A tree with large leaves and long pods. Macaroni tree - exotic honey plant and medicinal plant

Gardeners liked the catalpa tree because of the large leaves and the original flowering. Its decorativeness in Russia has been known since the 19th century. Some representatives of this species came to Russia from America, and some from Asian countries. Today, the tree is very popular in Japan, China, India and throughout the Russian Federation. Over the entire history, ten species varieties were bred, however, only two species are common in our country: bignoniform and magnificent.

Features of an exotic alien

Maya Indians gave him the name "tree of happiness", surrounded by a halo of secrets and legends. They considered him sacred. Our people nicknamed him "a tree that has elephant ears." Since ancient times, the southern plant from North America was able to adapt to various climatic conditions, including cold winters, calmly transferring the temperature of -25.

Nowadays, it can be found in squares and couples, in the decoration of various estates. Catalpa is very exotic, but it does not bear fruit, and no useful properties have been identified, therefore, its fame was achieved only by decorative qualities, which are especially amazing during flowering. This plant reaches a maximum height of 30 meters and pleases itself from the beginning of spring until the very fall.
The tree has fragrant openwork flowers, which can often be found with specks. The petals are quite beautiful, with white or cream color, which are collected in large inflorescences in diameter, they are very similar to chestnut, their length is 20 cm. However, you should know that it blooms only five years after planting in open ground, but it will last quite a while.

Catalpa - a tree with fruits in the form of long icicles. But these green pods contain a lot of seeds, which, to some extent, can be compared with dandelions, since they scatter in different directions after opening. The pods are long, reaching a length of 35 cm to 50 cm, their width is about 1.5 cm. If the terrain is not windy, then such icicles can sag all winter.

Plant species diversity

Gardening often uses several types of wood. In order to navigate in the views and present how they look, as well as to know their nuances, consider the views:

The catalpa is beautiful - the crown of this tree is thin-plate, its height can reach as much as 45 m. A wonderful catalpa is distinguished by the fact that its trunk is gray, the leaves are also quite large - 40 cm in length and 20 cm in width, the top is smooth, light green, and the bottom is white and lowered. Its flowers are white and cream in color with small dots inside the purple color, which are dissected by yellow lines. Inflorescences emit a stupefying aroma that will blow throughout the flowering, which lasts up to 25-30 days. However, it will begin to bloom only after reaching 10 years. Its fruits in the form of boxes in which seeds are stored, they can be seen already in mid-summer. Reproduction occurs in various ways: seed, cuttings, or by layering. It grows in moist, mineral and fertile soils. A transplant for a tree does not provide side effects, the plant tolerates it well, and planting must be done in early spring. This species is more frost-resistant than others. It is used both as a separate tree, and in the design of group plantings of squares and alleys.

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Spherical - has sprawling branches, thanks to which the crown has a rounded shape, grows up to 20 meters. The thin-lamellar bark of light brown color has large leaves on them, whose length does not exceed 25 cm and a width of 20 cm. The light green top is smooth, the white bottom is lowered. If you rub them, you can feel the characteristic aroma. The flowers of this plant are snow-white and fragrant, while their length is not small - up to 6 - 7 cm, dark brown spots are located inside. They can be contemplated for 30 days, that's how much they bloom. Fruits in the form of pod-shaped boxes with seeds. The leaves begin to fall off with the onset of lowering air temperature. In the fall, their color does not change. The tree does not grow quickly, but differs in frost resistance. Especially demanding on soil moisture. Spherical catalpa ennoble garden plots.

Bignoniform - a medium-sized plant growing up to 10 meters. This species differs in the asymmetry of the crown and shoots, which are located in the funnel. Large leaves in the shape of a heart, up to 25 cm wide, have a tinge of pale yellow. And by the beginning of flowering, they become green. Flowers, relatively large - 35 cm, yellow or white with raspberry dots. Fruits in the form of pods can be up to 45 centimeters in length, which gradually turn brown in the last month of summer, and stay on the tree until the frost. Its natural habitat is southeast America, in forest stands and along rivers. Prefers fertile, moist and soils with moderate acidity. The root system of this species is deep, in comparison with the others, but is also sensitive to damage, except that it is unramified. Used by landscape designers as an exotic tree for decorating city parks.

Nana is a low tree that can reach a maximum height of only 6 meters. But his crown has a high density, spherical, dense. The leaves are light green in color, have the shape of a heart. However, the flowers on it do not bloom. He loves sunny places that are protected from the wind. It is whimsical to the soil - it must be fertilized and fertile. Growth is slow. Young plants are not as resistant to frost as adults, therefore, they can be damaged with the onset of the first frosts. This species tolerates the dry season rather poorly, that is, summer is the most terrible time, so you should make sure that the soil is not overdried, for this you need to provide plentiful and frequent watering. Crohn is quite sensitive to any kind of damage. Digging, replanting or, even, just when loosening - try not to hurt it. The appearance of this tree is often used to decorate city parks.

The magnificent Catalpa is a tree with a dense, wide-pyramidal crown, proclaiming to a height of 30 m. Its bark is gray and thin-plate. The leaves, in their dimensions, are similar to other species - 40 cm long and 20 cm wide. The flowers are quite large, fragrant, they are painted in white and cream color, inside of which are two yellow stripes and purplish-brown dots, along the edges of the petals wavy. It blooms for about a month. The fruit box, inside of which the seeds look like a pod. Seeds should be stored in plastic bags or paper envelopes, while it is important to store them in a dry room, without direct sunlight. Seeds are good for up to two years. Sowing is carried out in the last days of autumn or the first days of spring. If sowing seeds is carried out in the spring, then before that they need to be soaked in water for two days. When choosing a site, make sure that the area where the seeds are sown is well lit and protected from the wind. Young trees grow quickly, so approximately one meter grows annually. The tree is frost-resistant, resistant to drought, but still in prolonged drought, plentiful and frequent watering is necessary. Flowering is observed at 12 years of life and lasts from the last days of July to the end of July.

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Hybrid - a plant 25 meters high, while the branches are long, due to this sprawling and give the crown a wide-rounded shape. Leaves 30 cm long and 20 cm wide, light green in color and lowered to the bottom. Upright and loose flowers of white color, with yellow stripes and red-brown specks located inside. It blooms, like all other species - 25 days, but the hybrid species has annual and abundant flowering. Fruits are narrow boxes. Landing is best done in bright places that will be protected from winds and drafts. It is good if the soil is saturated with organic fertilizing in the form of fertilizers, and the acidity does not exceed the norm.

Catalpa vulgaris - has an abundant number of leaves, but reaches a maximum height of only 8 meters. Flowering lasts from the beginning of June to the end of July. In July, one can observe the fruits of the pod-shaped form, capsules, inside which seeds are stored. Fruits can be harvested both in autumn and spring. The best time is from October to November. Catalpa grows preferably on fertile and cultivated soils. Dry and compacted land will give only a very slow increase. The plant is resistant to drought, although during periods of strong temperature increase it needs abundant watering. Under favorable conditions, catalpa develops well and grows faster. In winter, it is better to protect the plant and cover it with insulation material. Planting should occur before the buds open, if it is an autumn planting, before frost. Before planting, the earth from the prepared hole must be mixed with humus. During planting, make sure that the neck of the root is 2 measures above the soil. Care of seedlings consists in the fact that every month it is necessary to loosen and mulch the soil, as well as timely prune the affected branches.

Proper fit and care

The best place for planting a tree is a well-lit area, but it also grows in slightly shaded areas. These trees are beautifully designed garden paths, ponds and lawns of parks. In order to plant a tree, an annual seedling is best.

A seedling purchased in a specialized store will be the best option, as it is already maximally acclimatized for the area in which you live.

This culture is not very demanding on the soil, but it is good if it is well moistened (very important!), Its acidity will not exceed the norm, it will be rich in organic matter and well drained. The best time to plant is considered early spring. To do this, dig a hole a meter deep (for group plantings, it is important to observe the necessary distance from each other, it is 3 meters).

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In order to plant a tree, you will need to prepare a planting substrate from sheet soil, river sand, humus and peat (2: 2: 3: 1). And add phosphorite flour to the prepared hole, and with it wood ash. Place the seedling in a mixture that was previously prepared, bury and pour with a copious amount of water, and then mulch the soil surface with peat. The neck of the root of the tree should be level with the ground.

Consider that from strong gusts of wind both leaves and branches can break. Therefore, when planting a catalpa, it is worth giving preference to places protected from the winds, especially winter ones, which can have a detrimental effect on the plant.

Essential care

The tree will grow without causing unnecessary trouble if it is planted on fertile and drained soil, and a significant increase in height and crown will be noticeable. Catalpa Care composed:

In the irrigation carried out on time.
In pruned branches.
In the introduction of organic and mineral fertilizing.
In the shelter of young plants during the cold weather.

Catalpa is recommended to be watered weekly and quite plentifully, about 2 buckets. If the summer was not arid, then watering can be reduced and the soil moistened two to three times a month. In addition, three to four times a season, you need to loosen the earth at the trunk and remove weeds as they appear.

How culture propagates

Catalpa can propagate by all known methods: seeds, cuttings or cuttings.

By cuttings, reproduction occurs in the summer, in its second half. Cuttings are cut about 10 cm each and planted in a substrate, which consists of river sand and peat, this will provide high survival and growth stimulation.

The seed method is also the most common. It consists in the fact that the seed must be soaked for 3 to 4 hours in water at room temperature or warm, then sown in a container with earth, under the film, sowing no deeper than one and a half centimeters. Landing can be carried out both in spring and autumn.

