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Red dogwood or blood-red Svidina is a small plant widespread throughout Europe. The shrub is used for landscaping parks and squares, gardens and personal plots. Thanks to its unpretentiousness and minimal care, the plant has become popular among Russian gardeners.
Description of redwood
Blood red derain refers To to the Kizilov family. In nature, turf reaches 4 m, grows in temperate climates, and is often found at the edge of forests and along the banks of reservoirs.
Description of blood-red deren:
- Flexible young shoots of derain are painted in a bright olive color. Over time, they change it to reddish or brown, and in late autumn, after the leaves fall, the shoots become bright burgundy;
- The ovate, dark green leaves are large, reaching 5 cm in diameter. In the first half of September, the leaf blade becomes blood-scarlet or brick-colored;
- at the end of spring, small creamy-snow-white flowers appear on the red deer, which remain on the branches for a month;
- the first inflorescences appear at the 7th year of life;
- with proper care and in regions with a warm climate, the plant can bloom again at the end of summer;
- in autumn, small, inedible black fruits are formed from the inflorescences;
- fast-growing shrub; within a year the crown grows up to half a meter in height and width;
- in one place the plant grows up to 25 years.
Red-leaved turf is cold-resistant and grows well in cities with an unstable climate. The plant also tolerates minor drought and can grow in the southern regions.
Blood red dogwood in landscape design
Red turf has a developed root system and a large number of lateral roots, due to which it is used to strengthen slopes.
The miniature red shrub looks attractive in any season, both in single and mass plantings. It is planted next to unattractive buildings and used to decorate shady corners, adding colorful colors to a nondescript winter area.
Red turf is grown as a hedge; it is unpretentious, easy to care for, and grows well in polluted areas.
Varieties of red turf
Red dogwood has become popular among flower growers since ancient times. Anyone can choose the most suitable variety for themselves:
- Compress;
- Midwinter Fire;
- Anna Winter Orange.
To quickly decide on the variety, you need to carefully read the description and look at the photo of the red tree.
Derain red Compress
The most popular, unusual variety. It received the love of flower growers for its compact shape, erect shoots and beautiful leaves.Glossy leaf plate of dark emerald color with small wrinkles.
The decorative value of the tree is increased by changing the color. In autumn, after leaf fall, the shoots turn blood red. The variety does not bloom, but this is not considered a drawback, since even without inflorescences, the plant does not become less attractive.
Blood-red dogwood Compressa is a small shrub that grows from 1 to 2 m in height. The crown is dense, compact, slow-growing. The annual growth is several cm per year.
The plant is shade-tolerant and can grow in shade and partial shade. For good growth and development, it needs alkaline, drained soil without stagnant water. Derain Kompressa is unpretentious in cultivation and care, so even a novice gardener can grow an attractive shrub.
Red Derain Midwinter Fire
An upright, spreading, low-growing variety reaches a height of up to 2 m. The shrub is frost-resistant, withstands temperatures down to -34 degrees.
The variety is decorative especially in winter. In autumn the shoots turn yellow and the ends orange-red. The broadly elliptical foliage is arranged oppositely and changes color from bright green to yellow-orange in the fall. Snow-white, fragrant corymbose inflorescences appear in early June and last for about a month. After flowering, dark-gray fruits are formed that look beautiful against the backdrop of snow-white snow.
Looks good in flower beds, on an alpine hill and as a hedge.
Derain blood red Anna Winter Orange
A decorative, spreading variety reaches a height of up to 2 m. In summer, light orange shoots are covered with bright emerald foliage and snow-white hemispherical inflorescences up to 5 cm in diameter. After flowering, white-blue drupes are formed.
In autumn, the leaf blade acquires a rich orange color, and after the leaves fall, bright scarlet shoots are exposed, which decorate the garden plot in the autumn-winter period.
Blood-red dogwood Anny’s Winter Orange is unpretentious and grows well in the shade on moist sandy loam soil.
Planting and caring for red dogwood
To grow a beautiful, spreading shrub, you need to take into account the characteristics of the plant. The red bush is not picky about the planting site and soil quality. To obtain the maximum visual effect, it is necessary to regularly water, fertilize and pruning.
