It grows in shady, moist broad-leaved, coniferous and mixed forests, on the plain and in the mountains (up to 1900 m above sea level), on soils often with a neutral (slightly acidic or slightly alkaline) reaction, rich in mineral nitrogen. It is found in the European part of Russia in the forest zone almost everywhere, in the Caucasus and Western Siberia. For Siberia, this species is a relict of Pliocene broad-leaved forests and has an island range in Altai, significantly separated from the main one.
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Photo of Shakhmanova Tatyana |
 Photo by EDSR. |
 Photo by Yuri Ovchinnikov |
Perennial with thick multi-headed rhizome. Stems up to 70 cm high (single or several), smooth or slightly pubescent in the upper part, covered with brown scales at the base. The leaves are alternate, twice trifoliate. The flowers are regular, small, white, collected in a short oval raceme, which, when fruiting, becomes cylindrical. The pedicels are slender and usually remain green when fruiting. Four to six white, quickly falling sepals. The petals are nectaries (staminodes), slightly elongated, usually equal to the ovary or slightly longer than it, ovoid, narrowed into a long nail, ending at the top with a membranous edge. The fruits are black, berry-shaped, multi-seeded. It blooms in May - June, bears fruit in August - September.
Reproduces mainly by seeds, vegetative propagation weak. Average seed production is 124 seeds per shoot. Birds and other animals play an important role in seed dispersal. In nature, seeds do not germinate immediately, after about 2 years, usually in May.
Mass self-seeding is possible. The plant is cold-resistant, does not get sick, and is propagated by seeds and by dividing the bush in May. Very promising for group plantings in shade and partial shade; it is not demanding on soil and moisture.
Actaea erythrocarpa
Taxon: Ranunculaceae family ( Ranunculaceae)
Other names: actea, red-fruited crow, red crow, wolf berries, stinkwort, crow berries, Christophorus grass
English: Red Baneberry, Baneberry, Herb Christopher
Description
Perennial herbaceous, rhizomatous plant. The rhizome is thick, shortened. The stems are annual, herbaceous, up to 70 cm tall, covered with brown scales at the base, and covered with short, curly hairs in the upper part. The leaves are light green, three times tripinnate, with ovate-lanceolate and pointed leaflets (the terminal leaflet at the base is usually wedge-shaped), incised and sawtoothed at the edges. The flowers are small, white, collected in a short oval raceme, which, when fruiting, becomes cylindrical. Nectary petals are slightly elongated, ovoid or elliptical, narrowed at the base into a nail. Voronets bloom in June - early July. The fruits are red, rarely white.
Red-fruited crowberry forms a well-shaped bush, especially decorative during the fruiting period - in August - early September, when bright red fruits ripen. Fruiting is abundant, mass self-seeding is formed. The plant is cold-resistant, does not get sick, and is propagated by seeds and by dividing the bush in April - May.
In appearance, the red-fruited crow is very similar to the spicate crow, but differs from it, first of all, in the color of the fruits, slightly smaller berries, as well as petals rounded at the top and lighter color of the leaves.
Spreading
The red-fruited crow grows in coniferous and mixed forests, on Far East, in Siberia and the north of the European part of Russia.
Western Siberia
: Tyumen region (Khanty-Mansiysk district, Tobolsk floristic region), Kurgan, Omsk, Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo regions, Altai Territory, Altai Republic.
Central Siberia: Krasnoyarsk region(Putorana, Tunguska, Upper Yisei floristic regions) Republic of Khakassia, Republic of Tyva.
Eastern Siberia: Irkutsk region (Angaro-Sayan floristic and Prilensko-Katangsky floristic regions), Buryatia (North Buryat and South Buryat floristic regions), Transbaikal Territory (Kalarsky and Shilko-Argunsky floristic regions), Yakutia (Olenek-Nizhneleneksky, Vilyui-Verkhneleneksky and Aldan floristic regions).
Outside of Siberia, the red-fruited crow is found in Mongolia and North America.
Collection and preparation
The red-fruited crow is medicinal plant. Voronets grass, rhizomes with roots and berries are prepared.
Chemical composition
The plant has been little studied; it is only known that the rhizomes with roots and leaves contain alkaloids. Saponins and alkaloids 0.031-0.041% were found in the aerial part, vitamin C in the leaves.
According to some data, fruits and seeds contain substances that have a strong local irritant and general narcotic effect, affecting the central nervous system.
Use of Voronets in medicine
In the past, Voronets roots were used in folk medicine for asthma and goiter. Currently, its use is limited in homeopathy for rheumatism and muscle inflammation.
In folk medicine, a decoction of the herb is used for general weakness and loss of strength, heart attacks, and for women's diseases ( Vereshchagin et al., 1959). Fruits and grass are used for enterocolitis, as an antitumor agent for; decoction of herbs with berries - for gastralgia. Infusions and decoctions from rhizomes are used for uterine bleeding, leucorrhoea, delayed menstruation, pulmonary tuberculosis, and diseases of the nervous system. The plant is also used for malaria, rheumatism, asthma, goiter, skin diseases, as a sedative for the central nervous system and a cardiovascular remedy ( Schröter, 1975; Krylov, Stepanov, 1979). In Tibetan medicine, a decoction of the herb is used for headaches, pain in the heart and gynecological diseases.
