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Chubushnik Virginal is an ornamental deciduous shrub of the Hortensia family. It is unpretentious, hardy, has good growth rates and is immune to air pollution, which makes it possible to grow the plant within the city.
In Russia, the erroneous name for the shrub is widespread - jasmine. The confusion is caused by the similarities in appearance and aroma of the two cultures.
Description of mock-mushroom Virginal
Chubushnik Virginal (Philadelphus Virginal) is an old terry variety of garden jasmine that can grow up to 2.5-3 m in height. The crown of the shrub can reach 3 m in diameter, which gives it a rather lush and massive appearance.
The branches of a plant of this variety are erect, covered with dark green leaves. The leaf plate of the Virginal mock-orange is smooth to the touch, the leaf length is on average 5-6 cm. By autumn, the foliage turns yellow and falls off. The average annual growth of the variety reaches 30 cm.
How the mock-orange Virginal blooms
Garden jasmine Virginal blooms in June, flowering continues until July. At the same time, one feature of the flowering of this variety should be mentioned - from year to year its flowers can change their shape. Terry flowers are often replaced by simple ones and, conversely, regardless of care.
The flowers of the Virginal variety are snow-white, as can be seen in the photo below. Their size reaches 5 cm in diameter. The inflorescences in which the flowers are collected can reach 10-12 cm in length.
The flowers of the Virginal variety smell like vanilla, however, many gardeners note the similarity with the scent of an orange tree and real jasmine. Closer to night, the aroma intensifies.
Main characteristics
Variety Virginal belongs to cold-resistant species - it hibernates safely when the temperature drops to -25 ° C. Of course, it is still better to insulate the plant for the winter, especially in the middle latitudes and in the north of the country, since in especially harsh winters the ends of the shoots can freeze over.
The resistance to diseases in the Virginal variety is good, it almost does not get sick. Sometimes pests affect the mock-orange.
Breeding features
Virginal mock-orange is usually propagated in a vegetative way:
- layering;
- dividing the bush;
- by cuttings.
The easiest way is to propagate Virginal mock-orange by layering. This process looks like this:
- In the spring, a healthy shoot is chosen on the bush and bend it to the ground.
- The branch is securely fixed with a clip and covered with earth.
- In the fall, when the chubushnik shoot takes root, it is transplanted to a new place.
Garden jasmine seeds of the Virginal variety are not bred. First, this method is very time consuming. Secondly, it often leads to the loss of varietal qualities.
Planting and caring for virginal jasmine
Planting a mock-mushroom variety Virginsky, as well as the subsequent care of the shrub, usually does not cause any particular problems. The plant is distinguished by its endurance and unpretentiousness, it takes root well on almost any type of soil.The only significant exception is soil with extremely high acidity.
Recommended timing
Chubushnik saplings with an open root system are planted in spring and autumn. Planting material with a clod of earth, grown in containers, can be planted throughout the season, but it is better to do this in the spring in the territory of central Russia and the north. So, Virginal will have more time to settle down in a new place.
Site selection and soil preparation
The site for planting a mock-mushroom Virginal is chosen taking into account the following recommendations:
- Garden jasmine of this variety loves the sun, so planting is placed in well-lit places. In extreme cases, partial shade is suitable. In the shade, the flowers of the mock-orange Virginal are very shallow.
- Garden jasmine prefers soils with good water conductivity.
- A high level of groundwater occurrence negatively affects the development of the Virginian mock-orange.
- Too moist soil also does not benefit the shrub. It is better not to plant it in swampy areas.
If the soil is too heavy, it is dug up onto the bayonet of the shovel 2 weeks before planting the chubushnik and diluted with sand.
Landing algorithm
During the preparation of the planting pit for the garden jasmine Virginal, you should pay attention to the size of the root system of the chubushnik, however, on average, the depth of the hole is 50 cm.The diameter of the hole should be within 50-60 cm.
The procedure for planting a mock-mushroom Virginal is as follows:
- A drainage layer is placed at the bottom of the planting pit. Suitable material for this: broken brick, expanded clay, pebbles, clay shards or just small stones. Regardless of the nature of the material, you can mix it with river sand. The thickness of the drainage layer should be 10-15 cm.
- From above, the drainage is sprinkled with a small amount of garden soil, mixed with humus and sand in a ratio of 3: 1: 1. Additionally, the mixture is diluted with a small amount of nitrophoska.
- Then a chubushnik sapling is lowered into the pit and its roots are covered with soil. In this case, it is important to ensure that the root collar is not below ground level.
- It is recommended to water abundantly immediately after planting garden jasmine.
- After that, the area under the seedling is lightly tamped and mulched by 4-5 cm. Dry foliage, sawdust, peat or compost are used as mulch.
When planting in groups, the distance between two adjacent pits should be at least 2 m. In order to grow a hedge from mock-orange seedlings, the seedlings are placed at a distance of 1-1.5 m from each other.
Growing rules
The rules for growing a mock-mushroom variety Virginal are the most standard: for full development, the bush needs timely watering, 2-3 top dressing per season and a good shelter for the winter. If desired, garden jasmine is mulched, loosened the soil and weeded the ground near it.
Watering schedule
Jasmine garden variety Virginal develops best on moderately moist soils, so it is important to observe the regularity of watering and a number of basic rules associated with this process:
- For watering the mock-orange Virginal, only water that has settled in the sun is suitable. Cold water cannot be used; it must at least warm up a little.
- Garden jasmine is watered about 2 times a week if the year is moderately hot. In the dry season, the frequency is increased to 3 times a week. If the season promises to be rainy, watering can be reduced to 1 time per week. With especially heavy rainfall, it is completely stopped. During the flowering of the chubushnik, it is watered every day.
- Each time after watering, it is recommended to slightly loosen the soil under the garden jasmine and renew the mulch layer.
Weeding, loosening, mulching
Loosening the soil is necessary in order to improve air permeability. It is especially important to carry out this procedure if, after watering or rain, the top layer of the soil has compacted and began to resemble a crust.
Mulching is carried out immediately after planting, using peat, sawdust or needles for this. This is done so that moisture remains in the soil longer after watering.
Weeding the soil is carried out as needed if too much weed grows under the bush. A small overgrowth does not cause much harm to the chubushnik.
Feeding schedule
They feed the mock-mushroom of the Virginal variety only in the second year after planting in open ground. It is better not to apply fertilizers before this - they can cause burns to the root system in young immature seedlings. On average, 2-3 dressings are made per season.
In the spring, the mock-orange can be fed with organic fertilizers, and both mulching the trunk circle and applying top dressing to the soil are suitable.
The second time the shrub is fed during the period of bud formation. At this time, complex mineral fertilizers are used.
In the fall, organics are again used as top dressing. So, the chubushnik will receive enough nutrients to survive the winter safely. If desired, instead of organic fertilizers, you can use phosphorus-potassium mixtures.
Pruning
In order for the bush to remain attractive and retain its decorative appearance, it must be cut from time to time. This is done in spring and autumn.
In the spring months, the chubushnik is examined immediately after the shelter is removed for the winter. All frozen or broken shoots are removed from the bush and the branches that have broken out of the crown are slightly shortened.
In the fall, after flowering, all wilted inflorescences should be removed from the Virginal mock-orange. Additionally, it is necessary to thin out the shrub, since the thickening of the crown negatively affects its development - the leaves in the depths of the crown receive an insufficient amount of light, so the plant begins to weaken.
Preparing for winter
Garden jasmine Virginal is obligatory covered in the north of the country and the territory of the middle lane, especially young plants. Mature plants are less vulnerable to cold temperatures. In southern Russia, you don't need to insulate the chubushnik at all before winter.
Preparing a shrub for wintering involves the following steps:
- The area under the bush is mulched with peat or any other suitable material.
- Then the branches of the mock-orange are carefully tied up and the bush is wrapped in agrofibre.
- When precipitation begins to fall, the snow is scooped up to the bush, using it as an additional shelter from the wind and cold.
Pests and diseases
In the description of the garden jasmine Virginal, it is indicated that the variety is extremely rare. This is confirmed by the reviews of gardeners - the shrub does not need preventive treatments throughout the season, which greatly simplifies the process of growing this plant.
Virginal is not as resistant to insects as it is to diseases. Quite often, plantings are affected by the following pests:
- bean aphid;
- spider mite;
- green leafy weevil.
To combat them, you can use industrial means (insecticides) or folk methods. The second option is preferable, since insecticides can harm the plant if the dosage is violated. In order to get rid of insects, it is better to use various infusions and decoctions of herbs:
- wormwood;
- tansy;
- yarrow;
- dandelion;
- marigolds;
- tops of potatoes and tomatoes.
Conclusion
Chubushnik Virginal is considered one of the most unpretentious and durable shrubs.The combination of the undemanding shrub, its high decorative qualities and a pleasant rich aroma is the reason for its widespread distribution. This garden culture can be grown without much difficulty not only by a professional in the field of gardening, but also by a complete beginner in this business. Also, Virginal mock-orange is a great garden decoration option for those who do not want to spend a lot of time caring for the garden. The plant needs very little maintenance to maintain its attractive appearance.
In addition, you can learn about the features of growing a mock-orange from the video below:
Reviews of the mock-mushroom Virginal
Better yet, do not plant in the shade. I planted one bush separately from the rest, in another place, so it became very weak in the shade. I plan to transplant.
