Kalina Karlsa

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

Kalina Karlsa (lat. Viburnum carlesii) - a species of the genus Kalina of the Adoksovye family. Natural area - Korea. It is rarely cultivated in Russia, mainly from the southern regions as an ornamental plant.

Characteristics of culture

Kalina Karlsa is a small spreading shrub up to 1.5 m high with a wide rounded crown and horizontally ascending branches. Young shoots are pubescent. Leaves are green, elliptical or broadly ovate, sharp at the ends, with a rounded base, uneven-toothed along the edge, stellate-pubescent. The flowers are fragrant, small, up to 1.5 cm in diameter, pink outside, white inside, collected in dense corymbose inflorescences, reaching 5-7 cm in diameter.

Fruits are blue-black, ellipsoidal in shape. The species in question blooms in April-May, for two to three weeks. Kalina Karlsa is a thermophilic species, does not tolerate severe winters, it is damaged by frost. It differs from other representatives of the genus in its early and abundant flowering, rich aroma and unusually beautiful bush shape. It cannot boast of rapid growth, but it is resistant to pests and diseases.

Currently on the market there is a variety of Karls viburnum, called Aurora (Aurora). The variety is represented by low shrubs, less than 1 m in height, the foliage of which acquires an interesting orange-red or dark-red color in autumn. Great for group and solo plantings, curbs and lawn planting.

The subtleties of growing

Kalina Karlsa is photophilous, but accepts a light shadow. Fresh, moist, fertile, drained, slightly acidic or neutral soils are preferred. It develops well on dry soils, subject to openwork shade and regular watering. Does not tolerate low air humidity, this can lead to premature leaf fall. The culture is resistant to pests, however, in unfavorable years and inadequate care, aphids are often affected.

The Karls viburnum is propagated by stratified seeds or by budding on Hordovina viburnum. The first method is popular among gardeners, although it causes many difficulties. When sowing seeds that have not been stratified, the entrances appear only after 2 years, while the percentage of germination is very low, sometimes does not exceed 20%.

Planting of Karls viburnum seedlings is carried out in spring or autumn. The soil is pre-enriched with organic matter, for example, peat or humus, as well as phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. It is not recommended to use fresh and rotted manure; this can lead to increased formation of weeds, which will take most of the nutrients from young plants.

The distance between the plants should be at least 3 m. The dimensions of the planting pit are 40 * 50 or 50 * 50 cm. Drainage is laid at the bottom of the pit, which can be: pebbles, broken brick or coarse sand. Also, an earthen mound is formed at the bottom, the mixture for it is made up of the top layer of soil, peat, humus, mixed with urea and wood ash. At the same time, wood ash should not come into contact with the root system of the seedlings. The root collar is not buried during planting.

Care

Caring for Karls' viburnum is unremarkable. Plants need regular and abundant watering at a minimum depth of 40 cm. During a drought, watering is doubled, as is the amount of water used. In the spring, after the blooming of leaves and flowers, the shrubs are fed with urea and potassium sulfide. In July, complex mineral fertilizers are applied under the bushes. Two years after planting, viburnum is fed with organic matter.

Pruning of the species in question is carried out in early spring, but before sap flow. At the time of leaf blooming, this procedure cannot be carried out. The thickening, diseased, damaged and dry shoots are removed from the plants. Anti-aging pruning is done no earlier than 6 years later. All other procedures for caring for Karls viburnum are standard: weeding, loosening, mulching and shelter for the winter.