In the first year she sowed cephalophora on the windowsill in April. At the end of May, the seedlings were planted in the soil and threw non-woven covering materials against recurrent frosts. All was afraid that an unfamiliar plant could not stand our colds. But my fears were in vain.
For three years growing cephalophora has shown itself as an exceptionally hardy and unpretentious plant.
First, cephalophora is very cold-resistant - neither autumn nor spring frosts at all. But this is not a paradox! This I then thought out that the climate in the mountains, even in the subtropics, is also not sugar.
Secondly, it proved to be very resistant to droughts.
Thirdly, it is not easy to soil.
The main thing that she needs - so it's a lot of sun and space. That's what a mountain plant means!
How does cephalophora look like .
The annual one begins to branch strongly from the ground, and therefore acquires the shape of a ball, the diameter of which is 30-40 mm in the adult state. Numerous narrow leaves (about 2 cm wide and 10 cm long) are dark green, rough. Each stem ends in the apical inflorescence. The inflorescence is so remarkable in its kind that because of it this plant received the Latin name cephalophora, which in translation means "like a head". Each ball is, in fact, yellow-green in color, a diameter of a centimeter of a regular rounded shape. Its surface is covered with cells in a geometric pattern that resembles a honeycomb. Each cell is a flower, and there are a lot of them in the inflorescence.
Dark green ball in the heyday of strawberry grass - cephalophores, can be decorated with a lot of golden little balls (inflorescences). Each inflorescence is decorative about a month. Estimating the magnificent external data of the plant, the second time I did not begin to plant strawberry grass on the bed, but placed the beauty in the flower garden.
Care for strawberry grass .
Seeds sowed early in May directly into the soil at a depth of 1 cm, sprouted quickly - after 3-4 days. I did not do any shelter now, only in two stages I weeded and weeded the shoots. You need to look after him, like any summerman. Weeding is no longer needed from the middle of summer, the bushes become very dense, and in their shade the annual weeds no longer grow. The sparse planting was very effective. I was once again convinced that in the spheres, the cephalophora bushes are transformed only if they grow from each other at a distance of 40-50 cm. With a closer planting they stretch, the stems, leaves and inflorescences intertwine, and a disheveled, untidy carpet turns out. On the strawberry grass, the first gold balls appear at the end of June, and the peak of flowering begins in mid-August. At this time, you can prepare spicy grass for the winter.
Harvesting herbs cephalophores.
In clear sunny weather, when the dew descends, selectively cut off the young intact leaves, stems and inflorescences and land in the attic. I do not prepare a lot of fragrant raw materials, even if I give to my friends, it always remains, the consumption is small.
Strawberry grass as a spice.
When using strawberry grass as a spice it must be strictly dose, otherwise a strong aroma can drown out not only other spices, but also change the taste of the dish itself (up to bitterness). For the preparation of flavored tea, I usually mix four teaspoons of Indian tea and a half a spoonful of strawberry grass. By the way, according to the labels, I noticed that cephalophora is included in many imported tea blends.
In September the cephalophore gives a lot of seeds, which we are good at ripening. They last for 3-4 years. They can not be confused with the seeds of other flowers, the same unique strawberry flavor comes from them!