Biological features of sea buckthorn
Sea buckthorn is a small shrub that nevertheless produces an extremely rich harvest throughout the season of beautiful, ripe oval-shaped fruits with shades ranging from orange to yellow. It is a real storehouse of vitamins and minerals - for this, many summer residents are engaged in its cultivation. Let's figure out how the biological features of sea buckthorn exist in order to know what we will have to deal with in the future.
The shrub belongs to the so-called dioecious plants, i.e. flowers with female and male sex characteristics are located on different plants, and not together. On average, there are up to seven female specimens per one or two male plants.
The biological feature of sea buckthorn is that the roots of the plant lack hairs, so they can be considered naked. They differ in thick size, rope-like, looseness and length, imperfect strength - they are easily torn when damaged, due to the low level of development of mechanical tissue. Usually, the roots of sea buckthorn are not too deep - their location, as a rule, is close to the soil surface. Hence, the rule grows not to dig deep sea buckthorn around the trunk circles. In the area of lateral roots, often in the branching nodes, nodule formations arise, thanks to which the soil receives such an important element for its functioning as nitrogen.
The biological features of sea buckthorn also consist in the fact that the berry has a whorled branching of the shoots, the buds are defined as mixed, they also contribute to the appearance of both new shoots and flowers. Flowering period sea buckthorn falls around mid-May. First of all, flowers begin to appear at the base of the shoot, being densely, almost closely to each other along the entire length of the branch. It may somewhat resemble an ear of corn. The first flowers, as a rule, are small in size, still without petals, especially inconspicuous, with perianths of brown or greenish shades. Collectively, they are multi-spike short inflorescences. Male flowers have, on average, four stamens located in the axils of the scales. There are also oblong anthers on short stamen filaments - their function is to throw a significant amount of pollen into the air, which is subsequently carried by wind currents. Female flowers bear only one pistil each, characterized by a long stigma that protrudes from the perianth, and a short column with a single upper link. There are female flowers in the area of the sinuses of the scales, they are represented by three-flowered inflorescences.
Until the moment of fruiting, it is rather difficult to distinguish female from male seedlings. The only sure sign is that, unlike female specimens, males are distinguished by stronger growth. As for the general values of plant sizes, male shrubs at the age of two years can reach values such as 90 or 120 centimeters; the limits of women are about 80 and 108 centimeters. In order for the plants to grow correctly and their development does not slow down, competent high agricultural technology should be used. With its lack and / or imperfection, the sexual characteristics of sea buckthorn appear only in the fifth or sixth year of development, while observing the proper level, the result can be expected already in the fourth. Male specimens differ from female ones in that they have large buds with covering scales, of which there are a sufficient number. The buds sit almost closely, extremely close together on thick annual shoots.As for the female seedlings, their shoots are quite thin, the buds are much smaller, and, in turn, are covered only with a couple of scales.
It should be remembered that in the event of temperature fluctuations, there is the possibility that berries, albeit small in size, will appear on the male shrubs. They are located singly, not grouping, in different parts of the crown and, unfortunately, give seeds of an extremely unpresentable look.
The biological characteristics of sea buckthorn berries can be characterized as drupes with a juicy pericarp. Inside the drupe, an ovoid seed is formed, oblong, with grooves on both sides. The color can range from light brown to completely black. The seed usually makes up about 11% of the total weight of the fruit.
Also, from the biological characteristics of sea buckthorn, its photophilousness can be distinguished, therefore, when planting, an open space should be provided, where the sun's rays will always fall. Best of all, sea buckthorn takes root on sandy loam soils, in turn, heavy clay soils are unfavorable. Despite the fact that, in principle, sea buckthorn tolerates low temperatures well, in winter the kidneys are often exposed to freezing. Closer to October, severe cold weather can damage the bark of those plants that have not yet prepared for the winter season.
It is logical that the harvest also depends on the amount of precipitation, rainfall, as well as the average daily temperature. Be especially careful during the dry season and do not be lazy to water the sea buckthorn in order to prevent its death. and always take into account the biological characteristics of sea buckthorn when growing.
One way or another, following the recommendations, you can grow this generous shrub healthy and consistently fruitful. Observe the sea buckthorn in the development process, find out the biological characteristics of the sea buckthorn, mark the necessary signs in order to determine exactly which specimen you got, male or female. A little practice and you will become the real experts in this matter.
