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Ledebourii rhododendron (Rhododendron Ledebourii) is an ornamental shrub protected in nature reserves, growing naturally in Mongolia, Altai and Eastern Siberia. Since the 70s In the 19th century, the plant was used in ornamental gardening. It is used as a garden crop in the northern and western regions of Russia. This variety of rhododendron is valued for its abundant lush flowering and attractive appearance of the plant. In Altai, the period when rhododendron blooms is often compared to cherry blossoms. It is believed that with the opening of the first buds of the Ledebur rhododendron, spring finally comes to the region.
This shrub looks most advantageous in group plantings and in combination with coniferous crops - this is how it grows in its natural environment.
Description of Rhododendron Ledebur
Rhododendron Ledebura or Maralnik is a semi-evergreen shrub that belongs to the heather family. An adult plant reaches a height of 1.5 - 2.0 m and has approximately the same width. This rhododendron has thin branches directed vertically upward. The bark of the trunks is gray, the branches are red-brown. Young shoots are short-haired and have a light green, light green tint. The foliage of the plant is dense, soft, and leathery in texture. The leaf blade is medium-sized, up to 3 cm in length, has an elliptical shape, rounded at the top. Young rhododendron leaves are bright olive, becoming a dark olive green over time. As autumn approaches, they darken more and more and become brownish. In winter, the leaves curl into tubes and become like pine needles, and with the onset of warmth they open up. The plant sheds its leaves when it produces new shoots.
Flowers are especially attractive. No description of a blooming Ledebur rhododendron will be complete, and even a photo cannot fully convey its beauty.
The flowering period is approximately 2 weeks and occurs in May. If weather conditions permit, the shrub may bloom again in late summer - early autumn. The flowers are numerous, large, up to 5 cm in diameter, pink, pink-violet or lilac. They have the shape of a five-petal bell, collected in inflorescences in the form of umbrellas. Flowers appear on last year's shoots.
Due to the high content of phytoncides, the leaves and flowers have a pleasant aroma.
In September, the fruits ripen in the form of a box up to 1 cm long.
Popularly, this type of crop is sometimes called wild rosemary, and is also often confused with Daurian rhododendron. However, the species differ in the shape of the leaves and the color of the flowers: in Maralnik it is lighter. Landscape designers take advantage of these differences to create interesting compositions with both types of shrubs.
Medicinal properties of Rhododendron Ledebur
Rhododendron Ledebura is used in folk medicine. The raw material is the leaves of the plant, which acquire medicinal properties in the 2nd – 3rd year of life. They are collected during the flowering period and quickly dried in ovens or warm rooms. You cannot dry raw materials in the sun.
Thanks to its tannins, vitamin C and many micro- and macroelements, this plant has healing properties.
Infusions and decoctions of the leaves are used for colds and stomach diseases. The plant has a diaphoretic effect, is used as a diuretic, and is used to normalize the activity of the circulatory system. It has been established that medicinal preparations from Ledebur rhododendron have bactericidal properties and are active against microbes of the intestinal flora, staphylococci and streptococci.
Decoctions of rhododendron leaves and flowers are added to baths for the following diseases:
- sciatica;
- radiculitis;
- rheumatism;
- bursitis;
- gout;
- polyarthritis;
- nervous disorders;
- neuralgic pain, etc.
You can take medicinal preparations from this plant only after consulting a doctor.Children, pregnant women, people with serious kidney diseases, as well as tissue necrosis, treatment with rhododendron is contraindicated.
Winter hardiness of Rhododendron Ledebur
This is one of the most frost-resistant plant varieties - rhododendron can withstand temperatures down to -30 °C. The danger is posed by spring night frosts, which can affect the buds. The plant is also resistant to sudden temperature changes.
Conditions for growing Rhododendron Ledebur
Under natural conditions, the shrub grows in the shade of coniferous undergrowth on rocky, water- and breathable soils with high acidity. Rhododendron of this variety feels good in short, cold summers, when the peak temperature does not exceed +23 °C, and averages +14 °C, while in winter the thermometer does not rise above -10 °C.
