Princes, like clematis, belong to the Buttercup family. They are very similar to each other and some botanists believe that both plants belong to the same genus - Clematis. Their difference lies only in the fact that the flowers of the princes have petals, while the clematis do not have them. In Russia, there are the Siberian prince (photos of this plant are presented below), the prince of Okhotsk and large-petal. All flowers are drooping, axillary, broadly bell-shaped, up to 10 cm in diameter.
Knyazhik Siberian is a shrub liana that can rise to 3 m in height with the help of twisted leaf petioles. From June to July, large white flowers appear on it, and from August to September, wide wedge-shaped fruitlets ripen. In its natural habitat, it can be found in Siberia, in the forests of Karelia and the upper reaches of the Volga, in the Tien Shan and Pamir mountains. The Siberian prince loves to grow on forest edges, on the banks of streams and rivers, as well as on rocky deposits and rocky slopes. In the reserves, this plant is protected andgrown in European botanical gardens.
If you decide to have a Siberian prince in your garden, then you should choose a sunny place for it, but it is desirable that it be slightly shaded during the hot period. The slope can be south, east, southeast or southwest, and its slope should not exceed 50 ºС. Since the plant has very delicate flowers and stems, plantings must be protected from the winds. However, at the same time, the Siberian liana is frost-resistant, and even in the northern regions of the European part of Russia, it calmly winters without shelter.
In general, the Siberian prince is an unpretentious plant that lives on any soil, with the exception of only swampy and waterlogged places. Of course, it is desirable that it be loose, well-drained and light earth. And best of all, fertile, neutral or slightly alkaline loam is suitable for creepers. It is preferable to plant a plant in spring, the distance between tall representatives should be at least 1.5 m, and smaller ones can be placed at a distance of 70-100 cm.
For planting, already rooted seedlings and cuttings (two-year-olds) are best suited, as they tolerate this procedure well. Before planting, you first need to cut off all the shoots that are above the first or second pair of buds. The prince has very fragile roots, and they break quite often. All damaged parts should be cut off, and the rest sprinkled with ash or charcoal, can be treated with weak potassium permanganate. In adult plants, the root collardeepen by 10 cm, and in young people - by 5-8 cm. In the northern regions, this will warn against freezing, and in the southern regions - from overheating during the hot period. The buds that appeared in the first year of planting must be removed so that the plant takes root better.
You need to know that this liana has several names: forest prince, wild hop, leaf climber, ataman grass. The Siberian prince is actively used in the treatment of certain diseases, it is especially valued in Mongolian medicine. It is used for edema, metabolic disorders, liver disease, tuberculosis, tumors, dropsy. It is also used as a general tonic and improves vision. However, it should be remembered that ataman-grass is a poisonous plant, and it must be used strictly for its intended purpose and under the supervision of the attending physician.
