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Bird cherry red-leaved is increasingly used by landscape designers to create contrasting compositions. A bright purple accent in the form of a fast growing pyramid tree is the perfect solution for many home gardens.
Description of the red-leaved bird cherry
Bird cherry with red leaves is an ornamental crop that is loved by many gardeners both in Our Country and abroad. The tree is characterized by high growth rates, on average, the annual growth in height is about 1 m. Adult specimens reach 5-7 m. The crown of the red-leaved bird cherry has a pyramidal shape, but is easily amenable to decorative pruning.
The red-leaved bird cherry is often referred to as the “chameleon tree” because of the unique way its leaves change color during the summer season. In spring, green leaves bloom on the branches, which do not differ in color from the rest of the trees in the garden. But at the end of June, the picture changes – the crown of the red-leaved bird cherry acquires a maroon or wine hue. This metamorphosis does not end there – new growths form green foliage. So, the tree takes on an even more decorative look.
During the flowering period, the red-leaved bird cherry is the dominant in the garden composition. Large (up to 15 cm), numerous inflorescences of snow-white or pinkish color with a tart intoxicating aroma involuntarily attract attention.
The berries of the red-leaved bird cherry are almost 2 times larger than ordinary ones, they are distinguished by a sweet taste, they practically do not knit. Berries are easily separated from the branches, without releasing juice, hands do not get dirty.
Bird cherry is the most winter-hardy of all stone fruits. Its wood easily withstands temperatures as low as -50°C. The vast majority of varieties of red-leaved bird cherry can be grown in the conditions of central Our Country, as well as in Siberia and the Urals. The most vulnerable time for the red-leaved bird cherry is the period of loose buds and flowering. Frosts can damage the ovaries, which will significantly reduce the yield.
The red-leaved bird cherry belongs to cross-pollinated crops; for fruit setting, it needs the participation of insects and favorable weather conditions. When choosing a variety of red-leaved bird cherry, it is necessary to pay attention to the timing of flowering: the further north the growing region, the later bird cherry should bloom.
Red-leaved bird cherry begins to bear fruit from the age of 3, an adult tree (7-8 years old) can yield 20-40 kg per season, if spring and summer are rainy and cool – up to 12 kg.
The red-leaved bird cherry is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and is able to grow even on depleted dry soils. Its root system is resistant to close groundwater. The culture tolerates frost well, the foliage is not prone to sunburn.
Description of bird cherry Siberian beauty
The variety of red-leaved bird cherry Siberian beauty was obtained by breeders from the National Research University Central Siberian Botanical Garden by crossing the common bird cherry and the virgin variety Schubert (Schubert). Included in the State Register in 2009, recommended for cultivation in all regions of the Federation.
The plant has a dense pyramidal crown, grows up to 4-5 m in height. The color of young leaves is pale green, but with age, the upper part of the leaf plate acquires a dark purple hue, while the lower part acquires a light purple hue.
During the flowering period, which falls in May, the tree is strewn with white tassels that exude a strong and sweet aroma. During ripening, green drupes change color to red, and subsequently to black. The taste of berries is pleasant, low-tart, sweet. The average weight of a berry is 0,7 g, the yield indicators are average.
The bird cherry variety Siberian Beauty prefers sunny areas, is undemanding to the composition of the soil and has a very high winter hardiness. The variety is used both in single and in group compositions.
Description of bird cherry Tent
Variety of red-leaved bird cherry Red tent is one of the decorative varieties. The tree does not exceed 4 m in height and width, the crown is formed in the form of a wide ellipse or egg, the density is medium. The branches are bare, brown in color with numerous white lenticels, located at 90 ° to the main trunk, their tips are directed upwards. The bark is gray with a brownish tinge; slight peeling can be seen on the trunk. The leaf blades are oval-shaped with a pointed end, green at the beginning of the growing season, but by July they acquire a reddish-purple hue.
The red-leaved bird cherry of the Red Tent variety blooms in May with large white fragrant tassels. Ripe berries are black, with a characteristic glossy sheen, quite tasty. In terms of maturation, the variety belongs to medium-late; with sufficient pollination, it can be planted as food.
Bird cherry Red tent, according to the description of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Gossortkomissiya”, perfectly tolerates frost and prolonged heat, but needs regular watering during the drought period. The hardiness gene grafted by breeders allows the variety to withstand the attacks of harmful insects and not be exposed to the main diseases of stone fruit trees.
The Red Shater variety was included in the State Register of the Federation in 2009 and is recommended for cultivation in all regions of the country. The authors of the variety were scientists Ustyuzhanina T. B. and Simagin V. S., the originator is the Central Siberian Botanical Garden of the Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences.
Bird cherry not killed
A variety of red-leaved bird cherry Neubiennaya is a tall shrub or tree up to 7 m high. The branches are dark brown, the foliage is dense. The crown has the shape of an oval, formed by erect large shoots. It blooms in May with white fragrant inflorescences in the form of brushes. By mid-July, the leaves begin to turn red and after 2 weeks acquire a deep ink-plum shade. Even numerous photos of the Neubiennaya bird cherry cannot convey this rich noble color. This variety of red-leaved bird cherry is characterized by good frost resistance, it is rarely affected by diseases and pests.
Bird cherry Chemal beauty
The variety was bred in the mountainous regions of Altai, in the NIISS (Chemal village). The tree is vigorous (4-10 m), characterized by a crimson tint of leaves. It blooms in May with pale pink inflorescences, abundantly, but not for long. Mature fruits are black, weighing up to 0,8 g. According to gardeners, bird cherry Chemal beauty has a rich dessert taste. The variety plant grows well on fertile soil with excessive or flowing moisture. In early spring, before bud break, it needs to be treated for pests and possible diseases.
Varietal characteristics
The characteristics of the varieties of red-leaved bird cherry are largely similar. The most important parameters that you should pay attention to when choosing a variety are:
- frost resistance;
- yield and fruiting time;
- precociousness;
- self-fertility;
- resistance to pests and diseases.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Red-leaved bird cherry is characterized by increased winter hardiness. It can be successfully grown even in regions where the temperature during the winter months drops below 45-50°C. Only fragile seedlings need shelter. During a period of prolonged drought, bird cherry requires additional watering every 7-10 days. In normal times, it is enough to water 3-4 times per season in the first year.
Yield and fruiting
The berries of the red-leaved bird cherry ripen in July and can be kept on the hands until autumn. One tree, depending on the variety, can bring an average of 10-20 kg of berries. The fruits bake little in the sun, this happens only in a very hot dry summer. Unlike common bird cherry, the berries of red-leaved varieties are larger and sweeter, without viscosity and sourness. They are used in cooking in the preparation of compotes, jams, various tinctures.
Disease and pest resistance
Red-leaved bird cherry can suffer from diseases such as:
- monilioz;
- clasterosporium disease;
- cytosporosis;
- red spotting.
Among the pests on the red-leaved bird cherry, you can often find aphids, bedbugs, hawthorn, and weevils.
The degree of susceptibility to a particular disease depends on the particular variety and agricultural technology. Weak and depleted plants infect pests many times more often than strong and healthy ones.
Advantages and disadvantages of varieties
Each variety has its pros and cons. One variety was bred with an emphasis on frost resistance, the other – on productivity, the third – on high decorative qualities.
Grade | Advantages | Disadvantages |
Siberian beauty | High frost resistance, undemanding to the soil, high decorative effect, tasty sweet berries | The variety requires regular pruning, the yield is average, with the seed method of propagation, varietal characteristics appear only in half of the seedlings. |
red tent | Excellent taste of berries, high decorative effect, high immunity to most diseases and pests | Low flowering intensity, medium resistance to heat and drought |
Unkilled | Good frost resistance, high immunity to diseases, decorative | The variety requires regular pruning. |
Chemal beauty | High decorativeness, large berries of dessert taste | The need for regular pest control |
Planting and caring for red-leaved bird cherry
Red-leaved bird cherry is a picky crop and can grow on any soil, however, the peak of decorativeness and high yield can only be achieved on fertile soils. The tree grows well on loams with a neutral or slightly acidic pH.
The landing site should be sunny, well lit from all sides. If the culture grows in the shade, flowering and fruiting will be poor. The northern and western sides of the suburban area are preferred.
Red-leaved bird cherry is planted in spring or autumn. Before planting, the roots of seedlings are examined, weak and damaged are removed. Among all the stems, the 3 most powerful are left, they are cut to a height of 70 cm.
The landing algorithm is quite simple:
- Dig a hole 50 cm deep and 70 cm wide.
