Thorny Gledicia

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

Decorative deciduous tree, distinguished by its high resistance to everyday adversity. It is difficult to find factors that could stop the rapid growth of Gledicia. Unless, severe frosts can damage young plants. But for those who managed to survive in their youth, in adulthood, frosts are no longer terrible, just as many other negative conditions are not terrible. Excellent honey plant

Rod Gledichia

The legume family is rich in different plant species. Familiar to everyone from childhood, peas, beans, garden bean, the fruits of which are easy to reach with your hand, are relatives of trees that grow to a height of 25 meters. It is from such deciduous trees that the genus Gleditschia of this family consists.

In contrast to the benevolent stalks of peas and beans, the straight trunk with smooth bark and the branches of trees of the genus Gledichia are armed with long branched thorns.

The pinnate leaves grow up to 30 centimeters long and sometimes have an edge with irregular denticles. Nondescript greenish small flowers, unlike moths, like other members of the legume family, bloom on the branches in July. They form cluster inflorescences located in the leaf axils.

But the fruits of the trees are flat long beans, characteristic of the family, inside which lenticular small seeds are hidden, the germination of which lasts up to four years.

Varieties

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Gleditsia vulgaris or three-prickly (Gleditschia triacanthos) - this type of tree can most often be found in nature and culture, the trunk and branches of which are armed with simple or branched thorns. Light green oblong-lanceolate leaves, from which a fabric of complex large leaves is woven, in autumn they dress up in a pleasant light yellow color. Long fruit-beans all winter tenaciously cling to tree branches.

The varieties are bred, devoid of thorns dangerous to human skin. For example, the Bezostaya variety; variety "Moran", used for planting along city streets; variety "Awnless golden" (or "Sunrise"), the young leaves of which show a golden yellow color. The "Elegant" variety is distinguished by its compactness, which it owes to the slow growth of the tree.

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Gleditsia Caspian (Gleditschia caspica) - many long and sharp thorns cover ornamental shrubs or trees of this species at an early stage of life. The leaves of the species are the largest among the relatives.

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Gledicia Delaway (Gleditschia delavayi) - young shoots with a copper color, nature has provided with very large thorns to protect the small size of the plant. Leaves are dark green with a glossy surface.

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Gleditsia grandiflorum (Gleditschia macrantha) - grows in nature to different sizes. Differs in very long beans.

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Japanese Gleditsia (Gleditschia japonica) is a cold-resistant species with an almost pyramidal crown shape.

Growing

The endurance of Gledicia makes it an attractive plant for landscaping smoky industrial cities, and an extensive and powerful root system helps to strengthen the loose slopes. Protective strips, hedges are made of trees, city streets are greened.

Gledicia prefers sunny places. It tolerates heat and frost well. Only young specimens can be damaged by frost. As the tree matures, it builds up a protective layer of bark that can withstand freezing winters.

Without imposing special requirements on soils, it still develops more actively on fertile loamy soils. In cold climates, trees are tried to be planted in open ground in the fall; in other areas, spring planting is possible.

Watering is necessary for prolonged drought and young plants.

Reproduction

More often, reproduction is carried out by sowing seeds, and root suckers are also possible.