Kupena: types, planting and flower care. Kupena: planting and care in open ground Diseases, pests, wintering

Kupena is an unpretentious perennial plant resembling lily of the valley. In addition to its decorative qualities, the flower also has useful properties: it is used to make pharmacological preparations for the treatment of many diseases - from pneumonia to arthritis and ulcers. All types of kupena are attractive not only during the flowering period, but also when dark blue fruits are set on peduncles.

Types of kupena: multifloral, broadleaf, low and hooker

Kupena - from the lily family, has light green oval opposite leaves. The flowers are white with a delicate pink tint and are located in the axils of the leaves. Kupena has a powerfully branching rhizome, due to which it spreads throughout the territory. At the ends of the rhizomes, new shoots are formed annually, and the old ones die off to the very base. The fruits of the kupena - berries - are decorative, as they are bright black or dark blue.

More than 50 species of kupena are known, but only the European ones, of which there are no more than ten, have been studied in detail. Each of them has a certain decorative value.

Below is a description of many-flowered, broadleaf, low and Hooker's kupena.

Kupena multiflorum is a relatively low, up to 35-50 cm, plant, which is a loose bush. Numerous oval-shaped leaves are arranged in two rows on the stem.

Pay attention to the photo of the multi-flowered kupena - small drooping flowers have a whitish-green tone:

They are found 1-4 in the leaf axils. Blooms in late May-June. Rhizome in the form of a rosary. The fruits are blue-black berries. This species is valued for its shade tolerance. Under trees where other species do not grow, kupena produces powerful thickets. It is unpretentious to the soil, but light sandy loam is preferable for it. But it loves watering; the soil should always be moist.

Kupena broadleaf has a faceted stem up to 50 cm high. The leaves are oval-oblong, pointed, up to 12 cm in length. The flowers are whitish-green. The fruits are blue-black berries. It blooms at the end of May and bears fruit in July.

Kupena is low or squat. The height of the plant is only 15-35 cm. The stem is faceted, bare, straight. The leaves are sessile, light green. The flowers are white with a pinkish tint, solitary, up to 2 cm in diameter. Very original and decorative due to the protruding petals. The fruits are dark blue berries. Does not differ in the hardiness of European species. Soils should only be well-drained, light, and constantly moist.

The most unusual species is Hooker's purchase. It is only 5 cm tall and has purple flowers.

Below are photos of flowers of all the above types:

Planting and caring for kupena in the open ground (with photo)

In general, the genus Kupena is characterized as a very unpretentious plant, especially in relation to light. It tolerates both prolonged sunlight and shade. Does not freeze in winter, is not damaged by frost, and does not require fertilizer. The weakness of the plant is its need for humidity - constant, but not flooding. Fertile, moist soils are ideal for it.

Kupena propagates easily by cuttings of thick rhizomes. Before you begin planting and caring for kupena in the open ground, the rhizomes must be disassembled, paying attention to the blocked buds. They come in flower and growth varieties. Flower ones are larger, with a blunt end, growth ones are smaller, pointed. Sections of rhizomes with flower buds are planted in a permanent place; they will produce flowers the next year. Rhizome segments with only growth buds are planted in a separate bed for growing. The place should be in partial shade, with moist, fertile (but not fertilized!) soils. Plant replanting is not only tolerated, but also loved.

The distance when planting is 15-20 cm, and when growing - 5-10 cm. After planting, a strait is needed. If the weather is dry, then every day for a week.

The best time to plant and start caring for the kupena is early spring, but you can also plant it in the fall - in early September. Caring for them is simple - watering, if dry, mulching after watering.

The plant is highly decorative due to the graceful shape of the stem, large beautiful leaves, modest white flowers and bright fruits. Kupena is good in groups with. It is also valued as cutting material for bouquets and table arrangements. It is especially effective near, in mixborders.

In the summer, you need to watch out for possible appearance, which can destroy the leaves in a matter of days.

Here you can see photos of planting and caring for kupena in personal plots:

When it comes to flowers, it is very difficult, and sometimes almost impossible, to describe them without special botanical terms so that the interlocutor understands which flower is meant. It's easier to show a photo. However, this is not the case with the purchased one. It is enough to ask your interlocutor to imagine a large lily of the valley. And in fact, kupena comes from the same family and is a typical forest flower, with all the peculiarities of planting, care, growing in open ground and propagation.

Description of the purchase: varieties and varieties

Kupena multicolor belongs to plants of the lily family. Kupena is the owner of a graceful curved stem, on which bright oval green leaves are located in two even rows, and small white flowers bloom in their axils.

There are about 50 species of kupena in nature. Most often you can find 3 of them.

Kupena medicinal

Medicinal purchase. It grows among forests and shady bushes of the northern hemisphere. Does not exceed half a meter in height, blooms in late spring - early summer. The fruits of the medicinal plant have a strong emetic effect.

Kupena fragrant

Fragrant bath. It grows up to 80 cm in height and has bluish-green leaves. The fragrant kupena blooms in mid-May and blooms for 5 weeks. This flower chooses the slopes of low mountains and hills, shady forest thickets and forest clearings as its habitat in nature.

Kupena multiflorum

Kupena multiflorum. This variety is most often planted by gardeners in pots and open ground. Multi-flowered bloom in early summer.

The rhizome of the kupena plant is interesting in its structure. It consists of links, and when last year’s shoot dies, a small area covered with cork remains in its place. In its appearance, it resembles a seal, which gave the coupon its second name, “Solomon’s Seal.” According to legend, King Solomon awarded this flower with his seal for its healing properties. After all, infusions from kupena root are known for their anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects.

Attention. All parts of the product are poisonous.

Planting kupena

Kupena can be planted on any soil, as it is absolutely not demanding. But if you want the plant to look perfect, then it is best to move the cultivation of the kupena into the shade, onto fertile, dense soil. In the sun, the kupena will grow a little worse and look less impressive. When planting in open ground, it is desirable that the groundwater comes close to the surface. Regular watering is needed, but the plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture. Kupena feels best in the shade of trees, forming lush thickets in which even weeds cannot survive.

The plant prefers shady areas

Before planting kupena in open ground, the beds are first prepared. Drainage made of crushed stone or sand is poured into the prepared hole, and compost is added to the soil.

Growing kupena from seeds in garden floriculture is practically never encountered, because pollination of this flower can only occur with the help of long-proboscis bumblebees. Seeds are planted in late autumn, and sprouts appear in the spring, and sometimes even only in the 2nd year. In addition, a plant planted from seeds may lose its maternal characteristics. Such plants begin to bloom only in the 3rd year, and sometimes in the 5th.

Caring for your bath

“Solomon’s Seal” is just a godsend for a garden that you don’t have time to care for.

Kupena does not need care, it grows in the garden as well as in natural conditions

The good thing about growing kupena is that this plant requires virtually no care. It is needed only in dry times; in other periods, rainwater and groundwater will suffice. After watering, to avoid crust formation, the plant bushes are mulched. Flower growers advise avoiding loosening, because the rhizomes of the kupena are fragile and are not located too deep, so they can be damaged. The weeds survive only the first two years, then the kupena grows so that the weeds have no chance of survival. For the winter, the kupena does not need to be covered or dug up - it overwinters well in open ground, and in the spring it will bloom with renewed vigor.

Fertilizer and feeding

If you planted the kupena in fertile soil, then for good development it is enough to apply fertilizer once a year. For this purpose, organic matter (manure or compost) and some mineral fertilizers are added to the soil in the spring. This will be enough for the development and flowering of the kupena.

The crop can be fed with organic fertilizers

Plant propagation

The simplest and most effective way to propagate kupena is division.

The flower can be planted in open ground at any time of the year, but it is best to do this in late summer or early autumn. The planting site must be cleared of weeds and dug to a depth of 25-20 cm. The root of the kupena is geniculate and very fragile, so dividing it is very easy. The cuttings with a bud or stem are planted in the soil to a depth of 8-9 cm. They are placed horizontally.

Young plant

The first couple of years, the growth of the flower will occur slowly, until the root finally takes root, then the kupena will begin to grow intensively. It is recommended to divide the kupena once every 3–4 years, planting the divisions in the same place, otherwise the kupena may crush its neighbors in the garden.

Diseases and pests

Kupena, planting and caring for which does not bring any trouble, is equally pleasing with the almost complete absence of diseases. This flower is also avoided by pests; only sometimes in dry times or in the second half of summer you can find slugs and some caterpillars on its leaves. But this problem is easily solved with the help of Intavir or any other analogues.

Kupena: combination with other plants

Kupena perfectly coexists with other plants that prefer shade and partial shade. She is friends with various types of ferns, hellebores,.

Kupena in combination with dicentra

Advice. If you do not keep the kupena under control by dividing the rhizome every few years, over time it can grow too actively and will oppress and even crowd out its neighbors in the flower garden.

Purchased in landscape design

The perennial dense ornamental thickets that the kupena forms make it a welcome guest in any garden or flower garden. It will perfectly hide empty, unsightly areas of the garden, making them a secluded, cozy corner. It is also good to buy in the shade of trees, which is why it is often used for landscaping the trunks of garden trees. In a rocky garden or rock garden, a squat kupena will come in very handy. Multicolored kupena is often used as a vertical accent among low-growing plants (for example, or,).

In landscape design, kupena differs from many flowers in that even after it fades, its gracefully curved leaves support the composition in a new color.

Purchased in landscape design

Kupena will serve as an excellent background for daylilies, and in plantings it will hide the witheredness of spring bulbs.

Many gardeners advise planting kupena along a hedge of shrubs. As the bushes mature, their lower stems become bare and lose their attractiveness. Tall shoots of kupena will perfectly hide this drawback, growing well in the shade of bushes.

Bought in a flowerbed

Kupena, in addition to all its beauty, also has a lot of useful properties. A decoction of kupena is widely used in the treatment of gastritis and pneumonia, as well as a hemostatic agent. As an external remedy, kupena is often used for bruises, bruises and rheumatic pain. However, remember that you cannot use kupena for medicinal purposes without a doctor’s recommendation. Improper use can lead to poisoning or burns, because kupena is a poisonous plant.

Advice. If there are children on your site, then it is better to plant the kupena in an area where access for children is minimal. Because the poisonous berries of the kupena look very attractive.

If you want to diversify your landscape, but you don’t have time to care for capricious plants, then this purchase is just what you need. Whatever variety of these flowers you choose, it will fit harmoniously into any flower garden. In addition, propagation of kupena will not cause any trouble. And thanks to the amazing ability of kupena to combine with many plants in the garden, you will always have an excellent background for photos. It all depends only on your imagination, inspiration and desire to make yours unique and inimitable.

Properties of the purchased item: video

Kupena multiflora: photo

When it comes to flowers, it is very difficult, and sometimes almost impossible, to describe them without special botanical terms so that the interlocutor understands which flower is meant. It's easier to show a photo. However, this is not the case with the purchased one. It is enough to ask your interlocutor to imagine a large lily of the valley. And in fact, kupena comes from the same family and is a typical forest flower, with all the peculiarities of planting, care, growing in open ground and propagation.

Description of the purchase: varieties and varieties

Kupena multicolor belongs to plants of the lily family. Kupena is the owner of a graceful curved stem, on which bright oval green leaves are located in two even rows, and small white flowers bloom in their axils.

There are about 50 species of kupena in nature. Most often you can find 3 of them.

Kupena medicinal

Medicinal purchase. It grows among forests and shady bushes of the northern hemisphere. Does not exceed half a meter in height, blooms in late spring - early summer. The fruits of the medicinal plant have a strong emetic effect.

Kupena fragrant

Fragrant bath. It grows up to 80 cm in height and has bluish-green leaves. The fragrant kupena blooms in mid-May and blooms for 5 weeks. This flower chooses the slopes of low mountains and hills, shady forest thickets and forest clearings as its habitat in nature.

Kupena multiflorum

Kupena multiflorum. This variety is most often planted by gardeners in pots and open ground. Multi-flowered bloom in early summer.

The rhizome of the kupena plant is interesting in its structure. It consists of links, and when last year’s shoot dies, a small area covered with cork remains in its place. In its appearance, it resembles a seal, which gave the coupon its second name, “Solomon’s Seal.” According to legend, King Solomon awarded this flower with his seal for its healing properties. After all, infusions from kupena root are known for their anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects.

Attention. All parts of the product are poisonous.

Planting kupena

Kupena can be planted on any soil, as it is absolutely not demanding. But if you want the plant to look perfect, then it is best to move the cultivation of the kupena into the shade, onto fertile, dense soil. In the sun, the kupena will grow a little worse and look less impressive. When planting in open ground, it is desirable that the groundwater comes close to the surface. Regular watering is needed, but the plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture. Kupena feels best in the shade of trees, forming lush thickets in which even weeds cannot survive.

The plant prefers shady areas

Before planting kupena in open ground, the beds are first prepared. Drainage made of crushed stone or sand is poured into the prepared hole, and compost is added to the soil.

Growing kupena from seeds in garden floriculture is practically never encountered, because pollination of this flower can only occur with the help of long-proboscis bumblebees. Seeds are planted in late autumn, and sprouts appear in the spring, and sometimes even only in the 2nd year. In addition, a plant planted from seeds may lose its maternal characteristics. Such plants begin to bloom only in the 3rd year, and sometimes in the 5th.

Caring for your bath

“Solomon’s Seal” is just a godsend for a garden that you don’t have time to care for.

Kupena does not need care, it grows in the garden as well as in natural conditions

The good thing about growing kupena is that this plant requires virtually no care. Flowers need to be watered only in dry times; in other periods, rainwater and groundwater will suffice. After watering, to avoid crust formation, the plant bushes are mulched. Flower growers advise avoiding loosening, because the rhizomes of the kupena are fragile and are not located too deep, so they can be damaged. The weeds survive only the first two years, then the kupena grows so that the weeds have no chance of survival. For the winter, the kupena does not need to be covered or dug up - it overwinters well in open ground, and in the spring it will bloom with renewed vigor.

Fertilizer and feeding

If you planted the kupena in fertile soil, then for good development it is enough to apply fertilizer once a year. For this purpose, organic matter (manure or compost) and some mineral fertilizers are added to the soil in the spring. This will be enough for the development and flowering of the kupena.

The crop can be fed with organic fertilizers

Plant propagation

The simplest and most effective way to propagate kupena is division.

The flower can be planted in open ground at any time of the year, but it is best to do this in late summer or early autumn. The planting site must be cleared of weeds and dug to a depth of 25-20 cm. The root of the kupena is geniculate and very fragile, so dividing it is very easy. The cuttings with a bud or stem are planted in the soil to a depth of 8-9 cm. They are placed horizontally.

Young plant

The first couple of years, the growth of the flower will occur slowly, until the root finally takes root, then the kupena will begin to grow intensively. It is recommended to divide the kupena once every 3–4 years, planting the divisions in the same place, otherwise the kupena may crush its neighbors in the garden.

Diseases and pests

Kupena, planting and caring for which does not bring any trouble, is equally pleasing with the almost complete absence of diseases. This flower is also avoided by pests; only sometimes in dry times or in the second half of summer you can find slugs and some caterpillars on its leaves. But this problem is easily solved with the help of Intavir or any other analogues.

Kupena: combination with other plants

Kupena perfectly coexists with other plants that prefer shade and partial shade. She is friends with various types of ferns, hellebores, dicentra.

Kupena in combination with dicentra

Advice. If you do not keep the kupena under control by dividing the rhizome every few years, over time it can grow too actively and will oppress and even crowd out its neighbors in the flower garden.

Purchased in landscape design

The perennial dense ornamental thickets that the kupena forms make it a welcome guest in any garden or flower garden. It will perfectly hide empty, unsightly areas of the garden, making them a secluded, cozy corner. It is also good to buy in the shade of trees, which is why it is often used for landscaping the trunks of garden trees. In a rocky garden or rock garden, a squat kupena will come in very handy. Multi-colored kupena is often used as a vertical accent among low-growing plants (for example, daisies or pansies, asters).

In landscape design, kupena differs from many flowers in that even after it fades, its gracefully curved leaves support the composition in a new color.

Purchased in landscape design

Kupena will serve as an excellent background for irises and daylilies, and in plantings with tulips it will hide the withering of spring bulbs.

Many gardeners advise planting kupena along a hedge of shrubs. As the bushes mature, their lower stems become bare and lose their attractiveness. Tall shoots of kupena will perfectly hide this drawback, growing well in the shade of bushes.

Bought in a flowerbed

Kupena, in addition to all its beauty, also has a lot of useful properties. A decoction of kupena is widely used in the treatment of gastritis and pneumonia, as well as a hemostatic agent. As an external remedy, kupena is often used for bruises, bruises and rheumatic pain. However, remember that you cannot use kupena for medicinal purposes without a doctor’s recommendation. Improper use can lead to poisoning or burns, because kupena is a poisonous plant.

Advice. If there are children on your site, then it is better to plant the kupena in an area where access for children is minimal. Because the poisonous berries of the kupena look very attractive.

If you want to diversify your landscape, but you don’t have time to care for capricious plants, then this purchase is just what you need. Whatever variety of these flowers you choose, it will fit harmoniously into any flower garden. In addition, propagation of kupena will not cause any trouble. And thanks to the amazing ability of kupena to combine with many plants in the garden, you will always have an excellent background for photos. It all depends only on your imagination, inspiration and desire to make yours unique and inimitable.

Properties of the purchased item: video

Kupena multiflora: photo

Kupena fragrant or whorled, low-growing or Chinese, medicinal or broad-leaved - a beautiful perennial plant that is popular with gardeners. Kupena is used in landscape design and ordinary flower beds. Its leaves are green all summer and are similar to the foliage of hosta.

Description of the plant

Flowers appear at the very beginning of summer, when there are still few flowering plants in the garden, and delight the eye with their white color and resemblance to miniature bells. Inflorescences are bisexual, collected in small groups in the leaf axils

The rhizome is horizontal; traces of dead shoots, reminiscent of seals, are clearly visible on it.

Kupena fragrant

For your information! The second name for the plant, given by the British, is “Solomon’s seal” for the thickenings on the roots of the plant. The word “kupena” itself was derived from the ancient Greek “knee” and “many” for a long rhizome consisting of many joints. In Russia it has many names - wolf berry, raven eye, hellebore, core, wolf fang.

This perennial not only has decorative qualities, but is also a powerful medicine that can cure or reduce the symptoms of many diseases.

Kupena: planting and care in open ground

The plant grows well in any soil and prefers to live in partial shade or shade. In nature it grows under the canopy of forests and thrives in shaded areas.

It is a close relative of the May lily of the valley; once together with it it was part of the Landyshev family, now abolished. Now belongs to the Asparagus family.

Lily of the valley is a close relative of Kupena

The plant does not like close groundwater and dies when water stagnates.

Note! In places suitable for purchase, it grows quickly and begins to squeeze out neighboring plants. In the garden it is very good to plant it under trees, where it grows wildly and eliminates the need to regularly pull out weeds.

When to replant the kupena? In principle, you can plant kupena in open ground at any time of the year, since the plant has excellent survival rate. But it is best to replant in late summer or early autumn, when the roots have gained a good supply of nutrients.

It is very rarely propagated by seeds, since long-proboscis bumblebees are needed to pollinate the plant; without them, there will simply be no ovary. The exception is the broadleaf rose, the seeds of which ripen well without these insects. Also, planting material quickly loses its germination capacity and needs stratification, and the growing process will take several years.

Growing kupena in pots

The fastest and most productive propagation process for garden lily of the valley (as amateur gardeners call the kupena) is dividing the bush.

Planting purchased and further care are very simple:

1. At the site of the proposed planting, a planting hole is dug into which drainage and complex fertilizers are added.
2. The pit is filled with fertile soil and compacted.
3. The rhizomes are buried 8-10 cm into the soil and a watering ditch is formed around the bush, into which 5 liters of water are poured.
4. In the first couple of years of life in a new place after planting, the development of the bush occurs slowly, and later, with complete rooting, intensive growth and expansion of the bush begins in width.
5. Care comes down to regular weeding and watering.

Interesting! Since kupena is a perennial plant, its roots and buds overwinter well in the ground. Numerous leaves, forming a dense carpet, die off in the winter and grow back in the spring.

The ability of the garden lily of the valley to quickly fill shady garden corners, inevitably displacing weeds, its undemandingness to soil and watering make this plant indispensable in landscape design.

There is practically no need to care for the purchased one after the bush grows. The plant lives on its own and requires only restrictions in freedom, since, growing in different directions, it can fill everything around.

Kupena bush

The bushes have increased cold resistance, do not freeze out and do not require any shelter for the winter; natural snow cover is quite sufficient.

Important! You should not plant the plant in a lowland that is flooded with meltwater in the spring, as garden lilies of the valley cannot tolerate stagnant moisture and may even die.

Purchased in landscape design

Landscape designers have been using garden lily of the valley for a long time. The plant helps to significantly improve areas and disguise problem areas. Kupena will look impressive along the fence and in the garden, squeezing out weeds from the area.

Beginning gardeners often ask the question: what to plant close to the garden to make the composition look beautiful. Perennials look great with it, especially primroses - daylilies, hostas, and ferns. In addition, low-growing kupena is used as a replanting in hedges and trimmed sculptural groups to cover up the unsightly appearance of trimmed bases on which young shoots no longer grow. Also, the kupena will quickly fill those places where there are bald spots and landscaping work has been carried out.

Purchased in landscape design

Tall kupena bushes are not prone to rapid growth and are quite capable of maintaining the given shape and size of the clump for several years, delighting the owners with magnificent early flowering and the lack of special care and maintenance.

