Content
Bubbles Andre is a spreading deciduous shrub of the Pink family, which is used to decorate private gardens and parks. The variety has become widespread due to its decorative qualities, resistance to cold weather and unpretentiousness. The plant can easily withstand low temperatures, which allows it to be grown in most of the territory of Russia, and even a beginner can take care of it.
Description of the cultivar Andre
Bubble-leaf Andre (physocarpus opulifolius Andre) has a very spectacular appearance - it is a lush, rather dense shrub with a rounded crown, which approaches the shape of a ball. The height of adult plants does not exceed 3 m, however, this figure is usually lower - only 2-2.5 m.
The branches of the vesicle of this variety are spreading, drooping. The shrub leaves in their shape resemble viburnum leaves, the color of the leaf plate is purple-red. With the onset of autumn, the color of the foliage of the Andre variety changes to bronze. The corrugated surface of the leaves gives the shrub decorativeness.
The flowers of André are small with pinkish stamens. They form small spherical inflorescences of white color and up to 7 cm in diameter. The flowering of the variety is abundant.
The life span of a shrub is 25-30 years on average. The growth rate of the Andre variety is quite high - in a year, under favorable conditions, the plant adds from 30 to 40 cm.In order to preserve the decorative effect of the bush, it must be cut from time to time. Otherwise, the plant will look sloppy.
Bubble garden Andre in landscape design
In landscape design, Andre's bubblegum is used primarily to create contrasting compositions, due to the unusual color of its leaves. Purple tones stand out favorably against the background of the green mass, and the rapid growth rates allow you to experiment with the shape of the plant - in case of an error, the shrub will quickly increase the lost volume. In addition, the vesicle does not require special attention to itself, which allows it to be planted in park areas.
Another advantage of the Andre variety is the extended period of decorativeness - the plant retains its attractive appearance for a very long time.
Ideal shrub for creating hedges and curbs. Also, the Andre variety can be used with equal success not only for group plantings, but also for single plantings. It goes well with creeping garden crops.
A photo of Andre's vesicle at the beginning of flowering is presented below.
Growing conditions for the bladderwort Andre
The Andrea Bubble-leaf can be grown in the garden, in parks or as a decoration for other municipal territories. The main advantages of the variety include high resistance to cultivation in urban conditions - the plant is immune to air pollution, so it can be planted even directly near the roads. On the other hand, such an arrangement will damage the decorative effect of the bush for another reason - in such conditions, dust will settle on its leaves and shoots, which will lead to loss of color.
The best location for Andre's vesicle is an open, sunny area.In conditions of strong shade, the color of the foliage of the plant becomes completely faded. As a last resort, you can plant a shrub in partial shade.
What else distinguishes the Andre variety favorably against the background of others is its drought tolerance. He is able to do without water for quite a long time, however, he still prefers moist soils. Strong winds do not pose a particular threat to the bush, it is not afraid of drafts.
Planting and caring for the vesicle Andre
Despite the fact that the Kalinophyta cultivar of the Andre variety is an extremely unpretentious plant, the lush flowering of the bush is impossible without observing a number of basic growing conditions. In particular, it is necessary to properly prepare the planting site and planting holes. Caring for the vesicle involves periodic watering, pruning and top dressing. If desired, the bushes are mulched, loosened and treated against pests and diseases.
Planting a crop of the Andre variety can be done at any time of the year, not counting winter.
Landing site preparation
André's bubble plant is undemanding to the composition of the soil, but it grows best in loose fertile areas of moderate moisture. The only significant limitation is the presence of lime - the Andre variety develops very poorly on calcareous soils.
If the soil in the planting site is too scarce, you can dig it up on a shovel bayonet and apply organic fertilizers to the soil. The procedure is carried out 1-2 weeks before the disembarkation of the vesicle.
Landing rules
Planting the Andrea cultivar bladder is carried out according to the following scheme:
- A planting hole is dug on a site fertilized in advance. Its size is determined based on the size of the seedling - it should fit freely into the hole, while the root collar of the plant should rise a couple of centimeters above ground level.
- A drainage layer of about 5-10 cm is placed at the bottom of the planting pit.
- A soil mixture of sand, turf and peat, taken in equal proportions, is spread on top.
