Decorative bird cherry red-leaved for decorating a summer cottage
The variety of plants on earth allows you to create incredibly beautiful landscapes in parks and on the territory of country houses. Red-leaved bird cherry is widely used for contrasting and extraordinary compositions. The bright color of the foliage and the pyramidal crown of the tree stand out elegantly against the background of the lush greenery of the garden. The native land of the plant is North America. There she is found almost everywhere. In the middle of the 17th century, Europeans got to know the culture and appreciated its beauty. In addition, the red-leaved bird cherry has a number of beneficial properties. Its bark and black fruits are used to treat various ailments. What does this overseas beauty look like? What do you need to know to grow such a tree on the site? How to properly care for a decorative bird cherry? Let's find out the answers to these questions.
Red-leaved bird cherry in all its glory
The plant grows about 1 m in height per year. Due to this, it is actively used to form exotic landscapes.
During the flowering period, the bird cherry wears a chic outfit of many snow-white or pinkish buds. Some of them are about 15 cm in diameter. They exude a heady scent that creates an aura of bliss around them.
Large cherry berries with red leaves have a sweet taste. They can be easily removed from the branches. Due to the strong skin, the fruits do not produce juice, so they can be stored for several days. Used in folk medicine. The first fruits appear already in the third year after planting. During the season, from 20 to 40 kg of berries are harvested from an adult tree.
The culture has a stable root system. Thanks to this, it will successfully grow even on dry and depleted soil. Wonderfully tolerates winter cold and summer heat. There are many varieties that adorn the gardens of our compatriots. Let's get acquainted with some of them.
Gorgeous Siberian beauty
The plant grows to about 5 m in height. Has a lush pyramidal crown shape. The young foliage of the bird cherry is painted in a pale green color. With age, it becomes a deep purple color. The lower part of the plate has a light purple hue.
When the flowering period begins, many snow-white bouquets appear on the Siberian beauty. During this period, there is a strong aroma around the tree, which attracts hundreds of insects. Over time, small fruits are tied. First, they are colored green, then red, and when ripe they become black. The red-leaved bird cherry Siberian beauty depicted in the photo evokes the admiration of many gardeners.
If you plant several such plants on the site, you can significantly increase the yield of the crop.
Exquisite Red Tent
The variety is a tree, about 4 m high with an elliptical crown. In early spring, green oval leaves bloom on it. By the middle of summer, they become purple in color. The Red Tent blooms in May with lush fragrant tassels. Black ripe fruits are covered with a glossy skin and have a pleasant taste. The culture miraculously endures summer heat and winter frosts.
Her Majesty the bird cherry Unkilled
The variety belongs to tall crops and reaches 7 m in height. The shoots of the plant are covered with dense foliage and are colored dark brown. They form an oval crown, which, during flowering, wears a snow-white outfit of fragrant tassels.
In mid-July, the foliage completely changes its color. At first it turns red, and then turns into a rich plum shade.
Interestingly, the culture got its name in honor of the last emperor of Russia, who was executed in the middle of summer. It was at this time that the leaves of the bird cherry turn a blood red color.
Having considered the detailed description of the red-leaved bird cherry, wouldn't you want to grow such a plant in your own country? Let's figure out how to bring the dream to life.
Secrets of planting and crop care
Despite its bright attractiveness, the red-leaved bird cherry wonderfully takes root on different types of soil. However, in order to achieve special decorativeness, it needs fertile land. There are several factors to consider when choosing a landing site.
It should be:
- spacious enough;
- away from tall plants;
- protected from drafts;
- have an abundance of sunlight.
For example, if a bird cherry is planted in the shade, it will bloom and bear fruit sparsely. Isn't it better to follow the recommendations of experts.
The plant is planted in early spring or in mid-autumn. First, carefully examine the root system and remove the weak parts.
Then they start planting and caring for the red-leaved bird cherry, which consists of the following actions:
- dig a funnel 0.5 m deep, 0.7 m wide;
- fertilizer is poured to the bottom;
- lay the seedling, straightening the roots;
- sprinkle with soil;
- poured abundantly with water;
- mulch sawdust or peat.
In order for the tree to develop successfully, during the dry season it is watered every week. At the same time, the peri-stem region is regularly weeded. In the fall, the soil is fed with wood ash and humus, and in the spring with liquid fertilizers. Once a year, the crown of the bird cherry tree is cut, giving it a beautiful shape. Thanks to this, the plant always has an attractive appearance on the territory of the summer cottage.