2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Blue elderberry (Latin Sambucus coerulea) - decorative and healing culture; a representative of the Elderberry genus of the Adoksovye family, formerly of the Honeysuckle family. Is a native of the western regions of North America. In nature, it can be found in the mountains, along the banks of streams and rivers. It differs from its closest relatives by high decorative properties during flowering and fruiting periods, therefore it is often used by gardeners for landscaping personal backyards.
Characteristics of culture
Blue elderberry is a large shrub or tree up to 15 m high with thin branches, which at a young age have a reddish color, and a trunk covered with light sandy bark. Leaves are compound, petiolate, consist of 5-7 coarsely serrate, glabrous, bluish-green or bluish-green, oblong leaves up to 10-15 cm long.
The flowers are yellowish-white, gathered in corymbose inflorescences, reaching a length (in diameter) of 10-15 cm, emit a very pleasant aroma that attracts insects. Fruits are spherical, bluish-black, have a bluish bloom. Blue elderberry blooms in mid-June - mid-July for three weeks.
Abundant flowering, annual. Re-flowering is possible in August. A culture of three years bears fruit, the fruits ripen in late August - early September. It should be noted that quite a lot of fruits are formed on the bushes, but most of them fall off without ripening. The species is relatively winter-hardy, without shelter for the winter it can grow in the Leningrad and Moscow regions, however, it freezes under severe winters.
Thanks to the beautiful serrated foliage, bluish-green foliage and red young shoots, the shrubs look very attractive. Shrubs are especially beautiful at the time of flowering, when a bewitching aroma emanates from them over long distances. Like other representatives of the genus, it is an adherent of fertile, moderately moist soils and a sunny or semi-shaded location.
The subtleties of growing
Despite the fact that the blue elderberry is unpretentious, it requires nutritious soil and bright light for abundant flowering and fruiting. The culture does not like heavily shaded areas, in such places, as a rule, it does not reach large sizes, almost does not bloom and, accordingly, does not bear fruit. Blue elderberry propagates by seed and green cuttings. Cuttings are cut in June - July from semi-lignified shoots. Even without the use of growth stimulants, up to 95% of cuttings are rooted.
Also, shrubs easily propagate by layering, in this case the resulting plants bloom for 3-4 years. The seed method does not cause difficulties, the seeds sown in the fall do not need stratification. Spring sowing involves stratification in moist sand or peat at a temperature of 0-3C for three months. Seeds should be stored for 2-3 years, but they should be stored in tightly closed parchment bags or containers. Seeds are planted to a depth of 1, 5-2 cm. It is not forbidden to sow both in seedling boxes and in greenhouses.
Care
The main task of caring for blue elderberry is to ensure regular pruning, otherwise the shrubs will grow strongly and displace other cultivated plants. For the first time, shrubs are subjected to formative pruning when planting in open ground, weak and damaged shoots are removed from them. Then annually thin out the crown and cut out dry and frozen shoots. It is advisable to remove up to 1/3 of the bush, thanks to which the elderberry will delight with its beauty and abundant flowering. For the normal development of blue elderberry, fertilizing with potash, phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers, as well as slurry diluted in a ratio of 1:10, is required. Loosening is no less important, they are carried out at least 2 times a week, and watering during a long drought. Mulch application is not prohibited.
Usage
As already mentioned, blue elderberry has high decorative properties, it is suitable for both single and group plantings. With their beauty, the shrubs will disguise any nondescript places. You can combine the culture with other ornamental shrubs and trees, but subject to regular pruning of the first.
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Elder
© adam88x / Rusmediabank.ru Latin name: Sambucus Family: Adox Headings: Fruit and berry crops, Ornamental trees and shrubs, Medicinal plants Elderberry (Latin Sambucus) - berry and ornamental culture; shrub or tree of the Adoksovy family.
Kamchatka Elder
Kamchatka elder (Latin Sambucus kamtschatica) - healing and decorative culture; a representative of the elder genus of the Adoksovye family. In nature, it is most often found in deciduous forests with moist soils, in river valleys, as well as in swampy areas in the Russian Far East and Japan.
Elder Siebold
Elder Siebold (Latin Sambucus sieboldiana) - medicinal and decorative culture; a representative of the elder genus of the Adoksovye family. Distributed mainly in Japan, the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. Currently it is actively cultivated in Western Europe as a decorative culture.
Siberian Elder
Siberian elder (Latin Sambucus sibirica) - healing and decorative culture; a representative of the Elderberry genus of the Adox family (formerly Honeysuckle). Under natural conditions, it grows on the banks of rivers and streams, mixed and coniferous forests, as well as on the slopes of ravines.
Elder Canadian
Canadian elder (Latin Sambucus canadensis) - berry, medicinal and decorative culture; a representative of the elder genus of the Adoksovye family. The second name is American elderberry. It grows in areas with moist and nitrogen-rich soil from North America, sometimes in Mexico.
