Almost every owner of a personal plot wants his garden to look not only beautiful, but also unusual. Therefore, recently, many began to grow in front of the house not only the pears or apple trees familiar to everyone, but also some exotic plants. The latter include a bush of incredible beauty called "Japanese quince." Photos, care, features of growing this amazing culture - all this is presented in this article. This small tree fascinates with its incredible beauty. The fragrance that spreads throughout the garden during its flowering leaves no one indifferent.
Japanese quince - photo and description
Despite the fact that this culture is considered exotic, it takes root well and even bears fruit in many Russian regions.
Today, Japanese quince, planting and caring for which does not require special knowledge, is growing even in areas near novice gardeners. This culture has a few more names. Specialists know it as genomeles, and the people call it also “northern lemon”. Japanese quince, which belongs to the decorative fruit and berry crops, is a rather thermophilic plant, therefore it grows very well in those regions where the climate is mild. The henomeles tree has dwarf sizes, so it is often called a shrub. Growing Japanese quince every year is becoming more common. Most often, the fruits of this culture are used in canning - for making jam, jam or jam. The kitchens of some countries have very tasty side dishes made of henomeles. These trees, small in height, have characteristic flexible branches that have the shape of an arc, glossy leaves with carved edges, sharp thorns (in most species) and bright beautiful flowers. The latter can be red orange, white and pink.
In total, there are three varieties of Japanese quince. In this case, there are much more interspecific varieties - about 500. The main representatives of the family took root not only in the southern regions, but also in the conditions of the middle lane of our country. These include a "pomegranate bracelet", characterized by frost resistance and fast ripening of fruits, "pink queen", "felconet scarlet", etc.
Bloom
At one time, Japanese quince was grown in European countries exclusively as an ornamental plant. The culture was used to decorate alpine slides and paths, it was planted in the middle of the lawn as a separate bush, bonsai and living fences were created from it. The henomeles is especially beautiful during the flowering period.
Japanese quince, as you can guess from its name, hails from the land of the rising sun, although it is also quite common in China and Korea. Northern lemon blooms luxuriantly and richly, delighting the owner with beauty for almost a month.
Fruiting
You can admire the plant during this period for a long time.
This culture gives fruits only in the third year. They look like a pear in shape. The yellow fruits of Japanese quince have a specific taste, reminiscent of lemon. They are rarely consumed raw due to acidity and hard flesh. Quince peel allows you to keep fresh fruits for a long time.
Harvest ripens in late September or early October. In mature form, the fruits of Japanese quince can have a bright orange or green-yellow color. Covered with a wax coating on the outside, which perfectly protects them from damage, they can even tolerate minor frosts on a tree. About half of the volume of the fruit is occupied by its brown seeds, outwardly resembling apple. From each small tree, you can collect two or more kilograms of quince.
Benefits of genomeles
This fruit contains many biologically active components. It is such a high concentration that determines the benefits and harms of quince Japanese quince. Genomeles is an excellent assistant for such a common pathology as obesity.
Nutritionists often recommend using it in a daily diet, not only as a low-calorie fruit, but also as a means of strengthening the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Japanese quince relieves toxicosis during pregnancy. Its diuretic effect is also widely known. Regular use of genomeles can prevent the formation of edema, normalize the balance of copper and iron in the body, and serve as a prophylaxis against anemia. Japanese quince, the fruits of which are famous for their high content of vitamins C and E, as well as carotene, is used for colds to increase immunity. An infusion of her bones is an excellent expectorant. The leaves and branches of henomeles are also quite widely used in folk medicine due to their medicinal properties. Decoctions and infusions of them perfectly cleanse oily skin, help strengthen hair follicles and lighten pigmentation. A nice plus of this culture is the absence of allergens in its fruits.
Harm
When using Japanese quince, it is necessary to take into account not only its benefits, but also contraindications. For example, people whose professional activities are associated with the load on the vocal cords are strictly forbidden to use fresh henomeles. The fact is that the structure of the skin of the fruits of Japanese quince can lead to a deterioration of the larynx. This fruit is also contraindicated for those who suffer from constipation, since the fruits have a high content of tannins. It is forbidden to use fresh genomeles and pleurisy.
How to plant a northern lemon
The culture is heat-loving, so the Japanese quince is planted only in the spring. The soil must be cleared of weeds.
Its friability is a prerequisite for the normal development of the root system. To lighten the soil, it is recommended to add a small amount of sand to it. Choose a place to plant Japanese quince, based on its requirements for good lighting. It is recommended to plant a crop in the southern parts of the garden. This plant does not tolerate transplantation, so it is immediately advisable to choose a permanent place for it.
When preparing a pit for planting henomeles, several requirements must be observed: the width should be no more than sixty, and the depth should be up to eighty centimeters. The main condition in this case is that the root neck is not exposed. The pit prepared for planting should be filled not only with fresh soil, but also with fertilizer from a mixture of one or two buckets of humus, superphosphate (300 g), potassium nitrate and wood ash. Only after that it is already possible to plant a plant. When planting a seedling, the roots should be completely underground, but not too deep. The plant needs to be well watered, and then mulched with humus. Henomeles does not like to be "disturbed", so it is advisable not to transplant. At the right place on the site, Japanese quince can grow up to sixty years.
How to care for genomeles
Japanese quince, the care of which requires certain knowledge and skills from the gardener, can grow well in the conditions of central Russia.
Adhering to all required agricultural standards, even a novice plant grower will be able to get a good harvest. This ornamental shrub requires the following rules. Watering it should be moderate. Japanese quince can easily tolerate short periods of drought, however, it does not like abundant moisture in the soil. The correct formation of culture is also important. It should not have more than twenty branches. Formation should be carried out annually. It is necessary to trim not only dead and dry branches, but also those that, due to the small height of the bush, touch the ground. This event should be carried out in the spring, even before the appearance of the kidneys. Winter care for Japanese quince consists in covering the bush with spruce paws.
Breeding
There are three ways - by seeds, division or cuttings. The most popular among Russian gardeners is the first option. For the propagation of quince by Japanese seeds, in February-March it is necessary to prepare fertile soil and plant planting material. After a month and a half, small sprouts already appear, which are transplanted into peat cups to strengthen the root system. By the end of May, the plant is already ready for placement in open ground.
For propagation of henomeles by cuttings, planting material must be prepared in the fall. Mature cut shoots should be kept in a cool place until early spring. From mid-March, rooted cuttings can already be placed in open ground.
Reproduction of quince by Japanese division is quite simple. Seedlings just need to be planted at a distance of about a meter from each other in late spring or late autumn, after which it is already possible to plant a plant.
Top dressing
In the third year after planting, Japanese quince requires fertilizer. This should be done for the first time in early spring. Organic and mineral fertilizers are used for top dressing. Roundabout soil must be filled with compost, as well as potassium and superphosphate. The second time the plant is fertilized in the summer with ammonium nitrate and bird droppings.
Disease
The main pest of genomeles is aphid. Its appearance on the bush can be a disaster for the plant. Therefore, you should periodically inspect the culture, and if aphids are found, immediately treat them with special compounds. In conditions of high humidity, in wet weather, various fungal diseases can appear on the bushes. For example, with necrosis or spotting, quince leaves begin to deform, drying out, with lesions of cercosporosis, brown spots are observed on them, and with ramulariosis, they are brown. The most effective way to combat these diseases is to use a solution of copper-soap liquid with the addition of 0.2% baseazole. A less dangerous method is to spray the bushes with tincture of onion husks.