Scumpia

Scumpia - a fairly popular and well-known representative of the sumach family, which can often be found in parks and gardens. This tree is classified as a deciduous shrub, and it is found most often in areas where the climate is temperate and constant, for example, in central Eurasia or in the east of North America. The genus of Scumpia is very few in number, and if you have this phrase characterized with ten, maybe five species, then you are completely wrong. In fact, Skumpia combines only two types. By the way, Skumpia has another name that you have hardly heard before. It was given to this plant by a French breeder. And this name is "cotinus". What is this word, you ask. This is the name of an olive growing in the territory of ancient Greece. Unfortunately, today it is not possible to find this tree, but he managed to perpetuate his memory in Scumpia. By the way, this plant is not only decorative and is used in industry. It is used to obtain a substance from which a natural dye for wool is made, which, by the way, is distinguished by its amazing quality and distinctive properties. Most often, scumpia is red or orange. However, this is not the only industrial use of Scumpia. You may also have encountered its wood in various toys or crafts. Thanks to its unusual color and very good properties that allow it to be very durable, the wood of this particular tree has become so common. However, we, of course, will not talk about these functions of Scumpia, but about those that interest us, gardeners and florists, namely, about its beauty and decorativeness. After all, it's not for nothing that Scumpia is so common in public parks.

Features of the Scumpia plant

If we are talking about an ordinary natural non-hybrid scumpia, then its following characteristics should be noted: first, its height. In height, this tree reaches from one and a half meters to three meters. There are, however, exceptions, the trunk of which, together with the crown, rises as much as five meters above the ground, but to achieve such results, a huge amount of feeding and ideal conditions are needed, which, unfortunately, are far from always possible to provide. The bark is painted in a rather unusual color, which can be described as burgundy brown. The stems also come in different colors, which depends, for the most part, on the age of each individual cuttings. The older they are, the redder they become. The stems, by the way, contain milky sap, which oozes out of the tree when broken. Unfortunately, there is no useful use for it in the household. The leaves are often very simple yet attractive in shape. It is oval, and along the entire length of the leaf plate, thin veins, painted in the color of the stem, are distributed. But the leaf plates themselves can be found exclusively painted in wine-red shades. However, the crowns of Skumpii become especially beautiful in the fall, when all the leaves are transformed and acquire a very rich purple tint. By the way, this plant also has small flowers.By themselves, they are not of interest, but when these babies gather in large inflorescences, you can really admire them. These inflorescences have a candle-like shape, and reach up to a third of a meter in length. For the first time, small buds of this tree begin to bloom in June, however, depending on the weather, the onset of this date can drag on right up to July. On top of all the red that already covers it plant "From head to toe", during flowering, beautiful red peduncles appear, on which the first petals will soon bloom. Of course, where there are flowers, there are fruits, and Scumpia, of course, has them. The fruits are small berries that turn black as they ripen. It is worth talking about the life span of the tree. After its first flowering, Skumpia, practically without losing its decorative qualities, may well live up to a hundred years.

How to plant Skumpia in open ground?

The rules for planting this plant in open ground differ depending on many conditions, some of which many inexperienced gardeners may not foresee due to their ignorance. However, we will try to list absolutely all the nuances and points that seem unobvious, so that you definitely do not have any problems with growing this tree.

When to plant Skumpia

Let's talk first about the most successful option: about planting a Scumpia with a closed root system. If you bought just such a sprout, then you will not have to bother at all, because you can plant it absolutely at any time of the year, except, of course, during the cold season (for obvious reasons). However, even here there are a couple of points that must be discussed. First of all, it should be said that Scumpia is a plant whose growing season lasts a treacherously long, and therefore, if you plant it in the late months of autumn, there is a great chance that the tree simply will not have time to adapt to new conditions and, as a result, will not survive the winter. Naturally, we need to avoid this by all means, and therefore, if you choose autumn for planting, you need to make sure that it takes place exclusively in September-October. Another problem is planting a seedling in late spring. The problem here looms completely the opposite, since the plant may well be destroyed by the excessive heat with which summer will meet it. Therefore, choosing spring, you should plant Skumpia exclusively in its first months, so that the tree meets the hot days of summer with a root system that is strong and ready for testing. As for the site, it should be spacious enough. It is also very important to make sure that a sufficiently large amount of sunlight falls on Skumpia, and the sunny day itself lasts at least half a day. However, the brightness of the sun's rays is still not the primary factor, and therefore the tree can be grown in a little shade. Having completed all the previous points of the plan, having chosen the place and time of planting, it is time to start preparing or buying soil. If you are going to purchase it, then you just have to come to the store and the seller himself will recommend you the most suitable one. However, for those who prefer to do everything with their own hands and trust only themselves, we have prepared instructions for preparing the soil mixture. First of all, it must be sufficiently water and air permeable. This point is incredibly important, since Skumpia simply cannot stand moisture stagnation in its area. Also, the soil should be neutral. But these are ideal conditions, which are completely optional, although desirable. Simply put, in the absence of these factors, the plant will not die, however, if they are present, it will feel much better and will take root much faster in a new place. By the way, when choosing a place, it is worth taking care that it is not located on a natural lowland.In this case, after the rains, a huge amount of water will inevitably accumulate around the root system of the Scumpia, which, as you already know, is destructive for this tree.

