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Little Joker bladderwort is a plant that has gained popularity among gardeners due to the fact that its bushes retain their decorative value throughout the season. Translated from English, the name of the variety means “little joker”; in 2016, it earned a silver medal at the Planetarium exhibition held in Holland.
Description of the Little Joker bladderwort
Little Joker (physocarpus opulifolius little joker) is an ornamental dwarf shrub about 50 cm high and about 30 cm wide. It is considered more compact, but despite this, more bushy variety than other bladderworts. In rare cases, the height of the bush can reach 1 m.
The reddish-brown shoots of the Little Joker bladdercarp are densely strewn with small burgundy-green, three-lobed, deeply cut leaves with jagged edges. Closer to autumn, the color of the leaves acquires a darker and richer burgundy-purple hue.The foliage on the shoots is evenly spaced, this gives the bush a special lushness.
With the onset of June, flowering begins, and small white buds with a slight pinkish tint, collected in corymbose inflorescences, form on the shoots.
Bubblewort Little Joker in landscape design
The Little Joker bladdercarp variety is ideal for container gardening. It can be grown in a pot and placed on a terrace or balcony.
In landscape design, the plant is often used to create contrast in compositions with tree and shrub groups, mixed with perennial groups and shrub mix-borders.
Planting and caring for Little Joker bladderwort
Little Joker is a very undemanding plant to care for, and planting the plant should not cause any difficulties. However, in order to grow a healthy and more lush bush, you need to follow a number of rules.
Preparing the landing site
For planting the Little Joker Bubble Carp, a place located in the sun or partial shade is recommended. The variety is considered quite shade-tolerant and drought-resistant, but the plant feels best in moist, well-drained soil.
The soil should not contain too much lime, otherwise the growth of the bush will be slow. It is desirable that the soil is loose, fertile and fertilized; this will have a positive effect on the appearance of the Little Joker bladderwort.
An important feature of the plant is its resistance to polluted air, which is why it can be grown even near roads and within the city.
Landing rules
Planting work, as a rule, begins in the spring, when the air temperature is consistently warm.
Algorithm for planting Little Joker bladdercarp seedlings with a closed root system:
- prepare a hole whose depth and diameter are 50 cm;
- lay a mixture of garden soil with peat substrate or humus on the bottom;
- trying not to damage the root system, carefully transfer the seedling along with the earthen lump from the container into the hole, deepening it by about 5 cm.
- fill the hole with soil mixture;
- pour water mixed with Kornevin;
- mulch the surface around the trunk to avoid the formation of a surface crust and facilitate oxygen access to the roots.
Watering and fertilizing
There are several factors that influence the amount and frequency of watering:
- climatic zone of growth;
- type of soil;
- age of the bush.
Growing in loamy soil in a climate zone with high summer temperatures, Little Joker's bladderwort needs regular watering twice a week. But the plant should not be over-watered, since stagnant water can cause root rot and the development of fungal diseases.
Feed the bush twice a year. With the onset of spring, when the first buds bloom, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are added to the soil. In autumn, the plant needs mineral fertilizing.
Trimming
With the arrival of spring, diseased, damaged and weak shoots are removed, but severe pruning is not recommended.Some gardeners also advise periodically pruning the Little Joker bladderwort in order to stimulate active shoot growth or give the crown the desired shape.
Preparing for winter
The bladdercarp variety Little Joker belongs to the fourth winter hardiness zone. The plant can withstand temperatures down to -29 degrees. In this regard, it can easily overwinter in the regions of the middle zone, however, due to too severe frosts, the tips of the shoots may be damaged.
Usually only young bushes are covered for the winter. To do this, in the fall the tree trunk circle is mulched with peat. The thickness of the mulch layer should be at least 8 cm. At the end, the plants are covered with spruce branches.
Propagation of Little Joker
There are several ways to propagate this shrub. Quite often it is propagated through seeds. This ensures good germination, but there is one significant drawback: when using this method, there is a high probability that the varietal characteristics of the plant will not be preserved. In this case, the leaves may not have a red tint, but a standard green tint. This is why gardeners rarely propagate the Little Joker vesicle from seeds.
A fairly popular method that gives good and quick results is cuttings. Only young shoots are used as cuttings, which must be cut so that their length is 10 - 20 cm, and 2 - 4 growth points are preserved on the surface. The procedure should be carried out before flowering begins: in late spring or early summer.
Another common method is propagation by layering. You can start the procedure in April, after the first leaves appear on the shoots. In this case, the cuttings will have time to take root during the growing season. Young plants are separated from the mother bush towards the end of autumn. In winter, they will need shelter made of spruce branches.
Dividing a bush is considered a less popular method compared to propagation by cuttings and layering. This is due to the fact that physical effort will have to be made during the work, and the number of plants that can be obtained by dividing an adult bladderwort is limited to 4 - 6 bushes. The procedure is carried out in early spring, before the plant enters the active growth stage. However, dividing the bush can also be done in the fall, when flowering ends and there are at least 45 days left before the onset of frost.
Diseases and pests
The Little Joker variety of bladderwort is characterized by high resistance to most diseases; the plant is rarely affected by pests. However, some diseases can still threaten the plant:
- Powdery mildew. A fungal disease that can be detected by the appearance of a white coating on the leaves and darkening of the edges of the leaf blades. The reason is waterlogging of the soil. Treating the bush with a fungicide will help solve the problem;
- Chlorosis. It develops due to a lack of nutrients in the soil. It manifests itself as drying of the apical stems and yellowing of young leaves. If signs of the disease are detected, the bush should be treated with Antichlorosis or Ferovit.
Conclusion
Little Joker is a small shrub that will delight lovers of exotic plants.The variety is characterized by high frost resistance, low maintenance requirements and ease of planting.