The positive effect of Voronets preparations as a cardiovascular remedy has been established. According to E.Yu. Chass, there are several known cases of curing inoperable forms of stomach cancer with grass and crowberry fruits.
A decoction of rhizomes or infusion is used for female diseases and general weakness. An infusion of the herb is used in Tibetan medicine and in Siberia for gastrointestinal and nervous diseases, headaches, and heart attacks.
Medicines
Voronets decoction. 1 teaspoon of crushed dry rhizomes in 2 cups of water, boil for 3-4 minutes over low heat, leave for 1 hour, strain. Take 1-2 tablespoons 3 times a day.
Voronets infusion. 1 teaspoon of dry crushed herb per 200 ml of boiling water, leave for 1 hour, strain. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.
Contraindications
Attention! All parts of the plant are poisonous. The most toxic are the fruits. Eating just two berries for a child can end tragically. But accidental poisoning by berries is hardly possible, the plant has an unpleasant odor, and the berries are very bitter. Signs of poisoning by red crow berries are nausea, dizziness, increased heart rate, severe gastrointestinal upset.
Treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a physician.
Other uses
In the old days, black dye for wool was made from ripe crow fruits. The color black is black, hence the “voronets”. They knew how to make strong ink from these berries. Young leaves and branches of the crowberry produce red dye.
Insecticide (
The bright red flowers go well with the green foliage. This plant is popularly called “Voronets”. Today we will look at the thin-leaved peony, photo and description, plant characteristics.
This flower is significantly different from all the usual ones. The plant has leaves strongly divided into needle-shaped lobes. The flowering period begins in May and lasts no more than ten days. But even after this, the plant retains the freshness of its foliage until the end of summer.
Previously, the plant could be found in almost any garden, but now it is very rare. But this did not diminish the popularity of peony at all.
- The thin-leaved peony does not require special attention to its person; it is grown quite simply. He tolerates winter well, which with its coldness even benefits him, improving the future.
- The flower needs reliable drainage. The bed in which you choose to grow peonies should receive at least six hours of sunlight per day.
- It is recommended to plant the plant in late August or early September. Planting holes measuring 50 by 50 are filled three-quarters with a mixture of humus and leaf soil. It would not be superfluous to add, at the rate of four hundred grams per plant.
- Planting is done in divided bushes with rhizomes and several buds. For a thin-leaved plant, the depth should be up to five centimeters. Root system should not be in close proximity to, it must be sprinkled with earth on top.
- Peony can also be propagated by seeds. To do this, boxes with the fund are collected in advance, before they have time to open. To maintain germination, package and place in the refrigerator. They can be sown in winter, choosing areas with light soil.
Rules of care
- A properly prepared planting hole can provide a peony with useful nutrients for five years. In the future, it is recommended to use complex formulations containing elements. They are added to the soil after the flowering period of the plant.
- The entire peony growing season involves watering. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that water does not accumulate near the root system. On average, pouring a bucket of water per bush is enough. On hot days, it is necessary to ensure that the top layer of soil in the garden bed does not form into a hard crust. In this case, you can use the bush method.
- In the autumn, it is imperative to do this when the leaves fall. The bush is pruned to the very root, and a protective layer of peat is placed on top for the winter season.
The plant is not only beautiful, but also useful for purposes. Preparations made from peony help with epilepsy, anemia, heart failure and kidney stones. Nowadays, thin-leaved peony is not used for this purpose.
The returning fashion for this plant is due to the increased interest in plants in which a natural natural style is organized. After all, peony is considered a good garden decoration that does not require special care.
White crow (lat. Actaea alba) is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Buttercup family ( Ranunculaceae) with an erect stem about 90 cm high.
The leaves are dark green, large, 3-trifolate, approximately oval, sharp, toothed and partly lobed, with pronounced veins.
The flowers are beautiful, lush and white, borne in short compact racemes on large, whitish pedicels.
At the end of summer, spectacular white, pea-sized fruits on bright red stalks appear in quantities of 10 to 20 pieces.
Because of the unusual fruits, White Voronets is popularly called: doll eyes, white beads.
The rhizome is fleshy, grows just below the surface of the soil, is about one-eighth of an inch thick, and has many fibrous roots.
Young rhizomes taste sweet, but to a lesser extent than mature rhizomes, which, however, have an irritating effect on the food tract.
White Crow received its name from the Aborigines, who used it as a medicine. According to plant researcher Barton, they used it to treat attacks of rheumatism, and also to stimulate menstruation when the cycle was disrupted or absent.
White Voronets growing on rocky slopes North America east of Mississippi.
It blooms in May, about a week later than the red crow, and the fruits ripen in July and August, several weeks later than the latter.
When grown on garden plot requires moisture-absorbing soil and a semi-shaded place. Propagated by dividing bushes in spring.
Scientific classification:
Kingdom: Plants
Department: Angiosperms
Class: Dicotyledons
Order: Ranunculaceae
Family: Ranunculaceae
Subfamily: Ranunculoideae
Tribe: Actaeae
Genus: Voronets
View: White Voronets (lat. Actaea alba)
One of the common garden plants in many European countries is the narrow-leaved peony. In Russia this plant is less common. It is grown mainly by experienced gardeners.
External description
A special feature of this plant is its unusual leaves. Unlike other garden peonies, they have a shape dissected into needle-shaped lobes and resemble a fern. The bush is dense, compact, grows no more than 50 cm in height. The flowering period begins in late spring. Around the end of May, large single flowers appear with a single row of bright red petals and yellow anthers in the middle, looking like a splash in a spring garden. On one bush there can be more than a dozen flowers that produce unique aroma. Flowering lasts a little more than a week.
But even after the narrow-leaved peony fades, it does not lose its decorative effect thanks to its airy light green foliage.
Growing conditions
This plant is quite unpretentious and can easily tolerate light frosts or drought. Even a novice gardener can easily grow a narrow-leaved peony. However, certain conditions must be observed in order for the plant to remain as long as possible.
Peony requires well-lit places; if there is insufficient light, flowers may simply not appear on it. The soil should be moderately moist. Excessive waterlogging leads to rotting of the root system. Good watering is required only during the bud period. It is not recommended to plant narrow-leaved peony on sandy soils. Deterioration in flowering can be caused by excessive use of fertilizers.
Reproduction
Peony is usually propagated by dividing the bush, but sowing seeds can also be used. At the beginning of September, when the days are no longer so hot, they plant these flowers by dividing the rhizomes. To do this, use old bushes that are at least 5 years old. The rhizome is divided into several parts so that each has 3 or 4 renewal buds.
To propagate peony by seeds, you must first prepare them. The boxes with this planting material are collected slightly immature, until they have fully opened.
Sowing is done at the end of September, so the seeds are carefully packaged and stored in the refrigerator until autumn. This method They are used mainly for selection, since in this case it is possible only after 3 or even 4 years to observe how the narrow-leaved peony blooms.
Landing
The place where the peonies will grow is prepared in advance. To do this, dig a planting hole measuring 60x80 cm or even larger. When planting several plants, it is necessary to maintain a distance between them of at least 1 meter. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pit, which is covered on top with compost with mineral fertilizers and wood ash. After this, a small mound is formed from ordinary garden soil at the bottom of the hole, on which the rhizome is located. Before planting, it is recommended to treat the cutting area with a solution. wood ash for disinfection purposes. The peony should be buried in such a way that the apical bud is 6 cm above the soil surface.
Propagation by seeds allows you to get large number planting material. At the end of September, the seeds are sown to a depth of 5-6 cm in a prepared bed or in a special container. A certain amount of coarse river sand is added to the soil.
Care
Like everyone else garden plants, narrow-leaved peony needs watering, fertilizing and timely removal of weeds. Excessive moisture is detrimental to this plant, so it should be watered only when the soil begins to dry out. In dry summers, you need to regularly moisten the soil. During the rainy season, the plant does not need watering.
Fertilizing with mineral fertilizers should be carried out only 3-4 years after planting. If the soils are poor in composition, then this can be done within 2 years. It is important not to overdo it, since excess nitrogen, for example, can lead to rotting of the rhizome and also affect the quality of flowering.
So that (narrow-leaved) does not lose its decorative look and after flowering, it is cut at the level of the top leaf. Thanks to this, the plant acquires a more compact shape, and the seed pods do not spoil its appearance.
Pests avoid peony. And only aphids can sometimes attack it. To combat it, it is enough to spray the plant with a specially prepared solution of tobacco and soap infusion. Excess moisture can cause various For preventive purposes, peony can be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture.
Peony is able to tolerate frost well, so it does not require shelter for the winter period. But in regions with harsh winters, you can cover it with spruce branches, turning special attention to ensure that the roots are not exposed.
Medicinal properties
Peony angustifolia, which is usually grown for decorative purposes, is also used to treat a number of diseases. Its diuretic, antispasmodic and sedative effects have been known in folk medicine for a long time. Peony rhizome is used to prepare various homemade medicines, which are used to treat gout, anemia, and nervous diseases. A decoction of the root also helps with heart pain, stones in the bladder and kidneys, and concussions.
It should be remembered that when using products based on this plant, it is very important to follow the dosage, since it contains a high content of a toxic substance called neonin. Therefore, before use, it is better to consult your doctor.
Use in landscape design
Human activity (plowing the steppes, grazing, etc.) has led to the fact that wild peony is now classified as a plant in need of conservation. Breeding in parks and gardens helps preserve this species, promoting its spread.
IN landscape design The narrow-leaved peony has proven itself excellent, the double variety of which is especially good in combination with broom bushes, cereals and perennial flax. It looks good on slides, rock gardens, and mixborders. These flowers are planted both in compositions and individually.
You can place several different blooming flowers in one flower bed. different times. An angustifolia peony planted among stones or against a scree background looks very beautiful. Photos of various compositions with this plant show what a huge number of options for using its decorative properties there are.