Heather (Calluna): description of species, photo and application. Heather. Legends about flowers Planting in a pot. Growing indoors
Many legends about the ancient elves who inhabited Scotland many thousands of years ago, about their ability to make a drink from heather that prolongs life and romantic stories associated with heather, as a symbol of Scotland. He is so loved by the people that he was even the family coat of arms of one of the country's communities in the Middle Ages.
Scottish ode to heather
Heather from time immemorial settled on scarce waste lands, populating them according to the well-known law: "Nature does not tolerate emptiness." IN different places wastelands, conflagrations are overgrown with grass and shrubs, then they are replaced by stronger plants. At first, heather looks like a harmless bush that does not have long to live. But gradually forms a curtain that expands and occupies new wastelands. Reproduction is by layering from a creeping twig, seeds and rhizomes.
There are no other applicants for the land where heather grows. There are few people who want to occupy a sour, dry area with burnt earth. For stamina and reliability, nature rewarded heather with the ability to get food where it is not.
Each root of the plant is entangled with a mycelium, which decomposes and makes food available from infertile soil, converts substances into the form necessary for the plant. The mycelium itself feeds on heather juices. A symbiosis without which both species would die.
Heather is praised in Scotland not only for covering the scarce rocky soil with a colored veil. Its branches were used for weaving baskets, making brooms, creating a roof. The late flowering of heather thickets in the vast expanses of hilly terrain gives the bees the last bribe of the outgoing summer. Honey is obtained with bitterness, but healing.
Heather flowers are used to brew the intoxicating drink ale, which is a traditional product of Scotland. From the same inflorescences, a dye was extracted for artisans who wove textiles, dyed threads in traditional colors and sewed national men's celts and plaids from plaid.
Each Entrance door dwellings even in winter time was adorned with a basket of perennial heather flowers on thin twigs. Many Scottish legends, beliefs and rituals are associated with heather - the symbol of Scotland.
Give credit to the plant for the benefits it brings to people:
- unpretentious ground cover shrub;
- honey plant for the last bribe;
- material for folk craft;
- healing properties;
- sacred meaning.
Currently, the only Heather Center in the world has been created in Scotland, and it houses a beautiful Botanical Garden. The shrub of life and longevity, revered in the land of the elves, thanks those who sing it. Nowadays eco-tourism is gaining popularity. And in this country, with a dimensional life and invariable friendliness, relaxation routes are being laid for tourists. The symbol of Scotland heather helps to maintain the economic well-being of the country.
Psychologists say that after two weeks of detachment and contemplation of untouched nature, a person returns renewed. Locals believe that their spiritual harmony is protected by heather. Until now, there are many rituals in which this particular plant acts as a protector of a person in the fight against evil.
Heather in the suburbs
In Central Europe there are no such expanses on which a wild heather massif could freely settle down. However, heather grows everywhere and is one species. Evergreen heather looks like a branched lignified trunk a little more than a pencil thick. Its leaves are small, rolled into a tube. The flowers resemble a bell, strung with a brush on a branch. They bloom in the second half of summer and in September. In the densely populated suburbs of Moscow with country estates, cultural forms shrub.
This plant creates landscape design with stunning scenery of the heather garden. Cultivars are mostly imported. Therefore, the climate of the Moscow region is not always suitable for travelers. Plants of local reproduction take root better. By the way, the plant can be propagated by layering, seeds,. The easiest thing to do is to take a petiole from a plant you like in the summer, root it and grow it in a container, and plant it in the spring. finished plant to a permanent place.
It is necessary to breed heather gardens in the climate of the Moscow region with spring plantings, so that the plant develops a root system over the summer and leaves prepared for the winter. But in order to preserve the heather compositions from freezing for the winter, they should be covered. Any heather garden cannot grow unless it is provided with acidic soil. It is picky about moderate topsoil moisture, so plants should always sit under mulch.
To create a flower bed from heather in the suburbs, you will need:
- choose a landing site;
- purchase or grow seedlings on their own;
- create a suitable substrate and prepare seats;
- plant bushes according to technology;
- provide proper care during the summer.
In order not to be mistaken when purchasing seedlings in a store, you need to remember that seedlings remain decorative even with dead roots. Therefore, you should carefully check how alive the kidneys and the condition of the root system are. When planting, do not bury the neck into the ground.
Keeping in mind that the plant loves acidic soil, it is necessary to water from time to time with the addition of apple cider vinegar to maintain the level of soil acidity.
IN further care for in the Moscow region is the surface loosening of the earth, weed removal and. The garden will thank with a long flowering, with an outfit leaving for the winter. The created compositions will require formation after three years of growth.
Heather has almost no diseases and pests. However, excessive moisture or excessive fertilization may cause gray rot. There may still be viral disease, characterized by spots on the leaves and a drooping crown. Such plants should be removed immediately so as not to infect others.
How to care for heather - video
Heather
HEATHER (Calluna vulgaris), comes from the Greek kallyno - to make beautiful, to clean, as brooms were made from heather. Russian name heather comes from the ancient Slavic "vrasenets" - hoarfrost. Many small lilac-pink flowers give the impression that heather shoots are covered with frost.
The Scottish ballad of heather honey is widely known. Once upon a time, in the northern moorlands of Scotland lived the brave and strong people- picts. Only they owned the secrets of preparing a miraculous drink - heather honey, which gives people strength and youth. The king of Scotland decided to master the secret and sent his army to this tribe to find out all about the drink. But the freedom-loving and proud people did not reveal the secret of preparing the drink and took it to the grave.
In Ukraine, the first autumn month - September - is called "spring", at this time heather blooms profusely. In the language of flowers, heather is a symbol of loneliness and hopelessness.
A wreath of separation was woven from heather and primrose. The girl gave such a wreath to the guy in the case when they did not have a relationship. For example, a guy met with one girl, and then started dating another.
All the guys knew about the meaning of such a wreath in the old days. If the girl was the reason for the separation, then she gave the young man a wreath of willow seals, periwinkle and asters. Willow - a symbol of truthfulness, periwinkle in combination with asters meant a silent prayer: "Forgive me, but I love another!".
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A. Barto
Heather is a discreet but charming flower. Its small lilac-pink flowers resemble bluebells and are densely planted on twigs. From a distance, heather thickets look like pinkish-purple clouds, because their flowers and leaves are rather small, but very numerous. The plant of the Heather family includes only one species, and its name comes from the ancient Greek "kalynein" - "to clean", because from ancient times it was heather that served as the material for panicles. The plant, which settled on the territory of Rus', got its name from the ancient Slavic "rasenets" - "hoarfrost". Our ancestors were very poetic - it seemed to them that the shoots of this plant were covered with frost. From the Irish and Gaelic languages, the name "fraoh" was fixed for the heather. This word translates as "warlike". About the Welsh goddess of this plant - Uroika - tell the sources that came from Romanesque Switzerland. Her very name seemed to be a cross between Ura and "ereice" - one of the names for heather.
Heather "speaks" the language of plants, depending on its color: - promises protection and a wish come true. plant - promises loneliness and admiration. And pink wishes good luck.
The flowering of heather marked the onset of a time of fun and freedom of choice. The sweet aroma of summer, the delicious taste of honey... The beliefs of the Celts convey to us the belief that in the middle of summer, when the heather fields turn into buzzing beehives, the Goddess herself will appear in the form of a queen bee. seductive women, goddesses of love, taking the King of Oak into herself before the fire consumes him - that's what heather means. This plant, according to legend, brings happiness, because it keeps from actions caused by uncontrolled passion. For the Celts, the bee personified, and they considered moderate intoxication a way to open the curtain between the worlds in order to communicate with the gods and. Heather ale, which was drunk during summer ceremonies, created a festive atmosphere, helped the muses of poetry, singing and music to enter the society of people and lifted prohibitions.
IN natural conditions Europe from southern border forests to the north of the tundra grows heather plant with unusually beautiful inflorescences. These small shrubs are rare in Russian gardens and not known to everyone. But if heather is planted on your site, then it will immediately fit into the landscape design and transform the garden.
After reading the description of the plant and its photo, many will want to organize on their personal plot heath. But you will need to prepare for some of the difficulties that you will encounter when growing shrubs. Therefore, it is first recommended to study the rules for planting and caring for heather.
Heather: photo, general characteristics, varieties
The plant is evergreen shrub and is the national flower of Norway. The beautiful legend tells that only the heather agreed, at the request of God, to grow on the slopes of the hills, which are blown from all sides by cold winds. This plant has been rewarded with great aroma, natural charm, increased hardiness, unpretentiousness and excellent melliferous qualities.
In nature, there is only one type of this plant - common heather. The creeping shrub is distinguished by slightly rising branches. They grow no more than 30 cm., but some forms of heathers have shoots 80 cm long. Numerous branches cover narrow small leaves which may have different colors.
