Black elderberry variety corsair. Elderberry planting and care, propagation, types and varieties of elderberry. Features of black elderberry grown in the Moscow region

Botanical classification within the genus Sambucus, including the species Sambucus nigra, has been subject to much controversy and remains unclear. The reason for this is the wide distribution of plants of this type and their high morphological variability.

The genus includes approximately 9 to 40 species of herbaceous perennials, deciduous trees and shrubs, growing naturally in forests and thickets of temperate and subtropical regions.

Certain types of crops are in demand as medicinal raw materials, and varietal forms of the plant can easily compete with ornamental trees and bushes that are popular in landscape design. Elderberry is undemanding in care and can be recommended to beginning gardeners.

Varieties and types of elderberry

One of the most common representatives of the genus is the European black elderberry (Sambucus nigra), which is a dense, highly branched shrub or not very tall tree. It is characterized by fairly rapid growth (up to 60 cm per year), reaching a height of 2 to 6 meters, depending on the variety.

The leaves are pinnate, consisting of small leaflets up to 30 cm long. In wild shrubs they are dark green; the color of the leaves of ornamental varieties can be light green, variegated and even almost black.

Small, creamy white or pink fragrant flowers are collected in flat corymbose inflorescences with a diameter of 10-20 cm. Numerous, spherical fruits appear in early autumn. Abundantly fruiting bushes have so many berries that the stems bend under their weight.

The fruits remain on the bushes even after the first frost. Elderberry blossoms are so beautiful that even wild shrubs attract attention during this period.

Elderberry "Aurea" has golden leaves early in the season and yellow-green leaves in summer.

"Aureomarginata" - foliage with golden edges. The height of the bush is about 3 m.

"Aureovariegata" - distinguished by yellow spots on the leaves.

"Gerda" is a shrub up to 3.5 meters high with dark purple leaves and pink flowers.

“Guincho Purple” - the dark purple, glossy leaves of a small shrub acquire a red tint in autumn, the shoots are also purple, and the inflorescences are rich pink.

A fascinating variety of black elderberry, 'Black Lace', also known as 'Eve' elderberry. It stands out among other varietal forms with openwork, deeply dissected purple-violet leaves. The inflorescences are pink and appear in late spring. In autumn the leaves turn red.

Elderberry "Black Tower" or "Black Tower" is a slow-growing columnar shrub 2 m high and 1 m wide. Young green leaves become lilac-violet over time. Ideal for small gardens. The inflorescences are pink.

"Linearis" is a bush up to 2 meters in height with very narrow, rugged leaves.

Elderberry "Madonna" is a compact ornamental shrub with bright yellow-green leaves.

Elderberry "Laciniata" is a fast-growing compact bush up to 2 meters high with an openwork crown of deeply dissected leaves.

"Pulverulenta" is a dwarf bush about 1.5 m high. The varietal form is characterized by unusual colored leaves, almost white in spring. In summer, the green color begins to dominate and the leaves become variegated with white spots.

"Purpurea" has violet-green leaves when young, becoming bright green with age.

Blue elderberry is a small ornamental tree native to the western United States and Mexico. In season, the tree is decorated with lush inflorescences, and in the fall it is strewn with clusters of bluish-blue fragrant, edible berries similar to blueberries.

The red-brown bark of the plant contrasts effectively with the pale green color of the foliage. The disadvantage of this type is its low frost resistance.

Red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) or elderberry racemosa is similar to other species, but with one important difference - its red berries are unsuitable for food, as they are poisonous, so the bush is grown as an ornamental plant.

Numerous bright red fruits against a background of feathery green leaves make the bush a bright accent in the autumn garden. This species also has several spectacular varietal forms.

Elderberry "Plumosa aurea" and "Sutherland Gold" are varieties with golden-yellow, lacy foliage that turns green in the shade. "Sutherland Gold" received an award from the Royal Horticultural Society for its high decorativeness.

"Lemon Lace" or "Lemony Lace" is a very hardy and showy plant with feathery light green leaves.

There are also varieties with purple foliage and pink flowers.

Elderberry (Sambucus ebulus). Perennial herb 1-2 m high with straight, usually unbranched stems. As it grows, it forms large groups with extensive underground rhizomes. The leaves are pinnate, 15-30 cm long. All parts of the plant are poisonous.

Siebold elderberry (Sambucus sieboldiana) native to East Asia. The species is named after the German physician and botanist Philipp Franz von Siebold. It is a powerful shrub with very large leaves and large inflorescences.

Planting elderberry in open ground

Bare-root bushes are planted in spring or November, plants in containers are planted throughout the season. Seedlings that are one or two years old take root best.

Elderberry is undemanding in care, but for the beautiful color of the foliage of ornamental varieties and abundant fruiting, it must be planted in a sunny place, protected from strong winds.

The crop prefers soil without stagnant water, fertile, rich in humus and nitrogen compounds, although it adapts well to poorer substrates, but then the flowering will not be so abundant. But acidic soil must be limed 2 years before planting elderberries.

Having chosen a place, start planting seedlings. Dig a hole measuring 50x50 cm and 60 cm deep. Prepare a fertile mixture of well-rotted manure (4-5 kg) and fertile soil taken from the pit.

It is also useful to add a tablespoon of potassium fertilizer and 50 g of phosphates. Mix everything well and pour 2/3 of the prepared substrate into the hole.

Place the tree's roots in the planting hole and adjust the planting depth so that the root collar is level with the soil surface. Fill the hole with the remaining soil and compact it, making a small depression around it for watering. Pour generously with 10 liters of water. Tree-shaped seedlings may need a rigid support to which they are tied for the first 2 years.

The shoots of all young seedlings are shortened by 10 cm immediately after planting and then a neat crown of the plantings is maintained using seasonal annual pruning.

Plant several seedlings at a distance of 2-3 meters from each other. The more air that can circulate between shrubs, the less likely it is for disease to develop. After planting, place a layer of garden or bark mulch around the root zone of the bush.

Features of elderberry care

At the beginning of spring, when the sun begins to heat up during the day and frosts still persist at night, the bark of large shoots may crack. To avoid damage, the shoots and trunk are covered with a layer of lime.

At the beginning of March, sanitary pruning is carried out for fruit species and, if necessary, formative pruning for decorative deciduous forms. Remove dead, damaged or diseased shoots.

Dense bushes are thinned out, side and unwanted branches that develop at the wrong angle are removed. To avoid infection, the cutting areas of large shoots are lubricated with garden varnish.

The crop tolerates the climatic conditions of the middle zone well, but in severe frosts the delicate elderberry varieties “Black Lace” and “Black Beauty” can freeze. In this case, the bushes are pruned, leaving only 20-30 cm to the soil level. Over the course of a season, the plant forms new dense shoots with decorative foliage. Anti-aging pruning is also carried out every 3 years.

After any type of pruning, when the buds have not yet blossomed, the elderberry is treated with a solution of Bordeaux mixture or other drugs with similar effects to prevent diseases and destroy pests. Repeated treatment is carried out in the fall after leaf fall. Diseased fallen leaves are burned.

During the period of flowering, active growing season and fruit formation, the crop needs fertilizing and watering. Numerous root shoots of shrubs must be regularly removed at the very beginning of growth.

