Content
Buddleya David Black Knight is a selection variety of Buddley ordinary from the Norichnikov family. The historical homeland of the tall shrub is China, South Africa. By hybridization, more than 100 varieties of ornamental plants with a variety of colors, shapes and heights of the bush have been obtained. Buddleya David Black Knight, shown in the photo, is the darkest representative of the species by the color of the inflorescences. It is widely used for landscape decoration.
Breeding history
The wandering missionary and naturalist monk David drew attention to a new type of ornamental shrub. The plant native to China has not been previously described in any botanical reference book. The monk sent a herbarium version to the researcher of new samples, biologist Rene Franchet. The scientist made a complete description of the plant and gave it a name in honor of the rector of the University in Essex (England) Adam Buddle, a botanist of the VIII century.
Nowadays, the buddleya has a double name in honor of the discoverer and outstanding researcher in the field of biology. Subsequently, breeding work was carried out, on the basis of the wild-growing culture, new species were obtained, adapted to the weather conditions of Europe, and then Russia. David's Black Knight buddley variety is one of the relatively frost-resistant representatives of the species grown on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Description of Buddley David Black Knight
The deciduous plant is cultivated for its decorative effect and long flowering period. The spreading shrub reaches 1.5 m in height and 1.2 m in width. Flowering begins in the third year of growth. External characteristics of the Black Knight buddley:
- A medium-sized bush forms upright branches of medium thickness with drooping tops, intensive shoot formation. The structure of the stems is tough, flexible, perennial shoots are colored light green with a gray tint, young ones are closer to beige.
- The root system of the buddleya is superficial, widespread, the central root is deepened within 1 m.
- A variety of buddlei, densely leafy with oval-lanceolate leaves, located opposite. The leaf blade is pointed, 20-25 cm long, the surface is smooth with a small, sparse edge. The color is light green with a blue tint.
- Flowers with a diameter of about 1.2 cm, lilac or dark purple with an orange core are collected in spike-shaped sultans 35-40 cm long, erect inflorescences are formed at the tops of the shoots.
Perennial blooms in one place for more than 10 years. Outwardly, it resembles a lilac, the flowering time is from August to October. The variety belongs to honey plants, attracts with the aroma of insects. Frequent guests on inflorescences are butterflies and bees. According to gardeners, it is possible to grow the David Black Knight buddley variety practically throughout the entire territory of the Russian Federation with a temperate and warm climate. Buddley is widely used in design in the Caucasus and Central Russia. The plant is not suitable for cultivation in cold climates.
Frost resistance, drought resistance
The natural habitat of the buddleya is in a warm, humid climate. The variety safely tolerates frosts down to -20 0C, lowering causes freezing of the shoots. In the spring, buddlea quickly forms a replacement, restoring the crown.Inflorescences are formed on the tops of young shoots in the same season.
In the climatic conditions of the Moscow region, the Urals or Siberia, where the winters are long and cold, the David Black Knight buddley variety is grown in compliance with the shelter technology for the winter. The plant will restore the damaged stems, but the frozen roots will lead to the death of the buddleya.
The culture has a high drought tolerance, light-loving buddleya does not tolerate shaded areas. Adequate sunlight is required for proper vegetation and photosynthesis. Young shrubs need constant watering, an adult buddlee has enough seasonal rainfall twice a month.
Disease and pest resistance
Buddleya David of the Black Knight variety is a hybrid with high immunity to fungal and bacterial infection. There are practically no parasitic garden insects on the plant. In prolonged heat without sprinkling of shrubs, aphids or whiteflies may spread on the buddley. If the soil is waterlogged, the root system rots, the pathological process can cover the entire plant.
Reproduction methods
In the wild, buddleya reproduces by seeds, self-sowing, capturing quite impressive territories. The Black Knight Davidlei variety on the plot can also be propagated by seed or cuttings. The difficulty of seed breeding for a temperate climate is that the planting material does not have time to ripen before the onset of frost. It is better to use the cuttings method.
Technology of growing buddleya David variety Black Knight seeds:
- In early spring, the planting material is mixed with sand.
- Low containers are prepared, peat mixed with organic matter is poured 2: 1.
- Seeds are sown on top, sprinkled with soil.
- The surface is moistened, covered with a film.
- The containers are removed to a room with a temperature of +18 0C.
After 2.5 weeks, the seedlings of buddleya germinate, the film is removed from the container, and fed with complex fertilizers. If the top layer is dry, moisten the soil. When young buddlea shoots form 3 leaves, they dive into peat glasses.
In the southern regions, sowing of seeds of this variety can be carried out directly into the ground at the site.
