Laminate is an annual or perennial plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is common in Eastern Europe, where it often grows like a weed. Lambs can be found near fences or along the banks of a stream. Her beautiful foliage and delicate flowers adorn the garden well. The green carpet is preserved from early spring until frost. Low-growing varieties gracefully cover the ground, and higher varieties can be used in a large flower garden. The unpretentious plant is known not only for its decorative properties. It is also widely used in traditional medicine.
Botanical Description
Lambweed is a fast-growing groundcover. Its lodging stems do not rise above the ground above 15-25 cm. For a year, the stem adds 0.5-1 m in length. A superficial fibrous rhizome can develop from each internode. Shoots actively branch and quickly cover a large area.
Heart-shaped petiole leaves have a soft, relief surface and serrated edges. The main tone of the leaf plate is dark green, yellowish or silver spots may also be present. The sheet is 3-8 cm long and 2-4 cm wide.
Erect peduncles up to 30 cm high grow from the internodes. The process is covered with fine foliage and flowers. The buds are gathered in whorls, they can be painted in pink, purple or white. The two-lipped nimbus grows in length by 20-25 mm. Four filamentous stamens with black-purple anthers peep out from the center. After pollination, the fruit ripens - coenobium (a box with four trihedral nuts). The ripened fruits open independently, which provokes self-sowing. Flowering occurs from late May to October. Fruiting begins in June.
Types and varieties of cassava
The genus of cassava includes 25 species and several decorative varieties.
Lamb white ("deaf nettle"). A perennial plant is found in forest glades and meadows. It has erect, branched stems 15-45 cm high and a creeping rhizome. The upper part of the stems and foliage are covered with long villi. Oval-heart-shaped leaves with serrated margins are located on short petioles. Two-lipped white flowers are collected in the axils of the middle and apical leaves. They bloom in June-September.
Purple lamb ("red nettle"). The species lives for 1-2 years. It has a thin rhizome and a flexible stem. The shoot can rise in height by 5-25 cm. It branches from the base and is densely covered with small oval-shaped leaves. The whorled inflorescences are colored in various shades of pink or white. Flowering occurs in April-September.
Spotted lamb (speckled). The perennial plant has upright shoots 30-70 cm high. They are branched only at the base and covered with rare pubescence. Along the entire length of the stem are petiolate oval leaves with a serrated edge. A narrow silvery stripe is visible along the central vein. Light pink or purple flowers 2-3 cm long are collected in apical inflorescences. Fragrant buds attract a large number of beneficial insects. Flowering occurs in May-October. Decorative varieties:
- Album - small snow-white flowers bloom at the tops of shoots 18-20 cm high;
- Beacon Silver - almost the entire broad heart-shaped foliage is painted silver;
- Aureum - a bright streak in the center is visible on the yellowish leaves, early blooms of purple flowers.
Greenfinch (yellow). Perennials with creeping shoots can take root in internodes. Shoots and leaves are covered with soft nap. Egg-shaped leaf plates have a wrinkled surface. Sometimes there is a marble pattern on the foliage. Yellow flowers are collected in false whorls at the ends of the shoots. They have an ovoid upper lip and a pointed, three-lobed lower lip. Long flowering occurs from May to October and is divided into 2 stages. Decorative varieties:
- Argentatum - leaves have wide silvery stripes closer to the lateral edge;
- Silver Carpet - upright stems up to 20 cm high are covered with narrow serrated leaves with a silver pattern.
Breeding
You can propagate the walnut seed and vegetative methods. Seeds are sown immediately in open ground. Do it in the winter or early spring. It is necessary to dig and level the soil, and then distribute small nuts on the surface. They germinate amicably enough. Flowering is expected in 2 years. Self-seeding occurs frequently, but it is undesirable to allow it. Lamb is cross-pollinated, after which the varietal traits disappear.
Dividing the bush is a more common method of reproduction. It allows you to save the varietal characteristics of the cassock. In the spring, the overgrown bush should be dug up, divided into several parts and immediately planted in different parts of the garden. Rooting does not cause problems. Flowering is possible in a year.
Rooting cuttings and layering is rarely used and is not suitable for all species. Cuttings are cut in August and root in open ground with the addition of peat and sand. Regular watering is very important. Sewing is done in September-October. When strong roots appear on the stem, it can be separated from the mother plant and planted in a permanent place in the open ground.
Care Features
Lamb is quite unpretentious, but it is important for her to choose the right place. The plant will develop well in a cool area with bright or diffuse lighting. It is best to plant a groundcover under trees with a high and translucent crown.
The soil should be moist and loose. It is advisable to choose moderately fertile soils. Then the cassock will grow slower and retain the decorative color of the leaves. On fertile soil, the plant grows too actively and turns green more. In the spring and during the flowering period, it is recommended to feed the clade with compost.
Good and regular watering is important. Water should not stagnate in the ground. During a period of drought, the cassock dries strongly and exposes itself. However, it is worth starting to water it and the shoots are quickly restored.
During the flowering period, it is recommended to remove wilted inflorescences. This will enhance the decorative effect and help to avoid unwanted self-seeding. Regular mowing is necessary to increase the bushiness of the shoots. Lamb is resistant to frost and does not need shelter.
With prolonged flooding of the soil, the roots of the nettle can rot. The plant is not affected by other diseases. In hot summers whiteflies, spider mites, scale insects and mealybugs can settle in thickets.
Garden use
Lamia is very popular in landscape design. Of great interest are variegated forms. They are used in mixborders, rockeries and for landscaping the space under the trees. The best neighbors for clairvoyance are heichera, medunits, hosts, tiarellas.
The plant can be grown not only in open ground, but also in flower pots, tubs or in ordinary pots for the home. Indoors, the flower will look very impressive, and long lashes can be hung over the edge.
Medicinal properties and contraindications
The flowers and young shoots of the white cassock contain many useful trace elements, among them:
- alkaloids;
- vitamin C;
- flavonoids;
- tannins;
- essential oils.
From prepared raw materials make infusions and decoctions. They are taken orally as an expectorant, anti-inflammatory, diuretic. Lotions are used to combat skin infections, as well as to heal wounds. Rinsing, bathing and douching with a broth of cryptocarcinoma help fight gynecological diseases and uterine bleeding.
The doctors did not reveal any obvious contraindications to the preparations based on the clover. It can not be taken only for people with allergies and individual intolerance.
