General differences between cortuza and the origin of the name, agricultural technology when growing in the garden, how to propagate a plant, difficulties and ways to solve them, types. Cortusa has been classified by botanists as a genus of flowering plants that are part of the Primulaceae family. There are several varieties of this representative of the flora, but there are sources that claim that this genus is monotypic, containing only one species - Cortusa matthioli. But, despite this, there is an assertion that even on the territory of the lands of the former USSR, up to 10 varieties can be found, which are still poorly studied by botanists. Basically, you can contemplate them on the territory of the mountainous regions of Southern and Eastern Europe, namely in the Alps and the Carpathians, but there are species that are a frequent visitor to Chinese lands.
Kortusa received its scientific name in honor of the Italian botanist - Giacomo Antonio Cortusi (1513-1603), who served as director and curator of the oldest European botanical garden, located in the city of Padua (Italy). This scientist is also known for his medical practice and work on the systematics of wildlife. In the people you can hear how this plant is called cave grass, zarzhitsa or lechukha.
Kortuza is a perennial with small parameters in height and a herbaceous appearance, often in nature, plants form colorful clumps with their thickets. They are effectively decorated with leafy plates of fluffy outlines, shaded with a light green color scheme. The shape of the leaves is cordate with a serrated edge.
When early spring comes, these herbaceous thickets are decorated with loose inflorescences, crowning the stems, and having an umbrella shape. They are collected from flowers with a bell-shaped or lily-shaped corolla. The buds are located on peduncles that can reach a height of 15–20 cm. The color of the petals in the flowers is yellow, whitish, but can be pinkish or purple. When ripe, a box of oblong contours appears, which can exceed the corolla in length.
Some varieties are cultivated specifically to decorate stone gardens or flower beds located in shade.
Recommendations for growing corcuses, care
- Selection of the landing site. Whatever one may say, but this representative of the Primroses family feels great at an average level of illumination, if we take into account the places of natural growth of the cortex. She can easily transfer partial shade. If the flower was planted in a flower bed, where the sun shines all day and its rays, especially in the summer noon, will become destructive, and the owner is advised to take care of the abundant moisture of the substrate. However, as practice shows, a lechukha, planted in a well-lit place, pleases with an abundance of flowers and their brighter color. The landing site is selected without the proximity of groundwater, otherwise, so that the cortusa does not suffer from flooding, expanded clay and sand are laid on the bottom of the hole during planting.
- Content temperature. If we take into account the unpretentiousness of the plant, then this is reflected in the heat indicators during its cultivation. However, for successful growth and flowering, the best temperature range is within 17-21 degrees. The plant absolutely does not tolerate the action of a draft (this must be taken into account when choosing a planting site) and frosts. For the winter, be sure to wrap the owner with agrofibre or loose branches of coniferous trees.
- Watering it is carried out often, especially with the advent of the period of growth activation, since the cortusa is a rather moisture-loving representative of the flora. Particular attention should be paid to moistening the soil when the plant is in a well-lit place in direct sunlight. It is still recommended to water the zarzhitsa in the early morning or with the arrival of evening time, since the moisture will not evaporate from the surface and in the depths of the soil for a longer time, and the plant will have time to consume its required amount. In the spring-summer period, it is necessary to irrigate two or three times during the week. When cold weather comes, the watering gradually decreases until it stops completely. When growing kortuza, it should be remembered that both waterlogging of the soil and its complete drying are equally harmful to the plant.
- Air humidity it is required with increased rates, since the places where in nature one can find leukha are characterized by the proximity of waterways (rivers or streams). Its level should be within 60–70%. If a strong heat sets in and the owner does not try to help his plant to overcome this time with the help of spraying, then the release of buds, and then foliage, is inevitable. Irrigation can be carried out even with cold tap water - this is not a hindrance to the cortuse. Such "shower procedures" should be performed from the very early morning or closer to sunset, as the water drops will have time to evaporate and will not cause burns to the leaves.
- Fertilizers for this curative and unpretentious representative of the Primroses, it should be applied regularly. Despite the fact that under the conditions of natural growth, cortusa grows on impoverished soils. It is the addition of humus and calcium to the substrate during planting that will guarantee further active growth and flowering. Full mineral complexes should also be applied periodically, especially during bud formation and flowering.
- Zarzhitsa transplant. The plant is not bad for temporary changes in the location of growth, since a long period in one place leads to overgrowth. A flower transplant is carried out with great care, since damage to the root system will entail the death of the cortex. After the plant has been moved to a new location, it should be watered abundantly. Such procedures for changing the place must be carried out every three years so that the distance between the plants is up to 20 cm.
- Some features of the care of the healer. Since the plant creates growing green clumps, it can serve as an ornament in the form of flowering rugs or thickets. The cortusa looks spectacular because of its height and small size of flowers, bright color. The leaves are harvested for medicinal use. With the arrival of late autumn, the bushes of the plant should be carefully covered with agrofibre or spruce branches so that freezing does not occur.
Steps for breeding cortiza at home
You can get a new zarzhitsa plant by sowing seed or dividing the rhizome.
Seedlings are not very demanding, and it is possible to wait for flowering in the second year of their growth. In order for the seeds to hatch more amicably, it is recommended to carry out cold stratification, that is, to place them on the lower shelf of the refrigerator at a temperature of 5 degrees for a month. In one place, the cortex cannot grow for a long time, since it loses its decorative effect and requires a transplant. The distance between plants is maintained at about 20 cm.
If sowing seeds is carried out in the autumn, it is recommended to cover them with a film, the soil should be loose and nutritious.
When dividing the rhizome of an overgrown bush, it is removed from the ground by digging around. Then, using a well-sharpened knife, the root system is divided, but not into very small parts. Slices must be sprinkled with powdered charcoal or activated charcoal, and then planting the cut to a new place of growth.
Methods for dealing with pests and diseases annoying cortuza
The plant can occasionally be affected by diseases or harmful insects. If traces of pests or areas of decay are found, it is recommended to immediately spray with insecticidal preparations, and cut off the places with gil and treat with a fungicide.
Facts to note about the cortuse
Since the plant was given the name of the botanist Giacomo Cortuso, this was the first time such a name was given. Cortuso, being the director of the oldest European botanical garden, was friends with Aldrovandi, Mallioli, the Baugin brothers Johann and Casper, Clusius, Gesner Konrad, and also knew Matthias L'Obel, Dodoens and many other scientists involved in botany. There was correspondence between scientists and they sent each other rare species of flora, fossils, drawings, and more. It was for this help that Mattioli suggested that the scientific community give the name of Cortuso to one of the little-studied and rare representatives of the Primrose family, delighting with reddish or purple bell-shaped flowers. Carl Linnaeus, who was involved in the systematization of all the flora known at that time, gave Cortuza Mattiola the specific name, mentioned for the first time in the Genera Platarum edition.
If we talk about pharmaceuticals, then it mentioned the term Sanicula Montana. Since the cortusa bore a great similarity to the European Underwood (Sanicula europaea), this plant has been well known to healers for a long time, since it was used to heal wounds.
Since kortuza was often found in rocky and mountainous lands, for example, in the Perm province of Russia, the plant was called cave grass. If we refer to the statement of N. Annenkov, then there is also the popular name of zarzyc, which came from the Polish name zarzyczka, but there is no clear evidence of this. Also, if you recall one more name - lechukha, then it is loosely translated from pharmaceutical Latin, takes its origins from the word "sanare", which means "to heal."
Speaking about the medicinal effects of cortusa, it is worth mentioning that in the book of S. F. Gray, Supplement to the Pharmacopoeia, refers to the use of the Mattioli plant variety as a pain reliever and expectorant. The same N. I. Annenkov claims that in the robot A. P. Krylov, who was an ethnographer and was engaged in botanical activity "Proceedings of the Society of Naturalists at Kazan University", published in 1876, it was noted that the leaf plates of the cortex were successfully used to make teas for deafness, unconsciousness and epilepsy. Also dried they are worn on the body in the cross.
The plant is protected on the territory of the national park in Onega Pomorie and on the lands of the Chugsky reserve.
