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Mock orange Minnesota Snowflake is of North American origin. It is obtained by crossing mock orange and terry mock orange (Leman). From his “ancestors” he inherited the best characteristics – a fairly extensive and sprawling crown shape, coupled with large densely double flowers. Next, a description of the Minnesota Snowflake jasmine will be given, its photos will be presented and recommendations for growing this plant will be given.
Description mock orange Minnesota Snowflake
Mock orange Minnesota Snowflake is a perennial deciduous shrub reaching a height of up to 2 m. The shrub is very dense and fast growing. The annual growth is about 20 cm.
The plant has dark green ovoid leaves. In young plants (up to 5 years), the leaves may be gray-green. The color is preserved until the moment of their fall, this happens at the beginning of winter.
A photo of Jasmine Minnesota Snowflake is shown below:
How garden jasmine blooms Minnesota Snowflake
Jasmine blooms are dense and abundant. On the shoots there can be up to several dozen densely double flowers. Each of the flowers consists of many white petals. Petals expand as they move away from the center of the flower. The outer diameter of the flowers is 25-30 mm. The flowers are collected in inflorescences of the type shield of 5 pieces.
Flowering begins at the end of May and beginning of June. Flowering in sunny areas lasts about 20 days, in the shade – 25-30 days. It should be understood that flowering in plants in the shade is much less intense. The plant has a pleasant aroma that spreads over long distances.
Main characteristics
Mock orange can be grown in the 1st and 2nd frost resistance zones, that is, it is able to tolerate negative temperatures up to -45-50 ° C.
There are few representatives of ornamental plants, especially those of subtropical origin, with similar resistance to frost.
The resistance of mock orange to diseases is high. There are practically no cases of its defeat by fungal diseases with appropriate care (absence of excessive moisture in the root zone).
Features of reproduction
The mock orange Minnesota Snowflake is propagated in several ways. These methods are listed below in order of increasing complexity and complexity:
- division of the root system;
- layering;
- cuttings;
- seeds.
The easiest way to propagate mock orange is by dividing the root system (dividing the bush). The principle is very simple – the root of the dug out jasmine is broken into several fragments so that each fragment has at least one young shoot. Do it at the end of autumn.
By layering, the bush reproduces in the same way as, for example, gooseberries or currants – one of the branches is tilted to the ground and added dropwise. Within 1-2 months, roots appear at the dug branch, and the next season it can be separated from the mother plant.
Propagation by cuttings and seeds is quite long and laborious, they are used relatively rarely. Such methods are used to obtain a large amount of material for sale and for selective propagation.
Planting and Caring for Minnesota Snowflake Jasmine
Planting mock orange has several features that can have a certain impact on its growth and development, especially in the first years of life.
Recommended dates
The landing of mock orange should be carried out either in spring or in autumn. It is not recommended to transplant mock orange in the middle of summer, as it will be much more vulnerable to pests.
Site selection and soil preparation
Jasmine prefers well-lit areas, although it can grow in partial shade. If there is little lighting, the mock orange may begin to drop flowers and leaves.
There are no requirements for the quality and composition of the soil – mock orange can grow on soils of any density, fertility and acidity.
Preparing the soil for planting includes the preliminary introduction of humus or compost into the planting pit in the amount of 10 kg per plant. Also, either 100 g of superphosphate or 500 g of wood ash are added to the pit. Preparation is carried out a month before planting the mock orange.
Landing algorithm
The depth of the landing pit should be at least half a meter. Diameter 40-60 cm. It is dug out in advance, and fertilizers are placed in it, as indicated above. Immediately before planting, an additional amount of fertilizers is applied (organic matter 8-10 kg) or mineral fertilizers in the amount of 40-50 g per 1 sq. m.
Next, a bush of mock orange is installed in the pit, sprinkled with earth, rammed and watered.
Planting pattern in the case of group plantings: 1,5 by 1,5 m, in the case of the formation of a hedge – 50 by 50 cm.
Growing rules
The rules for growing mock orange Minnesota Snowflake are quite simple and can be easily implemented even by a novice gardener.
