Sand cherry, whose homeland is the northern regions of America, is a drought-resistant and frost-resistant shrub reaching one and a half meters. Its habitat is steppes with a harsh, arid climate. It has thin, pubescent reddish trunks. The shoots of the first year are upright, but over time, lignified, they turn the cherry into a sprawling bush. The leaves are dense and leathery, about 5 cm long. During the growing season, they are dark green, and by autumn they acquire orange-red hues. Inflorescence, like any cherry, is an umbrella, consisting of 2-3 buds. Ovaries appear after 23 days. The fruits have a tart taste, in the last phase of ripening they turn purple-black.
Choosing a place to land
Cherry is grown on humus-rich breathable soils, but the plant can also be cultivated on sandy soils. When choosing a place in the garden, preference is given to one where there are no drafts. If the site has a certain angle of inclination, it is better to plant a bush on its upper part, since in the lowland it can vypryvat. The sand cherry, quite popular in landscape design, looks very decorative both in groups and in individual plantings, especially during flowering. You can use this type to strengthen the slopes.
Cultivation and care
The implementation of comprehensive measures for the care of this species will allow you to get a big crop. Throughout the growing season it is required to weed out all the vegetation under the cherry, which can compete with the consumption of nutrients and water from the soil. Loosening, mulching, shallow digging will give the plant additional forces that will be useful to it during fruiting. Abundant watering is required after flowering has ended (50 liters per 1 sq. M), as well as during the period when the fruit begins to pour, and in the fall, before wintering. If long hot weather is established, it is worthwhile to make additional watering.
Fertilizer and pruning
Sand cherry is very responsive to fertilizer application. You need to feed the plant infrequently, but regularly. Be sure to do this after flowering, again in the fall. In the spring, mineral fertilizing is used, and in the winter - organic. This process is desirable to combine with watering. Sand cherry, like any other, requires pruning to form a crown. As a rule, it is produced in early spring before the start of the growing season. As necessary, sanitary pruning is carried out. The above measures allow to achieve decorativeness and abundant harvest. To obtain the latter, group plantings from different types of cherries are used, so it needs pollination with other varieties. Reproduction is carried out by all known methods. For this, seeds and cuttings, and layering, and vaccinations are used.
World recognition
Juice, preserves, mousses, compotes are made from sand cherry fruits. Various parts of this plant are used in folk medicine and cosmetology. Thanks to its grace, sand cherry has received worldwide recognition by gardeners.