Small flowers on short stems form unusually beautiful inflorescences up to 25 cm long. The corolla and calyx are pink-purple. Exist various varieties plants, which differ in the shape and color of leaves and inflorescences. Leaves can be green, golden orange, or bluish white. The shade of inflorescences is from white to purple. Flowers bloom in July and continue to bloom until August. Heather seeds are formed in a box 2.5 cm long, which has partitions and four flaps.
Popular varieties
To date, more than 50 varieties of heather are grown in gardens, among which three are the most famous:
Common heather - growing features
The plant loves well-lit areas and can grow even in open areas. In the shade, its flowers become pale, and bloom for a short time. So for heather it is recommended to choose semi-shady places next to low trees and shrubs. It can be planted in gravel gardens, rockeries and alpine slides.
The soil
The plant is undemanding to the richness of the soil; it can grow even on poor sandy soils. Heather prefers acidic soil and dislikes calcareous soils, on which its growth worsens. Most for good growth and long-term flowering of the shrub, an earthen mixture of the following composition is suitable:
- coniferous land - 2 parts;
- sand - 1 part;
- peat - 3 parts.
To make the soil mixture acidic, red riding peat is used for its preparation.
Selection of seedlings
Heathers do not tolerate transplantation well, because they have a symbiosis with mycelium located in the ground. Therefore, it is best to purchase shrubs in special containers, where the roots and mycorrhiza are completely preserved.
The plant is distinguished by long time after death retains flowers and foliage. Therefore, choosing a shrub for your garden, you need to pay attention to the following points:
- The container should fit snugly against the root ball so that air does not enter the roots and dry them out.
- The soil should be slightly moist. Too wet soil leads to the death of the roots and plants.
- Shoots should be both old and younger light. They must be elastic, have many leaves and vegetative buds.
Landing Features
IN open ground seedlings are planted in autumn at the end of September or in spring, from the second half of April to the beginning of May. Experienced gardeners recommend to produce spring planting heathers, since during the season the plants will have time to take root and by autumn, with a gradual decrease in temperatures, their shoots will fully mature and endure the winter without any problems.
When planting shrubs in groups, the distance between them should be 30–40 cm. For one square meter plot planted low-growing varieties of 12-15 specimens, and strong-growing - from 6 to 8 plants. The hole must be so deep so that the soil reaches strictly to the level of the root collar. If the soils are clayey, then drainage is poured into the bottom of each hole, which may consist of broken bricks and sand. Before planting in the wells, 50 g of horn flour and 30 g of nitrophoska are added. The planted bush is abundantly watered with 5-6 liters of water.
Throughout the season, and especially in dry summers, it is necessary to monitor the moisture content of the soil in which heathers grow. Their compact root system with many small roots needs to be upper layer the soil was wet all the time. On hot days, the plant suffers from dry air and responds well to spraying, which must be done in the evening with water at room temperature.
During the departure, the heathers are fed mineral fertilizers. To do this, you can use the Kemira Lux fertilizer diluted in water. During the season, the soil around the bushes must be cleared of weeds and loosened shallowly.
So that the soil does not dry out and is not clogged with weeds, immediately after planting the heathers, it can be mulched. For this tree chips are used conifers , peat, fern soil or large sawdust.
In spring, young shrubs are pruned moderately. old plants pruning is done like this to remove the part of the stem below the faded inflorescences. In this case, the shape of the crown should be preserved.
Heather shelter for the winter
In early November, when the ground freezes to about -5 degrees, trunk circles bushes are covered with dry foliage or peat. The layer thickness must be at least 10 cm. The plant itself is recommended to be covered with spruce branches, which will help:
- Protect bushes from frost.
- Do not get the plants wet under the condensate that is created under the polyethylene.
- Create a new layer of mulch, which is formed from fallen needles from branches.
Shelter is removed in mid-April, peat is removed from the root collar. Old spruce branches can be finely chopped and used as mulch.
heather breeding
Plants can be propagated in three ways:
- dividing the bush;
- cuttings;
- seeds.
The division of the bush
This is the fastest and easiest way to breed heathers and is done in late summer. Prepare bushes for division begin in early June. To do this, peat is scattered around them so that root collar 0.4-0.5 cm was immersed in the soil. This needed to grow new roots. In August, the plant is dug up and divided. Roots directly with a clod of earth are cut into equal parts.
cuttings
At the end of summer, apical cuttings are cut from strong shoots of varietal heathers. To form a good root system, it is recommended to root them in separate containers that are filled with peat and sand. Caring for cuttings is keeping the substrate moist and top dressing with microfertilizers and urea solution. Rooting should take place at an air temperature within + 15C - + 20C. It is impossible to harvest cuttings from flowering shoots.
