Description of the bog plant, tips for growing a water asterisk, recommendations for reproduction, possible difficulties in care, facts to note, species. Bog (Callitriche) is also called Water Star or Krasovlaska. Scientists have assigned this plant to the Plantaginaceae family. This genus has more than 60 names of various species, but only some of them are used in culture, which will be described below. These flowering representatives of the flora are found almost throughout the entire territory of the planet in fresh water bodies, where there are temperate or moderately cold climatic conditions.
| Family name | Plantains |
| Life cycle | Perennial or annual |
| Growth features | Grassy |
| Reproduction | Seed and vegetative (cuttings and division of the bush) |
| Landing period in open ground | Rooted cuttings, planted from April to September |
| Disembarkation scheme | Depth 15-30 cm |
| Substrate | Sandy, loamy or clayey |
| Illumination | South or West location |
| Moisture indicators | Drought is harmful, the soil should always be kept moist |
| Special Requirements | Unpretentious |
| Plant height | 0.2-0.4 m |
| Color of flowers | Greenish or whitish |
| Type of flowers, inflorescences | Single buds or pairwise arrangement |
| Flowering time | June-September |
| Decorative time | Spring-autumn |
| Place of application | Natural or artificial reservoirs, aquariums |
| USDA zone | 4–8 |
The plant got its name due to its natural habitats (the banks of waterways, wetlands or shallow ponds), while the second name "water star" Krasovlaska wears because of its outlines of leaves, which are collected in a star-shaped rosette.
All bogs are herbaceous perennial plants intended for cultivation in natural or artificial reservoirs. Its shoots usually grow creeping on the surface of the soil or are completely or partially submerged in the aquatic environment. The stems have threadlike outlines, the foliage grows on them in the opposite order, or the branches may be devoid of it. In height, the shoots vary from 20 to 40 cm. The shape of the leaf plates directly depends on where the water asterisk grows. If it settles on the surface of the soil, then its leaves have oval outlines or almost rounded. When the shoots of the plant are close to the surface of the water surface, the outlines of the leaf plates are lanceolate or linear, the foliage is shiny on top, and the internodes are elongated. If the tops of the red-haired twigs are raised above the surface of the water, then the length of internodes is much shorter, and decorative floating rosettes are assembled from elliptical or spatulate leaves.
Usually, glandular scales are formed on the tops of the shoots in the axils of the leaves, while the tips of the branches and foliage are covered with scale-shaped trichomes (outgrowths formed by the cells of the epidermis). The color of the leaves is rich green.
Marsh plants can be both dioecious and monoecious. Flowers of the same sex are usually formed in the axils of the leaves singly or can be formed in pairs, combining a male and female bud. The perianth is devoid of flowers, but there is a pair of bracts, which in their outlines resemble a crescent. But often bracts also may not be. The composition of male flowers includes a single (rarely three pieces) stamen, while the filaments are quite thin, and the anthers have a reniform shape. A pair of carpels, which are present in female flowers, grow together, forming an upper ovary, which is distinguished by its division into 4 parts by false walls. Each of these compartments contains one anatropic ovum (it has a curved seed stalk). The outlines of two or three columns are threadlike. The flowers of the water star are inconspicuous and small; they are pollinated by means of a water current. So the water washes the pollen from the male flowers, transfers it to the female ones. The color of the petals is greenish, so the flowers stand out little in the deciduous mass.
When ripe, the fruit of the bog plant begins to disintegrate into two pairs of single-seeded fruit. In diameter, they reach a little more than 1 mm. The seeds have a juicy epidermis (skin). The flow of water helps them to spread for reproduction - this property is called hydrochorium. Despite the short life cycle, bog bogs actively reproduce by seeds, which allows them to stay in the same place for a long time.
The main period of active growing season in Krasovlosska stretches from spring to autumn, that is, as long as the body of water and air allows it. The process of both flowering and fruiting occurs in the period from June to September. Usually the plant is used for landscaping home natural ponds or artificially created reservoirs. Water asterisk thickets provide excellent shelter for many species of fish and their fry. And also the green mass looks great as a background for other garden plantings, characterized by brighter flowers. However, one should remember about some aggressiveness of this aquatic plant, since it tends to grow, displacing other plantings in the reservoir. Swamps can not only decorate a pond, but also purify the water in it.