Pests

Catalpa plant steadily tolerates the effects of various diseases and pests. But in rare cases, an attack by a spaniard fly can still occur on a tree. If this happens, treat the tree with special fertilizers. In addition, improper soil care threatens fungal diseases, and can lead to the death of the plant.

Want to surprise your friends and acquaintances? Plant a tree with the name catalpa (unless the climate permits - more on that below).

Catalpa come in handy as a decoration for a summer house, a plot - there is no “fruit” benefit from it, and the catalpa also has no useful qualities or properties.

But her decorative qualities are on top. Catalpa grows very quickly, is resistant to a variety of adverse conditions, requires a minimum of care. It will look good both in the foreground as a single stand and as a component in alley plantings.

Large catalpa flowers are beautiful and delicate, from a distance very similar to a digitalis flower, and the inflorescences in which they are collected practically do not differ from chestnut (meaning flowering horse chestnut).

Thanks to the large leaves of a heart-shaped form, the catalpa received the name "tree with elephant ears."

Biological features of the tree

Catalpa (lat. Catalpa) is a plant that belongs to the Bignonia family. In total, there are 10 species of catalps. Of these, only 4 are grown in the southern regions of our country.

All representatives of this genus are very beautiful and, as a rule, deciduous (rarely evergreen - much depends on climatic conditions) plants. Crohn's almost all round, very shady due to large leaves.

The decorativeness of the catalpa also lies in the fact that its leaves do not turn yellow in the fall and are green almost until the frost.

Catalpa flowers are white or cream in color. Collected in large inflorescences. The fruit is also amazing - a green pod resembling an icicle and containing a large number of seeds flying after opening, remotely resembling dandelion. Catalpa fruits containing seeds can sag all winter.

Common types of catalpa

In yards, at dachas and plots, you can often find magnificent catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) and bignonide catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides).

Both of them were imported from North America, their homeland. I must say that there they can reach heights of up to 30 meters! In our conditions, it is rarely possible to meet a catalpa tree which exceeds 10-12 meters.

The trunk of the catalpa magnificent is almost always slim, covered with gray bark with thick plates. The crown is pyramidal, wide, very dense.

The magnificent catalpa leaves bloom earlier than other species. Catalpa grows very beautiful very fast - growth can reach one meter per year.

This species is relatively photophilous, drought-resistant, and therefore does not tolerate nearby groundwater, as well as any flooding, including spring. So if your site is located in the flood zone, it is not recommended to plant a catalpa.

"Catalpa bignoniform" - The species is characterized by its spreading branches and a wide crown of round shape. The bark, in contrast to the catalpa, which is magnificent in a bignon-shaped light brown hue, is also lamellar, although the plates are thinner. The leaves are very large and wide, pubescent from below and bare from above.

Growth to. Bignoniform is slower. Unlike its predecessor, it places higher demands on humidity. It also tolerates frosts well.

The most famous varieties of catalpa are the beautiful “Pulverolenta”, “Aurea” (better known as a shrub grown in parks up to 2 meters high), “Koehnei” and “Nana” (a dwarf form of catalpa, spherical, characterized by increased winter hardiness in southern Russia, with success grown by gardeners even in the middle lane, Moscow region).

In landscaping gardens and plots, the other two types of catalpa are most often used - this is Chinese " catalpa ovoid"(Catalpa ovata) and hybrid catalpa (Catalpa hybrida) which is nothing more than a hybrid of catalpa bignoniform and K. ovoid.

Catalpa flowering

Catalps begin to actively vegetate in the middle or second half of May and cease active growth at the end of August.

Most species of catalps fall off while keeping the leaves green.

Catalp flowers are very beautiful and fragrant, often pure white but there are also a cream shade.

The flowers are large (5-7 centimeters), often covered with dots. The panicles in which the flowers are collected can reach even 20 centimeters in length, if the catalpa care is correct.

Catalpa most often (depending on the region, of course) begins to bloom in the 5th year after planting in late June or early July, which is in the hands of gardeners, because during these periods other trees will not bloom.

The pods (because of which the plant was nicknamed the "pasta tree) with catalpa seeds can grow up to half a meter in length, usually 35-40 centimeters. If there are no strong winds, then almost all of them hang on a tree all winter.

Photo 2: From left to right: Flowers of catalpa bignoniform, leaves of magnificent catalpa, pods with seeds of hybrid catalpa

Catalpa - how to grow, care

Choose a place for planting a catalpa sunny, protected from cold winds - drafts, especially frosty ones - are the main enemy not only of young catalpa seedlings, but even a completely grown tree.

A seedling is planted in a pit to a depth of 70 to 120 centimeters. For planting catalpa, a garden mixture of peat, sand, humus and leafy soil is well suited (ratio 1-2-3-2).

Do not be too lazy to make 5-7 kilograms of wood ash under the catalpa seedling when planting, you can add a little phosphorite flour - it will be more reliable, after all, the tree is finicky.

