Catchment (plant)

The Latin name of the plant, according to different versions, is derived from the Latin words aqua - "water" and legere - "to collect", or from aquila - "eagle".

The name may date back to the lotus effect .

Also known under the popular names are doves , eagles , boots , bell .

In the gardening literature, the transliteration of the scientific name is often used - aquilegia .

Shoots have a two-year development cycle. In the first year, at the base of a flowering shoot, a renewal bud is laid. From it in the fall, after flowering, only a basal rosette of leaves is formed . Leaves overwinter and mostly die off in early spring. These autumn leaves are being replaced by another generation of leaves that vegetate all summer through autumn. From the center of the leaf rosette in late spring - early summer, flower-bearing stems are formed, bearing stem leaves and flowers .

Leaves with a long flexible petiole , twice-thrice ternately dissected, stem -ternate, sessile.

The flowers are single drooping, of various sizes and colors: blue, purple, yellow, raspberry, white or two-tone, combining these colors. The corolla consists of five separate petals , similar to a funnel with an obliquely cut wide opening, and spurs of various shapes and lengths, usually bent at the narrow end. Spherical (stellate) forms are also known. The length and degree of bending, as well as the absence of spurs, are important systematic features in determining the types and garden forms of aquilegia.

By the nature and length of the Spurs, several conditional groups are distinguished:

• the spur is crocheted or ring-shaped - European species: aquilegia alpine, ferruginous, ordinary and Olympic;
• long and straight Spur - American species: aquilegia blue, Canadian, California, golden, Skinner;
• flowers without spurs - species from China and Japan.

European and Asian species are characterized by flowers of white, blue, blue and pink color. American species, except for a long spur, are distinguished by the brightness of the color of flowers, golden, orange and red tones.

The fruit is a many-leafed. Seeds are small, black, shiny; poisonous; germinate for about 1 year ^[8] .

According to the database of The Plant List , the genus includes 102 species ^[6] :

Honey bees take pollen from species or garden catchment varieties whose flowers have a short spur . Flowers with a long spur secrete more nectar , but the bees manage to get it only after the base of the spur is bitten by bumblebees .

Wild gardens almost never occur in gardens. The most common hybrid forms ( Aquilegia × hybrida hort. ).

Most species and garden forms of aquilegia can be cultivated from the steppe to the north of the taiga zone of Russia without special shelters for the winter. Only some species that grow in nature in relatively warm areas, for example, Aquilegia skinneri , can die in frosty, snowy winters.

Location: partial shade.

Soil : develops better on moderately moist, light and loose, soil rich in humus and nutrients.

Diseases and pests: aquilegia can be affected by powdery mildew , rust fungi , gray rot , spotting, chrysanthemum and gall nematodes , aphids , spider mites , scoops , leaf miners, etc. The most common aquilegia disease is powdery mildew: on powdery leaves and leaves. white coating, later they turn brown and die.

Reproduction: by seeds and division of the bush. Seeds are sown immediately after harvest in the fall or spring in open ground or boxes. With autumn sowing, seedlings are more friendly. For spring sowing, seeds are recommended to be mixed with the ground and frozen in the snow or kept in the refrigerator . Shoots appear in 20-30 days. The optimum temperature for germination is 18 ° C. The aqueducts are cutted, as a rule, in the spring, using shoots with leaves that have not yet fully blossomed.

Young plants bloom in the second year, reach full development in the third year. All species easily form hybrid forms in cross-pollination. Low-growing forms are planted at a distance of 25 cm from each other, higher - up to 40 cm.

Usage: undersized species and hybrids of aquilegia is best used when creating a rock garden . Openwork foliage and relatively small flowers complement the dense curtains of gentians , saxifrages . Taller species and hybrids are included in group plantings of perennials, planted on discounts , at the edges, in mix boarders , and used for flower decoration of shady places near water bodies. Aquilegia goes well with lupins , tall bells , irises , swimsuits , incense , decorative cereals , brunner , astilbe , hosta , ferns ^[9] .

The decorative appearance is kept relatively short, usually no more than 4-5 years. An aging bush in the center opens up and breaks up into several smaller and weaker daughter bushes that do not give the expected decorative effect. Therefore, aging bushes should be replaced with young ones in a timely manner ^[8] .

Aquilegia × hybrida has rather large flowers, simple or double, often long-spoked, up to 10 cm in diameter, characterized by a wide variety of colors - from pure white and golden yellow to lilac and pink. Corolla and Spurs are painted in different colors. Flowers on long peduncles, collected in loose panicle inflorescences.

Hybrid aquilegia occurred mainly as a result of crossing common aquilegia ( Aquilegia vulgaris ) from Europe with American species. Subsequently, other species from the northern hemisphere took part in this process. Hybrid aquilegia is usually distinguished with short, often curved spurs (a trait inherited from European species) and long, usually straight spurs (influenced by species from America). There are also non-Shpurtsy hybrid aquilegia associated with their origin with Japan and China. But most often in culture, you can find long-American American varieties.

• Hybrids of McCana (McKana Hybrids). Tall, up to 120 cm, plants resulting from numerous crosses. The flowers are mainly long-pointed with different colors of sepals and corolla petals: blue, blue, light purple, white, yellow, pink, red and dark red. Flowers are almost never drooping.
• Aquilegia × hybrida 'Spring Magic'. Powerful bushes, height 65–70 cm, diameter 85–100 cm, are completely covered with rather large (5.5–6.0 cm) white, blue, red, violet, pink and white flowers, looking to the sides.
• Aquilegia 'Winky Mixed'. It features a plentiful and long flowering period. Very compact plants with a dense pillow of leaves, over which graceful inflorescence brushes rise on erect peduncles. The flowers are directed upwards, and do not wilt like many other varieties. The optimum temperature for plant growth is + 14-18 ° C. Seeds germinate 35 days after sowing at 23 ° C. Crops must be pre-cooled for 2 weeks at a temperature of +10 ° C. It blooms 36/52 weeks after sowing.
• Aquilegia × hybrida 'Crimson Star'. Up to 60 cm tall, flowers red with a white middle.
• Aquilegia × hybrida 'Snow Queen'. Up to 40-45 cm tall, the flowers are pure white.
• Aquilegia vulgaris 'Biedermeier'. Low-growing plants do not exceed 30-40 cm. Two-color double flowers (yellow-red, white-blue, etc.) are not inferior in decoration to tall varieties. In Japan, they are used as potted plants ^[10] .

•   Aquilegia Lyrics in Wikisource
• Aquilegia // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
• The catchment // Great Soviet Encyclopedia : [30 t.] / Ch. ed. A.M. Prokhorov . - 3rd ed. - M .: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1969-1978. (Retrieved July 24, 2009)

• Flora Europaea: Aquilegia
• USDA PLant Profile: Aquilegia
• Flora of China: Aquilegia