Plant care tips, bog cultivation
- Choosing a landing site. It is recommended that the plant receives a small amount of direct sunlight per day, so it is better to plant a water asterisk in a western or southern location. However, when the heat is too high, especially in the summer afternoon, shading is recommended in the latter direction. Although, in full shade, the Krasovlok will not die. When using a water star to decorate ponds, it is required that there is no strong current in it, since only standing water will contribute to the growth. When planting in an artificial reservoir, it is recommended to place the plant away from the pumping device. If the bog species is amphibious, then the landing site should be well moistened, flooded banks of streams, ponds or lakes are suitable, where it is possible to tolerate even a slight drought.
- Content temperature. Although the plant is frost-resistant, heat indicators in the range of 18-25 degrees are considered optimal for it.
- Councils for the choice of soil. When planting a bog plant, they try to choose a light (this can be sandy), medium (for example, loam) or heavy clay soil. But Krasovlok shows the best growth if the soil is rich in trace elements and nutrients.
- Watering. When the plant is grown on the ground, it should not dry out, especially in the summer heat. For this, it is recommended to irrigate more than once every three days.
- Planting a water asterisk plant in the reservoir is carried out in a frost-free period, which should be within 13 weeks, despite the frost resistance of some species. This is because the bushes must be able to adapt and root well. The depth to which the bog plant is planted should be 15–20 cm, and occasionally 30 cm.
- Fertilizers. The Krasovlaska also shows its undemandingness here, as it has enough nutrients that come from the water. You can occasionally carry out fertilizing with fertilizers such as Uniflor Aqua, Uniflor Micro, released in liquid form. Also popular are Tetra and Florastim Fe (a source of chelated iron).
- General advice on care. Since the water sprocket has a high growth rate, it is recommended to thin out its plantings and organize barriers for it so that it does not fill up the surrounding space too much.
Recommendations for the reproduction of the bog plant
A plant for reservoirs, a water asterisk can be propagated both by cuttings and division of an overgrown bush, and by seeds.
When using the vegetative method (cuttings), the workpiece must be cut off from the shoot. It is important when choosing a branch and part for grafting so that it does not have wounds or injuries caused by fish or ducks. After that, the stalk is simply planted in the ground at the bottom of the reservoir or aquarium, while no additional care is needed, since soon the stalk will form roots and the young bog will begin to activate growth. Almost 100% of the planted cuttings take root.
To divide an overgrown water star bush, you can use both the water and the aerial part. With the cut, you need to grab an earthen lump and transplant it into a container, and then place it in a new place. It is desirable that the environment be similar to the one in which the plant grew before. If the bog variety is aquatic, it is recommended to attach a weight to the rhizome and lower it into the water. It can simply be dropped into a container, which is then placed under the surface of the water.
In seed propagation, plays a role when the seeds are obtained. If it is winter, then actions should be taken to preserve the seed until spring days. For this, a cool place is selected. This can be the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, with heat indicators of 5 degrees. But if you plan to plant greenery in the aquarium, then sowing can be done without delay. Such an artificial "reservoir" is created even without an aquarium. Any small container is used, at the bottom of which the aquarium soil is laid. It can be, for example, Power Sand Special M from ADA or DeponitMix (Dennerle). Then a small amount of water is poured to form a kind of "swamp" in which the seeds of the bog bog are planted. They need to be submerged and then watered again with great care. As soon as the outdoor temperature is set above zero, the grown plants can be transferred to the open air in the reservoir.
If the seeds were preserved, then they are planted when the ice on the reservoir is frozen and you can get to the bottom soil.