Reproduction of the Black Knight Davidlea by cuttings is a more productive method. The young plant retains varietal qualities, the survival rate of cuttings is 98%. Shoots of one-year-olds or woody stems are suitable for reproduction. The scheme for growing buddley by cuttings is as follows. In the spring, cuttings of about 10 cm are cut from young shoots, immediately placed in the ground on the site, covered with cut plastic bottles, with the neck up for watering. By the fall, the buddleya will take root.
Planting material with a length of 20 cm is cut from perennial branches in the fall. The prepared fragments are stored in a cool place, in the refrigerator in the vegetable department, until spring. In the spring, buddley is planted in the ground and covered with a film, after 65 days the seedling will take root, the covering material is removed.
In cold winter conditions, the David Black Knight buddley variety is recommended to be planted at the age of two. The stalk is placed in a volumetric container, taken out to the site in the spring, and brought into the room before the onset of cold weather. You can propagate the buddley variety by dividing the mother bush, in this method there is a serious disadvantage, since an adult plant does not tolerate transplanting well.
Landing features
The Black Knight buddley David is planted in the spring, when the weather has fully recovered, and there is no threat of return frosts. Favorable terms for work are from May to the end of June. In the fall, buddleya can only be planted in the south. Landing requirements:
- Choose a seedling with a healthy root system, without damage and dry areas. Before placing in the ground, the material is placed in an antifungal preparation, then in a growth stimulator.
- The site is chosen from the south or east side, open, without shading and close location of groundwater.
- The composition of the soil is neutral, fertile, and loose.
- They dig a planting hole 25 cm wide and 55 cm deep. Drainage (gravel, expanded clay, pebbles) is laid on the bottom, a layer of peat mixed with compost is placed on top, the seedling is placed vertically, covered with soil.
After planting, buddley is watered and mulched.
Follow-up care
Agricultural engineering of the David Black Knight buddley variety includes watering a young shrub up to 2 years of growth 1 time per week, with the condition that there is no rainfall. Enough for an adult plant 1 time per month. Every evening, the bush needs sprinkling, regardless of the growing season.
Loosens the soil as it grows weeds and drying out of the topsoil. Young buddley bushes of David Black Knight are fed at the root in the spring, suitable superphosphate fertilizer "Kemira Universal".
To preserve the decorative effect of the shrub, the variety requires cosmetic pruning during flowering. Faded peduncles are removed, new ones are formed in their place. In the spring, cut off old shoots, dry fragments, thin out the bush. Cut the length, if necessary, reduce the width of the bush. The shaping haircut of this type of buddley is carried out at will.
In autumn, the root circle is mulched with dry sawdust, leaves or straw. In the spring, the layer is replaced with peat mixed with straw or needles.
Preparing for winter
For young seedlings of David Black Knight buddleya, crown shelter is necessary, a cap is made of polyethylene stretched on arcs from above, covered with spruce branches or dry leaves, and covered with snow in winter. Mulching is indicated for adult buddleys and annuals. After two years of growing season, the buddley variety of David Black Knight is covered with a root, covered with a layer of mulch (15 cm), and the trunks are wrapped with cloth.
The main task is to preserve the root system of the buddleya. If the winter is with low temperatures and a minimum amount of snow, the shoots will freeze, in spring they are cut off, the variety quickly gives rise to young shoots, flowers form on new stems.
Disease and pest control
Buddleya David is not affected by infection, if waterlogging caused decay, the variety is treated with an antibacterial agent. In the fight against aphids will help the drug "Actellik" and the destruction of a nearby colony of ants. The caterpillars of the whitefly moth are eliminated by means of contact action "Keltan"; the processing of buddley is carried out in sunny weather.
Application of Black Knight buddley in landscape design
A medium-sized perennial with a long flowering period is used in group and single planting. In the photo, the Black Knight variety of buddley, as a design option.
In landscape design, buddley is used as:
- background on the ridges;
- accent in the central part of the flower bed;
- hedge;
- design of a garden path for the visual perception of the alley;
- delineation of parts of the garden;
- camouflage option along the fence.
In urban recreation areas, parks and squares, the David Black Knight buddley is planted along alleys, near sanitary zones, like a hedge. The decorative buddlei variety looks harmoniously with low-growing plants in rockeries and on the sides of an alpine slide. Combines with juniper, dwarf conifers.
Conclusion
Buddleya David Black Knight is a variety created for the decoration of the territory. Shrub of medium height, with long decorative flowering, unpretentious care. The frost resistance of the plant makes it possible to grow buddleya in temperate climates. A high indicator of drought resistance of the variety is a priority for gardeners and landscape designers in the Southern region.
