Decorative flower known as capuchin. Previously, this flower was called Capuchin, what kind of flower is it? Care and cultivation

Nasturtium (lat. Tropaeolum) is a genus of herbaceous plants belonging to the Nasturtium family (lat. Tropaeolaceae). These beautifully flowering representatives of the flora were brought to Spain from South and Central America during the Conquest in the 16th century. From there they quickly spread throughout the gardens of Europe, charming many botanists with their originality.

Interesting fact: Carl Lynaeus, examining nasturtium, noticed that its leaves are like shields, and its flowers are like helmets of defeated enemies, which during the Roman Empire were hung on columns as a sign of victory. In Latin, “trophae” means a small trophy, and those same columns were called tropaeolum, so it was decided to name the plant. The common name “nasturtium” has a different origin. It was given by mistake: nasturtium tasted similar to watercress, which in those days was called nasturtium, so they began to call it the same. Later the classification was sorted out, but the name of the flower remained. The plants are also sometimes called capuchin for the shape of the flowers, reminiscent of a monk's hood.

Nasturtium familiar from childhood

Description

Nasturtium is a herbaceous plant, annual or perennial (in places of natural growth). The stem is succulent, branched, creeping or curly, rarely erect. Its length can reach 3 m. In the natural environment it is found in the form of vines. The leaves are arranged alternately. The shape of the leaf blade is different in different species: lobed, shield-shaped, palmate. The edges of the leaves are entire.

The flowers are solitary, develop on long peduncles, bisexual, axillary, irregular in shape, and have a pleasant aroma. There are five petals. Most often, the petals are painted in warm colors: yellow, orange or red. The fruit consists of three rounded lobes, slightly wrinkled. The seeds are round, comparable to a pea. Their germination lasts 4-5 years. In our climate zones, capuchins bloom from June to early autumn.

Interesting fact: the above-ground parts of nasturtium have medicinal properties; some types form underground tubers, which are used in cooking. All the above-ground parts of the garden nasturtiums we know are edible: young leaves are rich in vitamin C, the fruits have a spicy taste and are used as spices when dried. They can also be preserved fresh - you get capers.

Botanical illustration

Decorative types

In the modern classification there are about 90 types of nasturtiums. About 25 are used in decorative floriculture. The most interesting types:

N. large(lat. T. majus) or May - annual with a succulent stem about 1 m long. The leaves are corymbose, large (3-15 cm). The flowers are also large, can reach 6 cm in diameter. The petals are orange with red stripes. Based on the species, many original varieties have been bred, for example, “Aloha” with white flowers with burgundy stripes.

N. multifolia(lat. T. polyphyllum) - one of the most frost-resistant species, found naturally in Chile. Since plants of this species can withstand frosts down to -20 °C, they are grown as perennials. The flowers are painted bright yellow. Leaves are numerous and of unusual shape.

N. polyphyllum (T. polyphyllum)

N. small(Latin T. minus) is a miniature nasturtium native to Ecuador. The flowers are painted bright yellow. The chic variety “Black Velvet” differs from its parent in the dark burgundy color of the flowers with a yellow center.

N. foreign(Latin T. peregrinum) or Canarian has a long creeping stem (up to 2.5 m). Leaves are 2-5 cm with pronounced 3-5 or 7 lobes. The flowers (2-4 cm) are lemon yellow. The petals are unusually shaped with carved edges and often have bright red spots at the base.

Original vase

N. beautiful(Latin T. speciosum) – “fire flower” native to Chile. The species is represented by perennial plants with long stems (up to 3 m). The flowers are funnel-shaped, bright red. The leaves are divided into 5-7 lobes. Plants can withstand frosts down to -12 °C.

N. tricolor(lat. T. tricolor) - original species, Chilean origin. Plants have long (2-3 m) creeping stems. The flowers are numerous, narrowly funnel-shaped, up to 3 cm long, and look exotic. The petals are red on the outside, orange or yellow on the inside, and purple on the edge. N. tricolor does not tolerate frosts below – 8 °C.

N. azure(lat. T. azureum) - a species suitable for growing on the south side of the site. It has large flowers with a delightful blue or blue-violet color. The leaves, on the contrary, are small: 4-5 times smaller than the flower.

