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Black elderberry is a separate species of shrubs that belong to the genus Elderberry of the Adox family. The species has more than 4 dozen varieties. The Black Beauty black elderberry is one of the most popular representatives of its species. The variety appeared in Europe in 2000, it was created by Dutch scientists, based on several little-known species. Over the next decade, the culture spread to the United States and Our Country.
Description of black elderberry Black Beauty
The black elderberry Black Beauty is used as an ornamental shrub. Compact dimensions and elegant appearance allow it to be included in a wide variety of landscape ensembles. On the basis of this variety, a breeding hybrid called Black Tower was created. The difference between shrubs is insignificant. The Black Tower variety has coral-colored buds. In addition, the leaves of the Black Tower variety turn dark red by autumn. Black Beauty flowers are creamy pink.
The shrub can grow up to 4 m. During the year, the growth is about 50 cm. The peculiarity of the Black Beauty elder lies in the unusual color of the leaf plates. They turn purple during flowering, darken in autumn and look almost black.
The contrast of the leaves are white-pink flowers. They are collected in large racemose inflorescences, reach 10 – 15 cm in length. The aroma of Black Beauty elderberry blossom has been compared to lemon verbena.
In autumn, instead of flowers, fruits are formed. These are dark purple drupes with juicy flesh. The fruits are edible, suitable for the manufacture of medicines and cosmetics due to the content of useful substances.
Black Beauty black elderberry is recommended to be grown in areas of the Central climatic zone of Our Country, in Moscow, Moscow region, in the Caucasus, as well as in the southern territories of the country.
Characteristic of the variety
According to landscape designers, the crown of the Black Beauty elderberry can take various forms. The shrub is used to structure the composition of the garden, planted next to trees with bright green leaves to increase the contrast between them. Due to the ease of maintenance, black elderberry is recommended for growing in home gardens and summer cottages.
Winter hardiness of black elderberry Black Beauty
The index of frost resistance of elderberry is above the average level. The shrub is able to tolerate sub-zero temperatures without loss. When -30 – 35 ° C is reached, Black Beauty elderberry is covered with industrial material. To do this, use agrofiber or plastic film. A good protection from the cold is the shelter of the soil around the bushes.
Despite efforts, many young shoots can freeze. In the spring, after processing and removing additional material, most of them are able to recover.
Yield and fruiting
Berries of black elderberry are a rounded fruit of dark purple color. The flesh of the fruit becomes juicy when ripe. In the center, from 2 to 4 bones are formed.
The fruiting of elderberry begins from the 3rd year of existence. Berries begin to ripen in September. The taste of the fruit is sweet and sour, astringent. Up to 2-3 kg of berries are harvested from one bush.
If for some reason the fruits remained on the bushes until frost, they do not crumble, do not dry out. After freezing, elderberry drupes become food for birds left for the winter.
Scope of fruits
The fruits of the black elderberry of the Black Beauty variety are used in different ways:
- for the preparation of wines and homemade spirits;
- as the main ingredient for jams and preserves;
- as a filling for pies and biscuits;
- for the preparation of extracts in the pharmacological industry;
- as an ingredient in home cosmetology recipes;
- for the preparation of external use in folk medicine due to the properties possessed by tannins.
Berries contain essential oils, beneficial acids and organic compounds that have a beneficial effect on all systems of the human body when properly prepared.
The fruits are harvested fully ripe from mid-September – by cutting the brushes entirely. Berries are stored for a short time – 8 – 10 days in the refrigerator, and therefore they are used for processing.
Disease and pest resistance
The variety is highly resistant to diseases and pests. Measures to combat the appearance of powdery mildew, gray rot or the reproduction of aphids are considered timely prevention. It includes:
- fungicide treatment before spring flowering;
- soil mulching during the summer period;
- timely loosening of the soil after rains and heavy watering.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Elderberry Black Beauty has obvious advantages, because of its unusual appearance it is easy to recognize in the photo and cannot be confused with other varieties.
Advantages of the Black Beauty elderberry variety:
- suitable for any landscape design: dilutes any deciduous ensembles, can be used to delimit plots;
- unpretentiousness: does not require special care;
- frost resistance: needs shelter only at temperatures below -35 ° C;
- stable fruiting: for several decades;
- resistance to infections and pests;
- ability to tolerate drought and air pollution;
- use in pharmacology of both fruits, flowers and leaves.
Separately, the Black Beauty elderberry variety is characterized by its ability to adapt to a variety of soils. The only necessary condition for adaptation is to ensure moderate soil moisture. In addition, the shrub of this variety can grow in a shaded area. For development, it needs to receive sunlight in the morning.
In the description of the Black Beauty elderberry variety, cons are also indicated. One of the disadvantages gardeners consider annual pruning. The complexity of the procedure lies in the choice of two-year branches of the lower row. This is necessary for further growth and formation of the bush.
For beginner gardeners, the procedure for propagating a variety can be difficult. Cutting cuttings is carried out with strict observance of the temperature regime and the level of air humidity. Layers before planting are kept in greenhouses. They are planted in open ground in the 2nd year of existence, after full rooting and leaf formation.
Planting and caring for black elderberry Black Beauty
The elderberry variety is planted in spring or autumn. Biennial layers are considered good planting material. For planting choose shaded places on the north side. Experienced gardeners advise planting shrubs so that they are not exposed to strong winds.
The Black Beauty elderberry variety is able to grow as a single-stemmed medium-sized tree, but gardeners and designers prefer to form a shrub from several central shoots.
Seedlings for planting are selected according to their appearance. They should be intact, with light brown bark and some strong branches.
A place for elderberry is prepared a few weeks before disembarkation. The soil is dug up, fertilized with organic complexes. Then the earth is covered with plastic wrap for several days. This helps to normalize the level of soil acidity: soil with a pH of 6 to 6,5 is suitable for elderberry.
The seedling is placed in a prepared hole, fertilized with potassium-phosphorus complexes, covered with soil, tamped, watered. When planning the cultivation of elderberry in 1 trunk, after planting, a support is installed and a seedling is tied up.
Aftercare
Further care for the shrub includes seasonal pruning. It is carried out twice:
- spring, crown-forming pruning according to a special scheme with pruning of the lower branches, removal of tops, cutting out damaged branches;
- autumn, sanitary pruning – in order to get rid of damage, dead wood and adjust the formation of the crown.
When the elder begins to bloom and form fruits, it needs abundant watering. Weekly volume of water – 2 – 3 buckets under a bush.
Top dressing is applied under the root, following the step-by-step actions:
- Spring fertilizer – nitrogen-containing complexes.
- Summer top dressing – with potassium and phosphorus.
- Autumn fertilizer – organic.
To retain moisture, protect against weeds and overgrowth, the agrotechnical method of mulching is used. The soil around the bush is covered with a layer of straw, crushed bark or sawdust.
Mulching left for the winter also helps to protect the shrub from rodents, which often attack fruit crops. Elderberry is no exception, so gardeners protect bushes with affordable methods. List of defense techniques:
- whitewashing the main trunk with lime;
- installation of nets and fences;
- spraying poisonous mixtures.
For wintering in regions with low temperatures, elderberry is covered in advance, before the onset of frost. The shrub is protected with a breathable material, bending the branches to the ground. A good option for shelter from frost is tying with coniferous branches. This method is suitable for small young bushes.
Conclusion
Black Beauty Black Elderberry has gained popularity among designers and gardeners due to its unusual appearance. Dark elderberry leaves and pink-cream buds when blooming can brighten up any area. For summer residents, the advantage of the variety is the ease of cultivation and the possibility of self-formation of the crown.
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