Herbaceous (mordovnik, echinops)

Echinops Is a plant that is also found under the name Mordovnik, which is largely aided by its Latin transcription and corresponding transliteration. This plant belongs to the family astrov, and also has another name-synonym for its family - Compositae culture, which, of course, is mainly reflected in the external characteristics of this plant. In its natural environment, Echinops mainly grows in Siberia, and also in the European part of our country, it can be found almost everywhere. Often, representatives of the Echinops genus can be found in Western Europe, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, and even on the African continent.

Introduction

The plant grows on hilly slopes, literally creeps along them, and Echinops can be found in coastal zones, in the steppes, on forest edges, since Echinops are very fond of settling between bushes, in very dense shrub thickets. Also, Echinops are avid settlers in ravines or wastelands, and there they perfectly tolerate all the prevailing conditions, completely not caring about them.

More than 190 of the most diverse species of this plant are combined into the genus of Echinops. As for specifically our, Russian latitudes, no more than ten species are cultivated, but this is quite enough to create a really very interesting and decorative planting of this plant. Let's briefly go through the main descriptive points of this plant. As we have already said, the name of the family is Aster or Compositae. This is a perennial plant, but among the species you can also find annuals, sometimes biennial varieties, which in one way or another differ in their characteristics and characteristics. By the form of vegetation, Echinopsa are herbaceous plants that can be bred with seeds. Planting in open ground is carried out approximately in mid-May, since the soil has already warmed up enough by this time, and the plants feel as comfortable as possible. When planting, it is worth observing the distance - the row spacing should be about half a meter, but the distance between the bushes should be about thirty to fifty centimeters, so that the plants feel as comfortable and safe as possible, and so that they have room for growth and comfortable development, disclosure of all of them decorative features and characteristics.

The plant prefers soil that is very rich, fertile and rather loose; in terms of acidity, the soil should be either slightly acidic or completely neutral. The plant responds well to bright light, but in general it can reveal its decorative characteristics in partial shade. The main thing is not to shade the area too much, or this will lead to the fact that the plant will simply fade, it will be nondescript and weak. Echinops are drought-resistant plantings, in no case should they be placed in places with an accumulation of groundwater, as well as near water bodies, otherwise there is a high risk that the crops will simply die due to decay of the root system. The bush in height can vary from half a meter to two meters, the inflorescence has a spherical shape, there are also spherical inflorescences of the second order, which consist of inflorescences of the first order - inflorescences in the form of attractive baskets. Flowers can be painted in shades such as white or blue, there are also blue flowers, very atypical, and therefore even more attractive. The plant blooms from May to August, it remains decorative until late autumn.

Echinops are very popular in landscape design. They are placed in the background of various flower beds and flower beds, and they also look great in rockeries and mixborders, in stone gardens and alpine slides. In addition, the plant has medicinal properties, it can be cut to create dry decorative bouquets and compositions, and it is because of this that the plant is considered so versatile that it has a huge number of fans in various fields. In this article we will give a more detailed description of this plant, there will be a lot of information, and it will be interesting not only for novice gardeners, but also for those who already have experience in growing Echinops, but they would like to try to grow slightly different varieties on their site. and species, use a different technique in the cultivation of this crop.

Description of the plant, caring for it

The plant got its name from the Latin language, and we have already mentioned this. Echinops translates as "hedgehog" and "appearance", and this is primarily due to the fact that by its external characteristics the plant is very similar to a hedgehog - a ball surrounded by thorns. All representatives of the mordovnik as a genus are perennials, but you can also find annuals, biennials, but this is only in very rare cases, and they are not always very popular.

The growth form of this flower is herbaceous, the stems can reach two meters in height, and depending on the variety and species, their height can vary from half a meter. A plant, as a rule, forms only one stem, sometimes there are cases when several stems are formed at once, but this is more an exception to the rule than some kind of regularity. The stems are strictly straight, have a rather spiny surface, they can also branch a little in the upper part, but in general they can develop well without branching, this factor is not necessary. There is some ribbing on the stem, sometimes you can also see pubescence on it - again, these are only signs of individual varieties, since such characteristics are an exception. The root of Echinops is fleshy and rather large, has the shape of a rod, it has very little branching, but it still has, and in general, the rhizome should be handled very carefully, even though it is generally quite strong, it is very easy to damage it. and then there is a great risk that the plant will no longer develop and bloom at all.