Important! In recent years, hybrid varieties of kupena and kupena with variegated leaves have appeared on the market. Planting such plants allows you to significantly diversify and decorate flower arrangements in the garden.

An important condition for the growth of garden lily of the valley is light and humus-rich soil, since in nature it grows under large forest trees, on soil richly flavored with a layer of rotting leaves. Garden lily of the valley exhibits special lushness and beauty in those places where direct sunlight does not reach throughout the day.

The plant looks very elegant and elegant next to large stones and decorative wooden elements, especially next to mossy stumps and snags, along the banks of decorative ponds and in rockeries. In a garden interspersed with stones, it favorably coexists with hostas, forest geraniums, and primroses.

Kupena goes well with other flowers

Crocuses and scylla, tulips and daffodils, irises and primroses are wonderful neighbors of the kupena, as it beautifully shades their blooms. The proximity to low ground cover plants adds the necessary charm to the garden lily of the valley. It perfectly complements kupena and its relative - dicentra, popularly called “broken heart”. The combination of these two plants invariably causes delight and admiration. Loves the company of ferns and doronicum.

Growing garden lily of the valley is a simple and not troublesome task, and does not require large material costs or investments.

It is also good to buy as a cut. A bouquet with translucent wax flowers captivates with its beauty and sophistication; it stands in a vase for a long time, decorating the interior.

Note! All parts of the plant are poisonous! Fruits, flowers or stems should not be allowed to be eaten unknowingly!

Kupena: diseases and pests

Kupena is highly resistant to common plant diseases. During cold and rainy periods, the plant may be susceptible to powdery mildew or gray rot. In this case, you need to remove the affected areas and spray the remaining green mass with a fungicide solution, following the dosage given in the instructions.

A dangerous pest for the rosemary is the Solomon's sawfly, which is capable of gnawing leaves down to the skeletal veins. The green mass is eaten by larvae that lay small flying flies. They fight this scourge with the help of insecticides.

Caterpillar pest Kupena

Sometimes plants are attacked by pests such as caterpillars and slugs, which attack leaves and young shoots. In this case, you can try using traditional repellents, but it is much easier to use a complex pest repellent and spray the plants with it.

Useful properties of bought

Garden lily of the valley has medicinal properties and contains a number of substances useful for the treatment of diseases: cardiac glycosides and flavonoids, ascorbic acid and alkaloids. In folk medicine, the plant is used to treat acute respiratory infections and bronchitis, pneumonia and rheumatism, fibroids and gout. Compresses with infusion of kupena do an excellent job with bruises and wounds, decoctions help in the fight against stomach diseases, including ulcers.

Useful properties of bought

Important! To combat abscesses and pimples, an alcoholic infusion of the plant is used, and the juice of the rhizome is used to refresh and whiten the skin. Garden lily of the valley helps in stopping bleeding, as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent.

Despite the fact that the plant is poisonous, with proper heat treatment the poisons lose their toxic ability and thus make it possible to use products purchased in a home medicine cabinet, use decoctions and infusions in the treatment of various diseases.

Thus, the garden lily of the valley is not just a beautiful plant in landscape design, but also a useful bush that can cure many ailments. In addition, kupena is a weed fighter. Isn’t this the kind of flower that many gardeners dream of?!

Kupena is a shade-loving perennial plant that can grow in any corner of the garden, even under the dense canopy of trees. In nature, this unpretentious plant lives in shady forests and does well without sunlight and even prefers to hide from them. Thanks to these properties, kupena is an opportunity to refine and decorate those corners of the garden where other ornamental plants cannot be planted.

Kupena is a plant from the Liliaceae family, widespread in Europe and Asia. Its rhizome is developed, the stems are inclined, growing in height up to 1-1.5 meters. The leaves of the plant are lanceolate. From their axils grow small tubular flowers in pink, cream, and white tones. After flowering, the plant produces fruits in the form of inedible berries. The resulting blue-black berries give the plant a particularly decorative appearance.

The most popular varieties and types of purchased with photographs

Kupena flower , also known in nature under the name Solomon's seal, under natural conditions it is distributed in temperate and subtropical zones of the Northern Hemisphere. There are several dozen species of this plant in its natural habitat.

