2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Compact murraya bushes are firmly winning the hearts of indoor florists. Pleasant aroma, beautiful appearance captivate novice amateurs. At home they grow Murraya paniculata. Among the people there are several names for the beautiful plant "orange jasmine", "Chinese myrtle". They are related to the properties of the flower. Let's take a closer look at a representative of the Rutov family
A bit of history
In honor of his beloved student of the Swedish botanist Yu. A. Murray, he named K. Linney the plant he had discovered. In the future, the word was transformed into the familiar Murraya.
In the early years of the introduction of the plant into culture, it was especially protected in the gardens of emperors and wealthy nobility. Ordinary people were forbidden to grow expensive plants at home. There is a legend about the execution of a careless gardener who dared to plant a small sprout of the cherished tree on the window in his room.
The great leaders of Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, supported the forces before the battles with the fruits of "orange jasmine".
In the wild, Chinese myrtle grows in the mountainous areas of India, tropical forests, on the islands of Indochina, Java, Sumatra, Sri Lanka, northern Australia, southern China. In Russia, it is grown in greenhouses, winter gardens, indoor culture for decorative purposes.
Biological features
At home, Murraya reaches three to four meters in height, in the room it is compact, slow growth. An adult tree does not exceed 1.5 meters in size.
Flexible, thin stem with yellowish or light gray bark is strongly branched. At a young age, the shoots have a slight pubescence, later they acquire smoothness.
The dark green leathery leaves are glossy. They are distinguished by a complex odd-pinnate structure of 7-9 separate plates on short petioles, ovoid-elongated, 5 cm long.
White, fragrant inflorescences of 5 folded petals with a diameter of 1, 8 cm have a delicate aroma of jasmine, collected in shields. It is characterized by long flowering from February to November. All phases of development can be seen on one plant: buds, berries, open inflorescences.
After 4 months, red-orange fruits 2-3 cm long, rounded or slightly oblong in shape, similar to hawthorn, ripen. There is a hard bone inside. The taste is spicy with a slight sweetness.
Preferences
Likes slightly diffused bright lighting, does not tolerate direct rays of the sun. At home, it is better to place plants on the east or west windows, in the summer to take them out into the garden on an open terrace.
During the period of active growth (spring-summer), the ambient temperature is maintained at 21-25 degrees, in the autumn-winter season, the indicator is reduced to 16-17 units.
"Child of the tropics" loves high humidity. They create it in several ways:
• daily spraying of leaves;
• warm shower of the whole plant once a week;
• installation of a number of factory humidifiers;
• placing pots on pebble trays filled with water;
• laying wet rags on radiators.
Light, fertile peat-based soils with a neutral reaction are suitable for murraya. Sand is added as a baking powder, and the binding component is garden soil.
The choice of planting material
In flower shops, samples of Dutch origin are sold, characterized by a large growth of straight shoots, the absence of branching. Flower buds appear in 2-3 years at home, vegetative mass is rapidly growing.
Seedlings from private collections are the exact opposite of factory brethren. Inflorescences are laid after the third leaf, they create lush compact bushes, grow slowly.
The difference is related to the peculiarities of the technology of growing the planting material.
Reproduction of murraya, methods of proper care, will be considered in the next article.
Recommended:
Mysterious Crimson Tree. Varieties
Raspberries are a favorite treat for children and adults. It has long been very popular with gardeners. Giving numerous shoots, it develops new areas. In recent years, breeders have announced the creation of the raspberry tree. What does the new culture look like? How is she different from her closest relative?
Mysterious Uteush. Growing
Vegetable perennial plant Uteush (spinach sorrel) is little known to most gardeners. This culture has many advantages, including ease of care. The presence of vitamins helps the body to cope with vitamin deficiency in the spring
Mysterious Uteush. Acquaintance
A hybrid of Tien Shan sorrel with English spinach received the exotic name of comfort. In the common people it was christened spinach sorrel. In terms of the amount of protein, the culture is on a par with legumes
Mysterious Murraya. Medicinal Properties
The ancient Egyptian priests knew the healing power of the marrai. From all parts of the plant, they brewed a drink called "life elixir". The recipe was passed down from generation to generation and was strictly protected from disclosure. What are the beneficial properties of "orange jasmine"?
Mysterious Murraya. Reproduction, Care
Successful cultivation of murraya is not possible without knowledge of agricultural technology. Ensuring proper care is the key to the longevity of the plant, increasing the yield of valuable fruits. First, consider the methods of breeding fragrant bushes
