Chinese prinsepea

Chinese prinsepea - This plant is also known by names such as flat-seed or prickly cherry. It is a thorny bush that has thin branches, more like elongated twigs - the average length is from two to three meters. This deciduous shrub, natural habitat is the Far East. In general, the plant belongs to a rather rare culture of the relict type, which existed even more than fifty million years ago. There is an assumption that the prickly cherry is the direct progenitor of modern representatives of stone fruit crops, especially those belonging to the Pink family, but this is just an assumption, since in general it can be based only on some features of the external characteristics of planting. The life span of a plant is about half a century, and during this time it can really surprise the gardener himself a lot.

The peculiarity of the prinsepeia is as follows: if it touches branches or the trunk of other trees, then it begins to branch around them. This leads to the appearance of a new bush formation. Also, the uniqueness of the prinsepea lies in the fact that it is the only food plant for some species of butterflies, which belong to the rare family of bluebirds. In this article, we will dwell in more detail on the description of the features of this plant and its most striking characteristics.

Prinsepea Chinese description

Prinsepea Chinese is a plant that is grown primarily as a fruit crop. It has not only decorative characteristics, but also some medicinal properties and effects. In general, gardeners characterize the precipea as a beautiful plant that can be used both in single and in group plantings in landscape design, garden and park architecture, or simply to decorate a backyard and create incredibly attractive accents on the terrain.

Also prinsepeya fits perfectly into hedges, and becomes their main character. The plant tolerates pruning and transplanting well, without experiencing any stress that could affect its external properties and characteristics. You can also use the Prinsepea to prevent wind and water erosion, which sometimes forms on slopes and slopes, as well as in areas where the soil was initially uneven or damaged. Also, the Chinese prinsepea is also a wonderful honey plant, so it attracts pollinating insects. It can visibly strengthen the soil, so it is very popular with flower growers.

The growing season for the plant begins quite early - the first leaves are formed at the very beginning of April. By its external characteristics, the plant most of all resembles peach leaves, their front side is matte, has a dark green color, but below the leaves are lighter, their surface shines slightly, like a gloss.

In the summer, the leaves become a little lighter, most of all in color they resemble a herbaceous shade, but when autumn comes, the leafy part of the planting is painted in an incredibly bright, yellow, ocher color, which looks just great, and because of which the plant turns out to be very decorative most of its life cycle. When flowering begins, and this time falls in the second decade of April to the beginning of May, rather small yellow flowers form on the stems, from which an incredibly attractive delicate aroma emanates.Flowers alone can scatter along the crown, or tassels can form, which include from two to eight flowers. Since the plant belongs to the category of self-fertile, it needs additional help in pollination. For this, the grower additionally plants two to three copies of the prinsepia nearby. This should also be taken into account in the case when the florist is planting prinsepia as a fruit shrub, since group plantings have their own characteristics in planting and subsequent care.

Further, fruits can form on the plant - they are edible, have a bright red color, but yellow fruits are also found. In shape, they are more reminiscent of drupe cherries, the size of the fruit reaches two centimeters. The fruits ripen around the second half of August, and then they can be harvested and eaten. Fruits differ in that they have juicy pulp, which can be sour to taste, and can be sweetish. Also, in general, the taste characteristics are very similar to the taste characteristics of cherries, but prinsepia fruits contain a large amount of vitamin C and vitamin R. Even though the fruits are not very large, and most of them are seeds, flower growers and gardeners use them as not just tasty, but also a very healthy food product. Fruits can be dried, you can make jam or jam, jelly or jam, a variety of drinks, including compotes and juices. All of them will be very useful both for an adult and for the smallest lover of sweet and healthy food from their own personal plot.

Prinsepea fruits have not only a tonic, but also an invigorating effect, therefore they are recommended to be used when a person is experiencing general physical weakness, severe fatigue. Also, the fruits of prinsepia are great for increasing a person's working capacity. They have a great effect on the functions of the liver and kidneys, and can help with eye diseases. There are also contraindications - allergic reactions, individual intolerance, increased acidity of gastric juice, which in no case should be increased by eating fruits in which the content of vitamin C is high.

Prinsepia seeds are a valuable raw material. Thanks to them, you can get vegetable fatty oil, which contains about 70% linoleic and linolenic acid, and they are really very nutritious and useful. In folk medicine, seeds are an ingredient for the manufacture of remedies for muscle pain and joint pain, and against rheumatism. In the east, you can also use the oil for massage, it has a warming, relaxing and calming effect.

Prinsepea chinese breeding

As for reproduction, the Chinese prinsepea reproduces in a vegetative way, for this you can use layers and shoots, as well as cuttings. Plus, the seeds are also great for breeding. In order for the plant to demonstrate the maximum of its decorative effect, it is also worth taking care of the place where the bush will be planted. This is usually a fairly sunny and well-lit place, as well as light shading. The site can be moderately moist, the soil is light and nutritious, it is good for air and moisture. The plant is distinguished by the fact that it tolerates severe frosts or sudden temperature changes very well, it is able to withstand even very severe winters and temperature drops to -35 degrees, while absolutely not needing additional shelter measures. With regard to drought resistance, in this regard, the plant also has a very high chance of surviving even in less favorable conditions. It can grow in slightly shaded areas, but its fruiting can be noticeably reduced, and this is worth paying attention to.Seedlings are usually sent outdoors in the spring, from about April to May. Planting pits are prepared in advance, their diameter should be about sixty centimeters, and a drainage layer is installed at the bottom of the pit. The soil itself is filled with organic fertilizers, prinsepia especially well tolerates the presence of organic components such as humus and compost.

Prinsepea Chinese care

As for the care, it mainly consists of timely and moderate watering of planting, in loosening the soil, removing weeds, and pruning. Pruning can be of two types - sanitary, which is mandatory, and decorative, which can be organized if the plant needs it. Fruiting can begin when the seedling is three or four years old. At the same time, by the age of six or seven years, fruits can be harvested from one bush, the harvest reaches ten kilograms, if the gardener has observed all the necessary rules of agricultural technology. If the plant reproduces with the help of seeds, then flowering and fruiting may occur a little later - these events are shifted by one or two years, since prinsepia takes more time to form and accumulate enough strength for this.

Outcome

Due to the fact that the natural territories in which the prinsepias live are very actively cultivated and mastered by the person himself, and also due to the fact that the level of restoration of its plantings in a natural, seed way is very small, the culture was on the verge of extinction. Unfortunately, everything is human guilt. Today this culture is very little known, sometimes it can be found on personal plots or on private estates, and there it grows like an exotic plant. But it is also worth focusing on the fact that the plant practically does not lend itself to attacks from dangerous insects and is quite resistant to common diseases dangerous for crops. It is absolutely nothing more than coccomycosis or moniliosis, and also does not fall into the category of crops that are damaged due to clusterosporiosis. This quality plays an important role in its further cultivation and popularization, and gardeners are indeed showing more and more interest in cultivating the plant in different climatic regions and zones. At the same time, breeders are involved who channel all their knowledge and strength in order to create new, promising varieties of Chinese prinsepia. Thus, planting and caring for a plant lends itself even to those who do not have much experience in growing this crop. Gardeners appreciate prinsepia, try to protect it and find new ways to care for the planting, so that the results only multiply, become more meaningful and decorative. In general, culture is widespread today, and in many ways it is universal, which also makes it so widespread and meaningful.