Weinik (Calamagrostis) is an unpretentious herb from the Cereals family, used to decorate flower beds and garden plots. With it, you can create a beautiful landscape-style composition.
In nature, reed grass lives in temperate climatic zones, but sometimes it can also be found in the tropics. Due to its unpretentiousness, it can grow literally everywhere: in meadows, in forests or in swampy areas, less often in highlands. In the open space, the reed grass can grow rapidly, forming real thickets. Due to its frost resistance, this cereal can be found both in European countries and in the more severe climate of Siberia or the Far East.
This cereal was already known to the ancient Greeks: the name of the plant was invented by one of the founders of botany - Dioscorides. In addition to landscape use, reed grass is considered a healing plant and has a number of useful properties. Grass is not used in forage crops.
In gardens, reed grass plantings are most often located on the north side of flower beds, using them as a living barrier from the wind for other, more delicate crops.
Description of the reed
The reed plant is a perennial grass, reaching about a meter in height. At the same time, the maximum length of its stems can sometimes exceed 1.5 m, but there are also shorter species up to only 30 cm in height. Reed grass bushes consist of a bunch of erect stems, at the ends of which there are panicle inflorescences. By itself, such a grass may not seem too decorative, but in group plantings, reed grass bushes look very impressive, contributing to the creation of a picturesque landscape.
Veinik has a central root that develops horizontally. Many branched small roots depart from it. The bulk of its roots lie in the upper part of the soil, spreading over a sufficient distance to provide the bush with nutrients. This property also allows the plant to maintain tall stems even in strong gusts of wind. The length of the roots may vary depending on the species. Some plants are capable of forming a dense turf layer, while others form a small, compact shrub and do not grow too much.
One bush can contain about 30 stems. Their surface is slightly rough, and the average height can vary depending on the type of plant. During rainstorms, shoots can be nailed to the ground, but after drying, they return to their original position. The color of the stem is green or slightly brownish. The foliage devoid of petioles is located along its entire length.The leaf blades of the reed grass are thin, narrow and up to 1 m in length. Their color is bright or grayish green. Each plate has a pointed end. In the process of growth, the foliage begins to bend away from the stem to the sides, but in some species the leaves may remain directed upward. In the center of each leaf there is a distinct central vein.
The inflorescences of the reed grass are an ordinary modest panicle, consisting of small branches. It forms at the top of the shoot. The color of the panicle brushes depends on the type of reed grass, it can have a purple, pinkish or lilac shade. By autumn, the panicles turn grayish or silvery. The sizes of each can be up to 20 cm. Such a palette of colors allows you to combine different types of reed grass in one planting, giving the waves of grass different shades. At the end of flowering, the panicles sometimes crumble together with the seeds - small brownish caryopses.
As a rule, the reed bush lasts about 5 years. So that such plantings do not lose their attractiveness, they should be regularly updated and rejuvenated.
Planting reed grass in the open field
Reed grass seeds retain their germination for a relatively short time, therefore, before buying, you should make sure that the planting material is fresh. In autumn, plants can be sown in the ground without additional preparation. Spring sowing assumes full tillage. To do this, it should be dug up and watered 1.5 months before planting. In addition, the necessary fertilizers and additives are introduced into the soil and the area is cleared of weeds.
When sowing, the seeds are buried only slightly, covered with a layer of soil and well pressed. You can also use the seedling method. For this, the seeds are grown in containers, and then transferred to the ground in the form of seedlings.
The creeping rhizomes of the reed grass quickly conquer neighboring territories, therefore, in order to prevent uncontrolled plant growth, they should be limited. The place reserved for the bushes should be surrounded by a barrier that will not allow roots to get outside of it. Division will also allow you to adjust the size of the bushes. This procedure will rejuvenate the plantings and make them less spreading.
The development of the reed grass has its own characteristics. The period of its growth falls on the cold season - autumn and spring. Because of this, the grass may develop more slowly during the summer. Due to the fact that the aerial part of the reed grass retains its appearance even in winter, old leaves from the shoots should be removed in autumn, before the appearance of fresh leafy shoots. Another pruning can be done in the spring. At this time, the bushes are cleared of old stems and leaves.
The main disease of reed grass is rust. To eliminate this disease, it is necessary to abundantly treat the plantings with a fungicidal preparation. The plant is quite resistant to other diseases.
Growing reed grass in the garden
Veinik will not require careful and careful care, as well as maintenance costs. Most of its species can live literally in any chosen place. But on fertile soil with enough nutrients, its bloom will last longer and be more lush. If the bushes will be grown on poor or clayey soil, they should be periodically fed with mineral compounds.
Reeds can be planted both in the sun and in the shade, although in a too dark place, its stems often acquire an inclined position, and the bush may become thinner.
The main concern for planting will be watering in too hot weather and removing weeds near bushes. Despite the plant's resistance to drought, the bushes will appreciate a sufficient amount of moisture. In dry summers, they should be watered several times a week, abundantly moisturizing the soil. But excess water can destroy some of the plantings. To avoid possible rotting of the stems in a rainy summer, good drainage should be provided on the site.
Reed grass can be planted both as separate bushes and in large clumps.If the group landing will include several varieties, a certain distance should be maintained between them. If this is not done, the plants will quickly re-pollinate and gradually hatch. At the same time, you do not have to worry about possible self-seeding - cultivars and plant forms do not propagate by seeds.
Most of the reeds calmly endure severe frosts and do not need shelter.
Reed breeding methods
Reed grass bushes live for a relatively short time, and as they age, they begin to crumble more and more, therefore, to preserve the plant in its area, it is necessary to propagate it periodically. Usually, they use cereal seeds or divide a bush for this.
Growing from seeds
In nature, the reed plant spreads around the district with the help of its seeds. Such reproduction occurs very quickly, allowing the plant to capture new areas of the soil and form real thickets on them, drowning out other plantings. It is this property that turns the reed grass into a weed, which they try to fight in forest park zones.
Despite such predatory properties, cereal seeds retain their germination for only a short time. They should be sown in spring or autumn using both direct sowing and seedling.
For sowing reed grass on open beds, it is necessary to select a nutrient soil for it with a drainage layer. Autumn, winter crops take root faster: it is in winter that the processes of development of bushes are most active. The seed is sown in loose moist soil, covered with foliage or a layer of spruce branches and left in this form for the whole winter. In the spring, the sprouts will hatch. Such plants will begin to bloom in the current season. If the reed grass is sown in spring, brooms will appear on such bushes only next year.
In spring, reed grass is most often grown in seedlings. You can pre-stratify the seed by keeping it in the cold for about 1.5 months. In the spring, the seeds of the plant are sown in small containers filled with fertile soil. They must be kept in a bright but cool place, and the soil moisture must be kept constant. Fresh seeds should hatch within two weeks. Picks are optional. As soon as the weather is warm outside, the seedlings can be transplanted to the garden bed, trying not to destroy the soil lump. The first two weeks after planting, they should be watered more abundantly. So that the growing seedlings do not drown out each other, they should be planted at a distance of about 45 cm.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
The seeds of cultivated and hybrid varieties of reed grass do not have time to ripen over the summer and are considered non-germinating. You can propagate such plants only by dividing their bushes. This not only contributes to the production of new reed grass specimens, but also rejuvenates the planting. A similar procedure is usually carried out in April, before fresh leaves appear on the stems. It is not worth delaying with the planting, but in the southern regions you can continue dividing until the fall.
The selected bush must be removed from the ground and cleaned from the soil from its roots. After that, the overgrown rhizome is divided into parts. Each section should have its own roots and about a dozen stems. Delenki are transplanted to the selected bed, watered abundantly, and then loosened the adjacent territory. In good loose soil, plantings will move faster to growth. The larger the root parts are, the faster they can take root. The main rhizome, located horizontally, should only be buried 2 or 3 cm.
Sometimes the bushes are not dug out, but simply divided right in the old place, using a fairly sharp shovel.
Diseases and pests
Reedweed is resistant to both dry and rainy weather, but does not perceive sharp temperature changes. Young plants are considered especially sensitive. If the reed plant grows in poorly drained soil in which water constantly stagnates, the roots of the plant may begin to rot.To cure the bushes, they should be transplanted to a more sunny and dry place.
Veinik is impressive in its resistance to disease, but can be affected by rust. Diseased leaves should be removed. Weak solutions of fungicidal preparations will help to completely get rid of the problem.
Winter reed grass care
With the exception of certain varieties, reed grass is considered a frost-resistant plant, which is not afraid of even the lowest temperatures. Saving adult plantings for the winter does not require special procedures. In autumn, the reed plant fades, sheds its caryopses and begins to switch to the "winter" mode of development. The panicles of most species acquire a golden hue at this time, and foliage can become the same. Without strong winds, the bushes can stay in this form all winter, continuing to decorate the garden. In mid-spring, dried stems and leaf blades must be removed. Shoots are cut, leaving stumps about 20 cm high. This pruning stimulates the development of fresh stems and subsequent flowering, and at the same time rejuvenates the plant.