N. azure (T. azureum)

N. tuberiferous(lat. T. tuberosum) is an annual plant, on the roots of which tubers are formed, used as food by the indigenous peoples of South America. N. thin-leaved (lat. T. leptophyllum), which grows naturally in Ecuador and Peru, has the same features. The edible tubers are called anyu. The flowers of these species are small, tube-like; The corollas are orange-red on the outside and yellow on the inside.

In our climate, almost all nasturtiums are grown as annual plants. Particularly popular are mixtures containing capuchin seeds with different flower colors; there are also varieties with double petals.

Photo gallery of species

Care and cultivation

Growing capuchins is not difficult: the plants grow quickly and do not require special conditions.

Location. All nasturtiums love warmth and light, so they are grown on sunny lawns, preferably on the south side of the site. If there is not enough light, the stems will stretch, the leaves will be small, and the overall decorative effect will deteriorate significantly.

Using nasturtium you can beautifully decorate a fence

The soil. Plants have no special requirements for soil composition. It is preferable to grow on moderately fertile lands.

Watering. During the growth period, nasturtium is watered abundantly; with the beginning of flowering, watering is required only as the soil dries out.

On the south side, nasturtium develops faster and blooms more abundantly

Fertilizers. Before flowering begins, potassium-phosphorus fertilizer is applied once. There is no need to feed more, otherwise the plant will have beautiful and large leaves, but few flowers.

Pests. Nasturtium is susceptible to aphid attacks, causing its leaves to turn yellow. Plants are also attacked by cabbage moths and spider mites. You can use ash against aphids by dusting the entire plant with it. You can get rid of the tick by spraying it with an alcohol solution. In addition to folk remedies, the use of modern insecticidal preparations gives good results.

Ripening nasturtium seeds

Reproduction

Nasturtium is propagated by seeds, which are sown directly into flower beds in the second ten days of May. 2-3 seeds are placed in each hole, the distance between the holes is 25-30 cm. To get flowering not in June, but earlier, seedlings are grown. In this case, sowing is done in containers at the very beginning of May or April. After sowing, seedlings appear within 10-14 days. At the beginning of June, young capuchins can be planted in the place where they will grow. Plants are transplanted from the container together with a lump of earth.

Varietal nasturtiums also reproduce well by cuttings, which quickly take root in water or moistened sand. Capuchins set a lot of seeds, which, after falling, overwinter well in the ground, and germinate amicably next spring.

Nasturtium cascades

Decorative use

Nasturtium is a plant familiar to many gardens. Low-growing capuchins are used for border plantings, ribbon flower beds, and planted in wide flowerpots. Species with long creeping or climbing shoots are used as hanging plants and used for vertical gardening of terraces or pergolas. They can also be grown as ground covers.

An interesting option is to plant nasturtiums under tall shrubs, for example, under lilacs: dense trunks serve as excellent natural support; The flowering period of plants varies, so the decorative effect lasts throughout the season. Due to the fact that capuchin stems are soft and curly, they can be planted on high places, for example, on the parapets of stone walls or stairs. In such cases, the nasturtium will cascade down beautifully.

Previously, this flower was called Capuchin, what kind of flower is it?

Nasturtium Lobba is a plant with creeping, up to three meters long, shoots with large green leaves on long petioles and yellow or orange single, large, up to 5 cm in diameter, flowers on long stalks. This type of nasturtium can be widely used for decorative purposes - for landscaping in flower beds or as single plants. It can also be used as a ground cover. If you don’t want to constantly weed under trees and between bushes, plant nasturtium. It’s beautiful, and the soil will be covered, like a carpet, with large rounded leaves, in the shade of which weeds somehow “don’t grow.”

But, perhaps, the main advantage of nasturtium is its nutritional and medicinal properties. The aboveground part of the plant is rich in vitamin C, the leaves contain provitamin A (carotene), phytoncides and antimicrobial substances. Nasturtium essential oil contains tropeolin, which, according to some researchers, quickly stops angina attacks.

Flowers, young shoots and leaves, buds, and unripe fruits of nasturtium are eaten. They have a sharp, pleasant taste, reminiscent of watercress. Buds and green unhardened fruits are pickled or salted separately and mixed with other vegetables. The leaves are edible from spring to late autumn; they are added to salads and as a seasoning for vegetable, meat and fish dishes.

In folk medicine, an infusion of nasturtium herb is taken for anemia, exhaustion, kidney stones, and various skin rashes. A decoction of herbs and honey is used to rinse the mouth for thrush and other lesions of the oral mucosa. An alcoholic tincture of nasturtium leaves and stinging nettle is rubbed into the scalp to enhance hair growth.

“For medicinal purposes, the grass, leaves, flower buds and seeds of nasturtium are used as a vitamin supplement and in the form of decoctions and tinctures for chronic bronchitis, cholelithiasis, hypertension, chronic coronary insufficiency, coronary artery disease, bronchial asthma, emphysema, anemia, kidney stones, skin rashes.

Capuchin flower or nasturtium flower- an annual plant with a creeping stem. Its leaves are entire, thyroid-shaped. The flowers are solitary, blooming on long stalks with orange or red petals. Capuchins bloom from July to August.

These flowers are most often found in Central Asia, as well as in the European part of Russia. They became widespread in the Caucasus. The plant is very popular in many countries of the world, on different continents. Its names: nasturtium, Spanish cress, cauliflower lettuce.

In its homeland, South America, all parts of the plant are eaten. These are not only fruits, leaves and flowers, but even rhizomes. Possessing a pleasant aroma and taste, capuchin is an excellent addition to salads; its taste is reminiscent of horseradish and mustard.

Unripe fruits are added as a seasoning for pickling and pickling cucumbers and tomatoes. However, they are often pickled on their own. They are marinated with vinegar and dill. In this form, capuchins replace capers. Fresh capuchin leaves are added to sandwiches.

The healing properties of the plant are used in folk medicine in Russia, Ukraine, other CIS countries, as well as in America and Germany. Medicinal plant preparations are used in the treatment of diseases such as chronic and acute bronchitis, bronchial asthma, and pneumonia.

The lotion, the preparation of which is more like a tincture, is used to rub into the roots of the hair. This procedure prevents hair loss and also makes it more beautiful and healthy. The juice of the plant is considered healing. Most often it is used for diseases of the genitourinary system.

Gardeners grow this flower to decorate their garden plots. Varieties with long creeping stems are excellent decorations for balconies, terraces, and gazebos. Low-growing varieties are grown in flower beds and borders.
The flower can be propagated in different ways: by cuttings, using seedlings, and also by direct sowing of seeds. This plant propagates quite easily. And it’s easy to care for.

Beneficial properties of capuchin

Capuchin is a herbaceous annual plant of the nasturtium family. The stem of the capuchin is branched and creeping. Red, often orange flowers bloom in July. The capuchin blooms in August.
Flowers usually grow on long stalks. The seeds are located in capsules, which are the fruits. The fruits fall into segments, usually three. Each such lobule contains one seed. The seeds ripen in early autumn.

Flowering branches of capuchin are used as medicinal raw materials. They are dried in a dark, ventilated room, usually in the attic. You can dry the raw materials in a drying cabinet. But the temperature should not be higher than sixty degrees.
During drying, the branches must be spread out in a thin layer and constantly tossed. Store dried raw materials in cloth bags for no more than two years. The storage room must have ventilation.

Medicinal preparations of this plant have coronary dilation, expectorant, uroseptic, and antitussive effects. Capuchin juice has effective medicinal properties. It is taken for acute cystitis, as well as if the disease has become chronic. In general, the juice has a positive effect in the treatment of inflammatory urinary tract diseases.

In particular, it is indicated to be taken for pyelonephritis. It is recommended to take the juice in the treatment of nonspecific urethritis. The norm for taking juice is, as a rule, no more than a dessert spoon three times a day.
When treating bronchitis, both in the acute and chronic stages, it is recommended to take a decoction of the plant. It is also taken for bronchial asthma, pneumonia, and emphysema. The decoction and juice give positive results in the treatment of coronary heart disease; they have been found to be highly effective as a means of dilating blood vessels, helping to improve blood supply to the heart muscle.

To prepare the decoction, pour boiling water over a tablespoon of chopped branches. In a boiling state, it is necessary to keep the solution in a water bath for twenty minutes, strain, and bring it to the original volume with boiled water. Then the resulting solution should sit a little until it reaches room temperature. The decoction should be drunk in three doses during the day.

It is believed that it is most effective to take capuchin preparations during breaks between intensive courses of antibiotic treatment. This has a good effect in the treatment of hypertension, as well as coronary heart disease. As a rule, in this case, a decoction of the plant is used.

