Eschsholzia

The Eschscholzia plant, or Californian poppy, is a representative of the Poppy family. The genus includes about 12 different species living in western North America.

The flower got its scientific name from the surname of von Eschsholz, a Russian botanist. It was thanks to him that the flower came to Russia. It is also known as the Californian poppy due to its similarity to its relative. The Spaniards also call the plant "the golden cup". According to legend, Spanish treasure seekers moored to the Californian coast, attracted by the golden glow emanating from it. But there, instead of piles of gold, they saw fields of golden escholzia flowers. Flowers and precious metal are also connected by another legend, according to which gold deposits appear in the places where the escholzia grew.

The enchanting delicate flowers of Escholzia make it a desirable plant in many gardens. The Escholzia plant is distinguished by its unpretentious care and the duration of flowering - it lasts from the beginning of the summer season until the autumn frosts.

Description of escholzia

Escholzia form herbaceous bushes up to 40 cm tall. Although this plant is considered perennial, in the middle lane it does not winter and is grown as seasonal. Escholzia has a taproot, from which smaller roots extend. This structure allows the drought-resistant plant to penetrate into deeper layers of the soil. The bush forms thin stalks with deeply dissected foliage, reminiscent of wormwood, which is why Escholtia is sometimes called "wormwood". The leaves are silvery-green and are arranged on long stalks.

Silky flowers are arranged singly and have a cupped shape, reminiscent of a poppy flower. Their structure can be both simple and terry, and the color includes shades of yellow, white, orange and red. The size of the corolla reaches 8 cm. It is interesting that it is possible to admire the flowering of Echscholtia only in clear weather and in the daytime. On a rainy, too windy or cool day, as well as at night, the buds close. Although each flower only lives for a few days, their constant change ensures the continuity of flowering. After flowering, a pod-pod with small seeds is tied on the peduncle stem. Its dimensions can be about 3-9 cm.

Brief rules for growing escholzia

The table shows brief rules for growing escholzia in the open field.

Growing escholzia from seeds

There are two equally effective ways of planting Escholzia seeds - autumn and spring. With spring sowing, the flowering period occurs only at the beginning of summer. By planting the seeds of the California poppy before winter, and providing them with conditions as close to nature as possible, the flowering stage begins several weeks earlier.

Sowing seeds in autumn

The optimal time for sowing Escholzia seeds is the first half of October. Since the seeds of the Californian poppy are very small and can fly in all directions from gusts of wind, it is advisable to press them slightly into the ground when planting. Sprinkle on top with a small amount of soil and apply a mulching layer. It is needed to keep the soil moist and prevent the formation of a crust on the surface, which can slow down the germination of seedlings. And mulch also helps seeds, being in a humid environment, to undergo natural stratification and increase the percentage of their germination.

Seeds sown during this period contribute to early flowering, but only with high quality planting material and observing all the rules for caring for the plant throughout the entire growing period. Eschsholzia will delight you with its flowering in early May.

Sowing seeds in spring

It is recommended to store Escholzia seeds at the very bottom of the refrigerator, on the bottom shelf, until spring planting. For even sowing and convenience, small seeds can be mixed with a little sand.

Sowing is carried out from mid-spring, when the soil warms up. Escholzia seeds are sown in warm weather, without night frosts, and after 10-15 days you can see the first shoots.

At this stage of plant development, it is important to thin them out in time. The first such procedure is carried out when the shoots grow up to about 15 cm. All weak plants must be removed, leaving strong and strong specimens. The distance between plants must be at least 20 cm.

Growing seedlings

You can try to sow escholzia seedlings, but this method has a number of difficulties. Because of the taproot, the bushes are easily injured during transplantation, so peat tablets or pots should be used for growing them. Sowing dates are calculated so that the seedlings are transplanted to the final place of growth as soon as possible.

A seed is placed in each tablet soaked in moisture, and then sprinkled with a thin layer of seedling substrate and lightly sprayed. The tablets are placed in a plastic container and covered with foil or glass. The sprouts should appear in a couple of weeks. After their formation, the shelter is removed, and the container with the tablets is placed in a very bright corner, where it is kept no higher than 20 degrees. Such conditions will allow the formation of stronger bushes.

Caring for escholzia seedlings will not be difficult. The seedlings are periodically watered, and a couple of weeks after germination, they are fertilized with a liquid seedling compound. 3 weeks before the planting date, the plants should be hardened, once a day, transferring them to cool, first for a couple of hours, and then for a longer time. After proper hardening, the bushes will be able to withstand temperatures down to -5 degrees. Planting begins to bloom after 1-1.5 months after sowing.

Planting escholzia in open ground

Landing time and place

Escholzia prefers to grow in a sunny area, with abundant and long-term illumination throughout the day, without strong gusts of wind.A dry and sandy corner in the garden works well. The soil should not retain water, and its reaction can be neutral or slightly acidic. The acidic substrate can be supplemented with wood ash (2 tbsp. Per 1 sq. M.) Or dolomite flour (200 g per 1 sq. M.) While digging up the earth. The plant does not tolerate heavy, waterlogged and clayey soils. Knowing this feature, you can grow escholzia in rock gardens or rockeries, as well as in sunny flower beds. You can keep flowers in garden or balcony containers, but they will need to provide a sufficient layer of drainage there. Eschsholzia are also often one of the components of the Moorish grass lawn.

Seedlings of flowers can be transferred to the ground when the frost has completely passed. This time falls on April-end of May. Escholzia does not like transplants, damage to its long root can destroy the bush, so they immediately try to find the most suitable place for the flower.

Landing rules

The seedbed is prepared in advance - about a couple of weeks before the procedure. This will allow the ground to settle slightly. Otherwise, small seeds may accidentally fall into the depths and not germinate.

For planting seedlings, medium-sized holes are prepared, keeping a distance of about 30 cm between them: the escholzia forms rather spreading bushes. The seedlings are transferred into the hole along with a peat pot or tablet, sprinkled with earth and tamped well. If the seedlings did not have enough light, and they are slightly elongated, you can lightly sprinkle part of the stem with earth. Strong seedlings are planted at ground level. After planting, the seedlings are watered and checked for erosion of the sprinkled soil.

Escholzia care

Eschsholzia is considered one of the most unpretentious garden flowers, but you shouldn't leave it at all without leaving. After planting, the area near the bushes must be loosened regularly, as well as periodically fertilized the plants. Flowers are undemanding to moisture and, with regular precipitation, will not need watering at all. Watering the escholzia is required only during periods of long drought - this is done in the evening, after the flowers close.

Loosening is important to ensure the flow of air to the long roots of the escholzia. Without it, they will start to wither. It is the lack of air that often becomes the reason for the lethargy of the bushes, therefore, before watering them, it is important to check if a crust has formed on the ground. But you need to loosen the soil carefully so as not to hurt the roots. Usually this procedure is combined with weeding.

Top dressing will contribute to a longer and more lush flowering of the bushes. Before budding begins, they can be watered with a mineral composition that includes all the elements necessary for flowers. It can be replaced with ash infusion (1:10). It is important not to use fresh organic matter for fertilizing - it can destroy the plantings. Excess nitrogen will also be bad for flower health. During the summer season, mineral dressing can be repeated 1-2 times if necessary.

Echscholtia growing in the garden gives abundant self-seeding, therefore, to regulate its number, it is necessary to remove withered flowers. But such a procedure will have to be carried out quite often - the flowers stay on the plant for only about 3-4 days. If you cut off old stems from faded bushes, soon fresh shoots will appear on them, which will begin to form buds within a couple of weeks after regrowth.

Escholzia after flowering

Seed collection

If the Escholzia bushes are already growing on the site, you do not need to worry about their reproduction - the flowers are self-seeding. In the spring, you only need to thin out the emerging seedlings. If the escholzia are planned to be grown in another place or with someone to share the seeds, the seed can be harvested about a month after flowering. But it is worth remembering that the seeds of varietal bushes may not transmit parental characteristics.

Thin gauze bags are put on the withered flowers in advance, which will prevent the ripened seeds from spilling out. Usually, the earliest and largest flowers are chosen for this.After cutting the capsules, the seeds are dried on a sheet of paper and then sown in the fall or stored in the refrigerator until spring sowing. The germination capacity of such seeds lasts about 3 years.

Wintering

Eschsholzia are considered perennials, but they can winter only in countries with a mild climate. In regions with cold winters, they are grown as annuals or biennials. After frost, such bushes are cut from the garden bed and dug up. In the spring, fresh growth should appear in this place - self-seeding. After thinning and feeding, such bushes can bloom in a month.

