The liverwort, or coppice - an early flowering plant, widespread in Eurasia and North America. Unlike most spring flowers, it does not apply to ephemeroids, that is, in summer it does not go to rest. In ancient times, coppice was actively used to treat liver diseases. For early flowering, it has received the people and another name - "blue snowdrop".
general description
This perennial herb belongs to the ranunculaceae family. In nature, it usually grows in deciduous and mixed forests on fertile calcareous soils. It blooms in spring, immediately after the snow melts, before the leaves bloom on the trees. The liverwort is especially beautiful in mass. The leaves of the coppice are dense, green, in shape resembling the lobes of the human liver. Hence the main name.
Noble liverwort flowers usually have a blue, violet or white color. However, sometimes there are red varieties. Young leaves are covered with hairs, adults - glossy, leathery, dense. Under the snow, they go green in the fall and remain so until spring.
A variety of liverworts
About 10 species of this plant grow in nature. In our country, mainly the noble or ordinary liverwort is found. In the gardens, various subspecies of copses are often grown. The most beautiful are:
- American The flowers in this species can be lilac, pink or white.
- Pointed. It differs in pretty large colors.
- Asian It has beautiful leaves with a marble pattern. The color of the buds is white.
- Transylvanian. Flowers the liverwort of this species usually has bright blue.
- Japanese noble. In nature, there are a huge number of forms of this subspecies.
There are some other varieties of the liverwort, also quite spectacular. Of the artificially derived ones, a group of hybrids (Hepatica x media) can be distinguished. These flowers were obtained by crossing the usual and Japanese noble liverwort.
How to choose a place in the garden
The ordinary liverwort, Japanese, Transylvanian, etc., can become a very good decoration of a garden or yard. Most subspecies of this plant are unpretentious, in the spring they are pleased with their bright flowers, and in the summer with beautiful leaves of an unusual shape. The liverwort is usually planted in a shaded (in June - August) and brightly lit (in April - May) place. The best beds are located under the trees.
Since the flowers of this plant do not contain nectar, they are not pollinated by flying insects. Seeds ripening in June are taken away by forest ants, for which their sticky appendages are a special treat. Therefore, it is better to plant the liverwort in distant places of the garden, where foliage is not removed in the fall, and therefore there are many of these insects. In this case, after a few years, the forest will grow bright, eye-catching spots over a fairly large area.
Most varieties can be planted, including on alpine slides. These plants are very unpretentious and will feel great (especially garden forms) even in direct sunlight. However, in this case, their flowering time will be reduced. Therefore, it is better to plant them near large stones, not from the south side.
What should be the soil
The soil under the blue snowdrop needs to be laid rich in humus, slightly sour. Stagnation of water in the selected area in the summer should not be. Loose soils most species of woods love much more dense heavy. Usually, spruce needles, sand or peat are mixed into the ground before the liverworts are planted.
Breeding methods
The noble liverwort, once planted in the garden, usually grows by self-sowing. Just like Transylvanian. Garden forms of copses are much more difficult to propagate. There are several ways to increase the number of such liverworts:
- Curtis division
- sowing seeds
- side outlets.
Reproduction by dividing the curtain
Using this method, you can get a lot of new planting material. The division is usually done 4-5 years after disembarkation. By this time, the copse is already growing quite well. The bushes just gently dig and wash the roots from the ground. The division is carried out in such a way that in each part there are at least 2-3 kidneys. But usually leave more.
Landing of the liverwort-plots is carried out in loose soil (can be mixed with sand). Previously, the leaves of the plant are cut. Mulch is laid on top of the ground after digging up the bushes. As the latter, you can use wood chips, bark, spruce needles, dry grass, etc. In nature, leaves from trees constantly fall on the liverwort. In the garden she needs to arrange similar conditions. Transferred plants must be attached.
The liverwort is propagated in this way usually either in very early spring or summer. The division of bushes during flowering is allowed. However, in this case, after transplanting, all the peduncles should be cut so as not to weaken the plant.
Seed sowing
In this way, mostly non-double species of copses are propagated. This can be a noble liver, transylvanian, American or acutifolia. In terry species, seeds usually do not ripen by the end of summer. Reproduction of copses in this way is also not too complicated.
Seeds are collected after they have a pale salad or even milky color. Until June, they can be stored in a bag with wet perlite. It must be placed in a cool place. In early summer, seeds are planted in pots filled with earth. The last drop on the flower beds. Seeds will germinate after winter stratification. Some seedlings will appear next spring. Others will sit in the ground for a couple more years. The liverwort planted in this way begins to bloom at the age of about 3-5 years.
Watering the newly sown seeds is done from the spray gun. For winter, a flower bed with plants planted in this way should be covered with spruce branches.
Reproduction by side outlets
This technique is very well suited for both ordinary types of liverwort and terry. For propagation of plants in this case, a small knife is carefully separated from the main bush with a sharp knife. The root neck must be kept on it. Thus obtained planting material is transferred to loose soil in a shaded place.
How to water
The liverwort, whose care is not particularly difficult, however, loves watering. The soil under adult plants begins to moisten around the end of June. But only if the plant is planted in partial shade, and the soil does not dry out. Young coppices are watered in the spring twice a week, in the summer - one. This is best done in the mornings or evenings. In late August, watering usually stops. In autumn, plants also have enough natural rain moisture.
Fertilizing and Care
The liverwort - a plant that needs, including nutrition. Fertilize it usually once a year - immediately after flowering. In this case, nitrogen mixtures are used. Such top dressing helps to strengthen the leaves of plants, as well as their root system.
Both young and old copses should be weeded regularly. Neighborhood of weeds, this flower does not tolerate. You also need to prevent fungal diseases from time to time. To do this, it will be enough in the summer to spray plants with one percent Bordeaux fluid.
With good care - timely weeding, periodic watering, disease prevention - in one place the liver can grow up to 25 years.
Combination with other colors
Usually, various blooming bulbous plants are planted next to coppices (no closer than 15 cm). It can be some kind of snowdrops, muscari, scaffolds, etc. On the Alpine hills, the liverwort ordinary, Transylvanian or American looks very beautiful in combination with Gargan bells, deltoid shaved or saxifrage.
Since the coppice plant is not too tall (about 15 cm), it is usually planted in the foreground in flower beds. The liverwort is very beautiful and looks alone, being planted, for example, along the curb.
Extremely spectacular flowers look under coniferous trees. Moreover, they feel very well in such places - they bloom profusely and grow rapidly, forming a bright carpet. You can also plant this plant next to crocuses, mesh iris, adonis, hellebore.
Distillation
The liverwort, the description of which was given above in the article, can be grown, including in room conditions. In order to be able to admire the delicate blue or lilac flowers in winter, in August they dig up the strongest specimens with a large number of buds (6-8). They are transplanted into small pots filled with loose soil (humus, sand, sheet earth in a proportion of 1x1x2). To frost, containers with flowers are simply dug somewhere in the garden in the shade. In early November, they are transferred to a room. All month plants need to be watered as needed.
The liverworts bloom around the 20th day. In April, the bushes are transferred to the garden, pulled out of the pots and planted in loose soil.
As you can see, the liverwort is a plant not only very beautiful, but also unpretentious. With a minimum of effort, you can get a flower bed that will surely become one of the most spectacular decorations on the site in early spring.