In case you live in Spain and you plan to have a plant that is simple to look at and is not large, but still has the potential to change the environment where you are going to plant it, surely the Moricandia arvensis.
La Moricandia arvensis It is not a plant that alone has the power to change your garden, but that if you dedicate enough time and space to plant it and have a good space full of this species, rest assured that once it blooms, your garden or orchard will change completely.
General data of the Moricandia arvensis
Today about eight different species are known that belong to the Brassicaceae family and that come from the same genus. This is just one of those different variations.
In view, the Moricandia arvensis or better known as collejónIt has light green leaves that make the flowers look once they enter their flowering stage. The truth is that there is not much information about this plant, so we will be very concise in this case.
Its natural habitat is more than all places that have been altered by man, although it also has an enormous facility to grow in soils whose nutrients or substrates are very few. In the same way, the plant can be cultivated in land where there are gutters, it can be found on roadsides and substrates with limestone characteristics.
Naturally, their place of origin is southern Europe, as well as northwestern Africa. I also know You can find this particular species in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands.
Now, at this point it is important to mention that in Spain you can also find this species. Sure it doesn't have the potential to grow anywhere, but it can still be found in Valencia, Barcelona, Alicante, Tarragona and other provinces.
Plant characteristic
Leaves
As we have already mentioned, the plant has a very light color in its leaves, which is very practical for the plant when it comes to highlighting its flowers, since they have a very beautiful and striking purple color.
Similarly, the leaves have a fleshy texture to the touch and are very leafy. At first glance you will not notice it, but once you touch them, you will know what we are talking about. Also, the leaves of this specific plant tend to grow in such a way that it hugs the stems.
Act quickly. highlight an important detail regarding the leaves and is that the size of these usually reach a maximum of 5 cm in length. Of course, this will vary according to environmental conditions and the type of soil to be used.
Stem
It has the ability to branch very well, but a single plant will not have the ability to generate too many stems like other plants with bush characteristics. However, you can compensate for this by planting several arvensis very close to each other.
Land
In the same way, there is the great advantage that you can grow this plant in almost any type of soil you want. If it is a soil with characteristics that are seen in its natural habitat, you will have the opportunity to see how it grows to about 80 cm in height.
Of course, this would be a special case, since usually usually grows between 20 and 50 cm in height. Even so, if you are going to have it in your garden, you can perform the necessary maintenance, since in the end, it is not highly demanding.
Now, a very important fact that we will mention to you is that the behavior and / or growth of this plant will never be the same. This behavior will vary depending on the type of soil in which you are going to plant.
Flowers
This is perhaps the most striking feature of all, since it is what tends to stand out the most in the plant. The flowering of the Moricandia arvensis lasts five months and begins in March and ends at the end of July.
It is worth mentioning that once flowering has taken place, the plant itself will have the ability to generate 15 to 20 flowers. As for its petals, it has four with a lilac color and a length of three centimeters.