Wanting to give a unique view to the summer cottage, many gardeners pay a lot of attention to its design (in particular, the fence).
For such purposes, strong and unpretentious shrubs are best suited.
In this regard, you can hear such a name as Daphne, and what kind of plant - read the review.
Plant description
Other names - wolf's bast and wolves. The plant received such harsh names for good reason. So in everyday life they call all its species (there are 95 in total in the biological genus, about 50 in our area). This rather tall shrub (up to 1.5 m) with a strong trunk is common in Europe and Transcaucasia. The branches in the lower part are without leaves, it is not easy to break them, and it is not worth it (more on that a bit lower), although the bark is removed easily. The roots lie shallow.
On the upper edges of the shoots are narrow leaves of dark green color. From above, they seem to shine, on the lower part of the plate is bluish. The length reaches 8 cm with a maximum width of 2 cm.
Important! Biologists conditionally divide all known species of this plant into two groups: "hills" and "forest". The first ones are very light-loving and grow quietly on slightly shaded segments, while the second needs more secluded corners in the garden.
Inflorescences - in the form of tassels. In April and early May flowering occurs: they are densely covered with pink (less often white) flowers with a diameter of about 1.5 cm. Common walnut blooms really ahead of all shrubs growing in a temperate climate. After flowering, new leaves actively appear. Due to good pollinability it bears fruits well (in August). And here you need to be on your guard.
The fact is that small (5-6 mm) oval drupes of red color very poisonous. We add that these are different and the leaves with flowers. The bark and stems are considered moderately poisonous, but the gardeners are no better.
There will be nothing from one berry accidentally caught in the mouth (of course, if you spit it out right away), but 3-5 things can lead to complete poisoning - there is a weakness and nausea, it comes to vomiting with background cramps.
Did you know? Japanese whalers used the juice of poisonous berries to lubricate the point on the harpoons.
If children are often on the site, then it is better to refuse planting such a plant. And for people suffering from allergies, it can make life difficult. There are also non-poisonous garden species, but it is quite problematic to get them in our area.
Where grows wolves
Making sure that this characteristic does not scare, you can begin to select a place for landing.
Many poisonous plants (bathing, autumn crocus, berry yew, fragrant rue, dope) have found use in traditional medicine. But if you do not have sufficient knowledge and experience in this industry, it is better not to use their strength on yourself. Be careful!
Place to grow
They try to find a sufficiently shaded area: a few hours of direct sunlight will suffice. Best fit east or west side plot.
If there was no such town in place - that's okay. Often planted on a fully open ground, well lit, and everything grows well.
As "neighbors", any early-flowering species and varieties are suitable - magony, barberry, any rhododendrons and similar plants.
Soil requirements
The optimal type of soil will be wet soil with a developed drainage, saturated with humus.
Important! Use of any part of the bush (and especially - berries) for medicinal purposes is strictly prohibited. Poisons contained in them are not eliminated; any treatment passes there.
Although such a plant as wolf's bark, "capriciousness" is not different - the bushes are accepted on loams, slightly acidic or alkaline soils.
Feeding in the fall or fertilizing the land during the spring digging is optional, although it will be a clear advantage.
The rules of landing wolf bast
Daphne propagated by standard for all shrubs methods. We will consider them.
Seeds
The easiest approach. Such crops are produced in the fall, immediately after harvesting seed. It looks like this:
- a few seedlings slightly deepen into a moist soil (about 2.5-3 cm), to do this, simply press them into the ground;
- you can not press in, and sprinkle with a layer of soil of the same thickness;
- at the same time maintain an interval of not less than 30 cm.
In most cases, seedlings easily endure winter, blooming for 3-4 years after planting. Prior to that, their rhizomes remain weak.
Did you know? In some regions, daphne is also called lupus, puffy, or plohovy.
Many are interested in the issue of sheltering such seedlings. Some do not cover them at all, others try to warm the landing site with a film or mulch. This has its reason, if the site is frequented, and winters in a particular region are long and frosty. Otherwise, the seeds risk to suffocate under the film or die from pests that overwinter in the layer of straw.
Root offspring
This method is suitable for bushes with already formed healthy roots (that is, at least 4 years old). A similar separation of the mother bush is made only in the spring.
There are no tricks here either, except take care:
- the instrument is pre-disinfected with a strong solution of potassium permanganate;
- scions are cut from the kidneys, just below the position of the root collar;
- the place of the cut is treated with charcoal, although garden var is suitable;
- they can be planted both in open ground and in pots. The substrate is mixed with sand mixed into the container and provides good drainage - the moisture should not stagnate.
Important! Hybrid species without loss tolerate winters with little snow with an average temperature of -15 ° C. The “pure” varieties are much more enduring - they are not afraid of it and -20 ... -23 ° С. True, they are more poisonous than their garden "brethren".
Such "kids" grow rather slowly, often their development is stimulated by radical methods like the removal of part of the top.
Cuttings
This method is applied in the first half of the summer. It is more complicated and requires some preparation.
- First, take low (7-10 cm) cups or cassettes with a hole on the bottom.
- At the bottom lay sphagnum. Then they pour in a mixture of sand, peat and perlite mixed in equal proportions. Gravel is responsible for the drainage of 1 cm fraction.
- Cuttings pruned on a warm but not hot day. Cloudy weather is generally excellent. Take only annual gains (most often it is the lateral branches). For better growth, 5-7 leaves are left on the top of the head, the remaining processes are removed.
- In the middle of the filled pot make a hole 1-1,5 cm in diameter. Calculate the depth in such a way that only part of the cutting with leaves is visible above the substrate level.
- Carefully lower the stalk into this well, filling it with sand. Fill the place between the soil and the leaves with crushed to 3-5 mm gravel.
- It remains to pour water.
Snowberry, cotoneaster, juniper, most honeysuckle species will wonderfully decorate the site, but their fruits are inedible.
Such plantations can be covered with a film thickness of 25-30 microns. You can take the same "non-woven." But it will have to be placed no higher than 7 mm above the gravel bed to prevent the cutting from flooding in the rain.
Planting cuttings in the ground in the same fall is undesirable - they are not taken too actively, it is better to wait until spring. If everything went well, then in the second year you can see the bloom. Although some garden species may color up in the spring, it all depends on the line itself.
Did you know? Many legends are associated with wolfish bones. Fans of pagan tales will remember the story of Veles and Yagin, who were separated by relatives. The “killing tool” in this story was a wolf broom broom with which Veles's mother killed her daughter-in-law.
Features of plant care
Care is reduced to the usual procedures for all cultivated plants. Daphne is unpretentious, although she needs regular watering. In the dry season, the bushes have to be moistened three times a week, whereas in case of moderate weather two weekly approaches will suffice. This is due to shallow roots, which are very sensitive to heat and require moisture support.
Weeding - like the rest: it is desirable to remove the weeds immediately after their appearance, not forgetting to clean them from the "plantation" with other crops growing nearby.
Important! The danger of Daphne is somewhat offset by the strong and pleasant aroma that is felt during the flowering period. But getting too close is not worth it - pollen on the skin can cause severe irritation.
Concerning looseningit is recommended after each watering. But there is one thing - because of the same superficial rhizomes, this procedure will have to be done carefully and without going deep. This is especially true for young plants with not yet developed roots.
WITH mulching everything is simple: use any "organic": freshly cut grass, straw, chopped bark. The main thing - do not overdo it with the thickness of the layer. The coating must retain moisture, and at the same time give the roots a “breathe” through the tree trunk.
By part fertilizer 3-4 standard feedings per season are enough. Used both organic and complex mineral compounds in calculated doses. This applies to both cases - the gulf of the solution "from the heart," you risk burning the roots. Wolfhead, as the description tells us, is an ornamental shrub. To give it a chic "woody" look, its cut off. By its nature, it is not very bushy, so special attention is paid to the formation in the first years.
Remove only the extra shoots. For 2-3 years, pluck the tips of the shoots, thereby guaranteeing a violent color in the future. As they mature, sanitary pruning is added to these operations, removing the branches sticking out of place.
Did you know? The natural range of this plant is rapidly decreasing. In a number of regions, it is listed in the Red Book, and in the southern regions there is practically no “wild” bast.
Daphne resistant to diseasesbut their immunity is not absolute. Most often, gray or root rot, which pretend to be drooping leaves or withering shoots, appears. This disease can be defeated "factory" fungicides - "Fitosporin" or "Fundazol." Mandatory re-treatment after 5-7 days. Old bushes suffer from diseases for the most part, they rarely appear on young plants.
Pests try to avoid the poisonous side of the bushes, although not all. On the general background stands aphid. Drugs are selected based on the degree of damage. If there are already many malicious "little things", Bankol, Fufanon, Actellic or Akarin will be of help.
With a smaller "population" helps garlic solution - for 10 liters of water, take 150 g of chopped garlic and 40 g of soap. Insist day. To heighten the effect of spraying do three times with an interval of 10 days.
Now you know what is attractive about this species and what is its cunning. Hopefully, after planting such bushes will only please the eye, without causing any problems. More bright colors on the site!