The most magical time of the year - spring - pleases us with the first greens, chirping birds. Traditionally, it is believed that the first flower that can be found among barely beginning to melt snowdrifts is the snowdrop. However, there is another plant that appears on the site in early spring, when the snow has almost melted - the Siberian candy. This perennial plant is also called the Siberian erythronium. The flower looks quite bright and original, so many owners of sites tend to grow it on their lands. Well, we'll talk about the features of planting and caring for Kandyk.
Kandyk - description
Erythronium Siberian is perennial, belonging to the family of Liliaceae. The native land of the plant is considered to be the lands of Southern Siberia, in the first place, Altai, Tomsk, Novosibirsk and Kemerovo regions, Khakassia. In addition, the flower is found in China, the mountains of Central Asia, Mongolia.
The plant can reach a height of 15 to 30 cm. It is an onion flower, its bulb about 6-8 cm long has an elongated conical shape and resembles the canine fang. By the way, the name of the flower is translated from the Turkic languages. At the base of a slightly curved stem, the elliptical leaves usually lie opposite each other. Green with reddish-brown spots, they reach 5-15 cm in length and 2-3 cm in width.
The flower of the Kandik of Siberia is a single bud of a mauve color with six elegant petals with an orange spot at the base. It is a large flower - its diameter reaches 4-6 cm. The flowering of the Siberian erythronium lasts about three weeks. Then, on the bud's place, a seed box appears about 2 cm long with small seeds.
The Siberian candle flower is appreciated not only for its exquisite appearance and early flowering. Unfortunately, recently the plant is listed in the Red Book. In its natural form, it is found in remote areas of the taiga and in the gardens of amateur gardeners. It should be mentioned that Siberian Kandyk honey is highly valued as the rarest kind of this product among knowledgeable people. It is believed that honey from a candle can improve the pancreas, liver, bile ducts, strengthens the immune system, has a rejuvenating effect.
Planting and caring for a Siberian
The use of the Siberian erytronium as a garden culture is not without foundation. The fact is that this plant, tempered by Siberian colds, is characterized by endurance, unpretentiousness and frost resistance. For planting, light peaty and nutritious soils should be preferred. The Siberian kandık grows well on the plots with penumbra or under the crowns of trees. The planting itself is made in prepared soil: fertilizer is introduced into the area, which should first be dug up. The bulbs of the erythronium of Siberia need to be damped by 10-15 cm. The distance between the holes should be about 15 cm. Freezing to the plant is not terrible, it does not even need to be covered for the winter. Unlike the Kandyk of Siberia, the American Kandyk "Pagoda" planting and care means
The first flowering should be expected in the spring. In general, the cultivation of the Siberian erythronium involves the timely irrigation, weeding and loosening of the soil. To preserve moisture, the ground around the flower is recommended to mulch with peat, straw. After 4-5 years, the plant should be transplanted to a new location.
Usually the Siberian candy is used for decorating lawns, tree trunks, rockeries, rock gardens. It can be combined with some other perennials, for example, with anemone.