Rowan is beautiful both during the flowering period and with ripe bunches of berries on the branches. The fruits of this plant stay on the tree for a long time, even in winter. They are eaten simply grated with sugar, and in the form of juices, jelly, jam, marshmallow, jam. Home remedies are also often prepared from them. Therefore, many gardeners try to have at least one rowan tree on their site.
The article will discuss rowan ordinary: properties, types, features of reproduction.
About the features of mountain ash
As the famous song says, mountain ash was in fact most often planted "at the tyna" (along the hedges and fences of garden plots). The tree created a slight shading, saving some beds from the bright sun (for example, cucumbers become bitter in bright light). In addition, mountain ash, due to the close location of the roots near the surface of the soil, retains moisture well. And in the branches of this beautiful and cozy tree, many birds willingly nest, protecting the garden crop from various pests -insects.
It has long been noted that many nightshade crops (peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants) growing in the vicinity of mountain ash are not affected by late blight.
Varieties
There are many varieties of mountain ash (the photo is presented in the article) obtained as a result of the work of breeders.
Rowan of this species has the fruits of a bitter taste. In the 19th century, breeders bred hybrid forms, the fruits of which are devoid of bitterness. Over a two-century history, many beautiful "descendants" of mountain ash have been created, united in the Moravian variety group.
Summer residents are attracted to varieties with sweeter fruits, which are presented below.
- Scarlet large-fruited. It is the most valuable variety of the common rowan species. The weight of the fetus reaches 4 grams. In appearance, scarlet berries (juicy and without bitterness) are similar to cherries. The yield of one tree is 150 kg.
- Liquor. The variety was bred by Michurin as a result of crossing the chokeberry with the common one. It is resistant to frost and high yield. The fruits are large (diameter 15 mm), black. Berries are used to make jams, compotes, liqueurs and tinctures.
- Bead. The variety is characterized by short stature and resistance to strong temperature extremes. Ruby red berries are similar to cranberries. Fruiting is annual and high-yielding.
- Homemade. Very large fruits (like a plum). The tree is tall. Grows in Central Asia and Crimea.
- Beauty. This variety was bredby crossing a pear and an ordinary mountain ash. The tree reaches a height of 5 meters, the crown is wide pyramidal. Fruits abundantly and annually. The fruits are orange-red in color, oblong in shape, slightly tart in taste.
- Nevezhinskaya. Another tall and strong tree. The fruits are red in color and elongated, have 5 faces. They taste sweet with a slight bitterness.
- Sorbinka. The tree is characterized by restrained growth. Large fruits have a yellow-red tint and are pleasant to the taste. Productive variety.
- Pomegranate. The variety was obtained by crossing ordinary mountain ash with hawthorn. Berries taste sweet, slightly tart. In shape and color, they resemble pomegranates, only in miniature. The tree has a sparse crown, can grow up to 4 meters in height.
- Ruby. Dwarf rowan has a spreading crown. Its height is not more than 2.5 meters. Dark red fruits are faceted in shape, have a sour taste.
- Titanium. This variety was bred by crossing the pollen of 3 trees: pear, red-leaved apple and ordinary mountain ash. The height of the tree is medium, the crown is rounded. Rowan is resistant to frost. Faceted juicy fruit tastes sweet and sour.
- Hope. A small tree with red fruits, which contain biologically active substances. This mountain ash ripens quickly and bears fruit abundantly. It is important to note that in order to get a good harvest, two trees must be planted, otherwise there will be no fruiting, since this plant needs to be cross-pollinated. If it is not possible to plant 2 trees side by side, you can graft other varieties to the mountain ash.
Description
Mountain ash is a deciduous tree or shrub. It is one of the varieties of the Rowan genus, which is a relatively low-value, widespread fruit tree that attracts attention with its beautiful bright fruits even in winter.
Tall tree with a straight trunk and rounded crown. The alternate leathery leaves are bright green. Small flowers are cream, light green, pink or white. The shoots and bark of the trunk are gray-green. The fruit is a juicy spherical apple (transverse diameter about 1 cm) with rounded small seeds located along the edge. The berries have a slightly astringent, bitter taste.
Leaves turn a beautiful orange or crimson color by autumn. In winter, clusters of pink, scarlet, cream, yellow and brown berries are especially noticeable against the background of white snow. Shades depend on the rowan variety.
Under natural conditions, a tree can grow for more than 100 years. 35-year-old trees have the highest yield - up to 100-150 kg of mountain ash can be harvested from one such tree.
Belongs to the mountain ash of the Pink family.