- A seedling is placed on a hill formed from a soil mixture, and the earth is not removed from the root system so as not to injure the plants.
- The planting hole is filled to the brim with earth, after which the bladder seedling is abundantly watered. If the soil settles strongly after watering, add a little more earth on top.
- Finish the planting by creating a mulch layer. The trunk circle is sprinkled with peat or humus for this purpose.
Watering and feeding
The frequency of watering the vesicle will vary according to local climatic conditions. If the year turned out to be hot, the bushes are watered on average, 2 times a week, while each adult plant has from 30 to 40 liters of water. It is not recommended to fill the plantings - excessive soil moisture can provoke the growth of fungi and powdery mildew disease.
If it rains frequently in the region, watering is reduced to 1 time per week.
The bushes are fed in the spring with nitrogen fertilizers and in the fall with mineral compounds. In particular, in the spring months, the variety responds well to feeding with the following mixture:
- 10 liters of water;
- 0.5 l mullein;
- 1 tbsp. l. urea;
- 1 tbsp. l. ammonium nitrate.
In the fall, use the following composition: 1 tbsp. l. nitroammophos is dissolved in 10 liters of water.
Pruning
Prune the bladder in the spring for sanitary purposes. Shoots that have broken down over the winter are removed, as well as frozen branches.Formative pruning is performed in autumn. In order to get a lush round bush, it is necessary to cut the branches to a height of 40-50 cm. All thin shoots at the base of the bush are also removed.
Preparing for winter
The bubble plant of the Andre variety is a frost-resistant plant, however, this fully applies only to adult bushes. Shoots of young plants in especially harsh winters can freeze slightly, so the seedlings are covered in autumn. For these purposes, the vesicle is mulched and sprinkled at the base with spruce branches, after which the shoots are pulled together with twine and covered with a roofing material cone. Additionally, you can wrap the bush with lutrasil.
Reproduction
The Andre cultivar is usually propagated by cuttings and layering. In the first case, the breeding process is as follows:
- In early spring, as soon as the threat of return frosts has passed, a healthy and strong shoot is chosen on the bush, growing outward. It is impossible to delay the preparation of layering - they must have time to take root before the onset of autumn frosts.
- The selected branch is cleaned, removing all leaves from it, except for those located at the very end.
- The layering is carefully bent to the ground and placed in a hole about 15-20 cm deep. To prevent the shoot from straightening, it is pinned to the ground with special wooden staples or pressed with a heavy object.
- Until autumn, the cuttings are moderately watered, after which the shoot is finally separated from the mother bush. In November, the rooted cut is covered for the winter.
Another popular method of propagation of the viburnum vesicle is grafting. It is produced in the following sequence:
- In the spring before flowering, the green shoots that have grown in the current year are carefully cut off with a pruner. The length of the cut branches should be 15-20 cm, no more.
- Almost all leaves are removed from the shoots. Leave only 2-3 leaves at the very top, while each of them is cut in half.
- After that, the lower part of the cuttings is soaked in any rooting stimulator. Well suited for this "Kornevin".
- Then the planting material is planted in fine-grained river sand or a mixture of peat and sand.
- Immediately after planting, the cuttings are covered with plastic wrap. Cut-off plastic bottles are also suitable for hiding.
- Before winter, cuttings are sometimes ventilated and watered. In winter, watering is stopped.
- In spring, the growth of the bladder can be planted in open ground.
Diseases and pests
The bladder is very rarely sick. André is particularly resistant to the diseases typical of this family. The only exception to the rule is chlorosis, which develops with a lack of nutrients and is expressed in the rapid yellowing of leaves and drying of shoots. At the first signs of the disease, it is necessary to add iron to the soil - for this, a solution of "Ferovit", "Ferrylene" or "Antichlorosis" is poured under the root of the bush.
Conclusion
Andre's bubble plant has found wide application in landscape design. It is often used to create contrasting hedges and lush curbs. In addition, the shrub is planted in group compositions along with creeping crops. The Andre variety gained popularity on personal plots due to its unpretentiousness. The plant is perfect for those who do not want to spend a lot of time caring for the garden.
In addition, you can learn about the features of growing a vesicle from the video below:
