Blackhead: plant features, popular varieties
The hedgehog is a perennial that grows quickly. It grows near rivers, swamps and other bodies of water. There is more than one species of this plant, each of them despairs of each other. What peculiarities hedgehog?
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Features of the plant
Blackhead is a perennial plant. It develops capitate inflorescences that connect a huge number of small, inconspicuous flowers. They don't have petals. They are replaced by three scales, which are colored greenish. The heads are small, fluffy, and yellow in color. Larger ones are located under the stamen heads. They are painted green.
After flowering, fruits form on the plant. They are filled with air and resemble small floats that do not sink in the water, but float on its surface. With a gust of wind they move across the pond. They will move around until they cling to the muddy shore. After some time, the fruits will begin to sprout.
The foliage of the burr is not particularly strong, if, for example, you compare it with the leaves of a reed. But it often grows near other plants that provide protection from strong winds, so the foliage is not damaged. If you cut off the casting, you can see the air chambers.
The root system of the hogweed is creeping, has 2 types roots. With one rhizome it clings to the bottom, and the other is placed in the water, from which it receives all the necessary nutrients. The fruit balls that form on the plant look like a hedgehog curled up into a ball. That's why the hedgehog got its name. This plant is divided into 20 species, each of which has some differences.
The most popular varieties
There are many types of burberry. The hedgehog is straight. The plant grows to a height of 0.5-1.5 m. It has a creeping root system, the stem stands straight. It grows long and narrow foliage. It envelops the stem, reminiscent of the appearance of irises. Flowers are formed in round heads.
About 6-12 inflorescences appear on each stem. Their size is small, similar to a pea. Flowering begins in June or August. After this, the fruits appear, their flesh is spongy. They look like small green balls with spines.
Northern hedgehog. This perennial has erect and floating stems. It grows long foliage that exceeds the size of the stem. The tip is rounded. If you look closely, you can see a vein. The inflorescences do not stand out as anything special. They are short and ordinary. The female heads are scattered unevenly throughout the plant, while the male heads are attached to the upper female one.
After some time, a fruit forms on a small stalk with a small nose. The hedgehog is simple. The plant does not stand out with any special features. Capable of growing up to 1.2 meters in length. Initially, the fruits are colored green, and then acquire a brown tint. Bloom occurs in midsummer. It may bloom earlier.
Small hedgehog.It produces flat foliage and one male inflorescence. Its stems are scattered in different directions, and the foliage is on the surface of the reservoir. Such a plant can grow up to 25 centimeters, and even longer in water.
Flowering occurs a month earlier. The fruits are oval in shape. The hedgehog is unnoticed. Its decoration is inflorescences. This is a large perennial that reaches up to 1.2 meters in height.
The hedgehog is crowded. It produces short inflorescences that reach up to 7 centimeters in length. The foliage grows longer than the stem, growing 10 mm wide. The stem can reach up to 40 cm and is erect. Flowering occurs towards the end of summer. Seeds appear in early autumn.
Urchin angustifolia. The inflorescences do not branch and have a shortened appearance. If the plant develops on water, then the foliage is quite long, reaching up to one meter. But she is very thin. It blooms in June. Later the fruits appear; they are yellow with a brown tint. This plant can be found in a pond or near the shores of lakes.
Cereal hedgehog. Has ordinary inflorescences. But the leaves grow long. Their length reaches two meters. They are flat and convex, slowly tapering towards the base. Their tip is sharp. Red and brown fruits appear on the plant.
How to plant and care for a plant
Blackhead grows near water. They often decorate summer cottages if there are artificial reservoirs or a lake on the territory. In other places such a plant will not develop. It loves flowing or stagnant bodies of water. Sometimes to will imprisonb hedgehog, containers are used that are filled with fertile soil.
The seed material should be deepened 10 cm below the surface of the water. The plant does not need special care. After some time, it is recommended to thin out the hedgehog so that it does not fill the entire territory. To propagate the plant, divide the bushes or collect the seeds.
Using a head brace
The hedgehog has an original appearance and stands out for its decorative leaves and inflorescences with spines. These plants grow well in a short period of time, so beautiful thickets are obtained. But the hedgehog will not be able to grow anywhere, so it is used to decorate ponds.
Do not forget that some species are dangerous for ponds where the bottom is covered with a film. This is due to the fact that the rhizome of the hedgehog can pierce the film. Recommended grow floating and small species in bodies of water that are small in size. They look beautiful and do not harm the area. So, the hedgehog is a plant that grows near bodies of water. It is often used to decorate lakes and ponds.
Video describing the head brace:
