Description of reeds, its cultivation on the banks of natural and artificial reservoirs, reproduction and transplantation, pests and diseases, interesting facts, species. Reed (Scirpus) belongs to the genus of plants with both perennial and one-year growing periods. Basically, these are coastal water representatives of the green world of the planet. They are part of the Sedge family, called Cyperaceae in Latin, and a large number of monocotyledonous plants are also included. It is very difficult to enumerate native places where reeds are found in nature, since it grows on all lands of the planet, except for the Arctic. In the genus, there are up to forty of its varieties, and in Russia there are about twenty-two species.
The reed has its name because of the soft and pliable stems, which have long been familiar to people for their properties, and the word "scirpus" comes from the concept of "weave" or "knit". On the lands of the "old lady" of Great Britain, such plants are named "cat's tail" and are considered a very good omen if a reed with a green head is found. On the islands of Britain, reeds were believed to bring good luck and have healing and protective properties. But in Egypt and the pages of the Old Testament, this plant was called a reed, and it was believed that the basket, which served as a bed for the baby Moses, was woven from reed stalks. And there we can see the moment where the baby was sent across the river in a basket of reeds to save him from death. The mention of a child in a reed basket launched on the waters of the river is also present in ancient Greek mythology.
Reed is a perennial with rather large indicators in height, they can reach 2.5 meters. The rhizome in some species is tuberous, which allows the plant to quickly spread and form whole thickets. But basically the rhizome is devoid of such formations. The stem can be either cylindrical or triangular in shape. The flowers that form on reed stems are bisexual, complex-spike-shaped, from which inflorescences are collected in the form of umbrellas, panicles, or can take capitate contours. The inflorescences are apical, but their location from the side seems to be lateral. They are highly branched. Spikelets are made up of many flowers, their color is blackish-green, can be rusty or red-brown in color, from one to five glomeruli are collected from them. The fruit is a nutlet with flattened or triangular outlines.
Tips for growing reeds in your backyard
- Location and lighting for reeds. When planting this plant, which strongly loves increased soil moisture, it is important that the substrate is with neutral or slightly acidic acidity. And also for landing, a place is selected in shallow water. Reeds grow best when they have full sunlight, but species of forest and rooting reeds will be able to withstand light shading. These varieties are more demanding in growth than the species of this family. Their growth rate is slower and they are less prone to overgrowth. If the water level drops too much, then with growth in the territory of central Russia, this threatens the freezing of the above-described varieties. If the shore is swampy, then it is possible to plant varieties of reeds with stems with leaves on it. When planting, they are flooded to a depth of no more than 20 cm. If the plant has a bare stem, then it is usually kept in a flooded state, and the depth for lake reeds, as well as Tabernemontana and the "Albescens" variety, can reach a meter. All other species are best grown in shallow water, where the penetration rates will vary between 10-30 cm. If they are planted in the coastal zone, then such plants are limited, since they are prone to creeping, then they should be immersed in the water in planting containers.
- General care. Representatives of the Osokov family, and not only reeds, are quite unpretentious plants when grown in culture. However, there is a problem of their growth due to too long rhizomes or spread by self-seeding. Especially should be given in this regard to the variety of rooting reeds, which can throw their stems into other containers in the neighborhood. With the arrival of late autumn, the plants require cutting.
Rules for self-propagation of reeds
You can get a new young plant "cat's tail" by sowing its seeds or dividing the rhizome. The division operation is carried out in spring or September.
When grown from seeds, reeds may lose their varietal properties. Seeds should be stratified for two months in a humid place with low heat. With the arrival of February-March, the seed material must be distributed over the surface of the substrate from moistened peat, humus and coarse sand (parts are equal). The container with crops is placed under glass or wrapped in plastic wrap and then placed in a tray with water. The germination temperature should be between 17-20 degrees. After a week, friendly sprouts appear. After cultivation, in 1–2 months, a dive is carried out, and with the arrival of June, young reeds can be planted in a permanent place of growth. Seeds of drooping reeds do not need to be stratified. Self-sowing, this plant can also reproduce.
