes are dug out in accordance with the size of the root system, and the divisions are placed in the same holes. A place is usually selected that will be ideal for a brunner, it should not be in direct sunlight, but it should not be in too strong shade, otherwise this will lead to the plant losing its decorative features and will be less attractive
7. - perennial roots should be sprinkled in such a way that the root collar is not sprinkled with soil. In general, it is best not to deepen the roots too much, as this will lead to the fact that they will not feel uncomfortable in this environment, and the plant itself will become weaker.

After the plant is sent to the open ground, it will be necessary to water the bush with warm, settled water, and after that the root circle is mulched with ash or sawdust. Suitable for mulch and bark pieces. Only if these rules are observed can an excellent result be achieved, as well as the fact that the plant will quickly adapt to new conditions and, accordingly, it will give excellent flowering and excellent decorative qualities much faster.

Bushes can grow sufficiently, and this is a big plus, because then weeds have a reduced chance of development and growth. Therefore, if suddenly the gardener decides to weed the site, then this is done in rare cases, and it is worth being careful, because the root system is located almost on the surface, in the upper part of the soil. In general, it is better to remove weeds by hand, but there is an alternative to weeding and watering - this is mulch, which we have already talked about many times.In early spring, you can sprinkle a certain amount of mineral fertilizer directly on the snow cover, and then, as the snow melts, the fertilizer will penetrate directly into the soil and be absorbed by the plant itself. After flowering is over, it is worth removing the flowering shoots if the gardener does not have a goal in collecting seed for further reproduction of the brunner.

If this is a Siberian species of Brunner, then almost immediately after the flowering has ended, the plant begins to dry out very actively, so the above-ground part of it can be cut off entirely, the Brunner quite calmly reacts to this and will calmly recover for several months. On the eve of the onset of winter, the bushes are best cut off, and leave the hemp, the height of which does not exceed 12 centimeters. If these are natural species of Brunner, then you do not need to do this, since these plants quite calmly react to ordinary weather conditions.

Diseases and pests

In the rainy period, as well as in cool weather, the first signs of developing diseases may appear on the brunner bushes. In particular, these are signs of fungal diseases - brown spot and powdery mildew. If the gardener noticed the first signs of the disease, then he must immediately remove all affected areas so that the fungal spores do not have time to spread to healthy parts of the plant. Also, brunner bushes are treated with Bordeaux liquid or any other preparations that belong to the group of fungicides. You can also carry out prophylaxis, for this the plant is treated with phytosporin about once every 14 days.

If we talk about pests, then most often Brunner bushes are chosen by aphids, a moth mining or whitefly. The larvae of these insects can very quickly infect the green mass of the plant and destroy it in a matter of days. To prevent this from happening, plants should be sprayed with systemic insecticides. For example, the most affordable and effective drugs from this group are malofos and actellic, which can be purchased at gardening stores. Also, sometimes the green part of the brunner suffers due to the fact that it is affected by slugs. But if we talk about rodents, then they practically do not appear in those areas where this culture grows. The fact is that a rodent that has tasted the root part of the plant immediately dies, since the plant is completely poisonous to it. Therefore, very often brunners are just used precisely in order to get rid of voles or other rodents that are bred in personal plots.

Outcome

The plant is incredibly popular with flower growers as it is almost universal. Looks great as planting along garden paths. Rockeries or alpine slides are also decorated with brunners, as they are very small and can look incredibly attractive. The bushes also fit perfectly into the overall design of multi-terraced areas that are planted at the edge of ledges. In general, since brunner is a versatile and unpretentious plant, a florist can plant it completely in any flower bed and in almost every part of the plot - it will look organic and decorative everywhere. Brunner goes well with juniper plantings, as well as ferns, primroses, and bear onions, as these crops perfectly coexist with each other. Brunner can also be planted with primroses - with daffodils, tulips, hyacinths - all this will depend solely on the general imagination of the florist himself or landscape design. The plant is also suitable for those flower growers who do not have much experience in growing a variety of perennials. Experienced gardeners respect the planting for its unpretentiousness and attractiveness, which certainly attracts any person who seeks to decorate their site.