Reproduction by seeds
Since the seeds of veres are small, they best sown on the surface of the soil into shallow containers. The earth mixture should be of the following composition:
- sand - 1 part;
- peat - 2 parts;
- heather or coniferous land - 1 part.
At a temperature of 18–20 ° C, the first seedlings will appear in about a month. In the first week, they need to create high humidity. In summer, containers with seedlings are taken out to the site, hardened and grown. Already grown plants at the age of 1.5–2 years are planted in a permanent place.
Useful properties of heather
The plant is an excellent honey plant, from which bees collect honey in the fall, when many plants have already faded. Dark yellow or red-brown fragrant, thick heather honey contains a lot of proteins and minerals. IN medicinal purposes it is used for bronchial asthma, rheumatism, gout, urolithiasis. Honey has a diuretic effect and purifies the blood.
Heather flowers contain polysaccharides, essential oil, arbutin, flavonoids, therefore are widely used in folk medicine. They are harvested during the period of mass flowering.. To do this, the flowering tops are cut off and dried in a well-ventilated area.
infusions used for colds, rheumatism, gout, kidney and bladder diseases. Used as a diuretic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent.
Heather flowers can be used to make drinks, syrups and tea. Not only tasty but healthy a drink made from heather honey and flowers. You need to drink it cold.
The syrup is made from fresh flowers that are brewed with boiling water. A day later, sugar is added to the infusion and everything is boiled. Very tasty and vitamin tea obtained from a mixture of dried strawberry leaves, rosehip petals and heather flowers.
At proper fit And proper care you can create a heath in your garden that will look like a picturesque carpet. Very heathers look spectacular with dwarf conifers, rhododendrons, ferns and flowering shrubs. Usually they are planted against the background of taller plants in the foreground.
Photo from sunhome.ru
The refined Heather is distinguished by its striving for perfection. Therefore, he is very emotionally experiencing any of his shortcomings, or a wrong decision. Heather is loyal to his friends, you can always rely on him. He will never betray, and will always come to the rescue.
Heather can be entrusted with any business, and he will take it on with his inherent virtuosity and bring it to the end, even if it seems that it is impossible.
His area of expertise is vast. Heather has a broad outlook, he has an analytical mind.
Heather is not vindictive and easily goes to reconciliation.
An old Scottish legend says that the humble Heather was the only one who, at the request of God, agreed to grow on bare, windswept hillsides. For this, the Lord rewarded him with increased endurance, unpretentiousness and natural charm, as well as the aroma and qualities of a honey plant.
Photo from sad.ru
Heather corresponds to the first decade of Libra :
People born in the first decade are very friendly, gentle and dreamy. But a good attitude is manifested in them not only to close people, but also to complete strangers, especially to children. Possessing a sensitive and kind character, they cannot stand quarrels and often try to reconcile the warring parties or at least smooth out tensions.
Venus has a huge influence on people born under its influence. This planet carries in itself softness and refinement and generously endows all its wards with similar qualities. They are, as a rule, loved by everyone around, and in order to achieve this, Libra of the first decade makes almost no effort.
Nature makes them wasteful and love to overspend. However, this does not mean at all that people of this sign will go bankrupt or experience some kind of financial difficulties. On the contrary, oddly enough, they always have enough money to live on, which they get not so much through their own labor, but thanks to the generosity of their fans - they are ready to gladly fulfill any whim of Libra.
Photo from sad.ru
The name of this genus, belonging to the Heather family (Ericaceae) and including only one species, comes from the ancient Greek word kalynein - "to clean" , since heather has been used to make panicles since ancient times.
Despite its modest size, heather is a relative of the large-leaved rhododendron . Heather flowers and leaves are extremely small, but there are a lot of them on one plant, so flowering heather thickets look like delicate pinkish-purple clouds from a distance. In rock gardens, not wild-growing heather is usually grown, but its cultivars.
These are charming and charming creatures. They are quick-witted and smart. Faithful and reliable.
Such animals easily and quickly adapt to various changes in your life. They like trips to the country, long walks.
There are usually no problems with dog training, they quickly understand what you want from them and try to fulfill it. If they remember something, then it is for a long time.
Cats are vindictive, they can avenge you for your wrong behavior towards them and go to the toilet in the wrong place. If you bring a person to visit, who for some reason did not like your pet, she will do the same, but it will be a special success for her if she manages to do this on the clothes or shoes of the visitor.
By themselves, these animals are usually very clean, cats are always licked, and dogs are never averse to swimming.
Heathers are usually good parents, they take care of their kittens (puppies) to the last and are very hard going through parting.
