Kislitsa (colloquially rabbit cabbage) is a modest groundcover flowering plant that can often be found on window sills and in gardens. She got her name thanks to her special tastes. Oxalis is famous for some medicinal properties.
Plant description
Oxygen (from the Latin oxys - oxalis, that is, sour) in the wild grows in the territories of South Africa, South and Central America and Central Europe. In Ireland, this plant is a national symbol. The inhabitants of this country consider the acid to be the flower of St. Patrick - the righteous most revered there.
It is unlikely that it will be possible to describe the acidity with a couple of phrases, since this plant within the boundaries of its kind happens both as a perennial and an annual, both with a tuberous rhizome and with a bulb.
Leaves of rabbit cabbage are placed on a long thin stalk and there are palm or triple plates with a color of green, dark red or purple. A remarkable feature of the plant is that in the evening the leaves curl up and open in the morning.
Flowers of small size and regular shape are white or pink with various variations of shades. Just like leaves, in the evening and before the weather they close. Seeds ripen in the fruit, which bursts when touched.
Varieties
Now about 800 species of the described plant are known. When growing acid at home, care, of course, is required, and some preferences for it, depending on the type of plant, have a place to be. Moreover, this flower is also grass, and shrub, and shrub. Oxalis is both an annual and perennial plant. And the root system in different species is in the form of tubers, bulbs or rhizomes.
From ancient times it was believed that indoor sorrel brings happiness to the house. And so it is often presented for some holidays. For such a property attributed to the plant, it is sometimes called the clover of happiness. At home, species such as Oxalis Deppe, purple oxenis, red oxalis and others are grown.
Among the variety of species, deciduous plants can be distinguished, in which the aerial part dies during the dormant period. It is marcius acid and ferruginous. But along with deciduous plants, there are evergreen species, such as carob acid, penny, needle-shaped. It is worth noting that in the warm season any indoor acid can be planted in the open ground.
Four-leaf oxalis
The British nicknamed the four-leaved oxalis (Oxpe deppe) with a lucky clover or an iron cross, thanks to a special contrasting reddish or purple pattern on four-leafed leaves.
This species is a perennial; it is propagated by seeds and daughter bulbs, which are formed by autumn. Bulbs can be eaten. The flowers of the four-leaf oxalis have a simple shape and red-pink color of wide rounded petals. Home care for Depp sour is reduced to timely watering and top dressing.
Oxalis vulgaris
Common Oxalis (Oxalis acetosella) is a European aborigine that grows in deciduous, mixed and coniferous forests. In Europe, common oxalis can often be found in gardens and parks, as well as on window sills.
This species blooms in late spring and early summer with white or lilac-pink delicate flowers. This species has a remarkable feature: in addition to the flowers that open above the surface of the soil, the plant also has clematogamous plants that hide under fallen needles and leaves. At the same time, flowers with a diameter of about 3 mm hidden from the eyes are closed and self-pollinating, while flowers blooming on the surface are pollinated by attracted insects. Special care at home ordinary sour acid does not require.
Oxalis multicolored
The multi-colored sour (Oxalis versicolor) has an unusual and bright color of the petals; it is an easily recognized species. In some countries, this plant has been nicknamed the Christmas candy. Its white petals, twisted into buds, have a bright red border, which reminds licorice sweets.
Another feature of variegated oxalis is its foliage, which is very small in size, resembling needles. The native land of this species is South Africa. When leaving at home, multi-colored sour acid is also unpretentious, but loves warmth and diffused light, does not tolerate overflows.
Oxalis triangular (purple)
Triangular acid or Regnelli is a small and thermophilic plant, and thanks to its unusual appearance has gained recognition and popularity among lovers of indoor plants around the world.
Tripartite leaves of this species on long petioles are painted in saturated purple or purple. However, there are varieties with green and reddish leaf plates. It is noteworthy that on each lobe spots of a different shade are clearly visible at the very base.
The flowers of a triangular oxalis with five petals are painted both white and all shades of lilac. Like leaves, flowers of this species close at night, they also respond to touch and direct sunlight.