Best for catalpa - ph7. Catalpa easily tolerates a transplant, which is best done in the spring, and early. Catalpa propagation can be done by layering, cuttings and seeds, which it has in abundance.

Watering is not frequent and not plentiful - 15-18 liters under a tree, not more than once every seven days, if there is no prolonged drought.

Catalpa is also very good for feeding (growth accelerates very significantly). Top dressing is applied one, two maximum three times in one season. The same dung slurry is used as top dressing (approximately 5 liters per tree)

Catalpa pruning should be carried out annually, in the spring it is imperative to remove dry branches affected by frost.

After trimming, the catalpa restores the crown literally in front of the eyes, so grasp the pruning shears to form them without fear.

It is better to protect young catalps from frost with burlap, and to mulch the earth in trunk circles.

In severe frosts, it is better to cover young seedlings altogether, for example, just as you cover roses from frosts, at worst cover with the same burlap. The older the catalpa becomes, the less it will need frost protection.

With small splashes inside. For them, the tree is also called summer.

Bignoniform (Catalpa bignonioides)

Bignoniferous catalpa came to us from the southeast of North America, where it grows on river plains and in deciduous forests. He loves the soil, but at the same time hot and wet. It has a deep root system, very sensitive to damage.

It grows up to 10 m in height. The shoots are arranged in the form of a funnel, forming an asymmetric crown. They are covered with huge, up to 20 cm heart-shaped leaves, which initially have a pale yellow color, and closer to flowering - green.
During flowering, blooms yellowish-white flowers up to 30 cm with specks inside. At the end of flowering, pod fruits up to 40 cm long appear on it, which turn brown by the end of the summer period. Fall off with the first.
In our latitudes it has become widespread, for which it is also called catalpa vulgaris.

Important! Most species common in our country can withstand frosts of -35 ° C and even lower, however, frost resistance of the tree must be formed gradually. The first two years, a tree grown from southern seeds does not have time to grow dense wood and in most cases freezes.

Nana (Catalpa bignonioides "Nana")

Catalpa "Nana" reaches 6 m in height, forming a spherical compacted dense crown of sprawling branches covered with a thin-plate light brown bark and light green heart-shaped leaves. It does not bloom and grows very slowly. He loves fresh loam, grassy and fertilized.
This variety does not tolerateextreme heat and lack of water, therefore it is necessary plentifully and often. When growing catalpa, you need to take into account that the branches are poorly tolerated, sensitive to damage. The same applies to the root system, so loosen around it carefully and try not to transplant it unnecessarily. It is used in single plantings for landscaping parks, streets, as well as in group gardens.

Bunge (Catalpa bungei)

The species came to our latitudes from Northern China, therefore it received the second name "Manchu catalpa".
Received the official name from the name of the German botanist Alexander Bunge. In 1830-1831, he was the first of the Europeans to collect wood samples during an expedition to Asia.

Catalpa of this species has pyramidal crown. Triangular or oblong leaves have a wedge-shaped base, sometimes with sharp teeth on the sides. Leafless leaves have a dark green hue, which brightens closer to the petioles. Petioles in length reach 8 cm, and the leaves themselves - 15 cm.
Inflorescences grow up to 3.5 cm in length, gather 3-12 white corymbose flowers with purple spots. After flowering, fruits up to 25 cm in length appear. This catalpa requires careful maintenance, grows slowly, in the northern latitudes it can freeze to the level of snow cover.

Did you know? Most of the catalpa species grows in the rainforests of Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti. Six species grow in cooler latitudes in the wild, with four of them in China and two more in the United States.

Gorgeous (Catalpa speciosa)

The species perfectly stuck in the middle lane, growing up to 10 m in height. A straight upright trunk crowns spherical crown with very large oval leaves up to 25 cm in size.
In mid-July, it is covered with plentiful flowers of white or light cream color with yellow stripes and brown dots.

Flowers last from two weeks to a month, depending on the region of growth. At the end of flowering, fruits appear - long pods up to 40 cm. They remain on the tree up to, but ripen by October.
The magnificent Catalpa has a variety with special, slightly pubescent leaves called pulverulent.

Tibetan (Catalpa tibetica)

This species was described later than all, in 1921, and is somewhat reminiscent of an egg-shaped species. This is a small tree up to 5 m in height, but more often, which in the wild grows in mountain forests or thickets of shrubs at an altitude of 2400-2700 m above sea level. The natural habitat is northwest of Yunnan and southeast of Tibet.

The broad ovoid leaves are pubescent below, bare above have a dark green hue. Size - 22-25 cm in width and length. Inflorescences are not pubescent, rather large (25 cm), corymbose-paniculate. The flowers on them grow up to 5 cm in diameter, have a yellowish-white color and light purple spots. Appear in the first half of summer. At the end of flowering, cylindrical fruits appear up to 1 cm in diameter and 30 cm in length, striped and narrowed towards the end. They contain oval seeds up to 2.5 cm in size.