Landing features

The most important thing is that the landing cannot be done spontaneously. It is imperative to prepare for this procedure in advance, both for you and the seedling. Speaking directly about him, the seedling twenty-four hours before planting must be removed from their temporary storage in which they were purchased and placed their rhizome in water. After the washing procedure is over, the roots must be very carefully examined for any physical damage. If you find them, then you should immediately remove the damaged particles of the roots and process the cut sites so that the infection does not penetrate into the Scumpia through them. It also does not hurt to treat the entire root system with some kind of fungicide. This will be extremely useful, since at first the plant will be very susceptible to all kinds of diseases and will not be able to resist them. Therefore, it is better to play it safe. On the day of planting, the soil in which you will plant Skumpia does not need to be fertilized. This is done only after a few weeks, when the plant takes root well and puts its strong roots into the ground. However, something is added to the landing hole, and that is water. You will need it at least twenty liters. After pouring out, wait until it is completely absorbed. When the water is absorbed, it is necessary to pour a little more soil on top so that a small hill is formed on which we will plant our tree. After you carefully spread the roots over the entire area of ​​this mound, they will need to be very carefully, trying not to damage, sprinkle with earth. After the earth fills the hole to the brim, it will need to be compacted and refilled. So this procedure is repeated two times (maximum - three). It is also important to observe how much above the ground the root collar of the Scumpia rises. If it is less than twenty to thirty millimeters, then a small moat should be created around it. This will allow the plant to "breathe" better and adapt much faster to a completely new environment for itself.

How to care for Skumpia?

In fact, Skumpia is far from the plant that will squeeze all the juices out of you with its impossible demands and whims. It is quite easy to care for him, however, it is no less simple and to ruin this glorious tree, if you do not follow the simplest instructions. So, the first thing you need to know is that the tree needs not only regular, but also abundant watering. This is especially true for young Scumpia, which have just been planted in the ground. As for older individuals, they need to be watered much less often. However, still, no less abundant. Although, we advise you to consult with more experienced gardeners in this matter, because the amount of water required for a tree directly depends on its size. However, whether Scumpia is enough moisture or not, you can determine by sight. If the soil does not dry out for too long, then there is too much moisture. If it dries out too quickly, it means too little. It's simple. If you gradually change the amount of watering, relying on soil moisture, you will soon be able to reach the golden mean. An equally important procedure, which, by the way, can greatly simplify the process of caring for this stunning tree, is mulching. It is recommended to do it in the summer, when the first hot rays begin to fall on your garden. Not only will mulch prevent moisture from leaving the soil inopportunely, but it is also just an excellent protection against weeds. The next item in our instructions is fertilizers. They are very necessary for adult skumpia, and therefore at the very beginning of the growing season they simply need to be provided with nitrogen-based feeding.This is especially true for situations when poor soil prevails on your site. In this case, Scumpia may not receive enough substances naturally, and fertilizers are the only way to get lush flowering and beautiful leaves from the tree. The exact opposite situation, however, is observed if your site has very rich soil. In this case, additional feeding can lead to oversaturation of the tree, which, of course, we do not want. This means that feeding should be moderate or, if you want to avoid any problems, there should be none at all.

