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Ginnala maple (Acer Ginnala) is an exotic ornamental plant that most gardeners consider one of the most beautiful deciduous trees in the world. It is not picky, grows well in different types of soil, tolerates drought and is characterized by high winter hardiness. Feels great in almost all regions of Russia.
The Ginnala maple is often confused with its “brother” Tatarian maple
Description and characteristics of Ginnala maple
The variety belongs to bush plants (Sapindove family) and is distinguished by high decorative properties. It appeared on the territory of the Russian Federation a long time ago, in the second half of the 19th century, and since then, every year it has begun to spread more and more throughout it. In addition to the fact that the tree is very beautiful, it is also long-lived. When organizing decent care in one place, it grows from 100 to 250 years.
Height and diameter of the Ginnala maple crown
This variety of maple is small, grows to a maximum of 10 m, the minimum height is 3 m. The Ginnal trunk is short, approximately 30-40 cm in circumference. The crown of an adult tree is spherical, has a diameter of about 6 m, in young shrubs it practically touches the ground surface. The branches of the plant are thin and straight, abundantly covered with simple fan-shaped leaves up to 10 cm long and up to 5 cm wide. The surface of the leaf plates is shiny, green, the petioles are pink. With the arrival of autumn, the color of the leaves becomes scarlet or yellow.
The bark of the Ginnala maple is brown with a gray tint. In young trees it is smooth and thin, in mature trees it is dark, with shallow cracks. The root system of the crop is superficial, the roots are dense and highly branched, and produce a lot of shoots.
Frost resistance of Ginnala maple
The species is highly resistant to frost. An adult tree can withstand temperatures down to -40 °C. As for young seedlings, they must be covered in the first couple of years after planting. This also applies to the Ginnala maple grown on a trunk. Such specimens are most defenseless against frost.
Winter hardiness of Ginnala corresponds to zones 2-8
Growth rate of Ginnala maple
This maple grows quite quickly. Over the course of a year, it adds an average of up to 30 cm. A particularly high rate of development is observed in young specimens.
Planting a tree on your property is not particularly difficult. It reproduces in several ways - by root shoots, seeds and even shoots from a stump.
Flowering maple Ginnala
Ginnal begins to bloom at the end of spring, the last ten days of May. The tree is covered with color immediately after the leaves open.The buds of the plant are small, but quite fragrant, yellow-green in color, up to 80 mm in size. Flowers are collected in inflorescences of 17-20 pieces. In September, fruits appear in their place - bright red seeds with a blade 2 cm long.
The Ginnala maple blooms for 15-20 days.
Where does the Ginnala maple grow?
Under natural conditions, riverine maple grows in the countries of East Asia - from Mongolia to Japan and Korea, near the Amur River and its tributaries, in the Amur region and Primorye. Most often it can be found on hills, meadows, streams and rivers. Ginnala is planted as an ornamental crop in North America and Europe, and in Japan it is used to create bonsai. In Russia it is grown in Buryatia, Tula, Omsk, Irkutsk, Leningrad and Novosibirsk regions.
Advantages and disadvantages
Despite all the beauty and unpretentiousness of the Ginnala maple, it also has disadvantages. Although there are few of them, you need to know about them.
For the first time, the species was brought to the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden from the Far East
Advantages:
- beautiful carved foliage;
- ease of care;
- fast growth;
- possibility of combination with many plants;
- responsive to pruning.
Flaws:
- susceptibility to various types of spotting;
- exactingness in crown formation;
- loss of decorativeness in the shade.
Planting a Ginnala maple
The technology for planting this variety is similar to other trees, but when choosing a place for it, you should take into account the species characteristics. The tree does not grow well in wetlands and in the shade.
Depending on the development of the roots, a Ginnala seedling can grow into either a bush or a tree, so it is important to consider the following:
- if you want to get a tree-like riverine maple, the seedling is placed further from other plants, at a distance of at least two meters;
- when creating a hedge, dense planting is required, with an interval of no more than one and a half meters;
- if you need a maple border, leave 50 cm between each sprout.