Fargoza (Catalpa fargesii)

One of the largest species of catalpa. The tree grows up to 30 m in height in the natural environment of growth - in the south-west of China, in the provinces of Yunnan, Sichuan, right up to the provinces. Mostly grows in the mountains.
The leaves of a medium-sized plant are 12 cm wide and 20 cm long. Traditionally, the species has a triangular-heart-shaped or ovoid shape. Depending on the subspecies, they can be practically bare with a slight pubescence or leathery, thick with a yellow pubescence from below.
Flowers of medium and large size of light pink or light purple color with specks of a darker shade. Collected in a corymbose brush of 7-15 flowers. Appear in the first half.
At the end of flowering, a long cylindrical box appears up to 80 cm in length and only 5-6 mm in width, which tapers towards the end. The middle contains small oblong oval seeds 9 mm long and 2.5 mm wide.

Did you know? European experts identify a subspecies of this species - Duclos. It has ovate-pointed leaves, which at a young age do not have pubescence. The flowers are slightly larger and have red spots on the bottom. However, botanists from China prefer to attribute it to the main species.

Ovoid (Catalpa ovata)

About 2 thousand years ago, this species was brought to Japan from China, where it became an obligatory plant near Buddhist temples. In 1849 he came from Japan to Europe.
Catalpa ovate is a tree up to 15 m in height, which has a spherical crown. The bare branches are covered ovoid leaves up to 25 cm in length, often they have 3-5 pointed lobes. The base of the leaf is heart-shaped, while the end is pointed. Petioles grow up to 15 cm in length. The color of the leaves below is green with rare pubescence along the veins, and the top color is dull green.
A characteristic feature is unusual, as for catalpa, small flowers. They grow to 2 cm, have a yellowish color, orange stripes and dark purple blotches. They appear in July-August, after which pod fruits are formed in their place up to 30 cm in length and 0.8 cm in width. But in our latitudes they may not be tied, and if they appear, they do not have time to ripen. Therefore, this catalpa in our country has only vegetative propagation. Under favorable conditions, it can bloom even in the first year of life.
In conditions of the middle strip, it is grown mainly as, less often, a tree up to 5 m in height, often freezes. In the Far East, even freezing it is able to bear fruit. The only territory where the tree reaches its natural size is the Black Sea coast.

Important! Growing catalpa seedlings for open ground, it is undesirable to germinate seeds in. The local conditions are very different from those that are present on the open ground, and the plant quickly adapts precisely to those conditions in which it grew "from childhood".

Hybrid (Catalpa x hybrida Spath)

A tree of this species will grow up to 20 m in height, forming a wide rounded crown with sprawling branches. They are covered with large leaves up to 15 cm wide and 20 cm long, which have a green color and slight pubescence.

Plant catalpa (lat.Catalpa) refers to the genus of the Bignonius family, whose representatives grow in North America, the West Indies, Japan and China. The Indians used the bignoniform catalpa species as a medicinal plant for the treatment of malaria and pertussis, calling it “catoba”, and the Italian doctor and botanist Skopoli, who first described this genus, distorted its Indian name “catalpa” without malicious intent. According to various sources, the genus numbers from 10 to 38 species, some of which are grown as ornamental plants in different regions of the world, including in Ukraine, Belarus and southern Russia.

Catalpa planting and care (in short)

Bloom: from the fifth year of life for 3-3.5 weeks in mid-June or early July.
Landing: in spring (before the start of sap flow) or in October.
Lighting: bright sunshine.
The soil: to fill the pit, a mixture of humus, sand, sheet soil and peat is prepared in a ratio of 3: 2: 2: 1.
Watering: weekly, in dry weather - more frequent. Water consumption - 2 buckets per adult plant. If the season is relatively cool and with rains, then watering can be reduced to 2-3 times a month.
Top dressing: twice a season, 5-6 l of rotted manure solution (1:10) is introduced into the near-stem circle of each plant, in the spring they are fed with Nitroammophos, and in the fall with potassium-phosphorus fertilizer.
Cropping: sanitary and shaping pruning is best done in early spring until the buds open.
Reproduction: summer cuttings and seeds.
Pests: Spanish flies, cattails.
Disease verticillus wilting.

Catalpa tree - description

Decorative catalpa is a picturesque deciduous or evergreen tree up to 20 m high with a rounded crown. The leaves of many catalps are opposite, sometimes whorled, heart-shaped, long-grained and very large - about 30x17 cm.The flowering of the catalpa will not leave anyone indifferent: fragrant funnel-shaped white or cream flowers up to 7 cm long with dark dots and spots in the throat are collected in paniculate pyramidal erect inflorescences . Catalpa fruits - pod-shaped drooping bolls up to 40 cm long - are filled with numerous volatile seeds. Catalpa flowering begins in mid-June or early July, and the original fruits of the plant remain on it all winter.

