It is hardly possible to imagine a blooming garden without sprawling or, on the contrary, compact bushes strewn with colorful inflorescences. Rhododendron garden fell in love with many gardeners for its beauty. Large, sometimes fragrant inflorescences complement almost any garden composition. This plant is represented by several hundred species (more than 900), including the Caucasian rhododendron. What is this amazing shrub? What are the features of its cultivation? Learn about it right now.
Rhododendron Caucasian: plant description
Caucasian rhododendron in nature grows in the Caucasus (from where, in fact, the name of the plant came from). The main place where you can find this low evergreen shrub is the border of snow fields. Unlike its tall relative, who is known as the rhododendron, the Caucasian grows up to a maximum height of 60 cm. However, there are cases when this culture reached 1 meter in height.
The branches of the shrub are predominantly creeping, covered with leathery leaves of an oval-oblong shape. The leaf blades on the outside are dark green in color, smooth. The lower part of the leaves is pubescent, with a slight plaque of a reddish color. The end of the leaf blade is pointed, the edges are bent down. Leaves are kept by short but rather thick petioles.
Inflorescences of the Caucasian rhododendron reach 10-15 cm in diameter and consist of 8, maximum 12, funnel-bell-shaped fragrant flowers. The color of the petals is white, with a slight yellowish tint. The inner surface of the flower is covered with greenish dots. Peduncles long, densely covered with hairs. Strong pubescence is also present on the cups and ovaries of the fruit-boxes.
The Caucasian rhododendron blooms in mid-June and continues to bloom almost until the end of July. In natural, that is, natural for itself, conditions, the plant can bloom repeatedly.
Forms of Caucasian Rhododendron
Caucasian rhododendron is represented by many decorative forms that differ from each other in the color of inflorescences. So, in Rosea-alba, the petals are painted white with a faint pink hue. For those who want to have pink rhododendron in the area, the Splendens form is more suitable. Yellow lovers will love the Flavidum and Stramineum. The petals of the first form are decorated with green spots, and the second - orange or yellowish red.
In a word, everyone will be able to choose the rhododendron that he liked, the leafy small bush of which will adorn both a mixborder or an alpine hill and a border.
The best place to plant rhododendron
So, let's move on to one of the main issues regarding the cultivation of the Caucasian rhododendron - the choice of landing site. In order for the shrub to successfully take root in the garden, it is important to remember what conditions are typical for it. Firstly, you should not plant a plant near large trees, as they will take almost all of the “food” from it. Secondly, all rhododendrons do not tolerate the bright midday sun, so the place for its landing should be on the north side of the buildings. This will also contribute to the fact that the shrub will be protected from the wind, which can dry the buds of the plant.
Since the Caucasian rhododendron belongs to the evergreen shrubs, it is worth protecting it from the first spring sunshine. The fact is that this may not affect the future flowering in the best way, as well as contribute to the drying of leaf blades.
In addition to all of the above, it is important to pay attention to soil moisture throughout the year. It is better not to plant rhododendron in areas where the groundwater level rises too high. In addition, melt water from roofs or other elevations should not fall on the bush. Moreover, flooding during the period of snow melting is unacceptable.
Caucasian rhododendron landing
It is better to do the preparation of the landing pit for the Caucasian rhododendron in advance. Its depth should not exceed half a meter. The soil mixture is best prepared from the top layer of soil from under conifers, high acidic peat and loam. In no case do not add leaf or dung humus and grass peat to the planting pit. In this case, the substrate will be unsuitable for the plant. If the site has such a problem as a close occurrence of groundwater, it will be necessary to build a good drainage layer.
A Caucasian rhododendron seedling is placed in the planting pit so that its root neck is at the same level as it was while the plant was in a pot or container. After planting, the shrub is watered and mulched with pine litter (half-ripened needles). In order to ensure stability of the shrub, you can place a peg next to the seedling and tie a young plant to it.
Plant care in the first year after planting
In the first weeks after planting the Caucasian rhododendron, it is important to ensure that its root system does not suffer from drying out of the soil. Water the plant should be plentiful, but without fanaticism. It is especially important to monitor soil moisture during the dry or hot periods. With a lack of moisture, the Caucasian rhododendron, which belongs to evergreen shrubs, can dump most of the leaves.
In the first year, rhododendron does not need to be fed, since its root system is still weak, and fertilizers can harm it (burns, for example). Care comes down to weed removal and mulching. Weeding must be done very carefully so as not to damage the roots of the rhododendron lying close to the soil surface. For the same reason, do not get carried away by loosening the soil around the bush. Before the onset of sustained cold weather, it is important not to forget about water-charging irrigation and shelter in the form of a hut made of branches and fallen leaves. This will help the plant survive the winter without much loss.
Watering and feeding adult rhododendrons
Caucasian adult rhododendron plants should be watered regularly. Top dressing is applied in the spring and immediately after flowering. Particular attention should be paid to the type of fertilizer. Ashes and other deoxidizing agents for rhododendron are not suitable. When they are introduced into the soil, the shrub can turn yellow and even discard leaves. The best fertilizer for spring dressing is considered a mixture of superphosphate, ammonium sulfate and potassium sulfate (in a ratio of 2: 1: 1.5). It is best to apply fertilizer in dry form, scattering it on the surface of the soil immediately after irrigation or during it. If the Caucasian rhododendron was planted in the previous season, top dressing for it should consist of a mixture of superphosphate and potassium sulfate in a ratio of 2: 1.
In mid-summer, immediately after flowering, the bush is fed with fermented grass or infusion from chicken droppings. Fertilize in liquid form, after dissolving 0.5 liters of infusion in a bucket of water (10 l). Before top dressing, plants must be well watered.
How to propagate Caucasian rhododendron
The plant can be propagated by layering, seeds or cuttings. Rhododendron seeds are knotted almost annually. It is important to collect them matured and with the onset of spring put in a box with acidic soil. Here the grower will need all his patience, because you need to wait 2-3 years for seedlings. A faster and more reliable method of reproduction is layering. A healthy shoot of rhododendron is pressed to the surface of the soil with a hairpin and covered with a substrate suitable for the plant. After about a year, the rooted shoot can be carefully separated from the bush and transplanted to a new place. Cuttings as a method of propagation of rhododendron is also popular among gardeners. In order to get a new plant, you need to cut healthy shoots from a bush that has already flowered and put them in a box with a sandy moist substrate for the whole winter. In the spring, rooted branches are planted in a permanent place.