Tamarix

Tamarix (Tamarix) are small shrubs or trees belonging to the type genus Tamarisk family. This genus includes about 80 plant species. This plant is also called a bead, a tree of God, a gidweed, a comb, a tamarisk. The plant got its botanical name in honor of the mountain river Tama - rize located in the Pyrenean mountains. In their natural environment, they live in Asian countries, African and South European countries. He gives preference to deserts, semi-deserts, velvet sands. The tugai forests of the Asian central countries have about 15 species. In the middle zone of Asian countries, they can be found in the mountains at an altitude of 2000 meters, while in the Caucasus Mountains it grows at 600 meters above sea level.

Gardeners cultivate this shrub as an ornamental decoration and also use it to anchor creeping sands.

Plant characteristics:

It is an evergreen, deciduous shrub or tree-shaped plant with bushy growth. In natural conditions, deciduous trees grow to 12 meters in height, and the trunk diameter is only 50 centimeters. The stems that look like twigs make up the crown. On them, like small scales, there are many small leaves arranged in turn. These leaves - scales can be emerald-colored, can be colored blue with a green tint or dark green. Inflorescences are large in size, panicle or racemose. They are made up of small snow-white or pinkish flowers. Before the buds open, it seems as if a large amount of small beads were scattered on the bush. Bees flock to this honey plant, which means that other plants in the garden will be pollinated. The seeds of the plant are in a pyramidal box with five sides, which is the fruit of the taiariska.

Tamarix is ​​a picky plant that can live for a long time in almost any place. It is not afraid of drought, it can grow in the center of the metropolis or along the highway. Growing it is not only easy and not time-consuming, but also very pleasant.

When to land:

It is preferable to plant tamarix in the garden in early spring, but you can do it in the fall, when the leaves begin to fall from the trees. Tamarix can grow and develop well in any soil, but the main thing is that there is good drainage. Heavy and clayey soil is not an obstacle to cultivation, but a small amount of peat and humus must be added before planting. Loves a plant where the sun's rays touch it all day, but it will grow well in shady areas.

It is important to treat the choice of a site with all responsibility, since the plant is not tolerant of transplants, because its roots are very thin, long and easily damaged.

Landing rules:

The planting hole should go 60 centimeters deep into the soil, and its width should be the same volume. At the bottom of the hole, it is necessary to lay out a twenty-centimeter layer of drainage from rubble, ceramic shards or fired clay. Then organic matter is added there in the form of decayed foliage and wood ash. Next, you need to prepare a mixture of compressed rotted plant residues, sand and nutrient soil in proportions 1x1x2 and fill it with 2/3 of the hole.

Before planting a plant, its stems must be cut off in such a way that the length of those that remain is no more than half a meter.Next, you need to lower the plant into the hole, gently spreading its roots and filling it with the remaining earthen mixture. After that, you need to tamp the earth with your hands near the plant and water it abundantly. Please note that after all the procedures carried out, the root collar does not go deep into the ground, but is at its level.

Care rules:

After planting the plant, it must be protected from the sun for 2 or 3 weeks, and also be watered constantly. Once the leaves are formed on the seedling, it will no longer need protection from the sun and frequent watering. Mulching with organic matter will help keep moisture in the ground for a long time. Adult plants should only be watered for extended dry periods. Summer rains occurring regularly, but not necessarily often, completely free from irrigation. Loosening and removing weeds is necessary after each watering or rain. This procedure opens the access of oxygen to the plant, and also nutrients in greater quantities will be supplied to the root system.

Top dressing is carried out in the spring season at the very beginning of the growing season. At this point, organic fertilizers work well. Foliar dressing is carried out in the summer. Here, fertilizers based on potassium and phosphorus are used, with a solution of which the green part of the bush is sprayed.

Tamarix has a high resistance to frost, which allows it to be grown in almost any corner of our country, including in the Urals, where it can already be seen in many gardens. If the thermometer in the region does not fall below the -28 mark, then there is no need to cover the bushes. If the frosts are more severe, then it will be enough to cover it with sawdust or spruce branches, and also use a thick cloth or polymer film to wrap the trunk.

Formation:

Tamarix pruning is carried out in order to form a bush and it is easily tolerated by them. It is better to hold this event in the first spring month before sap flow begins and the buds swell. Pruning old branches with short increments is carried out up to the first outward-facing bud. After 30 days, you will be able to see the appearance of new young shoots and the whole bush will be made up and demonstrate all its splendor and beauty. In addition to formative pruning, the bush must be periodically rejuvenated. Pruning is carried out on those branches that grow strongly at the foot of the bush. It is important not to allow the bush to weaken, this will lead to the fact that the inflorescences become smaller and they decrease in size. When vegetative activity begins, it will be possible to remove all branches that have any damage to their healthy part.

Pruning can also be carried out when the plant has faded. By removing all dry inflorescences from the tamarisk, cutting off too long shoots, you can preserve all the showiness and elegance of the crown. During the formation of the bush, you can give it greater stability, which will allow you not to waste time making supports and tying plants to them.

So that the bush is not very thickened, which happens to it very quickly due to the rapid growth of branches, it must be thinned regularly, cutting off some of the least strong.

Resistance to diseases and harmful insects:

Tamarix has a strong immune system that protects it from many diseases and harmful insects. Harmful insects can attack it if infected plants are nearby. Dealing with them will not be difficult. It is enough only once to treat the bush with insecticidal preparations.

