Description of the bryony plant, advice on growing a step on a summer cottage and indoors, how to propagate, a note to a florist, possible difficulties in leaving, types. Bryonia (Bryonia) can be found in various sources under the name of the Cross. The plant belongs to the family of dicotyledonous representatives of the flora (they have a pair of oppositely located cotyledons in their embryos) Pumpkin (Cucurbitaceae). If you rely on information that was gleaned from the site The Plant List, presented in 2013, then the genus contains 9 varieties. The native lands of growth for them are the territories of the Mediterranean, the western regions of Eurasia, the south of Asian regions, the north of the African continent and the Canary Islands. It is used in cultivation in the south of Russia, in Kazakhstan, Belarus and Ukraine. It prefers to settle there on ravine slopes, forest edges, among bushes, or decorate the foot of hedges or walls.
| Family name | Pumpkin |
| Life cycle | Perennial |
| Growth features | Herbaceous |
| Reproduction | Seed and vegetative (cuttings or division of the bush) |
| Landing period in open ground | Rooted cuttings or seedlings are planted in the fall |
| Substrate | Drained and fertile |
| Soil acidity | Neutral, slightly acidic or alkaline |
| Illumination | Open area with bright lighting or partial shade |
| Moisture indicators | Watering is abundant, but moisture stagnation is undesirable, it is recommended to use drainage |
| Special Requirements | Unpretentious |
| Plant height | 4-6 m |
| Color of flowers | Yellowish white, yellowish green |
| Type of flowers, inflorescences | Male flowers are racemose, female flowers are corymbose. |
| Flowering time | June July |
| Decorative time | Spring-summer |
| Place of application | Vertical gardening or cushioning |
| USDA zone | 5–9 |
According to one version, the plant got its name in Latin thanks to the Greek word "brio", which meant to bloom, blossom or start branches. In pharmacognosy (this is the name of one of the teachings of pharmaceutics, which studies drugs) Biruni, who is an encyclopedic scientist of Central Asia, bryony is called a "vine", apparently, the impetus for this was the foliage shape very similar to the grape. And also the presence of antennae, with the help of which the plant can rise by branches along any possible support. Due to the fact that the rhizome has the shape of a little man, Bryonia is popularly called "Adam's root", based on the fact that the first man bore the name Adam.
Also, the plant has many other terms that are associated with the toxicity of the fruit (for example, in Ukraine it is called "nechipay-zilla"), and due to the fact that the parts are used to treat many diseases, then serpentine grass, paralytic turnip, taramyshek -grass and many others.
All types of bryony are perennials, have a herbaceous form of growth. The root is rather thick, which takes on a peculiar shape and is somewhat similar to the roots of mandrake or ginseng. The stems are thin, very similar to lianas, along the entire length of which there are tendrils, allowing them to be attached to any ledge on a support (wall, fence or tree). Shoots can be up to 4–6 meters long. Leaves with lobed or divided outlines unfold on the stems. The color of the foliage is rich, from dark to bright green. Each leaf is attached to an elongated petiole, the latter on the shoot are arranged in the next order. The entire leaf surface is covered with short, hard fibers.
When blooming, buds with yellowish-white or yellowish-green flowers open. Axillary inflorescences are formed from the flowers. Bryony is a dioecious plant: male flowers gather in racemose inflorescences, while female flowers form scutes. There are usually five petals in the corolla of a flower, while green veins stand out in a more saturated color against the general background. Flowering begins with the arrival of summer and lasts up to 30 days.
After pollination in August, fruits are formed in the form of small spherical berries, the diameter of which is 0.7-1 cm. The understep has a fruit colored black, red or greenish. The shell of the bryony berry is thin. The fruits are particularly poisonous.
Since all the decorativeness of the Adam's root falls on the summer period, the plant is used for vertical gardening. Its stems are used to decorate fences, pillars of arches or gazebos, balcony walls, or form hedges with their help. If the shoots are not tied up, then, creeping along the soil surface, they can create lush cushion thickets. At the end of the summer months, drying and yellowing of foliage and stems begins, the decorativeness of the serpent grass is lost. It is during the period of flowering and ripening of fruits that the plant is most beautiful, since it begins to decorate the garden plots with one of the first representatives of the flora, since its growth begins with the onset of spring.
