The flora of our planet is famous for its diversity, and all owners of country houses enthusiastically use its gifts to decorate their plots, near-house territories. Thus, it turns out to create your own wonderful corner, where you can have a good time, enjoy the silence, and relax from the city bustle. One of the most popular plants among nature lovers is the Emperor Cylindrical Red Baron. This plant is famous for its extraordinary coloring leaves, does not require much knowledge in the field of botany for care and maintenance. What kind of plant is it and how to properly follow it, we decided to tell in this article.
About the plant
The cylindrical emperor belongs to cereals and is an ornamental plant. It is used to decorate the landscape, and the root system has established itself in medicine. But in many countries, for example in the United States, the emperor is considered a malicious weed whose seeds quickly spread throughout the territory by the wind. Farmers do not use this plant to feed livestock, and it is considered useless. In the nature of the emperor, the cylindrical exists in a single form, but this unusual plant has many names. Thus, one can hear about the reed-like emperor, casaro, cogon grass, Alang-Alang, Imperata koenegii, Lagurus Cylindricus, red lightning, red Japanese grass.
Emperor cylindrical "Red Baron" for the most part grows in countries with a warm climate, such as Japan and China, but is found throughout the continent.
Plant features
The cylindrical emperor attracts people's attention with its unusual color of leaves, and gardeners like it not only for its interesting appearance, which can give the landscape an exotic beauty, but also for its ease of care. The appearance of this plant is able to decorate the design of any site, whether it is the territory of a chic country house or a small gardener-amateur garden.
For the combination of bright red and green shades in the color of the specific shape of the leaves of the emperor, its popular name was "red lightning". All leaves have clear lines and purposefully directed to the sky. This beautiful, but at the same time simple plant is able to cheer up any person looking at it.
Until today, no one has managed to create a similar cereal, with a similar color and texture. The emperor remains one of a kind, and not one gardener will refuse to plant her in a summer cottage.
Plant description
As was written above, the emperor's cylindrical "Red Baron" has a very remarkable color of leaves. This plant belongs to tall cereals. The stem can grow up to eighty centimeters in length, but usually does not exceed half a meter. The leaves of this grass are similar to a wide blade of a knife, pointed at the end.
When the emperor begins to bloom, the sight is enhanced by an unusual inflorescence. It is quite large, usually its size is fifteen centimeters in length. The plant blooms with an interesting spikelet panicle. The inflorescence hue is delicate silver. Usually the emperor blooms from mid-spring, but this is a rather rare occurrence. This plant, although not capricious, but requires a certain climate.
The use of emperors by people
In addition to decorating the landscape, "Red Baron" is suitable for other equally useful purposes. The roots of the emperors contain substances that perfectly moisturize the skin, so emulsions and creams are made from them. In China, this plant has also found application, it is used in brewing. In New Guinea, the roofs of houses are covered with leaves of this grass, it is quite durable, can withstand winds and rains, while maintaining comfort and warmth in the house.
Is it possible to land in Russia?
Emperor cylindrical is considered a frost-resistant plant. She endures severe frosts of unpredictable and severe Russian winters. But still, you should not plant a plant in areas with an unstable climate, since in severe frost and insufficient snow cover its roots will freeze.
"Red Lightning" is a perennial plant and every year it becomes more and more luxurious. If you plant it in an area where there are strong seasonal differences, it is worth taking care of protecting the root system in the winter. With the first cold, the emperor needs to sprinkle with dry leaves, cover with a thick blanket and pour more snow during the winter on the place where the plant "sleeps".
Landing and necessary care
When working with "red lightning", it is necessary to wear protective gloves and tight clothing, as it can severely injure the skin with its leaves. The leaves are so sharp and hard that in nature it crowds out other plants, and its dense growths are not suitable for nesting birds, animals avoid it.
When new green shoots appear, they must be removed so that the main plant is not deprived of nutrients. In late autumn, it is recommended to trim the tops of the plant to ten centimeters. That's all the care. Now consider the correct landing of the Red Baron.
The emperor is cylindrical, the care of which, as you can already see, is very simple, not particularly whimsical when landing. It is necessary to dig a small hole, up to twenty centimeters deep, put a mixture of minerals at the bottom, which is sold in a gardening shop. Seeds or plants are planted with a root, sprinkled with earth.
The main condition for the growth of emperors is good drainage and a lot of sun. Excess moisture will harm the plant, and if there is insufficient sunlight, it will not produce a special pigment, due to which it acquires a red color of the leaves.
Plant reviews
The cylindrical emperor is gaining more and more popularity. It is planted not only in private territories, but also in parks and squares. Gardeners note the unpretentiousness of this plant, ease of care and at the same time always a neat, beautiful appearance.
They write that it is combined with absolutely any landscape, plants and flowers. It does not require weeding and cutting, perfectly survives and grows.
It is advised to get rid of new unnecessary shoots in time, as the root system quickly grows stronger, and then it is difficult to remove the excess plant.
Guided by the tips suggested above, you can decorate your site, grow a healthy and strong plant that will certainly delight the eye.