Growing capuchin

The choice of seeds is the most important in growing capuchin. Some gardeners, to ensure they get good specimens of the plant, buy seeds in different places and at different times. Then the soil is prepared. First of all, it needs to be dug up to the depth of a shovel. After this, part of the earth from the resulting trench should be selected.

Compost mixed with old humus is added to the vacant space, to which it is recommended to add a little wood ash and fifty grams of superphosphate. The ground needs to be well leveled, and then holes must be made, maintaining an interval of approximately twenty-five centimeters between them. In each hole you need to slightly deepen two or three seeds.
After this, you need to water the bed and wait. Half a month will pass and shoots will appear. All that remains is to regularly water the capuchins, weed and loosen the soil. Since the plant is heat-loving, it should be located in an area that blocks the cold wind and is also well-lit. The fact is that these flowers love the sun very much.

Often there is a desire to get earlier flowering of this magnificent plant. For this purpose, the seedling method of growing capuchins is used. The seedling method is also used in those regions where frosts are observed in the second half of May.

To do this, you should purchase peat pots with a diameter of about ten centimeters in advance. It is also necessary to prepare the garden soil in advance. It can be bought from gardeners or in a store. Instead of pots, you can use special containers with a retractable bottom for growing seedlings.
In this case, the retractable bottom is necessary so that the seedlings can be transplanted directly with the earthen ball. You can't dive it. The roots of the seedlings are very delicate; they simply cannot withstand diving. Having chosen a sunny area in the garden, you should prepare it in the same way as, say, for growing seeds.

It is good if the soil on the site is sandy or loamy. It should be well moisturized. When watering the plant, it is important not to overdo it. Excess moisture can lead to rotting of the roots, which will also negatively affect the flowering of capuchins.
Currently, breeders have grown new varieties of this flower. The so-called terry ones attract a lot of attention. To propagate such a plant, the cutting method is used. To do this, you need to very carefully transplant the healthiest capuchin specimen into a container, bring it indoors and place it in a cool place on a sunny windowsill.
The most important thing in this matter is not to damage the root system when replanting. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get cuttings, and the plant will be ruined. It is necessary to water the plant during this period, but not very often. With the onset of truly warm days, usually at the end of May, you need to cut several apical shoots of the plant into cuttings.

Each cutting must have at least five leaves. The cuttings should be planted immediately in moist soil and cared for as usual. If everything is done correctly, the cuttings will quickly take root, and several more plants of a new terry variety, very beautiful, will grow in the garden plot.

Video: Master classes on growing ordinary and unusual flowers and plants

Raising and caring for a capuchin is not just easy work, but also exciting and interesting. Beginning gardeners who take up growing this flower will gain not only experience and the necessary knowledge, but as a gift from this plant they will also receive a real passion for the wonderful process of growing flowers on our planet.

Many people, let’s say, all over the world are looking for miracle drugs for baldness and to strengthen hair. And these products grow in almost every garden. This is a capuchin flower, which many people know as nasturtium.
An effective means of strengthening hair is considered to be a collection that, along with capuchin, includes cinquefoil rhizome and nettle leaves. To prepare a special lotion, you need to take 100 grams of nettle and capuchin leaves and ten grams of crushed cinquefoil root. The collection is poured with vodka and infused for half a month.

All this time, the tincture must be shaken periodically. The resulting medicinal tincture lotion, when rubbed into the head, penetrates into the hair follicles and stimulates their activity. In addition, this lotion strengthens hair, makes it softer and more elastic.
It is recommended to rub the lotion into the scalp every other day. When performing this procedure, you must be careful not to let the liquid get into your eyes. Without a doubt, such a tool is very inexpensive, but it has enormous value.

An aqueous infusion of the flower's herb has long been used in the treatment of anemia, scurvy, and urolithiasis. It was also used for skin rashes. A decoction of flower branches with honey is recommended for use as a mouth rinse for inflammation of the mucous membrane, as well as in the treatment of thrush.

Capuchins are used as medicinal plants in various countries around the world. In America, for example, healers recommend rubbing the juice of the plant on places on the body where itching and scabies occur. Americans use juice to strengthen their hair. With the infusion of flowers they are cured of high blood pressure and heart diseases.
In Germany, healers also prefer the juice of the plant, using it to cure bronchial diseases. And the Germans use alcohol tincture to strengthen their hair. It turns out that a simple and very affordable remedy against baldness is known all over the world, but for some reason people use expensive drugs and often do not achieve the desired result.