At the end of autumn, before the onset of frost, the tree trunk area is insulated with fallen leaves or compost. An excellent insulation material is fallen snow, which is thrown onto the plantings.

Feeding

Caring for elderberries in the garden also includes fertilizing. When planted in well-fertilized soil, the crop grows well even without fertilizing, but in poorer substrates it is useful to feed with slurry or compost in the spring.

The crop responds well to nitrogen fertilizing with urea solution. Plantings are fertilized only in the spring. In summer, if necessary, add 25-30 g of balanced mineral fertilizer for each plant.

Watering

The crop loves moderately moist soils, so in dry summers it needs regular watering, about once a week for large plantings and 2 times for young seedlings. After watering, loosen the soil so that a crust does not form, which blocks the access of oxygen to the roots.

In a normal summer with periodic rains, the plantings do not need watering, but will not allow moisture to evaporate and protect the roots from overheating.

Elderberry propagation

When propagating elderberry using seeds, it should be taken into account that the resulting seedlings do not retain the varietal and even species qualities of the mother plant, so the crop is mainly propagated vegetatively.

Growing elderberry from cuttings

Green cuttings with 2-3 internodes, approximately 15 cm long, are cut in the summer just below the leaf node. All leaves are removed, leaving only one upper leaf stalk with two leaflets. Cuttings can root in water or soil.

To root in the soil, cuttings are buried in powder, which stimulates rapid root formation, and planted in a sand-peat mixture. The soil and cuttings are watered from a watering can and covered with a transparent bag, creating greenhouse conditions. The pot is placed in a place with diffused sunlight during rooting.

Ventilate the greenhouse periodically and do not forget to water the soil, keeping it moderately moist. Condensation from the bag should not fall on the leaves, as it can cause them to rot. Once they show signs of growth, you can remove the plastic bag. In October, young plants are planted in open ground.

Wood cuttings taken during spring pruning are also suitable for rooting. They are immediately buried in open ground and watered as needed throughout the season. More than half of the cuttings take root in this way.

Roots in water. Green cuttings are placed in jars and placed next to the window. The water is changed every 3-4 days. After 7-8 weeks, the cuttings will have formed enough roots to be transplanted to a permanent location in open ground.

Reproduction of elderberry by layering

This method is the most effective, as it gives an almost 100% guarantee of obtaining new seedlings. The propagation technology is simple: young, non-lignified side shoots are tilted towards the ground and placed in prepared grooves with a layer of compost along the entire length of the shoot.

They are secured with metal brackets so that they do not straighten out and are covered with soil, leaving only the top of the branch unfilled. The following year, with the beginning of new growth, the rooted cuttings can be separated and transplanted to a new location.

As we can see, caring for elderberries, planting and propagation are not difficult even for a novice gardener.

Elderberry diseases

Tomato mosaic virus reduces the viability of elderberries, resulting in smaller yields and ultimately killing the plant. This is one of the most serious cultural diseases. The virus is usually transmitted by pollen and soil nematodes called Xiphinema.

Some weeds also carry the disease. It manifests itself as a change in the shape and color of foliage, chlorosis. The disease is practically untreatable.

Fungal diseases can cause leaf and stem spots. The spots may be purple, brown or yellow, depending on the fungus. In some cases, they spread throughout the entire leaf blade and lead to leaf fall.

Powdery mildew is also a fungal disease. It appears as a powdery, light white coating and weakens the plant over time. In the most severe cases, the plant's leaves may curl and fall off. The disease thrives in moist conditions.

As treatment and prevention, the affected parts of the plant are removed and burned and the bush is treated with fungicidal preparations. Diseases are caused by too high humidity combined with low temperatures and poor air circulation around the plantings.

Elderberry in garden landscape design

Bushes and trees fit into any garden style. Varieties with carved leaves are ideal for decorating oriental gardens as a replacement for expensive and capricious Japanese maples.

Several seedlings planted in a row will be an excellent alternative to a hedge. Dwarf forms of the “Lemony Lace” variety are planted in company with multi-colored coleus, phlox, Japanese spirea of ​​the “Magic Carpet” variety, and small weeping crimson “Whitewater”.

A composition of low-growing varieties of elderberry, low and decorative deciduous shrubs such as barberry, privet, hawthorn, and flowering buddleia looks great.

Lush openwork varieties with purple or golden foliage will become a bright accent against the background of an emerald lawn. A composition of several varietal forms of a crop with different shades of foliage looks impressive.

Medicinal properties of black elderberry

Black elderberry is an almost iconic medicinal plant. Its valuable properties have been known since ancient times. Currently, thanks to laboratory research, we can already scientifically confirm the composition and effect of individual chemical compounds contained in elderberry flowers and fruits and use them safely.

Dried flowers and berries are used in herbal medicine. Flowers contain essential oils, flavonoids, tannins and mineral salts.

Tea made from fresh and dried flowers has excellent antipyretic, diuretic and expectorant properties. Raw materials are collected from mid-May on dry days, cutting off whole inflorescences. The drink is used to treat diseases of the upper respiratory tract and rheumatism.

Did you know that for colds, elderflower drink is much more effective than linden tea!

Externally it is used to wash the eyes for conjunctivitis, gargle, and treat burns.

Whole inflorescences are collected on a sunny day, when they have just begun to bloom. Dry in a well-ventilated, dark and dry room at a temperature not exceeding 35 °C.

The berries of the black elderberry bush ripen in late summer and September. They contain large amounts of vitamins A, B and C, fructose and trace elements. The fruits have laxative properties and act as a diaphoretic, diuretic, antipyretic and analgesic.

Berry decoction is used to rinse the mouth after tooth extraction, to treat migraines, diarrhea, to detoxify the body, and for metabolic disorders. The fruits are widely used in cooking and winemaking for the preparation of jams, juices, and tinctures.

Many novice gardeners who want to grow elderberry on their property are interested in the question: is elderberry poisonous or not? All parts of the fresh plant, including unripe berries, contain the glucoside sambunigrin and the alkaloid sambucine, which are toxic to the body.

Poisoning occurs when eating large quantities of unripe fruits. Its symptoms are: weakness, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, increased heart rate, shortness of breath. First aid consists of inducing vomiting and gastric lavage. However, heat treatment and the drying process completely destroy toxic compounds.

The genus Sambucus - Elderberry - according to the latest data, includes twenty-seven species of woody and, less commonly, herbaceous plants. But in the minds of most of us, the word “elderberry” refers only to black and red elderberries. This is understandable: these two species are the most widespread and are found almost everywhere in Europe and most of Russia, and black elderberry can be called a cosmopolitan species, because its current range covers all parts of the world except Antarctica. For many, elderberry is, first of all, a medicinal and useful plant in everyday life. But both red and black elderberries have aesthetic merits that have not yet been discovered much by our gardeners.

Plants from the genus Sambucus have long been used as ornamental plants. They were planted near houses, in parks and gardens. In addition to its decorative purpose, elderberry also had practical use as a honey plant.

