Kirkazon (Aristolochia) is a massive ligneous vine with wide leaf blades. Grass can often be found as a landscaping plant near house walls, fences, hedges, and other vertical surfaces. Kirkazon is valued not only for its attractiveness, but also has medicinal properties. In the pages of botanical literature, the plant is referred to as aristolochia, fever or fever grass.
The history of the family goes back a long way. Its existence was still known at the time when the land was a single continent. For this reason, various types of Kirkazon grow throughout the entire planet. However, a large concentration of wild plantings of lianas are concentrated in warm tropical countries.
Description of the plant
The Kirkazon plant belongs to perennials with a branched network of root cuttings located close to the soil surface. Shoots branch moderately. Their length ranges from 8 to 14 m. At the bottom, the liana-like stems look greyish and stick out in the vertical direction. Young shoots are protected by smooth brown bark. Over time, the shell becomes cracked and becomes brown in color. The top of the vine is pliable, the hairy stems bend freely.
Kirkazon leaf blades are decorative. The shape of the leaf resembles a heart or an arrow. The color of the foliage is represented by various shades of the green palette. The reverse side contains a layer of short nap. The successive plates grow in length by 5-30 cm. They are attached to the stem with the help of elongated, like arcs, petioles. An adult vine is a dense green carpet if it receives the necessary light during the day.
Aristolochia blooms in late spring. The buds stay on the shoots for no more than 20 days. Some species bloom much later. Flowers are collected in groups of 8 or popped out one by one. The tubules of the inflorescences look like a water lily or a gramophone. Insects often penetrate into the core. Vine pollination is achieved by flies, since the flowering buds are characterized by a repulsive putrefactive smell. There are red, red-brown or yellow inflorescences. Vine bushes bloom from the age of five.
In place of pollinated tubular inflorescences, drooping seed pods appear, where small grains are stored. When the capsule is fully ripe, the thin walls break and the seeds fly away from the planting site.
Growing Kirkazon
We'll have to work hard to grow Kirkazon. Gardeners recommend using seed or vegetative propagation. In the latter case, cuttings are taken as planting material or cuttings are harvested. A less time-consuming method is considered to be the method of rooting layers. The creeper shoot is bent to the ground and slightly pressed down. The area of the bark at the point of contact with the soil is peeled off a little.Rooting occurs very quickly. Only biennial plants are suitable for reproduction.
In the south, gardeners successfully use the cuttings method. Before the buds begin to bloom, shoots are harvested and their soil is rooted. Planting cuttings can also be done in the fall. To accelerate the development of roots, the sections are moistened in "Kornevin". Cuttings are dipped into wet sand or fertile wet substrate.
Planted cuttings are regularly watered, covered with foil and protected for the winter. The site is covered with peat mulch. With the arrival of spring, young Kirkazones are transplanted to a new place.
Certain types of aristolochia are capable of sprouting numerous shoots that are perfect for breeding a bush. Root shoots need the same care as an adult vine.
Seed sowing is performed in September-October. Well-ripe grains are poured into the holes to a depth of no more than 3 cm, a small layer of earth and compost is poured on top. The emergence of seedlings is expected at the end of April. During the first year of life, the plant increases in length by 20-50 cm. Seedlings are transplanted only when they reach two or three years of age.
Planting Kirkazon
Planting Kirkazon is best done in well-drained and nutritious soil. Sparse solid soils have a worse effect on the development of the plant. A hole dug to a depth of at least half a meter is covered with pebbles, compost mixed with sand and peat is poured on top. The last layer is taken under the sod land. The acidic environment oppresses the vines. In this regard, it is not recommended to dilute the substrate with coniferous residues. The compost is harvested only from broad-leaved sawn timber.
It is required to observe the interval between seedlings from 0.8 to 1 m, since the shoots tend to grow. Kirkazon tolerates transplants more easily if the roots are shortened by a third.
Kirkazon care
Caring for the cultivated species of Kirkazon is quite simple. The grass grows well in open, semi-shaded areas, far from drafts. In the light, flowering at the bushes is less common, the foliage looks sluggish and unattractive. The optimal location of the plant near water bodies and along the coastline. Humidity and regular watering are the main requirements for caring for Kirkazon. The crown is also sprayed with water. In a humid environment, the bushes fully develop. The damp warm weather turns them into a thick grassy carpet that covers the walls of houses and fences like a vine.
Loosening and weeding the site will get rid of weeds and prevent the formation of a crust on the surface of the soil, and the root system will be saturated with oxygen. The soil is loosened to a depth of no more than 5 cm. These measures are sufficient to maintain the health of the plant.
In the summer months, the roots of aristolochia are fertilized with organic solutions. At the same time, watering is carried out to protect the roots from burns.
In one season, vine shoots grow about 25 cm in length. Consequently, the perennial must be cut off in time and dry stems, leaves and unnecessary shoots must be removed, or the support will break under the weight of the vegetation. Varieties that do not tolerate cold, and young bushes are wrapped up for the winter. A plot of soil near the root growth is covered with re-ripe foliage and spruce branches. The supports are removed, and the shoots are wrapped in protective material.
If the plantings are too thick, or the irrigation regime is violated, Kirkazon can get sick with powdery mildew or rot. Sick bushes are treated with fungicidal preparations and the affected areas are cut out. The spider mite is the most dangerous parasite. Insects hide in leaf axils, sucking out cell sap. With regular spraying of vines, the risk of infection is significantly reduced. Insecticidal solutions are used in pest control.
Types and varieties of Kirkazon with a photo
Breeders have about two hundred species of kirkazon. On the territory of the Russian Federation, it is customary to grow 7 species. Let's consider the most popular ones.
Common Kirkazon (Aristolochia clematitis)
Tall herbaceous vine growing up to 15 m in length. Rough ovoid leaves have a matte surface. The tips of the leaves are rounded. Yellow jug flowers are born at the end of May. After a month and a half, fruit ripening is observed. These are ball-shaped seed pods resembling small pumpkins.
Large-leaved Kirkazon (Aristolochia macrophylla)
Another herbaceous vine with smooth bog-colored bark. As they mature, the bark cracks and becomes brownish in tone. The diameter of the bright green leaves does not exceed 30 cm. Individual bushes may contain leaves of different shades, which gives the vine a mosaic and special appeal. With the arrival of autumn, the foliage falls even green. This species blooms in early summer. From the sinuses, yellow tubules of inflorescences are formed, resembling water lilies. Upon completion of the pollination process, seed boxes ripen. If there are few natural pollinators in the area where the liana is grown, Aristolochia large-leaved will almost stop bearing fruit.
Manchurian Kirkazon (Aristolochia manshuriensis)
It is a lily vine, strewn with wide leaves of rich green color. The leaf blades exude a fragrant camphor smell. The size of one leaf is approximately 20-30 cm. The species blooms in May. Inflorescences are located in the axils. The color of the tubes is cream. At the end of the season, the leaves turn yellow and fall off.
Felt Kirkazon (Aristolochia tomentosa)
The height of the perennial does not exceed 10 m. Curly stems and greenery contain a layer of felt on the surface. The plastics are pale green without a glossy sheen. The foliage is ovoid, about 16 cm in diameter. Yellow flowers with folded petals open their heads in June.
Kirkazon graceful (Aristolochia elegans)
A beautiful slender liana with large inflorescences, which are placed on the stem singly or in groups of 6. The tubules have wrinkled edges. Their size ranges from 8-10 cm. The outer side of the corolla is creamy, and the inner mesh of the veins has a reddish bloom. The flowering of the vine begins in mid-summer and continues until the first cold snap.
Kirkazon in landscape design
Under the dense cascade of vines, it is easy to hide any unattractive extension or frayed fence. The wide leaves of kirkazon allow you to create real plant arches and decorate the roof of the gazebo. In the dense shade cast by a perennial, it is comfortable to take refuge on a hot sunny day. The lifespan of the febrile herb reaches about 30 years. The vine grows in mass every year.
The healing properties of Kirkazon
Vine stems and leaves contain a high amount of beneficial acids, resins, essential oils. Pharmacological preparations based on Kirkazone have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and diaphoretic properties. Herbal infusions and decoctions are often used as folk remedies. They help reduce blood pressure, improve kidney function, and fight various infections. Extracts from the juice of the leaves are applied to the foci of inflammation on the skin, purulent wounds and boils. The use of compression wraps soothes the pain of mastitis.
Despite a number of medicinal properties of Kirkazone, the use of the herb requires care and caution. An excess of the drug in the body or unjustified use entails the development of cancers and problems with the functioning of the liver and kidneys. Overdose may cause allergic skin rashes. Reception of Kirkazon must be coordinated with a doctor.
