2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Aralia (lat. Aralia) - a genus of deciduous shrubs and trees of the Araliev family. The genus includes 35 species. In nature, Aralia is found in the subtropical and tropical regions of Southeast Asia, North and Central America, as well as in Australia. In Russia, the most popular cultural species is the Manchurian Aralia. This species is an excellent honey plant, characterized by high decorativeness, grows without problems in the middle lane.
Characteristics of culture
Aralia is a deciduous shrub or tree up to 20 meters high with weak branches and a thorny (thorny) trunk. The leaves are large, complex, odd-pinnate, double or triple-pinned, alternate, concentrated on the upper part of the trunk, which gives the plants a resemblance to palm trees.
The flowers are small, five-membered, collected in umbellate, and then in lush paniculate or racemose inflorescences, have a pleasant pronounced aroma. Calyx with tiled petals, equipped with small teeth. The fruit is a juicy five-piece drupe, berry-shaped, spherical, five or hexagonal, dark purple in color. The seeds are compressed from the sides.
Growing conditions
Aralia is photophilous, grows well in intensely lit areas, although it develops no worse in partial shade. Fertile, drained and moderately moist soils are preferred. Aralia will not accept saline, clayey and waterlogged soils, as well as lowlands with stagnant melt water.
Reproduction and planting
Aralia is propagated by seeds, cuttings and root suckers. The seed method is laborious and ineffective, since the seeds germinate very slowly. Seeds require preliminary stratification with a change in temperature, as well as processing with gibberellin during the day. Stratification lasts 3-4 months at a temperature of 15-20C, and then 4 months at a temperature of 2-5C. Seeds are sown in open ground in the fall under a shelter, shoots appear only after 7-8 months.
For sowing, it is advisable to use fresh seeds, they have the best germination, they can be sown without preliminary preparation. The seeding depth is 1, 5-2 cm. Most often, aralia is propagated by cuttings and root suckers. The planting material is cut in the spring and planted in the ground until rooting to a depth of 5-6 cm. As soon as the cuttings and offspring take root, they are transplanted to a permanent place.
Care
The main tasks of caring for seedlings of a culture are weeding and watering. Be very careful with loosening the stem zone. With mature plants, everything is much easier. They need feeding with nitroammophos and slurry. Top dressing is carried out in early spring and during the budding period. The growing curtain is directed in the right direction, periodically removing the formed overgrowth. Aralia and old shoots are cut off. Sanitary pruning is carried out every spring.
Application
Aralia is considered an original plant, it attracts the eyes of others with its large leaves and lush inflorescences. With its appearance, Aralia gives the landscape design an exotic look. They use the culture in single and group plantings, as well as to create hedges.
Aralia was widely used in medicine. Preparations from it are used for hypertension or asthenia, schizophrenia, impotence, nervous deviations, amenorrhea, post-traumatic depression and other diseases. Aralia root decoction is effective for colds, diabetes, enuresis, inflammation of the oral mucosa, etc.
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Chinese Aralia
Chinese aralia (lat.Aralia chinensis) - decorative and healing culture; a representative of the Aralia clan of the Araliev family. In the wild, plants are found in forest clearings and forest edges in the southeastern and southern parts of China.
Aralia Prickly
Aralia prickly (lat.Aralia spinosa) - healing and decorative culture; a representative of the Aralia clan of the Araliev family. It grows wild in river valleys, lowlands, deciduous forests and in areas with moist and deep soils in eastern North America.
Aralia Manchu
Aralia Manchu (lat.Aralia elata) - decorative and medicinal shrub; a representative of the Aralia clan of the Araliev family. Another name is high aralia. Previously, Manchurian Aralia and Tall Aralia were different species, but since the differences between them are insignificant and not always consistent, they were ranked as one species.
Aralia Continental
Aralia continental (lat.Aralia continentalis) - herbaceous perennial; a representative of the Aralia clan of the Araliev family. Natural area - the Far East of Russia. It grows mainly on mountain slopes, along forest edges and clearings among bushes.
Aralia Cordate
Aralia cordata (lat.Aralia cordata) - herbaceous perennial; a representative of the Aralia clan of the Araliev family. The second name is Schmidt's aralia. It occurs naturally in Japan, Korea, eastern regions of China, Taiwan, the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin.