Rhododendron - the king of flowers - is famous for the brightness of colors and pomp of forms. It grows as a shrub or small tree. There are almost 1300 species of this plant and more than 12 thousand varieties. The literary name of the deciduous type of flower is azalea, and the evergreen is rhododendron. In the wild, the plant is common in the mountains in southeast Asia. More than half of the representatives of this genus are concentrated there. Rhododendron has been used in folk medicine since ancient times - it relieves fatigue, pain in the legs, head, helps with indigestion.
The leaves of the rhododendron are leathery, of various shapes and colors. The flowers form corymbose or umbellate inflorescences with curved stamens. The color varies from white to dark purple. The flowering period is April-June, flowers reappear in autumn. Such a shrub is a real find for a landscape designer. They make chic hedges from it,decorate gardens, select combinations that are contrasting in height and color. Popular plant varieties are Daurian rhododendron, tree-like, yellow, Japanese, Kamchatka, Canadian, short-fruited, pointed, small-leaved.
Japanese rhododendron deserves special attention. This is a deciduous shrub with a high degree of branching and thin oblong leaves (up to 10 cm in length). Grows in height up to 2 meters. The flowers are orange-red with a large prominent brownish spot, collected in 6 or 12 pieces. The crown is formed wide, sprawling. It looks like a small lush flowering green tree - a wonderful decoration of a garden or park.
Rhododendron - cultivation. How to please him
The plant loves partial shade, does not tolerate drought, deep shade, direct sunlight, stagnant water. The soil needs rich in humus, loose, acidic, well-drained. It is undesirable to plant deciduous and evergreen rhododendrons nearby.
Rhododendron - growing: care features
The main care is top dressing, watering and circular weeding. You can not fertilize mountain and dwarf plant species, in extreme cases, you can use organic matter. Top dressing is carried out until mid-July, since later fertilization leads to freezing of untimely grown shoots in the winter. Dry dead branches and inflorescences must be constantly removed. On dry days, the plant needs to be watered several times a day. Water the shrub preferably with water,acidified organic acid at the rate of 3 g per 10 liters. Pruning for crown formation is done immediately after flowering. For the winter, heat-loving varieties should be protected with a breathable shelter.
Rhododendron - growing: breeding methods
The plant can be planted in two ways:
1. Seeds.
Seeds are planted in March in boxes under glass, maintaining a temperature of +20˚С. Depending on the variety, seedlings appear on the 7-20th day. After three weeks, the seedlings dive. In the warm summer, flower pots are taken out into the fresh air. Transplantation of plants in open ground is carried out a year later during the warm period (May-June), so that the bushes get stronger and can withstand frost.
2. Vegetative propagation - grafting, layering, dividing bushes, cuttings.
For grafting take partly lignified shoots. They do not root well, so spraying with stimulating drugs is recommended. You can share only lush bushes with overgrown shoots. Transplantation is done in spring and autumn.
Rhododendron - cultivation: diseases and pests
Most often the plant suffers from:
- spider mite;
- root rot;
- rust, spotting;
- aphids.
Timely spraying with special means helps to cope with all problems.
Rhododendrons - Growing: Emerging Issues
1. Wrinkled leaves - insufficient watering, high temperature, too bright light.
2. Blooms fast - dryair, direct sunlight.
3. Yellowing leaves - hard water, dampness.
4. Weak growth is the wrong soil.
Rhododendron is not a houseplant. For growing, it requires certain conditions - cool and humid air, a sufficient amount of light. Their survival rate in the apartment is 50%. Buy this plant if you can provide it with all the conditions to grow.
