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Gardeners love original plants. The tamarix shrub will be a wonderful decoration of the territory. It is also known under other names: tamarisk, comb, bead. The culture is distinguished by its original appearance and beautiful flowering. It is only necessary to create optimal conditions, follow the rules of care, so that in a couple of years a tree with a height of 2-5 m will form.
What does tamarix look like?
A detailed description of the tamarix shrub will help distinguish it from other trees. The main distribution area is the Mediterranean and Central Asian countries. Wild bushes can be found in Crimea. On the territory of the desert, the comb grows up to 8 m in height, and its diameter is 1 m. The bush is called a bead bush because in spring small buds resembling beads appear on it. At this time, the bush is very beautiful and decorated.
According to the description, the tamarix shrub (pictured) is presented as a small tree. It has alternating scaly leaves and miniature shoots. The bush blooms with pink or purple inflorescences.
According to the description, tamarix is a resistant plant that does not require a lot of effort to care for. He likes the light, but the bush can grow normally in the shade. The tree adapts to any type of soil, easily withstands high temperatures and dry periods. The tamarix shrub can be trimmed and used to form hedges.
Flowering features
The tamarix bush (pictured) is original during flowering. This is especially noticeable when the buds have formed. The inflorescences are formed by circular buds resembling beads. After blooming flowers, the plant loses a little attractiveness. The flowers are small, white or pinkish in color. If you move a little away from the tree, then it will resemble a foggy cloud.
The tamarix plant (shown in the photo) blooms in spring and summer. This can happen in periods. The flowers form racemose or paniculate inflorescences. The flower length is 1.5-5 mm. Bracts can be ovoid or linear in shape. The stamens are filamentous.
After pollination, small fruits are formed on the bush in the form of pyramidal capsules with seeds. The seeds are provided with tufts. After opening the box, the seed is spread by the wind over long distances.
The advantage of tamarix is considered to be undemanding to the soil. The tree can grow not only on dry soil, but also on saline lands. Tamariks are planted even in infertile soils. If the plant is used for decorative purposes, it is planted on sandy loam with a lime reaction.
Tamariks normally tolerate the conditions of the city, even if the air is heavily gassed due to transport and industrial enterprises. Shrubs love light, so they are planted in areas where there is a lot of bright sun. Slight shade negatively affects their condition, and heavy shading can destroy the tree.
The plant responds normally to transplantation, so they can be transferred to another site even in adulthood.
In order for the shrub to bloom beautifully, it must be cut. This procedure is easily tolerated by the plant.It is advisable to cut the crown with the arrival of spring, but before the buds appear. Old branches are cut into a ring, after 4 weeks new shoots appear. After sanitary pruning, tamarix will again delight with its splendor.
During the growing season, cold-damaged branches and stems can be found, which are cut to healthy wood.
Pruning is performed after flowering is complete. The crown should have a neat appearance, and for this, elongated stems, fading inflorescences are removed. The shrub must be stable during pruning, the branches can be fixed to the supports. Tamarix quickly acquires a dense crown, so it should be thinned regularly.
The bush is resistant to pests and diseases. They only appear when another infected plant is placed next to it. To remove insects, spraying with insecticides is performed.
In rainy weather, tamarix can suffer from fungal diseases. Damaged stems and branches are removed, and the bush and the ground around it are sprayed with a fungicide solution. It is necessary to constantly monitor the appearance of the plant, since due to diseases and pests, its flowering worsens and decorativeness decreases.
Varieties and types of tamarix
In their natural habitat, there are over 70 species of tamarix. But not everyone uses it for cultivation. Only plants with high frost resistance are chosen.
Branched (Tamarix ramosissima)
This is a popular variety of tamarix. In nature, it is found in Iran, Mongolia, Moldova. The tree chooses riverbanks, pebbled banks and riverbank terraces. The height can reach 2 meters.
Graceful branches are light gray or pale green in color, and annual shoots are pale red. The leaves have a subulate shape and curved tips. The length of the lush inflorescences, formed from pink flowers, is 50 mm.
The bush does not need a special soil composition, because it grows well on any land. It can adapt to urban conditions in a short time. If freezing has occurred, then tamarix is quite simply restored. To prevent the plant from freezing out in regions with cold winters, it is recommended to cover it.
Loose (Tamarix laxa)
The bush grows in the northwestern part of China, in the northern part of Iran, in Mongolia. Pink tamarix (pictured) is a small shrub. In height, it usually does not grow more than 5 meters.
The branches are bluish or green in color. The leaves are distinguished by an oval-rhombic or ovoid shape. The upper panicles include lush racemose inflorescences. Flowering lasts about 8 weeks.
Dioecious (Tamarix dioica)
The tamarisk tree of this variety is distinguished by bisexual, smallish flowers, the length of which reaches 5 mm. Their inflorescences are light red.
This type of plant is considered to be thermophilic, it grows in Asia. The shrub can be grown outdoors at home. With proper care, the plant will delight you with beautiful flowering and unpretentiousness.
Four-pointed (Tamarix tetrandra)
In its natural environment, the bush can be seen in Greece, Crimea, Asia Minor. It also exists in Russia, but only in the southeast of the European part. The plant is large, its height can be 5-10 meters. The reddish-brown branches are curved.
Green leaves have an ovoid-lanceolate shape. Lateral shoots contain inflorescences in the form of brushes. As you can see in the photo, tamarix flowers can have shades from pink to white. Shrubs tolerate drought well and live up to 75 years.
Graceful (Tamarix gracilis)
In nature, the plant can be seen in China, Ukraine, Siberia. It reaches four meters in height. Thick branches have dust spots. The bark has a greenish gray or chestnut brown color. The foliage on the shoots is tiled.
Spring inflorescences reach a length of 50 mm.They are beautiful because of their bright pink flowers. Summer flower clusters are formed in the composition of large paniculate inflorescences.
The graceful appearance of the plant shows high resistance to frost, therefore, it is often used to decorate landscape design.
Meyer (Tamarix meyeri)
Shrubs do not tolerate frost well, so Meyer's tamarix is chosen for areas with warmer winters. The bark has a reddish tone, the plant height is 3-4 m.
The leaves of the bush are scaly, the color is green-blue. Inflorescences are long (up to 10 cm), brush-shaped, formed by pink small flowers.
How to choose the right variety
Winter-hardy plant species are especially in demand. They are great for the mid lane. All of the plants listed above can be used in the landscape design of the local area. The acquisition of a low-winter species will lead to a waste of money and time. The bush may not die in the first winter, but it will need special care.
Conclusion
The tamarix shrub is a beautiful crop with excellent survival rates. Drought tolerant. The plant is suitable for growing even in large, gas-polluted cities. Tamarix does not require special attention and complex care. It is necessary to choose the right place for planting and provide protection against waterlogging.
