Viburnum Canadian

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

Viburnum Canadian (lat. Viburnum lentago) - a species of the genus Kalina of the Adoksovye family. It occurs naturally on river banks, forest edges and rocky slopes in eastern Canada. Most often it grows in tandem with coniferous and deciduous trees. It is widely used in cooking, landscaping, medicine and cosmetology.

Characteristics of culture

Viburnum Canadian is a tall deciduous shrub, less often a small tree up to 5-6 m high with a dense ovoid crown. The leaves are green, smooth, broadly oval, pointed at the ends, finely toothed along the edge, up to 10-12 cm long. In autumn, the foliage acquires a beautiful reddish tint, often with a purple or burgundy tint. The flowers are small, cream or white-cream, collected in shields, which reach 10-12 cm in diameter.

The fruits are elongated, at first - green, closer to ripening - blue-black with a bluish bloom, edible, up to 1.5 m in diameter. The flowering of Canadian viburnum begins in June and lasts about two weeks. The aroma of flowers is weak, but develops at a distance of 1-2 m. Canadian viburnum is considered a cold-resistant crop, easily tolerates frosty winters, however, immature shoots can freeze slightly. For the first time, the considered type of viburnum enters fruiting at 5-6 years. Further fruiting is annual, abundant.

Unlike other representatives of the genus, Canadian viburnum is undemanding to the soil composition, although it has a negative attitude to waterlogging and waterlogging. Shrubs are highly decorative and unpretentious, therefore they are ideal for landscaping private plots and city parks and alleys. They can be grown both singly and in groups. The average life expectancy is 70-80 years. Viburnum is propagated by seeds and cuttings. Seeds need a two-stage stratification, otherwise the germination rate of seeds will not exceed 20%.

Growing conditions and planting

Viburnum Canadian accepts a light openwork partial shade, even in such conditions the plants bloom profusely and give good yields. The culture accepts both plains and slopes, and all thanks to a well-developed root system. As mentioned above, Canadian viburnum is undemanding to the soil, but it develops best on slightly acidic or neutral, moderately moist, loose soils. Planting in close proximity to an artificial or natural reservoir is not prohibited, but water should not wash the root system.

Planting a seedling in Canadian viburnum is carried out in early spring or autumn. The size of the planting pit is 50 * 50 cm. The top layer of soil, taken out of the pit, is mixed with peat or humus, and phosphorus (40 g), potassium (30 g) and nitrogen (30 g) fertilizers are added. This approach will speed up the survival time. The optimal distance between shrubs is 1, 5-2 m. With denser plantings, plants are more often affected by pests, which should not be allowed, since viburnum does not have resistance to uninvited guests.

Collection and storage

Viburnum is harvested in dry weather. The collection is carried out together with umbrellas. Damaged and crumpled berries are removed from the total mass. The berries are stored canned, frozen or dry. In all cases, they retain their useful properties, although it is undesirable to subject them to prolonged heat treatment, it is optimal - five-minute jam. The berries are dried for several days in the open sun, covered with gauze from flies, then placed in an oven and dried at a temperature of 60-65C. Dry berries are stored in fabric bags (linen or cotton).

Usage

Viburnum Canadian is good not only in landscape design, although this beauty is used in group and single plantings, hedges. Shrubs look especially impressive in combination with rowan, spruce, birch, linden and maple. It will be a wonderful decoration for the coastal area.

Viburnum Canadian is a honey plant. Its fruits are actively used in cooking - for the preparation of sauces for meat and fish, jelly, jelly, pastille, marmalade, jam, kvass, etc. The healing properties of viburnum are praised by the people, previously it was considered a symbol of beauty, purity and love. To this day, viburnum is famous for its therapeutic effect, it is widely used in cosmetology for rejuvenation, toning and eliminating dry skin.

Viburnum berries boast a rich composition: oleic, isovaleric, valeric, acetic and formic acids, vitamin C, carotene, invert sugars, P-active compounds, pectin substances, mineral salts. Infusions, decoctions and berries, ground with honey, are useful for shortness of breath, colds, coughs, liver and kidney diseases, hypertension, vasospasm, nervous overexcitation. They are effective as a prophylactic against cancer, especially of the digestive system.