Contents
Bird cherry is a wild plant that is ubiquitous in North America and western Europe. In Our Country, it grows in forest and park areas in almost all climatic zones. Currently, several decorative subspecies have been bred that have found application in landscape design.
History of variety breeding
Common bird cherry (carpal), Latin name – Padusavium, Prunuspadus, grows in its natural habitat almost throughout Eurasia. In Our Country, this culture is often found in the form of wild seedlings. Bird cherry carpal easily crosses with other species. As a result, decorative varieties are obtained.
Scientists have been breeding ornamental varieties in the USSR since 1972. They were obtained by crossing wild bird cherry ordinary with other species growing in nature. Nowadays, more than 20 ornamental varieties have been obtained. 9 new species were bred at the Lisavenko Research Institute of Horticulture in Siberia: Olga’s Joy, Early Round, Black Shine and others. Botanists M.N. Salamatov and V.S. Simagin became the authors of the varieties. A variety of bird cherry, vatereri – Sakhalin black was included in the State Register in 1995.
Description of the variety
Carpal bird cherry is a tall tree (shrub). Its height reaches 10-15 m. The diameter of the bird cherry crown can be 10 meters or more. The culture grows in the forest and forest-steppe zone with a temperate climate.
Bird cherry leaves are simple, narrow, oblong, serrated, dense and smooth. Their length does not exceed 10 cm, rarely – 15 cm, width – 1,5-2 cm. They are attached to wide dense petioles 1,5 cm long.
The flowers are small, collected in numerous inflorescences up to 18 cm long. The petals are rounded in white or pink. During the flowering period, bird cherry exudes a strong aroma.
The fruits are black, small, spherical, smooth, glossy. Their diameter does not exceed 10 mm. The taste is sweet, tart, astringent. The bone is small, oblong. The pulp is green, oxidized, turns black.
In Our Country, culture is recommended to be grown in the European part of the country, in Siberia, in the Far East.
Varieties of bird cherry
Among the variety of bird cherry varieties, there are several most popular, decorative, frost-resistant varieties:
- Siberian beauty – a red-leaved, decorative variety obtained by crossing bird cherry and Virgin (Schubert). This is a tall, upright shrub, grows up to 5 m in length. The crown, wide, dense, is shaped like a pyramid. In early spring, the foliage is green, by mid-June the surface of the leaf becomes purple, the lower part is dark purple. Leaves do not fall until late autumn. The fruits of the tree of this variety are burgundy, rather large, with high taste qualities.
- Plena variety was known in Our Country before the 19th century. Belongs to the bird cherry family. Distinguished by beautiful large velvet flowers resembling roses. Their flowering period is longer than that of other species, but the inflorescences are not so lush.
- Variety Sakhalin black obtained from pollination of bird cherry prunuspadus with wild-growing representatives of the species. It is a tall shrub (tree) growing up to 7 m in height. This is a culture with dense, velvety, large dark green foliage. The flowers are small, white, collected in brushes of 30-35 pieces. The fruits are juicy, tart, sweet and sour.
Characteristics of bird cherry
This is one of the first crops that pleases with its flowering in spring. This tree is not afraid of May night frosts and sudden changes in temperature.
The photo shows how the bird cherry blooms magnificently in early spring in the southern regions of the country.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Bird cherry is not demanding on soil moisture, easily tolerates periodic drought and spring flooding. Seedlings of the first year need watering. Mature plants are watered only if the summer is very dry.
The winter hardiness of bird cherry is high, it easily tolerates temperature changes. Due to this, it is recommended for cultivation in Siberia and the Far East. Quietly tolerates frosts up to -30 ᵒС.
Yield and fruiting
Common bird cherry (carpal, bird), subfamily Spirea, begins to bear fruit in mid-summer – in July. The first berries appear 5 years after planting. The fruits are sweet and sour, at the same time tart taste. Their size does not exceed 0,5 mm, the surface is smooth, glossy, the skin is black. For abundant fruiting, good illumination of the site is necessary. Depending on the size of the tree, from 20 to 30 kg of fruit can be harvested from it during the summer.
Common bird cherry grows well in sunny, well-lit areas, is not afraid of direct sunlight, and is not prone to baking and shedding fruits in the sun.