As a result of pollination, fruits appear on the site of the flowers, which open when touched when they reach maturity. Plant seeds, although they have good germination, but are rarely used when propagating at home. Triangular acidity is propagated by parts of thickened rhizomes.
Care at home purple violet practically does not require. However, it is necessary to provide her with sufficient lighting, given her dislike for direct sunlight. That is, the light should be diffused, but bright. When leaving at home in winter, purple acidic must be placed away from heating appliances.
Features of care in an apartment
When leaving at home, the sour (photo below) is planted in a medium-sized pot. It is recommended to prepare the soil mixture for this plant in the following proportions: river sand (1 part), humus land (2), peat (1), leafy soil (2), turf land (2). A drainage layer of expanded clay or broken clay shards is necessarily laid at the bottom. After planting, abundant watering is required.
The temperature regime when leaving at home, roomwort (photo in the article) prefers the following: in spring and summer from +20 to +25 ° C, in winter from +12 to +18 ° C. That is, in winter, it is better to rearrange the plant in a cooler room. It should be borne in mind that when leaving at home in winter, the sour is at rest, and some species discard foliage, so they do not need lighting. And at the end of February, the plant can be taken out to a warm sunny place.
Oxalis is good at regular spraying in the warm season. If in winter the acid is located near heating appliances, then it is necessary to create additional humidity for it. For example, put a pot of plants in a pan with wet pebbles.
When the flower is in a state of active vegetation, it needs frequent watering, carried out each time the top layer dries by 1.5-2 cm. However, stagnation of moisture in the soil cannot be allowed. In the fall, watering is gradually reduced, and by the dormant period it is stopped altogether.
When leaving at home, the acidic flower needs regular feeding during the growing season. Top dressing must be applied from April to August every 14 days, alternating mineral and organic fertilizers.
Oxygen is rarely susceptible to disease and pest attacks. However, with excessive dampness, a disease of gray rot or powdery mildew is possible. Occasionally spider mites and mealybugs may appear on shoots.
Breeding methods
Oxalis reproduces in three ways:
- Sowing seeds.
- Propagation by tubers.
- Cuttings.
With proper care, the reproduction of sour acid at home always goes well. In the first method, the seeds are sown in mid-spring. Shoots will appear in 2 weeks. During the first year of life, seedlings form leaf sockets and grow rhizome. A fully developed plant blooms in the second year of life.
Reproduction of tubers at home can be carried out at any time of the year. In a container with prepared loose soil (mixture composition in the previous section), tubers are placed to a depth of about 1 cm, while moistening the soil should be done with caution. If the tuber is planted at the end of October, then by the new year a lush bush will form.
The easiest way is propagation by cuttings. For this, any parts of the plant are suitable. It can be a leaf with a petiole, a peduncle with flowers and any other segment. Rooting can be carried out both in water and directly in the soil prepared in the proportions described previously. At the same time, petioles are planted in groups and grown under diffuse lighting with an air temperature of +25 ° .
Healing properties
Science has proven the ability of an acid to increase gastric acidity and stimulate appetite. Along with this, the plant has diuretic and choleretic properties.
However, traditional medicine uses this plant as an anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing agent. Oxygen is used to prevent hypovitaminosis and vitamin deficiency, it is recommended to use it for anorexia and hyperacid gastritis.
Useful properties of oxalis will help in the treatment of liver diseases, heartburn, jade, and also strengthen the body. The healing broth from this plant will have a healing effect in scorophleosis and gastric cancer. A tincture of sour acid will help relieve diarrhea, remove stomatitis, abscesses, diathesis and metabolic disorders. The use of tinctures from sour acid will have a beneficial effect in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, relieve worms, and will help in the treatment of tonsillitis, ulcers, enuresis.
Oxalis juice lowers temperature, heals abscesses, relieves menstrual cramps. In Bulgaria, with his help, the cardiovascular system is strengthened, and in the Caucasus, acid leaves are used for arsenic and mercury poisoning. Here is such tremendous power has a modest and unpretentious acid. She brings happiness to the house, and heals diseases, and the eye pleases.