The plant known as Alisma plantago aquatica it is perfect for planting near waterways, or even on the edge of the pond. Being a perennial, it will produce flowers season after season for many years, which means that you will be able to contemplate the beauty of its petals in your garden for a long time to come.
Do you want to know how to take care of it? Well, you know: keep reading 🙂.
Origin and characteristics
Our protagonist is a perennial aquatic plant whose scientific name is Alisma plantago aquatica. It receives the common names of water plantain, water plantain, hare's ear, frog bread, alisma or water rosette. It is native to the Northern Hemisphere, where it grows in humid places such as the edges of rivers, swamps or ponds.
It can reach a height of up to 1 meter, sprouting from a fibrous, bulbous root. The leaves are basal, oblong or lanceolate, measure 15 to 30 cm and grow in a rosette. The flowers are grouped in inflorescences in the form of a pyramidal panicle, and are white or pink in color. The fruit is an achene that contains a single seed.
Properties
It is a plant that has interesting medicinal properties:
- Dry leaves): in infusion they are astringent, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, and purifying.
- Root- Used as a poultice to treat snake bites.
But it is important that you bear in mind that both the leaves and the roots can cause skin irritations.
What are their cares?
If you want to have a copy, we recommend you take care of it as follows:
- Location: it must be outside, in full sun.
- Earth:
- Pot: universal growing substrate, first pouring a layer of clean river sand.
- Garden: grows in well-drained and moist soils.
- Irrigation: very frequent, daily if necessary. The earth must always be moist.
- Subscriber: in spring and summer with ecological fertilizers once a month.
- Multiplication: by seeds in spring.
- Rusticity: resists cold and frost down to -7ºC.
Did you know the Alisma plantago aquatica?