Kandyk flower (Erythronium): description, planting and care

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The kandyk flower (erythronium) is a fairly rare plant, some of its species are listed in the Red Book. Flowers are capricious and do not retain their decorative effect for long, but they are all the more valuable for gardeners who are not looking for easy ways – for many, growing a flowering kandyk on their site is a very exciting experience. Well, the result obtained will decorate the alpine hill for a whole week.

What does a kandyk plant look like

Kandyk, or erythronium, belongs to the Lilein family. This is an early spring bulbous plant. Translated from Latin, erythronium means “red”. The genus includes 25 species. In nature, it grows in the humid cool forests of Europe, Asia and North America, and is also found on the territory of our country. Three rare species of erythronium are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. These include the Caucasian, Japanese and European kandyks, while the Siberian, Caucasian and averted species are more widespread, but no less attractive.

The plants are small, their height is usually 20-40 cm. The stem is smooth, with 2-3 broadly lanceolate leaves, often with a marbled pattern. At the beginning of the growing season, leaf rosettes fit snugly to the bud, protecting it from bad weather.

As you can see in the photo, the kandyk flower consists of 6 perianth lobes:

At full bloom, the flowers fold back, revealing a column with a split stigma and filaments with anthers:

The shape of the flower resembles cyclamen . Siberian and European kandyks have one or more flowers, white , yellow , pink or purple, up to 5-8 cm in diameter. Erythronium blooms in the second half of April – early May. Each flower lasts 5-8 days, and in general the plants are decorative for 12-15 days. During this time, the size of the “petals” increase by 1.5-2, and the length of the peduncle – by 3-4 times.

The description of kandyk bulbs of all types is similar: they are oblong, almost cylindrical, 2-5 cm long and 1.5 cm in diameter. Renewed annually. The fruit is a capsule with light brown seeds. Seeds ripen 25-30 days after flowering. In early June, the seed box cracks.

Planting and caring for kandyk (erythronium) with a photo

For planting and caring for kandyk, the soil is prepared permeable, nutritious, with a neutral reaction. 2 months before planting, 1-2 buckets of humus, 100-150 g of superphosphate, 30-40 g of potassium or ammonium nitrate, 200-400 g of bone meal per 1 m2 are added and dug to a depth of 30-40 cm. The place is chosen in partial shade, for example, near shrubs or under tree canopies, so that the soil does not overheat in summer. They look good in groups of 10-20 copies on an alpine hill. Erythroniums grow in one place for 5-8 years.

Plants are responsive to feeding. In early spring, in the snow, granular fertilizers are applied: 20-30 g of potassium nitrate, 20 g of superphosphate per 1 m2. The second top dressing 1-2 weeks after the snow has melted: 30 g of complex fertilizer per bucket of water per 1 m2. The third top dressing after another 7-10 days with a solution of complex fertilizer with the addition of 20 g of calcium nitrate. In May, several waterings are carried out. After the lodging of the leaves, there is enough precipitation. After watering and fertilizing, the soil is loosened.

Eurasian erythroniums are quite stable and winter well under snow, North American species and varieties require shelter.

Erythronium is propagated vegetatively by daughter bulbs and baby, as well as seeds. After ripening, the bulbs are dug up. Since they do not have a dense leathery protective shell, they do not tolerate long-term storage in air. Therefore, it is recommended to plant them immediately after digging to a depth of 8-10 cm. You can keep the bulbs open for no more than 1-2 days. If necessary, they can be stored for no more than 1.5-2 weeks in plastic bags with sphagnum moss or small sawdust in a cool, dark place.

Some varieties and species may not form daughter bulbs for several years. In this case, resort to seed propagation. Kandyk seeds are planted in the garden immediately after collection to a depth of 1-1.5 cm. Seeds are covered with sifted humus from above and watered. Too much moisture is harmful. Landings are regularly loosened and mulched. Seedlings develop slowly, bloom only in the fifth or sixth year. By this time, they can be transplanted to a permanent place.

Here you can see photos of planting and caring for kandyk in the middle lane:

The most attractive types of kandyks

The most attractive types of kandyks are Siberian, “dog tooth”, Caucasian and turned away.

Erythronium Siberian – the most beautiful and original.

Below you can see a photo and read a description of the Siberian kandyk, found on rocky hills near melting snowfields in Altai, in the Sayan Mountains:

Flowers solitary, large (up to 4 cm in diameter), from lilac to whitish-yellow. Anthers are long, bright yellow. Peduncles reddish, shiny. Leaves with a bright marbled pattern. Often in spring, the buds break through the ice crust and bloom together, all at once. The Siberian kandyk plant is very frost-resistant, not affected by pests . The flowers are good for cutting and forcing.

Erythronium “dog’s tooth” is common in the mountains of Western Europe: from Spain to the Balkans, in the Carpathian beech forests. Populations of this species are declining significantly. The bulbs are small, with a pointed top. Stem 10-30 cm high. Flowers 1-2, tepals pink with white base, anthers brown. The leaves are dark green with purple spots. There is a variety with pure white flowers.

Erythronium Caucasian is an endemic of Western Transcaucasia. The bulb is small, elongated. Stem 10-20cm high. The leaves are dark green, speckled.

Pay attention to the photo – the erythronium of this species has single flowers with a diameter of 2.5 cm, tepals are whitish or pale yellow, the base is bright yellow or orange:

Anthers are yellow. It reproduces vegetatively poorly. When sowing seeds, forms of various colors are obtained – from white to pale yellow.

Erythronium aversa is found on the Pacific Coast of the United States. It is characterized by strongly retracted perianth tassels of various colors – from white to dark pink, with an orange or yellow base. By the end of flowering, the “petals” turn purple. Anthers are white. Some specimens form 3-4 flowers on the peduncle. This species reproduces mainly by seeds. Heat-loving, needs shelter for the winter.

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