Description and characteristics of the Daursky rhododendron, planting and care
Rhododendron with the prefix "Daurian" is widespread in Siberia, the Caucasus and the Far East. Local residents call it wild rosemary. When purple flowers appear on a nondescript bush in winter in spring, the rhododendron attracts the attention of tourists and a local resident who is sophisticated in beauty. The name "Daursky" was received from the inhabitants of Transbaikalia, as the Russians called them Daurs.
Characteristics, description and origin
Walking in late spring or early summer through the forest beyond Lake Baikal, a flower lover can see a blooming rhododendron. The picture will be so impressive that the florist wants to take away a twig to plant a shrub at home.
For the first time, flower growers noticed rhododendron in the 17th century. It happened in England. 200 years later, rhododendron was planted not only on the square in big cities, but also near the house on the site. In Russia (in the east), Japan, Korea, China, the shrub was known from the side of medicine. There are many nutrients here. Added rhododendron to salads for sweetness and flavor. Widely popular for its beautiful flowers.
The rhododendron reaches a height of half to two meters. Shoots stick up and branch densely. There can be up to 40 of them in one bush. Thin young shoots of rhododendron at the end of the branch are collected in a bunch. Their color is rusty-brown, and their short pubescence gives tenderness. The root is flat and shallow.
Rhododendron leaves are oval in shape with a rounded end. Glossy, dark green on top and pale in scales below, they are 1.3 to 4 centimeters long and half to one centimeter wide. You can see the leaves during the flowering period. In autumn, they usually turn brown with large scales and fall off. Leaves practically do not remain on the rhododendron for the winter.
The bush blooms at the end of young shoots or in the leaf axils. It happens at the same time from these two places. One flower emerges from one flower bud of a rhododendron. The length of the pedicel reaches 5 millimeters. The calyx is small, covered with scales. Corolla pink and purple, sometimes white, up to 2.2 centimeters in length and up to 4 in diameter. In nature, rhododendron blooms from April to June, sometimes flowers appear earlier.
When the bush fades, a box-shaped fruit forms. Outwardly, it resembles an egg up to 1.2 centimeters long.
Features:
Rhododendron can be seen in the forest, on the side of a rocky cliff. There are some individuals that remain evergreen for many years. Depends on the climate where the rhododendron grows.
Attention! If you need to get a beautiful bouquet for the spring celebration, you can cut off a few branches and put them in the water in the room on the window. In a week, the rhododendron will give a beautiful pink bouquet.
Landing
It is not difficult to plant a rhododendron in a personal plot. It is enough to know how to choose the right place, prepare the soil, time and planting scheme.
Seat selection
It is better to plant in the shade, in a place closed from the wind, near large trees, behind a shed or other building.
Soil preparation
The earth should not be alkaline, the plant does not like it. Drainage is important so that air can circulate well. Water should not stagnate in the soil, otherwise the roots will rot. Therefore, it is impossible to plant in heavy clay soil with closely located groundwater.
It is best if it is peaty. You can fertilize the place with fallen leaves in autumn, digging up the ground with them.
When to plant
It should be planted in the spring. But there are gardeners who do it in the fall. You can choose a convenient growing season for the planting period. It is only worth excluding the time when the rhododendron blooms, and another 10 days after that. Although experienced flower lovers still insist on the spring period. Time ranges from April to May 10-15. It all depends on the climate of the region.
Choosing a seedling correctly
5 tips for buying seedlings:
- There are a lot of scammers, so there is a possibility of buying from hands not a rhododendron bush, but something else. You should buy only in a trusted place from a knowledgeable gardener. Even if a person buys a bush not for the first time and knows how to plant it, you still need to ask how to do it. If the seller cannot answer, it means that this is a reseller, you cannot buy a plant from him.
- It is better for a beginner to choose a seedling of one of the Daurian rhododendron species. They are not so whimsical, frost-resistant, it is easier to care for them. The bred varieties need additional attention, without which they die.
- If the decision was made, then buying an adult seedling imported from another country where rhododendron was grown in soft soil using a special technology inherent in that climate means taking a risk. Since although the bush will take root, it will not survive the winter.
- It is better to buy a plant less than four years old. You need to ask how the sprout was grown. If by planting seeds in a greenhouse, then in three years the rhododendron will only grow by 15 centimeters. If the cuttings method was used, then the bush will grow by 25 centimeters. The taller the plant, the stronger the root system. Before buying, you need to inspect the sprout. You need to choose strong and healthy ones, which have whole roots and straight processes. On the surface of the root system, there should be no cuts, dark or light spots, new growths.
