It is hard to imagine a classic flower garden without such beautiful flowers as lilies. But among them there are such little-known specimens as the lily of the locust. Locust flowers (Lílium mártagon) is an unusually delicate and beautiful plant belonging to the Liliaceae family. Otherwise, it is called lily martagon, curly lily or royal curls. This plant is quite rare, found mainly in the European part of Russia, in Eastern and Western Siberia, in the Urals and is listed in the Red Book. Locust flowers grow in mixed forests, on shady edges and clearings. This low perennial bulb flower is a medicinal plant and a honey plant.
These amazing locust lilies
This is a very harmonious herbaceous plant, the height of which is 70-140 cm. Dark green, long, bent and slightly curled leaves adorn a straight green stalk. This splendor is beautifully crowned by collected in rare brushes or single beautiful flowers, a bit like a turban. Their rather large petals are curved in the opposite direction. The color can be very diverse, with dark purple spots. Locust flowers (photo presented in the article) have 6 stamens and 1 column. Pollination occurs with butterflies. The inflorescence includes 2-5 flowers, and in some cases more than 20.
Locusts (flowers): growing
Plants prefer partial shade and moist, fertile soils, which is why they are found in birch forests, shady oak forests, mixed forests, spruce forests, etc. However, locust flowers grow in small quantities in forests. Therefore, in Belarus, Poland, Ukraine and some regions of Russia, this species is listed in the Red Book. It is strictly forbidden to dig plants in forests.
To replenish your flower garden with locust lily, you can buy Dutch varieties that have more spectacular and large buds.
Growing this delicate flower in the garden is a snap.
Locust flower: reproduction
Curly Lily propagates in three ways: by dividing the bulbs, seeds and rooting scales.
- Only large adult bulbs are grown by division, from which daughter branches have already budged. Such bulbs have two flowering stems. The division is carried out in August. Large bulbs (up to 7 cm in diameter) consist of yellow flakes. Locust flowers are shade tolerant, as their natural habitat is associated with the forest. These plants bloom in the shade a little longer, but not as plentifully as on the light side. Therefore, it is recommended for them to choose a place that part of the day will be lit by the sun. The soil for the plant is the most common. Saranka is not inclined to fattening to the detriment of flowering, because in fertile soil the bush will be more powerful, and flowering more abundant. This lily is watered sparingly and only until the buds appear. Bulb division occurs slowly - once every 3 or even 4 years.
- Reproduction by rooting flakes is as follows. As soon as the plant fades, the bulb is immediately dug up and the outer scales are separated. The bulb that remains is again planted in the flower garden. Flakes at 2/3 of their height are buried in a box with soil. It consists of a mixture of 2 parts of turf land, 1 part of sand and 1 part of humus. Sprinkle peat on top and cover with a film. Boxes put in a shaded place. In autumn, 1-2 bulbs-children with roots and leaflet should form at the base of the scales. They are separated and transplanted into the flower garden. For winter, plants are insulated with hay.
- Propagation by seeds refers to the simplest and most effective method that allows you to get a healthy plant adapted to local conditions. Seeds ripen in early August. They are flat, triangular, light brown in color. They are sown early in spring or before winter to a depth of 2 cm. After sowing, before a sprout appears on the surface, a bulb with roots forms in the ground, and only then (in the middle of summer) one leaf grows with a pointed apex. After a year, the first whorl of leaves is formed, and after another year (or even two) flowering begins. Therefore, to see such beauty, you should be patient.
Using
Locust flowers (photo above) are often used in folk medicine. Bulb infusion is recommended for toothache, as well as for depression and nervous shocks. Juice and leaves heal wounds well, a decoction of flowers is taken for gallbladder disease. Locust tubers can be eaten.