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Cornus suecica − Swedish dogwood grows on the coasts of the Barents and White Seas. You can meet it in the tundra and forest-tundra. In the North, in spruce and birch forests, the subshrub forms small clumps or extensive thickets.
Derain is decorative in the spring during flowering, in the summer - during the ripening period of fruits. In autumn, the subshrub covers the ground with an elegant carpet. Its brightly colored leaves stand out against the background of rocks and green mosses.
Description of the Swedish deren
In nature, Swedish Derain grows next to lingonberries, blueberries, and shiksha. This is a dwarf herbaceous shrub with a height of 10 to 30 cm. The plant is winter-hardy. Grows in regions with stable snow cover. The root system is represented by a long woody rhizome with many branching thin roots.
In spring, tetrahedral stems, sparsely covered with hairs, grow from their branches. With the onset of late autumn they die off. Renewal buds form in the axils of the lower leaves. When spring comes, young shoots appear from them.
The leaves of the tree are very decorative. The lower ones are green, sessile, smooth on the back with a bluish tint. The leaves located higher are larger (15-45 mm), ovate, pointed. They have 2-3 pairs of lateral veins clearly visible on their sides.
The northern plant has very unusual flowers.The inflorescence consists of 8-25 small flowers. The narrow-triangular petals are painted black and purple, attached to short 2 mm pedicels.
The inflorescence is bordered by 4-6 white bracts. A bright frame is necessary in the tundra; it attracts pollinating insects. Swedish Derain blooms in May-June.
From July to September, fruits are formed on Deren, their characteristics:
- spherical or ovoid-spherical shape;
- diameter from 7 to 10 mm;
- color red;
- the bone is spherical, with a diameter of 3 to 3.5 mm.
Because of the large, hard seeds, the plant is popularly nicknamed “drupe.” Outwardly, they vaguely resemble lingonberries. The northern ground cover plant adorns the forests, woodlands, and meadows of the Murmansk region. It can be found in the North-Eastern regions of Germany, England, Finland, and Japan. It grows in the Far East and northern regions of America.
Useful properties of Swedish derena
The plant Cornus suecica (Swedish dogwood) belongs to the dogwood family. The fruits of most representatives of this family have been used in folk medicine. Employees of the medical university from Arkhangelsk studied the chemical composition of the Swedish Derain fruits.
During the research, the following were isolated from the fruit pulp:
- tannins;
- flavonoids;
- minerals;
- glycosides.
The presence of these biologically active substances indicates the medicinal properties of the plant. In folk medicine, the fruits and aerial parts of Derain canada are used. Even in ancient times, Eskimos used the fruits as an astringent and anti-inflammatory agent, and an analgesic decoction was prepared from the leaves.
Swedish tree berries, ground into powder, help with nephritis, and a decoction of the leaves helps with fever. Eskimos and Canadian Indians ate the fruits.
Planting and care
In nature, Swedish Derain grows where the snow cover is thick. This must be taken into account when choosing a location. To grow a decorative shrub in a garden, you need to prepare the soil. He loves moist, light, fertile soil with a slightly acidic reaction.
Derain grows worse on clay soil; the roots do not have enough air. Sandy soil is also not suitable for plants - they lack moisture. The Swedish derain bushes grow slowly and try to crawl into the shade. To improve the structure and create more favorable conditions for growth, high-moor peat is added to the soil.
Subshrubs can be planted in drained, swampy areas. They are not afraid of waterlogging. For gardens where groundwater lies close to the surface, this ground cover plant will be a good solution.
The subshrub Swedish Derain grows naturally in the North, where daylight hours are long in summer. It is necessary to create similar conditions in the garden. Choose a bright area, but at noon, closed from direct sunlight. Comfortable, sparse partial shade is created by pines and other tall conifers.
Care involves maintaining constant soil moisture and providing partial shade on hot, sunny days. In winter, you need to cover the area with snow. In spring, add peat and humus. The plant is unpretentious and is readily used in landscape design.
Planted in moist, peaty soil, the subshrub grows quickly, forming a dense carpet.During flowering, it is covered with many snow-white flowers; in summer it pleases the eye with bright greenery and orange fruits. In autumn, the leaves of the Swedish Derain turn purple and the berries are bright scarlet. The subshrub is used in the decoration of garden lawns.
Reproduction
It is difficult for a gardener who decides to decorate his garden with decorative shrubs to find planting material. Swedish Derain is propagated in several ways:
- seeds;
- root suckers;
- dividing the bush.
It takes a long time for seeds to germinate. They ripen at the end of August or September.
Swedish Derain seed is cleared of pulp. In the fall, they are sown in a greenhouse or in open ground, buried 3 cm. The surface of the ridge is sprinkled with sand.
For spring sowing, planting material is stratified for 3-4 months. Sawdust mixed with sphagnum moss is poured into the container. The mixture is moistened, Swedish Derain seeds are placed in it. The container is hermetically sealed and placed in the lower compartment of the refrigerator.
It is easier to propagate Swedish Derain by root suckers (shoots). They are formed in large numbers from adventitious buds located on the roots. When the plant is at rest, the root shoots are dug up and replanted, separating them from the mother bush.
The low-growing, frost-resistant subshrub is propagated by vegetative methods (division, suckers) in the spring. You can purchase a seedling of a northern plant at a nursery or via the Internet. Many gardeners add to their collection during tourist trips to the White Sea.
Plants purchased from gardening centers adapt much more easily and live longer. They are usually sold in containers. You can also buy shiksha seedlings there.The healing berry, originally from the tundra, goes perfectly with Swedish Derain and other northern plants.
Diseases and pests
Representatives of the genus Cornus are susceptible to fungal diseases. Leaves and shoots of plants suffer from infection.
Disease | Description | Pathogen |
Powdery mildew | White cobwebby coating on leaves | Phyllactinia guttata, Trichocladia tortilis |
Light brown spotting | Brown blurry spots on both sides of the leaf blade | Ramularia angustissima
|
Whitish spotting | Brown spots with a brown border | Ascochyta cornicola |
Diseases worsen the appearance of plants and reduce their decorative value. If the infection is severe, the foliage on the subshrub dies prematurely. Fungal spores overwinter in plant debris.
The following can settle on the leaves of a ground cover plant:
- aphid;
- gall mite;
- spider mite;
- other leaf-eating insects.
Sick plants from the fungus are treated with fungicides. Pests are controlled using insecticides: Fitoverm, Iskra, Fufanon.
Conclusion
Swedish dogwood will help create an exotic corner of low-growing polar flora in the garden of a country house. Compositions of low-growing shrubs from willows, wild rosemary, juniper, and wolf's bast will look great against the backdrop of a luxurious carpet of Swedish wood.
You can watch the video on how to use other types of derain in your garden:
