If you are a gardener and decided to decorate your site with shrubs of carrageenas, then our article is for you. Today we offer not only to get acquainted with the main varieties of this plant, but also to consider in more detail such a species as shrub caragana.
general information
Karagana is a shrub plant, and some species are small trees. It is also called yellow acacia, because during the flowering period the caragan is covered with yellow flowers similar to moths. Not a single photo of shrubbery caragana can convey the beauty and aroma that it possesses during flowering. The fruits of the plant are legumes from three to five centimeters long.
Closer to mid-summer, the ripened pods begin to crack gradually, releasing small seeds that look and taste like peas.
Types of Haragans
Mane Karagana is a rather interesting plant, growing in height from one to five meters. It is characterized by thick branches, which are gradually covered with needle-shaped petioles of last year's leaves and young leaves with a white hairy surface. The uniqueness of this species lies in the beautiful pink or white flowers of a rather large size - about four centimeters in length.
Ussuri Karagana is most often a
stunted plant that grows in height no more than a meter. Shoots are straight, with a ribbed surface and dense leaves. The flowers of Ussuri karagana at the beginning of flowering have a classic yellow color, but by the end of summer they acquire a pleasant red hue. In Russia, this species can be found in Primorye.
Dwarf Karagana is a small shrub reaching a height of about a meter, with a smooth bark of golden color and a shiny surface. Thin and flexible shoots cover light leaves of a bluish tint. The species is characterized by rather long flowering - about four months.
Prickly Karagana - a bush about a meter and a half high, consisting of a large number of short shoots covered with small leaves and a thorn on the central stem.
Tree-like Karagana - it is this species that is most often called yellow acacia. A fairly tall tree (from three to seven meters in height) is densely covered with juicy green leaves and yellow flowers, which seem to be collected in neat bundles. A vivid representative is the Pendula variety, which got its name for branches hanging downward.
Among the variety of different species, there is another one - shrubbery. It is about him that we will talk in the next section.
Description of Shrub Haragans
This type of plant is a shrub reaching a height of one and a half to three meters. In Latin, “shrubbery caragana” sounds like Caragana Frutex. She is popularly called dereza. Among gardeners, the variety Grandiflora is quite popular. It is characterized by large flowers. The broadleaf form is represented by the variety Latifolia. Globose shrub caragana stands out against the background of other garden plants with a spherical crown.
The bark of such a culture is most often yellowish or gray-green in color and is streaked with very thin whitish stripes. A distinctive feature of shrubbery are young pubescent shoots of medium diameter, which are quickly covered with petioles in the form of white spineless lentils. The flowering period of this species lasts about a month and a half. At this time, the shrub is covered with bright golden yellow, most often single flowers, located in the axils of the leaves. Fruity shrubbery begins in mid-summer. Fruits ripen with a diameter of about five millimeters and two to four centimeters in length.
Growing Tips
There are several basic recommendations for planting caragans that are suitable for growing any variety. The advantages of shrubbery are its excellent resistance to drought and bright sunlight. That is why when planting a plant in his area, you should choose open sunny areas with acceptable slight shading.
The most effective way to propagate caragana is seed. Sowing is done in early spring. First you need to soak the seeds in water for a day. The depth of their occurrence in the soil should not exceed four centimeters. Do not wait for rapid growth in the first two years after planting seeds. Be patient, and after three to four years you will receive a bush about a meter and a half high.
Since karagana is a plant that itself enriches the soil with nitrogen, special feeding is not required. But if you wish, you can add a little peat and humus. Mineral fertilizers should be used only when planting shrubs. The more abundant and more often to irrigate, the faster the growth of shoots will develop.
An important factor is pest protection. The most dangerous for karagana are considered acacia aphids, glass-cases and leaf-flocks. To protect the shrub from pests, it is necessary to use permitted chemicals, which require occasionally pollinating the shrub.
Hedge from Shrubbery Caragana
The reviews of experienced gardeners unanimously confirm that this type of hedge is not only unpretentious in maintenance, but also pleases with an unusually pleasant aroma during the flowering period of the bush. It is enough just to trim the shoots in time, giving the plant the desired shape, and weed out the sprouted sprouts.
Thanks to the dense foliage, this type of plantation will perfectly protect the site from prying eyes. Almost every gardener who uses caragana for hedges noted that this plant tolerates winter well and does not require special shelter and protection.
The use of hurricanes
Shrub Karagana is not a medicine. Therefore, the main purpose of planting this species in your area may be either decorative, or the desire to strengthen the soil.
For therapeutic purposes, the most commonly used are leaves, bark and shoots of tree-like caragana. Since the green mass is rich in vitamin C, carotene and fiber, it is most often used for allergic reactions and respiratory diseases. The infusion of dried leaves of Haragana tree-like helps to get rid of constantly tormenting heartburn. To do this, pour two tablespoons of chopped leaf mass into a glass of boiling water and insist for three hours, then strain thoroughly and consume several times a day. A decoction of the cortex of this type of caragana will be useful to people suffering from atherosclerosis.
Contraindications
Despite a rather large spectrum of positive effects on the body, Karagana, like any product, has its contraindications. These include hypervitaminosis and intolerance to plant components. Moreover, the preparations obtained from the fruits of shrubby caragana are very toxic and life-threatening, if taken!
With fetal poisoning, general weakness, vomiting, abdominal pain and hallucinations are observed. In some cases, death from an overdose may occur.