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Almost every summer resident dreams of having a tree in the garden that can become a central element, while the plant should have a decorative appearance throughout the year. An excellent option in this case would be weeping rowan. Such a tree can rightfully become the highlight of the garden. This is due primarily to the fact that quite beautiful flowers appear in spring time, creating a romantic image. In the summer, a cascading crown of leaves appears, in the autumn period, the leaves acquire bright shades, fruits appear, and in winter you can admire the beautiful branches of weeping mountain ash.
Such varieties of trees are perfect when it is planned to unusually design an artificial reservoir in a summer cottage or a Japanese-style garden. In addition, weeping forms of trees can be used as an attractive background for arranging a flower garden, decorating a romantic alley. Also, this option can be planted next to the bench to get a kind of beautiful canopy that will protect from direct sunlight in the summer.
Description of weeping rowan
Mountain ash weeping on the trunk, as a rule, grows in natural conditions: in the forest belt, steppes, mountains, as well as on the plains, the territory of the eastern and western hemispheres. A distinctive feature of this culture is the fact that it is able to decorate the garden in the winter, which is facilitated by shoots of a rich yellow-red hue. In the spring, feathery leaves of rich green color and a large number of small snow-white flowers appear on the weeping form of mountain ash. In autumn, on the mountain ash, you can see small berries of rich red color and golden foliage. The fruits begin to appear on the tree in the second half of summer and persist until the first frost.
As practice shows, weeping mountain ash has an irregular crown shape. The branches are quite thin and long, they hang down to the ground, in addition, they can intertwine with each other. The height of the tree largely depends on the height at which the grafting was carried out. If the rowan grafting process is carried out correctly, then after 5 years the tree can grow to almost 6 m in height, and the crown size can vary from 4 to 6 m.
During the flowering period, small white flowers appear. As a rule, the inflorescence is collected in fairly dense corymbs. The flowering period is short and can take from 5 to 7 days. In the first half of July, the first fruits appear. The leaf plate is pinnate, simple in appearance. The first leaves can be seen in early spring. Initially, the leaf plate is a rich green color, gradually it becomes an orange-red or golden hue.
Despite the fact that this species is undemanding to the soil, it is worth taking into account the fact that it is not allowed to grow on a saline area or on land where stagnant water is observed. An excellent solution would be to choose a site located in partial shade or illuminated by a large amount of sunlight. If necessary, you can choose a cool and moderately humid place. If the drought continues for a long time, then the growth of weeping mountain ash is significantly reduced.
Thanks to the work of breeders, it was possible to bring out a large number of forms of decorative mountain ash, which have not only a weeping, but also a spreading, pyramidal crown. The foliage is golden or variegated, and the shade of the fruit can be crimson, yellow, white.
Formation of a red weeping form of mountain ash
In the process of forming a standard weeping mountain ash, it is worth taking into account the fact that this process is quite lengthy, as a result of which it will take a lot of time. Thus, the weeping mountain ash will acquire its final attractive form only after it is about 8-10 years old.
During the formation work, it is recommended to bend young branches to the ground as carefully as possible, while bending them in the required direction. For these purposes, use a rope and a fairly rigid wire. In this case, you will need to bend the wire so that it is directed towards the bend of the branch, after which they are tied with a rope. Rowan branches should be securely fixed in the right direction, and you should not use excessive zeal. The bark should not be damaged and the branches broken.
The fixing elements are removed only after the inclined branches have stiffened and taken the necessary position. If the work on the formation was carried out in the fall, then next fall it is already possible to remove the fixation. Many experts recommend using a rope, as the wire becomes cold in winter, as a result of which it can easily scratch the rowan bark.
If you plan to grow ordinary weeping mountain ash, you should take into account the fact that such an unusual form of branches is not inherited, as a result of which reproduction is possible with the help of grafting.
For propagation, if necessary, you can use seeds or bring a small seedling of weeping mountain ash from the forest. Cuttings are usually used for spring grafting and are harvested from February to March. The thickness of the cut handle should be about the size of a pencil.
After the planting material is prepared, it is placed in the refrigerator for about 21 days, after being wrapped in moss or damp paper. 24 hours before the planned vaccination, it is recommended to place the weeping rowan stalk in water, after updating the cut of the lower part.
Vaccination is recommended in May, while the temperature should vary from + 23 ° C to + 25 ° C, and the humidity level should be quite high. If necessary, work can be carried out in the summer period – in July.
Weeping rowan care
After the culture is planted in a permanent place of growth, watering must be abundant for 14 days – at least 10 liters of water must go to each bush. It is recommended to water the culture early in the morning or in the evening a few hours before sunset.
After the soil has been irrigated, the soil is loosened, and weeds are removed as necessary. Since moisture can evaporate quickly enough in the summer, it is best to mulch the near-stem circle. Peat, sand, pebbles and expanded clay are used for mulching – the mulch layer should be about 12 cm. In addition, thanks to the mulch layer, the soil practically does not heat up in summer and does not freeze in winter.
As top dressing, you can use complex mineral fertilizers. As practice shows, the greatest efficiency was recorded in summer dressings. If you plan to use phosphate and potash fertilizers, then you should understand that they are allowed to be used 1 time in 2,5 years. In addition, many experts do not recommend using nitrogen fertilizers often enough. This is primarily due to the fact that a large amount of nitrogen has a negative effect on the winter hardiness of the crop, in addition, weeping mountain ash takes root quite poorly.
In the first year of life, it is necessary to carry out formative pruning, these works should be carried out before the first buds on the tree bloom. In this case, you will need to remove the shoots that appeared from the young buds on the trunk. It is also worth getting rid of the rootstock shoots that appear below the grafting site, not far from the roots. For pruning, it is recommended to use a secateurs, while making sure that there are no stumps left after work. If, after the vaccination has been carried out, weeping mountain ash begins to bloom, then all flowers should be removed immediately.
Conclusion
Weeping rowan is a rather graceful and delicate culture that will perfectly fit into the design of any land plot. Thanks to her unusual and at the same time attractive appearance, she fell in love with many landscape designers. As practice shows, there should not be any difficulties with the care and formation of the crown. If necessary, you can use the advice and recommendations of many experienced professionals or gardeners, as a result of which everyone, even a novice gardener, can grow a weeping form of mountain ash.
It is important to understand that in order for the weeping mountain ash to please with its appearance for many years, it is necessary to provide the culture with high-quality care. In addition, the formation of the crown should also be approached as responsibly as possible, otherwise the tree will not be able to become the central figure in the garden, in the worst case, it will die.