Types of corduses
Altai cortusa (Cortusa altaica) can also be referred to as Cortusa mongolica or Cortusa matthiolii L. Altaica. The native area of growth falls on the lands of Siberia and the North of the European part of Russia, and you can also find this species in the Urals, in Mongolia. Likes to settle on rocky surfaces in shade and on alpine lawns.
In a plant, the stem is 30 cm in height, it is thin, has both pubescence and a bare surface, glandular. The surface of the leaf plate on the upper side is covered with small cilia, or it is bare, the reverse side can also be covered with hairs, or they grow along the veins. The shape of the leaf is rounded-reniform, at the base it is broadly cordate, there is a division into 9-11 lobes with oval outlines, which are also dissected into three large acute-triangular denticles. The one in the center is longer and wider, the ones on the side. Each of them is divided into even smaller triangular teeth.
When flowering, a small number of flowers appear, which crown flowering stems of different lengths. The calyx can be up to 4–5 mm long, its outlines are broadly bell-shaped, and there are also triangular-shaped teeth, which are a quarter shorter than the entire length of the corolla; there is a sharp notch between the teeth. Corolla reaches a length of 10-16 mm, also broadly bell-shaped, suddenly tapering into a narrow tube. Its color is bright purple, up to half there is a dissection on the blades of a wide-oval contour, with a wide notch between the parts. The length of the stamens can only approach half the distance between the tube and the notch in the corolla. Ripens a box with an oval shape, which is twice the length of the calyx.
Cortusa mattioli (Cortusa matthiolii) is found under the name Cortusa pekinensis or Cortusa terkestanica. The plant is popularly named zarzhitsa. In natural nature, you can meet it on the lands of the European part of Russia. The species came to these territories due to the movement of the glacier along the mainland during the period of glaciation. Perennial herbaceous representative of the flora, which can form thickets up to 20-25 cm in height. The shape of the leaf plates is rounded, along the edge there are large denticles or the outlines can be lobed, with a diameter ranging from 4–8 cm. The surface is covered with thin hairs. During flowering, lilac or purple with pinkish buds are formed, from which inflorescences of 5-12 flowers are collected, crowning the tops of vertically growing flower-bearing stems. The flowering process takes place from May to June.
Cortusa brotheri (Cortusa brotheri Pax ex Lipski or Cortusa mattiolii var.brotheri). The native area of growth falls on the lands of Tan-Shan, the plant is found on the territory of the Terskey-Alatau ridge, as well as in the upper reaches of the Karabatkak River (translated as "Black mud" in Turkic), on the rocks. It has a long life cycle and a short rhizome. The height of the stems reaches 20 cm. The flowers have bell-shaped outlines and petals of a violet-pink color. Flowering falls in the month of May, and the fruits ripen in June or early July days.
Siberian cortusa (Cortusa sibsrica or Cortusa matthiolii sibirica) can also be found under the name Yakut cortusa (Cortusa jakutica). From the specific name it is clear that the native territories fall on the lands of Siberia and the Far East. Likes to settle in highly moistened rocky crevices, on the surface of mossy stones lying along the banks of streams or in the dense shade of dark coniferous forests.
In height, the stems can reach parameters of 40 cm, the surface has thick hairs. Leaf plates with a rounded or ovoid-kidney shape. Above, the leaf has weak pubescence or can grow naked, on the back side there are so many hairs that it seems that its color is grayish, in rare cases it is greenish. Leaf diameter varies within 5-6 cm, lobes with rounded or pointed contours. There is a serrated edge made of blunt or pointed elements, the petioles are narrow-winged.
The arrows of the flowers are thin, with protruding hairs or weak pubescence, the inflorescences are in the shape of umbrellas. The calyx reaches 5–6 mm in length, the surface is covered with light glandular veins. Up to its half there is an incision, teeth with sharp-lanceolate contours, which do not reach the notch of the corolla. There is a pointed notch between the teeth. The rim has a third incision made up of oval-shaped blades separated by a rounded notch. Blade length 10 mm, color red-violet. The corolla is funnel-shaped or bell-shaped. Filaments are spliced at the base, the column is longer than the corolla. The capsule is twice as long as the calyx, its shape is oblong.
See below what the cortosa looks like:
