Rhododendron

The most common types of this decorative tree, which most often decorate our gardens this:

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  Rhododendron Canadian, which is presented in the form of a low shrub up to 1 meter high. This species blooms with purple-pink flowers and perfectly "feels" itself in severe northern latitudes.

  
  


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  Rhododendron of Daursky. Unlike the previous species, the shrubreaches 2 m and has small leathery leaves. Usually blooms in the period from January to May with large purple-pink flowers. It also boasts frost resistance - can withstand temperatures of -25 degrees!

  
  

Rhododendron - planting and care

So, we start by choosing a place for planting a rhododendron - a quiet place, away from winds and direct sunlight. The soil must be acidic (pH approximately 4), nutritious and loose, without stagnation of water.

Rhododendron "does not tolerate" the neighborhood of birch, alder,willow, maple, as the surface root system of these trees depletes the soil. Therefore, the landing pit should be insulated from below and on all sides with dense material. If there is a river nearby, a pond or a lake, then your "pink tree" will feel quite comfortable, because they need moist air.

So, the rhododendron is planted in the spring to giveplant time to adapt to a new location. First prepare the pits for planting, the depth of which should be at least 50 cm and the width - up to 80 cm. The distance between adjacent plants should be about 2 m. At the bottom of the pit lay the broken brick and sand in layers of 15 cm as drainage. We prepare the compost: leaf earth, peat, needles (in a ratio of 3: 2: 1), and also add mineral fertilizer.

Now we are preparing the rhododendron bush. The root of the plant before planting should be well nourished with water, and then it is placed in a prepared pit. In this case, the root of the root should protrude above the soil level by 2-4 cm. Then, the soil layer is compacted, and the area around the bush is sprinkled with bark or peat and abundantly watered.

Let's look at some species of rhododendrons whose properties are highly valued by gardeners of the world.

Varieties

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  Rhododendron of Katevbinsky. This shrub is up to 3 m high, the branches of which are covered with dense green leaves, and the corolla of flowers have a purple-lilac, pink or white hue. The plant blooms in late spring.

  
  


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  Rhododendron Adams (fragrant) is a lowa bush covered with inflorescences of pink small flowers with a gentle fragrant aroma. Shrub grows in the Far East and Siberia and has medicinal properties.

  
  

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  Rhododendron Yakushimansky. This decorative tree has ellipsoidaloblong leaves, and the flowers are amazingly beautiful - pink, large, collected in inflorescences. The difference of this species is that flowering begins very early - in May. The plant reaches a height of up to 1.5 m, as it grows, taking the shape of a spherical bush.

  
  


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  Rhododendron of Schlippenbach. It grows in Japan, Korea, North-EastChina. The shrub has the appearance of a tree with soft leaves, collected at the ends of shoots of 5 pieces. The shape of the leaves is wedge-shaped with wavy edges, on one side a leaf is dark green, on the other - with a rare "margin" along the veins. The hue of the flowers is amazing - the corolla is light pink, inside the purple specks. Collected flowers in the inflorescence umbrella.

  
  

So, the rhododendron will become a wonderful decoration in your dacha or garden plot. The main thing is the proper care and the plant will be pleased for a long time with a magnificent color and a delicate aroma.