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The strawberry tree is an exotic plant for Russia, which is grown outdoors only in the southern regions. The name is due to the fact that the fruits are similar to strawberries, but they taste like persimmons. It is not difficult to grow this tree, but it is difficult to protect it from frost. Therefore, even in the south, a mandatory shelter for the winter is required.
What does a strawberry tree look like?
The strawberry tree (Cornus capitata), also called kudrania, is one of the members of the Cornel family. In nature, it grows in the south of China, as well as in the foothills of India. Introduced and successfully grown in New Zealand and Australia, as well as on the Black Sea coast of Russia.
It is a deciduous tree with green shoots that turn brown with age. Leaves are yellowish-green in color, small in size, pale. The flowers are also small, yellow, and are organized into spherical inflorescences.
Curly berries only outwardly resemble strawberries and mulberries. They are scarlet or burgundy in color, round, 2 to 5 cm in diameter. The pulp is juicy, sweet, without the slightest sourness. The taste of kudrania is similar to persimmon, so it cannot be considered a strawberry that grows on a tree: the similarity is only external. The seeds of the strawberry tree are brown in color and look like hemp nuts. It is impossible to transport the crop over long distances, since the berries are very soft.
Unripe are highly acidic and do not have a pronounced taste. The harvest of ripe fruits should be used immediately: eat fresh or make jam for the winter.
Curl characteristics
The strawberry tree is an exotic bush-shaped plant. Main characteristics:
- height up to 6 m (in nature up to 12 m);
- flowering: May - June;
- ripening of berries: August - September (happens after the leaves have fallen off);
- cross pollination (dioecious plant);
- life expectancy: up to 50 years;
- winter hardiness: low, but increases with age;
- appearance of berries: spherical, scarlet, burgundy;
- taste: sweet, reminiscent of persimmon.
The fruits of the strawberry tree from a distance resemble strawberries.
Strawberry tree yield
The strawberry tree begins to bear fruit at 5-6 years of age. The maximum yield is achieved by the age of 10: from one tree can be removed from 150 to 200 kg of berries. The yield is influenced not so much by the type of soil and care as by the climatic conditions. A culture grows well only with enough heat and light.
Planting and caring for a strawberry tree
Cultivation of curls in the open field is allowed only in the southern regions of Russia (Krasnodar Territory, North Caucasus, Crimea). In other cases, it is better to cultivate indoors, but only on a sunny window (south or southeast side). The tree does not need special care, but it does require light and regular watering.
Landing dates
The seeds of the strawberry tree must be planted immediately after harvest.Seedlings grown from cuttings or shoots are transferred to open ground in the second half of May, when the soil has warmed up well.
Site and soil requirements
The place for planting a strawberry tree should be well lit and moderately moist - lowlands will not work, since moisture accumulates in them. Soil requirements:
- medium neutral or slightly acidic (pH from 5.5 to 7.0);
- structure: loose;
- type: fertile loam.
The site is prepared in a few weeks. Dig up the earth and add humus or compost in a 2 m bucket2... If the soil is clay, add 1 kg of sawdust or sand to the same area.
How to plant correctly
Planting a strawberry tree is easy enough:
- Dig a deep hole (about 1 m).
- Pour small pebbles, expanded clay with a layer of at least 30 cm.
- Pour out fertile soil - sod land with peat, sand and humus (2: 1: 1: 1).
- Loosen the soil well and plant a seedling.
- Tamp the soil a little, pour warm, settled water.
Kudrania bears fruit well with enough sunlight and warmth
How to care
To grow a beautiful strawberry tree, both in the photo and in the description, it is recommended to take into account the reviews of experienced gardeners. The basic rules are as follows:
- Moderate watering: the plant has a developed root system, so it is enough to give water 2 times a month. In the heat, it is advisable to irrigate several times.
- Fertilizers are needed from the second year of life. In the spring, use urea or ammonium nitrate (15–20 g per tree), then, during flowering, a complex mineral dressing (Azofoska, "Bogatyr", "Kemira Universal" or others).
- Loosening and weeding - as needed.
- Formative pruning is performed every spring and fall for the first five years. Weak branches are removed, the crown is thinned, the shoots growing inward (towards the trunk) are cut off.
For the winter, the plant must be removed to the north or west window, preferably in a cooler place.