Pruning

As already mentioned, Skumpia is an extremely unpretentious plant, and it treats pruning in the same way as watering or feeding. Simply put, this should be done, but mistakes, fortunately, are not punishable by the death of a tree. So, speaking of pruning, it must be, firstly, regular, and secondly, thorough. Speaking of regularity, you need to carry out the procedure no more than once every two years. Depending on different conditions, the amount of trim needed can either drop to one in three years a year, or rise to one in a year. At first glance, it may seem difficult to determine when a plant needs pruning and when not. However, believe me, in a couple of years you will learn how to accurately determine this, and if you consult with a more experienced mentor in advance, even your first pruning will be done exceptionally on time and exceptionally correctly. Speaking of correctness, it should be indicated how exactly the trimming procedure is carried out. For its successful implementation, you will need, first of all, to remove all old and diseased branches. Do not forget that it is imperative to treat the cut with a fungicide and wipe it with charcoal in order to avoid the appearance of diseases. If we talk about young branches that are not sick with anything, they also need to be cut up to a third of the original length. This is done to make it easier for Skumpia to survive the winter. If you follow these simple rules, then you can achieve simply amazing results, and your Scumpia will be so magnificent that anyone entering your garden will definitely admire.

Flowering scumpia

Of course, this tree reaches the peak of its beauty and decorativeness during the flowering period. If you have not yet seen how the color of the scumpia, then you immediately need to look at it. We assure you that you will definitely get a lasting impression. Everything, already painted in scarlet tones, the plant is covered with crimson-red peduncles, which in appearance resemble fluff or real sea corals. By the way, there is very good news for those who live in the middle latitudes of our country. The fact is that if the conditions during the year were favorable enough, and the weather was warm, there is a great chance that Scumpia will not just bloom, but will bloom twice. The first bloom will occur in May, but the second - in the middle of summer. Although the second will last much less than the first, isn't the very opportunity to observe such a wonderful phenomenon twice a year wonderful?

Diseases and pests of scumpia

Of course, no matter how wonderful Scumpia is, he will always have enemies. And we are not talking about angry gardeners who consider it disgusting, but all kinds of bacteria and viruses, which, if their will, would eat your entire garden. Therefore, we will teach you how to protect your tree from the microscopic (and macroscopic) hordes. However, if you take good care of Skumpia, the likelihood that any pests can harm her tends to zero. The fact is that the immunity of this plant is very strong in itself, and if it is provided with better conditions, fungi and bacteria have no chance. However, the problem still remains and its name is insects.Unfortunately, protecting yourself from them is not such an easy task, however, fortunately, aphids and spider mites, which absolutely everyone has in the garden, and which are the main misfortune for any plants, do not show interest in Scumpia. Exceptionally rare species of insects prefer to eat it, which, however, are very noticeable, and you can get rid of them with the help of absolutely any insecticide.

How to shelter Skumpia for the winter?

It is especially important to protect Skumpia from winter cold and blizzards if the bushes are young and not yet strong enough. In this case, the first thing you will need to do is fill the root collar and the area around it with mulch. Thus, you will prevent hypothermia of the most important organ of the plant - the root. By the way, such a procedure will be useful for the old individual, since their root system, although much stronger, is still no less sensitive than that of young trees. After the mulch is laid in the necessary places, you can proceed to the next stages of protection, which already relate exclusively to the newly planted Skumpia. It is necessary to tie a young bush with spruce branches, however, many experts suggest instead completely covering the tree with some kind of woven material. If you are sure that the branches of the tree will withstand such a load, we advise you to resort to the second method in view of its special reliability.

How to care for Skumpia in the suburbs.

In addition to the fact that when growing this tree in the Moscow region, it is necessary to pay great attention to many procedures and operations, you need to take a very responsible approach to the very choice of a plant. Although there are only two species of Sumpia, they include a fairly large number of varieties, some of which are completely unsuitable for this region, and some of which are simply ideal for it. Also, do not forget how severe winters are in the Moscow region, and therefore good protection from frost is the second thing you should definitely take care of when growing Scumpia in this region.

As for the basic instructions and rules, we have listed them below in an abbreviated version so that you definitely do not miss anything important and can start working with complete confidence.

First of all, as we have already mentioned, you will need to take care of buying a variety that tolerates cold very well. Fortunately, they are not difficult to find, and you won't have any problems with the purchase.

If you buy a seedling in a nursery, then you should check with the seller how many winters your chosen bush has survived. The most optimal number of winters will be two, but in the absence of a choice, it is quite possible to buy the sprout that survived only one.

When choosing a planting site, great attention must be paid to weeds and the winds blowing through this place. The fact is that both of these factors can ruin your operation to grow Scumpia in the Moscow region in the bud.

For the first two or three winters, completely covering the Scumpia seedlings with a special canvas is a mandatory procedure, which is not recommended for the crane. Of course, in addition to covering, it is also necessary to mulch with humus, which will radiate heat and warm the roots during the frost period.

Speaking about the decorativeness that you will be able to achieve by growing Scumpia in the Moscow region, one cannot fail to mention that, unfortunately, you will have to sacrifice the burgundy color of the leaves, for which some gardeners love this plant so much. The fact is that those varieties that have green foliage are distinguished by the greatest winter hardiness. If a prerequisite for growing Scumpia on your site is its stunning purple foliage, then you will have to be prepared for the fact that during the winter your tree will receive huge injuries that are not visible to the eye.They will occur inside the tree and, unfortunately, will not allow it to bloom as brightly and luxuriantly as you would like it to. Of course, this can be avoided, but for this you will have to use twice as reliable protection against cold weather, which, of course, is two more difficult and costly. Although, in fact, if immediately after the end of the cold weather, you provide the Skumpia with better care, a large amount of water and heat, then the damage it received during the winter can be completely leveled. However, we believe that it is much easier to buy a more frost-resistant variety, with which you do not have to bother at all. In addition, the foliage in any case will have a more or less pronounced purple hue, so the choice is yours.

Reproduction of scumpia

Different gardeners and breeders have different views about which method is the best for breeding scumpia. Someone is an adherent of the seed method, and someone is a vegetative one. However, we believe that you should not indulge someone else's opinion, but choose only the method that suits you. Indeed, propagating a plant in an unloved way, given that the process is protracted, you in any case will spend much more energy and nerves.

Growing from seeds

Beginners should immediately be told that this task is far from easy, but therefore: if for some reason you wanted to grow Scumpia from seeds: we, nevertheless, advise you to change your mind. However, if you consider yourself an experienced gardener enough to crank up such a complex procedure, then the following instruction is for you. So, first of all, of course, you will need seeds. They are collected three to four months before the direct disembarkation, and all because: they necessarily need stratification. If you are really experienced, then you know that this procedure involves storing the seeds at a fairly low temperature (about four degrees Celsius) for a long time. However, even this is not all that the seeds need before planting. The fact is that their shell is very, very hard, and the chances that without outside help the sprout will be able to break through it is extremely small. Of course, several sprouts will appear, but the germination rate will be so low that there will simply not be any desire to do this further. Therefore, before stratification, it is necessary to carry out another procedure with a very similar name: scarification. It may seem that it will only harm the seeds, because for its implementation they are immersed in sulfuric acid for as much as twenty minutes, however, believe me, this procedure has already been tested by hundreds of specialists and it exclusively helps a plant with a thick shell in the seeds. Nevertheless, it is vital to observe safety, and therefore the dive is carried out exclusively with gloves.

On the other hand, if you are going to sow the seeds right after you have harvested them, stratification may not be necessary. Thanks to winter frosts, they will pass it right in the soil. However, if you intend to sow seeds in the spring, then you should choose the correct planting period. And it will turn out to be the middle of spring - the very beginning of summer. After this operation, you will see your seeds again, however, already germinated, only after a year.

Cuttings

Propagation by cuttings is a much simpler and recommended method for beginners. It can be carried out even if your knowledge and skills in gardening are not so great. To do this, you will need, first of all, to prepare material for growing in advance. Of course, as the name of the method suggests, this material will be young cuttings. It is advisable to collect them in June, when the first flowering of Scumpia begins. After that, for the next night, the freshly harvested stalk is immersed in a Heteroauxin solution. In the morning it will already be possible to plant it. However, this is done in the morning, not in the evening.Otherwise, engraftment and rooting may not occur. Speaking of planting, it should be mentioned that it is far from as simple as in the case of seeds. Instead of simply planting the cutting in the soil, a separate container is selected for it with a special soil mixture of the following composition: peat, sand and turf in equal proportions. The most important procedure for a cutting growing in such conditions is airing, and therefore it is strictly forbidden to neglect it. After twenty days of cultivation, you will be able to observe the appearance of roots in a young sprout, but it is important to know that not all of them will germinate. Statistics show that only thirty percent of the shoots take root, and therefore, in order to be guaranteed to plant at least one in your garden, you will need to pick up at least ten cuttings. However, given that it takes less than a month for roots to emerge, this statistic seems to be quite benign.

Layering method

Perhaps this method is the simplest, and even a person who is completely far from gardening can certainly cope with it. Its essence lies in the fact that several plant stems are taken and bent to the ground. After that, on its outer side, it will be necessary to make a small longitudinal incision, from which the root system of the sprout will grow in the future. Now that everything is ready, it is necessary to fix the stem in this position so that the place with the notch is in the ground, and the top with the leaves is on the surface. Of course, this layer must be looked after as if it were a full-fledged plant, and therefore watering must be provided for it. After you are completely sure that the cuttings are well rooted, it can be separated from the mother bush (very carefully, without touching the rhizomes). After that, not a layering, but a full-fledged sprout is transplanted to its permanent place of residence.

