Rhododendron. Cultivation. Features of care

Rhododendron - the king of flowers - is famous for the brightness of colors and the magnificence of forms. It grows in the form of a shrub or a low tree. There are almost 1,300 species of this plant and more than 12 thousand varieties. The literary name of the deciduous species of the flower is azalea, and the evergreen is the rhododendron. In the wild species, the plant is widespread in the mountains in the southeast of Asia. More than half of the representatives of this genus are concentrated there. Rhododendron since ancient times is used in folk medicine - relieves fatigue, pain in the legs, head, helps with stomach upset.

The leaves of the rhododendron are leathery, of various shapes and colors. Flowers form corymbose or umbellate inflorescences with curved stamens. The color varies from white to dark purple. The flowering period is April-June, the flowers appear again in autumn. Such a shrub is a real find for a landscape designer. He is made of luxurious hedges, decorate gardens, pick up contrasts in height and color combination. Popular varieties of the plant are Dahurian rhododendron, dendritic, yellow, Japanese, Kamchatka, Canadian, short-bred, pointed, small-leaved.

Particular attention deserves a Japanese rhododendron. This is a deciduous shrub with a high degree of branching and thin oblong leaves (up to 10 cm in length). It grows to a height of 2 meters. Flowers - orange-red with a large prominent brownish spot, collected on 6 or 12 pieces. The crone forms a broad, sprawling. It looks like a small lush blooming green tree - a beautiful decoration of the garden or park.

Rhododendron - growing. How can he please

The plant likes partial shade, does not tolerate drought, deep shading, direct sunlight, stagnant water. The soil is needed rich in humus, loose, sour, well drained. It is undesirable to plant a number of deciduous and evergreen rhododendrons.

Rhododendron - cultivation: care characteristics

The main care - this is fertilizing, watering and circular weed control. You can not fertilize mountain and dwarf species of plants, in extreme cases you can use organic. Feeding is carried out until the middle of July, as a later application of fertilizers leads to the freezing of untimely grown shoots in winter. Dry dead branches and inflorescences must be permanently removed. In arid days, the plant needs to be irrigated several times a day. Watering the bush is preferably water, acidified with organic acid at a rate of 3 g per 10 liters. Pruning for crown formation is done immediately after flowering. For the winter, thermophilic varieties need to be protected by air-permeable shelter.

Rhododendron - cultivation: ways of reproduction

The plant can be planted in two ways:

1. Seeds.

Seeds are planted in March in boxes under the glass, maintaining the temperature of + 20 ° C. Depending on the variety, the shoots appear on the 7-20th day. Three weeks later, the sprouts are dived. In the warm summer months, flower pots are taken to fresh air. Planting of plants in the open ground is carried out in a year in a warm period (May-June), so that the bushes become stronger and can withstand frost.

2. Vegetative reproduction - grafting, layers, dividing bushes, cuttings.

For cuttings, partially lignified shoots are taken. They do not take root, so spraying with stimulants is recommended. You can share only lush bushes with sprouting shoots. The transplant is done in the spring and autumn.

Rhododendron - growing: diseases and pests

Most often the plant suffers from:

- Spider mites;

- root rot;

- rust, blotchiness;

- aphids.

Coping with all problems is helped by timely spraying with special means.

Rhododendrons - Growing: Emerging Problems

1. Wrinkled leaves - insufficient watering, high temperature, too bright light.

2. Quickly fades - dry air, direct sunlight.

3. Yellowing of leaves - hard water, dampness.

4. Weak growth is not the right soil.

Rhododendron is not an indoor plant. For growing it requires certain conditions - cool and moist air, enough light. Their survival rate in the apartment is 50%. Buy this plant, if only you can provide it with all the conditions for growth.