Deadlines
This variety of plant is planted in April or at the end of September. The specific planting time depends on the climatic conditions of the growing region. Select the period of the beginning or end of the growing season.
Landing location
The Ginnala maple prefers to grow in sunny areas without close groundwater. Although if the tree is in the shade for only a few hours, there is nothing to worry about. The crop is not particularly demanding on the soil, but it is better if it is neutral and slightly acidic.
Landing rules
Before planting the seedlings, at least half a month before, you need to dig holes three times the size of their roots. Mix the excavated soil with peat, river sand and humus. On the day of planting, fill the bottom of the holes with a layer of drainage, and then with prepared soil. Place the seedlings so that the root collar is level with the soil, cover with soil, water generously and mulch.
If you plan to make a decorative hedge from the Ginnala maple, then for planting it is recommended to dig a trench 0.5 m wide and deep, fill its bottom with humus, sand, leaf soil, add superphosphate and plant.
Ginnala maple care
The Ginnala maple requires careful care at a young age. The older he gets, the less attention he needs. At the time of active development, it is important to water, fertilize and prun the plant.
This type of maple loves moist soil, so in the first years of its life it requires monthly watering. With age, it will be enough for one plant to add two buckets of water in spring and autumn. Although, despite the fact that the species tolerates drought, with regular moistening its crown becomes more lush, and the leaf blades are larger and richer.
After watering around the tree trunk, it is recommended to remove weeds and loosen the top layer of soil to a depth of 5 cm. It is also good to mulch this area with peat or sawdust.
Every year at the end of autumn or early spring, the Ginnala maple needs to be fed. A mixture of urea, superphosphate and potassium salt is suitable for this. In summer, the tree can be watered with mineral complexes, as well as fertilized with compost or humus.
Pruning should be done before the buds awaken in the spring or after the foliage changes color in the fall. The haircut option is chosen depending on the growing technique:
- natural - the lower branches are heavily trimmed, the rest are slightly shortened;
- on a trunk - the trunk is completely freed from vegetation, young shoots are pinched once a month;
- hedge - branches are trimmed several times a year, including in the summer.
Caring for a young tree involves preparing it for winter.To do this, the trunk is wrapped in burlap or agrofibre, and the trunk circle is mulched with leaf litter, sawdust and spruce branches.
Ginnala is resistant to wind, heat, smog, and perfectly tolerates the gas pollution of megacities
Reproduction
Most often, the Ginnala maple is propagated by cuttings and seeds. In the first case, the procedure is carried out in the spring, immediately after flowering has completed. As planting material, cuttings from strong shoots with axillary buds 20 cm long are used. The leaves are torn from them, the cuts are treated with a root former, and placed in damp sand under cover until the buds awaken. The seedlings are planted in a permanent place after 12-24 months.
When propagated by seeds, they are collected in the fall, when they dry out and turn brown. In the last week of October, the material is planted to a depth of 5 cm in fertile soil.
Diseases and pests
The Ginnala maple, like other varieties of this tree, is susceptible to diseases that most often appear on the foliage. The plates may turn yellow, blacken, dry out and crumble. The most common ailments that cause such pathologies are black, coral or white spotting, and powdery mildew.
Among the pests, maple can be attacked by weevils, whiteflies or mealybugs.
Ginnala maple in landscape design
The tree looks great in the landscape design of gardens, parks and alleys. It is used to create different compositions. The Ginnala maple acts as a hedge, border, and an expressive element in group planting. It can also be used for single planting on the lawn or near the house. It combines beautifully with coniferous trees, lilac, dogwood, barberry, magnolia, and in autumn it looks great against the backdrop of spruce or juniper.Grows well near a pond or artificial reservoir. The Ginnala maple is often used in oriental-style compositions as a substitute for the Japanese variety of culture, and is placed in rock gardens and alpine hills.
Ginnala is especially beautiful in autumn
Conclusion
Ginnala maple is an unpretentious shrub plant that can be found in arboretums, parks and squares. Some gardeners are happy to grow it in their garden plots. A distinctive feature of the culture is its unusual tent-shaped crown, as well as the beautiful color of the leaves. The plant can be grown in a variety of ways and can be combined with most crops.
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