Seeds of the shrub of Kaf Maryam

Common name: Kaf Maryam. Also called: Kaf Maryam Five Leaves - Tree of Chastity. Description: • A beautiful, fast-growing flowering shrub with many branches, reaching up to 4 meters in height, with palmate leaves consisting of 5 lobes. It is suitable for creating a plant fence and can be pruned to grow vertically. Native habitat: • Native to the Mediterranean Basin (Middle Eastern countries) and Central Asia, and it spreads in Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries. Uses and benefits: • Grown for decoration in gardens and parks. • Planted in islands or medians of roads and at the edges. • Considered a plant that repels mosquitoes and insects. • Medicinal substances are extracted from it for eye diseases and stomach ailments. The flower: • Small-sized, with blue or purple color, with a pleasant scent. Its flowers form in clusters resembling bunches, ranging from 5 to 12 cm in size. It blooms most days of the year. The fruit: • Small black fruits, from half a centimeter to 2 centimeters. Climate conditions: • Tolerates frost, drought, salinity, wind, and variable weather. • Adapted to hot desert climates. • Characterized by its high-temperature tolerance. Suitable soil for cultivation: • Sandy soil. • Clay soil. • Adapts to many types of well-drained soils with moderate salinity, with watering based on soil type after ensuring the soil is dry. Propagation method: • Propagated by seeds and cuttings. Method of planting with seeds: • Moisten the soil. • Plant directly in the ground at a depth not exceeding 2 cm. • Water thoroughly during the first time. • Keep the soil moist during germination. • Reduce watering when the plant starts to appear. Planting time: • Planted directly in the ground at the end of winter and when the weather stabilizes. • Can be cultivated year-round indoors in greenhouses prepared with appropriate temperature conditions for germination.