In early May, three-bladed almonds (louisania) bloom, and it seems that there is nothing more beautiful in the world than this white-pink fragrant cloud. This ornamental shrub picks up the bloom of the sun from Forsythia, as well as early varieties of rhododendron. For several weeks he decorates the garden awakening after a long winter with a spectacular outfit of the bride.
Three-bladed Luiseania - Siberian sakura (the so-called plant because of frost resistance) - will not leave anyone indifferent during the flowering period.
Louiseania, or Almonds: The Mysteries of the Family Tree
Without a doubt, the three-lobed louisania belongs to the large family Rosaceae. But the generic affiliation of the shrub has long been questioned by experts.
Since the middle of the XIX century, when the plant came to Europe from China, botanists have repeatedly reviewed both the name and the pedigree. Thus, several different synonyms appeared in the taxonomy. The shrub was called a three-bladed plum because of the shape of the leaf (it is divided into three blades in the upper part), aphyllous aflatunia. In addition, with the genus Plum, the plant combines several more signs: saturated color of the fruit, short peduncle.
The fruits of louisania three-lobed (decorative almonds) are fleecy small balls with a very thin layer of pulp, which dries when ripe, and a single large flower. The botanist M.G. Pakhomova, who was engaged in the study of almonds, in 1959 identified signs that allowed attributing the shrub to a separate genus, which she named Luizania. Specialists determine the belonging to the genus Luiseania with pubescent shoots, a spherical drupe, which is covered by a bizarre relief pattern.
Plant description
Three-bladed Louiseania is a flowering shrub, stone fruit plant. It is quite frost-resistant. It is successfully grown in the Lower Volga region, Voronezh and Sverdlovsk regions, Krasnodar and Primorsky Territories. It can be grown in the middle zone of our country and in the northwestern region, but, of course, the local climatic conditions for breeding this plant are less suitable. Winters in these regions are often wet, with alternating frosts and thaws. Therefore, the bushes are affected by severe fungal diseases: gray rot and moniliosis - and often die due to bark heating.
This is a shrub or small tree with falling leaves, branching strongly, two to five meters high.
Leaves
Usually in whorls, oblong-ovate or ovoid in shape, slightly narrowed to the base, at the end three-lobed, 2.5 to 6 cm long and 3 cm wide, with double-serrated edges. The underside of the plate is slightly pubescent.
Flowers
What is noteworthy louisania three-lobed terry? Of course, with flowers. They are light pink, with a diameter of not more than 2.5 cm, terry. May be single or in pairs. Sepals are lanceolate or ovoid. Petals are rounded or broadly egg-shaped, with a blunt end. Each flower has 25-30 stamens. The ovary is pubescent.
Fruit
Pubescent rounded drupes about two centimeters in diameter, painted in red. When ripening, the mesocarpy opens, revealing the mesh endocarpy.
In Europe and China, the standardized culture of the three-bladed louisania (rosenmund) gained popularity. It is an elegant tree with a crown in the shape of a ball, which consists of sticking out young shoots. Immediately after the plant fades, it is cut “under the hedgehog”, giving the opportunity to grow young shoots and lay new flower buds.
We have already said that among the people of Luizania, the three-lobed is sometimes called the Siberian sakura, although this plant has no common ancestors with cherries. And this is due not only to frost resistance of the plant. This comparison is endowed with a special philosophical implication - the bright, but at the same time short-lived beauty of the bush symbolizes, as in the case of Japanese sakura, the transience of life, it is necessary to live bright and light every moment.
Types and varieties of louisania
Surprisingly, the first breeder who became interested in three-lobed louiséany and received decorative new varieties was an amateur from Western Ukraine V. Batochenko. Carrying out experiments with artificial pollination and vaccination, he brought out about ten new cultivars that complement the existing ones.
V. Batatenko managed to strengthen the decorativeness of the plant, expand its color scheme. The most popular of them today are such.
Captivity
The oldest decorative form of louisania is three-lobed with terry large flowers, which reach 4 cm in diameter. It is interesting that the bush blooms simultaneously with the appearance of leaves, forming a magnificent branched bush about two meters high. The plant is sterile, since the fruits fall after flowering, not having time to ripen.
Kiev
Another old variety that has become the genetic basis for various decorative forms. Flowering begins earlier Captives, terry flowers, large, the color is brighter, more saturated.
Vesnyanka
Of particular note is the standard louisania three-lobed Vesnyanka. In addition to high decorative characteristics, it is resistant to most diseases, in particular to a monolial burn, which often affects these shrubs.
Rosenmund
The name translates as "pink foam." This is a variety of European origin that has received numerous awards at international exhibitions. Has a very long flowering period (more than three weeks). The bushes are compact, terry flowers and large (about five centimeters in diameter), painted in bright pink.
Crimson
This variety is striking in its unusual color. During flowering, its straight shoots are strewn with large raspberry flowers.
Chinese woman (hybrid)
It bears the greatest resemblance to sakura, as it was obtained during vaccination on felt cherries. The flowers are not as luxurious as terry species, but this shrub blooms profusely and for a long time.
Tanyusha
It is distinguished by special decorativeness and early flowering. Each flower is a large terry whisk, which consists of 30 slightly twisted pink petals.
Is it hard to grow louisania
Louiseania (three-lobed almonds), planting and care of which, do not require special skills in growing plants, can become an adornment of any summer cottage. However, you need to know that this shrub loves and which categorically does not accept.
Landing
Louiseania is a three-lobe photophilous, but feels quite comfortable in light partial shade. When choosing a landing site, it is much more important to protect it from drafts and drying winds. Despite the fact that three-bladed almonds are undemanding to soils, planting in a fertile, slightly alkaline soil will certainly benefit him.
Put a drainage layer of about fifteen centimeters on the bottom of the landing pit with a depth of at least sixty centimeters, and add humus (2 parts) and sand (1 part) to the garden soil. If you decide to plant several plants at once, the distance between small trees should be at least 50 cm and up to 1.5 meters between sprawling tall bushes. Pay particular attention to the fact that the root neck is the weak point of louisania, therefore, when planting a plant, try to make it slightly higher than the soil level.
Top dressing
Flowering is a huge expenditure of energy and strength for any plant. The timely introduction of spring and summer dressings is very important for louisania. The first organic fertilizers are applied in early spring over melt snow - mullein solution (1:10), humus (at the rate of 5-6 kg per bush). Immediately after trimming, add nitrogen-containing compounds - ammonium nitrate, urea. In ten liters of water, dissolve 30 grams of fertilizer and water the trunk circle abundantly.
In August, it is necessary to feed the shrub with wood ash (a glass on a bucket of water) and superphosphate (20 g / m²). This will help the plant lay flower buds for next year.
Watering
Although louisania is a drought-tolerant plant, it needs enough moisture, especially when planted. According to experienced gardeners, one of the secrets of active and long flowering is the abundant spring irrigation of the bush - 2-3 buckets of water per plant twice a week.
Mulching the soil around the bush with plant compost or peat has a positive effect on the condition of the plant.
Cropping Features
Knowing the secrets of pruning louisania, you can create a magnificent decoration on your site. Gardeners use different methods of cutting this plant. For example, pruning faded shoots (annual). To a plant that can bear fruit, for example, a Chinese cultivar, the branches are selectively and partially shortened, preserving the fruits.
Sterile forms require radical pruning immediately after flowering. On each shoot, a part with 2-3 kidneys is left. Young shoots will grow from their sinuses before the end of the season. This procedure is useful for healing and rejuvenating the shrub.
A decorative haircut is aimed at forming and maintaining the contours of the crown of a bush or tree. Branches that have reached the age of five are cut out completely. Sanitary pruning must be carried out in early spring, before flowering, removing frozen or dried branches and tops.
Breeding methods
The most common and affordable way to get three-lobed louisania seedlings is cuttings. From young shoots, cuttings are cut in early summer, treated with a growth regulator and planted in a cold greenhouse. This method gives a high percentage of rooting, and the plant retains all its varietal characteristics.
Garden-shaped cultivars, such as Kievskaya, produce virtually no viable fruit. Seeds require prolonged stratification, so the seeds are sown closer to winter. Surviving and received seedlings grow quite quickly (annually up to 30 cm), but in comparison with the parent plant have a lighter color of flowers.
Three-lobed louisania can be obtained by grafting biological material onto a stock. As the latter, seedlings of apricot, plum, felt cherry, cherry plum, and thorns are suitable. Some varieties give offspring, but with this method of propagation, plants with less bright colors can be obtained.
Why is not louisania blooming?
This plant tolerates 30-degree frosts quite easily, but has absolutely no immunity against prolonged thaws. He has a short period of deep dormancy (only a month), so prolonged heat leads to swelling of the flower buds, and then to their freezing. This is the most common reason that explains the weak or complete absence of flowering.