“Northern cypress” is the name of this pretty annual plant belonging to the Marev family. Kokhiya really looks like seedlings of real cypress, and its fluffy panicles, planted in a row, form, if not a hedge, then a green screen - for sure.
Separately, both the leaves and flowers of the plant do not represent any interest at all: small, light green, narrow leaves sitting in the nodes of nondescript flowers. But autumn comes, and the plant is transformed. From emerald green it turns into carmine red, and the light frosts that come on only give the color even more intensity.
In our latitudes, in ornamental horticulture, a hairy variety of cohia is used, but, for example, in Thailand, you can see many plants with various bright colors.
Cochia, the cultivation of which does not cause great difficulty, propagated by seeds. They are sown in containers in March-April or at the beginning of May directly into the ground, on a seedling bed. After sowing, the earth is lightly compacted or seeds are sprinkled with a very thin layer of a mixture of sand and peat.
Shoots appear rather quickly. Still small, they resemble fluffy seedlings of Christmas trees. They dive one plant and a little later, when the danger of return frosts passes, and the seedlings reach 10-20 cm, they are planted in a permanent place. At first, after transplantation, small and delicate seedlings must be protected from sunlight, covering them with lutrasil.
If you want to have miniature fluffy trees on the plot, then you need to know how to grow kohiya. The plant is unstable to frost, loves sunny places, but can grow well in the shade. It grows on various soils, although it loves more acidic, fertile. It can easily survive a short drought, but it is better not to stress the plant. In the more southerly regions, kohiya reproduces well by self-sowing and its seedlings can be used immediately for seedlings.
"Northern cypress" is easily formed and tolerates a haircut, so it is used in single and group plantings and to create low hedges. Similar to miniature cypress, the annual cochia, the cultivation of which is widely used for decorative purposes, grows about a meter high and, until winter, retains its beautiful appearance. The greenery of the plant is bright and juicy, depending on the variety, it is bluish-green or yellow-green.
But this is not the last interesting property that Kohia is so rich in. Plant growth is also used for landscaping. Its fluffy twigs do not change their decorativeness and become even thicker when cutting. Landscape designers took into account such an extraordinary property of the plant and from it construct real plant sculptures.
How to plant kohiya so that it has a decorative look? It is best in sunny areas with loose, fertilized soil, because in the shade the plant is stretched and its appearance worsens slightly. When planting between young plants, there should be at least 20-25 cm. “Summer cypress” can also be planted in pots, containers and boxes, which are then exposed on the grounds in front of the house, balconies or courtyards.
If you plant several plants at once in one container, you get a pretty magnificent and elegant bouquet. Different varieties of kohiya with the onset of autumn acquire different colors and shades, from bronze and crimson red to yellow and purple. Planted nearby, they give an amazing effect.
In addition, kohiya, the cultivation and care of which is not difficult, practically does not suffer from wind, rain or drought. Even with a strong wind, its bushes do not break, but remain safe and sound. A plant that is pleasant in every way, even in autumn, will not create unnecessary problems. From it you can get excellent brooms, not in vain because the plant is popularly called a blizzard or broom grass.