How to care for Aquilegia
The internet introduces how to care for Aquilegia and explains the cultivation methods of this green plant and flower, let's follow the editor to take a look!
Aquilegia, the name sounds like it might be a type of vegetable, but experienced flower enthusiasts have all heard of its fame. It has become very popular in the flower cultivation circle in recent years. Aquilegia is a typical flower that thrives in cool environments, especially suitable for purchase in winter. Today, I will share some tips to help it bloom from winter to spring!
What is Aquilegia?
Aquilegia belongs to the Aquilegia genus under the Ranunculaceae family, and it is a perennial plant variety. Like many other perennial flowers, the roots of Aquilegia remain in the soil and continue to propagate every year. It has good cold resistance, able to endure temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius. Most regions in China can overwinter outdoors in winter, especially suitable for planting in northern areas, such as Shandong, Shanxi, and Shaanxi. In colder regions like the Northeast, where the lowest outdoor temperature in winter exceeds -10 degrees, it can only be grown in pots and brought indoors for care during the winter.
The leaves of Aquilegia are elliptical with jagged edges, somewhat similar to the leaves of clover. Its flowers are very interesting; the blooms hang slightly downward at the top of the branches, with the outer petals pointed and star-shaped, and the inner petals round, with some double-petal varieties having two or more layers. This unique flower shape resembles a series of bell clappers and also looks like a soaring bird. The colors of the flowers are bright and diverse, with common colors like red, yellow, and orange, as well as rare colors such as purple and blue.
Aquilegia is a typical cool-season flower with good cold resistance, loving a cool environment, and it is the "main force" among winter-blooming plants. However, it has poor heat resistance and will enter a dormant period in summer, with most of its above-ground parts withering. If it encounters extremely high temperatures, it might even die.
How to care for Aquilegia
Winter care tips
Aquilegia generally propagates through播种 (播种 means sowing) in the cool autumn, and now it is winter, which has missed the best sowing time. Flower enthusiasts who want to plant Aquilegia can only buy seedlings or finished potted plants from the flower market. When caring for the purchased Aquilegia seedlings, the following points should be noted:
Control temperature
Aquilegia is similar to Viola cornuta, both preferring cool temperatures and fearing heat. They grow quickly, bloom abundantly, and have a long blooming period in cooler environments. Aquilegia purchased in winter, if properly cared for, can bloom until the following May or June.
Although Aquilegia can endure temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius, it is still recommended to keep it indoors during winter. The optimal growth temperature for Aquilegia is between 15 to 25 degrees Celsius, and the average indoor temperature in most households during winter is around 15 degrees. Keeping the seedlings indoors allows for the fastest growth and earliest blooming.