Bead Bead Four-stalk

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

Bead four-stalked (lat. Tamarix tetranda) - flowering decorative culture; one of the many representatives of the Tamarix genus of the Tamarix family. It is found naturally in some European countries, Transcaucasia, as well as in some regions of the Russian Federation (mainly in the south and east of the European part). Used in culture, but infrequently.

Characteristics of culture

The four-stalked bead is represented by large shrubs over 5 meters in height, sometimes up to 10 m, equipped with curved branches of a brown-red color, which are crowned with lanceolate leaves with a sharp tip. The flowers are small, light pink, less often white, collected in loose racemose inflorescences. Flowering occurs in mid - late spring, lasts for 2 months. The species is distinguished by its durability, surprisingly, specimens more than 70 years old were found in nature.

Nowadays, four-stalk beads are used for decorating personal backyards and summer cottages, less often for landscaping large city parks and gardens. And such an attitude to culture is not entirely clear, because it can easily “surpass” any other flowering shrubs and trees in beauty. And by the way, it has a lot of advantages over others, for example, drought resistance and quick recovery. By the way, a four-stalk bead is suitable for creating groups and single plantings, it is also suitable for a loose living hedge, because the plant perfectly tolerates formative pruning.

Unfortunately, this species cannot boast of high winter-hardy properties; without shelter, it can withstand frosts down to -20C. Snowless and harsh winters lead to freezing of shoots, therefore, when grown in central Russia, four-stalk beads require high-quality shelter. It should be noted that the climatic conditions for the species under consideration play an important role, if a cool spring is observed, then there is no point in expecting flowering before June.

Care features

In general, crop care is not difficult at all. Plants require moderate but regular watering. With prolonged drought, the volume and frequency of watering are doubled, and this is despite the fact that all beads are classified as drought-resistant plants. They easily tolerate drought, but instead respond with slow growth and poor short flowering.

Forming and sanitary trimming plays an equally important procedure for four-stalk beads. These operations are carried out in early spring before the onset of sap flow. Shrubs tolerate pruning well. Sanitary pruning involves removing diseased, broken, and damaged branches. It is especially important to remove branches that show dark spots. This is mold, and this disease affects the development of culture not in the best way.

As already mentioned, shrubs should be covered for the winter. For these purposes, a polymer film will do, it will not allow the shoots to freeze, and even those that have not matured. To insulate the near-trunk zone, which also needs high-quality shelter, fallen leaves or sawdust, which are applied in a dense layer, will do. With the onset of heat, the shelter is removed, if you are late with the deadlines, the shrubs will undergo podoprevanie, which does not bode well.

Propagation by cuttings

The most common breeding method for all representatives of the Tamarix genus is considered to be cuttings. This procedure is carried out in the fall, cutting of cuttings is carried out from lignified shoots. Immediately after cutting, they are dropped into the soil and watered well. You can do another way, lowering the cuttings into a container of water and waiting for the roots, and then planting them in a permanent place. It should be noted that grafting is a more reliable method than, for example, seed, because the seeds of a crop do not last long, therefore this method is practically not used by gardeners.