On the leaf, you can also see a number of thorns, their shape is feathery, dissected, incisions in the form of serration - this is quite common. Only sometimes you can find varieties where the leaves have integrity. There are always teeth along the edge, located in turn, the color of the leaves has a dark emerald, very attractive shade. In the root zone, the leaves have petioles, but the rest of the foliage on the stems is sessile. The size of a leaf in length can be from ten to 25 centimeters, but the width of the leaves varies from five to ten centimeters, in general they look very decorative and elegant, decorate the bush with their freshness and beauty.

In the first year, the plant develops very actively, mainly the basal rosette develops. But already in the second year, a flowering stem can form. In the future, very attractive and decorative inflorescences in the form of balls will appear on the stem. At the same time, every year the bush will increase in size, and the flowering will become more and more magnificent, and indeed it will look incredibly interesting and attractive. The flowers are bisexual, only small flowers are found. The corolla has features of a tube or funnel. The color of flowers can be blue or white, as well as blue, in principle, they look really very attractive and interesting.A spherical inflorescence is collected from a variety of buds, which can also have an elongated capitate shape. In diameter, such inflorescences can be from three to five centimeters. Echinops differs from many other representatives of Compositae cultures precisely in that its inflorescences are very complex, spherical, they consist of single-flowered baskets, which really looks like a decorative element, which is simply impossible to pass by. An inflorescence can generally have anywhere from 150 to 400 buds, so imagine how lush and attractive they are. At the same time, about thirty such inflorescences can be located on each echinops bush. From May to the end of summer, the flowers begin to bloom even more abundantly, and a fairly large amount of nectar is also formed in them. In this regard, Echinops has long been recognized as the most wonderful and attractive honey plant. After the inflorescences have been pollinated, the achenes gradually ripen, which have a cylindrical shape. The fruit is about six millimeters long, the fruits ripen throughout the summer period, and then seeds are formed in them, they are often used for propagation of culture.

The echinops plant is an unpretentious crop that is not so difficult to care for. If you follow some rules and keep in mind some subtleties, then during the entire summer period the echinops will decorate the flower bed, and flower beds, and landscape compositions. Next, we will give some tips for planting an echinops and for the subsequent care of it. To grow a barnyard, you should very carefully select a place, it should be open and sufficiently well-lit by the sun's rays, since the plant perfectly tolerates even direct sunlight. The main thing is to observe the rule that groundwater is not located in the vicinity, since because of them the root system can rot, and this can lead to the death of plantings. It is better that there are absolutely no reservoirs nearby, and there should also be no lakes and streams that could moisten the soil, since they will make the soil too wet, it will resemble swampy soil in consistency.

The soil for planting Echinops must be sufficiently loose and fertile. The acidity should be at a neutral level, and slightly acidic soils are also suitable. There may be a clayey substrate or heavy soil on the site, but in this case the Echinops will develop very slowly and poorly, so it is best to select soils that will be more favorable for these plants. The planting of the muzzle is planned for about mid-May. Thus, the gardener will be able to protect plants that did not have time to strengthen and build up immunity from frost of the return type, which are often established at this time. The distance between the seedlings should not be less than fifty centimeters, since the bushes can curl very much as they grow and develop, and in this case there is a great risk that they simply do not have enough space for normal development. after the echinops is planted in open ground, it should be watered in moderation, for this they use settled warm water, thawed or rainwater at room temperature. Filtered or boiled water is suitable, which must also be cooled. If the gardener has decided that varieties of Echinops with high stems will grow on his site, then a support for the plant should be installed in the hole before planting. Echinops and its grown stems will further be tied to it in order to maintain the shape and decorative appearance of the plant, and so that the bush does not fall apart.

Echinops is a plant that is particularly resistant to drought. For this reason, the barnyard does not really need to be constantly watered and moistened.Even if sultry and dry weather is established, and precipitation is not expected at all for a long time, the Echinops will still feel great and develop completely normally, and the soil may turn into dust - it still does not need to be moistened. This, perhaps, is one of the features of this culture, and for this reason it is really very popular as an ornamental and unpretentious, resistant plant.

Top dressing for growing Echinops should be of several types, and it is recommended to apply them several times during the entire growing season. When spring comes, the plant needs organic feeding, rotted leaves, as well as rotted manure - compost, are ideal. When the flowering period comes, it is worth watering, while using the fertilizer in liquid form. A large amount of nitrogen can be included in the composition of this fertilizer, since nitrogen has an excellent effect on the formation of flowering, on the buds. An excellent fertilizer will be ammonium nitrate, which is perfectly balanced, but it should be applied very carefully, in accordance with how it is indicated in the instructions for use of this fertilizer. If you do not follow the instructions, then there is a great risk that certain harm can be caused to the planting, even despite the fact that, in principle, Echinops is considered a completely stable culture.

The herb is best harvested when the flowering period begins. For this, both the leaf part and the flowers of the echinops themselves will fit perfectly. In August, after the seeds ripen, they also need to be collected, but with the arrival of autumn, they are directly involved in the digging of the root parts. The roots should be very thoroughly cleaned, for this they are washed with water. then they are laid out on a clean cloth in order to dry after such water procedures. All parts of the echinops that the gardener collected should be very thoroughly dried; this can be done in a dark, cool place where the area is well ventilated. Also, for drying echinops and its parts, a canopy is suitable right in the open air, the main thing is that the plant is not attacked by insects. After all the parts for raw materials have been dried, the echinops are folded in bags and stored. Temperature readings from 18 to 22 degrees are usually suitable, so that the plant can be stored for a long time. Further, foliage and inflorescences are used for one year. The root part can lose its positive and medicinal qualities already about three years after the raw materials have been harvested. So it is worth using these components as soon as possible in order to get the best beneficial qualities and properties from them.

There are also some more general tips that are just about caring for an Echinops, and we will also list them. In general, the mordovan may face some problems only in the first year of its growth and development, because at this time the plant is increasing its green mass, its immunity may be slightly weakened, and stress resistance has not yet risen to a sufficiently high level. At this time, the plant can be drowned out by growing weeds, and the plant can also die due to temperature extremes and too strong frosts. For this reason, at first, it needs the gardener to constantly look after the Echinops, be sure to weed it, and also cover the bushes in the very first winter frosts. For shelter, spruce, foliage, agrofibre, spunbond or lutrasil, which are sold in specialized stores for gardeners, can be suitable, and in general, they can be affordable for absolutely every gardener. Since the plant can have very abundant self-seeding, before the seeds ripen to the end, it is necessary to cut the flowering stems under the very root.Thus, the gardener will regulate the sowing of this crop, and will be able to prevent the plant from suddenly sowing itself in extreme cases and turning into a weed itself.

Echinops is a culture that can tolerate too much heat and too much frost. Even if the air temperature in the area drops and will be -40 (and sometimes lower), the plant is still not particularly afraid of this problem. only very young plants need shelter, but if these are more mature specimens, then in principle they do not need shelter. When autumn comes, the grower should trim all the stems to the root. With the onset of spring, already younger shoots will begin to grow, which will be even stronger than the previous ones. It is also worth noting that Echinops tolerates such procedures and pruning absolutely painlessly, so you don't have to worry about the plant - it quickly recovers on its own, without experiencing absolutely any difficulties and problems, it holds, does not lose its decorative properties, but on the contrary with each pruning it only increases them.

In landscape design, the mordovnik is used quite often. Since the plant is the owner of very large and bright blooms, it can become a very significant decoration for any garden plot. It is customary to plant such shrubs mainly in the background, especially if they are large flower beds or mixborders. Echinops can also decorate rocky gardens, rockeries or rock gardens. The shoots are high enough in plants, they need additional support. And therefore, Echinops can serve not just as a plant, but also as a real element of garden decor. Stems with bright and large inflorescences can then be dried a little, and then they are introduced into compositions that consist of dried flowers, which looks very elegant and incredibly interesting.

