Chilean sucker is a shrub plant native to the southern regions of the European and Asian parts of the world. It is found on the American continent.
Chilean sucker (plant): photo and description
More than 40 species of this deciduous shrub are known. Some are small trees. Short-leaved leaves of a plant can have a color from silver to dark green. Small, tube-like flowers of sucker have a delicate, pleasant aroma.
The yellow inside and the silver color outside make this plant unusually interesting. Elongated small fruits of the sucker resemble sea buckthorn berries. The root system of the shrub is superficial and spreading, characterized by a high nitrogen content, which it is able to accumulate throughout the life of the plant.
Where can I plant and what should be the soil?
Gardeners appreciate the Chilean goof for their unpretentiousness to growing conditions. The plant is photophilous. It is enough to choose a place where sunlight will come to the bush throughout the day, and he will thank with bright full flowering.
The Chilean goof, a photo of which is presented in the article, is unpretentious to the composition of the soil. It grows well even on soils poor in the content of useful substances. But he himself is able to ennoble the surrounding area, giving up the accumulated nitrogen. The only requirement for the planting site is for the soil to be thoroughly drained. Excess moisture causes root disease and can destroy the entire plant. Soil acidity for sucker is unimportant. It grows equally in acidified and alkaline areas.
Using
The Chilean goof is very popular for creating topiary groups and hedges. It easily tolerates haircuts and bush formation. The color of the leaves allows you to choose contrasting plants to it. The unusual shrub allows you to create unique ensembles from a combination of coniferous, deciduous and herbaceous plants.
Some varieties of sucker have thorns. Planting such plants on a site where there are small children is worth caution.
The needles of the sucker are very hard and sharp. The injections may be too painful. In addition, the goof is an excellent honey plant. Therefore, bees who have chosen it can be dangerous for young children.
Tolerates frosts
Despite its southern origin, the plant easily tolerates frosts. Therefore, it is possible to use it in areas even in Siberia with its long winters. In particularly harsh conditions, the sucker should be insulated with covering material or brushwood.
Care
Feed requirements are not too high for the plant. Chilean sucker is enough to feed only once a year. In spring, usually work on the formation of the bush. Dry branches cut and shorten - those that spoil the appearance. A rejuvenating haircut should be done no more than once every 15 years.
In hot dry periods, it is worth watering the Chilean goof. The plant does not require too frequent watering. But a bucket of water every 10 days will help him transfer the heat without compromising decorativeness. The trunk circle must be loosened to remove weeds and mulched after watering.
Sucker propagates by seeds and vegetatively. For spring sowing, stratification of seeds for 3-4 months is required.
The most popular varieties of sucker
- Narrow-leaved goose - thorny shrub up to 8 meters high and a spreading crown up to 6 meters. The lanceolate leaves of the plant, silver during blooming, acquire a gray-green color in adulthood. The berries are yellow, almost tasteless or slightly sweet. The bush blooms in June, and the fruits ripen by mid-September. In nature, narrow-leaved goof is found in the Caucasus, Kazakhstan and the southern European regions of Russia.
- Goof silver fully corresponds to its name. It is a slow-growing shrub with silvery leaves and berries. Throughout the season, he does not change color. The sucker blooms in May-June and by autumn gives beautiful, interesting-shaped fruits. It is not prickly, therefore suitable for widespread cultivation. The height of the bush is only 3-4 meters. The crown is not too spreading and can reach 3 meters in diameter. In wildlife, it can be found in South America.
- Loch multiflorum grows in Japan and China. It is also called gummy. Its fruits are healing and widely used in folk medicine. Due to its unusual taste, gummi is called a bush of five berries. Its fruits remind to taste the berries of cherries, bird cherry, apples, grapes and currants. A huge amount of vitamins and minerals allows you to use them as a vitamin supplement to any meal. This low, only 2 meters tall, Chinese bush attribute magical properties. A distant relative of sea buckthorn, the goof is very similar to it in the form of a bush and the appearance of berries. But surpasses it in healing properties. In China and Japan, silver goofberry is used in anti-aging drinks and various creams.