Splendid candle
| Splendid candle | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Magnificent candle ( Gaura lindheimeri ) |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Gaura Lindheimeri | ||||||||||||
| Engelm. & Gray |
The splendor candle ( Gaura lindheimeri ), also prairie candle , is a species of the evening primrose family (Onagraceae). It is native to southern North America in the border region between the USA and Mexico.
The “Elfenbusserl” variety was named Bavarian Balcony Plant of the Year 2007.
description
The magnificent candle grows as a clump-forming , perennial herbaceous plant and reaches heights of between 50 and 150 centimeters. The upright to curved, weakly branched stems are finely haired. The blue-green leaves are up to 8 centimeters long and narrowly elliptical to spatulate or slightly pinnate-shaped divided with slightly serrated leaf edges.
The 2 to 3 centimeters long individual flowers (occurring in white, pink or lilac), standing on long pedicels, open one after the other. They have four bracts, which are pink as buds, white after opening in the morning and slightly pink again towards evening, shortly before fading. The flowering period extends from spring to the first frost.
The number of chromosomes is 2n = 14.
distribution
The magnificent candle is native to southern North America in the border region between the USA and Mexico. There it grows in prairies and open pine forests . In Central Europe it is known as a hardy ornamental plant.
use
The splendor candle is used as an ornamental plant. There are numerous varieties, for example 'Corrie's Gold', 'Lime Light', 'Madonna', 'Whirling Butterflies', 'Shakti', 'Pink Butterfly' and 'Siskiyou Pink'.
literature
- Gordon Cheers (Ed.): Botanica. The ABC of plants. 10,000 species in text and images . Könemann, Cologne 2003, ISBN 3-8331-1600-5 , p. 397 .
- Hans Simon (Ed.): The free-range ornamental shrubs. Manual and lexicon of garden perennials . Founded by Leo Jelitto, Wilhelm Schacht. 5th completely revised edition. tape 1 : A-H . Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2002, ISBN 3-8001-3265-6 , pp. 382 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Plant of the year 2007 . ( online ).
- ^ Gaura Lindheimeri at Tropicos.org. In: IPCN Chromosome Reports . Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis
