Content
Bird cherry is a wild plant that is ubiquitous in North America and western Europe. In Russia, it grows in forest and park areas in almost all climatic zones. Currently, several decorative subspecies have been bred, which have found application in landscape design.
Breeding history of the variety
Bird cherry (carpal), Latin name - Padusavium, Prunuspadus, grows in its natural range almost throughout Eurasia. In Russia, this culture is often found in the form of wild seedlings. Bird cherry is easily crossed with other species. As a result, decorative varieties are obtained.
Scientists have been developing ornamental varieties in the USSR since 1972. They were obtained by crossing wild bird cherry with other species growing in nature. Nowadays, more than 20 decorative varieties have been obtained. 9 new species were bred at the Lisavenko Research Institute of Horticulture in Siberia: Olga's joy, Early round, Black shine and others. The authors of the varieties were botanists M.N.Salamatov and V.S.Simagin. A variety of bird cherry, vaterri - Sakhalin black was included in the State Register in 1995.
Description of the variety
Bird cherry is a tall tree (shrub). Its height reaches 10-15 m. The diameter of the bird cherry crown can be 10 meters or more. The culture grows in the forest and forest-steppe zone with a temperate climate.
The leaves of the bird cherry are simple, narrow, oblong, toothed, dense and smooth. Their length does not exceed 10 cm, rarely 15 cm, width - 1.5-2 cm. They are attached to wide dense petioles 1.5 cm long.
Flowers are small, collected in numerous inflorescences up to 18 cm long. Petals are rounded white or pink. During the flowering period, the common bird cherry exudes a strong aroma.
Fruits are black, small, globular, smooth, glossy. Their diameter does not exceed 10 mm. The taste is sweet, tart, astringent. The stone is small, oblong. The green pulp, oxidizing, turns black.
In Russia, the culture is recommended to be grown in the European part of the country, in Siberia, in the Far East.
Varieties of bird cherry
Among the variety of varieties of bird cherry, there are several, the most popular, decorative, frost-resistant varieties:
- Siberian beauty - red-leaved, ornamental variety, obtained as a result of crossing of common bird cherry and Virginsky (Schubert). It is a tall, erect shrub, grows up to 5 m in length. The crown is wide, dense, shaped like a pyramid. In early spring, the foliage is green; by mid-June, the surface of the leaf becomes purple, the lower part is dark purple. Leaves do not fall until late autumn. The fruits of the tree of this variety are burgundy, large enough, with high taste.
- Grade of Plena was known in Russia even before the 19th century. Belongs to the common bird cherry family. Differs in beautiful large velvet flowers, reminiscent of roses. Their flowering period is longer than that of other species, but the inflorescences are not as lush.
- Sakhalin black variety obtained from pollination of the common bird cherry prunuspadus with wild representatives of the species. It is a tall shrub (tree) that grows up to 7 m in height. It is a culture with dense, velvety, large, dark green foliage. Flowers are small, white, collected in a brush of 30-35 pieces. The fruits are juicy, tart, sweet and sour.
Characteristics of the common bird cherry
This is one of the first crops that pleases with its flowering in spring. This tree is not afraid of night frosts in May and sudden changes in temperature.
The photo shows how the common bird cherry blossoms magnificently in early spring in the southern regions of the country.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Bird cherry is not demanding on soil moisture, easily tolerates periodic drought and spring flooding. Seedlings of the first year need watering. Adult plants are watered only if the summer is very dry.
The winter hardiness of the bird cherry is high, it easily tolerates temperature changes. Due to this, it is recommended for cultivation in Siberia and the Far East. Calmly tolerates frosts up to - 30 ᵒС.
Productivity and fruiting
Bird cherry (carpal, bird), subfamily Spirey, begins to bear fruit in the middle of summer - in July. The first berries appear 5 years after planting. The fruits are distinguished by sweet and sour taste, at the same time tart. Their size does not exceed 0.5 mm, the surface is smooth, glossy, the skin is black. For abundant fruiting, good illumination of the site is necessary. Depending on the size of the tree, from 20 to 30 kg of fruit can be harvested from it over the summer.
Common bird cherry grows well in sunny, well-lit areas, is not afraid of direct sunlight, and is not prone to baking and shedding fruits in the sun.
Scope of the fruit
Fruits can be eaten raw, or you can make jams, preserves, compotes, jelly from them. For the preparation of alcoholic beverages, the fruits and flowers of the plant are used. Bird cherry juice is used as a food coloring for drinks and confectionery. In Siberia, dried bird cherry berries are ground and used as an additive to flour. Bread with the addition of dried fruits has an almond flavor.
The fruits of the bird cherry are quite fragile and juicy, it is not possible to transport them. You can store berries only in dry or candied form.
Pest and disease resistance
Bird cherry is a plant resistant to pests and diseases, but it needs preventive treatment 2 times a year. In the shade, in areas with waterlogged soils, fungal infections can develop.
Under unfavorable growing conditions, the culture can infect diseases:
- powdery mildew;
- red spot;
- cercosporosis;
- cytosporosis;
- rust;
- wood rot.
When affected by fungi, yellowed leaves with spots are removed, the crown is sprayed with fungicides.
The leaves of the bird cherry can be eaten by caterpillars, beetles, bird cherry moth, sawfly. Pests are fought by spraying the tree with karbofos three times.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
With all the advantages of the bird cherry, the common bird has practically no drawbacks. If you provide the plant with access to light and sunlight, there are no problems with growing it.
The virtues of culture:
- high decorative qualities;
- pleasant scent of flowers;
- unpretentiousness;
- resistance to frost and drought;
- good fruit taste.
Among the disadvantages, one can single out the instability to fungal diseases. Bird cherry can get sick if you plant a tree in the shade and do not carry out regular pruning.
Planting and caring for common bird cherry
The crop grows well on moist soils with a close occurrence of groundwater, while the plant must provide good drainage. The tree grows well on sandy, clay, alkaline soils. Bird cherry is common in almost all climatic zones of Russia.
Most of the bird cherry varieties are cross-pollinators, therefore it is recommended to plant several plants next to each other at a distance of 5-6 m from each other. Planting is carried out in early spring, until the buds hatch, or in the fall, after the leaves have fallen off.
A place for planting is chosen well-lit by the sun, but a young plant can grow in partial shade.
Before planting, organic fertilizers must be applied to the soil: humus, compost, manure (at least 10 kg per 1 planting pit). A hole for planting is dug 40 cm deep and 50 cm in diameter.
The seedling can be purchased at the nursery. It should be a short tree, at least 1.5 m in length with a well-developed root system. The bark should be flat and smooth without damage.
The seedling is placed in the prepared hole, the roots are straightened and covered with soil, trampled. After rooting, the tree is watered abundantly, the trunk circle is mulched with sawdust or peat.
Follow-up care
After planting, the soil under the seedling is regularly moistened for a month. It is bad if the water is near the trunk, the earth should be evenly and moderately moist. After a month, bird cherry is recommended to be watered only in drought. After watering, the soil must be mulched.
Several times a year it is necessary to loosen and dig up the soil under the tree. It is important to apply organic and mineral fertilizers under the root of the plant 2 times a year, before flowering and after the leaves fall.
Pruning is a mandatory procedure for caring for the common bird cherry tree. Pruning is carried out in autumn and early spring. Remove old, dried, damaged shoots. In addition to hygienic pruning, forming is also carried out. The crown of the common bird cherry is formed in the form of a pyramid or a ball.
In late autumn, the tree trunk should be protected from rodents. It is wrapped in tar paper, cellophane, any other covering material, tied up with a rope. The bird cherry does not need protection from frost; it should not be sheltered for the winter. If the temperature is below -20 ° C, you can throw more snow around the trunk and rhizome.
Diseases and pests
Bird cherry is susceptible to fungal diseases of horticultural crops if it grows in the shade. For the prevention of cercosporosis, cytosporosis, rust, it is necessary to carry out regular pruning of the crown, to prevent stagnation of water in the near-stem circle. If the leaves of the bird cherry are affected by spotting, powdery mildew, they are sprayed with copper oxychloride or Bordeaux liquid (1%). The affected leaves are removed and burned.
In the crown of the bird cherry, moths, silkworms, aphids, weevils can start. For preventive purposes, spraying with insecticides is carried out in early spring, in summer before the appearance of ovaries, in autumn after harvesting the fruits.
Conclusion
Bird cherry is a wild plant that has become a regular in home gardens, alleys, park areas. Its heady aroma fills the warm spring air with sweetness during the flowering period. Culture serves not only decorative functions. Its fruits have long been used in cooking and traditional medicine.
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