If desired, escholzia can be grown at home as a houseplant. Such bushes will be able to bloom even in winter. But in the cold season, a sun-loving flower will need additional lighting, extending its day to 12-14 hours. Indoor escholtia also need light soil, and half of the usual rate of flower fertilizers is used to feed them. The main thing is to choose a large enough container where the long root of the plant will fit. Its height and width must be at least 18 cm.

Pests and diseases

Escholzia growing in a suitable place, which is properly looked after, practically does not get sick and is not affected by pests. If the bushes are weakened by something, in hot and dry summers they can be attacked by spider mites, which become active in such weather. A solution of soap and ash will help against them, and in advanced cases - acaricide. The processing is carried out several times. Sometimes bean aphids also appear on the bushes. Treatment with an appropriate insecticide will help get rid of pests.

Too much watering, combined with poor aeration, can lead to the formation of rot in the root area of ​​the bushes. All affected areas must be removed, and watering must be adjusted. Too strong lesions will require the destruction of the bush. If, due to excess moisture, powdery mildew appears on the escholts, the bushes and the plantings adjacent to them are treated with preparations that include sulfur.

Types and varieties of escholzia with photos and names

Despite the variety of types of escholzia, only three varieties of flowers are most often grown as garden plants:

Californian Eschscholzia (Eschscholzia californica)

The most common type. Eschscholzia californica is the official symbol of the state of the same name. This particular plant is known as the "Californian poppy". Such bushes have straight or branched stems up to 60 cm high. Shoots are thin, but strong enough. Due to the bluish bloom, they have a silvery-green color. On them are light dissected leaves of the same color. The sizes of the flowers, located one by one, sometimes reach 9 cm. Their color is white or cream, yellow, orange or carmine red. A yellow-orange speck is usually present at the base. Abundant flowering lasts from June to late autumn. In species specimens, the flowers are simple and golden, but breeders have managed to breed many spectacular double and multi-colored forms. Among the most famous varieties:

• Ballerina Mix is ​​a mixture of varieties that combines both double and simple flowers. Their color includes various shades of yellow, pink and orange. The size of the flowers is from 5 to 8 cm with the height of the bushes about 25-40 cm. The openwork foliage is covered with a wax coating.
• Mikado - the height of the bushes reaches 35 cm. The flowers have a simple structure and a diameter of up to 7 cm. The color is dark orange with a lighter yellow center, which creates the effect of a glow of flowers.
• Peach sorbet ("Peach Ice Cream") - forms double flowers with a delicate cream color, including light tones of orange and pink.
• Strawberry Fields ("Strawberry Fields") - the center of semi-double flowers of this variety is yellow in color, and the edges of the petals are bright red.
• Chiffon is a mixture of various colors of double flowers with corrugated petals. Most often, such plants are used as curbs - the size of the bushes is about 40 cm.The color of the petals includes shades of pink, red, white and yellow, while they are variegated and multi-colored. Blooming of such escholzia begins in May and lasts until frost.
• Apple blossom - large flowers with numerous petals have a delicate yellow-pink color. The height of the bushes is about 30 cm. The variety is considered frost-resistant.

Eschscholzia lobbii

Californian endemic, not so common in horticultural culture. The species forms bushes up to 15-20 cm tall. Eschscholzia lobbii is distinguished by light yellow flowers, the size of which is about 2 cm. In nature, it blooms in the spring.

Sod Eshscholzia (Eschscholzia caespitosa)

The height of such plants is also about 15 cm. Eschscholzia caespitosa forms a rosette of foliage cut into thin lobes. The leaf blades are covered with a waxy coating and have a bluish-green color. Above the rosette there are flower-stalks, on which there are bright yellow flowers in the shape of a bowl. Their diameter reaches 3 cm. Flowering lasts from June to the end of autumn. The species is suitable for pot cultivation.

Escholzia properties

Eschsholzia is not only beautiful, but also useful. All parts of the plant contain valuable substances. The Indians were well aware of its healing qualities, using bushes as a remedy for toothache. Parts of the plant were used for decoctions against head lice, cosmetics were obtained from pollen, and the seeds were even eaten.

Today in America, escholzia is used as part of sedatives and pain relievers, suitable even for children, and the French are massively growing bushes for the needs of pharmaceuticals. Eschsholzia helps against insomnia, relieves anxiety and cramps, and also helps to cope with incontinence. The roots may have antimicrobial effects. The main advantage of plant-based preparations is the absence of significant contraindications and strong side effects: even being a relative of poppy, escholzia does not contain opiates. However, it should not be treated with parts of it without the supervision of a doctor.