- A small amount of mineral and organic fertilizers is placed at the bottom.
- The seedling is placed in a hole, the roots are straightened and covered with earth.
- After planting, the red-leaved bird cherry is abundantly watered and mulched with peat or sawdust.
Aftercare
Red-leaved bird cherry during the dry season must be watered weekly, especially for young plants. The near-stem circle is periodically loosened, removing weeds. It is better to tie seedlings with a thin main trunk to a support, which will prevent them from breaking off from strong gusts of wind. In autumn, wood ash and manure are added to the soil; in spring, before bud break, bird cherry is fed with liquid mineral fertilizer.
Due to the rapid growth rate, all varieties of red-leaved bird cherry require formative pruning. Once a year (in early spring before the start of sap flow or in late autumn), the main shoot is shortened by 50 cm, the branches growing inside the crown, as well as dry and damaged fragments, are removed. Places of cuts are treated with garden pitch.
To protect against rodents, sawdust, peat or ash soaked in creolin are scattered under the tree. For the same purpose, in late autumn, after the end of leaf fall, the trunk is tied with spruce branches, wormwood or reeds. It is no less effective to wrap the base of the tree with roofing paper, matting or metal mesh.
Red-leaved bird cherry is a frost-resistant crop that does not require shelter for the winter. Only in the first year after planting, it is desirable to cover the near-stem circle with a layer of humus or cow dung, it will not allow the roots to freeze.
Application in landscape design
Red-leaved bird cherry is suitable for both single and group plantings. It can be placed anywhere in the garden. In places for a quiet secluded pastime, where you can sit under a spreading crown, hiding from the scorching sun. Bird cherry bushes and trees perfectly disguise an unsightly building or a rickety fence.
Red-leaved bird cherry is often used to decorate forest islands, planted in the undergrowth or near the water. Many varieties of bird cherry are an integral part of the -style garden, where the culture is combined with plants such as:
- Birch;
- Rowan;
- irga;
- viburnum;
- rose hips;
- Chubushnik;
- lilac;
- fruit trees and shrubs.
The red-leaved bird cherry is suitable for decorating alleys and as a hedge, its trunks that become bare with age are covered with a layer of decorative deciduous shrubs.
Diseases and pests
Many gardeners refer to the red-leaved bird cherry as a magnet for caterpillars, aphids and other common pests. However, preventive control measures, manual collection of unwanted insects and the use of modern pesticides easily solve this problem.
The red-leaved bird cherry is affected by a special kind of aphid that does not migrate to other plants. The spring generation of the bird cherry aphid appears during bud break and is located on the tops of the shoots, in the lower part of the leaves and on the flower tassels. In May, the tree is attacked by winged females; throughout the summer season, massive colonies of 7-8 generations are formed. With the generalized nature of the lesion, trees should be immediately treated with folk remedies for aphids or insecticides (Iskra, Fitoverm, Aktara, Intavir).
Bugs often live on food varieties of red-leaved bird cherry. They feed on plant juices and primarily affect young ovaries, which subsequently do not reach the desired size, do not have a good taste and often simply fall off. If the landings are not thickened and are in a sunny area, you can not be afraid of bedbugs.
The bird cherry weevil is a frequent visitor to the tree. An adult female lays an egg in each berry, a larva begins to develop inside the fruit and eat the seed. As a result, the fruits do not ripen, often crumble, and the remaining berries on the brush will be small and sour. As a preventive measure, the near-stem circle is dug up in spring and autumn to a depth of 10-15 cm; contact pesticides are used to fight.
More often than others, the red-leaved bird cherry is affected by the hawthorn butterfly. In mid-June, adults lay numerous eggs on the leaves, from which voracious caterpillars quickly hatch. In order to prevent 2 weeks before flowering, bird cherry is sprayed with insecticides.
The most common fungal disease that affects red-leaved bird cherry is fruit rot (moniliosis). Young sprouts, flower brushes and ovaries quickly wilt and dry out. To fight, use a solution of Bordeaux liquid, preparations “Horus” and “Mikosan-B” or other fungicides containing copper.
Conclusion
Bird cherry will become not only a bright accent on the garden plot, but also a source of tasty and healthy berries. Due to its unpretentiousness, decorativeness and high frost resistance, this crop is becoming more popular year by year.