Step: tips for caring for and growing a plant in a summer cottage and indoors
- Location. When growing, Bryony does not require special conditions, it will suit both a sunny place in the garden and a light partial shade. For indoor maintenance, you can put a pot with a plant on the windowsill of the east or west direction, if the room is south, it is recommended to hang curtains on the window or move the plant 1–2 meters away from the window into the room. It is necessary to provide several hours of direct sunlight, but complete shading will negatively affect the growth of this vine.
- The choice of soil. Serpentine grass grows well on any soil. But a fertile substrate with neutral, slightly acidic or alkaline acidity is suitable for it.
- Watering. The overgrowth does not tolerate drought very well, a riot of deciduous mass will be only with sufficient moisture in the soil. If there is not enough moisture for it, growth will be greatly inhibited, and the foliage will wither. Moisten the soil as it dries from above. When cultivating in rooms, you need to ensure that the water does not stagnate after watering in a pot holder.
- Fertilizers. When planted in open ground or a pot, the plant will require additional fertilizing. Since the foliage begins to turn yellow in the fall, the drug "Emerald" is used, which will restore the green color of the leaf plates. During the entire growing season, it is necessary to use a universal mineral fertilizer, for example, "Kemira-Universal". The frequency of feeding is once every two weeks, the drug is dissolved in water for irrigation. If the overgrowth is grown indoors, then such dressings should be year-round. Liana responds well to the use of organic matter.
- Landing. Since the roots of the perestroika, growing, begin to take up a lot of space, then when growing this liana in indoor conditions, you should immediately choose a spacious and massive container (for example, a pot, tub or floor box). A good drainage layer must be laid at the bottom of the planting container, which will protect the roots from waterlogging. If the plant is purchased and it is planned to keep it in the rooms, then it is possible not to transplant it, but only to add new soil. To make the bryony bush look more decorative, it is recommended to plant several plants nearby. After planting, the vine is watered a few days later, and after a month, you can apply top dressing. Before planting in open ground, it is recommended to loosen the substrate and apply organic fertilizer to it, as well as mulch the soil around the bush with peat or compost.
- General advice on care. To prevent the plant from freezing, it is necessary to organize its shelter for the winter using spunbond. With the arrival of spring, the too-elongated shoots of the Adam's root are shortened, while only 1/3 of their length should be left. After each watering, it is recommended to loosen the soil and carry out weeding from weeds.
- The use of a stepping stone in landscape design. Since the liana grows rather quickly, if comfortable conditions are provided to it, then with the help of its shoots, you can plant trees and vegetables in unsightly areas in the personal plot.
Step: how to reproduce
To get a new plant of Adam's root, it is necessary to sow its seeds or apply a vegetative method (cuttings or division of an overgrown bush).
Seeds are sown in a prepared place with the arrival of autumn, so that they undergo natural stratification under the cover of snow and the effect of low temperatures. Before sowing seeds, the soil is subject to thorough digging and fertilization. Seeds sown before winter, as soon as the soil warms up in spring, germinate amicably and do not require special care. Occasionally, seedlings are grown with the help of seeds, but in this case stratification will be required. So for 1-2 months they are placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and then planted in May. This method is not very popular, since the seed material quickly loses its germination capacity and it is advisable to place it in the soil immediately after collection. Seedlings obtained by the seedling method are transplanted to a permanent place in the garden only with the arrival of September.
It is better to choose a place, immediately thinking over all the details, so as not to disturb the young bryony with a transplant later. Also, paralytic turnip reproduces easily by self-seeding. If a young growth appears next to the mother bush, then with the arrival of autumn it can be dug up and transplanted to a new place. In September, the tuberous rhizome is divided. The seedlings are immediately provided with support, which they will braid with their shoots.
Flower grower notes about the bryony plant
The first mentions of bryony can be found in the works of Hippocrates and Ibn Sina, the great physicians of antiquity. The last physician advised the use of a dizziness step, treat snakebites, epilepsy, cough and kidney disease.
Important to remember
All parts of bryony are highly poisonous. This should be taken into account when planting the creeper; it should not be in places where children can reach. After working with the Adam's root, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Decoctions were prepared from the aerial part and the flowers of the perestroika, squeezed juice or infusions were taken. The roots can be used fresh if steamed well.