The following species are cultivated in gardens:

• Bought medicinal (pharmacy). Plant height up to half a meter. The leaves are large, located on a faceted stem. The buds are formed on an inclined stem on long stalks. Blooms in May-June.
• Kupena multiflorum. The height of the bush is about 100 centimeters. The leaves are oval. Flowers of 5-6 pieces are formed in the axils of the leaves. It blooms throughout June and after flowering produces dark blue berries. The Variegatta variety of this species is particularly decorative, with white stripes at the tips of the leaves.
• Kupena is fragrant. The leaves of this species have a bluish tint. There are varieties with crimson bases and veins. The height of the plant is about 80 centimeters. Flowering continues throughout May and the first ten days of June.
• Kupena whorled. Plant height is from 30 to 60 centimeters. The leaves are lanceolate, up to 17 centimeters long, with pointed edges, light green. The upper leaves are collected in whorls of 5-8 pieces. The flowers are white, elongated, hanging on long peduncles.
• Kupena is squat (low). The species is widespread in Siberia, Primorye, and Sakhalin. Prefers rocky soils. The bush grows no more than 20 centimeters. The leaves are ovate, pubescent below. It produces single shoots, in the axils of the leaves of which white flowers are formed.
• Kupena profusely flowering. In nature, it grows in coniferous and deciduous forests among bushes and on shady edges. The height of the plant is about 50 centimeters. The leaves are located on both sides of the stem. They have a lanceolate shape, the leaf length is 9 centimeters. The flowers are small, from 2 to 5 pieces formed on long stalks. After flowering, dark blue berries are left behind.
• Kupena Siberian. One of the tallest species, up to 60 centimeters. The leaves are lanceolate or linear, grow in whorls, 8 centimeters in length. Flowers of 2 are formed on bare stalks. The perianth is white, with greenish teeth and slightly pubescent. The berries are red.
• Bought pink. Grows in China, Tien Shan, Siberia. The stem of the plant is straight, reddish in color. The leaves are linear-lanceolate, grow in whorls of 5-6 pieces, up to 15 centimeters in length, with slight pubescence. Flowers are formed in the axils of the leaves, 2-4 pieces each. The perianths are pink, lanceolate, with teeth bent outward. At the end of flowering, in June, it produces elongated red berries.

Kupena fragrant

Features of planting bought in open ground

Kupena is a surprisingly unpretentious and hardy plant with an unusual development cycle. In the first year, its shoots develop underground, forming a powerful root system and main stem. In the second year, an erect shoot grows from a rhizome growing horizontally underground.

Simultaneously with the formation of the stem, a new branch of the rhizome grows underground. Kupena is an ephemeral plant, its above-ground part dies off after the vegetative period, and the underground part continues to grow and form new stems for up to 15 years. These growth characteristics dictate some rules for planting and caring for this original plant in open ground.

Place and soil for planting kupena

It is necessary to plant kupena in shady or semi-shaded corners of the garden, under trees or tall shrubs. In direct sunlight, this flower will not die, but it will look unpresentable. The leaves of the plant become pale and small in the sun, and flowering may not occur at all.

It is advisable to plant Kupena in shaded areas: it does not really like bright sunlight

The soil for growing kupena must be neutral or slightly acidic. The plant is not very demanding on its composition, but it develops better on fertile, dense soils. In areas with a high groundwater level, kupena cannot be planted, since its roots will rot in this case.

Planting rules and methods of propagation of kupena

You can grow kupena on your own plot by sowing seeds or planting part of the rhizome. Planting can be done at any time of the year, but it is more advisable to carry out this procedure at the end of summer. Each method has its own characteristics.

Sowing seeds

Sprouted seeds of kupena

The peculiarity of kupena seeds is their fragility. They retain germination for less than a year, so planting material collected from the plant is planted in the same year. After the seeds are freed from the berry pulp, they are placed in the cold for stratification for 3-4 months, and then sown in a peat-sand mixture.

After stratification, the pot with the crops is placed in a warm and bright place. Seedlings emerge and develop very slowly. Alternatively, the seeds can be sown directly into the ground, where they will undergo a process of natural stratification. The development of the kupena lasts from 3 to 5 years, and only after this time a full-fledged and flowering plant is formed from the seeds.

The difficulty of growing from seeds is that fruits do not always appear on the plant. This is due to the fact that pollination of flowers occurs only with the help of long-proboscis bumblebees, which are rare guests in gardens. The exception is the broadleaf kupena, which produces fruits almost every year.

Rhizome division

Using a rhizome or part of it is the simplest and most reliable way to plant and propagate kupena. The rhizome of the kupena is geniculate, and the marks of dying stems are clearly visible on it. Using these characteristic marks, you can even determine the age of the plant.

