Adonis florets are especially known for their early and abundant flowering. Here you will learn how to plant the small flowers themselves and what other features distinguish the florets.
Adonis florets are among the first flowers to open their blossoms in spring. There are more than 20 different species. Most varieties bloom yellow or red. Among the best known species are the Amur, spring, summer and autumn Adonis florets. They all originate from areas between northeast Asia and Europe and provide an important habitat for a variety of insects.
However, the small flowers can be poisonous to humans and some animals. That’s why you should keep them out of the reach of children and pets.
Planting Adonis florets: how to do it
Adonis florets can be easily planted in the garden. To do this, it’s best to buy pre-pulled seedlings from your local nursery. Ideally, you should use organic plants. You can find out more about this topic here: Organic plants: What to look for when buying plants.
You can also buy seeds and grow the flowers yourself. However, this is relatively time-consuming and not suitable for beginners. In addition, there is no guarantee that the seeds will actually germinate in the end. The flowers are generally not suitable for growing in a container.
If you want to plant Adonis florets, you should follow these tips:
- Choose a partial shade to full sun location. Rock gardens or dry stone walls, for example, are well suited. How much sun the florets need also depends on the variety. However, most species need at least four hours of full sun a day.
- In order to preserve the small flowers for as long as possible, it is best to choose a location that is protected from the wind.
- The soil should be well-drained, sandy and rich in nutrients.
- As far as other properties of the soil are concerned, there are also differences between the individual varieties: Amur Adonis roses, for example, always require fresh to moist soil as well as a slightly acidic soil environment. Spring Adonis florets prefer drier and calcareous substrate. Autumn and summer Adonis florets grow best in moist, nutrient-rich and calcareous soil.
- It is best to plant the young plants outdoors in spring (from March) or in late summer or early fall. Make sure that there is a distance of at least 30 centimeters between the plants. As a starting fertilizer you can add some compost to the soil.
Care tips
Care for Adonis florets is relatively uncomplicated. It is enough to pay attention to the following aspects:
Especially in hot periods, you should not forget to water the Adonis roses regularly. It is important that you avoid waterlogging and that excess water can drain off well.
The flowers are hardy and do not need additional protection in case of frost. Fertilizer is also usually unnecessary after planting.
In general, the longer Adonis florets can remain undisturbed in one location, the better they will grow.
Adonis florets as a medicinal plant?
Adonis florets are known not only as a poisonous plant, but also as a remedy. This is due to the glycosides they contain. These are said to improve the muscular contraction of the heart without accelerating the pulse.
They are also said to stimulate blood circulation and have a sedative and diuretic effect. Thus, in naturopathy, they are considered a remedy for heart failure and, in smaller doses, as a medicinal plant for fever, dropsy and menstrual cramps. Meanwhile, however, the medicinal plant is hardly used in medicine. Only in homeopathic circles it still plays an important role.
The parts of the plant should never be taken without medical supervision. Always resort to ready-made mixtures from the pharmacy. The extracts of the plant are available, for example, in the form of pills and tinctures.
This way you can be sure that you will not overdose the plant and cause toxic effects. Also note that Adonis herb can cause interactions in combination with other medications.