Kupena (Polygonatum) is a genus of perennial herbs belonging to the subfamily of the lily of the valley (Convallarioideae) of the asparagus family (Asparagaceae). Representatives of the genus grow in temperate zones, mountain subtropics, less often in the tropics of Europe, Asia and North America. Used as ornamental plants, some species are used in folk medicine.
- Family: Asparagus.
- Origin: Throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
- Rhizome: thick, knotty, horizontal.
- Stem: straight, climbing in some species.
- Leaves: alternate or whorled.
- Fruit: berry.
- Reproductive ability: propagated by division of rhizomes, rarely by seeds.
- Illumination: shade-tolerant.
- Watering: moisture-loving.
- Content temperature: winter-hardy.
- Flowering time: late spring – early summer.
General description of Kupena colors
Kupena (see photo below) is a low herbaceous plant with green, in some varieties, colored knotty faceted stems, initially straight, arcuately inclined at the ends. The height of the stems ranges from 2.5-5 cm (Hooker’s kupen) to 1.5 m or more (opposite-leaved kupen), for most species it is 40-60 cm. There are varieties with climbing stems.
Kupena flower in the photo
For all plants, kupena is characterized by horizontal knotty sympodial rhizomes that do not have a permanent growth point and annually replace the growing top with a lateral shoot below it. The thickness of the roots can be from 2 mm to 3 cm, and the length of their internodes from 1 to 20-30 cm, depending on the species. Kupena with short internodes form compact bushes, with long internodes – dense thickets. From each internode, a new densely leafy, unbranched stem grows in spring – a peduncle, which dies off by autumn. In place of dead annual shoots on the rhizomes, depressed scars of a round, seal-like shape are formed, thanks to which the flower received its second name “Solomon’s seal”.
The leaves are sessile, alternate, opposite or collected in whorls of 3-9 pieces, have a shape from linear to broadly elliptical. On the surface of the leaf plates, smooth, green above, bluish-green below, arcuate veins are clearly visible.
As can be seen in the photo below, the flowers of kupena are formed in the axils of the leaves, they can be single or collected in few-flowered loose brushes, have a tubular or bell-shaped perianth of white, yellow, pink or purple. The perianth has six fused segments, the limb lobes of which are shorter than the tube. The flower is bought bisexual, has six stamens, up to half attached to the tube, and long filiform anthers. It is pollinated by bees, bumblebees, butterflies, which are attracted by abundantly secreted nectar, and self-pollination is also possible.
Flowers Kupena in the photo
The fruit is a spherical black-blue or red berry, inside which there are several (from 1 to 9) seeds. Berries ripen in mid-late summer (July-August).
The Latin name of the culture “Polygonatum” consists of two Greek words, “poly” (many) and “drive” (knot) and reflects the characteristic feature of the structure of the rhizome, with numerous knees and nodes. The same property, as well as the healing qualities of the flower known since antiquity, gave rise to a legend according to which King Solomon marked it with his seal as a particularly valuable plant, and this seal is still visible on the roots. From here originates the second, popular name of culture, “Solomon’s seal”. The Russian name of the flower is due to the shape of its leaves, which, when viewed from above, cover the stem like a small stack, popularly called kupa.
It should be noted that all parts of the kupene are poisonous, have a strong emetic effect. Berries are especially dangerous, the content of harmful substances in the leaves is less. If the plant is grown in a garden, precautions must be taken to keep children safe from accidentally eating the berries. There are also cases when people were poisoned by drinking water in which the flowers were kupena, such water should be immediately poured into the sewer.
The use of the Kupena plant in culture
In nature, the plant lives in forests, meadows and hillsides, in thickets of shrubs. It is used in floriculture, where it is especially valued for its unpretentiousness and ability to decorate shady corners of the garden. It is decorative throughout the growing season, in spring and early summer due to elegant white or pink flowers, at the end of the season due to bright red or blue-black berries. This plant is an ephemeral; in September, the ground part of most species disappears in order to reappear in the spring. Delicate flowers are used for cutting and floral arrangements.
The healing qualities of culture have long been known. Rhizomes are especially valued, they contain cardiac glycosides, gluconin, enveloping substances, saponins, and a large amount of starch. In folk medicine, preparations from kupene are used as an anesthetic, enveloping, expectorant, anti-inflammatory and emetic. It is believed that a tincture of the roots may reduce the risk of female cancers such as breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer.
Decorative species and varieties Kupena
The genus includes about 50 species, most of which are concentrated in East Asia, only 31 of them grow in China. In our country, there are 17 varieties of the flower. In culture, almost all European, Far Eastern kupens feel good, even American ones and most of the Central Asian ones tolerate the cold winters of the middle zone well.