Diseases and pests
The strawberry tree has a high immunity to various diseases and pests, but in the heat it can suffer from thrips and other insects. You can destroy them by spraying with homemade solutions and infusions:
- tobacco dust;
- wood ash and laundry soap;
- garlic cloves;
- mustard powder;
- ammonia;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- onion peel.
Also insecticides cope with pests: "Decis", "Inta-Vir", "Match", "Fitoverm", "Aktara" and others.
If the potted tree starts to hurt, rinse the leaves thoroughly under running water. If there are insect larvae, they are removed with a cotton swab. Then the plant is transplanted into a container with new soil, and the old soil is thrown away. The pot must be held in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After that, the strawberry tree is sprayed with any insecticide. Wrap up with foil for a day.
Preparing for winter
Even in the southern regions, the strawberry tree needs to be prepared for winter. To do this, the roots are carefully mulched with leaf litter, sawdust, hay, peat - the layer should be 5–7 cm. Burlap or other woven material is placed on the trunk. It is especially important to cover young trees under the age of five.
Strawberry tree propagation methods
Curls can be grown from seeds, as well as propagated by vegetative methods - cuttings and root shoots.
Most often, the strawberry tree is propagated by shoots or grown from seeds.
Cuttings
Cutting is a relatively simple, but not very effective way of propagation: about 30% of seedlings take root. The procedure starts at the end of May. You need to take several young shoots and cut the cuttings 15 cm long. Make an oblique lower and straight upper cut. The step-by-step instructions for growing are as follows:
- Put overnight in a growth stimulant solution - "Epin", "Kornevin" or "Humat".
- Make a fertile soil: turf soil with humus and sand (2: 1: 1) with the addition of a small amount of vermiculite.
- Plant in pots or open ground, cover with a jar or plastic wrap.
- Water and spray periodically with growth stimulant solutions.
- After 3-4 months, the cuttings will give roots. For the winter, they must be mulched with leaf litter, spruce branches, sawdust.
- The next spring can be transplanted to a permanent place.
Root shoots
For reproduction by shoots at the beginning of summer, it is necessary to separate several offspring from the mother bush, plant them in open ground or in a pot with fertile and loose soil and water with a solution of a growth stimulator. This breeding method is considered to be quite effective. Shoots grow rapidly, and after a year they reach a height of 1 m. In autumn they are mulched, and the next season they are transplanted to a permanent place.
Seeds
The seeds must be planted in a pot with fertile soil immediately after they ripen (to a depth of 1–2 cm). The soil surface is sprayed with water, covered with foil and left in the refrigerator on the lower shelf for 2 months. After that, they are transferred to the light. Keep at room temperature, periodically watering the soil. In May, the seedlings can be transferred to a permanent place.
Benefits of the strawberry tree
The strawberry seedling is grown for fruit, as well as for landscaping gardens and parks. The bark is used as a raw material for the production of paper, and the wood, which is particularly durable, is used for the manufacture of furniture and souvenirs.
Kudrania produces delicious berries and is also used for medical and industrial purposes.
Benefits of the fruit of the strawberry tree
The fruits of the strawberry tree are rich in useful minerals and organic substances:
- vitamins C, P, group B;
- rutin;
- pectin;
- carotene;
- glycoside;
- iron.
Therefore, the berries are used fresh as an additional remedy in the treatment of a number of diseases:
- upset stomach and intestines;
- heartburn;
- dysentery;
- insomnia;
- wounds, ulcers and burns;
- pathology of the spleen and liver.
The bark of the strawberry tree is also used for medicinal purposes. A decoction is made from it, which is used in the form of compresses for healing wounds and other skin lesions. Also, the bark is dried and a powder is obtained from it, which is used to treat burns (externally) and stomach and duodenal ulcers (internally).
Contraindications and possible harm
Berries and a decoction of the bark of the strawberry tree should not be taken internally by persons with individual intolerance. In some cases, this can lead to itching, rashes, and other allergic reactions. If you have diabetes mellitus, you can eat berries only after consulting a doctor. It is allowed to use the fruits during pregnancy and lactation. Curly berries, when consumed in moderation, do not carry any harm.
Conclusion
The strawberry tree can only be planted outdoors in the south. In other regions, it is allowed to grow only indoors. The basic rules of care are reduced to moderate watering and rare top dressing. For the winter, they are always covered with burlap and the roots are carefully mulched.
Reviews with a photo about a strawberry tree or curls