Types of scumpia and their varieties

As already mentioned, there are only two types of Scumpia, and therefore we do not have to choose a few of the best out of a couple of hundred for the description, which, of course, greatly simplifies the work for us and the choice for you. So let's not hesitate and jump straight into the first of these two varieties:

Scumpia ordinary

Most likely, you have never seen this species in the wild, because Scumpia grows where a person, with all his desire, simply cannot live, namely, on the slopes of mountains in Central and Eastern Asia. In height, this tree reaches an average of one and a half meters to three meters. Although, as already mentioned, there are also individuals that reach an unprecedented height of five meters. The bark is colored brown, on which burgundy and scarlet overflows can be clearly distinguished. The foliage of this tree has approximately the same color, for which it is valued. The leaf plates are covered with veins forming a rather simple and uncomplicated pattern. Their shape, by the way, looks like an egg, but inverted, and in length they reach up to seven centimeters. It is also worth mentioning that quite beautiful inflorescences are formed on this tree, which are more like huge pieces of crimson fluff or thickets of sea corals. In any case, in length they can reach as much as a third of a meter. And, of course, since there are inflorescences, then there must be fruits, which in this species of Scumpia are represented by small, dry black berries. Of course, in view of the popularity of this species, over the years a huge number of hybrid varieties have been bred from it, many of which are simply amazingly popular. For example, varieties with a greenish flowering of foliage are very valuable, due to their ability to easily endure severe winters and severe cold. However, this does not mean that all red-leaved varieties are not winter-hardy.

However, no one can argue with the fact that they endure winters worse.Of the best varieties of Skumpia vulgaris, one can single out:

1. Lady Young - a variety whose tree height can reach up to four meters or even higher. Its foliage is exceptionally green, and the inflorescences have an amazing ability to change their color over time. Thus, blooming greenish, the flowers fade creamy pink. However, the disadvantage of this variety is its fragility. Lady Young does not usually live for more than fifty years.

2. Grace. If it seemed to you that the previous variety is tall, then you, of course, are right, but Grace will amaze you even more with her five-meter height. On the other hand, the leaves of this variety are significantly smaller than those of the standard representative, and do not grow longer than five centimeters. Their color varies from crimson to purple.

3. Scumpia purple. Each next variety continues to beat the record of the previous one and Scumpia purple is no exception. Its height can reach a record ten meters, and therefore it is best suited to fill the landscape of a park. Well, of course, there is no need to explain that the foliage of this variety is purple.

4. Golden Spirit. Again, the properties of this variety can be deduced from its name, and it differs in that it has not just yellow, but really golden foliage. Of course, in a figurative sense, but still it fascinates no worse than gold. However, all the decorativeness and uniqueness of this variety can be easily lost if grown in the shade. Then the leaves will turn into a much less attractive and unusual green color. However, representatives of this variety reach the peak of their beauty in the fall, when the leaves begin to acquire a stunning orange-red tint.

5. Royal Purple. This variety is far from the worst of the best, despite the fact that it is located at the bottom of this list, but it still has a very serious drawback: it grows very slowly. Otherwise, it is very difficult to reproach him: he has beautiful foliage, a lush crown and a stunning purple color of the leaves.

Scumpia American

Here we are getting to the end of this article. The last type of Scumpia, which we will analyze, will be the American Scumpia. Its distinctive feature is not its lush and beautiful inflorescences, but the leaves of stunning beauty, which, in addition, have an impressive length of ten to twelve centimeters. However, she also has a minus, because of which this type of Scumpia will not be to everyone's taste: it is very low. Perhaps, in its natural habitat, it reaches five meters in height, but in our middle lane it is unlikely to grow up to a meter. However, someone may like such a miniature. Otherwise, the species is quite similar to Scumpia vulgaris, with the exception that absolutely all of its varieties are very well protected from frost and can only be affected by a very serious blizzard.

Conclusion

Scumpia - not only a very unpretentious plant to care for, but also an excellent decoration for a garden or park, which will become an excellent assistant with which you can train and develop your gardening talents. Professionals, on the other hand, can simply purchase it as a simple and uncomplicated tree, which, nevertheless, will perfectly fit into any landscape and into almost any composition. We hope our article helped you decide whether you will buy Scumpia, and we also wish that you succeed.