Catalpa planting

Catalpa planting and care are carried out in accordance with the general rules for growing any decorative tree. One-two-year-old catalpa seedlings can be purchased at garden centers or directly in nurseries. Catalpa is planted in the spring, before the start of sap flow, or after leaf fall in sunny, sheltered from the wind places, because the drafts of large, but very delicate leaves of the tree can be damaged. It is advisable that in the area where the catalpa will grow, groundwater occur at great depths. Catalpe needs a lot of space: between it and other plants a distance of 4-5 m should be maintained. The composition of the soil, which you will fill a hole with a depth of 1 m and a diameter of 70 cm, should be something like this: sand (2 parts), humus (3 parts) , peat (1 part) and leaf land (2 parts). To this soil mixture should be added 50 g of phosphate rock and from 5 to 8 kg of wood ash. The acidity of the soil should be in the range of 6.5-7.5 pH.

At the bottom of the pit, you need to lay a fifteen-centimeter layer of drainage material, which may consist of broken brick or gravel, then fill the pit with fertile soil mixture almost to the top, then drop the seedling roots into it, fill the remaining space of the pit with fertile soil, lightly compact the surface and water it abundantly. Try to position the seedling in the pit so that its root neck when planting is slightly higher than the ground, in the expectation that after watering the soil will settle and the neck will be at surface level. When the water is absorbed, mulch the trunk circle with organic material, best of all with peat.

Catalpa Care

How to grow catalpa in the garden

Catalpa is hygrophilous, so it needs weekly watering, especially in hot and arid weather. If you make the plant thirsty, its leaves will lose turgor and hang, which will damage the decorativeness of the catalpa. Approximate water consumption - 2 buckets per adult plant. In cool or rainy summers, and also provided that the trunk circle of the catalpa is mulled, you can water the tree 2-3 times a month. After irrigation or natural rainfall, it is easier to loosen the soil in the near-stem circle to a depth of 30 cm and get rid of weeds. In dry heat, the catalpa is moistened more often.

Catalpa cultivation involves regular dressing of the plant: twice a season, you need to add a solution (1:10) of rotted manure at the rate of 5-6 liters per adult tree to the soil. Catalpa responds well to spring feeding with Nitroammophos and autumn feeding with potash and phosphorus fertilizers: at this time of the year, the tree does not need nitrogen.

Catalpa pruning

Catalpa pruning is best done in the spring until the buds begin to swell on the tree: remove frozen, damaged, diseased and dry branches. A plant is usually formed with a stem height of 1.2-2.0 m, above which the catalpa branches into a low spreading crown of 4-5 skeletal branches. In the future, the skeletal branches of a tree are shortened, if necessary, and thickened branches and shoots are cut out.

Catalpa pests and diseases

Catalpa is resistant to both pests and diseases, but sometimes, if it is weakened, it can cause trouble to the flies, from which the plant can be eliminated by double treatment with pyrethroids Decis or Fastak. Worse if stem cattle pests of horntail are grounded - hymenoptera insects, whose adults are similar to hornets. Females lay eggs in catalpa wood, and the larvae that emerge from them lay passages in it and hammer them with drill flour. Damaged by the larvae of the cattails, the trees weaken and begin to dry. As a rule, the catalps in which the cattails live cannot be saved. But you can save the tree with the help of prevention: healthy and strong plants are not affected by cattails.

If you noticed in the second half of summer that on the lower part of the crown of the catalpa the leaves began to droop, turn yellow and fall, it is possible that it suffers from wilt - verticillus wilting. This is a serious fungal disease, as a result of which the plant sometimes loses foliage on only one side and from this looks one-sided. At an early stage of the disease, it can be cured if the tree is treated with Topsin-M, Fundazol and watered under the root with Maxim or Rovral. For preventive purposes, catalpa is treated with the fungicides Previkur, Quadrice or Falcon.

Catalpa in the suburbs

If you want to grow catalpa in the middle lane, you need to start with the choice of planting material: you need winter-hardy seedlings. The most frost-resistant species is considered magnificent catalpa. Catalps are ovoid and bignoniform, also acclimatized in the middle lane. Of the varieties of catalpa bignoniform, they grow well in the Moscow Region Aurea (variety with golden leaves), Picta (form with variegated, variegated foliage colors), catalpa Nana (non-flowering compact plant form) and Plena (variety with double flowers).

For the successful cultivation of catalpa, certain conditions must be met: to place seedlings on well-lit and moistened neutral loams on the south side of buildings or dense coniferous plantings, to provide them with wind protection and shelter for the winter at least the first 2-3 years. In the future, winter-hardy catalpa varieties can not be insulated for the winter, and if they freeze in any year, then in the next growing season they will easily recover.

Catalpa breeding

Catalpa is well propagated by seeds that do not require special treatment, and summer cuttings.

