At the very beginning of summer, unusually beautiful flowers bloom in the meadows and even in the forests, which bear many popular names, but usually appear under the name European swimsuit. By its genus, it is close to meadow plants and is part of an extensive family of buttercups.
Material Content:
European swimsuit: plant description
The plant belongs to a two-year-old. In the first year, a root develops and a leaf rosette is laid, and in the second, a stem appears and the plant blooms. After the growing season, it dies.
Reproduction of the leotard occurs by seed. It actively forms (except for the main stem) lateral shoots, which necessarily end in buds. The diameter of the flower at the leotard is less than 5 cm, and the bud consists of 20 petals. The color of the flowers is usually yellow, but there are also orange specimens.
Individual representatives can reach 60 cm in height, but basically they do not grow above half a meter. It all depends on the place of growth and soil saturation with the necessary trace elements. Such facts should be considered if it is planned to settle the leotard in your garden, because if the soil is well fertilized, then the flower can grow up to a meter. Therefore, it is best to plant it as a background plant.
What natural zone does the leotard live in?
Since the soil and climatic predilections at the bathhouse are very diverse, the habitat of the plant is very wide. Such a flower can be found in the tundra, and in meadows in the Alps, and even near glaciers.But the main places where this flower likes to live are river banks, wet undergrowths and meadows, where groundwater lies close to the surface.
It is worth remembering that the leotard loves moisture, so placing it in your flower garden on the garden site, you need to choose a place where she can get water in large quantities.
The difference between European and Asian Bathing Tub
If among the representatives of the European Swimsuit you can rarely find orange flowers, then the buds of the Asian Swimwear are painted in bright orange. This is the only difference, because otherwise the species are similar and live in the same climatic conditions.
Is the plant listed in the Red Book
Despite the fact that the distribution area of the plant is large, the common leotard in some regions is listed in the Red Book. In the territory of the Russian Federation, Belarus, Armenia and in some European countries, this flower is a protected species.
Such a plant is a very valuable honey plant, as well as wild swimsuits give breeders rich material for creating garden hybrids. Thoughtless gathering of bright colors inflicts irreparable damage to this species and prevents it from reproducing calmly. That is why the flower required a letter of protection.
As mentioned earlier, the plant develops within two years, that is, in order for new flowers to appear, two years must pass. Only after that a fully developed specimen will drop the seeds into the ground. Therefore, it is worth considering the next time when there is a desire to collect a bouquet of bright yellow "lanterns".
It is interesting:the benefits and harms of pumpkins
Use in traditional and traditional medicine
Even in Ancient Russia, the healing qualities of this flower were highly appreciated.
And now in modern folk medicine, the practice of using a plant to heal such pathologies has been preserved:
- gastrointestinal problems;
- liver failure;
- diseases of the genitourinary system;
- swelling;
- skin eczema, abscesses and boils.
Also, decoctions from the leaves of the leotard are used for insomnia.
But use the leotard for therapeutic purposes must be extremely careful, as this plant is poisonous. More precisely, the rhizome is poisonous, but medicinal decoctions, ointments and powders can be prepared from the outside. But still, before using such funds, it is better to consult with practicing herbalists.
Some representatives of traditional medicine are exploring the antitumor effect that the use of this plant may bring. But practical tests have not yet been conducted.
Despite the fact that they offer to use this flower even in cooking and widely advertise its healing properties, people who are ignorant of herbal medicine should just enjoy the beauty of the bathing suit. This plant is toxic and improper use can lead to poisoning.
Did you know that decoctions were prepared from the bathhouse and used to drive fleas, lice and other parasites out of the house. Also, animals were treated with such a composition.
Myths and legends associated with the leotard
A lot of legends from various parts of the world are sweeping the leotard.
- In European culture, Trollius europaeus is considered the “flower of trolls” and it is said that a gold coin is buried under each of them. But they will be available only to those who know the ancient spells of these mythical creatures.
- Also, the plant bears the name Italmas and is a symbol of the Republic of Udmurtia. Here is a beautiful legend about the beautiful young Italmas, who, trying to save her beloved from the flame, died and turned into a swimsuit.
- In Ancient Russia, the beginning of the flowering of a leotard always occurred on the day of Ivan Kupala. Surprisingly, it was precisely when this holiday was celebrated that the yellow “candles” of the beautiful flower blossomed. The girls wove these flowers into their wreaths and then let them down the river, wondering when their betrothed would come.
It is important to remember that if there is a desire to take part in this colorful holiday and, according to the ancient custom, weave a wreath from a swimsuit, then this is not worth doing for two reasons. Firstly, it is in the Red Book, and secondly, the plant is toxic. There are many other beautiful flowers for making a wreath.
In order to grow a leotard in your garden, it is best to purchase varieties that are specially bred for this. Because often wild swimsuits do not take root next to cultivated plants. But specially created varieties will decorate the garden for a long time.
