Kukushkin's tears - a wild orchid of our latitudes

This plant, "cuckoo tears," as it is called in the people, has another name - orchis. Refers to a large family of orchids. Its name is due to the characteristic form of tubers, reminiscent of the balls-nucleoli or small testicles. The genus of plants, to which cuckoo terns belong, has more than 100 species that grow in the subtropical, temperate, cold belt of the northern hemisphere. All these species are highly decorative. On the territory of the CIS countries, the most common orchis male and helmetiform. They are very similar to each other, but they have some specific differences. Orchis masculine occurs in the southern areas of the forest zone throughout the European part of Russia, in Ukraine, in the Baltic, in the Crimea, in the Caucasus. This flower grows in deciduous forests on any soils. Orchis shlemovidny often found in meadows, forest edges and glades, on the slopes of the mountains (up to 1800 m). It grows throughout the European part of Russia, in the Crimea and the Carpathians, in the Caucasus.

Both these species of orchis have spherical tubers. In the lower part of their stem there are purple specks. The stem reaches 25-50 cm in height. On leaflets (8-14 cm) there are also often violet spots, most concentrated at the base of the leaf. The multi-flower inflorescence reaches 18 cm in length. The bracts are lilac, lanceolate. Flowers have a purple or pale violet color. Three-bladed, broadly oval lip of flower in base, whitish, covered with purple specks. Spur blunt, horizontal. Ovaries twisted, sessile. These plants blossom in April-May.

The orchis of the helmet-like inflorescence are dense, multiflorous. First they have a cylindrical, and then a pyramidal shape. His bracts are purple-pink. The outer leaves of the perianth are white and pink outside, and inside - with violet veins. The lip of the flower on the base is whitish with purple and purple specks. Her blades are purple-pink. Spurs whitish, blunt, slightly bent. Flowers have a pleasant aroma.

Cuckoo's tears reproduce by seeds or tubers. Seeds germinate underground. Only for 2 years there is a tuber. The first terrestrial leaf appears for 4-5 years. This plant blooms only for 8-10 years after sowing seeds. Some specimens bloom for several consecutive years, and some after flowering just die. A small percentage of orchis produces fruits. These plants are able to form hybrids among themselves.

Kukushkin's tears can also be grown on household plots. This plant prefers penumbra and moistened soils. The most suitable for planting are non-acid soils, consisting of leaf land, sand and peat. The surface must be mulched with dry needles. This plant requires regular watering. The flower of cuckoo tear can be propagated by seeds, but in this case it will be necessary to wait for the flowering of this plant for several years. Orchis successfully reproduces replacing tuber roots.

Cuckoo's tears, the photos of which are given above, have long been used as a medicinal product. In their tubers there are mucus, dextrin, starch, sugars, proteins, resins, bitterness and mineral salts. This plant is used for diseases of the digestive tract, bronchitis, poisoning with poisons.