Proper planting and care of white snowberry. Description and photo of ornamental shrubs with white flowers for your garden Bush with white balls as it is called
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Beds with onions and greenhouses with tomatoes, of course, delight. But when the harvest is harvested and you can calmly drink tea on the lawn, you want to contemplate the beautiful and unusual plants. An elegant shrub with white balls, whose name is snowberry, is a decoration of the garden all year round. The plant is unpretentious, so it is not difficult to grow such a miracle even for a novice gardener; you just need to choose a variety and a place.
Main characteristics
Snowberry or snowfield has Latin name Symphoricarpos and belongs to the deciduous shrubs of the honeysuckle family. The plant is native to North and Central America, often found in wildlife. You can see it in the lower tiers of mountain forests, on river banks or rocky slopes, which indicates the plant’s unpretentiousness to soil and light conditions. For more than 200 years, gardeners around the world have been cultivating snowberry, thanks to which new varieties and hybrids have appeared.
Despite the fact that the shrub has a name associated with snow, there are varieties with pink, white-pink, reddish and exotic black fruits. All snowberries have their own specific characteristics. These include the size and location of leaves and fruits, height and shape of the crown.
General view of the bush
A compact bush in nature has a height of 20 centimeters to three meters, but in a summer cottage it is a great success to come across a plant of such size. As a rule, snowberries grown in the middle zone have a height of no more than two meters. Their branches are long and thin, forming a spherical or oval crown, bending under the weight of the fruit. The decorative nature of the shrub is due precisely to the appearance of thin flexible branches strewn with many snow berries. The bush lends itself well to pruning, so the crown can be given any look.
Foliage and flowers
The leaves of the snowberry are green, from two to five centimeters long, oppositely located, round or oval in shape.
In mid-summer the bush begins to bloom. Its flowers are regular, small, collected in 5-15 pieces in group racemose inflorescences of white, pink or red color. There are varieties with single or paired flowering. As a good honey plant, the plant attracts the attention of insects. Flowering continues long time and alternates with the appearance of fruits.
Description of berries
Fruit ripening occurs in late autumn. With the onset of frost, when all the foliage has already fallen off, the fruits of the snowberry remain on the branches. Snowberry berries are juicy drupes of round or elongated shape up to two centimeters in diameter. They fit tightly to each other, forming clusters. The fruits, soft to the touch when broken, have juicy, loose pulp with two drupes. Snow berries, depending on the variety, can be not only white, but also pink, reddish, white-pink and even inky in color.
The fruits do not fall off after ripening and serve as food for birds. However, eating berries may pose a risk to humans food poisoning, so it is necessary to explain to children that they cannot eat these elegant berries.
Varietal features
There are approximately 15 species of this genus in nature. Some of them have become favorites among gardeners due to their unique properties:
White snowberry - the most popular species, which is found almost everywhere. It is also called cystic or carpal. In nature it can grow on poor and unsuitable soils, so growing it does not cause any trouble. It is undemanding to the soil, does not require watering, and is shade-tolerant.
A spherical crown 100-150 centimeters high is formed thanks to thin long branches that bend to the ground under the weight of the fruit. In early spring, pronounced green foliage appears on yellowish-gray branches. You can distinguish this type of snowflake from others by the pink border on the leaves. The leaf shape is oval, up to 6 centimeters long.
White snowberry begins to bloom in July. The flowers are small, collected in group inflorescences. Due to its greenish-pink color, the blooms are not immediately noticeable. By September, flowers alternate with fruits, which remain on the plant even after the onset of frost.
The fruits are white balls with a diameter of 1 cm, slightly flattened on the sides and collected in clusters. There are quite a lot of them on the branches. The berries do not fall for a long time, so the bush looks elegant in stormy autumn.
The mountain-loving snowberry is native to the western regions of North America. The tall shrub can reach a height of 1.5 m. It is quite unpretentious to soils, but can suffer from severe frosts. Therefore, when growing in open ground, it is recommended to cut off the shoots completely in late autumn and make a shelter so that the plant is not damaged by frost. It is easily restored in spring.
Distinctive feature Snowberry mountain-loving is foliage that has a small fluff. The leaves are oval, green. Flowering begins in July. The flowers can be arranged singly or in pairs; they are bell-shaped, pink, or less often white. After flowering, white round fruits are set, so from a distance it seems as if the entire bush is strewn with white beads.
Western snowberry in the natural conditions of North America, where this type of crop comes from, creates dense thickets on the rocky banks of streams and mountain rivers. Due to its size (1.5 m in height and 1.2 m in width), the western snowberry is actively used by gardeners as a hedge. It lends itself well to pruning and allows you to form a crown. Saves for a long time attractive appearance due to the winter hardiness of the fruit.
The foliage has a delicate green color, on back side the leaf plates exhibit a slight velvety appearance. The shrub blooms in early July with delicate white or pinkish bell-shaped flowers collected in racemes. In August, white spherical fruits begin to form, often having a soft pink tint.
Large and beautiful at any time of the year, the western snowberry will not bring much trouble to its owner, and with skillful pruning it will become the “highlight” of even the most unattractive area.
Due to its red fruits, common snowberry is also called pink snowberry or coralberry. The shrub received the romantic name “Indian currant” in its homeland - in the countries of North America. A medium-sized bush (about 1 meter in height) is distinguished by long branches that form a spherical crown under the weight of the fruit.
Small rounded leaves of dark green color on the reverse side are painted in a bluish tint. Flowering begins in July and continues until August. Despite the fact that the flowers are small, the plant looks very elegant due to its pink color and the arrangement of flowers in lush inflorescences.
Closer to autumn, the time of flowering gives way to the appearance of red, purple, coral fruits. The berries are round, slightly flattened on the sides, and have a slight bluish coating. The foliage also turns dark red (wine-colored).
This ornamental plant, unfortunately, does not tolerate severe frosts. It is recommended to create a shelter for it. It will not cause any other troubles, since it can grow on the poor and rocky soils.
Dorenboz hybrids are a group of varieties bred by Dutch breeders. A distinctive feature of this variety is the compactness of the bush (no more than 1 meter in height), the splendor of flowering and the abundance of fruits.
The leaves are round in shape and have a distinct green color. This species blooms early, from mid-May, and continues flowering for 2 months. Pink or white flowers are collected in lush inflorescences. The fruits are round, bright, juicy pink. The plant retains its decorative effect for a long time, but is not frost-resistant. This is perhaps the only disadvantage for breeding Dorenboz hybrids in the middle zone. The most popular varieties:
Snowberry Shenot - a small shrub (no more than 1 meter in height) is a hybrid species of pink snowberry. It has a spherical or oval crown due to long shoots that bend towards the ground. This property makes it easy to propagate the species; you just need to dig in the top of the shoot.
The leaves have a slightly pointed shape, the flowers and berries are pink. It begins to bloom in July and, like a good honey plant, attracts a lot of insects. Pink, round-shaped fruits appear in August and have the property of not falling off with the onset of cold weather. The snowberry Chenault gained popularity among gardeners due to its frost resistance. It does not require special care, reproduces easily and is very beautiful at any time of the year.
Planting and care
When choosing a place to plant a snowberry, there is no need to think about whether it will grow in this particular area. The snowman feels great both in the shade and in the sun. Poor soils, sandy or rocky, will not be an obstacle to planting snowberries and caring for them in open ground. However, the shrub will thank the caring gardener with intense flowering and abundant fruiting.
The shrub can be planted in both spring and autumn. The main condition for rapid rooting of a plant is good soil moisture. Adding organic fertilizer will help the plant get established. Having planned the landing site, you need to prepare it. For autumn planting, it is necessary to dig holes about 60 centimeters deep and the same in diameter within a month, fill them with a mixture of crushed stone and a substrate consisting of humus, river sand and peat. Additionally, under each bush the following is added:
- superphosphate - 200 grams;
- dolomite flour- 200 grams;
- wood ash - 600 grams.
For planting in spring, all work must be done in the fall.
If you are planning not a single or group composition, but planting a snowberry as a hedge, you need to dig a trench 45 centimeters wide and 60 centimeters deep. The planting density is 3-4 plants per 1 linear meter.
After planting the plant, the soil around it needs to be compacted, watered well at the rate of 1.5-2 buckets per bush and the tree trunk circle mulched with a 5 cm layer of peat. After planting, you need to make sure that the root collar of the seedling is at ground level. It is necessary to water the seedlings for 5-7 days after planting, subject to dry weather.
The unpretentious snowberry will grow even if you don’t care for it at all. But like any plant, surrounded by care, it will look healthy and well-groomed if you put in just a little work.
Watering the snowberry
In dry summers, the shrub needs watering, which is best done in the evening in the amount of 1.5-2 buckets per plant. The soil in the tree trunk circle needs to be loosened and weeded. If the weather is humid, there is no need to water the snowberry. In autumn, the soil around the plant must be dug up.
Necessary feeding
Snowberry can do just fine without fertilizing. But how will it bloom and bear fruit if you feed it with organic fertilizer! Only 2 times. In the spring, take 5-6 kg of humus and add 100 grams of potassium salt and superphosphate, apply under the plant. Then in the summer, when the fruits begin to set, you need to use any fertilizer for berry crops.
Pruning and crown formation
In the spring, it is necessary to carry out a control inspection of the plant and identify branches that have dried out and were damaged during the winter. Cut off such shoots completely. There is no need to be afraid to prune healthy branches either, since the plant lays flower buds in new shoots. Healthy branches need to be shortened by half their length. Cuts should be treated with garden varnish if their thickness is more than 5 mm. The young, strong growth will be the bush’s gratitude for the procedure.
Winter period
When choosing a snowberry variety, you need to pay attention to the frost resistance of the plant. If the variety is cold-resistant, then the shrub does not need additional shelter and will withstand frosts down to -35 °C. In regions with harsh winters, even frost-resistant variety The snowberry must be hilled up high and covered with spruce branches and dry leaves.
When the question arises, what to plant in a dacha or personal plot, the choice in favor of the snowberry is obvious. For experienced and novice gardeners, an important factor is the unpretentiousness of the plant and its unconditional decorativeness. This will allow you to realize your design abilities in landscaping the site without spending a lot of time and effort.
Decorative viburnum Buldenezh
Buldenezh. This beautiful name for viburnum, which translates as “snowball,” belongs to a Frenchman. Europe became acquainted with this shrub more than four centuries ago. In Russia, buldenezh appeared under Catherine II.
« Snowball", or "snowball", at that time was grown at the palace, in the gardens and parks of the estates of wealthy landowners. In the 18th century, gardens were known in which only buldenezh grew. Gardeners, masters of their craft, surprised Europe with the beauty of the standard forms of the Snow Globe.
Buldenezh is decorative form common viburnum. The height of the spreading bush is from 2 to 3.5 meters. At the end of spring - beginning of summer, snow-white balls of inflorescences appear on the bush. Their diameter is 7 – 15 cm.
The inflorescences consist of sterile flowers that are odorless. As the Buldenezh bush grows, it blooms beautifully and lives for a long time, and there are more inflorescences: there aren’t even any leaves behind them
Care
Place. It is best to grow viburnum buldenezh in light partial shade. In a sunny place, flowering will be shorter. In the shade - very weak, with small, loose inflorescences. Yes, and the pests will torture you there.
Viburnum Buldonezh does not have berries, but it blooms amazingly. Loves slightly acidic soil and moist, but not swampy soil
It happens that the place seems to be suitable, and the soil meets all standards, but the bush does not want to grow or bloom. In this case, you urgently need to look for another place for the viburnum. It must be remembered that buldenezh is planted for several decades, so choosing a location is a responsible matter.
The soil. Viburnum buldenezh grows well in loose, nutritious, moderately moist soil. It is very important to prepare a good landing hole size of at least 50 cm x 60 cm. Fill it with a soil mixture with a large supply of nutrients.
For example, mix several buckets of compost, peat and sand. Wood ash (at least 3 glasses) and nitrophoska or fertilizer granules (amount according to the instructions) are added to them. This is very important for successful cultivation buldenezha.
Heavy clay soil needs to be cultivated by adding humus, peat and sand.
Winter hardiness. Snow globe is a fairly winter-hardy crop that does not need to be covered for the winter. However, in the first years of life, it is advisable to play it safe and insulate the roots with humus at the end of autumn.
This simple work will not only protect them from freezing in harsh winters with little snow, but will also feed the plant. If you sow under a buldenezha bush lawn grass or preserve the existing lawn when planting, then the dense turf will become reliable protection in any weather.
In winters that are too frosty and have little snow, the buldenezh may freeze. But it quickly grows into absolutely healthy shoots.
Planting of viburnum Buldenezh is carried out in early spring or in late autumn, just before frost.
- Spring, when all the plants wake up and the life processes are activated, is a good time for planting by any method.
- If you decide to plant a shrub in the fall, this will give the seedlings time to adapt, but the plant can only be planted during this season by dividing the root.
Buldenezh has inflorescences consisting of sterile flowers, so it reproduces only vegetatively. Viburnum is propagated by cuttings, layering, root, and suckers.
The method of propagation of the Buldenezh viburnum will depend on which planting method you choose.
It is very easy to plant a shrub by dividing the root. If you already have this plant on your site, you need to find a suitable lateral shoot of the young shoot and carefully separate it from the mother bush - that’s it, the seedling material is ready.
Planting shrubs by layering is also not difficult. To do this, you just need to bend the lower outer branch to the ground and pin it with a wire bracket.
The cuttings are sprinkled with earth on top and kept moist until they sprout roots and shoots. Then she separates from big bush- and it can be transplanted to a separate place.
It is a little more difficult to plant a shrub using cuttings, since it takes more time to root.
If you have only one branch available for propagation of viburnum (the current year’s growth), then you can try to grow several plants from it at once at home.
The branch is divided into small segments consisting of two nodes (each with a pair of leaves) and one internode.
When cutting, the lower pair of leaves is removed, and the leaf blade of the upper pair of leaves is shortened by half.
The lower part of the cuttings is immersed in a solution of a growth stimulator (phytohormones). The holding time of the cuttings in the solution is in accordance with the instructions; for example, cuttings are kept in a heteroauxin solution (100 mg per liter of water) for 10-16 hours.
Pots are filled with substrate ( turf land, sand, humus in a ratio of 3:1:1) and plant the cuttings in them, deepening them by 1.5-2 cm, compress them with soil, water them and place them for rooting in a “greenhouse bag”.
Rooted viburnum cuttings can be grown at home in pots up to late autumn, and then put it in the basement until spring. In early spring, pots with cuttings are brought from the basement into the house, and in May, young plants are planted in the garden. 
Care
Although Buldenezh is unpretentious, it still needs minimal care, like any living plant, especially if you want the flowers to bloom larger in the spring and the bush to grow well.
Activities for caring for the plant include, of course, watering, infrequent feeding until the buldenezh rises and becomes an adult, pruning dry and old branches.
- WateringAs mentioned above, Buldenezh is very moisture-loving plant, so you need to water it as often as possible, as moisture leaves the ground, especially on dry days of summer. If watering satisfies the needs of the shrub, the flowers on the branches will be large and juicy.
- Feeding Feeding of Buldenezh can be started in the second or third year after planting, since you have well prepared the hole for the plant and put enough nutrients in it - they should be enough for adaptation and the beginning of healthy growth for two to three years. The first feeding is done in the spring, when they begin the first leaves appear, it should be using nitrogen fertilizers.
The second feeding is done in the fall, before leaf fall, this time potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are used.
You can fertilize with fertilizers diluted in water, or with dry granules, scattering them under the bush and loosening the ground with a glander, then pouring plenty of water.
The proportions should be when diluted in water: 25-35 grams per bucket.
- Cleaning Cleaning of Buldenezh should be carried out annually, then the branches will renew well and bloom more vigorously. Pruning of the Buldenezh viburnum can be done in early spring, before the start of sap flow, or in late autumn, after the leaves have fallen. Young plants planted a year or two ago do not need to be cleaned.
Pest Control
The bush has its own enemies - these are pests, and if you do not start fighting them in time, the bush may die.
Viburnum leaf beetle - eats away the pulp of the leaves, leaving only a skeleton of veins.
What does it mean White color? For most, it is a symbol of purity, innocence, joy, happiness, carelessness, and childhood.
And if this color is not entirely practical in everyday life, then why not transfer it to the garden.
Like interior design, landscape design in white colors will allow you to achieve a visual increase in space, lightness, and a feeling of freedom.
Therefore, today we will look at what white flowers there are for the garden, and we will present the main assortment that you can use when creating a flower garden.
Selection of an assortment of herbaceous species with white flowers
In the plant world, white is not a rare color; you can see it every spring when the flowers begin to bloom. fruit trees, and the forest sunny glades are covered with the first flowers - snowdrops.
Modern genetics and selection today can boast long list bred varieties, but how not to get confused in this diversity? After all, flowers with white flowers have different sizes, corolla shapes, number of petals, etc.
Let's divide the types and varieties into three groups– annuals and biennials, perennials and bulbous plants. Many of the names will be familiar, especially to those who have been interested in gardening for a long time, but for beginners this information will be very useful.
Annual and biennial plants
Ageratum - has white fluffy inflorescences, the variety “Summer Snow” (A. Houston) is especially beautiful. The flowers will delight you from July to October.
Violet, or pansies. They come in different colors, but there are solid varieties with white flowers, for example, the White Crystal variety.
White annual asters They are especially valued for their large flowers, which look great not only in a flowerbed, but also in a bouquet.
Among the begonias there are interesting varieties, which look sophisticated and delicate, for example, “Thousand Wonder White”.
Turkish cloves also do not lose their popularity; the “Albus” variety is suitable for us. There are also many suitable varieties of G. garden and G. Shabot.
Small, numerous flowers of graceful gypsophila resemble a light airy cloud that will decorate the garden from June to September.
It also has white flowers sweet pea(variety “White Ensign”), Iberis umbelliferae, bellflower varieties.
The caps of the low-growing marine lobularia look very beautiful - varieties “Carpet of snow”, “Tetra schneereiben” (large flowers, leaves with a white border).
Also, don’t forget about cute white daisies (“The pearl” variety), petunias, among the variety of colors of which there are also white flowers (“Snow ball”), zinnia (“Polar bear”).
Cineraria is very decorative, which does not have white flowers, but is popular for its silvery openwork leaves.
Perennial plants with white flowers
Among the plants of this group we can distinguish spring anemones, the “White giant” variety. A beautiful low carpet forms a rezuha, which is especially suitable for alpine slides.
The openwork panicles of astilbe, varieties “Deutscland” (A. Arends), “Schtrausenfeder” (A. Thunberg) look very beautiful.
Popular plants are alpine aster (“Albus”), New England and New Belgian.
Spreading white panicles of Volzhanka will also decorate the garden. A very original form of flowers near the catchment area, which look beautiful in small groups. The variety "Snow Queen" has white flowers.
There are many varieties of pinnate carnation, for example, “White ladies”. Geranium feels very good in the garden, which also has varieties of suitable colors.
Well, the small numerous stars of gypsophila paniculata will look beautiful not only in the garden, but also in a bouquet (“Bristol fairy”).
The white hearts of the magnificent Dicentra, variety “Alba” look impressive and cute.
Plant chickweed in a carpet flower garden, just keep in mind that the plant is poisonous. For a rocky garden and an alpine hill, Iberis, saxifrage, and jasmine are suitable.
Today you can find irises, clematis, and daylilies of any color, including white, on sale.
There are many varieties with white bell flowers, and they can be of different shapes. Kupena and lilies of the valley are one of the favorite spring flowers, as are lovely primroses (P. high grade"Alba") And of course, remember about the cornflower, which is similar to the well-known chamomile, only larger.
White peonies will remind you of themselves with a pleasant aroma.
Our list includes the white-bordered hosta, as well as its varieties with variegated leaves.
Bulbous plants
Very beautiful large flowers of tuberous begonia, variety “Diana Wynyart”. In autumn, you will be pleased with the flowering of the colchicum variety “Album”, the flowers of which look like crocuses. Among the latter there are also many varieties with white flowers.
In this group, most species bloom in the spring. These are white-flowered varieties, hyacinth (“Carnegie”), varieties of bulbous irises, muscari (“Album” variety), white-flowered varieties of narcissus, tulip, scilla, snowdrop.
Such beautiful white flowers as dahlia (varieties “Sneezy”, “Bambino”), gladiolus (varieties “White Prosperity” with a corrugated edge, “White city”), lily will also become a snow-white decoration of your garden.
Now, using the offered assortment, you can choose white flowers for a flower bed, border, alpine slide and other compositions in the garden.
Examples of garden design in white
Perhaps someone will say that white landscape design is boring and uninteresting. However, only those who have not seen anything like this in person can think so.
It's not monochromatic white wall. This is a voluminous composition, where white color effectively combines with green, large flowers contrast with small ones, tall ones with low ones. Only by planting density can you radically change the entire look.
And if besides herbaceous plants select shrubs and trees that bloom with white flowers or have white foliage, then such a picture will evoke admiring glances not only from neighbors, but also from friends and relatives.
Here are some examples of successful garden decoration with plants with white flowers. Look how light and clean these compositions look.
Don't be afraid to use just one color in your garden. It will look stylish and modern. The main rule is a harmonious combination of all landscape elements, including buildings, small architectural forms and, of course, plants.
Life is too short to be insignificant
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Remember the bush with white bursting berries that probably grew near your house?
In childhood, everyone loved to pick and shovel them or kick them on the asphalt. They burst so nicely.
There was even a joke on the Internet that the person who invented cellophane with pimples probably has a bush with these white berries growing near his house
Curious to know what it's called?
This bush belongs to the genus WOLF BERRY. Personally, I was surprised when I found out this.
Wolf berries - collective, popular name a number of plants, the fruits of most of which have toxic or irritating properties:
Belladonna, or Belladonna (poisonous)
- Dereza vulgare (not poisonous)
- Wolfberry (highly poisonous!)
- Crow's eye (poisonous)
- Common honeysuckle (not poisonous)
- Buckthorn (fresh fruits have an emetic effect)
- Snowberry (poisonous)
Wolfberries are also called other shrubs and herbs with red and black (and even white) berry-like inedible or poisonous fruits, for example, red elderberry (its fruits are not berries, but juicy drupes); from herbs - Voronets and others.
So this bush, beloved by all of us, is called White Snowberry (symphoricarpos albus)
Snowberry, or snowberry, or snowberry, or wolfberry (lat. Symphoricbrpos) is a genus of deciduous shrubs, the Honeysuckle family.
Kingdom: Plants
Department: Angiosperms
Class: Dicotyledons
Order: Teasaceae
Family: Honeysuckle
Genus: Snowberry
Biological description
Deciduous shrubs 1-3 m high. Poisonous. The fruits are white and small.
Distribution and ecology
Distributed in North America, 1 - in China.
Botanical classification
The genus includes about 15 species.
Meaning and Use
Good honey plants.
Used in ornamental gardening, as a rule, white snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus). It is undemanding to soil and moisture, shade-tolerant and gas-resistant. The plant blooms throughout the summer. The shrub is especially decorative in the fall due to its white fruits with a diameter of about 1 cm. It should be remembered that the fruits of snowberries are poisonous. They are often found in decorative garden elements in the design of green areas in Russian cities.
White snowberry, or white snowberry - Symphoricarpos albus (L.) Blake
North America: from Canada south to Pennsylvania, west to California. Usually on open slopes in light mountain forests and along river banks, mainly on dry rocky soils.
Deciduous shrub up to 1.5 m tall, with a rounded crown and long thin shoots. The leaves are simple, ovate or almost round, entire, sometimes notched-lobed up to 6 cm long, green above and bluish below. Small pink flowers are collected in dense racemes, located throughout the shoot and making the bush, despite small sizes flowers, very elegant. It blooms profusely and for a long time, and on the shoots you can see not only blossoming flowers, but also ripe fruits - berry-shaped, spherical, up to 1 cm in diameter, white, very elegant, juicy, stay on the shoots for a long time, decorating the plants even after the leaves have fallen.
In GBS since 1939, 2 samples (4 copies) were grown from seeds obtained from the culture and GBS reproduction seeds. At 5 years height 1.1 m, crown diameter 100 cm. Vegetation from late April to late August. The growth rate is average. It blooms and bears fruit from the age of 3, annually, abundantly. Flowering from the beginning of July to the end of August, on average about 50 days, single flower- about 2 weeks. The fruits ripen in September. Winter hardiness is high. Seed viability 84%, germination 30%.
It grows quickly, is unpretentious to growing conditions, requires light, prefers calcareous soils. It tolerates cutting, shaping and city conditions well. In the eastern and southeastern regions of the forest zone it sometimes suffers from frost, but quickly recovers. It propagates well and quickly by layering, stem cuttings, dividing the bush and seeds.
Seeds, dried to an air-dry state, are stored in tightly sealed containers, cellophane or paper bags in a dry, unheated room or in the refrigerator for no more than a year. It is best to sow in the fall after harvest. During spring sowing and after storage, long-term stratification is necessary: 1 - 2 months at room temperature and 3 - 6 months at 1 - 5 ° C with removal under the snow. The stratification period is reduced when treated with concentrated sulfuric acid for 60 - 75 minutes. Sowing depth 2 - 3 cm.
Used for single and group plantings, in hedges and borders. In culture since 1879.
Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus (Fern.) Blake - S. b. low shine. In GBS since 1965
Rounded shapes noticeably expand the space around them; this effect is enhanced by the use of light colors in compositions and the combination of plants of different sizes. One of the secrets of landscape designers used for visual expansion narrow spaces is the principle of placing the lightest and smallest balls at the farthest point of view. Thus, the observer’s gaze involuntarily falls on the smallest and lightest objects, which, due to the rapid decrease in size, seem to shift the perspective into the distance.
Ball-shaped crown shape in landscape architecture
Interesting architectural combinations of tree species based on the size of the balls and their location on the trunks different heights. The most harmonious look are compositions that use spherical plants similar in various characteristics(color, texture, delicacy, etc.), which in in this case are responsible for the integrity of the composition. If several small trees or large shrubs with a rounded crown are placed along the boundaries of the recreation area, the space will come to life, the strict outlines of geometric shapes will be smoothed out, and the feeling of a vacationer will be filled with comfort and harmony.
In landscape architecture, spherical shapes are popular when creating compositions of circular and one-sided views in regular style. Introducing plants with strict geometric contours into landscape compositions will not produce the desired effect, although in chaotic landscape compositions you can set a rhythm with the help of regular balls of different sizes. This technique is the basis for the idea of creating meadow flower beds in the spirit of the famous Dutch landscape designer Piet Oudolf, who believes that when designing a garden, the main thing is not color, but structure and shape. In this case, evergreen spherical plants are used as the skeleton of the composition.
Some trees with rounded crown shapes against the sky create a dome-shaped profile that serves as a kind of umbrella and therefore they are successfully used for shading children's playgrounds or benches for relaxation.
Finding yourself under the canopy of an alley of trees with a spherical crown, the gaze of the contemplator involuntarily rises upward, and under the impression of the dense greenery characteristic of spherical forms of plants, combined with the strict neatness of the arches of the alley, an ordinary walk turns into a romantic one. In small gardens, a similar effect can be achieved with the help of plants grafted on high trunks.
The issue of landscaping streets under power lines remains relevant, in this case important point is right choice limit height of the tree. And in this case, the problem can be solved with the help of low, compact spherical trees, the care of which does not involve regular pruning.
Where do the balls come from?
Ball-shaped plants can be obtained artificially through regular haircuts using special templates and tools. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the biological characteristics of plants, since not all trees and shrubs respond positively to pruning.
The simplest and least painstaking way to become the owner of plant balls on your site is to plant trees and shrubs with a natural spherical crown, since caring for spherical varieties does not require much effort, like caring for formed plants. In nature, the ideal spherical shape of the crown is quite rare, and for central Russia the recommended range of spherical plants is quite insignificant, but selection does not stand still and every year there are more and more representatives of the flora with rounded shapes.
Carex morrowii "Ice Dance", Thuja occidentalis "Golden Globe", Salvia officinalis "Berggarten", Erica carnea
The influence of shape and texture on visual images
Depending on the growth rate of the branches, which is determined by the biological characteristics of the plant, spherical crowns can reach a diameter from several tens of centimeters to several meters. A feature of such plants is their small size compared to the original species, which is most pronounced in conifers.
The rounded crown of plants is formed due to a certain mutual arrangement of small shortened branches, the growth of which is directed from the center to the periphery. In this case, the development of the crown in the vertical and horizontal directions may not occur evenly, as a result of which the plant acquires a spherical, oval, horizontally or vertically flattened shape. If Bottom part The crown develops poorly, a hemispherical shape is formed, which, due to its resemblance to an umbrella, has the corresponding name - umbrella. It is most advisable to graft this form onto a standard.
For your information
When choosing plants from the catalog, pay attention to their species names: rounded shapes - spherical ( globosa), spherical ( globularis), spheroidal ( sphaeroidea), umbrella or hemispherical ( umbraculifera).
The visual perception of a rounded shape is enhanced by the density of the crown, which is caused by dense branching, densely spaced needles or openwork foliage. A loose crown, even if it has rounded outlines, will not create the impression of a dense ball or pillow. In addition, the texture of the ball depends on the appearance of the foliage or needles, so it is necessary to remove dried foliage and damaged branches that violate the strict shape of the crown and, naturally, spoil appearance. An important condition To obtain an ideal shape, uniform lighting is necessary, otherwise the crown may develop asymmetrically, which in this case will greatly reduce the decorativeness of the plant.
Abies lasiocarpa "Glauca compacta", Abies nordmanniana "Golden Spreader", Abies koreania "Schneeflocken", Abies procera "Glauca", Abies procera "Blaue Hexe", Picea pungens "Glauca globosa", Picea omorika "Peve Tijn", a Picea abies"Aureum" and a Picea glauca "Conica".
Balloons or plants on stems
Plants with spherical crowns can be standard or bush. The spherical crown appears most clearly in standard forms. As a result of using tall trunks as a rootstock for plants with a spherical crown, we will get a crown that will be similar to a ball, since the growth of the branches will not be limited in space, and they will develop evenly in all directions. If the grafting is made into the root collar, the soil level will limit the growth of the branches, and they will be directed vertically upward and horizontally to the sides, forming a hemisphere.
Evergreen balls
Spruce
Norway spruce (P.abies) « Little Gem"has a dwarf dense flat-rounded cushion-shaped crown with a nest-like depression in the center, reaches a height of up to 0.5 m. In most cases, the needles are light green in color, less often - gray-green. The needles are located on the shoots tightly to each other, forming small brushes. The peak of decorativeness of this variety occurs in the spring when bright green young growths bloom. In conditions of excessive moisture and strong shading, it can be damaged by fungal diseases; it is resistant to low temperatures, but can be damaged spring frosts. Due to its compact size, it is often used in container crops.
Norway spruce (P.abies) « Nidiformis"has a dense crown, which with age takes on a nest-like shape with a depression in the center, reaches 0.8–1.2 m in height and 1.3–2.5 m in diameter. The needles are bright green. The requirements for light, moisture and soil correspond to the species.
Prickly spruce ( P. pungens) « Glauca Globosa" refers to dwarf varieties, has a bluish coloring of the needles, the crown is a little loose, so it does not form a dense ball. Prefers in moderation fertile soils and well-lit places of growth, shaded during critical lunch hours (from 12-00 to 15-00), undemanding to care, resistant to low temperatures, tolerates city conditions well, but if the needles are heavily contaminated with dust and soot, it is necessary to irrigate the crown abundantly. Tolerates haircuts well. Used to create mini-gardens, mixborders, rock gardens, rockeries.
Canadian spruce or blue spruce ( P. glauca) « Echiniformis"characterized by a dense spherical or cushion-shaped crown with short bluish-green needles, reaches a height of 0.3–0.4 m. It grows slowly, prefers sunny areas, but the place for planting this plant must be chosen in such a way as to protect it from spring sunburn. It grows better on loose, fertile sandy loam soil, loves regular watering, but does not tolerate stagnant moisture.
Eastern spruce ( P. orientalis) « Professor Langner"also refers to dwarf varieties, the crown is very dense, grows slowly - 1–2 cm per year, reaches a height of up to 0.5 m. The needles are dark green with short needles. Prefers partial shade and is undemanding to soil and moisture.
Eastern spruce ( P. orientalis) « Bergman's Gem"At a young age, it has an elongated crown shape, which rounds over time and then becomes cushion-shaped. Reaches a height of 0.5–0.6 m and a diameter of 0.8–1.0 m. The needles are dark green, short, shiny. Prefers sun, but can grow in partial shade. The requirements for moisture and soil correspond to the species.
Canadian or gray spruce (P.glauca) « Alberta Globe"characterized by a slightly laterally flattened dense spherical crown and bright green needles, reaches a height of up to 1 m.
Pine
Scots pine (P. silvestris) « Watereri“- a small tree with a dense spherical or oval crown, which reaches a diameter of up to 3 m, like many pines, it is light-loving and undemanding to soil fertility and moisture. Resistant to low temperatures, but does not tolerate city conditions.
Mountain pine (P. mugo) « Mughus“, – the height of the crown of an adult plant reaches 3 m; the diameter is 4 m. The needles are dark green. Prefers sunny places. It is not picky about soil and grows in well-drained soils. Resistant to low temperatures and city conditions.
Mountain pine (P. mugo) « Gnom» has a dense rounded crown with dense branching and dark green needles. Reaches a height of 2 m and a diameter of 1.5 m. It is unpretentious to soils and resistant to drought, city conditions and low temperatures.
Mountain pine (P. mugo) « Benjamin"has a compact, dense crown with shiny green needles; in adulthood it reaches a height of 0.7 m and a diameter of 0.9 m. It grows on any soil, prefers sunny places. Does not tolerate soil compaction and salinity, as well as stagnant water.
Mountain pine (P. mugo) « Winter Gold"- a compact, dense, dwarf spherical shrub 1 m high and 1.5 m in diameter. This variety is famous for its color-changing needles: bright green in summer, bright yellow in autumn, and turns brown tint. Like all chameleons, it requires planting in well-lit areas. Grows well in any soil with good drainage.
Mountain pine "Wintergold"
Mountain pine (P. mugo) « Karstens Wintergold“- an even more compact and bright form compared to the previous one, also in the fall the color of the needles changes to bright yellow, in the winter it acquires an orange-copper color, by spring it becomes more golden and only turns green in the summer. Reaches up to 0.7 m in height and 1.2 m in diameter.
Mountain pine (P. mugo) « Ophir" will join the range of pine chameleons, this slow-growing dense ball reaches 0.8 m in height and 1 m in diameter. The summer bright green color of the needles deftly changes to the lemon color of autumn and then to the golden yellow of winter. Requires sun, regular watering and sprinkling.
Mountain pine (P. mugo) « Kissen"- a very dense dwarf shrub with a spherical crown, reaching up to 0.5 m in height and 0.5 m in diameter. Decorative effect enhanced by brown buds that crown the prickly cushion. Resistant to conditions in central and northern Russia. It is winter-hardy, drought-resistant and grows well on any soil. Insensitive to urban air pollution. Prefers a sunny location. Does not tolerate salinity and soil compaction.
Mountain pine (P. mugo) « Mops» among spherical dwarfs, it occupies a leading position in landscape design thanks to slow growth(reaches a height of 1.5 m and a diameter of 2 m) and resistance to almost any conditions. Grows on any soil, including wet and rocky.
Mountain pine (P. mugo) « Hana" - a miniature treasure among dwarf balls, reaches 0.5 m in height and 0.6 m in diameter. Loves the sun very much, grows well in poor, well-drained soils. Resistant to frost, drought, smoke and soot.
Thuja
Western thuja varieties ( Thuja occidentalis) They have a dense crown that holds its shape very well.
Thuja occidentalis " Danica" is the most popular variety, which is characterized by a beautiful dense spherical crown shape. Reaches a height of 0.5–0.6 m and a diameter of 0.8–1.0 m. It grows slowly, is photophilous, and tolerates partial shade. Prefers moist and fertile soils. An adult plant is resistant to frost, but it is recommended to cover young plantings during the first winter.
Thuja occidentalis " Globosa"has a rounded crown, reaching sizes of 1.0–1.2 m both in height and in diameter. The needles have shiny glands, light green in spring, green in summer. Winter-hardy.
Thuja occidentalis " Globosa Nana"has a compact spherical crown, reaches a height of up to 0.3 m. Prefers partial shade, does not tolerate dry air very well, loves abundant watering and is responsive to sprinkling of the crown.
Thuja occidentalis " Hetz Midget“at a young age it has the shape of an ideal ball, reaches a height of up to 1.0 m. Over time, the crown becomes loose and requires shaping cutting. Since the loose crown can fall apart from the snow, this variety needs to be tied up for the winter.
Thuja occidentalis " Woodwardii» – dwarf form with a wide-rounded crown. The height reaches 1.5–2.5 m, the diameter is up to 5 m. It can freeze slightly and is susceptible to spring sunburn.
Thuja occidentalis " Golden Globe" - Very decorative variety, the spherical crown is bordered by shoots with yellow tips, which turn slightly green in the summer and turn copper in the fall. It looks most impressive in a sunny area, because good lighting guarantees the declared color of the variety. Reaches a height of 1–1.2 m. Does not tolerate dry air well, needs regular watering and sprinkling of the crown.
Thuja occidentalis " Teddy"-an unusual variety with very thin shoots and needles, a dense, spherical crown. Grows very slowly, reaches maximum size 0.3 m in diameter. The color is bluish-green. Prefers sunny areas, tolerates light partial shade. Grows best in fertile, moist soils.
Thuja occidentalis " Tiny Tim"reaches a height of 0.5–1 m, a diameter of 1–1.5 m. It grows very slowly - at 10 years the height is 0.3 m, the diameter is 0.4 m. It is photophilous, prefers fresh, sufficiently moist fertile loams, Tolerates both dry soil and excess moisture. Frost-resistant.
Thuja occidentalis " Selena" - one of the new spherical varieties, original with unusual pistachio-colored needles. Dimensions reach up to 1.5 m. At a young age, shading from winter and spring sunburn is recommended. Can grow in both sun and partial shade. Prefers fresh, moist fertile loams without stagnant water.
Juniper
Chinese juniper ( Juniperus chinensis) « Globosa"has very beautiful pine needles, reaches sizes up to 1.0 m, prefers well-lit places and fresh fertile soils. Does not tolerate dry air well and may freeze as a result of exposure to sudden changes in low temperatures.
Deciduous balls
Thunberg's barberry (Berberis thunbergii) « Bagatelle"- a dwarf shrub with a spherical crown, reaches a height of about 25–30 cm. On young shoots, the leaves are dark pink; over time they acquire a purple color. Prefers alkaline soils, light-loving and drought-resistant.
Hawthorn unicornus ( Crataegus monogyna) « Compacta" is a shrub with a dense spherical crown, the height of which depends on the height of the trunk on which it is grafted. Prefers sunny areas with light shade during lunch hours. The plant is undemanding to soil fertility, prefers regular and abundant watering, and is resistant to low temperatures.
Common cherry (Cerasus vulgaris) « Umbraculifera"(hemispherical) - has a compact crown, the height of the plant depends on the height of the rootstock; when grown on a trunk, it sometimes forms an umbrella-shaped crown. Prefers well-lit areas, light loamy or sandy loam soils. Drought-resistant, undemanding to moisture, resistant to low temperatures. Cherry fruits are edible. Used in gardens of various styles and directions.
Bush or steppe cherry ( S. fruticosa) « Globosa"characterized by a small spherical crown, the diameter of which reaches up to 2 m. It grows from Central Europe to Siberia. It is especially decorative during flowering, since it blooms before the leaves bloom. Prefers sunny areas, well-drained fresh or wet soils, requires protection from the wind.
Rough elm ( Ulmus scabra) « Nana» – forms a dense dwarf regular spherical crown; accordingly, the height of the trunk should be harmoniously combined with the diameter of the crown, which usually does not exceed 2 m. It prefers sunny areas or light partial shade, grows well on fertile, moist soils, does not tolerate drought, and tolerates urban conditions. In winter, young shoots may freeze.
English oak ( Quercus robustus) « Umbraculifera» – a tree with a uniformly spherical crown, prefers fertile soils, well-lit places, does not tolerate waterlogging. Resistant to drought and frost, often affected by powdery mildew.
Brittle willow ( Salix fragilis) « Bullata"has a unique crown, as if consisting of several balls. Reaches a height of up to 6 m. Requirements for growing conditions correspond to the biological characteristics of the species - light-loving, prefers wet clay soils, frost-resistant, branches are brittle. It looks most impressive in plantings along the banks of reservoirs, streams and rivers.
Purple willow ( S. purpurea) « Nana"forms a dense, spherical crown up to 2 m in diameter with thin flexible shoots covered with elongated leaves. The plant is fast growing, annual growth is 25 cm. It grows better on loose, fertile, moist soil, but does not tolerate stagnant water; it should be planted on sunny places. In winter it may freeze slightly, but then recovers; Standard plants are especially vulnerable. In winter, it is advisable to tie the plant. Because under the influence of snow the crown can fall apart.
Catalpa bignoniiaceae ( Catalpa bignonioides) « Umbraculifera» – a small tree with a spherical compact crown 3–5 m in diameter. The height of the plant depends on the height of the trunk. Over time, the crown becomes more oval in horizontal section and takes on an umbrella shape. It grows slowly. Prefers a sunny location or light partial shade. Tolerates drought and urban air pollution well. Grows best in moist soils. In winter it may freeze.
Norway maple or sycamore ( Acer platanoides) « Globosa" - another famous rounded representative flora, the crown of which becomes more elongated in the horizontal direction with age and reaches a diameter of 6–8 m. Among the shrub maples, up to 5 m high, there is a very interesting Norway maple “ Golden Globe", which has not only a spherical crown, but also golden foliage throughout the summer. Special attention deserves maple " Rubra Globosa"with purple foliage. These forms prefer sunny areas or partial shade, as well as loose, nutritious soils. Resistant to drought and frost. Also noteworthy in this category of spherical trees is the field maple (A. campestre) " Compacta", Trautvetter's maple (A. trautvetteria) " Ovalis" and red maple (A.rubrum) " Globosum».
Horse chestnut ( Aesculus hippocastanum) « Umbraculifera» forms an even spherical crown. It reaches a height of 5–7 m. The dwarf form of chestnut “Pumila”, grafted onto a trunk, looks most impressive. Chestnuts grow well on sunny areas or in light partial shade. Prefer fertile soils. Resistant to low temperatures.
Robinia pseudoacacia ( Robinia pseudoacacia) « Bessoniana"forms an openwork crown slightly elongated in horizontal section; the variety "Umbraculifera" is distinguished by its smaller size and slightly hanging ends of the branches. Photophilous. It is undemanding to soil, drought-resistant, and freezes in severe winters.
Spiraea japonica ( Spiraea japonica) « Little Princess"- a compact shrub with a dense cushion-shaped crown up to 0.6 m high and up to 1.2 m wide. It is highly decorative during flowering (June - July), when pale pink inflorescences crown the ends of the shoots. Prefers fresh, fertile soil. Photophilous, can tolerate light shade. To maintain the shape of the bush, old and weakened branches are removed in the spring. Winter hardiness is high. Stable in urban environments.
Common or tall ash ( Fraxinus excelsior) « Globosa“forms a spherical crown, the delicacy of which is due to pinnately complex leaves with small leaf blades. Prefers a sunny location. Prefers fertile, moist soils that are not subject to salinization and compaction. May be damaged by spring frosts.
Of course, the range of spherical trees and shrubs is not limited to the species and varieties given as examples. Every year new wonders appear on the plant market, and scissors and pruners in skillful hands bring the natural form to the desired perfection.
Natalya Vysotskaya, candidate s. -X. Sciences, landscape designer
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