Possible difficulties about bryony when leaving
It is clear that due to its poisonous properties, the step does not attract harmful insects, however, the problem arises from the caterpillars of the cabbage whites. This pest eats up the foliage of the Adam's root, and the plant quickly dies. To combat this insect, it is recommended to regularly inspect the plantings of grass, and if pupae or adults are found, then you need to perform treatment with Fitoverm or Kenmix preparations, or with agents with a similar spectrum of action.
It is noteworthy that serpentine grass is not susceptible to diseases. However, the following troubles arise when cultivating it:
- stretching of shoots and large distances between nodes, due to which foliage becomes very sparse, occurs due to insufficient lighting or when the plant lacks nutrients;
- yellowing of leaf plates with their subsequent drying out, most often due to prolonged drought.
Description of species of bryony
White Bryonia (Bryonia alba) is also referred to as White Bryony. The native area of natural distribution falls on the lands of Central Asia and the European part of Russia, this species is not uncommon in the Mediterranean and Western European regions.
The tuberous rhizome is hibernating, characterized by fleshy outlines, large in size. In warm climates, it can reach a weight of 6 kg. If the root is broken, then its color at the break is whitish, but the outside color is yellowish. There is an unpleasant specific odor. The stems are liana-like, flexible, thin, climbing, easily rising along the supports to a height of up to 6 m. There are antennae on the shoots that help to fix on any ledge. The number of such whip-like branches directly depends on the age of the plant.
The leaf plates are medium in size, their color is dark green. Five-lobed outlines, there is a slight pubescence, formed by hard, sparse villi. During flowering, axillary small heterosexual flowers are formed, gathering in inflorescences. Male buds form into racemose inflorescences, female buds form shields. The color of the five petals is yellowish-gray with green veins. The flowering process falls on the period July-August. The flower is quintuple, the petals are serrated. After pollination, black juicy round berries, covered with a thin skin, ripen. The number of fruits is large, they serve as a decorative decoration for the vine. The diameter of the berries can vary between 7-8 mm. Inside the berries there are seeds of a black tone, they have an asymmetric shape and a diameter that reaches only 0.5 cm. A very poisonous plant.
Bryonia dioica (Bryonia dioica) is also dioecious. It differs from the previous species in berries of a bright red color, very rarely the fruits are yellow, the color of the seed is light gray. Berries ripen only on plants with female flowers, but representatives with male flowers should grow nearby for pollination. Native lands are located in the more southern territories. The root can be up to 75 cm long with almost the same diameter. The stems are 2–4 meters long. Foliage with division into palmate lobes, there are 5–7 of them, the shape of the lobes is angular, with a jagged edge. Flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences. The color of the petals is pale yellow.
It is curious that the juice of this variety is very toxic to humans and can provoke even deaths, while the seeds, on the contrary, can be used for food, which is what residents of Western European regions use when preparing culinary starchy dishes.
Bryonia aspera. Stem pubescent to glabrous, 2–4 m long; plant is dioecious. The leaf plate is heart-ovate, reaching 6–12 cm in length, with almost the same width. Usually has 5 blades. The shape of the latter is triangular, with a pointed apex. Both surfaces have short hairy pubescence. The petiole is also pubescent, its length is 3, 3–10 cm. The corolla of the flower is yellow. The petals are ovoid, their apex is blunt. The fruit ripens in the form of a spherical berry. Its color is greenish, but over time the color changes to red or yellow. The surface is smooth. The diameter is 8–10 mm. Seeds inside a yellow shade, fine-grained, reaching 4–6 mm in length, with a width of about 4–5 mm.
Bryonia monoica (Bryonia monoica). The stem and branches are bare. Leaves are rounded, 3–10 cm long, notched, glabrous, the lower surface is often glaucous. There is a division into finger lobes, of which there are 5–7 pieces, the segments are oval-oblong. Flowers are monochromatic or dioecious. Male flowers in brushes of 12-30 colors; stem 10–25 cm in length, filiform pedicels, 10–15 mm in length. The calyx is narrowed, conical, 7–8 mm wide, with a short glandular base. Corolla deep, 5-lobed; lobes are oval-triangular, sharp, yellowish-green. Female flowers in simple or branched racemes, 1–8 cm long; pedicels 2–6 mm long. Fruits are no more than 6–7 mm in length. Seeds are yellow or dark brown, up to 6 mm long and 2.5 mm thick.
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