Voskovnik attracts with a very unusual bluish coloring of leaves and beautiful inflorescences. Alas, the plant was not widespread among gardeners, despite its decorative and medicinal properties. Nevertheless, connoisseurs of exotic gladly grow a graceful wax-up on the flower beds and make bouquet compositions with it.
Botanical Description
Voskovnik is an annual, rarely perennial, herbaceous plant with a weakly branched stem. It belongs to the Borachicaceae family and lives in southern Europe. The root system is thin, superficial. The height of upright shoots reaches 50 cm.
The leaves of a wax-up are triangular or heart-shaped with a rounded edge. They sit tight on a winding stalk. The surface of the leaf plate is shiny, as if covered with a waxy coating. For this feature of foliage, the plant got its name. The leaves are greenish, with a blue or purple tint along the central vein. Decorative coloring is more apparent at the top of the plant. The sheet length can reach 15 cm.
During flowering, rare inflorescences with flowering peduncles form on the tops of the bushes. The buds are tubular with short petals bent outward. The length of the tube is 3 cm. The color of the flower is two-tone, yellow-violet with a contrast transition. The inflorescence unfolds gradually, forming a kind of spiral. The lower buds are the first to bloom, and then the upper buds open. Flowering lasts a very long time - from June to the first frosts.
After the flowers fade, fruits are formed - drupes. The fruits of the waxberry are rounded with a small hook and a flat attachment point. The diameter of each drupe is 5 mm. Its surface is smooth, dark gray, with black spots.
Types of a waxman
The genus of the waxman is not numerous, the following varieties are most common:
Small voskovnik. Low (about 15 cm), branched plant with bluish foliage. The lower leaves are painted in a grayish color, and the upper ones differ in a more saturated blue tone. A rounded or slightly faceted stem is covered with leaves evenly along the entire length. The top of the plant is decorated with a dense inflorescence with purple tubular flowers. The flowering period falls on July-September. The homeland of this species is the Mediterranean. The plant prefers rocky soils and is often found along highways.
Voskovnik ordinary. Strongly branched shrub up to 1 m high. Egg-shaped leaves have short petioles and a finely serrated edge. On the surface of the leaf are yellowish spots. The flowering period falls on June-August. The apical inflorescence is spike-shaped and consists of many small tubular flowers. During flowering, the plant exudes a strong, sweet aroma. It is highly toxic. Distributed in the marshlands of the north-west of Russia and in Europe.
Wizard of tarot. The plant forms a sprawling bush up to 40 cm high. Shoots and leaves are painted in a saturated bright green color. The apical leaves have blue stains. The base of the flower tube is colored in purple, which gradually turns to the edge of purple to the edge.
Wetland marsh. Endangered plant listed in the Red Book. The species forms a tall bush (up to 1.5 m) with highly branched shoots. Egg-shaped leaves are painted in dark green color and densely cover brown stems. During flowering (March-April), cylindrical earrings with a length of 7-16 mm are formed in the axils of the leaves. Distributed plant in the northern regions of Eurasia and North America. The variety is famous for its medicinal properties and is widely used in medicine.
Despite its attractiveness, the wax moss has not yet spread too much in the gardens. Breeders brought out several decorative forms to diversify the genus and help gardeners create an exquisite Art Nouveau composition. Recently, the following varieties have appeared:
- Purpurascens - leaves on the tops of shoots are covered with aquamarine stains;
- Atropurpurea - different large purple flowers;
- Purpurascens - has a smoother transition from purple to purple in the color of the petals.
Breeding methods
Voskovnik propagates by seed and vegetative methods. The cultivation of wax seeds from seeds begins in February. To do this, first seedlings are sown. Seeds are preliminarily laid out on a wet sheet for a day, and then deepened by 1-1.5 cm in the garden soil mixture. A distance of 4-5 cm should be left between the drupes. Germination takes 10-15 days. Interestingly, two plants sprout from each seed.
Young plants need good lighting and periodic watering. The optimum temperature is + 15 ... +20 ° C. After 2 weeks, the grown seedlings are suitable for planting in the garden. A distance of 25 cm is maintained between plants. At the end of April, a wax-sow can be sown in open ground. In this case, flowering will begin in the second half of July.
Hybrid varieties and indoor forms are propagated by cuttings, this allows you to save varietal differences. Young shoots are cut from the upper part of the bush and soaked in a growth stimulator, and after a day they are planted in the ground.
Care Rules
Voskovnik is a fairly unpretentious plant and requires minimal care. Any fertile soil is suitable for its planting. With a lack of nutrients, it is necessary to regularly introduce complex fertilizer or organic fertilizing. Twice a season, it is recommended to mulch the soil with leaf humus. Rhizome needs additional aeration, so frequent loosening of the soil is encouraged.
Voskovnik feels good in the open sun or in a little shade. The plant does not like stagnation of moisture, and does not need frequent watering. In the garden, it usually suffers from natural rainfall and additional watering is carried out only with prolonged drought.
During the flowering period, the seeds of the waxberry easily fall out of the buds, so the next year there is abundant self-seeding. Voskovnik easily pollinates with neighboring plants in the flowerbed, so seedlings can differ significantly from varietal specimens. To avoid this, it is recommended to cut off fading buds in a timely manner.
Using
Voskovnik is a highly decorative plant and serves as a decoration for indoor planting of flower beds. Pots with it are recommended to be carried out in the summer to fresh air or a balcony where bushes will receive the necessary amount of sun and fresh air. From several houseplants, you can build a path along the terrace or garden path, and for the winter bring the wax house into the room.
In the garden, Voskovnik goes well with other Mediterranean inhabitants. Compact bushes are suitable for border plantings or decoration of curtains on the lawn. The calmer blue shoots look good next to bright petunia, pelargonium or verbena. Some gardeners like to create monophonic compositions. Voskovnik will be the highlight in the blue kindergarten, next to the blue fescue.
Cut branches of a waxman stand in a vase for a long time and delight with their beauty for up to 3 weeks. Change the water regularly and cut the edge of the stem.
