Contents
Rhododendron Fiction has an interesting history. This is a Yakushiman hybrid. Its natural form, the Degrona shrub, grew on the Japanese island of Yakushima. About a century ago, the species was isolated by scientists and brought to England. In addition to Fantastica, many other hybrids have been obtained, which have spread widely throughout the world.
A small spherical tree fell in love with flower growers for its incredible beauty, unpretentiousness of content. Despite the unpretentiousness of the plant, it is worth knowing the subtleties and features of caring for it.
Description of the rhododendron Fantasy
Rhododendron Fantastica is an evergreen shrub belonging to the heather family. The plant is undersized, the height of the bush in adulthood is 1 m. The width of the crown reaches 1,5 m. According to the description from the photo, the Fiction rhododendron has a sprawling, pillow-shaped shape.
The young shoots of the plant are green, flexible, later turning brown.
The leaves are dense, leathery, 6 cm wide, oblong, bright green in color, reach a length of 12 cm. Their lower part is brown, slightly pubescent.
The buds of the plant are scarlet in color, after opening they brighten. Rhododendron flowers Fantastic – in the form of bells, variegated colors in pink tones, 7 cm in diameter. The petals are wavy, with a bright pink border. Dot patterns are distinguishable on all petals. Bellflowers are collected in spherical inflorescences of 10 – 12 flowers each. The aroma is absent.
The bark of the plant is gray, scaly.
The roots of the culture are fibrous, lie shallow, distributed compactly over the soil surface.
Flowering rhododendron Fantastika begins in May, ends in June. The annual growth is small – 10 cm, so the plant is considered slow-growing and reaches its maximum height only after 10 years. With proper care, the life expectancy of the Fantasy rhododendron reaches 200 years.
Winter hardiness of rhododendron Fantasy
The winter hardiness of the Yakushiman rhododendron Fantastic is high, it is able to withstand frosts down to -30⁰oC. Young and newly planted bushes require preparation for a successful wintering. They must be tied with twine, insulated inside and out with spruce spruce branches, burlap. With a high probability of abnormally low temperatures, it is worth covering the bush with foliage from above. A thick layer of mulch from peat and pine needles will help protect the root system from freezing.
Growing conditions for the variety of rhododendron Fantastic
The plant prefers shaded areas, does not tolerate direct sunlight. The photos taken by gardeners about planting and caring for the Fantastic rhododendron show that it feels good under conifers – not very dense pines and spruces, in the shade of forest areas. For culture, territories open to winds and drafts are dangerous.
Plants tolerate drought and excessive waterlogging of the soil equally poorly, they need regular watering.
The soil should be acidic, fertile, loose, sandy loam.
The best time to plant Fantastic rhododendron is in mid-spring, after the soil has thawed and warmed up, or in September, before frost.
Do not deepen the neck of the root, otherwise the plant may rot.
Perhaps the location of rhododendrons of the Fantastic variety on the site in separate bushes or in the form of group plantings.
Planting and caring for yakushiman rhododendron Fiction
Landing in the ground is carried out in the spring before bud break. The best place for the Fantasy rhododendron is the southwest of the site, in partial shade. Its size should correspond to the parameters of the shrub.
As a soil, you can use a soil mixture composed of sawdust, acid peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. Manure, humus, fresh leaves as top dressing are not recommended. The use of mineral fertilizers is allowed.
After planting, caring for rhododendron Fantastic consists in timely watering, protection from diseases and pests, weed removal, soil mulching, and preparation for wintering.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
To select a location, several conditions must be met:
- lack of stagnant water;
- wind protection;
- sufficient air humidity;
- the presence of a shadow.
Despite the love of the Fantastic rhododendron for moisture, it can get sick from stagnation in the soil. In this regard, the plant requires drainage of planting pits.
In order for the wind to dry plants as little as possible, bushes should be planted near walls, hedges, under the protection of trees. Conifers and oak are the best neighborhood for rhododendron. The roots of these crops go deep, without preventing the seedlings from getting food from the soil. The worst neighbors are birch, linden, chestnut, poplar. They have shallow roots and rob the Fantastica of its nutrients.
The danger for the rhododendron of the Fantastic variety is the spring sun – under its influence, the buds can dry out, the leaves can burn. To prevent this from happening, you need to protect the seedling from the south and west with shields.
To maintain moderate humidity, plantings should be located near water bodies.
The choice of location should be guided by the conditions of the natural habitat of the plant and be as close as possible to them.
The natural acidity of the soil for rhododendron Fantastic should correspond to pH 5. This is achieved using high-moor peat, pine bedding, and clay. Thanks to the loam, the soil remains moist for a long time, peat contributes to its friability. It is recommended to use mineral fertilizer in the amount of 70 g per pit. Ashes and other alkaline substances should also be avoided in the soil near the shrub.
Seedling preparation
The success of growing rhododendron Fantastic depends on the place where the seedling was purchased. It is better to buy it in a nursery and get advice there on cultivation and the rules for preparing for winter.
The best option is three-year-old plants with a closed root system. It is acceptable to use two- or four-year-old seedlings. It is worth paying attention to their bushiness and leaves. The best rhododendrons of the Fantastic variety branch immediately near the root collar. On their leaves there should be no swelling and spots, on the roots – knots.
Immediately before planting, inspect the root system and remove dead, rotten roots with a sharp knife. Wipe the stem of the plant to determine the location of the root collar. After that, the root system of the rhododendron is lowered into the water and kept like that until the air bubbles stop coming out.
Rules for planting rhododendron Fantastic
To plant the Fantasy rhododendron in a permanent place, a number of sequential steps should be followed:
- Prepare a hole 40 cm deep, 70 cm wide.
- Create drainage from broken brick with a layer of 15 cm.
- Soak the root system of the seedling in water for 30 minutes.
- Pour soil into the hole.
- Place the Fantastica rhododendron in the center of the hole strictly vertically, deepening to the root collar.
- Water the plant.
- Remove buds, if any.
- Mulch the soil around the trunk with peat, needles or pine bark.
If the acquired seedling has a closed root system, then it is planted by transshipment.
Watering and top dressing
Judging by the reviews, the Fantasy rhododendron loves moisture. It is necessary to monitor the regular moistening of the plant:
- in spring and summer, the culture is watered at least 3 times a week;
- use about 10 liters of water for each bush;
- for young plants, the rate is reduced by half;
- to maintain humidity, it is worth spraying rhododendrons in the morning;
- in preparation for winter, even before the arrival of frost, the plant is shed with plenty of water and the soil is mulched.
In the year of planting, you should not feed the Fantastic rhododendron. It grows slowly, and at first it has enough microelements introduced for digging. In the future, top dressing is carried out three times a year – in early spring before flowering and immediately after it, as well as at the end of summer, for the ripening of the bark and shoots.
It is impossible to carry out fertilizer with ash, since it reduces the acidity of the soil, which adversely affects the condition of the plant. In this case, the leaves of rhododendron turn yellow due to a violation of photosynthesis.
Trimming
Rhododendron Fantastic does not need constant pruning.
It is sometimes necessary for sanitary purposes – in order to remove dry branches. For more massive flowering next year, it is recommended to cut off what has already faded.
After removing the old branches, the cut points are treated with oil paint or garden pitch.
Preparation for winter
Despite the frost resistance of the Fantasy rhododendron variety, the plant, especially the young one, needs careful preparation for winter.
In autumn, it is worth fertilizing with potash fertilizers so that the last growths have time to mature.
Even in winter, moisture evaporates from the leaves, so additional watering is necessary in the autumn, before the onset of frost. After moistening, the soil around the plant is additionally mulched with peat, pine needles – to protect the roots and retain moisture in the soil.
In the first two years, a shelter is built for a young plant, using a frame, non-woven material, spruce branches, and dry foliage for this. It is set as soon as the temperature drops to -8 oC and below. It is important that the branches of the Fantasy rhododendron and the material do not touch, and the air gap between them is 20 cm. Otherwise, the plant may rot or break under the weight. The shelter performs another function – it protects the leaves and bark from sunburn.
It is necessary to remove shelter from young bushes gradually so that adaptation to weather changes takes place slowly. In mid-March, airing is carried out, leaving holes for ventilation. After the soil thaws, in mid-April, the shelter is removed, but the shading from the spruce branches is preserved. If the leaves of the Fantasy rhododendron twisted for the winter straighten out, it means that the plant has overwintered and the vegetation has begun.
Reproduction
Rhododendrons Fantastic can be propagated by seeds or vegetatively. The seeds of plants are small, they are sown in February, on the surface of fertile soil, without embedding. After a week, shoots appear. At first they are very small. After growing up, they dive, grow up, harden. Seedlings are planted in a permanent place only after a year. Plants obtained in this way bloom in the 5th – 10th year.
The vegetative method involves harvesting cuttings for planting. Semi-lignified branches with 4 internodes, 5 cm long, are cut at the end of June. There should be an oblique cut at the bottom. The lower leaves are removed from the cutting, leaving 2-3 at the top. It is worth treating the cut with a growth stimulator for better rooting. Fantastic rhododendron cuttings are placed in a mixture of peat and sand, watered and covered with a film to create a microclimate. The optimum temperature is – 24 oC, the humidity must be high. A month later, rooting occurs and the first leaves appear. Growing seedlings is carried out in containers at a temperature of 10 oC. Landing on a permanent place is carried out in the spring. A new plant can bloom in a year.
Diseases and pests
The plant is susceptible to many diseases:
- blight rot – the leaves turn yellow, fall off, the roots rot and the plant dies;
- gray rot – dark spots appear on the buds, the disease progresses quickly;
- fuzarioz – the root and trunk rot, the leaves turn yellow.
To combat phytophthora, a solution of Bordeaux mixture is used. Spraying with Fundazol is used to treat gray rot and fusarium.
Rhododendron pests include:
- June – sucks juice from young stems, buds, buds;
- spider mite – affects the foliage, it turns gray and falls off;
- rhododendron bug – yellow dots appear on the leaves, later they turn pale and fall off.
For the destruction of pests, Diazinon, Karbofos, Keltan emulsion are used.
Conclusion
Rhododendron Fantasy is an exotic plant that requires attention. Proper agricultural technology and care ensure its normal development and abundant flowering. Pleasant impressions from the magnificent view of the ornamental shrub more than compensate for the time and effort spent on caring for it.
Reviews of the yakushiman rhododendron Fantasy
