Dogwood

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Cornel (lat. Cornus) - a genus of herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees of the Cornelian family. The genus has about 50 species, according to other sources - 24 species. In nature, dogwoods grow in Europe, North America, India, Japan and China. Almost all types are highly decorative. On the territory of Russia, a species is cultivated - head dogwood (lat. Cornus capitata) and common dogwood (lat. Cornus mas), although other species decorate many parks and gardens with their bright flowers, and subsequently fruits.

Characteristics of culture

Cornel is a shrub or tree up to 8 m high with a spreading crown and a fibrous root system, lying at a shallow depth. Young shoots are greenish-yellow, old ones are grayish with cracking bark. Leaves are rich green, opposite or alternate, oval, from 3, 5 to 8 cm long, pubescent on the underside, on the upper side - smooth with shine. The flowers are golden yellow, pinkish, pinkish purple or white (depending on the species and variety).

Fruits are oblong-oval, pear-shaped or spherical drupes, most often red, less often pink or black, contain one or two seeds. Fruits can have a smooth, slightly bumpy or bumpy surface. Fruits ripen in August-September. Dogwoods are distinguished by increased resistance to pests and diseases, they are relatively drought-resistant and very decorative both in spring and autumn.

Growing conditions

Dogwood is not picky about growing conditions, it can develop normally both in partial shade and in open sunny areas. But a deep shadow can adversely affect flowering and, accordingly, on the formation of fruits.

Soils for growing dogwood are preferable light, sandy loam or loamy, neutral or slightly acidic. Plants can also be grown on highly acidic soils, but with preliminary liming. The cotoneaster does not tolerate poor, heavy clayey, waterlogged and waterlogged soils. Otherwise, the culture is not whimsical.

Reproduction and planting

Dogwoods are propagated by seeds, layering, cuttings and grafting. The seed method is used for breeding purposes, since the seeds germinate very slowly, and the plants grown in this way begin to bear fruit only in the 7-10th year. It is better to collect seeds from green fruits, since the seed embryo is formed long before the onset of full ripeness of the fruit, then the shell of the seed only thickens. Seeds are sown immediately to a permanent place in July-August.

After sowing, the soil is abundantly and regularly moistened; it should not be allowed to dry out. Dogwood seedlings appear next spring. Seed germination is 70-80%. When using seeds from ripe fruits, in addition to stratification, it is necessary to carry out scarification, that is, cut the seeds with sandpaper or soak for five hours in 3-5 sulfuric acid, but this method is very dangerous, especially for beginners, because in this case you can accidentally damage the embryo.

Among vegetative propagation methods, propagation by layering is most effective. The lower biennial shoots of the mother plant are bent to the ground, pinned and covered with soil. To speed up the rooting process, it is advisable to slightly cut the bark on the shoots and treat them with growth stimulants. Usually, the layers take root after a year, after which they are separated and planted in a permanent place.

Cutting dogwoods is also not prohibited, however, it is not always possible to achieve good results. Cuttings are cut in June-July, then they are soaked with growth stimulants, for example, heteroauxin, and planted in a semi-shaded place in loose soil. For the winter, not yet fully rooted cuttings are covered for insulation, and next spring they are transplanted to a permanent place or left in the same place.

Care

The abundance of flowering and yield depends not only on the age of the shrub or tree, but also on the general condition, or rather, the care and growing conditions. Caring for dogwood is simple, it consists in regular watering, weeding and feeding.

In early spring, nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizers are applied under the crop, and in early August, potash fertilizers. Cornel is positively related to liming, so the introduction of lime is desirable. Deep digging of the soil in the near-trunk zone should not be carried out; loosening is optimal to a depth of 5-6 cm, otherwise the root system can be damaged.