Scope of fruits
Fruits can be eaten raw, or you can make jams, preserves, compotes, jelly from them. For the preparation of alcoholic beverages, the fruits and flowers of the plant are used. Bird cherry juice is used as a food coloring for drinks and confectionery. In Siberia, dried bird cherry berries are ground and used as an additive to flour. Bread with the addition of dried fruits has an almond flavor.
Bird cherry fruits are quite fragile and juicy, it is not possible to transport them. You can store berries only in a dry or candied form.
Pest and disease resistance
Common bird cherry is a plant resistant to pests and diseases, but it needs preventive treatment 2 times a year. In the shade, in areas with waterlogged soils, fungal infections can develop.
Under adverse growing conditions, the crop can be affected by diseases:
- powdery mildew;
- red spotting;
- cercosporosis;
- cytosporosis;
- rust;
- wood rot.
When affected by fungi, yellowed leaves with spots are removed, the crown is sprayed with fungicides.
Bird cherry leaves can be eaten by caterpillars, beetles, bird cherry moth, sawfly. Pests are fought by spraying the tree three times with karbofos.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
With all the advantages, the bird cherry has practically no drawbacks. If you provide the plant with access to light and sunlight, there are no problems with growing it.
Cultural virtues:
- high decorative qualities;
- pleasant aroma of flowers;
- unpretentiousness;
- resistance to frost and drought;
- good fruit taste.
Among the shortcomings, instability to fungal diseases can be distinguished. Common bird cherry can get sick if you plant a tree in the shade and do not carry out regular pruning.
Planting and caring for bird cherry
The culture grows well on moist soils with close groundwater, while the plant needs to provide good drainage. The tree grows well on sandy, clay, alkaline soils. Common bird cherry spread in almost all climatic zones of Our Country.
Most bird cherry varieties are cross-pollinators, so it is recommended to plant several plants side by side at a distance of 5-6 m from each other. Planting is carried out in early spring, until the buds hatch, or in autumn, after the leaves fall.
A place for planting is chosen well-lit by the sun, but a young plant can grow in partial shade.
Before planting, organic fertilizers must be applied to the soil: humus, compost, manure (at least 10 kg per 1 planting hole). A hole for planting is dug 40 cm deep and 50 cm in diameter.
The seedling can be purchased at the nursery. It should be a low tree, at least 1 m in length with a well-developed root system. The bark should be even and smooth without damage.
The seedling is installed in the prepared hole, the roots are straightened and covered with soil, trampled down. After rooting, the tree is watered abundantly, the trunk circle is mulched with sawdust or peat.
Aftercare
After planting for a month, the ground under the seedling is regularly moistened. It is bad if the water is near the trunk, the earth should be evenly and moderately moistened. A month later, bird cherry is recommended to be watered only in drought. After watering, the soil must be mulched.
Several times a year it is necessary to loosen and dig up the soil under the tree. It is important to apply organic and mineral fertilizers under the root of the plant 2 times a year, before flowering and after the leaves fall.
Pruning is a mandatory procedure for caring for a bird cherry tree. Pruning is carried out in autumn and early spring. Remove old, dried, damaged shoots. In addition to hygienic pruning, they also carry out shaping. The crown of bird cherry is formed in the form of a pyramid or a ball.
In late autumn, the tree trunk should be protected from rodents. It is wrapped with roofing paper, cellophane, any other covering material, tied with a rope. Bird cherry does not need protection from frost; it should not be covered for the winter. If the temperature is below -20 ᵒС, you can throw more snow around the trunk and rhizome.
Diseases and pests
Bird cherry is susceptible to fungal diseases of horticultural crops if it grows in the shade. For the prevention of cercosporosis, cytosporosis, rust, it is necessary to carry out regular pruning of the crown, to prevent stagnation of water in the near-trunk circle. If bird cherry leaves are affected by spotting, powdery mildew, spraying with copper oxychloride or Bordeaux mixture (1%) is carried out. Affected leaves are removed and burned.
Moth, silkworm, aphids, weevils can start in the bird cherry crown. For preventive purposes, spraying with insecticides is carried out in early spring, in summer before the appearance of ovaries, in autumn after harvesting.
Conclusion
Common bird cherry is a wild plant that has become a regular in home gardens, alleys, and park areas. Its heady aroma during flowering fills the warm spring air with sweetness. Culture performs not only decorative functions. Its fruits have long been used in cooking and folk medicine.
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