In cultivated plantings in the middle zone, it is advisable to grow the most frost-resistant and very decorative types of elderberry - b. red, b. black and b. Canadian. In addition, breeders have created several dozen interesting varieties of ornamental elderberry, which can decorate the garden not only during the flowering and fruiting period, but during the entire growing season.

It is worth paying attention to cultivars with variegated or colored foliage, as well as varieties with dissected openwork leaf blades. There are several dwarf varieties of elderberry and varieties with an unusual crown shape. When choosing a variety and type of elderberry for planting in the garden, inquire about its frost resistance. It happens that a variety is inferior in this regard to its natural species, and different varieties of the same species exhibit different resistance to frost. In heat-loving varieties of black elderberry, less often b. Canadian, young shoots may freeze, and edible berries may not ripen.

Ornamental types and varieties of elderberry

Red elderberry

The most frost-resistant in our climate is the red elderberry - a species of European origin that has become so familiar to us that many people perceive it as an original Russian plant. In botany, red elderberry is also known as elderberry, or common elderberry, Sambucus racemosa. A shrub with a wide crown grows up to 2-4 meters in height and has beautiful feathery, elongated, pointed leaves. Paniculate inflorescences, collected from star-shaped flowers, light greenish at the beginning of flowering and white at its peak, are covered with red half-centimeter inedible berries by autumn. They are still eaten by birds, thereby promoting the proliferation of shrubs. For planting in the garden, varieties and forms of red elderberry are more often used, since they are superior in decorative qualities to the species plant.

Examples of red elderberry varieties

Sutherland gold - a strongly dissected leaf blade of a yellowish color, the leaf resembles a fern, almost does not suffer from sunburn;
Golden Locks is a semi-dwarf variety, up to 0.7 m high, with strongly dissected bright yellow leaves that do not lose their attractiveness until autumn and do not fade in the sun;
Ornata – form with pinnate leaf blades;
Laciniata - the tent-like crown of the shrub is assembled from surprisingly graceful dissected leaves;
Tenuifolia - leaves of unusual thread-like shape;
Flavescens – the variety is distinguished by yellow fruits;
Plumosa aurea - leaf blades cut to the middle are golden yellow; from a distance the bush resembles a Japanese maple;
Moerheimii - narrow, dissected leaves have a purple color when blooming.

In the photo: black elderberry - Sambucus nigra

Black elderberry

Compared to the red elderberry, the black elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is a more heat-loving plant, and in middle latitudes it grows only in the form of a rounded shrub up to 3-4 meters high, while in the favorable climate of the Crimea or the Caucasus it can be a six-meter tree . To match its external dimensions, the plant produces large, up to 20 centimeters, inflorescences of white fragrant flowers that abundantly cover the branches. They last for up to a month, and by autumn the flowers ripen into elegant black and shiny berries that can decorate the bush even in winter. The fruits of the black elderberry are edible and are often used in wine making or medicinal infusions. Although black elderberry itself is very decorative, its showy varieties are more often cultivated.

Black Lace - the variety was named “Black Lace” for its openwork dissected purple leaves and pink flowers;
Variegata - variegated green-white leaves and pale white flowers;
Gerda – dark purple-burgundy leaves;
Madonna - variegated leaves bordered by a wide yellow stripe;
Laciniata - strongly dissected leaves creating a light translucent crown;
Fructu lutea - a variety with fruits of a golden-cream hue, with a slight red blush;
Pendula – elderberry with picturesque drooping branches and burgundy foliage;
Witch’s Broom is a dwarf variety, the height of which is 45 – 50 cm;
Dwarf form is the smallest of the black elderberry varieties, its height is 30 – 35 cm;
Black Beauty - the variety is similar to “Black Lace” - dark purple leaves and pink flowers, but differs from it in that the leaf blade is not dissected;
Guincho Purple - the blossoming leaves of this variety are burgundy in color; they turn green only towards the end of summer;
Among the variegated varieties of black elderberry are Albomarginata, Aureomarginata, Madonna, Bimble, Pulverulenta;
Twisted leaves in the monstros form;
The leaves of the black elderberry latisecta are similar to oak leaves;
There are plants with a pyramidal crown - the form Pyramidalis;
The variety Cae Rhos Lligwy has ripe fruits that are green like gooseberries;
Spectacular large-fruited and productive varieties have been created - Korsor, Adam Eldercarry and others.
And this is not the entire list of black elderberry varieties that a gardener and landscape designer can choose.

Elderberry

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is native to the eastern North American continent and is very similar to black elderberry. It differs from it in better frost resistance, although in frosty winters it can freeze slightly, but then grow back with new shoots. Our height is no more than 3 meters. It is difficult for a non-specialist to distinguish black elderberry from Canadian elderberry, and some plant taxonomists, for example, the Royal Horticultural Society, consider it a subspecies of black elderberry - Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis. However, according to The Plant List, black elderberry and Canada elderberry are recognized as different species.

This picturesque plant has even more delightful varieties:
The decorative form of Maxima is interesting with a powerful bush and inflorescences up to 45 cm;
Elderberry Chlorocarpa has green flowers and fruits;
The Aurea variety has golden-colored spring and autumn leaves and dark cherry-colored fruits;
Exquisitely dissected leaves of the Canadian elderberry Acutiloba.

Other types of elderberry for landscaping

Not only red, Canadian and black elderberries can decorate our gardens and parks. Siberian elderberry (Sambucus sibirica), b. fluffy (Sambucus pubens), b. herbaceous (Sambucus ebulus), Far Eastern species - Siebold elder (Sambucus sieboldiana) and Kamchatka (Sambucus kamtschatica / javanica) are also successfully, although less often, used in landscaping.

For the southern regions of the country, the heat-loving American species blue elderberry - Sambucus cerulea - with fragrant whitish flowers in large corymbose inflorescences and black-blue berries with a bluish bloom can be considered.

Using elderberry in landscape design

Thanks to the morphological diversity of varieties, elderberry is suitable for any floral compositions:
In a group with other woody plants (any varieties depending on the compositional solution and the designer’s intention);
Solo plant (usually variegated varieties or varieties with bright foliage are used, the latter look very impressive against the backdrop of green grass);
As an element of flower beds with perennial flowering herbaceous plants (use low-growing or medium-growing varieties with carved and/or colored foliage);
As a compositional element of artificial biocenoses ( rock gardens, rockeries ) – medium-sized, low-growing and dwarf varieties are suitable for this;
Decoration of the banks of artificial reservoirs;
Slope strengthening and cliffs (any variety);
For creating hedges (green fences) - use medium-sized and tall varieties.

Planting elderberry, growing conditions and care

Lighting

The plant feels good under the rays of the scorching sun, and in bright diffused light, and in light partial shade. Some varieties can grow in the shade, but most will feel bad: their growth will deteriorate, and the number of flowers and fruits will be reduced due to lack of lighting. Shade-tolerant elderberry species include Canadian elderberry, with the exception of its variegated varieties.

A number of varieties with variegated or colored leaves, for example, purple, must receive a certain amount of sunlight, otherwise they will lose their decorative color. These varieties of elderberry are best planted in well-lit areas.

Substrate

Elderberry is not demanding on substrates, so it grows well in almost all types of soil, even on poor sandy and loamy soils. But it feels best on humus-rich, aerated soils, the acidity of which is in the range of 6.0 - 6.7.

The drainage of the substrate must be good, but at the same time, the soil particles must retain moisture. On sandy soils, in which water immediately goes into deep layers, elderberry grows poorly.

Elderberry does not like too acidic (pH 3.5 - 4.5) substrates or peaty soils. Therefore, before planting, such soil needs to be deoxidized, that is, its acidity must be changed. To do this, just add lime or dolomite flour to the soil, mix and water. After a week, mix the substrate well, add compost, water well again and leave for another 10 - 15 days.
In clay soils, add a mixture of sand and compost (ratio 1:1) 3 to 4 days before planting.

Watering and humidity

Moderate moisture is optimal for elderberry. The plant can tolerate excessive watering, but not stagnation of water in the soil. Some types of elderberry are quite tolerant of close proximity to groundwater and, in natural conditions, grow along the banks of streams, for example, Canadian elderberry.

With a lack of moisture, elderberry leaves droop and droop. But it is enough to water the plant and it returns to its normal state. In hot summers or in the absence of natural moisture for a long time, elderberries need watering. This is especially true for young or weakened plants. Watering is carried out in the evening.

Fertilizer

Elderberry is fertilized in the spring at the beginning of the growing season. As a rule, organic fertilizers dissolved in water are applied. Mineral components are embedded in the soil in solid form - they will gradually and for a long time decompose and nourish the plant.

Trimming

Elderberry grows quickly and, under optimal growing conditions, produces many shoots in a short time. Therefore, in late autumn or spring, before the growing season begins, it needs to be pruned. This will improve the appearance of the crown and contribute to its renewal.

In the spring, in addition to scheduled pruning, frozen shoots are removed. In case of severe frostbite, the plant must be cut at the root, otherwise the branches may become infected with fungus.

How to propagate elderberry

Elderberry easily reproduces vegetatively and generatively, using seeds. Of all the vegetative methods, the most effective are cuttings and root layering.

For cuttings, use green, non-woody shoots, which must be cut with a sharp knife or pruning shears. The size of the cuttings is about 10 cm - there should be 2 nodes on the cutting. It is advisable to use a rooting agent. After planting in a mixture of sand and peat (1:1), the cuttings are covered with a transparent film to create a moist environment, which must be constantly maintained using a spray, the so-called fog. The film should be at a distance of 20–40 cm from the plant; small holes must be made in it for aeration.

Using the same method, you can root cuttings from 2-3 year old woody shoots, but they take root somewhat less well.

The fastest way to get an elderberry seedling is to dig up the root shoots. This is best done in the fall. This method is also good because the plant will retain all the features of the variety (openwork foliage, colored flowers, etc.).

Unlike vegetative propagation, when grown from seeds, elderberry may lose some varietal characteristics, for example, the leaves will turn green instead of the expected purple. This method is most often used by breeders. On the other hand: seedlings are a cheap material that can be obtained in almost any quantity, so some gardeners use them, although a full-fledged, beautiful, fruit-bearing plant can only be had years later.

In the photo: black elderberry in landscaping, VDNKh, Moscow

Elderberry is a flowering plant from the Adoxaceae family. Previously, the genus was part of the Honeysuckle family. In total there are no more than 40 species in the genus. Some of them are considered medicinal, others - decorative.

Elderberry varieties, their characteristics and brief description

Elderberry (sambucus) grows everywhere in Europe and Asia, Australia, and northern Africa. In Russia, its varieties are most often found in the southeastern regions. Small shrubs can be seen in forest clearings, under trees, and along roads. Usually this is a small tree about 2 m high, but sometimes there are specimens whose tops reach 10 m. There are herbaceous elderberry and shrubs.

In Russia, the types of elderberry are not so diverse. In total, about 10 of them are cultivated. But there are many different varieties, shapes and names, including:

• Red elderberry. Original f. ornata, with strongly pronounced lacy leaves and f. tenuifolia, with thread-like leaves of purple color;
• Variegated elderberry- Canadian elderberry, f. argenteomarginata, with a silvery edge;
• Golden elderberry, refers to the black species. The height is no more than 2.5 m. In winter it freezes over the height of the snow cover. In March it is necessary to prune, leaving only a stump of about 7 cm, which stimulates abundant growth of branches. Light green leaves bloom in early May, and then acquire a golden hue that persists until leaf fall. If planted in the shade, the leaves will remain green throughout the summer;
• Elderberry yellow leaf- Aurea (with golden or lime leaves), Luteovariegata (in spring the leaves are gold-colored, and later whitish-yellow).

Elderberry dissectifolia black laciniata often grows in gardens. It is a shrub or woody plant, with thin branches and a clearly defined main trunk. Young stems are green, but over time their color begins to change and turns gray. They are covered with small scales. The leaf consists of unpaired leaves with jagged edges, its length is about 30 cm. The plant blooms in the last ten days of May. Flat inflorescences, the diameter of which is more than 20 cm, consist of small flowers with a strong aroma. The fruits ripen at the end of August.

Important! Reproduction is carried out vegetatively and by sowing seeds.

Agrotechnical cultivation techniques and care

Plants are usually placed in the sun, in moist places; in severe winters they can freeze. The rules of agricultural technology are simple:

• If the seedling is subsequently formed into a tree, it is immediately tied to a support. For the winter, the trunk is insulated with covering material. In the spring, if the soil in the hole is dry, water it. The root shoots are removed;
• the soil under the bush is mulched annually, a layer of compost or manure is laid, thereby ensuring the supply of additional nutrients;
• during the first three years, the soil around the bush must be weeded regularly;
• mineral fertilizers are applied along with water when development slows down;
• Sanitary pruning in the spring is required - removal of damaged and dried branches.

Note! It is better to plant one-year or two-year old elderberry seedlings in places prepared in advance. Two years before planting, it is necessary to liming the soil with dolomite flour.

Advantages and disadvantages of individual types

The disadvantages of black varieties include a pronounced dependence on watering in dry times, while other types do not need it.

The Black lace variety has high decorative properties. Carved, dissected purple leaves turn purple in autumn.

Unlike black elderberries, red elderberries are poisonous.

Important! The fruits of black varieties are eaten only when they are ripe and have undergone heat treatment. Unripened fruits contain poisonous hydrocyanic acid.

Elderberry as a garden decoration

Due to its high decorative qualities, elderberry is used quite often in landscape design. Elderberry Black lace looks great, its delicate, dark purple foliage and pink inflorescences with a lemon aroma will decorate any patio or garden area.

Red elderberry has been used in landscape design for a long time. It is also called elderberry because of its particularly bright, almost scarlet ripening berries. The species is hardy and fast growing. Any type of soil is suitable for it. Does not require maintenance. Does not depend on the degree of illumination. Famous honey plant. Looks impressive in decorative compositions of squares and parks. Planted along the banks of reservoirs to strengthen the soil. They also use decorative variegated elderberry (variegated) - varieties Marginata, Madonna.

