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Andre's bladderwort is a spreading deciduous shrub of the Rosaceae family, which is used to decorate private gardens and parks. The variety has become widespread due to its decorative qualities, resistance to cold and unpretentiousness. The plant can easily withstand low temperatures, which makes it possible to grow it in most of Russia, and even a beginner can care for it.
Description of the Andre bladdercarp variety
Andre's viburnum leaf carp (physocarpus opulifolius Andre) has a very impressive appearance - it is a lush, rather dense shrub with a rounded crown that approaches the shape of a ball. The height of adult plants does not exceed 3 m, however, this figure is usually lower - only 2-2.5 m.
The branches of this variety are spreading and drooping. The leaves of the shrub are shaped like viburnum leaves, the color of the leaf blade is purple-red. With the onset of autumn, the foliage color of the Andre variety changes to bronze. The corrugated surface of the leaves gives the shrub a decorative appearance.
Andre's bladderwort flowers are small with pinkish stamens. They form small spherical inflorescences of white color and up to 7 cm in diameter. The variety blooms profusely.
The life expectancy of the bush is on average 25-30 years. The growth rate of the Andre variety is quite high - per year, under favorable conditions, the plant adds from 30 to 40 cm. In order to maintain the decorative appearance of the bush, it must be pruned from time to time. Otherwise, the plant will take on a sloppy appearance.
Andre's bladderwort in landscape design
In landscape design, Andre's bladderwort is used primarily to create contrasting compositions, due to the unusual color of its leaves. Purple tones stand out against the backdrop of green mass, and fast growth rates allow you to experiment with the shape of the plant - in case of a mistake, the shrub will quickly increase the lost volume. In addition, the bladderwort does not require special attention, which allows it to be planted in park areas.
Another advantage of the Andre variety is its extended decorative period - the plant retains its attractive appearance for a very long time.
The shrub is ideal for creating hedges and borders. Also, the Andre variety can be used with equal success not only for group plantings, but also for single plantings. It goes well with creeping garden crops.
A photo of Andre's bladderwort at the beginning of flowering is presented below.
Growing conditions for Andre viburnum leaf
Andrea viburnum can be grown on a personal plot, in parks or as a decoration for other municipal areas.The main advantages of the variety include high resistance to cultivation in urban conditions - the plant is immune to air pollution, so it can be planted even directly near roads. On the other hand, such an arrangement will damage the decorative appearance of the bush for another reason - in such conditions, dust will settle on its leaves and shoots, which will lead to loss of color.
The best location for Andre's bladderwort is an open, sunny area. In conditions of strong shade, the color of the plant’s foliage becomes completely faded. As a last resort, you can plant the shrub in partial shade.
What also sets the Andre variety apart from others is its resistance to drought. It can do without water for quite a long time, however, it still prefers moist soils. Strong winds do not pose a particular threat to the bush; it is not afraid of drafts.
Planting and caring for Andre's bladderwort
Despite the fact that the Andre variety of viburnum leaf carp is an extremely unpretentious plant, lush flowering of the bush is impossible without observing a number of basic growing conditions. In particular, it is necessary to properly prepare the area for planting and planting holes. Caring for the bladderwort involves periodic watering, pruning and fertilizing. If desired, the bushes are mulched, loosened and treated against pests and diseases.
The Andre variety can be planted at any time of the year, not counting winter.
Preparing the landing site
Andre's bladderwort is undemanding when it comes to soil composition, but it grows best in loose, fertile areas of moderate humidity. The only significant limitation is the presence of lime - the Andre variety develops very poorly on calcareous soils.
If the soil in the planting area is too poor, you can dig it up with a shovel and add organic fertilizers to the soil. The procedure is carried out 1-2 weeks before planting the bladderwort.
Landing rules
Planting of the vesicular carp variety Andrea is carried out according to the following scheme:
- A planting hole is dug in a pre-fertilized area. Its dimensions are determined based on the size of the seedling - it should fit freely into the hole, while the root collar of the plant should rise a couple of centimeters above ground level.
- A drainage layer of about 5-10 cm is placed at the bottom of the planting hole.
- A soil mixture of sand, turf soil and peat, taken in equal proportions, is laid on top.