When you purchase an adult bog plant, then it is planted immediately to a permanent place (if weather conditions allow) from the beginning of spring to September. They try to carry out a good deepening so that the root system is covered with a high quality substrate. And here you can please flower growers, as the krasovlaska quickly adapts and begins to grow. After a couple of weeks, young leaves unfolded can be seen. Further, if the temperature indicators are favorable, the plant will begin to bloom and after the ripening of the fruits, self-seeding will occur.
Possible difficulties in caring for a bog plant
When growing a water asterisk in reservoirs, ducks are a big problem, for which the plant is a delicacy. Therefore, it is recommended to organize protection for bog plantings. Also, a problem even without waterfowl will be harmful insects and their larvae, which can eat up young leaves and the plant gradually dies. Especially in summer, cricotopus mosquitoes (Cricoto-pus), iridescent sawflies (Rhadinoceraea micans), caddisflies (Trichoptera) and many other species of insects like to lay their eggs on leaf plates. The larvae of these pests begin to eat away at the soft parts of the leaf plates, which leads to the death of the bog. To prevent such troubles when growing a plant in containers, you can remove the containers and rinse the Krasovylok leaf plates under water jets. Florists can use insecticides, but if there are animals in the reservoir, their use is impossible due to toxicity.
Facts to note about the bog, photo of the plant
A little earlier, all plants from the Bolotnik genus were distinguished into a separate Bolotnikovye family, or as they call it the Krasovlaskovye (Callitrichaceae). And only following the data of the APG II (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group) system, meaning the system of taxa of flowering plants, which was developed by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group and presented in print in 2003, did the transition take place.
Types of aquatic plants swamp
Antarctic bog (Callitriche antarctica). It grows near water bodies, in those areas that are swampy or flooded. The stems are distinguished by abundant branching, they are distinguished by rapid rooting at the nodes. The leaf plates are alternate, their size is small, only 0.5 cm long. The leaf shape is spatulate. Most often it is a native plant for islands located in the subarctic belt. The flowering process takes the period from late spring to September.
Short-fruited bog (Callitriche cophocarpa). It is a herbaceous perennial plant that grows mainly in the aquatic environment. Rosettes are assembled from narrow leaf plates at the tops of the branches. The length of the leaf is about 3 cm. Leaf rosettes usually float on the surface of the water surface. Differs in high decorativeness and resistance to winter temperature drop. Flowers bloom from May to early autumn.
Bordered bog (Callitriche marginata). It prefers to grow in natural conditions on silty soils near water bodies of the North American territories. The stems are filiform, their tops are crowned with leaf rosettes. Small sheet plates. The entire stem, except for the top of the leaves, is practically devoid. Because of this structure, the thickets of this variety, which protrude above the surface of the water, resemble tangled strings.
Marsh bog (Callitriche cophocarpa). This species has the most decorative qualities among all members of the genus. Rooting occurs at a depth of 30 cm. If the water level in the reservoir fluctuates, then this does not affect the growth of shoots and foliage at all. Leaf plates with elliptical outlines, their lengths are different, with their help, highly decorative leaf rosettes are formed, which crown the tops of the shoots and float on the surface of the water. With their shape, the rosettes are very reminiscent of stars, which gave the plant its second name "water asterisk". Greenish nondescript flowers bloom on shoots from mid-spring to September.
Pond bog (Callitriche stagnalis). Herbaceous aquatic plant with a long life cycle. The length of the stems can reach 40 cm. On the shoots, rounded leaf plates unfold, which form floating leaf rosettes on the surface of the water surface. The shape of the leaves, which are in the water column, is distinguished by lanceolate outlines.
Zavolzhsky bog (Callitriche transvolgensis). A herbaceous annual that prefers to grow in shallow water in ponds. Occasionally it can even be found in reservoirs with slightly brackish water. This species is endangered, therefore it is listed in the Red Book of the Volgograd region.
Terrestrial bog (Callitriche terrestris). It is an aquatic plant of delicate outlines, which in nature prefers to settle in swamps in North America. It was in the USA that this type of krasovlaska was first used for landscaping aquariums, and at that time it was called by mistake the Three-stalker (Elatine americana or Elatine triandra). Can also be used to decorate open ponds or lakes.
Swamp video:
