Picturesque Thickets Of Kolkvitsia

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

Abundantly flowering deciduous shrub. Large funnel-shaped flowers of delicate shades exude a pleasant aroma. Withstands temperatures up to minus 30 degrees

Rod Kolkvitsiya

The word genus is associated with a slender line of plants that have similar qualities with some differences. But there are rare exceptions when the genus consists of only one plant species, such as the Kolkwitzia genus, represented by a single species with a beautiful name - Kolkwitzia amabilis.

Colquizia is pleasant

The curved branches of a deciduous shrub form a lush crown, reaching three meters in diameter, under which it is pleasant to lie around with a fascinating book in your hands on a hot July noon. Young branches, covered with hairy downs, become bald as they grow older and are overgrown with brown bark. But the bark also begins to peel off over time. Such are the unreliable defenders. However, the situation is not critical, since the branches are easily pruned to make the bush more decorative, and the old branches are removed.

The English call the plant "a beautiful bush" for its dark green in summer and orange in autumn leaves, which have a simple ovoid shape, a pointed tip and a fine-toothed edge. But the peak of the bush's beauty occurs in May-June, when its short side branches are abundantly covered with funnel-shaped large flowers.

Delicate pink petals surround the yellow throat, filling the summer air with a pleasant scent. Sepals and petioles are protected by light pubescence.

Growing

Having moved to Europe from the warm regions of Central China at the beginning of the 20th century, Kolkvitsia easily took root in European lands, where it is grown in the open field as a flowering ornamental shrub.

In areas with a cold climate, the bushes are planted in the last months of autumn, where the climate is milder - in March. The shrub feels equally well on any soil, if only there is high-quality drainage, because in its homeland, Kolkvitsia grows in mountainous areas, where natural slopes do not allow water to stagnate. For more comfortable growing conditions when planting, the soil should still be fertilized with organic matter, adding up to 5 kilograms of humus per 1 square meter.

The lush crown of the bush requires a lot of freedom, and therefore each bush should be allocated a large enough area so that they do not interfere with each other to demonstrate their picturesqueness.

To maintain the neat appearance of the shrub, old branches are cut out after flowering, and, if necessary, give the bush a certain shape prompted by human imagination.

Location and temperature resistance

Accustomed to the sun, Kolkvitsia prefers well-lit places, but it can grow in partial shade, responding with less abundant flowering.

Of course, she likes freezing temperatures more, but if necessary, she can withstand frosts down to minus 30 degrees. Therefore, in central Russia, you can safely decorate your garden with a pleasant Kolkvizia, enjoying the abundance of pale pink flowers and their pleasant sweetish aroma.

The need for watering

Young plants must be watered without fail, from the moment of planting to their final habituation to a new place of residence. And, of course, moisture is required in a prolonged drought.

Reproduction

Kolkvitsia loves to surround herself with young growth, which you can try to separate into an independent place of residence.

More often they resort to propagation by cuttings. Cuttings are taken from lateral non-flowering shoots in July-August. Having buried the cuttings in a mixture of sand and peat, the containers are removed to an unheated room. Rooted cuttings are planted in personal pots and grown until autumn, when they can be planted in open ground.

Enemies

Kolkvitsia quite staunchly defends itself against numerous pests on its own. But sometimes arrogant worms and some fungi manage to disrupt her well-being. In such cases, a person comes to the aid of the plant.