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The leading position in the rating of the popularity of ornamental shrubs is occupied by Barberry Amur for useful fruits, a high level of fruiting, good taste and unpretentious care. Every year the number of fans of this luxurious and healing plant is growing rapidly. The crop is grown as a supplier of delicious berries, for aesthetic purposes, to create shaded corners and living fences.
Description of Barberry Amursky
Barberry Amur is a deciduous thorny shrub of the Barberry family. The plant can grow up to 2 meters in height. The shrub forms straight, slightly branched, erect and ribbed branches, painted yellow, which turn gray by autumn. The plant is decorated with obovate or elliptical leaves arranged in bunches on shortened shoots. The length of the leaf plate is 12 cm, and the width is 5 cm. The bright color of the leaves attracts attention: in summer they have a light green color, and in autumn they acquire a purple, dark red hue.
The plant has spines, which are yellowish in color and up to 3 cm long. The inflorescences are racemose, up to 10 cm long, consisting of 10–25 drooping flowers, painted in a pale yellow color and distinguished by a strong aroma. The berries of the Amur barberry are bright red, ellipsoidal, 1 cm long. The fruits are dryish, sour in taste. The photo of Barberry Amursky is truly mesmerizing.
The plant pleases with its flowering for 3 weeks. The fruits ripen in August – October. Harvesting can be done in late autumn - November.
Healing properties
The perennial thorny shrub of the Amur Barberry owes its healing ability to a unique chemical composition, therefore, funds based on it can be used as an auxiliary treatment for many diseases to increase the effect. The benefits of the plant are determined by the fact that Amur Barberry:
- belongs to the pharmacological group of anti-inflammatory and sedative medicinal preparations of herbal origin;
- used as a bactericidal, hemostatic and antipyretic agent;
- has a choleretic and diuretic effect;
- helps to increase appetite;
- It is used in cooking, since the bitter-sour taste of the fruit makes Amur Barberry a universal seasoning for sauces, meat and fish dishes.
The roots, bark, leaves, flowers, berries of the thorny shrub of the Barberry of Amur are used as raw materials for treatment. Healing agents are prepared from them in the form of infusion, decoction, tea, oil, each of which is endowed with healing powers and has been used in the healing of various diseases.
The healing properties of the perennial shrub Barberry Amur:
- a decoction made from the bark and roots of a plant, treats diseases of the respiratory system, tuberculosis, pneumonia, malaria;
- an infusion of crushed roots has a therapeutic effect on rheumatism, arthritis;
- a tincture based on Barberry Amur is used in obstetric practice, in the postpartum period with bleeding and with endometritis at the time of menopause;
- decoctions help to improve a person's condition in case of impaired renal function, pathology of the bladder, with cystitis, urethritis;
- teas from the fruits of the plant are used as an antiscorbutic agent, as well as for cholelithiasis, impaired motor activity of the bile ducts, hepatitis;
- substances found in the roots, bark and leaves of the perennial thorny shrub Barberry of Amur are considered effective helpers in pathologies of the cardiovascular system, and also lower blood pressure;
- in case of intestinal infections and digestive disorders, tinctures or decoctions of Barberry Amursky are used, which contribute to the rapid restoration of microflora.
- is a component of creams intended for the treatment of skin diseases, and oil extracts and infusions help to heal eczema and frostbite.
Planting and caring for the Barberry Amur shrub
A favorable period for planting the perennial thorny shrub of the Amur Barberry is spring, autumn. Before planting, you need to find out where the plant grows and bears fruit well, as well as how to properly organize the care of the crop.
Seedling and planting plot preparation
High-quality planting material is a decisive factor when planting Amur Barberry, since full-fledged, fertile bushes will not grow from weak seedlings affected by pests and diseases. Therefore, the seedlings must have a strong and strong root system without obvious defects.
When choosing a place for planting, you need to take into account both the aesthetic appearance of the garden plot and the needs of the plant for its normal growth and development.
Barberry Amur is very picky about location, heat and moisture. Therefore, preference should be given to spacious, sunny places, not shaded, but protected from drafts. And also the perennial thorny shrub Barberry Amur reacts poorly to the proximity of groundwater and stagnant moisture, so it is advisable to plant it on a slope. The culture does not suffer from a lack of organic matter in the soil, but with excessive acidity above pH 7.5, care should be taken to introduce limestone or dolomite flour.