Also, the plant is susceptible to diseases provoked by fungi. When the first signs appear, all areas damaged by the disease must be immediately removed and burned. After treating the bushes with fungicidal preparations.

How to propagate tamarix:

Tamarix can be propagated by seed, or by cuttings.

In the first case, it is quite long and laborious, so most gardeners use the second option for reproduction.It is more reliable and shows results much faster.

Cuttings are harvested in the first month of spring. To carry out this procedure, during pruning, it is necessary to set aside cuttings, the thickness of which will be 10 mm, and 10 cm long. The soil mixture should contain sand and soil from the garden in equal proportions. Next, the container must be covered with a dome, using a glass jar would be a good option. After rooting and the appearance of the first leaves, the dome must be removed. Planting in the garden is carried out in May, after the threat of frost has disappeared. Young plants should be covered for the winter cold period. When spring comes, the plants that have grown stronger and have passed the winter hardening must be transplanted to their permanent place of residence.

There is another option, which is also very common among gardeners. You can put the cuttings in water, wait for the roots to germinate, plant them in an open garden area and make a dome out of a glass jar.

If you choose the seed method in order to propagate the plant, then it is important not to forget that the germination of seeds does not last very long and, that in the Middle Lane, the ripening of seeds does not occur often. Seeds should not be stratified. It is not necessary to bury the seeds, it is enough to distribute them over the surface of the earthen mixture. After that, you need to put the container on a tray filled with water. After the plants grow up and gain strength, they must be transplanted into a temporary bed where they will grow. As in the previous case, for the period of cold weather, the plants must be well covered. At the age of two, the seedlings are transplanted to a prearranged place, where they will grow without further replanting.

Various types and varieties:

Today in the world there are more than 80 species of tamarisk. However, for cultivation, only varieties and species are used that are able to tolerate well a strong drop in temperatures and drought for a long time.

Four-stamen (Tamarix tetrandra) - under natural conditions, this species grows in countries such as Greece, Russia and in the Asia Minor countries. In these areas, the height of this plant can be 10 meters. The branches are painted in brown colors with a reddish tint, bending to form an arc. The color of ovate or lanceolate leaves is emerald green. On the one hand, at the base, they are narrowed, and on the other, they have a sharp tip similar to a beak. Shoots growing from the lateral axillary buds produce racemose inflorescences, gathering from several flowers of various shades. This handsome man begins to bloom in the middle of spring. The species belongs to long-livers and will be able to decorate the local area for 70 years and even more. It tolerates long dry periods perfectly.

Loose tamarix (Tamarix laxa) - China, in its north-western part, Iran, in the north of the country, Mongolia, Afghanistan, have become those countries where you can quite easily find this species freely growing in its natural environment. This is a large, branchy, spreading shrub plant with a height of 5 meters. On bare green or gray-gray branches, leaves are located, the shape of which resembles a slightly oval rhombus; varieties with ovoid leaves are also found. At the base, they are narrow, and on the other hand, they have a sharpness. Flowers of pink hue are collected in lush clusters of inflorescences formed on the apical panicles. The beautiful flowers of this species can be enjoyed for two months. Shrubs of this species can be grown in harsh winter conditions due to their high resistance to low temperatures and easily tolerates drought. It can grow on any type of soil.

Graceful (Tamarix gracilis) - the species in its natural environment is found in the territories of the People's Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, in the western part of Mongolia, as well as in the Siberian regions and in the south of our country. The bush reaches four meters in height.Bulky branches are painted gray-green or brown with chestnut color. Fawn color with a lanceolate shape, the leaves are arranged along the shoots in the form of tiles. The length of the inflorescences in the form of brushes that appear in spring, 5 centimeters, they are collected from flowers of a rich pink hue. The length of summer flower clusters included in large paniculate inflorescences is 7 centimeters. The bush is very popular with landscape designers because of its incredibly beautiful flowering. The species has good resistance to low winter temperatures.

Branched (Tamarix ramosissima) - Iran, Moldova, China, Mongolia, Central Asia and the Balkans have become the countries where this species grows freely. Varieties of this species love to grow near various bodies of water. This upright shrub plant can grow up to two meters in height. Stems are thin, light gray or pale green. Shoots of one year of life turn red. Leaves, similar in appearance to an awl, are bent at the tips. Bristle-like inflorescences are dense and without a pronounced main axis, about 5 centimeters long. They are collected from flowers of pinkish shades. The bush is covered with its beautiful flowers at the beginning of June and blooms until September. The species can grow on any kind of soil, adaptation to new conditions is quick, recovery from frost occurs within a short time. This species requires shelter during the winter months. This plant is also called five-stalked tamarisk. The most popular varieties include:

• Pink cascade - demonstrates incredible splendor of flowering
• Rubra - the flowers of this variety are painted purple with a reddish tint.
• Sammer glow - has amazingly beautiful flowers painted in rich shades of crimson.

We decorate the garden with tamarix:

Tamarix is ​​an excellent option for creating a green hedge and various compositions of shrubs and flowers. From a handsome solitaire, you can make a fountain of flowers by placing it in the center of the lawn. Those varieties that are of medium height will look great with plants such as dwarf spruce varieties, various types of juniper and thuja. Flowers of barberry, lilac and jasmine will become an equally pleasant neighbor in the garden.

There are tamarix varietieswhich remain green throughout the year and are perfect for interior decoration.

Tamarix is ​​a plant that can grow anywhere. She is comfortable both in the desert and in forest belts with harsh winters. It can be used to anchor slipping sands and contain slipping banks.