Catalpa cultivation from seeds

Catalpa seeds soaked for 8-12 hours in warm water are sown for seedlings in February or March. You can sow them in the fall, without preliminary soaking. Sowing is carried out in the grooves, after which the seeds are sprinkled with soil and covered with a film or glass. They contain crops at a temperature of 20-22 ºC, providing them with good lighting without direct sunlight, regular watering and ventilation. Catalpa, which has grown during the winter, is planted from seeds in open ground in spring, after warm weather is established. As a rule, this happens in the second half of May.

Catalpa propagation by cuttings

Harvesting cuttings is carried out in the second half of summer. Catalpa cuttings with a length of about 8 cm with several buds are cut from adult trees, planted in a substrate of peat and sand and covered with a transparent cap to create a greenhouse effect. Care for rooted cuttings is the same as for catalpa crops. As soon as you notice that new leaves began to appear on the cuttings, the rooting process can be considered successfully completed. Cuttings are planted in open ground, like catalpa seedlings, in the second half of May.

Types and varieties of catalpa

Not many catalpa species are grown in culture, and we will present them to you now.

Or catalpa bignoniform in nature grows along the banks of the rivers of North America. This tree is up to 20 cm high with a spreading wide-round crown and a thin-plate light brown bark. Light green leaves of plants of this species are notable, their shape resembling lilac leaves, but much larger: they reach 20 in length and 15 cm in width. The leaves are bare above, pubescent along the veins, and when rubbed they give off an unpleasant odor. White fragrant flowers of the plant up to 5 cm long with red-brown speckles and two yellow stripes in the throat are collected in loose pyramidal inflorescences up to 30 cm long and up to 20 wide. Flowering lasts about three weeks. Fruits of catalpa bignoniform - narrow pod-shaped capsules up to 40 cm long with small seeds. In culture, this species since 1726, has several decorative forms:

gold (aurea) - catalpa with bright yellow leaves;
Kene - a tree with yellow leaves in green veins and with a dark spot in the middle of the leaf plate;
low (nana) - bush form with spherical crown.

Or catalpa beautiful originally from eastern North America, where it grows along the shores of lakes and rivers. It is a beautiful tree reaching a height of 30 m with a wide pyramidal crown and a slender trunk covered with gray thin-plate bark. Shiny green and smooth leaves of this species up to 30 and 15 cm wide are located on long petioles and open earlier than the leaves of other catalpa species. On the underside they are slightly pubescent. Fragrant creamy white catalpa flowers with a magnificent length of up to 7 cm with a wavy edge, decorated inside with purple-brown dots and two yellow stripes, form wide panicles of 15-20 cm long. The fruit is a box up to 56 cm long, cracking when ripened into 2 leaves. In a culture a look since 1800. The most famous decorative form is:

powdery or powdered - The leaves of this plant are decorated with many cream or white spots.

Originating from Central China, it reaches a height of 10 m, but in culture it grows no higher than 3.5 m, and in the middle lane, due to frequent freezing, does not exceed 1.5 m. The crown of this plant is hipped, spreading, leaves are three-lobed, dark green, 20-30 long and up to 15 cm wide. The flowers are fragrant, creamy white with a purple pharynx, collected in panicle inflorescences up to 25 cm long. Fruits are pod-shaped capsules up to 45 cm long. This species is demanding on soil fertility and moisture. and photophilous.

Catalpa Fargesii

In vivo occurs in the warm forests of Western China. This is a deciduous tree up to 20 m high with lilac-like whole-opposite opposite simple green leaves on petioles up to 10 cm long. The pubescence on the underside of the leaf plate is thicker than on the top. Flowers up to 3.5 cm long in pink or pinkish-purple hue with dark purple spots on the inside of the corolla are collected 7-15 pieces in panicle inflorescences. Flowering of this species begins a month earlier than that of other catalps. The view has a high decorative effect.

In winter, every summer resident looks forward to spring and gladly opens the season with the first sowings of flower and vegetable crops for seedlings. But, unfortunately, the place on the windowsill is limited, and it is not always possible to place the right number of seedlings in glasses in the apartment. In addition, some of the crops may simply not come up, something will die ... And for us, summer residents, no matter how much you plant, Therefore, at least some seedlings, but almost every gardener buys.

Growing annuals in the garden has at least two advantages over growing perennial flowers. Firstly, most popular annual plants bloom profusely throughout the growing season. Secondly, many year-olds sow freely and year after year appear in the garden with minimal participation from the grower. Which summers can be planted only once, and then, following simple tricks, meet them in the garden every season?

You can cook jellied pork knuckle and meat salad with onions. The knuckle, especially the back one, is a very tasty and affordable part of the pork carcass that you can feed a small company. From a 2 kg shank you get a bowl of meat salad and a large plate of jellied meat. There will still be meat broth, on which I advise you to cook cabbage soup or borsch. For this dish we take the back shank weighing from 1.7 to 2 kilograms, I advise you to beg the most meaty from the butcher.

