Hawthorn grows in the form of shrubs great height. The plant received its wide distribution in decorative design.
Also hawthorn used for medical purposes, thanks to its beneficial properties. Hawthorn berries are eaten.
This article will give a description of hawthorn varieties and its beneficial qualities. Consider tips on planting, growing and caring for this plant, and more.
Table of contents
Useful properties of hawthorn
The berries and flowers of this plant are very useful. for human health. They are used either for preventive or therapeutic purposes.
In ancient times, the berries of different varieties of hawthorn were used for medicinal purposes in Asian countries. In the sixteenth century, various species and varieties of plants were grown.
To begin with, hawthorn was used to combat diarrhea. And only then this plant was used to improve the performance of the cardiovascular system.
The main advantage of hawthorn is that its berries contain carotene, which is necessary to strengthen the immune system.
Also they contain a huge amount of calcium, magnesium, iron and many other chemical elements that are needed to improve the functioning of the circulatory system.
When used hawthorn fruit in the form of a decoction or infusion, it benefits each organ separately.
How to plant and grow: fall or spring, the choice of a place to grow
This plant needs clay soilbut which contains many minerals and is rich in humus. After you have dug a hole (its depth should be 65 centimeters), you need to prepare a planting mixture.
It should consist of humus, sand and peat. At the very bottom of the excavated pit, it is necessary to pour gravel about 20 centimeters high.
It is important to plant the plant in a sunny place.or it cannot produce a bountiful harvest.
Planting hawthorn should be engaged in the spring or autumn. Regardless of the planting period, the plant will produce the same fruit yield. Until the plant is two years old, you need to decide the usual place where the hawthorn will grow.
After planting the soil must be watered. and cover with peat or ordinary earth for about seven centimeters. When planting you need to take into account the distance between the rest of the plants in the garden, it should be two or three meters.
Bring a huge harvest hawthorn begins five years after planting. The greatest number of hawthorn fruits will bring ten years after planting.
An expert will tell you about hawthorn, its features, planting and care:
Shrub care after planting and transplanting: fertilizer, pruning, how to water
One of the main advantages of hawthorn is its easy care. You are required attentiveness. Important in time to cut branches or shoots that withered or fell ill.
To plant looked neatly, it should be constantly cut. You need to cut the plant in the spring, and removal of dried and diseased parts can be done at any time of the year.
There is a need to constantly remove weeds and loosen the soil cover. Fertilize hawthorn can be ordinary manure just before the flowering period of the plant.
Abundantly watered in summer and spring need only once a month.On one bush 12 liters of purified water should be poured. But if the summer period is dry, then watering is important to increase to three times.
Propagation by seed (seed) at home
Multiply hawthorn can be multiplied by several methods.
Prepare the seeds in advance and run the following algorithm.:
- They should stand in purified water for 72 hours in a room at room temperature (23 degrees Celsius).
- Then they just need to wipe thoroughly.
- Prepare potassium nitrate (combined mineral fertilizer) and lower the seeds there for 48 hours.
- Plant the seeds in the ground. Landing should be carried out in the last month of the autumn period (November).
- As soon as the seedling has reached a height of 60 centimeters, it must be cut. The shortening pruning involves removal of three buds.Also there is a reduction of shoots, there should be two of them - this is necessary for further proper growth of the plant.
Varieties and types
Crimean hawthorn. Crimean Hawthorn - the species looks like a tree of low height and grows in the Crimea. The plant is almost impossible to meet alone, it is planted in a group with other bushes.
The berries of the plant have a cherry color with a dark shade, and the bark of the tree is also brown with a dark shade. Leaf color is green. This variety grows on rocky slopes.
Chinese hawthorn. Since it most often grows in China, this species received such a name. Chinese hawthorn is grown in other countries on the banks of various rivers. In Europe, the plant appeared in the nineteenth century.
This species loves the sun's rays, but can be grown in partial shade. The height of the tree reaches more than five meters. The bark of the trunk is gray with a dark shade.
The main feature of Chinese hawthorn - it has practically no spikes. The leaves have a green color with a bright shade.The inflorescences of plants on average have a diameter of seven centimeters.
The color of the berries is red with a very bright tone, almost. The berries themselves are shaped like a regular ball. The diameter of the berries - an average of 16 millimeters.
Soft hawthorn. This species is most common in areas of the United States of America. Forest edges are the main distribution area of soft hawthorn. It tolerates low air temperatures and can grow on soil that is not rich in minerals.
The tree has a powerful trunk, and its height reaches nine meters. The spines of the plant are chestnut in color, and their length is ten centimeters. The length of the leaves - 6 or 7 centimeters. Flowers that have a diameter of three centimeters, create inflorescences, consisting of 12 flowers.
Berries - orange flower with a red tinge. The flowering period begins at the end of the spring period (May), and the soft hawthorn begins to bear fruit at the beginning of the autumn period (September).
Hawthorn "Arnold". Homeland of this variety is North America.Distinctive features: thick shoots and large leaves that reach four centimeters in diameter, and their length is ten centimeters.
The flowering period begins either at the end of spring (May), or at the beginning of summer (June). In general, the plant begins to flower only eight years after planting.
Hawthorn "Arnold" brings early harvest. Berries can be collected almost every year.
Hawthorn "Maksimovic". This variety is given such a name due to its discoverer from Russia. The fruits are small in size, have the shape of a ball, and their diameter is only one centimeter. One kilogram contains an average of 1,800 berries.
The flowering period begins in the last month of spring (May), and this hawthorn variety begins to bear fruit at the end of summer (August) or at the beginning of autumn (September).
In the early twentieth century, the plant began to spread in other parts of the world. The leaves have a rhombus shape with a pointed end.
This is only a small part of the species and varieties of hawthorn.
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Each species and variety have their own distinctive features. The main advantage of hawthorn is unpretentious care for him. Certain varieties can produce a huge harvest.
In the future, you can eat berries for preventive or medical purposes. If you suffer from any cardiovascular diseases, then this plant is suitable for you.
Remember: hawthorn can bring you many benefits and joy.