Common tannery skumpia: planting and care in the open field, photos in landscape design, reviews

Zheltinnik, Venetian sumac, tanner, paradise tree – under all these names lies an amazing tannery. Until recently, this unusual plant was undeservedly deprived of attention by gardeners, but with the spread of the art of landscape design, interest in it has increased significantly.

What is skumpia and how does it grow

Skumpia tannery belongs to perennial deciduous plants of the Anacardiaceae family, or Sumacaceae. This culture is a branched shrub or tree, the height of which ranges from 1,5 to 5 m, depending on the variety. In the wild, skumpia is common in South Asia, Western Europe, India and China. It is also found in Our Country, in particular, on the lands of the Voronezh and Rostov regions. As a garden crop, this plant gained popularity in the XNUMXth century. and has since been actively used in perfumery, the manufacture of dyes and the leather industry.

Gardeners appreciate leather skumpia, first of all, for its decorative effect. All species of this plant have a compact spherical or umbrella crown, which looks very advantageous on a personal plot. The leaves of the crop, bright green or deep purple in summer, attract the eye in autumn with a rich palette of colors, acquiring red, crimson and orange hues. This property of yellowberry, as well as unusual flowering, make it a very popular culture in landscape design.

How skumpia blooms

Many plant lovers prefer tannery for its showy blooms. In late May – early June, the culture is densely covered with paniculate inflorescences 15 to 30 cm long, consisting of small flowers of burgundy, white, greenish or pale pink flowers. The airiness and delicate color of skumpii inflorescences, such as in the photo above, give the impression that the bush is shrouded in haze. For this reason, the plant got its English name – “smoke tree”, or “smoky tree”. The -speaking population calls the leather skumpia a “wig tree”, since the flowering shrub evokes associations with a lush wig.

How fast does skumpia grow?

Skumpia leather in its natural habitat lives for about 100 years. The impressive lifespan of this plant is combined with rapid growth. Since the yellowberry has a powerful superficial root system, it has the peculiarity of growing wildly in breadth in a short time, so by the 2nd – 3rd year of cultivation, you can count on getting a beautiful ornamental shrub. But skumpia begins to bloom much later, at 6-8 years old, when it reaches maturity. By this time, the plant has somewhat slowed down its growth, which makes its shape much easier to maintain.

Winter hardiness of leathery sumac

The winter hardiness of leather skumpia often becomes the reason why growers refuse to cultivate this plant on their plots. The fact is that young shrubs and trees of skumpii do not tolerate low temperatures very well and can die during the first stable frosts if you do not worry about their shelter in time. This is especially true for imported seedlings. Instances grown in the same country where the landing will subsequently be made are less sensitive to frost, however, it is not always possible to find such specimens in central Our Country.

At the same time, seedlings 3-5 years old have a fairly high frost resistance and quite successfully winter in cold regions with minimal shelter at temperatures down to -15 ° C. Winter-hardy varieties boast even greater hardiness and, with proper protection, grow well in colder climates. So, among connoisseurs of skumpia there are gardeners who have experience in growing this plant in the Urals and in other areas with similar weather conditions. Such varieties of leather skumpia as Young Lady or Grace not only do not suffer from the Ural winter frosts, but also retain their aesthetic appearance in the summer.

Is skumpia poisonous or not?

The tannery itself is not poisonous, however, the leaves of this crop contain essential oils and tannins in large quantities, which can be toxic in large doses. Untreated yellow leaf plates are not recommended for human consumption, as this can provoke poisoning. In addition, if possible, the access of pets to the bush should be limited, otherwise an inadvertently swallowed leaf of leather skumpia can lead to the death of a pet.

Types and varieties of skumpii with a photo

The beauty of tannery has inspired many breeders to experiment, thanks to which new varieties of this unusual plant appear with enviable frequency. Below are descriptions of the most common varieties of tannery and their photos.

Golden Spirit

This variety, reaching 2 m in height, owes its high decorative effect to golden-green leaves. In clear weather, the sun’s rays passing through the leaf plates give the effect of a glow to the shrub, which is why Golden Spirit is grown with pleasure even in cold regions. Despite not too high winter hardiness, the culture is quite capable of surviving the frosts of central Our Country with proper shelter.

Young Lady

A variety of yellowberry Young Lady is considered the least whimsical of all known varieties. In addition to the luxurious appearance and lush flowering, during which the shrub seems to be drowning in the dawn fog, the variety has an enviable frost resistance, which makes it possible to plant and care for leather skumpia, including in the Urals and Siberia.

Grace

This shrub 2,5-3 m immediately catches the eye with its dark purple foliage, which in autumn is complemented by shades of scarlet, orange and crimson. The plant blooms with airy inflorescences of burgundy color.

Velvet Cloak

No less attractive to the eye is the Velvet Cloak cultivar of tannery, which is remembered for its relatively small size – from 1 to 1,5 m – and blue-violet, almost black leaf plates. The inflorescences of these plants have a dark pink color.

Royal Purple

The leather variety Royal Purple, popular among connoisseurs of skumpia, dates the shrub to 2-3 m in height and a compact silhouette with dark purple leaves and crimson sultans of inflorescences. The culture does not tolerate frost and in cold, dry winters tends to freeze to the root collar.

The use of leather skumpii in landscape design

Looking at the neat silhouette of the tannery skumpia, it is safe to say that this plant is simply created to decorate gardens, parks and green areas. Both shrubs and tree-like yellowberry varieties look appropriate in gardens of different styles. Skumpii stand out very effectively in contrast with conifers and surrounded by other deciduous perennials. Often, different varieties of these plants are planted in groups against the background of mixborders: in this form, they not only do not overshadow each other, but, on the contrary, complement the composition.

Leather skumpii also look favorably in single plantings, in particular, in areas that mimic the natural habitat of these plants. For this reason, yellowberry bushes fit especially well into the environment of rocky gardens, coniferous rockeries and rock gardens.

Below are photos showing leather skumpia in landscape design.

The healing properties of skumpii

In addition to its decorative effect, tannery has a number of medicinal properties. The tannins in its composition, as well as flavonoids and essential oils, provide the plant with the following properties:

• wound healing;
• antibacterial;
• choleretic;
• anti-inflammatory;
• expectorants.

Almost all parts of the yellowberry, including leaves, young shoots and roots, are used in folk medicine to prepare drugs for a wide range of diseases. According to the reviews of connoisseurs of alternative methods of treatment, lotions from the infusion of tannery help with burns, bedsores and wounds, and foot baths – with excessive sweating. Inside, the infusion is taken for food poisoning, disorders of the intestinal microflora and intoxication with salts of heavy metals.

Reproduction of leather skumpii

Reproduction of tannery is carried out using seeds or vegetative methods, which include:

• cuttings;
• reproduction by layering;
• division of the bush.

The choice of the optimal breeding method for tannery depends on weather conditions, soil quality and other environmental factors. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, which should be considered before the procedure.

How to propagate skumpia cuttings

Reproduction of leather skumpii by cuttings gives good results if you know the nuances of this cultivation method:

1. Planting material is prepared in late June – early July.
2. Before planting, the cuttings are soaked in a heteroauxin solution for 12 hours. The solution is prepared at the rate of 20 mg per 1 liter of water.
3. After that, the cuttings are planted in a summer greenhouse or cuttings in the prepared soil of peat, turf and sand in a ratio of 1:1:1.
4. To increase the chances of rooting, the soil under the seedlings must be kept moist. The ideal watering interval is 20 minutes.

Under such conditions, the first roots of tannery will appear after 3-4 weeks. After that, you can think about transplanting the plant into open ground.

Layers

A higher percentage of rooting have skumpii obtained with the help of layering. This method of reproduction is also considered the least laborious. For its implementation are guided by the following actions:

1. On the tannery bush, the lower healthy branch is selected and the bark is cut on its outer side.
2. The branch is tilted to the ground so that the incision on the bark touches the soil, it is fixed at this level and sprinkled with soil.
3. The place of fixing is regularly watered until young shoots and roots appear on the branch.
4. As soon as rooting occurs, the branch is cut from the mother plant and planted in open ground.

Seeds

Propagation of tannery with the help of seeds requires a certain amount of experience and skill. The seeds of the plant have a very dense shell and germinate with great difficulty without certain manipulations. So, before spring planting, they need to be stratified for 5-6 months at a temperature of 3-5 ° C. If planting is carried out in the fall, it is not necessary to additionally withstand the seeds, since wintering in the ground will successfully replace this procedure.

Seeds are sown at a depth of 2 cm, while autumn seedlings are not covered for the winter. The first sprouts will appear a year after planting, and the germination of seeds planted directly in the ground is many times higher than those that were germinated at home

Planting and caring for skumpia in the open field

Leather skumpiya is not too pretentious shrub that will feel good enough in almost any climate and on any soil, if you follow certain requirements when planting and caring for it.

Deadlines

Spring is considered the best time for planting tannery, but if the seedling has a closed root system, then it is placed in the ground at any time of the year, except for winter. The only condition that should be remembered when planning a planting: the plant needs 2 – 3 weeks to root before the cold comes. Otherwise, the roots of the yellowberry will freeze out and it will die.

Seeds of tannery are often sown also in early spring, but early autumn is also suitable for this. At the same time, after the procedure, the seedlings germinate only the next year, regardless of when the plant was planted.

Site selection and preparation of soil

Being a heat-loving crop, leather mackerel prefers well-lit areas, so you should choose a place for it where there is a lot of sun. The shrub growth zone should be protected from drafts and be away from tall trees that provide abundant shade.

As for the soil, the tannery is quite unpretentious in its composition, but acidic soils are not the best choice for this plant. Healthy growth and lush flowering shrubs will provide slightly alkaline light soils with moderate moisture. If the landing site is in a lowland or groundwater lies in its immediate vicinity, you should think about moving the plant to a more favorable zone.

How to plant a skumpia

The procedure for planting tannery skumpia is not much different from region to region and is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. The planting hole should be larger than the plant’s earthen clod.
2. Before planting a seedling in open ground, soak it in water or Kornevin’s solution.
3. The planting hole should be generously watered, using 2 buckets of water per 1 recess.
4. At the bottom of the recess, it is necessary to place a drainage layer 20-30 cm high
5. A small elevation should be poured over the drainage and the plant should be placed on it.
6. After that, the landing pit must be covered with earth and carefully tamped down.

Rules for growing skumpii

After planting, the leather skumpia does not bother gardeners with too burdensome care and can please with abundant flowering, as in the photo, with minimal watering, periodic pruning and top dressing.

Watering

Skumpia tannery is a fairly drought-resistant plant, but a long-term lack of moisture negatively affects the growth and flowering of the shrub, so you should not ignore its timely watering. As a rule, the yellowberry is watered as needed when the soil around the trunk circle dries out. At the same time, water is poured as close to the base of the plant as possible so that moisture does not get on the leaves. You can reduce the frequency of watering by mulching the near-stem circle, which is carried out in early spring. The mulch will help distribute water evenly and protect the roots from drying out during the dry season.

Additional fertilizing

Although horse mackerel is quite capable of growing without any additional fertilizer, it responds well to top dressing and actively uses the applied nutrients to enhance flowering. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to apply complex mineral fertilizers to the plant in early spring, before the leaves appear: in this way, the shrub will recover faster after winter. In June, before flowering begins, the yellowberry can be fertilized again, this time replacing the phosphorus-potassium top dressing with an organic one, for example, with a solution of mullein or bird droppings. The plant does not need more frequent feeding.

How to prune skumpia

Growing and caring for tannery skumpia involves periodic pruning of the plant, which is carried out every 2 to 3 years. As a rule, this is done in the spring, before the leaves appear on the shrub. At the same time, a hygienic procedure aimed at removing frozen or old branches is combined with forming pruning. The annual shoots of the young yellowberry are cut to 2/3 of the length – so the bush will become more magnificent and form more branches. On older plants, branches can be safely cut under the stump. Skumpia will quickly recover from such pruning and form a more compact spherical crown, and the leaves on it will be larger.

How to cover leather skumpia for the winter

Although there are frost-resistant varieties among the varieties of tannery, the first few winters, young plants need protective shelters. So, lutrasil or other non-woven material is suitable for warming the zheltnik, which is wrapped with cling film for reliability. So that in the winter months the root system of the plant is not damaged by frost, it is worth mulching the shrub with peat or humus.

Why skumpia does not bloom: causes and remedies

It happens that when cultivating tannery, gardeners are faced with a situation where the shrub refuses to bloom. Flowers either do not appear at all, or crumble after a short time, not having time to form beautiful paniculate inflorescences. Most often, the reason for this lies in insufficiently careful care. So, flowering may be absent:

• due to an unsuitable landing site (the shrub grows in a lowland or is too shaded);
• acidic heavy soils in the place of cultivation;
• excessive moisture due to the influence of groundwater or watering more often than 1 time in 2 – 3 weeks;
• overdose of fertilizers (skumpiya grows better in soil with a natural level of nutrients).

In these cases, the situation will be corrected by correcting the conditions in which the plant grows.

If the flowers of the tannery after the appearance quickly fall off, not having time to please the colorful clouds of inflorescences, you should pay attention to their structure. There are two varieties of skumpia flowers:

• monoecious;
• dioecious.

The first variety is more common and implies that the flowers of the plant have both pistils and stamens. Such skumpii are self-sufficient, since pollination occurs within the same bush.

Dioecious crops are divided into male plants, whose flowers have only stamens, and female plants, which have only pistils. For pollination of such skumpii, the presence of both specimens is necessary. At the same time, shrubs with male-type flowers cannot boast of lush flowering and look rather modest.

Pests and diseases

Skumpia tannery is quite disease-resistant and easily resists the most common diseases. However, some insects can still be dangerous to the plant. Such pests include the skumpia leaf beetle and the fawn leaf beetle.

By eating the leaves of the plant, they weaken the skumpia and spoil its aesthetic appearance. Treatment with various insecticides, such as Decis or Karbofos, will help against these insects.

Conclusion

Mackerel tannery is a beautiful plant that is well worth the effort to take care of. With proper cultivation, it will become a real decoration of the site and serve as an exquisite decorative element for creating unique landscape compositions.

Reviews