Capuchin has found widespread use throughout the world as an ornamental plant. Many people use its properties to spread high enough to decorate gazebos and balconies. Low-growing varieties are most often grown in flower beds, as well as on rocky hills.

Cooks are also passionate about this flower. The plant contains more vitamin C in its young leaves than is found in a green salad. Capuchin flowers are used to decorate dishes, and the seeds are used as a seasoning. Hard buds, fresh leaves and seeds that have not yet reached maturity have a pungent taste.

They are added as a seasoning to meat dishes, as well as vegetables and eggs. Green fruits and flower buds are pickled together with dill, and they are used instead of capers. Residents of New Zealand use fresh leaves to obtain vitamin extracts. They also eat them as salad.

Today, preparations of this flower can be seen in pharmacies. But the properties of the plant have not yet been fully studied, so its main medicinal qualities are used by traditional healers. It seems that there is no need to prove the benefits of growing this flower in garden plots. Moreover, it already grows everywhere. Gardeners love the plant for its decorative value, as well as for its ease of care and cultivation.

Capuchin, plant(Tropaeolum L.), better known in horticulture under its false name nasturtiums, - a genus of beautiful herbaceous plants from the crane family, Geraniaceae, and their subfamily Pelargonium (see); however, some botanists distinguish this genus into an independent family - Tropaeolaceae, with a single genus Tr. In total, up to 40 species are known, all from America. These are annual and perennial herbs with succulent, weak stems, sometimes creeping and spreading along the ground, sometimes climbing(but not curly in the strict sense of the word - see Climbing plants) and clinging to foreign objects or other plants with the help of easily irritated, flexible and succulent petioles their leaves(but not the stem). Most leaves thyroid(i.e., the petiole is attached near the middle of the surface of the leaf blade), with long petioles, round or slightly angular in shape, in some differently dissected. Most flowers are large, located singly in the corners of the leaves, on long stalks. They are irregular, bisymmetrical (zygomorphic), similar to hooded Capuchin monks. The largest and brightly colored part is cup, or the outermost, outer part, of five unequal lobes; the upper lobe is the largest and is elongated below into a long spur, at the bottom of which there are honey glands; the other 4 sepals are smaller, equal in pairs and with fimbriae at the base; 5 petals, small, and behind them 8 stamens (2 out of 10 are underdeveloped); from a three-locular ovary a tripartite fruit is formed, breaking up into single-seeded drupe-like fruits; seeds without protein, with thick cotyledons of a direct embryo. The flowers are yellow, orange and red, from 2 to 7 cm across. The honey in the spur attracts insects; the anthers of the stamens open before the stigma of the ovary of the same flower matures (this is the so-called proterandry), and the stamen is ready first, right above the entrance to the spur; the insect carries pollen on its back and transfers it to other flowers, where it can only stick to the mature sticky stigma (art. Gynoecium), and in such flowers the stamens have already poured out their pollen and bent to the side. Plants with a pungent juice (hence, by the way, the names “Spanish cress” and “Capuchin cress”), for which the flower buds and young fruits of Tr. majus are used like capers. K. is one of the most popular soil gardening plants, grown in a huge number of garden crosses and varieties.

From annuals species more common in gardens large K. - Tr. majus L., with large red or orange flowers of various shades and entire, slightly angular leaves, known in more than 20 varieties, or varieties (varietates); it is a bushy species with branching rather thick stems; the squat form (va r. nana) is especially beautiful, between which stands out the “Empress of India” (Empress of India) with blackish-green foliage and dark red, extremely bright flowers; Among other varieties we mention: spotted- orange with purple. spots (Tr. majus var. variegatum hort.), copper-red or bronze-red (Tr. m. v. aeneum hort.), Regelian purple-violet (Tr. m. v. Regelianum hort.), bluish-pink (v. coeruleo-roseum hort.), golden low-growing (v. aureum nanum hort.), fiery red (v. fulgens hort.) and pale yellow (v. albidum hort.). The closest wild species to the described one is Tr. minus L. is almost mixed with it in a number of its crosses, but is distinguished by smaller flowers, as well as leaves bearing thin points at the ends of the veins. Of other wild American species, many crosses or hybrid forms have been formed (see Hybridization), as with the main species Tr. majus L., and among themselves. This is especially true of Tr. Lobbianum Hook from Colombia is a tall climbing plant with rounded leaves and orange-red flowers, about 2 cm (¾ in) across, the lower lobes of the calyx are small and toothed; its crosses with Tr. majus, generally known under the name Tr. hybridum (Tr. Lobbianum hybr.), or climbing nasturtiums, gave many beautiful climbing forms with flower colors ranging from whitish-fawn to fiery red (Hookeri, Geant des batailles, Napoleon III, Kotschyanum maltiflorum, Queen Victoria, Triomphe d'Hy è res), very common for decorating walls, terraces, gazebos etc. For the same purpose, an independent species, K., is very often bred. Mexican, Tr. peregrinum Jacq. (= Tr. Smithii DC), from New Grenada, also climbing, but its leaves are palm-shaped into 5 lobes; flowers on very long stalks, carmine-orange calyx with a green spur tip, yellow, fringed petals with red veins. Remarkable for the originality of K’s colors. palmate Tr. digitatum Karst. (= Tr. Gä rtnerianum), from Colombia, also very high climbing; the leaves are 5-fingered, their veins, as well as the stems in some places are red, a calyx with 5 pointed oval green lobes, a cinnabar-colored spur, golden, fringed petals, stamens with green anthers in the form of pinheads. All of the above annual species are best bred by sowing seeds at the end of April in loose, nutritious soil, grow luxuriously and bloom profusely all summer.

Perennial species are equipped with root tubers, with the help of which they are propagated; These are mostly greenhouse forms, very whimsical and requiring careful care. About their special culture, see Eberwein’s article (“Bulletin of Gardening,” 1866). Such is the case. eg Peruvian K. pale Tr. albiflorum Nob., with bluish thread-like stems, bluish-green calyx with a yellow spur, white petals with reddish veins. Chilean K. tricolor Tr. tricolorum Sw., with very small 5-palmated leaves, has a box-shaped cinnabar calyx with a curved spur and blue tips of its lobes, golden, short petals; K looks like him. tuberous, Tr. tuberosum Rz. et Pav., but in this species the flower stalks themselves are also bright red. Finally, K. umbrella, Tr. umbellatum Hook., red-orange flowers are collected on sinuous stalks in umbrella-shaped bunches, the spur is short and has a green tip.

Who doesn't love nasturtium! In our gardens, its fiery red-orange flowers look great among the greenery. Unlike us, in Europe not only familiar but also new varieties of nasturtium are already popular. I wonder what surprises the unusual nasturtium will bring us? We will definitely find a place for it in our flower garden.

This bright ornamental plant came to our gardens and balconies from South America. In Peru, Ecuador and Chile, nasturtium is still found naturally. In the 16th century, culture appeared in Europe. Now all over the world, nasturtium is widely cultivated as an annual. This plant has many names: capuchin, nasturtium, lettuce, redcress, Indian or Spanish cress and capuchin cress, colored lettuce, even spinner. These are annual and perennial herbaceous plants. The genus contains from 50 to 80 species. The most commonly grown nasturtium is Tropaeolum majus, and hybrid nasturtium varieties are also popular in gardens. This plant is from the capuchin family - Tropaeolaceae.

Of the new varieties, we can recommend such an unusual climbing plant as tricolor nasturtium - T. Tricolor. And for alpine slides, many-leaved nasturtium - T. polyphyllum - is suitable.

Nasturtium leaves are long-petiolate, and the shield-shaped leaf blade is covered with a thin waxy coating. Nowadays, a large number of varieties of nasturtium with different leaf colors are grown. They can be green, with a purple tint, and variegated - marbled, white, variegated and golden. Nasturtium flowers are single, on long stalks. In modern varieties they reach 5 cm in diameter. They are usually brightly colored. Nasturtium flowers can be yellow, orange, salmon, pink, scarlet, dark red. Two-color varieties look original, with contrasting spots or strokes. Nasturtium can also be simple, semi-double or double. Its aroma is unique and pleasant. According to the habitus, nasturtium plants can be dwarfs, forming a spherical lush bush (only 15–20 cm high). More often they are climbing or climbing forms - up to half a meter high, but there are also those whose creeping shoots reach 2-3 m over the summer.

