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Rhododendron Golden Lights is a hybrid of a deciduous ornamental shrub, the first varieties of which were bred by American breeders in the late 70s. of the last century as part of work on the creation of a variety of frost-resistant rhododendrons. This shrub is popular with domestic florists and is widely used in landscape design projects.
Description of Rhododendron Golden Lights
Rhododendron or azalea Golden Lights (Rhododendron Golden Lights) is a slowly growing ornamental bush, reaching a height of 150-200 cm by the age of 10. The crown width is from 100 to 150 cm. The plant is compact, has a straight shape. The shoots are densely branched, with age the crown thickens and forms a hemispherical shape.
The leaf plate of a rhododendron or azalea is wide, oblong, pointed at the ends, and wedge-shaped at the base. Leaves are green-olive, in autumn - rich, bright burgundy. In winter, the foliage falls off.
Rhododendron or azalea Golden Lights are early varieties. It is noteworthy that the hybrid enters the flowering phase simultaneously with the appearance of leaves - in mid-May. It blooms profusely with funnel-shaped flowers up to 5 - 6 cm in diameter with a pronounced sweet aroma. The flowers are pink-orange, with a lighter shade to the edge of the petals. Collected in inflorescences consisting of 10 flowers. Flowering lasts a little less than a month, but the whole season the bush does not lose its attractiveness due to its beautiful crown.
Frost resistance of Golden Lights rhododendron
Rhododendron or Azalea Golden Lights is an extremely hardy hybrid that can withstand temperatures down to -37 ° C. In the conditions of the Russian winter, he feels comfortable without shelter for the winter, not only in the middle lane, but also in regions with a more severe climate.
Planting and caring for the Golden Lights deciduous rhododendron
In the minds of many amateur gardeners, rhododendron or azalea is a capricious culture that requires special care and a lot of experience, but the deciduous variety Golden Lights is less whimsical than its evergreen relatives.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
For planting this shrub, you should choose a place protected from strong winds and direct sun. Azalea Golden Lights will feel comfortable in the shade of trees or buildings. With such a placement, it is worth considering the probability of snow falling from the roofs, so the distance from the wall to the bushes should be at least 3 m. It is best to place this moisture-loving crop near water bodies or fountains.
Light, slightly acidic and acidic soils, moist but well-drained, are suitable for planting the Golden Lights hybrid; on heavy clay soils and in places with stagnant moisture, rhododendron grows extremely poorly.
Seedling preparation
Obtaining seedlings of rhododendron or azalea Golden Lights from cuttings requires the following steps:
- during the spring formation of buds in an adult plant, shoots up to 10 cm long are cut, leaving an oblique cut;
- the bark at the base of the shoot is carefully peeled off;
- cuttings are soaked in a root growth promoter for 24 hours;
- prepare a substrate for rooting: for 3 parts of sawdust 1 part of sand;
- cuttings are rooted in the substrate at an inclination of 30 °, watered, placed under a film or glass, providing a soil temperature of + 24 ° ... + 26 ° C.
Landing rules
Rhododendron Golden Lights tolerates planting well, but if the technology is violated, it will not grow for a long time and may even die. It is recommended to adhere to the following landing algorithm:
- dig out planting holes with dimensions of about 60x60x60 cm;
- pour drainage with a layer of 10 - 15 cm;
- half-fill the pit with sphagnum;
- pour a mixture of soil with leaf humus on top;
- place the bush vertically, straighten the root system;
- fall asleep with soil without deepening the root collar;
- water (you can add a growth stimulant to the water);
- mulch.
Watering and feeding
Azalea Golden Lights does not tolerate drought well, but moisture stagnation should not be allowed. In season, the shrub is watered once every 3-4 days. If possible, it is better to use water acidified with organic acids. One tree should have 1-2 buckets of water. On the hottest and driest days, the crown is additionally sprayed. Abundant watering is especially important during the flowering shrub. In winter, 1 watering per week is enough and only in dry weather.
For azaleas, Golden Lights use a heather crop fertilizer that acidifies the soil. Before the onset of frost, potash and phosphorus fertilizers are applied. In early spring, before the buds swell and buds form, the plants are fertilized at the rate of 2 tbsp. l. mineral fertilizers per 1 sq. m. soil. It is not recommended to feed during the period of bud formation.
Pruning
Rhododendron or azalea tolerates pruning well. Young bushes up to 4 years of age are regularly pruned, thereby forming a bush. In adult specimens, too long shoots are shortened by half and the inflorescences remaining after flowering are removed.
Preparing for winter
Rhododendron or azalea Golden Lights perfectly winters in Russia without shelter. Young plants need protection from frost for the first 2 years after planting, adult shrubs also require shelter if the winter is not very snowy. Most often, spruce branches or burlap are used for this purpose. In order for the shrub to winter well, it is watered abundantly before the onset of frost. For the winter, planting is recommended to mulch.
Reproduction
Rhododendron or azalea Golden Lights are most often propagated vegetatively, that is, by layering and cuttings. You can get plants from seeds, but this is a much longer and more troublesome path. Seeds are germinated in early spring in boxes, subject to a special temperature regime. Azaleas obtained in this way bloom no earlier than 5 years of age, while when propagated by cuttings and layering, a young bush can bloom the next year.
The most common way of propagating azaleas is by rooting cuttings. In early spring, last year's shoots are pulled over with wire, bent to the soil, fixed and sprinkled with a substrate. Layers must be watered regularly. In the fall of next year, rooted plants can be separated from the parent bush.
Diseases and pests
The varietal feature of Golden Lights azaleas is its resistance to fungal diseases. However, the culture can be affected by spider mites, mealybugs, rhododendra bugs. You can get rid of these pests with any insecticide.
Conclusion
Rhododendron Golden Lights is one of the most unpretentious and hardy flowering shrubs.Exceptional frost resistance and immunity to diseases, combined with the magnificent appearance of the flowering plant, make it attractive for use in landscape design by professional flower growers and amateurs.