Elderberry as a garden decoration

Separately, we should mention Siebold elderberry, which grows in Japan, the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin, and has medicinal properties. An infusion of leaves and wood is actively used in folk medicine as a diaphoretic and diuretic. To treat rheumatism, bruises and wounds, infuse bark and flowers. The flowers are known for their antibacterial properties and have a laxative effect. The smell repels various garden pests, including mice and even flies. The inflorescences are hemispherical in shape. The fruits appear in the 7th year after planting.

The heat-loving elderberry Eva is planted in areas where it is necessary to create or shape a landscape. Height up to 3 m. Blooms in May, umbrellas are large, pink. The fact that its crown easily tolerates pruning and quickly becomes lush makes the choice of this variety optimal.

Elderberry has a beautiful color, is widely used in medicine, and makes good jams and compotes. The main thing is not to confuse edible species with poisonous ones.

The Elderberry genus belongs to the Adoksov family and includes more than 20 species.

These are shrub plants, less often trees, whose height ranges from two to five meters. The shoots branch well. The foliage is long. Not paired pinnate, opposite. The flowers are white or yellowish. The fruit is a black berry. All parts of the elderberry are poisonous, and only the black elderberry is less toxic, although all parts are poisonous.

Elderberry varieties and types

One of the decorative types. It is a tall tree, but can also be formed as an ornamental shrub. The bark has a light tint, which turns red on young branches. The inflorescences are cream-colored, the berries are black. Does not tolerate frost well.

Originally from Siberia and the Far East. A tall shrub plant that can withstand cold weather well.

More common in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. This species blooms beautifully, but has a disgusting smell. Can be grown to repel harmful insects.

Originally from North America. A shrub with high decorative value. The branches are yellowish, the foliage is very long, the flowers are yellow and form large umbrellas. Suitable for growing in the middle zone.

• Popular Aurea variety – in spring and autumn its foliage turns yellow.

Or racemose comes from Western Europe. Grows up to 5 meters. The foliage is oval, long, not paired and pinnate. Inflorescences are yellow-green. The berries are red. The plant produces a bad smell, but is very attractive when flowering. In addition, it has a dwarf variety, as well as purple and yellow (inflorescence color). This species is extremely toxic.

A Far Eastern species that also grows on the Japanese Islands. A tall bush, reminiscent of red elderberry, but taller and more massive.

Popular for its variegated varieties:

• Marginata ;

• Pulverulent .

Or tree-like probably the most common species, which quite often grows wild. This is a very tall shrub with opposite, non-paired pinnate foliage. The inflorescences may be a little yellow. The berries are black, have less toxicity than other types and can be used to make jam and wine.

Common varieties:

• Black beauty ,

• Madonna ,

• Laciniata .

Black elderberry planting and care

For planting, it is better to select seedlings one to two years old. The planting procedure is usually carried out in spring or autumn. The bush does not require special conditions, but you should still choose a lighted place, otherwise the bushes will not be so beautiful.

In terms of soil, loams or podzolic, slightly acidic substrates are better suited. If the reaction is too acidic, then before planting you need to add dolomite flour to it, but this must be done in advance, at least six months before planting.

Often this plant is planted near clusters of flies, for example, next to compost pits, because the smell emitted by the leaves and branches drives away flies and other insects.

Lilac also has a number of medicinal properties and contraindications, and at the same time is a highly ornamental shrub, grown when planted and cared for in open ground. Recommendations for growing can be found in this article.

Elderberry planting

A month before planting the plant, dig a hole that will be 80 cm deep and half a meter in diameter. When digging the earth, the upper part is thrown into one pile, and the deeper part into the second. If you want to have an elderberry tree, then you need to drive a peg into the hole, which will later serve as a support. When growing shrubs, support is not needed. The top ball of soil is mixed with 7 kilograms of humus, 50 grams of phosphorus and 30 potassium, then one third of this soil is poured to the bottom of the hole.

To protect yourself from excessively filling the garden with shoots, you need to dig a net, iron or slate into the ground about 50 cm from the trunk.

When the time comes for planting, the bottom is loosened and the seedling is placed in the hole. To begin with, unfertilized soil, which was deeper, is poured into the hole, and then the rest of the soil with fertilizers is poured. After these procedures, the root collar should be slightly above the soil level. Next, the soil is trampled down and a bucket and a half of water is poured under the seedling. Autumn planting is carried out in the same way.

Elderberry processing

With the arrival of spring, you need to take care that the plant does not get burned from the bright sun. To do this, the main shoot and skeletal branches are treated with lime. Also in the spring, it is necessary to disinfect damage caused by pests in winter with potassium permanganate and garden varnish.

When the weather becomes warm, it will be possible to prune the bush, and then disinfect it with 1% Bordeaux mixture, which will protect the elderberry from pests. If there was little snow in winter, it won’t hurt to pour a bucket of water under the plant.

When flowering ends, it won’t hurt to carry out another treatment with Bordeaux mixture, which will protect against insects and powdery mildew.

Watering elderberry

With the arrival of summer, the plants begin to grow vigorously and set berries. Based on this, the soil must be loosened and watered frequently so that it is moist, but the water does not stagnate in the roots. If the bush is frozen in winter, it will begin to expel shoots from the root, which must be cut off immediately, otherwise they will grow faster than the bush.

During rainy seasons, elderberry does not need watering; you can also protect yourself from this by covering the area with compost mulch. If the summer is very hot, then watering is carried out once every 7 days, pouring a bucket of water under the bush.

Fertilizer for elderberry

If your soil is nutritious, then you can refuse fertilizers, but when growing in poorer soils, nitrogen fertilizing, which is applied in the spring, will not interfere. Organic matter, such as chicken manure, will do just fine for this.

Pruning black elderberry

If there is a lot of rain in the summer, the growth of the stems may begin again and then it will be necessary to cut off the tops of the shoots to stop this process.

As mentioned, formative and sanitary pruning is performed in spring and autumn. In addition, once every 3 years it is necessary to carry out rejuvenating pruning of branches up to 10 cm. It is better to carry out this large-scale pruning with the arrival of spring - before the buds swell.

Elderberry in winter

In the fall, you need to start preparing the shrub for winter. In September, sanitary pruning of branches is performed. By October, you need to dig up the soil on the site, and if there is no rain in autumn, then water the plants well so that they are saturated with moisture for the winter.

In mid-autumn, it is necessary to treat again with 1% Bordeaux mixture or a similar preparation. To protect against gnawing pests, the trunks are treated with lime or chalk with copper sulfate. The plots are covered with dry leaves or humus, and when snowfalls begin, the tree trunk circles are covered with snow.

Growing black elderberry from seeds

Elderberry can be propagated by seed and vegetative methods. The seed method does not preserve the varietal characteristics of the plant, so it is used very rarely.

The seeds must be separated from the berries by rubbing the latter through a sieve. Sowing is carried out directly into the ground in the fall, deepening the material a couple of centimeters.

Propagation of black elderberry by cuttings

Green cuttings are prepared in early or mid-summer - they should be approximately 11 centimeters and have a couple of internodes and two upper leaves, from which most of them are cut off, leaving only four segments.

Root the material in sand and peat mixed in equal proportions, having previously treated the cuts with a root formation enhancer. The cutting must be kept in greenhouse conditions, which can be achieved by covering it with polyethylene.

From time to time, the ground under the cuttings should be slightly moistened and water should be sprayed onto the walls of the polyethylene to increase the humidity. Try not to let water get on the foliage. In the fall it will be possible to transplant the cuttings into open ground.

Reproduction of black elderberry by layering

Layering is one of the most reliable methods. To do this, young branches are bent to the soil and sprinkled with soil, to which you can add a little compost.

The cuttings need to be watered from time to time, and when they take root and become strong, which is enough for one season, they are separated from the parent and transplanted to a permanent place.

Elderberry propagation by dividing the bush

They resort to dividing the bush in the fall. Large bushes are dug up and divided into equal parts. This will not be so easy to do and you will have to resort to an ax.

The cuts are powdered with charcoal and the cuttings are planted in the prepared holes.

Diseases and pests

As for pests and diseases, there should be no problems. It is only worth mentioning here aphids .

To prevent it from attacking the bush in the future, you can add treatment with Karbofos to the spring disinfection.

Black elderberry medicinal properties

All types of elderberry are very poisonous and only black elderberry, which is less toxic, is used in medicine and for canning.

Since the leaves, flowers, bark and berries of this plant contain many useful substances, they were used in folk medicine, but with great caution, because if used incorrectly, hydrocyanic acid poisoning can occur.

For example, an infusion of dried berries was used for problems with the gallbladder and intestines. Tea was used for colds and as an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agent.

A decoction of the bark was used for gout, kidney disorders, and skin problems.

Despite the wide range of applications, I strongly advise against self-medication, because you can easily make a mistake and pay dearly for it. In addition, you can easily confuse red and black elderberry, and the former is incredibly poisonous.

Black elderberry contraindications

Preparations and products with black elderberry should not be taken by pregnant women, people with colitis, people with stomach problems, as well as those suffering from diabetes insipidus and Crohn's disease.

Traditional healers often present elderberry as a medicine that helps in oncology, but there is no real evidence for this. Yes, when used correctly, this plant has a general strengthening effect on the body, but it does not specifically cure cancer.

Elderberry wine

To make elderberry wine, you need to take 3 kilograms of berries, 3 liters of water, 1 kilo of granulated sugar, 5 grams of citric acid and 100 grams of unwashed raisins, and wine yeast.

To begin with, the berries are washed, separated from all the stems and crushed. Pour 100 g of granulated sugar, citric acid and 2 liters of boiling water into the mass. Mix everything and keep it on the stove at low power for 15 minutes.

After this, the mixture is left to cool and dried out. The liquid is poured into a glass bottle for fermentation. A syrup is made from the remaining water and sugar, cooled and poured into the squeezed juice, raisins and wine yeast are also added.

When everything is done, a water seal is installed and the bottle is kept in the dark and warm.

At the end of fermentation, the wine is filtered to remove sediment, poured into glass bottles and left for six months. If during the infusion process sediment appears again, the liquid must be filtered again.

Black Elderberry Syrup

Elderberries can be used to make a delicious syrup. To do this, add 400 ml of water to a kilo of berries, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes.

After this, the mass is squeezed out, and another kilo of granulated sugar is added to the resulting liquid, put on the fire until it boils and boiled a little until the sugar dissolves. The syrup is poured into bottles or jars and kept in the refrigerator, closed.

Elderberry jam

You can also easily make jam from elderberries. To do this, you need to mix the berries and sugar in a one-to-one ratio and leave the berries to release their juice.

After this, the mixture is brought to a boil and cooked for at least half an hour until done, which is determined by dropping the jam on the nail - if it spreads slightly, then you can pour it into jars.

I recently bought black elderberry from a Dutch nursery.

At that moment, I only knew about black elderberry that it was very useful, and that’s all.

I planted an elderberry seedling in my garden and began reading literature about this plant.
Armed with knowledge, I wanted not only to grow elderberry and collect a complete collection of its varieties.
I realized that black elderberry is not only a highly ornamental plant, but also a valuable medicinal plant.
In a word, elderberry fully deserves to be talked about, promoted, and advised to other gardeners: get this wonderful plant in your garden!

Black elderberry in the garden

Black elderberry grows wild in the forest undergrowth in Europe, southwestern Russia, Crimea and the Caucasus.
This heat-loving plant cannot compare in winter hardiness with red elderberry, or elderberry.
Therefore, in the Moscow region, during severe winters, black elderberry freezes slightly, but then quickly recovers in the summer. It grows very quickly.

Black elderberry(Sambucus nigra L.) is a large shrub 3-7 m high or a tree; lives up to 60 years. The trunk of the plant is covered with gray bark.
The dark green leaves are large, up to 30 cm long. They have a beautiful unpaired-pinnate shape and consist of 3-9 lobes.
Black elderberry leaves emit a characteristic unpleasant “elderberry” smell when touched. It is believed that flies do not like it. Recommendations for planting elderberries near toilets and cesspools are based on this feature of the plant’s leaves.

Black elderberry has small, fragrant, yellowish-white flowers collected in corymbose inflorescences. The seedling blooms from the age of three.
The flowering period of black elderberry (for Moscow conditions) usually begins in the third decade of June and ends in mid-July. Thus, the elderberry actively blooms for more than 3 weeks, attracting a wide variety of pollinating insects to the garden.

In the second half of September, the elderberry ripens edible fruits - purple-black berries with 3-5 seeds. Elderberry fruits are loved by birds.

Garden forms and varieties of black elderberry

Breeders around the world have developed several decorative forms of black elderberry, including:
— f. pyramidal(f. pyramidalis) with a columnar crown;
— f. weeping(f. pendula) with drooping branches (imagine it with fruits!);
— f. low(f. nana) in the form of a ball 1 m high;
— f. fern-leaved(f. laciniata) 1.8-2.4 m high, with finely cut leaves, white flower heads up to 20 cm in diameter with a musk aroma;
— f. porphyrofolia(f. porphyrophylla) includes the famous purple-leaved, pink-flowered cultivar 'Gincho Purple', and new varieties of this form 'Gerda' (synonymous with 'Black Beauty') and 'Eve' (synonymous with 'Black Lace') have almost black leaves ;
— f. golden-variegated aurea - variegata;
— f. white-and-white albo - variegata;
— f. powdery– leaves are covered with small white dots and specks.

Gardeners need to know: to improve the foliage color of decorative forms of elderberry, plants with variegated or colored leaves should be planted only in a sunny place. Otherwise, in the shade, the beautiful color of the elderberry bush will be lost, since the elegant leaves will turn into ordinary green ones.

Nowadays, many decorative varieties of black elderberry are sold in Russia, offered by companies and amateur gardeners. Most of the elderberry seedlings are imported from foreign nurseries, but some are grown on Russian farms.