When dividing the rhizome, the reed bush should be dug out, with the help of a sharp pruner or a knife, so divided into divisions so that each has developed roots and 1-2 buds of growth. Then these parts are immediately planted in a permanent place. Between them should be left up to half a meter, if the reed is large or up to 20-30 cm with a small size of the cut.
Difficulties in cultivating reeds
Basically, the reeds are quite resistant to harmful insects and diseases, but sometimes they are affected by spider mites or aphids. This is possible when the cultivation conditions become unfavorable: increased air dryness, excessive or poor soil moisture, keeping at low temperatures or when exposed to a draft. And since the reed reacts very badly to chemicals that could eliminate pests, it is better to create normal conditions for its growth and periodically inspect it. Otherwise, insecticides will have to be used.
Also, if the humidity is low, then the stems at the ends become brown. Spraying with warm water should be carried out and if the cultivation is indoor, then you can put a pot of reeds in a pan with water poured into it.
Reed: interesting facts about the plant
Since there is a large amount of starch in the rhizomes of reeds, they have been dried for a long time and made flour. Reed leaves are often used to weave multiple household items, such as rugs, mats, baskets and shopping bags. It can also be used to decorate wickerwork made of willow twigs (vines). If you cut them in July, then they remain green, while the August and September cut will reward the leafy reed plates with a rich yellowish color. In this case, the reeds are cut and dried from the water surface at a distance of 10–15 cm. In order for the material to remain elastic and with a beautiful color, drying takes place in the shade. Reed stems and leaves are often used as fuel.
Back in the 20th century, it was customary to use reeds for the manufacture of reed concrete - a building material based on some kind of binding agent (cement or gypsum). But this was mainly the case in rural construction. Alcohol and glycerin can be obtained from it, and is often used in papermaking.
It happened that the reeds were mistakenly called cattails or reeds, but these are completely different representatives of the flora. But, despite this, in the Turkic language, it is the "reed" that is called the reed - Qamis, in Azerbaijani. This example of the green world is also known in folk medicine because of its astringent, sedative, as well as enveloping, diuretic and hemostatic properties. It is used in the treatment of diarrhea, urolithiasis, dysentery and epilepsy. Also, folk healers prescribe preparations based on reeds for burns, boils, spider bites, vomiting, gastroenterocolitis, pyelonephritis and dispensations.
Reed types
- Lake reed (Scirpus lacustris) is a perennial plant with a height of 100–250 cm. Likes to settle in brightly lit areas. Prefers shallow water reservoirs for growth, as well as areas of rivers, lakes, where the water is mostly stagnant or slow flowing. Basically, its depth varies within 50-100 cm, soils are different. The thickets formed by this reed are clean. The native growing area is very extensive. It has a thickened rhizome, with a creeping shape, its color is dark brown. Because of such roots, this species has the ability to grow extensively into real thickets. The leaves are so reduced (reduced) that it can be considered that they are absent. All the functions that the leaf plates perform were taken over by the plant stem. It has a cylindrical shape, the color is green, the surface is smooth, it varies in thickness from 1.5 to 2 cm. Due to the multiple air cavities, the stem has a loose structure, at its base there are sheaths with a brownish color. There is a fairly developed aerenchyma in the stem; this is the name of the airway tissue. In the stem, part of the epidermis cells have bulging outlines, and this is a protective layer for it, so that the stomata contained there are not wetted with water. When flowering, an inflorescence is formed with a paniculate shape, its length is 5–8 cm. It has branches of different lengths, with a rough surface, which carry spikelets collected in bunches. Spikelets have oblong-ovate outlines and a sharp tip up to 8-10 mm long. The scales have a reddish-brown hue, their outlines are ovoid, ciliated along the edge, and their outer side is smooth. A nutlet matures in a gray tone, with an obovate shape, also its contours have a flattened triangularity, its length is 3 mm. Flowering occurs between July and August.