Growing nasturtium. Growing nasturtium. The main method of propagation of nasturtium is by seed. Plants are grown from seeds either by seedlings or by direct sowing in prepared soil. Considering that nasturtium has a delicate root system, it does not tolerate transplantation well. If plants are grown through seedlings, then it is better to sow them in peat pots, so that when planting them in a permanent place in the garden, they do not disturb the root system of the plants. The soil for nasturtium should be quite loose, well seasoned with nitrogen (old rotted manure, humus), mineral (ammophos, nitrophoska, complete complex) fertilizers, as well as the addition of wood ash (1-2 cups per 1 m2). It is not worth adding fresh manure - the plants will begin to fatten and produce a lot of leaves, but the flowering will not be lush. Nasturtium responds positively to fertilizing - the number of flowers increases. This is a light- and heat-loving crop, demanding on watering. The first autumn frosts completely destroy the plants. Sometimes, in the conditions of the North-West, nasturtiums can suffer from spring return frosts, which can last until mid-June. Any light film coverings during the period of return frosts allow you to preserve plants, which promotes normal development in the spring-summer period, and in the fall - extends the flowering period. And in total, the period of active use of young nasturtium leaves and buds for flavoring salads, marinades, and pickles is extended.

Diseases and pests of nasturtium. Nasturtium is sometimes affected by mosaic, ring spot, and heterosporiosis. It is damaged by aphids and leafmining flies. To combat pests and diseases, the same drugs are used as for other crops.

Nasturtiums are the most versatile plants for garden decoration. They easily fit into any garden and park style. They are always modern, especially given the variety of nasturtium varieties. These plants are simply irreplaceable for both urban and country gardening. Nasturtium will always decorate a sunny place in the garden. Climbing varieties are also beautiful in vertical gardening; they are also good in containers and balcony boxes. Dwarf varieties look advantageous in the tree trunks of fruit trees, at the forefront along paths, or they are grown in pots or cache-pots. Or in a composition on a stump.

Nasturtium, which decorates the site all summer and pleases the eye with its active flowering, can be an additional food and medicinal species. This means another “anti-crisis” plant that helps us survive the next economic crisis. "adversity". Fresh nasturtium leaves, buds, flowers and immature seeds are used for food. This is an exquisite seasoning for vegetables, meat dishes and salads. Nasturtium leaves have a pungent, peculiar sweetish-spicy smell and taste; they are consumed finely chopped with vegetarian sandwiches; thinly sliced ​​- in green salads. Leaves and flowers are added to summer vegetable soups. You can serve fresh leaves with veal, chicken, and rabbit dishes. Green, immature seeds, no more than 6 mm in diameter, soaked in vinegar, are used as capers. Flowers can be used to decorate salads and meat dishes. When preparing sweet marinades, you can add flowers and buds to the jar - they will give a beautiful look to the pickled fruits or vegetables. If, when pickling cucumbers and tomatoes, you add about 10 green nasturtium fruits to each jar, then the finished product will have an interesting taste and aroma. Leaves, flowers and unripe fruits of nasturtium can also be pickled or dried - and used in winter as a spicy additive. It must be remembered that if the plants used for food grew in bright sun, they will have a more pungent taste.

In folk medicine, fresh nasturtium leaves in the form of a decoction (freshly picked leaves are brewed with boiling water and allowed to stand for 2-3 minutes) are used for gum inflammation and acute bronchitis; A decoction of nasturtium leaves is also drunk for bladder stones as a diuretic; as an antiscorbutic; for mouth rinses. Prescribed as food for age-related metabolic disorders, atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. Fresh juice of nasturtium leaves treats skin rashes and irritations. An infusion of nasturtium seeds, ground into powder (1 teaspoon) and poured 250 ml of boiling water into a thermos in the morning, is drunk in the evening or at night as a remedy for impotence. The leaves are applied to tumors, and the wounds are washed with juice. Nasturtium is also popular in home cosmetics: a decoction of the leaves is used to cleanse oily and acne-prone facial skin, rinse hair for better growth, and also rub the juice (or alcohol tincture in a 1:1 mixture with nettle leaves) into the scalp to strengthen roots and growth hair.

But you shouldn’t get too carried away with nasturtium. You need to feel in moderation in everything. Eating too many nasturtium leaves in a salad can cause irritation to the stomach and intestines, as well as the kidneys. The use of prescription drugs does not lead to side effects, but it is noted that resistance to alcohol decreases. Be careful.

Kirill Tkachenko, Ph.D. biol. Sciences, head of the group of introduction of medicinal plants of the Botanical Garden of the Botanical Institute named after. Komarova RAS

“Garden Affairs” No. 3 (47), 2011