In nature, this wonderful perennial of the Rosaceae family is represented by about fifty species. Some of them were introduced into culture, others can be seen as a weed on all continents of the globe with the exception of Antarctica, and still others were on the verge of extinction.
- Urban
- River
- Tamer
- Aleppo
- Fori
- Mountain
- Hybrid
- Chilean
- Rossa
- Triflorum
In everyday life, the plant is often called "Avens", "snake root", "vivishnik". People use rhizomes, foliage and flowers of some varieties in cooking, traditional medicine and even in industry. Consider a specific photo, what is a gravilat, which species and varieties are recommended for cultivation in the garden, and which are found in the names of drugs.
Urban
Gravilat urban (Géum urbánum) does not grow above 60 cm. In adverse dry conditions, its stems barely reach 30 centimeters in height.
The plant contains tannins, glycoside, essential oils, ascorbic acid, vitamin A, starch and gums. These components have a beneficial effect on the human body, therefore, people harvest culture as a medical raw material. Drugs based on it help to strengthen the immune system, heal wounds, stop bleeding, and also have a diaphoretic and astringent effect.
River
River Gravilat (Géum rivále) belongs to endangered species. You can find it in the weakly acidic forest lands, where it is always damp, soft and abundant in nutrients. Also, perennial is found on the banks of water bodies and in the coastal thickets. The grass is not recommended to tear, because it is listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.
This species, like other brethren, has a powerful creeping root system, upright maroon stalks with light branching and a dense pile. The length of the sprouts, depending on the conditions of germination, reaches from 25 to 80 cm. The leaves of the river gravilatum are also shaggy, with five legs, with uneven edges and long petioles.
Flowers drooping, resembling a small bell with wide purple-brown petals. Buds open somewhere in the last days of May and fade away after 20 days. In the middle of summer, a small purple achene begins to ripen on long spikelets with elongated pubescent fruits.
Tamer
Gravilat priuscheyny (Geum rivale) is one of the few species that are used for the decoration of garden ponds. Often perennial planted as a shading background culture, because its small flowers themselves do not cause interest. Externally, this stocky plant with straight tall stems of red and burgundy color and wrinkled basal feathery leaves. The culture begins to bloom in late spring. Then on the peduncles, which often develop up to 70 centimeters in height, small pink-cream flowers with red cups appear. When gravilatum blooms, splayed pistils remain on long legs. Over time, they form a shaggy seed.
The plant reproduces exclusively by the seed method. The spread of grains is facilitated by people and animals, because the long nozzles of the fruit easily cling to the shoes, clothes and wool of pets.For the species characteristic abundant self-seeding. Perennial is distinguished by its simplicity. In order to grow it in gardening conditions, it is necessary to have well-lit and semi-shady places with enough micronutrients and moisture in the soil.
- "Album" - is allocated with white flowers, with a diameter up to 2,5 cm.
- "Leonard's Variety" - attracts with abundant scarlet flowers.
- "Lionel Sox" - characterized by yellow.
Aleppo
Gravilat Aleppo (Geum aleppicum) known to many herbalists as a healing raw material. It is harvested in deciduous forests to stop bleeding, reduce fever, treat insomnia, epilepsy, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, inflammation of the throat and mouth, and abscesses. The culinary fond of grated dry roots, which have a spicy clove-cinnamon flavor. Pleasant powder is added to the pastry, and young leaves - in soups and salads. You can learn the grass from a distance, because its sturdy stems grow to 70 centimeters in height. Outwardly, they are straight, with a slightly reddish tinge and thick, hard pile. The leaves are basal, fastened on long petioles, consist of 3-6 pairs of wedge-shaped, strongly pubescent leaves. In May, numerous yellow flowers with a diameter up to 25 mm appear on the perennial long peduncles.
Fori
Fori Gravilat (Geum fauriei) is a very tall, branched perennial with a strong short rhizome, basal feathery foliage on the sticking fuzzy cuttings. In the last decade of May, small light yellow buds appear, with a diameter of up to 15 mm. Fruits globose, ripen in mid-summer. In the wild, the species is found in temperate latitudes in North America, as well as in Japan, China, Kamchatka, and the Kuril Islands. The perennial has high frost resistance and is completely undemanding on the conditions of cultivation.
Mountain
Mountain Gravilat (Geum montanum) is common in European countries. This is a herbaceous perennial plant, which is characterized by low stems (up to 30 cm), rough wrinkled foliage and a cup-shaped yellow flowers.At full disclosure, the buds barely reach 2.5 cm in diameter. They appear at the end of spring and fade in mid-June.
Florists often sow perennial in mixborders and rock gardens. At home cultivation, gravilat prefers sunny areas, does not like crowding, easily winters at 30-degree frosts and does not require special care, which attracts flora lovers.
Hybrid
Gravilat hybrid (Geum x hybridum) is a conditional species that combines all the piece-produced varieties and plant forms. Here you can find descendants of almost all known species, but most often there are derivatives of Chilean and bright red. Each hybrid is unique. Common in them only low frost resistance, undemanding to the soil and growing conditions. This group of perennials fell in love with gardeners for the elementary care and a wide range that will satisfy every taste.
Popular varieties are:
- Golden West - valued for large yellow flowers with oval wide petals.
- Fire Opal - stands out fiery purple terry flower buds.
- Ruby - characterized by medium-sized carmine flowers.
- Gladys Perry - contrasts favorably in mixborders due to the set of intense red colors.
- Mrs. J. Bredshaw - is the most promising and sought-after variety, because it has luxurious terry flowers of pale scarlet color.
Chilean
Chilian Gravilat (Geum chiloense) is characterized by developed shoots that extend to a length of 60 cm, with a socket of large non-pinnate leaf plates, a strong peduncle and purple-orange buds. The shape of the flowers is very similar to small roses. In diameter, they reach 3 cm. Perennial blooms in the last weeks of June and pleases with beautiful paniculate buds until late autumn. This is probably the most decorative of all the above listed.Due to the gorgeous foliage, the plant looks good both at the beginning of the growing season and at its peak. The species was cultivated about 200 years ago. Modern flower growers, thanks to the efforts of breeders, have a large selection of large-flowered varieties for landscaping their plot:
- Lady Shtradeten - blooms with yellow full buds.
- Fireball - has a unique rich fiery buds, each flower in diameter reaches 4 cm, flowering lasts for 2 months.
- Goldball - this perennial stands out golden buds, bloom which lasts about one and a half months.
Rossa
Gravilat Rossa (Geum rossii) differs from its counterparts by increased genetic endurance. In the wild, the plant survives among the rocky North American meadows and even the arctic tundra. Outwardly, it is a medium-branch bush, up to 30 cm high, with dense fleecy stems, a large rhizome and white flowers. The length of the buds reaches 1 cm. The plant is well adapted in rock gardens, not demanding to soil conditions, prefers to grow in well-drained areas. When dense planting forms a thick spherical group, up to 35 cm.Another advantageous difference of the species is frost resistance - the crop can survive the winter even with 35-degree cold.
Triflorum
Gravilat triflorum (Geum triflorum, Sieversia triflora) in the wild lives in wet marshy and rocky areas. Externally, perennial is a dense low bush up to 30 cm wide. The specificity of the form lies in the drooping bell-shaped flowers of rich yellow-red tones. Petals are covered with long, strongly pubescent burgundy sepals. Buds are formed at the top of the peduncle. Their number varies from 6 to 12.