Landing rules
It is better to plant the red derain shrub in a sunny place or in partial shade, since in the shade the shoots lengthen, the leaf blade fades, and as a result the plant loses its decorative appearance. Red turf prefers nutritious, well-drained soil with neutral acidity.
Planting technology:
- Seedlings are planted in the spring, after the end of frost, or in the fall a month before the onset of frost.
- If the planting material has an open root system, before planting, the roots are trimmed and kept in warm water for 4-5 hours. If the seedling was purchased in a container, it is placed in a planting hole with a lump of earth.
- A hole is dug measuring 50x50, at a distance of 0.7 m from each other.
- A 15 cm layer of drainage is poured onto the bottom.
- The seedling is placed in the center and carefully sprinkled with earth, compacting each layer.
- The soil is shed generously and mulched.
Watering and fertilizing
The red-stemmed tree is drought-resistant. Does not require a special watering schedule. The first abundant watering is carried out after planting the seedling, further watering is carried out as necessary. If the foliage has lost turgor and shriveled, then this is the first sign of lack of moisture.
Fertilizing affects the decorativeness of the plant. Complex mineral fertilizers, such as “Nitrophoska”, “Ammophos”, are applied in the spring, before the leaves bloom, strictly following the dosage rules.
Thanks to proper and timely feeding, the turf:
- produces bright shoots and leaves;
- forms a dense, spreading crown;
- blooms a large number of flowers.
Trimming
To add decorativeness, it is necessary to remember about pruning, since the shoots lose their elasticity and color with age, the crown quickly grows in width, thereby giving the plant an untidy appearance.
The first pruning is carried out several years after planting. Old branches are removed in the spring, leaving stumps of 10-15 cm. At the end of summer, the crown of the tree is formed, weakened and underdeveloped branches are cut out. To prevent the appearance of fungal diseases, the cut site is covered with charcoal or brilliant green.
Preparing for winter
Red derain is cold-resistant, can withstand temperatures down to -34 degrees, so it does not need shelter. In regions with cold, little snow winters, only young seedlings are covered.
Reproduction
Red turf can be propagated in several ways:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- dividing the bush;
- bends.
All methods are easy to implement, the survival rate is about 90-100%.
Seeds
Seed material is purchased at the store or collected from the bush you like. In order for the germination of seeds to be high, they must undergo stratification. Therefore, they are sown in the fall in a prepared place. Furrows are made in the area, 5 cm deep, seeds are laid and sprinkled with earth.
After the emergence of seedlings, thinning is done. After 4 years, when the turf reaches 80 cm, it is replanted.
Cuttings
A simple way to propagate redwood. Cuttings are cut in mid-summer, 10-15 cm long. The lower leaves are removed, the upper ones are cut by ½.
The prepared seedling is kept in a growth stimulator for several minutes and planted in nutrient soil to a depth of 10 cm, at an angle of 45 degrees. The cuttings are shed generously and placed in a mini-greenhouse, which must be regularly ventilated. The air temperature for germination should be +23-25 degrees. In the fall, after the roots have grown, the turf is transplanted to a permanent place.
By layering
Young side shoots are suitable for this method. The procedure is carried out in the spring, after the snow melts. A healthy shoot is placed in a prepared trench, fixed to the ground with a metal bracket and sprinkled, leaving the top on the surface. The soil is mulched with sawdust, straw or leaves.
After new foliage appears, the young seedling is disconnected from the mother bush and transplanted to a prepared area.
Dividing the bush
For this method, an adult bush that requires replanting is selected. In the fall, the turf is dug up and divided into sections so that each plant has an overgrown root system and healthy shoots.
The cut site is treated with charcoal, and the plant is transplanted to the prepared area.
Diseases and pests
Derain with red leaves is immune to many diseases. But if not taken care of in a timely manner, young seedlings may develop powdery mildew. When a disease appears, the bush is treated with fungicides.
Among the insect pests that can attack the red bush are: aphids, sawflies and yellow fly larvae. To destroy them, broad-spectrum insecticides are used.
Conclusion
Red dogwood is a beautiful ornamental shrub. With proper care and timely pruning, the plant will decorate your garden plot in the autumn-winter period.
