Content
Brunner Siberian (Latin Brunnera sibirica) is a perennial plant of the Borage family. Used in decorative floriculture and landscape design. They are planted together with other crops, since by the middle of summer, after flowering, the leaves dry out. By the fall, dense new foliage appears, which adorns the site until frost.
Description
Siberian brunner is a herbaceous perennial. It grows in a wide canopy, not a bush. The height of the stem is 25-80 cm. The leaves are large (10-20 cm), heart-shaped, grow densely, forming a continuous cover at a height of 40-50 cm from the ground.
The flowers are small, up to 1 cm in diameter, of a beautiful blue color, collected in racemose inflorescences. The flowering period is from April to June. After its end, the leaves dry up, by autumn new ones appear, possibly re-flowering.
The fruit is a nut, does not represent nutritional value.
The rhizome is located horizontally, has a thickness of up to 1.5 cm, filamentous adventitious roots extend from it.
Siberian brunner is an excellent early honey plant. The dried aerial parts are used in folk medicine to treat inflammations accompanied by high fever as a mild laxative. Leaves, stems and flowers are harvested during flowering and then dried.
Siberian brunner does not feel well during the dry hot season
Where grows
Brunner grows in its natural environment in meadows, the edges of taiga forests, along the banks of streams. Its natural habitat is South, Western and Central Siberia. In parks and flower beds, it grows well next to other crops, including fruit trees.
It is used as an early flowering ornamental plant in landscape design in central Russia and Europe. The plant is unpretentious:
- It tolerates well, shade, partial shade, in the southern regions it reacts poorly to bright lighting.
- It does not require special care.
- Grows well on any soil, prefers areas with loose, well-moisturized soil.
They are planted in group plantings in flower beds, along curbs, to decorate rocky hills. In mixed plantings, pale pink tulips, darmera, Julia's primrose, forget-me-nots and mountain goats are planted next to it.
Reproduction
Siberian brunner is propagated by rhizome segments and seeds. The first method is used more often. In a short summer, in its natural habitat, Brunner does not always have time to give seeds, it is difficult to find high-quality planting material in stores.
Actions for breeding brunner with Siberian rhizomes:
- The plant is dug up after the end of flowering (in July-August).
- The soil is shaken off the roots, and then the remaining soil is washed off with water.
- All rotten and diseased areas of the root system are removed.
- The rhizome is cut at the branch points with a sharp knife into pieces 6 cm long, leaving at least one living bud on each segment, but not more than six.
- Sections are processed with crushed coal.
- "Delenki" are planted in the soil, deepening by 2-3 cm.
- The soil is well watered.
After reproduction by rhizomes, Brunner begins to bloom the next year.
Seeds are sown in open ground in late autumn. With spring sowing, stratification is carried out for 3-4 months. To do this, the seeds are placed in a refrigerator in the fall or tightly packed in a container or bag, then buried under the ground or in the snow.
Cutting the rhizome requires a very sharp, pre-sterilized knife.
Planting and leaving
After planting brunners, the soil on the site is mulched. Used as mulch:
- sawdust;
- tree bark;
- coffee grounds.
This is where the care of the Siberian Brunner ends. The plant only needs watering during very hot, dry summers. Determine the lack of moisture by the state of the leaves. They begin to dry out and wither. Fertilizing the plant is not required. The Siberian brunner, unlike its relatives, is not afraid of weeds, and due to the horizontal occurrence of the roots, it does not need loose soil.
Due to the rapid growth of the brunner, it can become a source of problems, like a real weed. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to dig in a plastic curb tape around the area on which the brunner grows.
Pruning
The Siberian brunner grows evenly, does not give tall, elongated shoots, so there is no need to form a crown. To maintain its decorative appearance, it is necessary to regularly inspect the plant and remove dried leaves and stems.
After the end of flowering, carry out a complete pruning, otherwise the dried leaves will spoil the appearance of the site. If you don't feel like messing around, you can plant tall ornamental plants nearby: hosts and incense.
In the fall, before the first frost, the leaves and stems are completely cut off, leaving small stumps above the ground level.
Diseases and pests
Siberian brunner is very rarely sick. With heavy overflow or heavy rains, fungal infections can affect it: brown spot and powdery mildew. When spots appear on the leaves and stems, the damaged parts of the plant are removed and the Bordeaux mixture is treated every two weeks until the signs of the disease disappear.
Occasionally, the Siberian Brunner is affected by whiteflies and aphids. In this case, the plantings are sprayed with a solution of "Karbaphos" or "Actellika".
Preparing for winter
Brunner Siberian is frost-resistant. Its natural habitat is taiga forests. The plant tolerates Siberian frosts, so it does not need special preparation for the cold. In regions with snowy winters, pruning is sufficient. Rhizomes freeze without snow.
Photo in landscape design
Small blue Brunner flowers attract attention and delight the eye for a month
The plant, even before flowering, serves as a beautiful decoration of the paths.
Brunner grows well in the shade of trees and goes well with other plants, landscaping the site even in late autumn
Brunner's neat cover blends well with other plants, and does not crawl out of the lawn
Conclusion
Brunner Siberian requires almost no maintenance, but it is able to revive the area where it is difficult to grow more capricious plants. That is why it has gained popularity in landscape design.
