The leotard is a perennial plant, characterized by large bright flowers of spherical shape. Belongs to the family Ranunculaceae. Depending on the type of accessory, it can reach a height of 50 to 100 cm. It is unpretentious in care and easily grows around the entire perimeter. Due to its predisposition to dark areas and high humidity, it often serves as a decoration for garden ponds and streams.
Distribution in nature and features of cultivation as a crop plant
In nature, a flower is found in places where there is enough moisture.
Also known as kupavka, siberian rose, frying and trollius. Scandinavian legends say that this plant, because of its beauty, was popular with fabulous forest inhabitants - trolls. The Slavs loved him no less and called him "kupavka" due to the fact that it most often occurs near ponds and rivers.
There is a legend that the plant appeared thanks to
European or Asian? Differences in the photo
The leotard is found at reservoirs, at the edge of forests, in meadows and forest glades. In nature, there are more than 20 of its varieties, but only some of them are used as garden plants. The most common are European and Asian. They can be distinguished by the color of the flowers and the degree of disclosure of the sepals. The European has lemon yellow flowers, while the Asian has orange double ones. Sepals of the Asian species are more open.
European view (left) and Asian view (right)
The plant distribution halo covers Central Asia, Eastern Europe, the Polar Urals and Western Siberia. Thus, it easily adapts to almost any climate and steadily survives cold winters.
On the territory of a suburban or summer cottage, it can be located near an artificial reservoir, on an alpine hill, flowerbed or in the rose garden (as one of its alternative names is "Siberian rose").
The flowering period falls at the end of May. It lasts from 1 to 2 months.
Popular varieties for Russian gardens
The following varieties are considered the most attractive for Russian gardens:
- Orange Globe - differs in large saturated orange flowers with compact sepals.
Swimsuit Orange Globe blooms in May and June for a month
- Orange Princess - has large flowers of a dark orange color. In height reaches up to 60 cm.
The Orange Princess swimsuit is disease resistant and has a high winter hardiness.
- Fire Globe - characterized by large flowers with orange-red sepals and orange nectaries.
Swimsuit Fire Globe opens in late May
- Alabaster - differs in large light cream flowers with open sepals.
Swimsuit Alabaster can bloom twice a season in warm regions
- Elista of All - is a flowering plant of small stature. It has small flowers with dark yellow sepals and golden nectaries.
Swimsuit Elista of All - the earliest variety blooming in early May
Ways of planting a leotard
The leotard can be grown from:
- seedlings;
- seed;
- the mother plant by its vegetative division.
Growing seedlings
Seedlings should be protected from waterlogging or drought.
For growth it is necessary:
- Choose a suitable place. It should be illuminated by diffused light. In this case, avoid direct sunlight.. A plot in the shade of a house, tree or tall ornamental plant, preferably near a pond, is best suited for these purposes.
- Plant in the ground. Planting seedlings is strictly in moist soil, as it will die in dry soil. It is worth noting that the swimsuit is also not adapted to damp and wetlands. Planting seedlings should be done in early August, so that the plant has time to grow stronger before the onset of cold weather, in the evening or on a cloudy day. The optimum temperature is 20-25 ° C. The distance between the copies should be 50 cm.
- Deepen the root neck by 2 cm. To optimize the rooting process, it is necessary to trim the leaves.
Growing from seeds in open ground
Many types of blennies are listed in the Red Book, so it is safer to purchase seeds by mail
To grow a leotard from seeds:
- Pick up the seeds. They ripen by autumn.
- Sow them in the open ground in November to ensure long-term stratification of the seeds. Sowing should be done in loose, breathable soil. To do this, you can mix 2 parts of peat and earth and 1 part of sand.
- Abundantly water the emerged seedlings and protect from overheating in direct sunlight.
- After the appearance of full leaves, the sprouts should be planted in open ground at a distance of 10 cm from each other.
- After a year, transplanted plants to a permanent place. Replant only once every 10 years.
Division and transplantation of the mother plant
An adult swimsuit can be propagated vegetatively. To do this, you must:
- At the beginning of autumn, dig a plant.
- Divide it into divisions with roots and shoots;
- Plant them at a distance of at least 50 cm from each other.
You can propagate the swimsuit in the spring, but this must be done before flowering.
The most lazy can use the method of cuttings.
Garden care
Lemon Queen garden leotard blends nicely with less vibrant neighbors
In order for a plant to please with its many flowers, it is necessary to follow the rules for caring for it and to deal with infrequent diseases in a timely manner.
How to care during growth and flowering
The leotard needs plentiful watering. However, it is necessary to ensure that the water does not stagnate, because this will lead to decay of the plant. Water should be protected and heated by the sun. To do this, you can install a tank for collecting rainwater in a sunny place.
Due to its unpretentiousness, the plant does not need a large amount of fertilizer. They should be applied only before the flowering period or to support his health, if it has weakened. Complex organic fertilizers, humus and peat are used.
As a top dressing, solutions of nutrient complexes of Nitrofoska and Agricola, as well as urea, are used. To prepare the solution, a teaspoon of the substance is dissolved in a bucket of water.
Winter preparations
The fern will be an excellent participant in the tandem with undersized varieties of a swimsuit
Due to its high resistance to cold weather, the plant does not need shelter. In the autumn after the death of the leaves, it should be cut off, leaving only short petioles 2-3 cm long.
Problems and their solution
A distinctive feature of the leotard is its high immunity to diseases. It is also not affected by pests due to its toxicity. The main problem of the plant is the fungus. To avoid it, it is necessary to observe the irrigation regime and cut off dried shoots in a timely manner. If it does appear, then immediately remove and burn the damaged parts of the bathhouse, treat the plant and its soil with a fungicide solution, balance its watering and additionally fertilize to increase its immunity.
Flower Growing Summary (video)
The leotard is known for its beauty. Moreover, thanks to its unpretentiousness, it can decorate the garden, even in Western Siberia. However, it needs moist soil and protection from direct sunlight. Therefore, it is best to plant it near a pond.