Asters or phloxes are perfect as a neighborhood for Echinops. Valestniks or borers are also suitable as neighbors for the mordovnik, but if it is exclusively a medicinal flower bed, then in this case, yarrows or various representatives of the flora are ideal, although in general Echinops is not a conflict plant, and therefore, in principle, you can be close to it. plant a variety of crops and flowers, they will get along well with each other, and will also look great and decorative in combination with each other.

As a rule, absolutely any species of Echinops reproduce perfectly by the seed method. But if the planting area has a warm and stable climate, then the seed is immediately sent directly to the open ground. But in cooler areas, it is better to first grow seedlings, and then plant seedlings on the site. Let's start with a description of the reckless breeding method of the mordovian. After harvesting, seeds should be stored for a long time in a dry and sufficiently dark place, while the temperature should be maintained at room level between 20 and 24 degrees. It should be emphasized that the seeds do not particularly lose their germination in the event that they are stored even for three years, and they can be planted. Sowing is done in the autumn, and you can also plant seeds in the spring. But experienced gardeners have noticed that with spring sowing, the seeds will not develop so quickly, and the flowering of the bushes will become even shorter from this. It is also worth carrying out stratification about one week before the seeds are planted in the open ground, since in this way it will be possible to remove and exclude those seeds that do not differ in vitality. If the seeds are sown in the fall, the seeds will naturally prepare for frost.For planting, grooves are prepared with a depth of about one and a half to three centimeters, and between the rows there should be a distance from half a meter to sixty centimeters. After the seeds are placed in the grooves, the scrap of fertile soil is lightly sprinkled from it, and then the surface of the substrate is leveled with a rake. If the winter is very snowy, then the crops can not even be covered additionally, and if the winter is frosty, but there is very little snow, then it is best to cover the bed with spruce branches or agrofibre. With the arrival of the early spring period, when the snow cover disappears, it will be possible to just notice how Echinops rose together.

Seedling method of breeding Echinops - this method is mainly used in the northern regions, it can also help the gardener grow Echinops in small areas that are quite compact. Sowing seeds is carried out approximately with the arrival of the very first days of spring. The containers are filled with a special soil mixture, which consists of peat and sand, which is considered the most suitable for growing this crop. Seeds are planted to a depth of three centimeters, then watering should moisten the soil well. 7-10 days after the sowing was carried out, the very first sprouts can be noticed. When the sprouts become stronger and grow up, then they can be thinned out and picked off, and also thanks to thinning, the weakest specimens can be removed. Only with the onset of about mid-May can seedlings be planted in a previously prepared place in the open field. Otherwise, the plant may die, especially with recurrent frosts, since frosts may not always have an excellent effect on the growth and development of Echinops.

Almost all growers who are passionate about growing echinops say that the plant is very resistant to a variety of diseases and attacks from pests. But even so, the health of the plant depends on how the gardener himself complies with the agrotechnical requirements. The plant can be affected by diseases, especially fungi, which arise precisely due to the inattention of the gardener to planting. If the weather is rather cloudy for a while, there is dampness and high humidity in the air, and watering is very frequent and abundant, then the soil is moistened accordingly, and the plant begins to experience great difficulties. Among them are such problems as:

- ashtray - in other words, this problem is called linen. Also, the most common name for this disease is powdery mildew. The leaves begin to become covered with too abundant whitish bloom, as if someone had spilled lime on the leaves. The photosynthesis of the plant stops, and it gradually dies. As a result, the gardener loses a huge number of ornamental plantings.

- gray rot - with it, plaque forms on parts of the muzzle. It has a gray tint, and some parts of the plant may be slightly pubescent, which also indicates that the plant is very sick, and it needs preventive and therapeutic measures. If gray rot is not detected in time, then this will lead to the fact that the plant will simply die.

When such diseases develop, they necessarily begin to infect the root system of the plant, and after that the plant quickly dies. When the very first signs of these diseases appear, it is very important to quickly remove all affected branches and parts of the plant and burn them so that bacteria and spores are not transferred to still healthy plants. The bush itself is treated with fungicidal preparations. But if you suddenly miss the moment, and the plant was completely affected, then it is best to remove it from the site altogether so that it does not cause disease to other shrubs and plants that also grow on the site.