All types of garden baths are conditionally divided into two groups. The first includes plants with curved stems and oval leathery leaves, in the axils of which small flowers bloom. These include:
Kupena medicinal, pharmacy or fragrant (P. odoratum) , a fairly common species in gardens. It has a straight faceted stem, slightly curved from above, and regular standing, rigidly pubescent leaves of an elliptical shape, rather large, with clearly visible horizontal veins above, having a bluish-green tint below. The culture grows rapidly, forming dense thickets with a height of 40 cm to 1 m. In late May – early June, white tubular flowers with green ends bloom in the axils of the leaves, located on elongated pedicels singly or in pairs, with an intense aroma of bitter almonds. Flowering lasts about 2-4 weeks, then elongated blue-black poisonous berries form on the stems. This unpretentious and drought-resistant species can grow on poor sandy soils. Several garden forms have been created, for example, the fragrant Thunberg is bought, reaching 115 cm in height, or lower, up to 60 cm, the variegated Variegatum, whose leaves are decorated with white edging and white horizontal veins.
Broad- leaved kupena (P. latifolium) , the most drought-resistant of garden baths. A fast-growing, long-rhizome species capable of forming dense thickets up to 50 cm tall even on dry, stony soils. The alternate leaves are oblong with a pointed end, pubescent below. The flowers are white, fragrant, appear in the axils of the leaves, usually in pairs, bloom from the end of May for two weeks.
Multi-flowered kupena (P. multiflorum) , also quite common in horticultural culture, grows in loose clumps 30-80 cm high, has regular elongated-lanceolate pointed leaves, glaucous below, unlike the previous species, not pubescent. The flowers are tubular, large, up to 2 cm long, greenish in color, do not smell. The flowers are tubular, large, up to 2 cm long, greenish in color, do not smell. in May and bloom for a month. There are garden cultivars with pink flowers, as well as a decorative variegated form Variegatum, in which the leaf plates are decorated with white edging.
In the gardens of Western and Northern Europe, a natural hybrid of the species described above is common. The hybrid kupena is larger, its stems reach a height of 1 m and above, the leaves are about 20 cm long and 8 cm wide. There is a variety with variegated leaves covered with an original white pattern.
Of the plants belonging to the first group, in flower beds you can also find low or squat kupena (P.humele) , a slow-growing species suitable for rockeries, with large white-green flowers, forms compact dense curtains, no more than 15-30 cm high.
The second group of garden baths includes species with erect stems and narrow whorled leaves of a lanceolate shape. Among them are such representatives of the genus as:
Whorled kupena (P.verticillatum) , naturally growing in the Caucasus, 30-80 cm high, with straight faceted stems and narrow long, up to 15 cm, bare leaves collected in dense whorls. The flowers are white, tubular, up to 1 cm long, bloom under whorls of leaves in May, 2-7 pcs. in one inflorescence. The berries of this species are red. There is a garden form (F. rubrum) with red stems.
Kupena pink (P. roseum) , is quite rare in gardens, is a plant 40-60 cm high with a reddish-green straight stem and long, pointed, bluish leaves below. The flowers are pink, bloom in May-June, the berries are red.
In nature, there is another plant, which is popularly referred to as bought. This is the so-called unburned kupena, or ash tree (Dictamnus) . Despite the name, it does not belong to the genus Kupene, it belongs to the rut family, and it got its name, echoing the biblical legend, because of its unusual property to flare up with a colorless flame on a hot day that does not harm the plant itself. Such a mysterious phenomenon is explained quite simply. The plant produces a large amount of essential oils, which evaporate in the sun and light up around the bush, it is worth bringing an open fire to it. It is a herbaceous shrub up to 1 m high with erect, densely pubescent trunks, sticky to the touch due to the large number of glands with essential oils. The leaves are shaped like ash, which is reflected in the name of the plant, ash. It blooms in June-July, about 30 days, with numerous large pink flowers, at this time it is very decorative. It grows in the Crimea, the Caucasus, southern Europe and Siberia. It is not often possible to meet a burnt-burning kupena, but it is better to know it by sight, since the plant is extremely poisonous, it can not only be touched, but also smelled. The essential oils secreted by the ash tree contain blistering substances like mustard gas, and leave deep chemical burns on the skin, healing for a long time and with difficulty. Large areas of damage can even be life-threatening.
Despite such unusual and dangerous qualities, the burning kupena is grown in flower beds, because it is very unpretentious and decorative. The plant is also used in folk medicine as a diuretic and carminative, but due to its poisonous properties, its use requires special care.