Watering Schedule
Mock orange requires plentiful and, most importantly, regular watering. Insufficient moisture leads to a decrease in growth rates and a deterioration in the condition of the bush as a whole. The plant tolerates drought very poorly – up to the fall of flowers and leaves.
The frequency of watering is 3-4 days. At the same time, irrigation requires at least 20 liters per 1 sq. m area of the zone located under the crown.
On the other hand, the mock orange also does not like excessive watering, since its root system may begin to rot.
Weeding, loosening, mulching
It is recommended to loosen the soil once every two weeks, combining this procedure with watering. Weed control may not even be carried out, since jasmine is able to “strangle” any weed: a young mock orange has a fairly high growth rate, and no competitors are afraid of adult bushes.
Mulching can save a lot of water for the gardener, since the watering rates for mock oranges are quite high. Therefore, if it is possible to mulch the area under the crown of the jasmine bush, it is better to do so. As mulch, you can use sawdust or needles. The intensity of watering is reduced to 1 time per week.
Top dressing schedule
In total, you should feed the mock orange Minnesota Snowflake three times per season. The description of top dressings is given below:
- The first top dressing is carried out in early spring, before the opening of the kidneys. Mock orange during this period requires nitrogenous fertilizers. It is advisable to use organic fertilizers at this stage: a solution of manure or bird droppings at a concentration of 1 to 10.
- The second top dressing is carried out about a week before flowering or a week after it starts. In this case, mineral complex fertilizers for ornamental garden plants are more preferable.
- The last top dressing of the season is done at the end of autumn. In this case, preference is given to phosphate fertilizers: superphosphate or double superphosphate.
Trimming
Pruning is a must when caring for Minnesota Snowflake Jasmine. With a well-formed crown of mock orange, which is devoid of damaged and growing “inside the bush” branches, it forms flowers of a larger diameter and in greater numbers.
The first pruning performed at the beginning of the season is sanitary. It is produced even before the blooming of the vegetative buds. At the same time, frozen, diseased and dried shoots are removed.
This is followed by pruning after flowering. With it, the tops of the shoots with faded flowers are removed. At the same stage, young shoots are pruned and the middle of the bush is partially thinned out. The final pruning of branches growing inside the bush is performed at the end of August.
When the mock orange reaches the age of 5 years, it needs to replace the skeletal branches. It is carried out in stages: older branches are gradually replaced by young shoots. Usually no more than three old skeletal branches are removed per season. This procedure is performed immediately after the start of flowering.
In addition, in August and September, a “control” pruning of the plant is carried out – all non-flowering old branches are removed and the tops are pinched a little on all branches, without exception.
Preparation for winter
Jasmine Minnesota Snowflake is able to tolerate frosts down to -50 ° C, so the plant does not need any specific preparation for winter.
However, one procedure still exists, and it has already been described earlier: this is cutting off the tips of all branches by a few centimeters. Thanks to this procedure, the growth of the shoots of the plant is suspended, and they quickly become woody. This greatly simplifies the wintering process.
Pests and diseases
Mock orange Minnesota Snowflake is a very hardy plant, virtually immune to most fungal and viral diseases. In part, this can be explained by the high concentration of essential oils in the plant, which do not give fungi and viruses almost a single chance. However, there are several types of pests for which such protection may not be effective.
These pests include aphids and spider mites. These animals are able to parasitize almost any plants, so the gardener should always have remedies against them in his arsenal. And not necessarily industrial production.
Aphids can be removed from the plant by treating it with an ordinary soapy solution. But in the fight against spider mites, most likely, acaricides will be needed.
Conclusion
Mock orange Minnesota Snowflake is a hardy plant that is resistant to many diseases and pests. This variety of mock orange can withstand severe frosts, so it adapted without problems in Our Country. The plant is widely used in landscape design, because it has a high decorative effect and a pleasant aroma. Due to the ability to easily change the state of the mock orange crown, it can be used as a single plant, as a component of group plantings and as a hedge.
Reviews of mock orange Minnesota Snowflake
Below are gardeners’ reviews of Minnesota Snowflake jasmine.
