Ornamental Spices in Balcony Boxes

Abstract

We investigated possible double usage of seven herb al taxa in balcony boxes, which were selected for ornamental purposes . We focused on drug content of the plants besides m easuring growth data. We planted the same taxa to open ground conditions as a control group. Six taxa among the investigated seven ones are suitable for double usage. The harvested herbals had generally better quality and higher drug content compared to the con trol group. Origanum vulgare L. 'Country Cream' is the exception: it doesn't seem to be suitable fo r this purpose, because it proved to be very sensit ive to sunburn in both vegetation periods. Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss convar. foliosum 'Moha- fodrozatu' produced less drug in balcony box, but i ts volatile oil concentration was above the control group's. Ocimum basilicum L. 'Zoldgomb' grew 1.5-2 fold bigger in balcony box, t han in open ground. As a result drug production was outstanding, volati le oil concentration reached at least 0.5 ml/100g value from the second harvest. In the case of Thymus ◊ citriodorus (Pers.) Schreb. 'Aureus' volatile oil content was also higher in balcony box . There was a similar tendency at A Salvia offici- nalis L. 'Purpurascens' but the difference was not signi ficant (its habitat was nicer in open ground. At Allium schoenoprasum L. we didn't se reasonable difference between balco ny box and open ground groups . Satureja montana L. provided most intensive growth and drug producti on during first part of the second vegetation period; its volatile oil cont ent was always the same as the published literature data.