- Forest reed (Scirpus silvaticus). The height of this variety can vary in the range of 40–120 cm. There is a short rhizome from which the shoots originate. The stem has an erect appearance, its surface is bluntly triangular, at the top it becomes rough. Sheet plates are located along the entire length. The length of the leaves reaches 20 cm, the width is about 2 cm. The leaves have elongated sheaths, the edge is rough, the outlines are flat, there is a keel on the reverse side. During flowering, an inflorescence with well-developed branching is formed, its contours are ovoid, in length it can reach up to 20 cm. At the base of the inflorescence 3-4 petals of the bracts grow. Twigs located at the ends with a rough surface, and they carry 3-5 spikelets. The shape of such spike-shaped processes is ovoid, with a blunt apex, they reach 3-4 mm in length. They have scales with oblong-ovoid outlines, with a point at the tip, painted in a black-greenish tone. The nut has obovate outlines, and it is no more than 1 mm in length. Flowering occurs in the second half of June or early July days. The fruits begin to ripen in August. The native area of growth is in the European part, as well as in the lands of the Caucasus, all of Siberia and the Far East. It prefers to settle in swampy and very wet meadows, along the swampy banks of waterways, in ditches and oxbows, does not bypass cutting and damp woodlands.
- Rooting reed (Scirpus radicans). It is a perennial plant, reaching a height of 40–120 cm. It has a shortened rhizome. The stems grow in two varieties: one is flowering and erect; the latter are colorless, have an arched bend, inclined to the soil and can easily root at the top. The flowering stems are very similar to the species of forest reeds. The flowering process takes place in the month of July. In the conditions of its natural environment, it prefers to settle in the shallow waters of reservoirs, as well as where there are rivers, lakes, this reed has not bypassed damp meadows and marshy areas. The distribution area falls on the territory of the Far East, all regions of Siberia and on the lands of the European part of Russia.
- Tibernemontana reed (Scirpus Tabernaemontani). The height varies from one meter to one and a half. The thickness of the stem is often measured 1, 5 cm. At its base there are sheaths, devoid of plates. The inflorescence is formed of a compressed paniculate shape and up to 5 cm in length. The spikelets have oblong-ovate outlines, they do not exceed 7 mm in length, and grow to a minimum of 4. The scales, which are located on the outside, are covered with warts, painted with a purple-brown color. The nut has a greenish-brown shade, it is flat-convex in shape, its length does not exceed 2 mm. In all other respects, it resembles a type of lake reed. The flowering process occurs in July-August. The native area of natural distribution falls on all regions of the globe, except for the Arctic. They settle mainly in shallow water in water reservoirs, as well as lakes, ponds, rivers, can grow in ditches and marshy areas with fresh or salt water.
- Bristle reed (Scirpus setaceus). The native area of distribution falls on the territory of Europe, the lands of the Caucasus and southwestern Siberia, he did not ignore India, Central and Western Asia. Likes to settle on damp sand along the shores of water bodies, where there are warm temperate or subtropical climatic zones. It is an annual plant, which can reach from 3 to 20 cm in height. Stems grow a lot, they are thin with very narrow leaves. The number of spikelets varies from 1 to 4, they gather in a bunch, crowning the top of the stem. The bracts are single and larger than the inflorescence. The scales that cover it are painted in a dark purple color, and the green stripe present on them. The flowering process occurs in the month of May.
- Sea reed (Scirpus maritimus). It has a creeping rhizome and a long life cycle. The height of the stems ranges from half a meter to one meter. The leaf plates are linear and reach 3–8 mm in height. At the top of the shoot, a dense inflorescence with a star-umbellate shape is formed. The color is brown. Basically, with its help, landscaping of areas with saline soil is carried out.
- Peaked reed (Scirpus mucronatus). The native area of distribution falls on the southern lands of the Russian regions. There, this plant grows in the form of a perennial, while very dense bushy thickets are formed, reaching a height of 70 cm. But this reed does not spread much. Spikelets are arranged in a compacted group. The stems have a light greenish color, in the upper part of their outline with well-defined three edges, and the bracts look the same, which is located so that it creates the feeling of a continuation of the stem.