If reed grass seeds are sown before winter, the crops should be covered with dry foliage or spruce branches. This will help preserve seedlings by creating more favorable conditions for them. More delicate reed varieties require the same shelter. You can cover such plants in the case of a winter with little snow.
Collection and storage of reed grass
In folk medicine, the stems and rhizomes of the reed grass are used. Such raw materials should be harvested in the last weeks of spring or during June, when the bush begins to form young shoots. Older shoots are not used for medicines.
After collecting the parts of the plant, they must be properly dried. The duration of this procedure depends on the specific part of the bush. All collected parts of the shoots are laid out on a horizontal surface in one layer. For this, a place in the attic or in a room with sufficient ventilation is suitable. For drying, you can use special devices, as well as an oven set at 30 degrees. When drying the grass, you should constantly stir it, and also turn it over so that it dries evenly. When all the blanks are completely dry, they are collected and placed in paper bags or cardboard boxes. Store them in a dry place.
Reed grass rhizomes dry out much longer and require extensive preparatory procedures. Before starting drying, all soil residues should be removed from the roots by thoroughly rinsing them in cold water. For drying, use dryers or an oven set at no more than 45 degrees. To store the rhizomes, fabric bags are used.
Such reed grass blanks can be stored for only two years. After that, the plants lose their healing properties.
Useful properties of reed grass
In addition to the decorative qualities that make it possible to use the reed bushes for literally any landscape purposes, this cereal is considered medicinal. The humble herbaceous bush contains a whole range of valuable elements. These include various resins, tannins, essential oils, alkaloids, a number of acids, including ascorbic, as well as steroids, flavonoids and carotene.
Such a set of chemical elements makes reed grass a frequent component of all kinds of folk remedies.
Healing properties
Along with many valuable elements, reed grass also contains poisonous substances, but this does not prevent it from being used for the preparation of folk remedies. The grass is capable of:
- Provide anti-inflammatory effect;
- Relieve itching;
- Relieve irritation;
- Decontaminate;
- Have a diuretic effect;
- Promote the treatment of colds as an expectorant.
Healing infusions and decoctions are made from the foliage or roots of the plant, but you should not engage in such self-medication too often.
In addition to the medical effect, reed grass can provide practical benefits in the form of a bush. With the help of its underground rhizomes, it is possible to strengthen the sandy soil.Thus, ground reed grass is often purposefully planted to contain sand embankments and strengthen areas near mines.
Contraindications
The reed did not get into a number of traditional medicines due to the fact that the thoughtless use of funds based on it can negatively affect the patient's health. Even folk remedies containing reed grass are usually used as an additional, rather than the main medicine.
But even this application has a number of contraindications. Veinik in any form should not be taken by pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children under 14 years of age. Allergy to any components of this plant is also a limitation.
Veinik in landscape design
In landscape design, tall varieties and species of reed grass with erect stems are usually used. Such cultivated plantings cannot give self-seeding, therefore they do not grow so much and do not run wild.
Rows of tall brooms create a great backdrop for medium to low plantings. As a rule, the bushes are planted in rows of several specimens. This allows you to form continuous "waves" of plants sparkling and swaying in the wind on the flowerbed. Combinations of reed grass of different varieties look especially impressive. With the help of actual cereal plantings, you can decorate almost any style of landscape design, from landscape directions to modernism and high-tech.
Tall reed grass can be combined with low ground cover plants. This neighborhood creates an interesting contrast. More compact varieties are often planted next to large shrubs. Veinik looks great in the company of flowering plants. These include asters and dahlias, as well as highlander and sage. Compositions with other garden grains will also look spectacular.
By planting reed grass, you can create herbaceous "hedges". Often, rows of plants are distributed along the garden paths, forming a corridor of its bushes. Such plantings will look no less impressive near garden ponds.
At the end of the season, reed grass brooms can be used to make dry bouquets.
Reed grass harm
Despite a number of useful properties and decorative qualities, reed grass is still considered an aggressive weed. In nature, it spreads quickly and actively, displacing a significant part of other crops from their habitats. Most often, it harms undersized species of grasses and flowers. The roots of the reed grass take up the place they need to feed and draw too much moisture from the soil. Capturing territories in clearings, reed grass is able to interfere with the growth of larger plants - shrubs and trees. Their seeds simply have nowhere to fall.
Large thickets of reed grass contribute to snow retention in the spring. Due to the closely spaced stems, snow remains in them for a long time, leading to decay of grasses due to waterlogging. In addition, small rodents can often settle in the rhizomes of the cereal, harming neighboring plantings.
But the main danger of wild reed thickets lies in their fire hazard. Under natural conditions, no one cleans the plantings of old dried stems, so they can quickly ignite and spread fire throughout the forest.
When using reed grass to decorate the site, almost all of these problems can be avoided through the use of cultivated species, limiting elements in the soil and timely removal of dead wood.
Types and varieties of reed grass with photos and names
The reed grass has more than three hundred varieties, but only a small part of them is used in the culture. All these types differ in appearance.
Reed reed (Calamagrostis acutiflora)
One of the most famous species in horticulture. Calamagrostis acutiflora is a hybrid derived from wild terrestrial and reed reeds. The rhizomes of such plants spread over the topsoil, creating a sod layer. The expanding bushes quickly form dense thickets.Varietal plants obtained on the basis of such species do not form underground shoots, which means that they do not spread so actively.
Flowering begins in the first half of summer and lasts until frost. Its golden yellow or silvery panicles look very elegant against the background of green foliage hanging from top to bottom.
This species is not afraid of either drought or rainy summer. It can even be planted in clay soil. Due to the fact that the roots do not go deep, such plantings are not considered aggressive.
Veinik "Karl Foester" (Calamagrostis Karl Foester)
One of the most popular varieties of sharp-flowered reed grass. Calamagrostis Karl Foester forms a lush, spreading shrub that can fill an impressive distance thanks to its many stems. It is often used to decorate voids between plantings or as a frame for garden paths. The height of the stems reaches 1.5-2 m. Inflorescences about 30 cm long are formed on them. Their size depends on the planting site of the bush, which grows well both in the sun and in a shady corner. But the less light the plant receives, the more compact its inflorescences will be. As the development progresses, the color of the brooms may change. At first they have a pinkish tint, then turn brown, and then become light golden.
This variety can also be used to decorate the winter landscape: in the absence of strong winds in autumn, its panicles remain on the stems, continuing to delight the eye even after snow falls. In the spring, old shoots should be cut off - the plant will give new growth.
Veinik "Overdam" (Calamagrostis Overdam)
A more compact variety of the same type. The stems of Calamagrostis Overdam are about a meter high. The color of its foliage also makes the variety remarkable. On the green background of the plate, there are longitudinal white stripes, which give the landings an original look. But the stems do not differ in strength. With strong gusts of wind, they can easily break, so they try to choose a more closed place for the plant. As well as the main view, Overdam is distinguished by its undemanding location and care. It will thrive in both shady and sunny locations. Landings are not afraid of either heat or frost.
Growing rapidly, the reed plant forms hummocky bushes that serve as a spectacular backdrop for garden flowers. Over time, its pink-lilac panicles acquire a yellowish-gold or light brown color, which they do not lose during the winter. Growth rates allow for rapid reproduction.
Ground reed (Calamagrostis epigeios)
The species is found both in nature and in garden culture. Calamagrostis epigeios prefers a temperate climate, and in the forests of Europe it often turns into a malicious weed. Its long creeping rhizomes allow the plant to develop again even from a small process, so getting rid of uncontrolled plantings will be very difficult.
In height, bushes of this type can be either 80 cm or 1.5 m. The stems are strong, straight, with a ribbed rough surface and two nodes on opposite sides of the shoot. They have grayish-green leaves that are wider than those of other species.
During the flowering period, inflorescences about 25 cm long are formed. Each bush is capable of forming about 30 such brooms. They have a purple hue and appear in mid-summer.
Purple reed grass (Calamagrostis purpurea)
The species is most often found in Siberia and the Far East region. Calamagrostis purpurea forms shrubs about 1 m tall. They have rich green foliage. The length of the leaves can also be up to one meter with a width of 1 cm. Each blade has a smooth surface.
Flowering occurs in the second half of summer. The name of the species is associated with the color of its inflorescences. They have a pronounced pink or purple hue, which adds attractiveness to the bushes. This makes this species especially valuable for landscape design, but it is also considered more whimsical. The purple species prefers moist places with fertile soil, sufficiently sunny or slightly shady.But some varieties of such reed grass are less frost-resistant and cannot withstand severe cold weather. To keep them in your garden, you will need to use a shelter.