It is also worth paying attention to another disease - leaf spot.It has a viral etymology, since it appears precisely because the plant picks up certain diseases. The leaves begin to become covered with specks, painted in different shades, these are white, yellow, and reddish specks. Most of all, these spots resemble marble stains; in principle, it is quite useless to fight the disease, because experienced gardeners recommend immediately removing the shrubs from the site and burning them. The soil where the infected shrubs grew should be treated with fungicidal preparations. It is noteworthy that, in general, pests are in no way interested in multiplying on this plant, and therefore there is no need to fear that pests will attack Echinopsians.

The main types of echinops

It is interesting to consider some types of mordovnik, which today are especially popular with gardeners and florists, as well as in landscape design.

Ball-headed mordovnik - this species got its name due to the fact that the inflorescences are very large and have the shape of a ball. This is a herbaceous perennial that does not grow higher than two meters in height. The root system is very abundant and fleshy, the outline and root are sturgeon. The stem also grows upright and is usually solitary; two or three stems are rarely found. There is a slight branching in the upper part of the stem, but in the cross section the stem is slightly rounded. The stem is slightly pubescent, the hairs are glandular, quite interesting and attractive.

The leaves are arranged alternately, the length of the leaves is about 15-20 centimeters, and their width is from four to ten centimeters. Above, the leaves are painted in a dark green color, the surface of the leaves is slightly rough. On the reverse side, the leaves are whitish, can be covered with felt plates and hairs. On the edge, the leaves are thorny, prickly, quite attractive and decorative. When flowering begins, with the arrival of the summer period, the shape of the flower opens up like a tube, the diameter can also change, it can be in the range from three to five centimeters. The petals are painted in a delicate bluish tint, sometimes there are also petals that are painted in a snow-white shade. Anthers have a deep dark blue hue, they look quite interesting, attractive and extremely decorative, in principle, they attract the attention of many gardeners and gardeners, as well as landscape designers.

The fruit is an achene, which has a cylindrical shape, the size of the achene is from six to eight millimeters, and a very light crest is also formed on it, which looks quite interesting and decorative. Fruits ripen from about mid-summer until September. In principle, this species can be cultivated almost everywhere, the plant is incredibly attractive and interesting, therefore this species is very popular with gardeners and florists.

Mordovnik ordinary - This species is mainly very common in western Siberia, as well as in the territories of the Southern Urals. Sometimes you can find it in the European part of our country. In natural, natural conditions, the plant is most often found in the steppe regions, as well as on the slopes of hills, sandy substrates. This species can be cultivated almost everywhere, and it takes root well in soils of completely different compositions. This is a perennial herb, its stems usually reach a height of eighty centimeters, no more. The root has little branching, it can be slightly thickened, due to which it can withstand a large number of adversities. The stem has a very simple outline, branching is observed only in the upper part of the stem. The leaves are slightly oblong, they may have a slight feathery division, which looks quite attractive.Approximately closer to the top of the stem, the leaves become smaller, but it still looks very decorative and attractive, and the plant itself is very attractive and interesting.

The flowers are tubular, the corolla is about two centimeters long. The flower looks like a basket, the petals are divided into three types. The corolla is colored blue, the dissection reaches only the middle. The achenes themselves ripen completely in August or early September, they can be removed in advance so that the plant does not reproduce by self-seeding, but can be left, then the mordovia will reproduce independently using self-seeding, and in general this method is considered one of the most common and does not take away from the very gardener absolutely no time.

Broadleaf - this species belongs to perennials. The stems are usually 75 centimeters high, with a minimum stem height of about thirty centimeters. The structure of the stem is quite dense, and it itself is practically not exposed to strong winds, it is very stable. The surface of the stem is covered with small villi, which are slightly silvery. The leaves located on the echinops are dark green in color, the leaf is about twenty centimeters long and about ten centimeters wide. Flowering begins in May, the stems are crowned with inflorescences, which are painted in blue and purple shades, it all looks incredibly attractive and interesting. To learn more about this plant, you can watch numerous videos, study reviews and discussions on the forums. But in general, today you can find a lot of positive reviews and messages about the Mordvinnik, and this plant is very popular among gardeners and gardeners. The main thing is to follow all the rules of agricultural technology, to create all the most favorable conditions for the plant, and in this case it will respond with stunning flowering and incredibly attractive appearance.