- A seedling is placed on a hill formed from a soil mixture, and the soil is not removed from the root system so as not to injure the plants.
- The planting hole is filled to the top with soil, after which the bladderwort seedling is watered abundantly. If the soil settles significantly after watering, add a little more soil on top.
- Planting is completed by creating a mulch layer. The tree trunk circle is sprinkled with peat or humus for this purpose.
Watering and fertilizing
The frequency of watering bladderwort varies depending on local climatic conditions. If the year turns out to be hot, the bushes are watered on average 2 times a week, with each adult plant receiving 30 to 40 liters of water. It is not recommended to flood the plantings - excessive soil moisture can provoke the growth of fungi and powdery mildew.
If it rains frequently in the region, watering is reduced to once a week.
The bushes are fed with nitrogen fertilizers in the spring and with mineral compounds in the fall. In particular, in the spring months the variety responds well to feeding with the following mixture:
- 10 liters of water;
- 0.5 l mullein;
- 1 tbsp. l. urea;
- 1 tbsp. l. ammonium nitrate.
In the fall, use the following composition: 1 tbsp. l. nitroammophoska is dissolved in 10 liters of water.
Trimming
The bladderwort is pruned in the spring for sanitary purposes. Shoots that have broken during the winter are removed, as well as frozen branches. In autumn, formative pruning is performed. In order to get a lush round bush, it is necessary to cut the branches to a height of 40-50 cm. All thin shoots at the base of the bush are also removed.
Preparing for winter
The Andre variety is a frost-resistant plant, however, this fully applies only to adult bushes. The shoots of young plants can freeze slightly in particularly harsh winters, so the seedlings are covered in the fall. For these purposes, the bladderwort is mulched and sprinkled with spruce branches at the base, after which the shoots are tied with twine and covered with a cone of roofing material. Additionally, you can wrap the bush with lutrasil.
Reproduction
The Andre variety is usually propagated by cuttings and layering.In the first case, the breeding process is as follows:
- In early spring, as soon as the threat of return frosts has passed, a healthy and strong shoot that grows outward is selected from the bush. You cannot delay the preparation of cuttings - they must have time to take root before the onset of autumn frosts.
- The selected branch is cleaned, removing all leaves from it, except those located at the very end.
- The cuttings are carefully bent to the ground and placed in a hole about 15-20 cm deep. To prevent the shoot from straightening, it is pinned to the ground with special wooden staples or pressed down with a heavy object.
- Until autumn, the cuttings are watered moderately, after which the shoot is finally separated from the mother bush. In November, the rooted cuttings are covered for the winter.
Another popular method of propagating the viburnum leaf vesicle is cuttings. It is produced in the following sequence:
- In the spring, before flowering begins, the green shoots that have grown this year are carefully cut off with pruning shears. The length of the cut branches should be 15-20 cm, no more.
- Almost all leaves are cleaned off the shoots. Only 2-3 leaves are left at the very top, with each of them cut in half.
- After this, the lower part of the cuttings is soaked in any root formation stimulator. “Kornevin” is good for this.
- Then the planting material is planted in fine-grained river sand or a mixture of peat and sand.
- Immediately after planting, the cuttings are covered with plastic wrap. Cut plastic bottles are also suitable as shelter.
- Before winter, the cuttings are sometimes ventilated and watered. In winter, watering is stopped.
- In spring, vesicular carp shoots can be planted in open ground.
Diseases and pests
The bladderwort gets sick extremely rarely. The Andre variety is particularly resistant to diseases typical of this family. The only exception to the rule is chlorosis, which develops with a lack of nutrients and is expressed in the rapid yellowing of leaves and drying out of shoots. At the first signs of the disease, it is necessary to add iron to the soil - to do this, add a solution of Ferovit, Ferrilene or Antichlorosis to the root of the bush.
Conclusion
Andre's bladderwort has found wide application in landscape design. It is often used to create contrasting hedges and lush borders. In addition, shrubs are planted in group compositions along with creeping crops. The Andre variety has gained popularity in private plots due to its unpretentiousness. The plant is perfect for those who do not want to spend a lot of time caring for the garden.
You can learn more about the features of growing bladderwort from the video below:
