Among fruit ornamental crops, apple berry (Siberian), a representative of the Pink family, is very popular. Its place of origin is China. In Russia, in vivo grows in Eastern Siberia. As a garden crop, it is grown almost everywhere. It is able to become an ornament of any garden, in the spring resembling its blooming appearance a small white and pink cloud, and in the fall it is covered with small fruits, like bright beads.
Description
The plant is a small tree up to five meters high. Crohn - round or umbrella-shaped. The trunk is quite winding, covered with gray bark. Elongated leaves are shiny, smooth, with a pointed tip.
Flowering usually begins in May and lasts for two weeks. The tree is completely, like foam, covered with white-pink flowers, whose diameter is about 3 cm. They are located on long thin pedicels and are collected in shields. The berry apple tree, whose photo during flowering can be seen below, is decorative not only in spring, but also in September-October, when beautiful fruits appear on it.
They are small, up to 1 cm in diameter, apples of orange-red color. Even after all the leaves have fallen, they will adorn the tree for a long time. Berry apple tree belongs to early crops and can bloom and bear fruit already 3 years after planting. Fruits are not used for food, mainly they serve as a treat for birds.
Growing conditions
This species of apple trees prefers nutrient rich, moderately moist soils. They must be slightly acidic or neutral. Planting plants on strongly acidic soil, it must first be liming. The most suitable soil acidity is 6-6.5 pH. A place for planting an apple tree is chosen sunny. This is one of the most important conditions for abundant flowering and a rich harvest. In addition, when planting, a distance of at least 5 meters between the seedlings should be maintained. This will not only ensure good fruiting, but also reduce the likelihood of various diseases characteristic of the culture.
Of all the decorative varieties, the Siberian apple berry is especially unpretentious to the growing conditions. Its cultivation is possible even on moderately fertile soils. This plant is characterized by high drought tolerance and is able to withstand frost.
Landing
An apple tree can be propagated using seeds, cuttings, but there is a simpler and more effective way - planting seedlings. Young plants are planted in early spring, until sap flow begins, or in autumn, before the onset of frost. Landing pits are prepared in advance by the number of trees and taking into account the future size of the crown. Their diameter is about half a meter, and the depth is 70 cm. The seedling is placed so that the root neck is 5 cm above the ground, gently straighten the roots and sprinkle with soil mixture (humus, leaf soil, sand, taken in a ratio of 3: 1: 2) . You can add a little peat and mineral fertilizer. After planting, the tree is abundantly watered. Two- and three-year-old plants are transplanted painlessly. More adults take root more difficult and slow down their growth for the first two years.
In other ways, no less successfully propagated apple berry "Siberian". Growing from seeds is one of the most commonly used by gardeners. They are sown mainly in the fall, and exactly one year later, when the sprouts are strong, they are transplanted to a permanent place. You can do this in the spring, but in this case, the seeds are subject to stratification at a temperature of 0-5 ° C. To do this, they are placed in a refrigerator or in wet sand.
Care Features
In the first year after planting, the berry apple tree does not need to be fed. But from the second year of life it is necessary. Phosphoric, potassium and nitrogen fertilizers are introduced into the near-barrel zone in a dissolved form along with water. Their number depends on the degree of soil fertility, on average, from 15 to 20 g per tree.
In order to maintain the decorative shape of the crown, it is necessary to trim. But do not do it too often. Only shoots that intersect, as well as weak and damaged, are removed. Pruning is performed in early spring, before the start of the growing season.
Almost all varieties of decorative apple trees are winter-hardy and do not require special shelter from frost. It is enough to tie the stems, as well as the main branches of burlap.
Pests and diseases
Berry apple tree is subject to the same diseases as any other decorative trees, although to a much lesser extent. If the trees are properly maintained, then such problems can be bypassed altogether. If the first signs of powdery mildew and / or scab are detected, immediate measures must be taken to prevent the spread of the disease. A disease such as a burn caused by bacteria is especially dangerous. It spreads very quickly, so the detected focus must be destroyed immediately.
Of the pests, green apple aphids are the most dangerous. Its colonies populate the tops of the shoots, sucking juices from young leaves. This leads to drying of the leaves and deformation of the shoots.
Great damage to the plant can cause hawthorn. Caterpillars of this butterfly gnaw the contents of the buds in spring, and in the summer they eat the leaves, completely scraping off the flesh from them.
If pests are found on trees, you can destroy them manually by collecting masonry and caterpillars. But if there are many plants, their treatment with chemicals will be required. For the purpose of prevention, it is recommended to whitewash the trunks with a solution of lime, dig the trunk area and destroy the fallen leaves.
Landscape design application
A real decoration of the garden throughout the season can be a berry apple tree (photos, description are given in this article). This plant plays the role of a hedge or wall, used for planting in a group and singly.