Awl-shaped bryozoans - a herbaceous plant in the clove family. It can be found in various parts of Europe and East Asia. In the garden, bryozoans form beautiful emerald pillows. They can replace part of the lawn on the slopes or among stony masonry. The fabulous greens really reminds a pleasant to the touch moss. When it is covered with miniature fragrant flowers, it becomes even more charming. Caring for bryozoans has its own characteristics. If you take them into account, the plant will become absolutely not burdensome, and green pillows will deliver a lot of positive emotions.
Botanical Description
Bryozoan is a herbaceous perennial. It is something between moss and grass familiar to our eyes. The plant has a thin, soft rhizome. Above it rises branched from the base, lodging stalk. The length of the shoots does not exceed 10 cm in length. Dense curtains form soft pillows with a height of only 5-8 cm. Narrow bright green leaves on the shoots resemble flexible needles, although they have nothing to do with needles. The leaf length is only 6 mm. The entire surface of the stems and foliage is covered with tiny glandular villi.
In July-September, at the ends of the stems an elongated bare peduncle grows, bearing a single flower. Corolla is a double perianth and 5 white petals. The diameter of the flower is 5 mm. Flowering is accompanied by a delicate honey aroma. After pollination, the fruit is formed - a seed box with many seeds. The elongated seed is covered with smooth brown skin. Its length is only 0.5 mm.
Popular views
The genus of bryozoans is represented by 50 species of plants. In our country, you can find about 12 of them, but it is the subulate bryozoans that deserve the most attention.
The brow is subulate. A plant native to Western Europe forms dense pillows. The species got its name for the thinnest leaf-like awl-like tips. All shoots and foliage are painted in bright green. Flowering occurs in July-September. Aurea variety is very popular - its shoots are painted in a golden green hue.
Bryozone lying. Perennial grows in height to 10 cm. Weakly leafy shoots are painted in light green. They form a loose curtain. Leaflets end in a dense, prickly growth. During flowering, white buds with 4 petals bloom. The diameter of the opened flower is 2-3 mm.
Bryozoan bryozoan. This variety forms a dense carpet, consisting of branched, leafy shoots. Hard light green leaves completely hide the ground. Irish moss grows very slowly. In June, a small amount of five-petalled white flowers with a delicate aroma is formed.
Breeding methods
Reproduction of bryozoans is carried out in the following ways:
- Sowing seeds for seedlings. A more laborious method, they resort to it only during the initial landing of the bryozoans. In early March, seed material is sown in prepared boxes with sand-peat soil. The container is covered with a film and left in a bright room with a temperature of + 18 ... + 22 ° C. After a week, the first sprouts appear. When they get stronger and form small bundles, the bryozoans are transplanted into separate pots. Planting seedlings in the open ground is planned for May. There should be a distance of 5-10 cm between the plants. The perennial gives abundant self-seeding, therefore in the future the green carpet will be restored on its own.
- Sowing seeds in open ground. You can sow bryozoans directly into the open ground. Do it in the winter or early spring. It is not necessary to fill the soil with planting material, otherwise it will not rise. It is recommended to cover the landings with snow. The snow cap will saturate the soil with moisture, deepen the seedlings and create the optimal microclimate. By mid-spring, the first greens will already peek out from under the snowdrifts, which will gradually tighten the entire plot.
- Division of turf. This method is more convenient and faster. In spring, you should separate a part of the dense growth from the main plant with a scoop. The roots are located in the topsoil, so you won’t have to dig deep. Sod can be cut into fairly small parts that should immediately be planted in the ground. By September, the soil will be completely hidden under young shoots.
Where to plant bryozoans
The bryozoan prefers sunny or partially shaded, windless areas. Irish moss can grow in deep shade, but then forms less dense pillows. Some gardeners claim that loam is the best soil for bryozoans. They retain moisture well and protect the plant from drought. However, clay also contributes to stagnation of water, which is undesirable. This leads to the formation of bald spots in the green carpet. It is best to plant the soil for planting of the following components:
- peat (2 parts);
- turf soil (1 part);
- sand (1 part).
Such a substrate with a thickness of 15-20 cm will provide optimal outflow of water. Before planting, it is recommended to dig the ground and make compost (a bucket for each m²). In dense soils, it is recommended to add sand or fine gravel.
Care Rules
Caring for bryozoans is very simple. Unlike the usual lawn grass, it does not need to be cut. The main concern comes down to watering. But he is rarely needed. A bryozoan is better to slightly dry than pour. The plant reacts poorly to stagnation of moisture in the soil. Usually in hot, dry weather, 2-3 irrigation per week is necessary. It is better to use the sprinkling method. If Irish moss grows in the open sun, you need to water it in the evening so that the sun does not burn greens through droplets of water.
To develop small curtains faster, it is recommended to fertilize bryozoans. A solution of complex mineral fertilizer is used monthly. It is evenly sprayed throughout the area. You can sprinkle dry complexes at the rate of 50-80 g per m² or ash in the same amount.
If for any reason a bald spot has formed on the lawn, you can close it with a transplant. All planting operations can be carried out during the year, until the air temperature drops below zero. For normal wintering, the bryozoan needs snow. Under it, the grass is not afraid even of severe frosts. If the snow cover is absent or too small, it is recommended to use spruce branches or non-woven material.
The most common pest of the bryozoans of the styloid is the aphid. If these insects appear on the green, you should immediately treat the plant with an insecticide (Karbofos, Actellik and others).
Garden use
Bryozoan is indispensable in the garden. It allows you to create a uniform coating and not overdo it with a variety of plants. If the beginning flower grower cannot yet make up a harmonious composition, you should start with the bryozoate awl-shaped. It looks good on slopes, among stones or near paths. Gentle thickets cover the entire surface of the soil, which prevents the development of weeds. But with respect to the other flowers on the flowerbed, the brow is absolutely non-aggressive.
Alas, bryozoans are not as resistant to trampling as ordinary lawn grass. You can go through it several times during the season, but you should not do this regularly. Each footprint is saved for several days, like a footprint in wet sand. Using bryozoans on tracks that are regularly walked is not a good idea. But you can close her seams between the paving tiles. Irish moss is also indispensable in a children's corner or on a relief terrain. The plant always maintains optimal height and does not need a haircut.
Also, bryozoans are ideal for miniature fantasy gardens near benches or seating areas. She is disposed to contemplation and relaxation. A bryozoan can be used for landscaping statues or stones. She will completely cover the limestone cobblestone. To make the plot more interesting, you can combine plants with light green and bright green leaves.
It is convenient to decorate the front background of the flower garden with a gentle bryozoan. She is good in the neighborhood with hyacinths, asters or daisies. Groundcover looks spectacular next to coniferous shrubs. It is used to decorate rock gardens, rockeries or Japanese kindergarten.