Before planting the perennial thorny bush of Barberry Amur, it is important to prepare a hole in advance. For bushes not older than 3 years of age, the diameter of the planting hole should be 25 cm, and the depth should be 25-30 cm. For seedlings from 4 to 7 years old, you need to make a depression 50 cm in diameter and depth. If the culture is planted in order to create a living hedges, you will need a trench 40 cm deep and wide.
After the planting pit is organized, a nutrient mixture is needed to fill it, which should contain humus, sand and loose garden soil in equal proportions.
Landing rules
Correct planting is a guarantee of successful development and comfortable existence of the perennial thorny shrub of the Barberry of Amur, therefore, the following procedure should be adhered to:
- Prepare a planting hole and lower the seedling so that the root collar is underground at a depth of 3 cm.
- When planting a hedge, the distance between planting units should be maintained, which should be 30-40 cm.
- Compact the earth around the bush and pour about one bucket of warm water into the trunk circle.
- At the end of the planting process, mulch the soil using sawdust or leaves.
Ornamental trees and shrubs of Barberry Amur, planted in the garden, will bring a lot of gifts: joy to the eyes, clean air to the lungs and bliss for taste buds.
Watering and feeding
Watering is necessary once a week. And at the time of the growth of shoots, the formation of the ovary, the ripening of the fruits, the bushes of the Amur Barberry may need moisture. To keep the soil moist, especially during the dry season, it is necessary to increase the amount of watering.
Barberry Amur is responsive to good nutrition, which can be mineral and organic feedings. You can feed it in the second year after planting. After each fertilization, the soil should be mulched with a mixture of peat and rotted manure.This will help to better assimilate fertilizers, and also protect the perennial shrub Barberry Amur from growth weeds and retains moisture.
Pruning
Every year it is necessary to prune the Amur Barberry shrub, removing weak and poorly developed shoots. In the spring, it is recommended to thin out old bushes. When forming hedges, pruning must be carried out in the second year after planting, while cutting off half of the ground part. In the future, cut off 2 times a year: in June and in August.
Preparing for winter
With the arrival of autumn, preparations for the winter of all garden plants, including the perennial shrub of Barberry Amur, begin. First you need to put things in order in the near-trunk circles:
- remove debris and dig up the soil under the bush;
- apply top dressing using humus or compost;
- carry out sanitary pruning;
- mulch with loose peat or dried leaves.
Young bushes of the Amur Barberry under the age of 5 years are very sensitive to the winter cold, so they must be covered with spruce branches before the first frosts. Large thorny bushes can be tied with a rope, a lattice box can be built around it, into which dry leaves are poured, and wrapped with agrofibre on top.
Reproduction
Amur barberry perfectly reproduces by cuttings, layering and seeds. The best option for a novice gardener would be to buy a seedling, since propagation with seeds will take a lot of time.
To propagate a plant with a cuttings, it must be carefully cut, planted in fertile soil, watered and wait until roots are formed. Then transfer to a permanent place in open soil.
When propagating by layering, the shoot should be pinned to the ground and covered with damp earth. The soil must be moistened until the cuttings take root. And also Barberry Amur can be propagated by dividing the bush. This will not only allow obtaining planting material, but will also contribute to the rejuvenation of the plant and the maintenance of its intensive development. To do this, the bush must be carefully removed from the ground, divided and planted. In this case, the perennial prickly shrub Barberry Amur will quickly take root and begin to bear fruit.
Diseases and pests
Barberry Amur is susceptible to various diseases that affect the quality of the crop and the life of the plant. It is important to detect and identify the disease in a timely manner and take appropriate measures. The most common disease is powdery mildew, which manifests itself as a powdery bloom on leaves, shoots and fruits.
For better protection against diseases of the Barberry Amur shrub, the necessary procedures should be performed. Firstly, remove dead foliage, cut off dried shoots, and secondly, systematically carry out preventive treatment with a solution of colloidal sulfur, sulfur-lime mixture. And remember about feeding the root system with nutrients.
Perennial thorny shrub Barberry Amur can also be attacked by pests, namely barberry aphid, flower moth. In order for the plant not to be the center of the accumulation of insects, it is necessary to carry out protective operations. In spring and autumn, remove and burn fallen leaves. Regularly inspect Barberry Amursky and, if pests are found, urgently start fighting them, resorting to mechanical and chemical methods to get rid of various insects.
Conclusion
Barberry Amursky has earned popularity due to its beautiful bush shape, large leaves, abundant flowering and fruiting. It is not in vain that landscape designers have chosen this perennial thorny shrub to create hedges and borders in the garden.
