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On the damp edges of coniferous and deciduous forests, clearings and wet meadows of many European countries, including Russia, you can see a herbaceous plant with bright large yellow flowers, which is called European swimsuit (common). Among its people, it also has other names: kupavka, frying, kupava, lights, beaters, Siberian rose, kupava.
Kupava flowers in all shades of yellow
Description of the European swimsuit
European swimmer is a perennial belonging to the Ranunculaceae family. The Latin name of the flower is Trollius. According to one Scandinavian legend, the swimsuit was very popular with mythical creatures, for this reason in some countries it is still called the troll flower. In Russia, the name “swimsuit” was given to the plant for its love of water.
The shape of the shoot of the European swimsuit can be simple and branched.On average, the height of the stems, depending on the growing conditions, varies from 60 cm (in well-lit areas) to 90 (in shady areas). In cold regions, lower specimens are also found - only 20 cm.
The leaves are dark, green, lobed (or palmate). The European swimsuit has 2 types: stem and basal. The latter are formed in the first season after planting, and in the second the plant throws out long shoots (peduncles), in the upper part of which stem leaves are located.
The petiole leaf plates that form the basal rosette are somewhat larger than the sessile ones. Quite often, young shoots of peduncles develop in the axils of the stem leaves, at the top of which buds form. Flower baskets on the lateral peduncles are smaller than those located on the central ones.
Long roots extend from a short branched rhizome located in the top layer of soil, penetrating deep into the soil and providing the bush with moisture.
The fruit of the European swimmer is leaflets with a small straight nose that open along the inner line. Single leaflets are collected in spherical inflorescences. The seeds are black, with a glossy sheen, and oblong in shape.
The European swimmer is characterized as a good honey plant, producing a lot of nectar from May to July.
The scope of application of kupava is quite extensive. It is used as an ornamental plant. Flowers, roots and leaves have healing properties, so they are often used in folk medicine. The wild-growing European swimmer is used as livestock feed. And many years ago, the juice of its flowers was used to dye fabrics.
Bright flowers of the swimsuit look good in a forest clearing
Features of flowering
The European swimmer blooms at the end of May or early June. Flowering continues for more than a month. Large lush bushes simultaneously throw out 8-10 flower stalks with bright yellow flowers. In addition, yellow flower heads are formed on lateral shoots growing from the axils of the stem leaves.
The flower baskets are large, about 5-8 cm in diameter. Each consists of a corolla-like perianth supporting 10-20 yellow sepals. The arrangement of the petals of the European swimsuit is spiral-shaped. The petals of the corolla, which are shorter than the sepals of the flower, act as nectaries. There are many stamens on a dense convex receptacle. The flowers emit a subtle, weak aroma.
The swimsuit attracts attention with its bright hats of flowers
In what natural zone does the European swimmer grow?
In the natural area, the European swimmer lives in places with high soil moisture - damp deciduous forests, as well as well-moistened meadows. Shrubs with yellow caps of flowers grow in floodplains and near wetlands. The habitat of the swimsuit extends from Great Britain to the Far East. It can be found both in the northern part of the Eurasian continent (beyond the Arctic Circle) and in the south (Caucasus and Mediterranean states).
Swimsuit flowers can be found in different regions of the country
Reasons for disappearance
The main reason for the extinction of the species in nature was the human factor, namely the drainage of wetlands - the favorite habitat of the European swimmer.The healing properties also played an important role. The fact is that for the preparation of medicines, not only the vegetative parts of the plant are used, but also the underground ones, which leads to the death of individual specimens.
All this was the reason that in a number of regions of the Russian Federation and in the countries of the former Soviet Union, the European swimsuit was listed in the Red Book as an endangered plant.
Application in landscape design
The European bathhouse is a beautiful bush, the flower baskets of which, in the arrangement of their petals, simultaneously resemble a poppy and a rose. This allows them to be used to decorate park areas and garden plots.
The European swimsuit is well suited for creating bright spots in the landscape. It is planted near the shores of artificial and natural reservoirs, on lawns and alpine hills.
Bright Siberian rose bushes look good in a flower bed
Reproduction methods
There are 2 methods of propagating the European swimsuit - seed and bush division. The first option is very labor-intensive. In addition, the swimsuit grown in this way does not bloom in the 1st year. Reproduction by dividing the bush is considered the most effective, and therefore more popular.
Seed method
Seeds are stratified before planting. She may be:
- natural, in which seeds are sown shallowly in open ground in the fall, and seedlings sprout in the spring;
- artificial, in which the seed material is kept in a cold place for 3 months.
With the arrival of warm days, artificially stratified seeds are germinated and planted in open soil. Shoots will appear approximately a month after planting. If the density is too thick, some of the seedlings, after the appearance of 2 true leaves, dive to a new place.
In the first year of life, a root rosette is formed in a swimsuit grown from seed material; in the second year, the plant produces flower stalks with stem leaves and a small number of buds. The European swimsuit fully blooms in the 3rd year.
Dividing the bush
It is possible to replant the European swimsuit by dividing the bush 2 times a year. In the spring, this is done before the beginning of the growing season, and in the fall - after the end of the flowering period, when the plant is dormant.
Landing rules
The European swimmer loves moist, fertile soil. It is desirable that it contains clay, which retains moisture well. It is better to choose a place for flowering bushes that is sunny or with diffuse shade.
In the process of transplanting by dividing the bush:
- Use a sharp shovel to separate a part of the mother bush so that there are live buds on it;
- dig a hole large enough to fit the root system of the division along with a lump of earth;
- the hole is watered and organic fertilizers are added;
- planting material is placed in the center and covered with soil so that the root collar is underground.
The mother bush is divided into several parts
Features of care
European swimsuit is an unpretentious plant.However, for normal growth and preservation of decorativeness, it will require regular care: watering, fertilizing, weed removal and disease prevention.
Watering and fertilizing
The bathhouse is characterized as a moisture-loving plant, so it should be watered often. Ideally, the soil should not be allowed to dry out. To better retain moisture, the soil in the root zone is mulched with sawdust, last year's leaves or crushed dry grass without seeds.
In the spring, the flower is fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, and in the fall, wood ash and peat are added to the soil. In addition, once every 4 years, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are used for fertilizing, which help to ensure the lush flowering of the bushes.
The bathhouse is characterized as a frost-resistant plant, so it does not need shelter from the cold. Preparation for winter consists of cutting off the ground part at a height of 3-4 cm from the soil surface.
In hot weather, kupava bushes are watered every day
Diseases and pests
The European swimsuit is resistant to many diseases. However, fungal infections and parasites sometimes cause trouble:
- Septoria (white spotting). The main sign of the disease is the appearance of light spots with a dark border on the leaves. In the process of combating septoria, the affected parts of the plant are removed, and the remaining parts are treated with fungicides.
Septoria can be recognized by its characteristic spots
- Nematodes. These are small worms that affect both the above-ground parts of the plant and its root system. Diseased specimens are removed and burned, and the remaining ones are treated with insecticidal preparations.
Nematodes can be recognized by wilting flowers and leaves.
Beneficial features
From time immemorial, the bathing suit was considered a healing plant. However, given the content of toxic substances, products based on it should be used with extreme caution.
Use in folk medicine
Products prepared from European swimsuit raw materials are used in alternative medicine to treat:
- swelling;
- liver and intestinal diseases;
- ailments of the genitourinary system.
If the juice of the plant gets on the mucous membrane of the mouth or nasal cavity, it can cause a burn. This property has also found application in alternative medicine. An ointment, which contains swimsuit juice and animal fats, is used to get rid of boils and other purulent formations.
Some supporters of alternative medicine are trying to use medicines based on the swimsuit to treat serious diseases - cancer, cerebral edema and epilepsy. It should be said that today there is no scientific evidence of the effectiveness of such drugs, so it is better to entrust the treatment of these diseases to experienced specialists.
The bathing suit is often included in medicinal preparations
Restrictions and contraindications
European swimmer belongs to the group of poisonous plants. Improper use of the drug can cause an allergic reaction, poisoning and even damage to the central nervous system.
Preparations based on this plant are strictly prohibited for women during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
All other people should be wary of such products.You shouldn't put your health at risk. Before taking this or that “medicine”, it is better to consult a doctor.
Collection and procurement of raw materials
In folk medicine, flowers and leaves are used, less often the roots of the bathing suit. In the process of harvesting raw materials, parts of the plant are torn off and cleaned of dirt and insects. Dry the grass in the shade, turning it over from time to time. The finished raw materials are packaged in thick paper bags and stored in a dark, dry place for no more than 1 year.
Collect grass during flowering period
Conclusion
European bathhouse is a plant characterized not only by good decorative properties, but also by healing properties. Unpretentiousness and frost resistance allow you to grow these beautiful flowers in almost all regions of the Russian Federation.
