Contents
Common hawthorn is a tall spreading bush, more like a tree. It is found everywhere in Europe. In Our Country, it is grown in central Our Country and in the south. It grows well and develops in areas located near the sea.
Selection history and distribution area
In nature, there are more than 200 species of hawthorn. This culture is well pollinated, and every year new species of this plant appear. Hawthorn smoothed (ordinary) is common in Western Europe. It was introduced to its eastern part at the end of the XNUMXth century as a cultivated plant. Over time, it again became a wild culture that grows on the edges, in forests, plantings. Grows well in maritime humid climate and rocky soil. In the photo you can see what the prickly hawthorn looks like:
This species became a cultivated plant thanks to the breeder scientist Michurin. He brought out such varieties of common hawthorn as Ryazan and Pomegranate. In Our Country, culture is not grown for industrial purposes. It is used for landscaping urban park areas and household plots. For these purposes, ornamental trees and shrubs are used, including large-thorn hawthorn.
Description of prickly hawthorn
It is a shrub that grows up to 8 m, rarely up to 12 m, in height. After 2 years, it develops a light gray bark, the color of the branches is brown with a reddish tint. On young shoots you can see a small soft fluff, later it crumbles and the branches become stiff.
A distinctive feature of this type of hawthorn is thorns up to 2-5 cm long, which are modified shoots. There are few cultivars. In wild shrubs, all branches are covered with sharp thorns.
The leaves are oblong, dark green above, light, serrated on the back. In autumn, the leaf turns bright orange or scarlet.
The culture blooms in spring, in early or mid-May, in a cold climate – in June. The flowers are small, up to 1,5 cm in diameter, white or pink, collected in erect inflorescences of 5-10 pieces. The petals are wide, rounded, tapering towards the center of the flower, acquiring the shape of a triangle.
Fruits are rounded, rarely oval, up to 10 mm in diameter. Most often red or orange, but there are varieties with white and yellow berries. The pulp is fleshy and juicy. Inside the fetus there are 2-3 flat bones, their length is 7 mm. Berries do not differ in special taste. The first fruits ripen in August.
Common hawthorn grows on clayey, moderately moist soil. The shrub loves sunlight, partial shade is also not a hindrance to its good growth. In urban conditions, it develops well, blooms and bears fruit. It is recommended to grow common hawthorn in the central regions of Our Country and in the south.
View characteristics
A description of the common hawthorn would not be complete without its characteristics. This is an unpretentious plant that needs regular watering, loosening the soil, top dressing. All these procedures will have a beneficial effect on the growth and fruiting of the shrub.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Common hawthorn does not tolerate drought. In the hot summer, for good fruiting, it is watered once a month. 1 bucket of water is consumed per bush. With a long absence of rain, watering the hawthorn can be made more frequent – up to 1-2 times a month. If it rains regularly in the growing region in the summer, additional watering is not needed. The plant does not tolerate excessive moisture in the soil.
The common hawthorn tolerates winter well. Trees older than 5 years, in which a strong root system has formed, the trunk and branches are covered with stiff bark, do not need shelter. Young plants and seedlings must be protected from frost. It is especially important to insulate the shoots and the first buds, which are located at the base of the bush. This is done by covering the root area and the trunk with fallen leaves, dry tree bark, and sawdust.
Disease and pest resistance
Common hawthorn can suffer from pests of fruit and berry plants: aphids, leafworms, spider mites, scale insects. Of the diseases, damage such as ocher spotting, powdery mildew, gray and white spotting can appear.
In autumn, after leaf fall, the treatment should be repeated.
Planting and caring for common hawthorn
For planting choose seedlings older than 2 years. The distance between plants should be at least 1 m. It is best to root a bush on soil rich in black soil. The close location of groundwater is undesirable for him.
Recommended dates
Common hawthorn is planted in the ground in late spring or autumn before frost. The autumn period is preferable, since the plant will harden over the winter and this will stimulate its growth.
Selecting a suitable site and soil preparation
Open, well-lit areas are suitable for planting common hawthorn. A slight darkening can stop the growth of the plant. Even a hedge should be under the sun’s rays.
The shrub can grow in any soil. If the main goal is to get a good harvest, choose heavy black soil with a low lime content. The soil for planting is fertilized with a mixture of humus, sand, peat in equal parts. After the soil must be well loosened. Good drainage is important for proper shrub growth.
What crops can and cannot be planted nearby
Common hawthorn can be planted next to other crops of this species. They are well pollinated and give a high yield. A solitary plant can be surrounded by other low-growing shrubs or flowers. Common hawthorn does not tolerate shading, so tall crops next to it are not recommended to be planted. But in some sources there is a description of how well the common hawthorn grows in the shade of coniferous plants.
Landing algorithm
For rooting in a permanent place, 2-year-old seedlings are chosen. The distance between them should not be less than 2 m. The hole is dug about 60 cm deep and about a meter in diameter. Focus on the size of the rhizome. All layers should be freely located in the pit.
Landing is performed as follows:
- The rhizome of the seedling is soaked for half an hour in a solution of water and a growth stimulator.
- At the bottom of the pit, drainage is made from a layer of expanded clay, brick fragments, and rubble.
- Sprinkle it with a small layer of soil.
- The seedling is placed in the hole so that the trunk is in the center, the root and layers are straightened and fit freely.
- The rhizome is covered with the prepared fertile mixture. The earth is being trampled.
- The plant is watered with a bucket of water.
- After the soil is sprinkled with a layer of peat, at least 5 cm.
Aftercare
Caring for the common hawthorn is simple, but you should not allow the soil to dry out and feed the plant in time. It is also important to care for its pruning in autumn and spring. This will allow you to form a beautiful crown and increase productivity.
Trimming
If the common hawthorn is part of a hedge, it is pruned in the spring. Remove dry and old branches. The main shoots are shortened, leaving a third of the length. If the shrub has broken, diseased shoots or branches, they can be removed at any time.
Preparation for winter
The shrub tolerates frost well, but if winter is expected without precipitation, it is recommended to insulate it. Do this with peat, sawdust, fallen leaves. They are thrown over the root zone, around the trunk and lower branches.
In winter, when precipitation falls, you can throw a layer of snow on the bush. Other garden trees are insulated in this way.
Watering
In rainy summers, hawthorn does not need watering. If the season is dry, the bush is irrigated 2-3 times a month. In this case, about 15 liters of water are used. Before watering, you need to get rid of weeds and dig up the soil. Stagnation of moisture near the trunk of the plant should not be allowed.
Additional fertilizing
In the spring, before flowering, the common hawthorn is poured with a solution of manure in water (1:10). This stimulates its growth and flowering. Such top dressing will be enough for the shrub until the next flowering season.
Protection against rodents
Before the onset of cold weather, it is important to protect the common hawthorn from destruction by rodents. To do this, the trunk and lower branches are wrapped with spruce forest, not tightly tied with ropes.
You can wrap the trunk with burlap, and cover it with roofing material on top. In this case, dense material must be deepened into the ground by 2-3 cm. Ordinary nylon is also used as protection.
If there are a lot of pests, feeders with toxic drugs are installed in different parts of the garden.
It is necessary to follow the instructions for the drug and remember about the safety of pets and birds.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Pests that are dangerous for hawthorn (common) are aphids, leafworms, scale insects. To prevent their appearance, it is necessary to remove fallen and dry leaves and branches around the shrub in time. It is also important to systematically uproot weeds.
As a prophylactic chemical agent, treatment with a Nitrafen solution is used until foliage appears. For the destruction of pests, spraying with a solution of Chlorophos is used. Dilute 20 g of the product in 10 liters of water.
The main diseases that common hawthorn is susceptible to include: powdery mildew, yellow, gray and ocher spotting. Lesions are manifested by plaque and rust-like spots that cover the leaves. Damaged branches and shoots are destroyed, and the bush is sprayed with fungicides. After 2 weeks, the procedure should be repeated.
Common hawthorn: application in landscape design
Landscape designers love the common hawthorn for its unpretentiousness and bright coloring of flowers. An interesting shape of the crown and bizarre bends of the shoots will become a real decoration of the garden.
Common hawthorn is used for such purposes:
- landscaping of vacant plots;
- creating hedges;
- combined planting of shrubs with spireas;
- creating alleys.
The plant tolerates pruning well: any patterns and shapes can be formed from its crown. And the sharp thorns of the hawthorn will protect the garden from animals and rodents.
The use of common hawthorn as a hedge is shown in the photo:
Conclusion
Common hawthorn is a versatile plant that is used for decorative purposes and for fruiting. It is easy to care for and even easier to propagate. A hedge of lush plants with prickly thorns will become impenetrable to strangers. With proper care, such a fence will not only be a reliable shelter, but also a real decoration of the garden.
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