Eggplant requires a sunny, but short day, medium-warm temperatures without sweltering heat, enough moisture, but without flooding the root system. Providing such conditions in the open ground of most regions of Russia is quite difficult. Therefore, before eggplant was grown only in protected ground. With the development of selection, it became possible to grow eggplants in open ground not only in the southern regions, but also in the middle lane.

Among predator plants, the sundew rightly claims to be the brightest and most expressive beauty. This plant attracts, first of all, with unusual textures and game of colors. But the nutrition mechanism of this swampy and quite hardy miracle is so exotic that it is very easy to forget about sundews as plants, primarily decorative ones. Dewdrops are quite demanding on humidity, but they are not so difficult to grow in ordinary residential premises.

A chocolate cake with custard made from simple and affordable ingredients turns out to be so delicious that it is rarely limited to one bite. The sponge cakes are moist, it seems that they are made of real dark chocolate, although the recipe contains only cocoa powder. Creamy custard is gentle and light, goes well with chocolate biscuit. All this splendor of flavors is complemented by coconut flakes, the ingredient is simple, but in this recipe, like a cherry on a cake, very handy.

Although the calendar spring begins in March, this month is very difficult to call spring. But May is already a real long-awaited spring, filled with aromas and multi-color of awakened nature. Fresh young leaves on trees and shrubs attract the eye, longing for greenery for the long months of winter. In May, the primrose parade continues in the garden, decorative shrubs, perennials delight with variegated foliage and flowering, conifers are updated.

In the middle lane, the formation of grapes suggests the possibility of shelter for the winter period, which means that the guideline should be to maintain the head of the bush at soil level. You can’t count on a large crop even north, but for such areas there are pruning principles. The article discusses the sleeve-fan pattern of the formation of the grape bush, often used in the middle lane, and the cordon pattern — which has shown itself well in regions with more severe climates.

Beef with eggplant and vegetable sauce in the oven is a simple, very tasty and not very high-calorie dish, which is quite relevant in our time. The sauce is made only of vegetables, no flour, sugar, milk or cream. The meat is fat free, and yet it turns out to be juicy and tender. Can be replaced with chicken or veal. Eggplants do not need to be fried beforehand, just salt a little to become soft. For the finished dish, I advise you to prepare a light yogurt sauce.

Indoor plants are much more dependent on top dressing than garden plants. Thanks to top dressing, they get everything they need for growth and flowering. The substrate is depleted a few months after transplantation. And if you do not replenish the supply of nutrients, plants quickly begin to show signs of deficiency of macro- and micronutrients. The first and most clearly signaled about it are the leaves. What deficit or excess of what elements do the leaves of indoor plants “tell”?

Duck with oranges in French - elegant, juicy, with golden skin. Such a baked duck will decorate any festive table, and it is prepared simply, although, compared with a traditional fried chicken, it takes a little longer. To speed up the process, preserve the juices that stand out, use a sleeve or bag for baking a suitable size, remember that not a large bag can squeeze a large duck! Serve the duck on the table with sauce and filling, which remained after baking.

Purslane is a well-known, widespread weed throughout the world, possessing a number of qualities for which all gardeners unanimously hate it. One of them is ineradicability. Purslane is so viable that even one seed can be the beginning of the capture of the site by this weed. To remove the purslane from the garden and the garden, patience, knowledge and accuracy in the implementation of measures to destroy it are required. In this article, we will consider methods for dealing with purslane on a site.

The first half of spring is stingy with flowering plants. Yes, primroses are already pleasing, but there is a very special plant that cannot be touched. It is a perennial evergreen groundcover of shave. I think those who saw low pillows, or, as they say, the jackets of this plant during flowering, probably wanted to have it in their garden. And I hasten to please you, shaving is a very unpretentious and easy-to-care plant. Although, there are some features.

Delicious mutton cabbage, sweet pepper, tomatoes, potatoes and, of course, cabbage! It takes quite a lot of time to prepare this dish, but this does not mean that you have to stagnate in the kitchen all day. Prepare vegetables and meat - wash, chop, arrange in small bowls. Then passer the vegetables, add the lamb. When the soup boils, you can do your own business for about 1.5 hours, after which add the potatoes and cabbage and bring to readiness for another half hour.

If an apple tree grows in your garden, naturally, you want to get as many tasty fruits from it as possible. Often, beginner gardeners believe that the lush the tree, the greater the harvest will delight. But this is not so. In order for the apple tree to give a rich high-quality crop, so that the fruits are large and juicy, each of its branches should receive enough light and air. With a decrease in the incidence of light on branches to 30 percent, fruit buds do not form on the trees.

Ferns are one of the rapidly growing categories of indoor plants. Their luxurious leaves with unique ornaments and soothing mysterious shades of green look so elegant that it is difficult to resist the beauty of ferns, even if there is no suitable place for them. Along with unpretentious ferns are becoming more common and rare, original species. And among them, a bizarre epiphytic polypodium with unusual leaves and colors.