- It is imperative to check the state of the root system. All appendages should be elastic, flexible, and easily curled. There should be no mold or rot. The bark should be slightly scratched, if the wood is light, then the seedling is healthy.
Landing scheme
First you need to prepare the pit. We'll have to dig at least half a meter deep and the same width. Peat or substrate, ground with leaves prepared in autumn, compost are laid on the bottom. You need to make a litter of needles and add humus with river sand.
For drainage, you must not forget to lay gravel or broken brick at the very bottom. In no case should you put lime, since the plant does not tolerate alkali.
When burying a seedling, it is important to ensure that the neck of the root does not end up underground, it should protrude. After planting, a hole is formed near the trunk, and the plant is abundantly filled with water. Spread mulch on the soil to protect surface roots.
Care
Taking care of a rhododendron is easy. You will have to tinker, since the bush requires watering, feeding, pruning.
Watering
You need to water it once every two weeks with two buckets (it is better to take rainwater). By using a drainage system, it is possible to ensure that the water does not stagnate and the roots do not start to rot.
Top dressing
The plant should be fertilized once every three years in the spring and every time after flowering. In the spring, organics, minerals, phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium are used.
Weeding
Weeds are regularly removed by loosening (they absorb nutrients from the soil). It is better to burn the torn grass, as it can become a carrier of diseases.
Removing buds
The first three years, you need to remove the buds so that the plant takes root well. It will take four years to enjoy the beauty of the bush.
Preparation for wintering
The plant usually tolerates cold weather. In very severe frosts, the shrub is wrapped in pine branches. For a young plant, you should make a greenhouse or cover it with oak leaves.
Pruning
Young bushes cannot be cut off, otherwise they will not grow. Although the plant develops slowly, it will live a long time. It is important to prepare for the fact that the first 10 years the bush will be decorative. Adult plants are rarely pruned, as they have the correct geometric shape.
Topping
It is better to pinch young seedlings so that the bush has the correct shape in the future. To do this, cut a branch near the central bud.
Reproduction
For wild individuals, the seed method is used, for decorative ones - cuttings. In both cases, the plant takes root in a box in a room where it is 20-23 degrees. Peat with sand serves as soil.
Seed method
Twigs appear after 4 weeks. When three leaves grow, the box can be taken out to a cooler place for hardening.
Cuttings
At the end of July or in August, the rhododendron shoot is cut off from the bush along the oblique shoot. The length should be up to 10 centimeters. 2-3 upper leaves remain. The rhododendron is planted at an angle of 30 degrees into the ground.
Important! Water the cuttings 2-3 times a week for them to take root..
Use in landscape design
Planting a rhododendron with different flowering periods on the site is a great idea. Better to choose a place near a fountain or an artificial pond. So you don't have to spray it all the time. Blueberries and lingonberries, which also love acidic soil, can become neighbors.
Reviews
Alisa Beshelya, 43 years old: “For me, rhododendron is the best shrub on the site. It blooms in purple. The bush did not take root at home, but a real rose tree grew in the garden. I like that the bush is unpretentious. The plant grows in the shade. This is convenient, because there is not always a sunny place in the garden.
Needles should grow nearby on the site, since in winter the leaves fall off, and the bare crown of fruit trees does not cover the bush. A common plant disease is rust. Sometimes spider mites and bugs settle, feeding exclusively on rhododendron leaves. On the site I have 6 types of shrubs. 4 have already started to give color. 2 are still too young, but we expect to bloom next year. "
Olga Malyarova, 54 years old: “I love ornamental shrubs. The rhododendron was no exception. I dream of planting my site near the house with all possible types of this plant. I love rhododendron for its delicate color during flowering. In total, there are up to 12 thousand species. Of course, it is difficult to plant every representative. Every year (for 10 years now) I plant one type of bush. Now there are 10 rhododendrons on the site. Most already give color every spring and summer. I love to look at my bushes during the day while relaxing and enjoy their luxurious appearance. "
Gardeners speak positively about the rhododendron, which, although it is difficult to take root in the European climate, pleases with its beauty in spring and summer. Observing the tips for planting and caring for the plant, you can rejoice in the delicate purple color of the bush in four years.