Growing conditions
Under natural conditions, mountain ash grows in remote areas of the forest thicket. In lighter places, it grows a dense crown well, and fruiting becomes plentiful. Rowan is an almost unpretentious plant: it is not afraid of frost and drought, is almost not damaged by diseases andpests.
Most of the species and varieties of this plant, including the mountain ash, are not particularly picky about growing conditions. Under natural conditions, it can grow both on poor soil and on fertile soil. However, it has been observed that trees growing on soils of different composition differ in growth and fruiting. Specimens growing on light fertile soils grow and bear fruit better than those growing on heavy loams.
Landing
The best time to plant is autumn. In winter, the soil is well compacted and in early spring the plant begins to grow. Planting is also possible in early April.
As noted above, it is best to choose a place with light and fertile soil. Having planted a seedling in a prepared hole measuring 60 x 60 centimeters, it is necessary to fill it with a mixture of fertile soil with the addition of about 5 kg of humus or peat compost, 100 g of potash fertilizer and 200 g of superphosphate.
When planting mountain ash, one should take into account the distance between trees: between undersized - up to 2 meters, between tall ones - up to 4 meters.
Care
Rowan ash is a tree that gives a large number of young shoots that appear annually at the root collar. You should constantly remove these shoots.
Required for mountain ash weekly watering, loosening the soil, weeding, periodic fertilization, and it is also desirable to form a crown. If the plant lags behind in growth and if its appearance deteriorates, the cause of the problem should be determined andspray the tree with the appropriate preparation. In dry times, it is recommended to mulch the near-stem area, this will protect the roots of the plant from drying out and help retain moisture.
Fertilizer
Rowan should be fed only from the third year of life. Feeding an annual rowan seedling with fertilizers containing nitrogen can adversely affect its root system, leading to poor tree development.
It is recommended to apply mineral fertilizers. The most effective - triple top dressing. In early spring, before the opening of the kidneys, it is necessary to apply potash, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers per 1 sq. meter area near the tree. In summer, you can fertilize with nitrogen-containing and phosphorus fertilizers. In the autumn period, phosphorus and potassium supplements are important for the plant. After adding fertilizer near the trees, you should slightly dig the soil, and then water the plants themselves abundantly.
Reproduction
Rowan can be propagated in five ways: seeds, root shoots, layering, cuttings (woody and green) and grafting on forest wild mountain ash. Grafting on forest rowan gives fruiting already in the 3-5th year, and reproduction by root shoots and layering - in the 5-7th year.
The choice of propagation method depends on the shape and variety of the plant:
- budding (a method using a single bud from a cutting of a cultivar) and grafting by cuttings is used for mountain ash;
- low stem forms are mainly propagated by layering;
- root suckers are used for self-rooted plants.
More details about reproduction by grafting
Sorbus ash is a plant for which grafting is the best way to propagate. For her, the split grafting method is best suited. In winter (January), cuttings are cut, which are tied into bundles and dug vertically into the soil or into the sand to a depth of about 15 cm. An annual seedling selected for stock in early spring is dug up and cleared of the soil. A split about 3 cm deep is made in the upper part of its root. Then the strongest stalk with already developing buds is selected, and a double wedge-shaped cut is made in its lower part so that it coincides in size with the split. Next, the upper part of the cutting is carefully cut at an oblique angle above the upper kidney. The graft is placed in a split, the junction is wrapped with a film, and the upper part of the graft is processed with garden pitch.
The grafted seedling is planted in a greenhouse. The connection point must be on the ground surface. The soil is a mixture of peat and sand in equal parts. The soil and air should be kept moist.
After complete splicing, the seedling can be planted in a permanent place in open ground, cutting off the sprouts on the stock.
Useful properties
Not only berries, but also the bark, flowers and leaves of the plant have a beneficial effect. It should be noted that both chokeberry and red ordinary mountain ash are endowed with healing properties from ailments.
The plant contains vitamins, has anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, diuretic and laxative effects. It strengthens the immune system and the walls of blood vessels, lowers blood pressure, coagulates blood, heals the kidneys, liver and other organs. It helps with colds, hemorrhoids, coughs, and also perfectly balances the metabolism in the body and treats all kinds of skin diseases.
Means from rowan berries neutralize fermentation processes in the intestines, remove toxins, have a choleretic effect, heal ulcers, help lower cholesterol. Fruits help with heart disease and tumors. Rowan bark has excellent antibacterial properties.
In conclusion
The mountain ash of this species is a kind of classic of the Russian landscape. And in ancient times, the Slavs attributed to this plant the ability to protect the entire courtyard from all evil spirits.
And today this rather spectacular plant is grown in parks and gardens. It is used both as a tapeworm and as an ornamental plant in tree and shrub compositions and in group plantings.