When cultivating the Ledebur rhododendron, they take into account such characteristics as frost resistance, shade and moisture-loving properties, and try to create similar conditions for it.
Planting and caring for Ledebur rhododendron
Growing Ledebur rhododendron is quite simple. The main thing is to place the plant correctly on the site and prepare suitable soil. Further care comes down to watering, fertilizing, mulching, weeding, treatment against diseases and pests, and periodic replanting. If there is a need to loosen the soil, you should act with great caution - the superficial root system of the Ledebur rhododendron is very sensitive to external influences. For the same reason, you should not dig up the soil around the plant.
Selection and preparation of a landing site
A place protected from direct sun is most suitable for growing this shrub. Does not like Ledebur and drafts.The plant feels comfortable in the partial shade of other trees and shrubs. Ledebour's rhododendron, with its delicate shallow root system, fits well with trees whose roots go deep into the ground, for example, chestnuts, pine trees, and garden crops.
A moisture-loving plant will be comfortable if there is a place for it next to a pond.
The soil is of particular importance. Under natural conditions, Ledebour's rhododendron grows on acidic rocky soils; during cultural cultivation, the plant is provided with an acidic, breathable substrate of peat, sand and the top layer of soil from a coniferous forest.
Seedling preparation
It is best to buy a rhododendron seedling from a nursery or specialty store. At the same time, you can order planting material from reliable suppliers even via the Internet. For example, the specialists of the Sadovita store will not only organize the delivery of guaranteed quality Ledebur rhododendron seedlings, but will also advise on all issues of planting and care.
When purchasing a seedling from a nursery, you should pay attention to the presence of leaves and shoots. The more of them, the stronger and healthier the rhododendron and the better it will take root. The leaves should be smooth and evenly colored. You should not buy a plant that is too tall - the older the rhododendron, the worse it takes root in open ground.
Landing rules
Most often, cuttings are planted in the ground in early spring, before flowering, so that over the summer the rhododendron can adapt to the climate and overwinter well. However, planting can also be done in the fall. Moreover, many gardeners claim that any time from March to October is suitable for replanting, excluding the flowering period.
Leave a distance of at least 100–150 cm between the bushes.
The landing procedure is as follows:
- dig a planting hole several times larger than the root system of the seedling;
- a layer of drainage 15–18 cm thick is poured onto the bottom;
- pour a pre-prepared soil mixture of 4 parts peat and 1 part clay on top and compact it a little;
- the seedling is covered with the remaining soil mixture to the level of the root collar;
- water and mulch the soil;
- If buds have already formed on the bush, some of them are cut off so that the plant does not spend all its energy on flowering and takes root faster.
The same algorithm is used to transplant Ledebur rhododendron. Within two seasons after the plant takes root in a new place, ripe flower buds are cut off so that all the energy goes into the formation of the root system. Mulching of transplanted shrubs is mandatory.
Watering and fertilizing
Rhododendron is a moisture-loving plant, so in summer it needs regular, if possible, daily watering with soft water. Hard water deoxidizes the soil, which negatively affects flowering. For irrigation, you can use melt or rain water. Many gardeners add peat to acidify the water. The soil around the Ledebur rhododendron should not dry out, but stagnant moisture is also destructive. On especially hot and dry days, it is recommended to spray the crown with a spray bottle. A clear sign of lack of moisture is wilting of the leaves. By autumn, watering is reduced and stopped in winter. In the autumn season, rhododendron is watered moderately and only in dry weather.The quality of its flowering in the next season directly depends on the amount of moisture received by the maral plant.
From time to time, rhododendrons need feeding. The first should be done after planting. You need to choose liquid fertilizers for plants from the heather family. Cow manure, rotted compost or meat and bone meal are suitable organic fertilizers. They are diluted with water at the rate of 1 part of raw material to 15 parts of water and evenly irrigate the soil surface around the plant. It is not recommended to embed fertilizers directly into the soil, so as not to damage the delicate surface root system of the rhododendron.
