2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Gaultheria (lat. Gaultheria) - evergreen shrubs of the Heather family. Other names are Gothieria or Gaultiria. The genus includes about 170 species, according to other sources, 180 species. The genus would be named after the French botanist, zoologist and physician Jean-François Gaultier. In nature, representatives of the genus can be found in the countries of South and North America, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Previously, the gault was attributed to the genus Pernettia, but later both genera were merged. Only seven cultivated species are grown in Russia.
Common types and their characteristics
* Gaultheria procumbens (lat. Gaultheria procumbens) is a species represented by undersized dwarf shrubs that form creeping shoots. The leaves are rich green, rounded, glossy, up to 4 cm long. The flowers are solitary, white, water-lily-shaped. Fruits are red, inedible, up to 10 mm in diameter. Blooming haulteria recumbent from May to September (depending on climatic conditions). The fruits do not fall until next spring. The species is winter-hardy, differs from other species in its pronounced aroma. Homeland - North America. In nature, it is found in thickets of shrubs and mixed forests.
* Haulteria hairy, or hairy (lat. Gaultheria trichophylla) - the species is represented by undersized shrubs with oblong or elliptical gray-green leaves up to 10 mm long. Bell-shaped flowers, slightly drooping, up to 4 mm long, have a pink color. The fruits are blue or light blue, globular. It does not differ in winter hardiness, it is grown in southern countries. The Himalayas and Western China are considered to be the homeland of the species.
* Ferruginous haulteria (lat. Gaultheria adenothrix) - the species is represented by shrubs up to 30-35 cm high. The leaves are leathery, oval, glabrous on the upper side, serrate along the edge. The flowers are small, single or collected in groups of three, white or whitish-pink in color. The fruit is red, round, covered with glands. The species is relatively winter-hardy. Homeland is Japan.
Growing conditions
Haulteria develops well both in shady and sunny areas. Soils are preferably acidic, peaty. Compaction of the upper layer and the presence of lime are undesirable. It is important to remember that the soil factor plays an important role in crop growth. The haulteria does not accept waterlogged soils, otherwise the root system will begin to rot and as a result the plant will die.
The area for the haultery must be drained; broken bricks, pebbles or any other material can be used as drainage. The optimal thickness of the drainage is 10-15 cm. It is not forbidden to lay peat on top of the drainage layer, it will make the substrate loose and significantly increase its acidity, which is vital for the culture. You can also use a soil mixture consisting of river sand, peat and coniferous soil in a ratio of 1: 3: 2.
Reproduction and planting
Gaulteria is propagated by seeds, layering and cuttings. The second method is the most effective, moreover, it allows you to preserve the properties of the mother plant. Other methods are more troublesome and require more effort and time. When the culture is propagated by layering, the lower shoot of the bush is bent to the soil surface, pinned and covered with soil. Layers are laid in the spring, and in the fall, the rooted material is separated from the mother plant and transplanted to a permanent place. Until a healthy and developed root system appears in the cuttings, they must be watered regularly.
Crop cuttings are carried out in summer or autumn. Cuttings from semi-freshened shoots are cut, then treated with growth stimulants and planted in a peat-sand mixture. Before rooting, the cuttings are covered with a film, regularly ventilated and sprayed with warm. Seedlings and other material are planted in groups at a distance of 25-35 cm from each other. The depth of the planting pit should be about 30-40 cm; a high-quality drainage layer is required at the bottom.
Care
Plants need systematic fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. For these purposes, a nitroammophoska in the amount of 150 g per 1 sq. m. or the drug "Kemira-universal" in the amount of 100 g per 1 sq. m. Watering is carried out regularly, at least 2 times a month, 5-7 liters per plant. During a long drought, plants are sprayed, but only in the evening, otherwise burns cannot be avoided.
Removing weeds and loosening the soil are equally important procedures for caring for a haulteria, but loosening is carried out superficially. In early spring (before the start of shoot growth), shoot pruning is carried out. It is important to systematically remove dry shoots. For the winter, plants are mulched with chips or peat.
