A few words about hawthorn
Hawthorn is a multi-stem plant with a height of up to 6-8 meters. The Latin name crataegus is derived from the Greek cratas, which in translation means "strong, strong."The genus of hawthorn has more than 1200 species, of which about 15 are popular in Russia. All of them are tree-like shrubs or small trees with shiny thorns. The crown is dense and rounded with purple-red shoots.
Preserve the decorative appearance almost all the time of vegetation thanks to white flowers, which are often collected in the inflorescences of the corymboid form, and their maximum size is up to 3 centimeters;large, edible berries with a color ranging from bright red to orange-yellow;elegant leaves, which have a green color in the summer, and in the fall they acquire red-orange shades.
Types of hawthorn, popular in Russia
As already mentioned, in Russia only some species of hawthorn are popular. Many people make with their help the planting of a country plot with their own hands. For example, they plant a hedge of hawthorn.
- Hawthorn softish - has the largest( more than other species) ovoid leaves, fruits with five bones, shoots of dark green color with spines up to 9 centimeters, forms the crown - spherical and wide.
- Siberian hawthorn or else it is called blood-red - a tree with a maximum height of 4 meters. Fructifies approximately 10-15 years. Fruits are blood-red, leaves are ovate, spines are sometimes absent. It was this kind of hawthorn I. Michurin used for the process of hybridization with rowan. The result was a pomegranate ryadin.
- Common, smooth or prickly hawthorn is a tree with a height of 3-5 meters. Leaves are shiny bright green, flowers are pink or white, fruits have 2-3 bones, branches are reddish or olive, small spines, bark gray.
- Hawthorn terrible - grows usually on the slopes and along the banks of rivers. Has brown-red fruit, numerous long spines up to 8 centimeters.
- Hawthorn fan-shaped - is a multi-barrel tree, having a height of up to 6 meters, with curved spines up to 5-6 centimeters and upward branches. Fruits, as a rule, contain a yellowish flesh with three to five ossicles, leaves are triangular or ovate.
- Hawthorn black - a shrub or small tree with sharp-toothed, ovoid leaves, spines up to 1 centimeter, black fruit with mealy yellow flesh and four to five ossicles.
- one-part hawthorn - a shrub or small tree with small dark green leaves, red-brown spines up to 1 centimeter, red fruits with 1 stone. They are characterized by rapid growth and unpretentiousness to the conditions.
A hedge of hawthorn, how to plant?
Young seedlings( maximum 3-6 years) are usually chosen for planting, as they settle down much better. Under the landing make a solid trench depth of about 6 meters. The width of the trench directly depends on the number of expected rows. If 1 row, then the width is 50 centimeters, 2 rows - about 100 centimeters. Soil must meet the necessary requirements for fertility and acidity. If it does not comply, then procedures are carried out for liming the soil.
A complex fertilizer is laid on the bottom of the trench. An approximate calculation of 60-80 g per 1 m2.After that, it is filled with a composition of humus, sand, peat. When forming a solid fence( a dense "green wall"), the seedlings are placed at a distance from each other from 0.8 to 1.2 m in one row. If, conversely, the type of free-growing shrubs is important, then you can plant them at a distance of 1-2 m from each other.
The most beautiful in the decorative plan is the trellis fence. For this, the trees are planted at a distance of 20-30 centimeters from each other. An important condition for such a hedge is the use of 1-2-year-old seedlings and a temporary fence with horizontal poles at an appropriate height of 30, 40 or 50 centimeters.