Mineral fertilizers are applied in small doses: up to 2 tbsp. l. per 1 sq. m. area before flowering and 1 tbsp. l. after him. A lack of minerals can be suspected by a clear slowdown in shoot growth and yellowing of the leaves of the crop.
Trimming
The plant is pruned in early spring, before flowering begins. The main goals of this procedure are to rejuvenate the crown and stimulate the growth of new shoots. At the same time, branches more than 2 cm thick are removed. The cuts must be treated with garden varnish so that the plant is not infected with fungal infections and does not lose juice. Ledebur rhododendron usually does not need crown formation by pruning.
Trimming old inflorescences stimulates the formation of new buds and allows you to achieve more intense flowering.
In order for the rhododendron bush to branch better, plucking of vegetative buds is used.
Preparing for winter
Rhododendron Ledeboura is a frost-resistant shrub, but it must be prepared for frost. In autumn, it is watered well, all plant debris around the tree is collected, and the neck of the plant is covered with dry oak leaves.When the first snow falls, it is collected in a mound, which will serve as cover for the base of the bush.
In severe winter conditions, it is recommended to cover rhododendron before the onset of frost, although in most cases this is not necessary. Spruce or pine spruce branches are laid between the branches, covered with a coarse cloth, such as burlap, and loosely tied with ropes. The cover is removed in the spring, when the snow begins to melt.
Reproduction of rhododendron Ledebur (Maralnik)
Like other varieties of rhododendrons, Ledebura is propagated by seeds, cuttings and layering. Forcing plants from seeds is the least effective method. Rhododendrons obtained in this way grow slowly and require special care.
Cuttings also require some effort, but the cuttings grow into full-fledged, strong and well-flowering rhododendrons. In early spring, branches that begin to become covered with bark are cut to 8 cm in length and placed in a root growth stimulator for a day. When the roots begin to grow, they are planted in a box with a substrate consisting of 3 parts peat and 1 part sand. Cover the top with polyethylene. After about 4 months, the rooted rhododendron cuttings are transplanted into separate containers with a peat-pine mixture (2 parts peat - 1 part pine needles). In the spring, the cuttings are taken outside and placed in the ground along with the boxes. They are brought back for the winter. Plants are transplanted into open ground only in the 3rd year.
It is most convenient to propagate rhododendron by layering from an adult shrub. They do this in early spring, and in the fall they get new plants. You should select the strongest shoots on the lower part of the bush, dig a small groove about 20 cm deep for each of them, bend the branches and secure them with wire hooks in the grooves.Cover the top with a substrate made from a mixture of soil and peat. When watering the mother plant, the cuttings must also be watered. It is useful to add a root growth stimulator to the watering water from time to time. In the fall, the shoots will take root, they can be separated from the main plant and planted in a permanent place. They can enter the flowering phase as early as next year.
Diseases and pests
Rhododendron Ledebur is resistant to diseases and pests. However, like other heather plants, it can be affected by fungal diseases. Rust and chlorosis are especially dangerous. Spraying the plant with copper sulfate will help cope with these ailments.
The shrub can also be affected by pests: rhododendron bugs and flies, mealybugs, spider mites, sawflies, whiteflies and other insects. Treatment of infected plantings with insecticides, for example Fitoverm or Aktar, will help get rid of them.
If the rhododendron is attacked by slugs or snails, it is enough to collect them by hand from time to time.
Conclusion
Rhododendron Ledebur is a shrub that can decorate any area. Many amateur gardeners consider it capricious, but its frost resistance, ease of propagation and beautiful exotic appearance of a flowering plant are finding more and more fans. The Ledebur rhododendron is considered one of the most picturesque of all rhododendron varieties.
With proper care, “Siberian sakura” will delight the eye all season: in spring and autumn with abundant delicate flowering, in summer with a lush, densely leafy crown.
