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Irga Lamarca, photo and description of which are given in the article, is a perennial shrub.
General description of the culture
Irga Lamarca is a compact tall shrub or small tree. Belongs to the Rosaceae family, the apple subfamily, therefore its fruits are sometimes called not berries, but apples. It combines several varieties under a common name, which are planted both for landscape decoration and for harvesting. The birthplace of Irgi Lamarck is Canada. In addition, it is found in the wild in the Crimea, the Caucasus, Europe and even Japan.
Irgu Lamarca is often considered an ornamental subspecies of Irga Canadian and this shrub is called Irga Canadian Lamarca, although this is not the case. Difficulties and confusion in the classification are due to the fact that different wild-growing varieties often grow side by side and cross-pollinate.
Description of the species
A mature tree usually forms from one or more trunks. It is quite easy to recognize this shrub by its characteristic cap-like crown. The height of Lamarck's irgi in comfortable conditions can reach 8 m, in our latitudes the shrub rarely grows above 5 m. Its main characteristics are given in the table below.
Parameter | Value |
Type of culture | Deciduous shrub or tree |
Root system | Powerful, well developed |
Escapes | Smooth, grayish-green, rough |
Crown | Umbrella or hat-shaped |
Leaves | Green, oval, with long petioles. The leaf plate is matte, the edge is serrated. Leaf length - up to 7 cm.Coloring in autumn changes depending on the species to yellow, orange or purple-red |
Flowers | White, small (3.5–5 mm), have five petals. Collected in large inflorescences of 5-15 pcs. |
Fruit | From purple to black, ranging in size from 1 cm to 2 cm, with a characteristic bluish waxy bloom |
Irga Lamarca perfectly combines the qualities of both ornamental and berry shrubs. Also, its advantages are:
- undemanding care;
- frost resistance and drought resistance;
- stable fruiting;
- ease of reproduction;
- good immunity to diseases and pests.
According to gardeners, it is these qualities that are decisive when deciding whether to plant Lamarck's irgi in a personal plot. Many people also note the good taste of the fruit and their versatility. Despite this, the attitude towards this shrub is somewhat disdainful, since gardeners often prefer more "untwisted" types of fruit trees and bushes. A useful area is occupied by apple or cherry trees, and an unpretentious irga is planted somewhere in the backyard of the garden.
What varieties belong to the type of Irgi Lamarck
Quite a few varieties belong to Irge Lamarca. Here are the main ones:
- Princess Diana;
- Robin Hill;
- Springtime;
- Ballerina;
- Tradition;
- Strata.
The last two varieties have a controversial classification, since some researchers attribute them to Irga Canadian.
Princess Diana
Bred in the USA and patented in 1987. Author - Elm Grove.It is a tall branchy bush or a single-stemmed tree with a wide (up to 6 m) crown. Height 5–7 m. The color of the bark is gray-brown.
Leaves 6-7 cm long, lanceolate. In the spring, the reverse side of the leaf plate is reddish in color, has a characteristic pubescence. In summer, the leaves are olive green, the reverse side is slightly yellowish. By autumn, the color changes to orange and red.
Flower buds are yellow. Flowers up to 2 cm, white. The berries are medium-sized, 0.8–1 cm. The yield is high. Winter hardiness up to -30 degrees.
Robin hill
Bred in the USA, Pennsylvania. It has a treelike shoot 6–9 m high, crown size 4–6 m. The oval leaf, bright green, becomes yellow-orange closer to autumn. The flower bud is pink, the flowers are large, just blossomed pink, but in hot weather they quickly turn white.
Young leaves are light, with a white edge; as they grow, they acquire a green color. In autumn, the crown becomes yellow-red-orange. The plant is great for decorating alleys, park areas, etc. The fruits are black-purple, with a bluish bloom, up to 1 cm in size.
Springtime
The plant is a compact large bush with straight shoots up to 3 m long. Leaves are oval, green, by autumn the color changes to yellow and orange.
It is very rare in Russia; this variety is more common in Europe.
Ballerina
The variety is obtained in the Netherlands from seed imported from the UK. Year of hatching - 1980. Author - Van de Lar. It is a massive tree or bush with a height of 4.5 to 6 meters. A photo of Irgi Lamarck of the Ballerina variety is shown below.
Leaves are oval, pointed, up to 7.5 cm long. In spring they have a yellowish tint, in summer they are green. With the onset of autumn, the leaves change color to red, orange and yellow. Flowers are white, large, up to 2.8 cm. Berries are purple-black, large, collected in bunches of 5-8 pcs. Reviews of the Irgi Ballerina variety are usually enthusiastic, the plant is really very beautiful both during flowering and in autumn decoration.
Reproduction of Irgi Lamarck
Irgu Lamarca, like any shrub, can be propagated in various ways. The most popular ones are:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- layering;
- root processes;
- dividing the bush.
Root propagation is the simplest and most effective method. Since the shrub forms root growth in excess, you can simply use it as seedlings, separating it from the mother root. The rest of the methods are more time consuming and laborious.
The seeds can be used as planting material by extracting them from large ripe berries. They are planted in prepared containers with soil, watered and covered with foil. As a rule, during the first year, the seedlings reach 15 cm in length. After that, they are transplanted into open ground or left to grow.
Cut tops of shoots 30–35 cm long can be used as cuttings. Their cut is kept in a solution of a root growth stimulator, and then also planted under a film. Layers can be obtained by bending the extreme shoots to the ground, fixing them and covering them with earth. Intense watering will cause them to take root. After that, you can cut off the shoots from the mother bush and plant them in a permanent place.
By dividing the bush, you can plant a plant no older than 6-7 years. To do this, it is completely removed from the ground, the rhizome is cut into pieces along with the shoots and planted in a new place.
Planting Irgi Lamarck
Irgu Lamarca is planted mainly for decorative purposes. It is used as a row of columns when planted along an alley, paths, a free-standing tree - as an autumn color accent. However, this shrub can also be planted for growing berries.
Site selection and preparation
Irga Lamarca grows well on any type of soil.Even in rocky areas, strong roots can penetrate quite deeply and provide the shrub with everything it needs for normal growth. When planting, you should avoid very wetlands. Preference should be given to places with good lighting and with neutral or slightly acidic soil.
When to plant Irgu Lamarca: in spring or autumn
It is believed that the best time to plant Lamarck's irgi is autumn, the period after the leaves fall. An additional plus of this time of year is that during this period, as a rule, there are no problems with planting material. However, the planting of Lamarck's irgi can be carried out in the spring, before the leaves bloom. The plant has excellent survival rate, so there are usually no problems with the rooting of seedlings.
How to choose seedlings
For planting Lamarck's irgi, you can use seedlings of the second year of life. Before planting, they need to be inspected, if necessary, cut off rotten roots. Better to use seedlings with closed roots.
Planting procedure for Irgi Lamarck
For planting Lamarck's irgi, it is necessary to prepare in advance pits with a depth of at least half a meter and a diameter of 40-60 cm. The roots of the seedling should fit freely in it. It is better to prepare the pits in advance, at least a month before the intended planting. This will allow the soil to be well saturated with air.
At the bottom of the pit, you need to pour a mixture of humus or peat with turf soil in a 1: 1 ratio. For better rooting, it is advisable to add 2 tbsp. tablespoons of superphosphate and 1 tbsp. a spoonful of potassium sulfate. The seedling is installed vertically so that the root collar is 5-6 cm below ground level. After that, the roots are covered with soil, the trunk circle is compacted, spilled with three buckets of water and mulched with peat or humus.
How to transplant an adult irgi bush to a new place
Transplanting a Lamarck Irgi bush over 7 years old to a new place is a rather troublesome and undesirable business. Therefore, it is better to immediately plant it in a permanent place. An adult bush can be transplanted only with a lump of soil on the roots, while it is important to keep the lateral roots at least 1 m long and the pivotal roots at least 0.7–0.8 m. Wrap the bare roots with a wet rag.
In a new place, you need to dig a hole of such a size that the earthen lump on the roots fits completely into it. Having covered the roots with earth, the trunk circle needs to be lightly tamped, watered abundantly with water and mulched.
Irga Lamarck's care
Caring for Lamarck's Irga is not difficult. Ornamental plants need pruning, berry plants sometimes need to be watered and fed. In addition, the trunks are sometimes weeded, loosened and mulched.
Watering
Irga Lamarka is a drought-resistant shrub, therefore, as a rule, it does not need special watering. If the summer is dry, then it will be useful to periodically pour several buckets of water into the root zone, especially during the period of setting and ripening of fruits.
Weeding and loosening the soil
The trunks of Lamarck's irgi can be loosened periodically, combining with cleaning them from weeds... Completely the soil around the bushes is dug up in the fall simultaneously with the introduction of mineral fertilizers.
Top dressing during the season
Irga Lamarca does not require mandatory feeding with any fertilizer, especially if planted on fertile land. If the soil is poor, the shrub can be periodically fed with organic fertilizers, applying them in the fall to the trunk circles at the same time as digging up the soil.
Berry bushes can be fed several times during the season. In the spring, before the buds swell, nitrophoska is added at the rate of 50 g per 1 sq. m.In the summer, during the period of fruit setting, an infusion of mullein or bird droppings is used in a proportion of 0.5 liters per bucket of water. You can also use urea, 20-30 g per bucket of water. In the fall, superphosphate and potassium sulfate 2 and 1 tbsp are added under the bushes. spoon, respectively, for 1 sq. m.
Timing and rules for pruning
Pruning for Lamarck's irgi is a must. It allows you to form a crown, rejuvenate the shrub and make it sanitary. Sanitary pruning is done in the spring and fall. This will cut dry and broken branches. In the first years, all basal shoots are completely removed, leaving only 2-3 of the strongest ones. This is how a bush with uneven-aged shoots is formed. Over time, old trunks are cut to the root, and they are replaced by young ones.
Preparing Irgi Lamarck for winter
The winter hardiness of Lamarck's irgi is sufficient to withstand the most severe cold weather. Therefore, there is no need to carry out any special events before winter.
What diseases and pests can threaten the culture
Irga Lamarck is rarely affected by any disease. Diseases are found, as a rule, only on old and neglected trees.
The main ones are shown in the table:
Disease | Symptoms | Treatment and prevention |
Powdery mildew of irgi | Gray spots on bark and leaves. Leaves affected by the fungus turn brown and fall off, the shoots dry up | Leaves and shoots are cut and burned. The bush is treated with the preparations Raek, Tiovit Jet |
Ascochitous spotting of irgi | Irregular brown spots appear on the leaves, the leaf turns yellow and falls off. The disease reduces the frost resistance of irgi | Treatment in early spring with Bordeaux liquid 1%. In case of serious damage, the treatment is repeated in the fall. Infected leaves are burned |
Septoria spotting irgi | The leaves are covered with numerous rounded specks of borax, then turn yellow and fall off | The same as with ascochitis |
Pestalotia irgi | The edge of the leaf plate turns brown, on the border of healthy and affected tissue, a characteristic yellow stripe | The same as with ascochitis |
Irgi Monilial Rot | Causes decay and subsequent mummification (drying) of berries. Infected berries remain on the net and are sources of disease | Pick mummified berries. Three times treatment with Bordeaux liquid 1%: bud formation, immediately after flowering and two weeks after the second treatment. |
Pest insects also do not pamper Lamarck's Irga with their attention. This is due to the fact that the bushes are often visited by birds, especially the fieldbirds, which are a much larger problem for the harvest. The main insect pests of irgi are presented in the table.
Pest | What amazes | Method of control or prevention |
Rowan moth | Berries, moth caterpillars live in them | Spraying immediately after flowering with Fufanon or Karbofos preparations. The treatment is repeated after 12-14 days. |
Irgovy seed eater | Berries, seed-eater larvae eat seeds in them | |
Rowan moth | Berries, moth caterpillars gnaw passages in them |
Conclusion
Irga Lamarca, photo and description of which are given in this article, is an excellent option for both the gardener and the landscape designer. The shrub combines visual appeal and at the same time is a good source of tasty and healthy berries. However, the description of Lamarck's irgi would be incomplete without mentioning that the shrub is an excellent honey plant. No wonder its Latin name Amelanchier means "to bring honey".
Reviews of gardeners about Irge Lamarck only confirm that the decision to plant this shrub on a personal plot is correct. There is hardly another horticultural crop capable of producing an excellent harvest with such a minimum investment. In addition, planting and caring for Lamarck's irga will not cause serious difficulties even for novice gardeners.
