One of the optimal plants for location on a site in Central Russia is rhododendron daursky. This very unpretentious perennial plant will delight you with its unusual flowering and delicious aroma for many years.
Biological description
Rhododendron Daurian (in Latin Rhododendron Dauricu) grows in Asia and east of the Altai Mountains. Its distribution range includes Transbaikalia, the eastern part of Siberia, the Far East, Sakhalin, Korea, Japan, Manchuria and Northeast China, where it grows as separate bushes and thickets.
Rhododendron bush in Buryatia
The plant is a shrub, consisting of 20-50 shoots, rods, having a dark brown color. Young shoots are thin and elastic, then they completely become woody. The height of the shrub ranges from 1.5-2 m, life expectancy is up to 50 years.
Far Eastern rhododendron (the name reflects the main distribution area) is notable for the fact that first flowers appear on it: on the tops of shoots from one to three buds, mainly pink, purple and lilac, sometimes white. And only after their flowering - from mid-April to the end of June - does the plant produce medium-sized leaves from 1 to 4 cm long and up to 1 cm oval in shape with a rounding at the ends. Their color differs from the side of the leaf: the upper part is dark green and smooth, and the lower part is paler with a scaly structure.
For your information! Almost all leaves fall for the winter, curling up with a straw.
As a result of flowering, a fruit box is formed. The root system of the shrub is wide and superficial; in the wild, it prefers to multiply by the roots, occasionally by seeds.
The chemical composition of rhododendron
The plant is quite toxic, the aroma of its flowers can cause nausea and headache with prolonged inhalation, honey from the plant’s flowers can cause hallucinations in large quantities, and the leaves contain andromedotoxin, a substance with a narcotic effect, which can initially stimulate the nervous system and then significantly inhibit it. frustrating heart activity. Rhododendron also contains a large amount of essential oil, both in leaves and in flowers.
Note! This plant, despite its high toxicity, is a medicinal one. Rhododendron and rosemary are one and the same plant, and almost everyone has heard about the properties of the second.
Beautiful flowers - benefits and dangers
Beneficial features
In moderate amounts and as prescribed by a doctor, rhododendron preparations have the following properties:
- bactericidal;
- antipyretic;
- painkillers;
- soothing;
- sweatshops.
This once again proves that everything is good in moderation, and even poisons have healing properties. With the help of this plant get rid of shortness of breath and swelling, it improves cardiac activity, lowers blood pressure.
Rhododendron leaves are used in the treatment of rheumatism, epilepsy, colitis and colds, as well as chronic bronchitis and some other diseases. Tea from the leaves of the plant can reduce headache and sore throat, as well as relieve cough with sputum.
Contraindications to the use of preparations from Ledum are heart disease, pregnancy, lactation, impaired renal function.
Seed propagation
Gardeners who want to grow such bushes from seeds are faced with a rather laborious process, requiring vigilant control. It is best to start in late February - early March. It is necessary to prepare the soil - peat-sand mixture in a ratio of 1: 1, which needs preliminary disinfection. Soil is poured into the tank without tamping or moistening. On top pour seeds of rosemary.
Important! The seeds are extremely small, so they can be pre-mixed with sand, the main thing is that the distance between the seeds is kept within 1-1.5 cm.
Watering is done through a pan until the soil is completely moistened, excess moisture is removed. Sowing is covered with a film or glass. The first shoots appear after 3 weeks at room temperature.
After emergence, the film is removed, and the plants are moved to a room with a temperature of 8-12 ° C. The shoots are provided with good lighting, but avoiding direct sunlight. It must be ensured that the substrate is constantly wet. Then you should gradually accustom the plants to fresh air.
Young rhododendrons dive in June, planting in large boxes with a distance of 1.5 cm. Staying plants outdoors in the summer is welcome. With the onset of the first cold weather, young rosemary is brought into a room with a temperature of 8-18 ° C, while it is worth providing them with a 12-16-hour light day throughout the winter.
In late February - early March, plants are again transplanted already at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other. The soil should be constantly moist, but in the second year of life of rhododendrons they begin to make mineral fertilizing. In the summer they should again be sent to the garden.
In the third year, seedlings are planted in prepared beds in open ground, not forgetting watering and top dressing, and they are transplanted to a permanent place only for 4-5 years.
Cuttings of rosemary
Propagation by cuttings
Unlike the method of growing from seeds, propagation by cuttings is a much simpler and less energy-consuming method. Cuttings are prepared only in the first half of summer. Semi-lignified and strong shoots are selected and at the angle of 45 ° they cut off the apical part of at least 10 cm and no more than 15 cm in length. The lower leaves are removed and soaked cuttings in a growth stimulator.
Then the stalk is placed in prepared soil at an angle of 30 °, deepening it and squeezing it with earth. Then carry out watering and cover from above with a cap from a film or other improvised means.
Important! Shelter cuttings should not be in contact with him.
For successful rooting, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of 25-30 ° C and increase the daylight hours to 14-16 hours. After three months, roots should appear.
Young rhododendrons from cuttings are grown for a year or two in crates, observing watering, top dressing and temperature conditions, as in the case of germination from seeds, and then planted at a permanent place of residence.
Root layering
Rhododendron, or rosemary, can also be propagated by layering. This procedure is carried out in the spring. At the bush, shoots closest to the ground are selected, not more than 5 pcs. from one bush. In the place of contact with the soil, a longitudinal section is made on the branch, inserting a sliver into it so that it does not close.
Next, make a hole about 15 by 15 cm in size, in which the shoot is fixed with a staple. The hole is filled with acidic soil and mulched with peat, and the rest of the shoot is tied up so that it looks up. It remains only to maintain soil moisture and not to rush. Already next year, the plant will be ready to give new shoots.
Bush division
This method is used when transplanting shrubs: it is extremely carefully (the roots are very fragile and thin) to divide the bush into several parts, preserving the root system. Further actions will be the same as in other cases.
In the natural environment, rhododendrons keep their distance from each other.
Shrub planting
Planting and caring for a Daurian rhododendron requires careful selection of place and accuracy, but in general the plant can be called unpretentious.
Site selection and soil preparation
The place must be selected especially carefully, since the plant can live up to 50 years and is not too supportive of frequent transplants. Therefore, the optimal location would be a lighted area, but not in direct sunlight, protected from the wind. Suitable north side of the site or the neighborhood with conifers. It is optimal to choose a flat surface where stagnation and accumulation of ground or other waters does not occur. The soil should not be heavy or dense, the optimum acid-base balance is from 4.5 to 5.
Important! A transplant is best done in early spring.
Pit preparation
It is necessary to add mineral fertilizer to the soil, and then prepare the pits: their width and depth should be about 60-70 cm. The distance between the bushes varies from the plant variety and can range from 70 cm to 2 m. When planting, it is important to monitor the root neck, it should remain above the surface for a couple of centimeters.
After planting, the plant is watered and mulched with pine needles or peat.
The beauty of Ledum is the best reward for all labors
Care
In early spring and after flowering ends, fertilizers are applied, the soil is not loosened deeply, weeds must be removed. With signs of lack of moisture, watering is necessary, and it is advisable to maintain a layer of mulch all year round. In the first year after planting, rosemary is not allowed to bloom, this allows you to grow a stronger and more developed plant.
Important! Pruning is carried out either in early spring or after flowering and is carried out in compliance with standard rules for this procedure.
If the rhododendron is looked after correctly, then it is not very prone to diseases. However, at the first sign, the best solution is to remove all the affected shoots and burn them, and process the bush depending on the manifestations of the problems.
Ledum is quite frost-resistant and tolerates cold up to −45 ° С. The expediency of sheltering its root system for the winter is calculated on the basis of the climatic conditions of the growing zone, however, if necessary, standard methods of sheltering are used, according to agricultural technology, with high earthenware at the root base, leaves and spruce branches. Shoots can be bent to the ground.
Daurian rhododendron is a very beautiful and peculiar plant with spectacular flowers. The culture has beneficial properties and cures many diseases. It can be planted in the northern strip of Russia, as it easily tolerates frosts, but requires special care.