The division of the rhizome is carried out in August or April, once every 3-4 years. Digging up the rhizome is a rejuvenating procedure and also serves as a way to obtain new flower specimens. The rhizome is removed from the ground and divided into sections with formed buds. The cuttings are planted to a depth of 8 centimeters, placing them in pre-prepared grooves. The distance between plants is 20-25 centimeters.

Plantings are watered and mulched with peat or humus . In the first two years, the kupena develops underground, and in the third year the first shoots appear.

Kupena can be propagated by dividing the rhizome

Caring for the purchased one during the growing process

Kupena requires minimal attention and is very easy to care for. Caring for the plant consists of watering, fertilizing and pest control. Regular watering is necessary only in dry years, when the plant does not have enough natural moisture. Soil moisture should be moderate so that excess water does not lead to the development of rot on the roots.

To prevent crust formation after watering, the soil around the plant needs to be mulched. This will help maintain soil moisture levels and protect the roots from overheating on hot days.

It is impossible to loosen the soil around the plant, since the roots are close to the surface and their exact location is almost impossible to guess. When loosening, the delicate rhizome can be damaged and the plant will begin to hurt and may even die.

If, when planting, the soil is well seasoned with organic and mineral fertilizers, there is no need to use fertilizing. The plant will receive a sufficient amount of fertilizer if a small amount of humus and complex compounds are applied to the area where the kupena grows every year in the spring.

Kupena needs to be fed annually

In the first year after planting, when the above-ground part of the plant is not yet developed, the area must be carefully weeded. Weeds will not provide space for the development of shoots of the kupena, and it may stop its growth. In subsequent years, the kupena will cope with the weeds on its own: they simply will have nowhere to grow.

Resistance to pests and diseases

Gray rot and slugs are the only enemies of the kupena. Rot affects the plant when the soil is waterlogged. The invasion of slugs threatens the bath almost constantly, since the most favorable environment for their existence has been created in the shade. To destroy slugs, the kupena is periodically treated with an appropriate insecticide. You can scare away annoying slugs by sprinkling wood ash on your plantings.

Wintering the plant

Kupena is a frost-resistant plant that can withstand fairly severe cold. In late autumn, all shoots are cut off at soil level, leaving stumps of about 5 centimeters. No additional shelter is required for the plant; you can only lightly sprinkle the area with rotted humus or compost. In spring, the plant produces shoots almost from under the snow.

Kupena winters with virtually no shelter

Bought in landscape design and combination with other plants

Kupena serves as an indispensable element for decorating shady corners of the garden and tree trunks of fruit trees. Planting it, in addition to being decorative, also has a practical purpose, since weeds do not grow at the place where the kupena is grown.

Kupena is used quite widely in landscape design. It looks great with dicentra, fern, and doronicum. It looks impressive when bathed in rocky gardens, next to forest geraniums. With the help of a flower you can decorate any deserted and unsightly corner of the garden plot.

Kupena's neighbors should be located at some distance from it so that its powerful shoots do not obscure other flowers.

Frequently asked questions from flower growers about caring for kupena

Inexperienced flower growers often have questions about caring for the kupena; they are related to the peculiarities of caring for this unusual plant.

How many years can kupena grow in one place? Is it possible to replant it with a kupena?

On the site, the kupena can grow continuously for 10-15 years. It is often not recommended to replant it. The first transplant can be carried out no earlier than 4 years after planting. To prevent the area under the bath from becoming clogged, dying parts of the root can be removed, and new specimens can be planted in this place.

Is it necessary to cover the bath for the winter?

Kupena does not need shelter for the winter, since its root system is frost-resistant. In the spring, the area with the planted kupena must be cleared of debris and excess snow as quickly as possible to prevent the roots from becoming waterlogged.

How long does Kupena bloom?

Kupena, depending on the variety, blooms for 35-45 days in May, June or July. After flowering, small berries form on the stem, so the plant remains decorative for another 30 days.

How to protect your bath from slugs?

Slugs on kupena plantings can be collected manually or destroyed using chemicals. They give good results. Beer traps are effective in the fight against slugs. A bottle filled with 100 ml of beer is dug into the soil next to the plant at an angle of 45 degrees. The neck of the bottle is placed flush with the soil. Slugs are collected in such a trap at night, and in the morning they are destroyed. The disadvantage of this method is the need to replace the contents of the trap daily.

You can get acquainted with the purchased plant and the features of its cultivation in more detail by watching the proposed video material. Enjoy watching!