Popular varieties of black elderberry:
— Aurea— bush height up to 10 m; The crown is wide-rounded, the leaves are golden-yellow.
— Marginata- shrub 2-5 m high; l the sources have an irregular silver-cream border; growing quickly.
— Pulverulenta- slow-growing, showy, medium-sized shrub (1-2 m); the leaves are dotted with small white dots, spots and stripes.
— Laciniata- shrub up to 2.5 m high with a crown diameter of about 2.2 m; spectacular bright green leaves are large, strongly dissected; the flowers are white.
— Madonna- a beautiful shrub with bright yellow spots on the leaves.
— Linearis- low shrub 1.5-2 m high; does not bloom every year and not profusely, fruits are not set; winter hardiness is low.
— Luteovariegata- low shrub 1.5 m high; it grows slowly, does not bloom, winter hardiness is low (based on the name of the variety, the leaves should have a yellow edge, but I did not find such information in the literature).
— Purpurea- leaves are purple;
— Guincho Purple- the leaves are first green in color, then become deep black-violet, and in the fall they acquire a bright red color; pink buds, opened light pink flowers are in perfect harmony with
purple shoots.
— Black Beauty- large upright shrub up to 3 m high; shiny dark purple lobed leaves; blooms in June-July, light pink flowers are collected in large corymbs; non-lignified shoots freeze over.
— Black Lace, or Eva- large (2-2.5 m) upright growing shrub with a dome-shaped crown; fringed leaves dark purple; long flower stalks carry inflorescences above the surface of the crown; very delicate, unusually beautiful and fragrant creamy-pink flowers; non-lignified shoots freeze over.
— Cossack woman– large (3-4 m) shrub or small tree, grows quickly; large dissected green leaves up to 30 cm long; blooms in June, fragrant yellowish-white flowers are collected in clusters up to 20 cm in diameter; very productive, shiny black fruits remain on the bush after the leaves fall.

It is possible that some varieties of black elderberry are essentially forms (I was unable to find clear information on this in the literature).

Growing and propagating black elderberry

It is better to plant black elderberry of different varieties (especially variegated and colored ones) in a sunny place. And although this plant can tolerate shade, in this case the shoots become elongated and the leaves become very tender and pale-colored.

In addition to sufficient heat and sun, black elderberry requires fertile and sufficiently moist soils for successful growth and abundant fruiting.

Elderberry can be propagated by sowing fresh seeds - directly into the ground in the fall, and in the spring after 3-4 months of stratification.
But when elderberry is propagated by seed, the properties of the variety are not transferred. Therefore, this method is not suitable for propagating varieties, and only vegetative methods are suitable.

Black elderberry is excellent for cuttings in late June-early July. The percentage of rooting of lignified and green cuttings of different varieties is 60-100%, even without treatment with growth stimulants. Lignified cuttings are planted in the fall directly in open ground.
In addition to cuttings, black elderberry can be easily propagated by layering.

Adult elderberries are rejuvenated in early spring by cutting out up to a third of the old shoots.
Strong pruning of elderberry stimulates the growth of new shoots and branching.

Black elderberry in medicine and cooking

Since ancient times, it has been known that all parts of the black elderberry have pronounced and varied medicinal properties. Therefore, black elderberry was considered a sacred tree that cleanses the body and defeats many diseases.
The Slavs believed that the elderberry was never struck by lightning, that it should not be brought into the house and burned.

Anyone who knows Andersen’s fairy tale “The Elder Grandma” will remember the moment where the grandmother brewed elderberry flowers in a teapot for her grandchildren who had a cold. The infusion of flowers has strong diaphoretic and bactericidal properties.
Elderberry infusion is also used to rinse the mouth and throat for laryngitis and sore throat. And lotions soaked in this infusion accelerate the healing of burns, wounds and boils.

Baths made from a decoction of elderberry bark, branches and roots are effective for skin rashes.

A decoction of the bark is also used as a choleretic and diuretic for hemorrhoids, gout and arthritis, anemia, and obesity.
Elderberry bark is used to make lotions and baths for erysipelas.
Powder from the bark and roots of elderberry is sprinkled on non-healing wounds, weeping ulcers, and burns.

Black elderberry extract is used as a laxative.
Elderberry juice has disinfectant properties; Doctors also recommend it for diabetes, hepatitis, and stomach ulcers.

And these are not all the diseases from which this healing plant can save a person!

Black elderberry is also widely used in cooking.
Elderberry water is industrially prepared from its fragrant flowers, used in perfumery and in the production of alcoholic beverages.
Fragrant young elderberry inflorescences are added to grape must to give the wine a muscat taste and smell. And black elderberry juice is used to color wines.

One Ukrainian friend of ours claims that black elderberry always grows in every yard. Ukrainian gardeners make jam and compotes from its berries, and the inflorescences are added to the dough when baking cookies to add an almond smell.

Ivanova Irina Mikhailovna (Ryazan region, Morozovy Borki village)
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Elderberry: cultivation and propagation

Elderberry is a very interesting plant, steeped in folk beliefs. She is a member of the honeysuckle family. There are approximately 40 different species of elderberry known. In the north of our country, the most common is the cluster or red elderberry. Previously, it was a mandatory part of a village farmstead or personal plot.

Known for its medicinal properties, black elderberry is most common in the South. It contains a lot of medicinal and biologically active substances in flowers and fruits.

Growing elderberry

Different types of elderberry differ from each other in winter hardiness. Red elderberry tolerates winter frosts well, while black elderberry often freezes slightly. Among its varieties there are both frost-resistant and cold-resistant. Non-lignified shoots of such varieties are frostbitten. Therefore, when buying an elderberry seedling, inquire about its frost resistance.

Elderberry propagation

Elderberry is propagated by cuttings, seeds and layering.

Growing variegated elderberry

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Decorative career of elderberry

Elderberry is one of “our” shrubs. It can be found in parks and on the edges of forests, but for some reason the super-hardy beauty is considered not a very decorative crop to introduce into gardens. But the elderberry has something to boast about: a thick, curly crown, very beautiful summer flowering and spectacular, albeit not always edible, fruits - these are just the obvious advantages. Black elderberry is one of the most fragrant plants. Luxurious wines, syrups, jams are made from its inflorescences, and its berries are a healing pleasure with an unusual taste and aroma. And unpleasant-smelling species repel rodents and pests. This shrub is boring only at first glance. It has a variety of variegated or unusually colored decorative forms. The only significant drawback of elderberries is their rather large size, but they are also indispensable for hedges.

Black elderberry. © John Weiser

Familiar does not mean boring shrub

Also known as sambuca, the domestic elderberry shrub is reliable, classic and a little forgotten. Having received its botanical name - sambucus - either in honor of the musical instrument that is made from its shoots, or in honor of the dye pigments that are still actively used today, the elderberry can surprise not only from the point of view of endurance. The large shrub that is so familiar to us is an ornamental plant as well as a useful one.

Elderberry is a shrub or small tree with a dense, dense crown, fast-growing and massive. The foliage is opposite, imparipinnate, and looks elegant. Umbrella inflorescences are lacy and elegant. Black or red, sparkling and quite beautiful, raw elderberries are inedible (and in the case of red elderberries, they are also poisonous). But with black elderberry, when cooked, they allow you to get some of the most original berry preparations for the winter.

Despite the fact that elderberry seems boring, it boasts considerable variety. In nature, it is represented by 40 plant species, 14 of which are considered ornamental. True, some have not taken root at all in garden culture and are very rare.

Black elderberry “Black Lake” (Sambucus nigra ‘Black lace’). © SpanMaja

Let's take a closer look at the best decorative types of elderberry:

Black elderberry

The most famous type of elderberry is Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra). This is a very spectacular, wide shrub with a voluminous crown that is naturally ideally round or umbrella-shaped. The black elderberry reaches a height of 5-7 meters, but at the same time it forms well and is kept in check by pruning. It is especially valuable as a high, vertical, massive base for fences along the perimeter of the site. The bark is gray, light, leaves up to 30 cm in length have sharp-toothed lobes. The flowers are creamy-yellowish, very fragrant, collected in thick openwork umbrellas of inflorescences up to 20 cm in diameter. Its black, glossy fruits adhere well to the fruit and are suitable for preservation (and the inflorescences are ideal for wine, syrups, and tinctures).

The basic plant today, as an ornamental species, has been replaced by decorative forms - pyramidal (pyramidalis), weeping (pendula), low (nana), golden-leaved (aurea), white-variegated (albo-variegata), golden-variegated (aureo-variegata) , powdery or spotted (pulverulenta), dissected with exotic leaves (laciniata).

Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra var. laciniata). © Onderwijsgek

There are also some compact varieties of black elderberry.:

Black elderberry “Madonna” (Sambucus nigra ‘Madonna’). © Andrey Zharkikh Black elderberry “Black Lake” (Sambucus nigra ‘Black lace’). © Wendy: Black elderberry “Pulverulenta” (Sambucus nigra ‘Pulverulenta’). © Mark Watts

Red elderberry

Red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa), we also know as elderberry racemosa - a much more compact plant. Its height is limited to 2-4 meters, but its original, glowing red berries are poisonous, and the shrub does not bloom so massively. But the last characteristic is by no means a disadvantage. Simply airy, lacy, rare inflorescences of this elderberry seem magical, shimmering and unique. The crown of the red elderberry is surprisingly wide and dense, and the leaves are much more beautiful, with pointed, graceful lobes. The greenish or yellowish flowers in ovoid inflorescences look like foam and last up to three weeks.

One of the main advantages of this species is its very fast growth, the ability to choose decorative forms and grow as a standard plant. The most attractive garden forms of red elderberry include:

Elderberry

The charming “tiered” crown is the pride of a species that is still rare in our country, but very interesting Elderberry canadian (Sambucus canadensis). Yellowish-gray bark, large, compound leaves with a yellowish color, creamy-yellow flowers in large corymbs and round, dark purple fruits allow this elderberry to look great throughout the active season. This is a shade-tolerant crop, fast growing and in gardens not exceeding 3 meters. It brings a richness of texture, amazing structure and graphics, its foliage is ornamental, and its crown is surprisingly elegant. In addition to the basic form, there are also interesting decorative varieties:

• large-leaved elderberry maxima;
• graceful, sharp-lobed form with dissected leaves (acutiloba);
• yellow-leaved, green-fruited elderberry (chlorocarpa);
• golden-leaved form "Aurea", with yellow spring foliage, summer light green dress and a golden explosion in autumn, the beauty of which is emphasized by cherry fruits.

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis). © Phillip Merritt

Elderberry Siebold

The beauty of the crown structure also distinguishes another of the rarer species - Elderberry Siebold (Sambucus sieboldiana). The structure of its leaves is somewhat reminiscent of a palm tree. A powerful, elegant plant up to 8 meters high in gardens is usually limited to 3-3.5 m. The leaf lobes reach 20 cm in length and 5-6 in width, sharp, their long tips emphasize the beauty of the structure. The inflorescences, like the fruit clusters, are loose and a little sloppy.

Siebold's elderberry (Sambucus sieboldiana). © Qwert1234

Elderberry herbaceous

An unusual plant for the genus - Elderberry herbaceous (Sambucus ebulus). Despite belonging to the genus of shrubs, it is a herbaceous perennial, reaching a height of 1.5 meters. Carved elegant leaves form openwork clumps, umbrella inflorescences crown the shoots, and large dark fruits are poisonous. This plant is very attractive, but it has become famous, first of all, for its unpleasant, repulsive aroma, which perfectly repels insects and rodents. But the dried shoots of the plant smell very pleasant and are used to pour apples for storage. It is very aggressive, the roots are thick, and it is difficult to remove it from the garden. Therefore, herbaceous elderberry requires planting in areas where it can spread out (or initially contained by buried screens).

Elderberry (Sambucus ebulus). © naturgucker

Much less common:

• Elderberry broadleaf (Sambucus latipinna), the fruits of which are purple, dark in color, and the leaves are larger;
• tall, up to 4 m tall slender Siberian elderberry (sambucus sibirica)
• profusely flowering, similar to Elderberry red Elderberry downy (Sambucus pubens) height and diameter up to 2.5 m;
• suitable for landscape hedges low, up to 2 m Elderberry Kamchatka (Sambucus kamtschatica);
• Blue elderberry (Sambucus cerulea) - one of the largest species, capable of stretching up to 5-10 meters in height, with red young shoots, light bark, bluish leaves and creamy fragrant flowers, after which spherical bluish-black fruits with a beautiful bluish bloom are formed.

Blue elderberry (Sambucus cerulea). © brookstreefarm

Use of elderberry in ornamental gardening

Elderberry is considered one of the largest garden shrubs. But this plant is suitable not only for medium and large gardens: in small areas, elderberry will help replace large groups and create single-row hedges with the same effect as several shrubs. Yes, and a tall bush can replace a large tree, achieving greater splendor and expressiveness of the design. Compact forms and varieties of large shrubs make it possible to introduce unpretentious elderberry into decorative compositions, while unusual foliage and improved flowering reveal the beauty of elderberry from new sides.

Elderberry bushes in the hedges fill the gardens with life. It attracts insects and birds and provides excellent cover for songbirds in the area. During flowering, it attracts honey plants and butterflies.

Elderberry is used:

• as single accents, for example, at the back, blind sides of the house;
• as a spectacular tall shrub throughout the season;
• as the basis of landscape-type hedges;
• for protection along the perimeter of the site from winds, drafts, polluted air from the roadway;
• to create lush backgrounds and focal points;
• in decorative groups with other trees and shrubs, as the base of compositions, the highest and most stable decorative “center” surrounded by shrubs and trees;
• as undergrowth for tall trees;
• for groups on the lawn;
• as a camouflage bush;
• for repelling insects near recreation areas and sanitary facilities, compost heaps.

Weeping black elderberry (ambucus nigra f. pendula). © chewvalleytrees

Conditions required for elderberry

Elderberry adapts well to a wide variety of conditions. In nature, it is able to survive in the brightest sun and blooms beautifully under the canopy of a deciduous forest. And the shrub retains these same ability to adapt in garden culture: both bright sun and partial shade are suitable for elderberry. True, the varieties and variegated forms of all types of elderberry require a more strict selection of lighting: with any shading, they partially lose color and it is better to place them in the sun. Elderberry thrives in any polluted environment, including urban conditions. This is one of the hardiest and drought-resistant shrubs.

But it is better to pay special attention to the nutritional value of the soil. Elderberry will become a truly luxurious shrub only in medium or highly nutritious soil. If its crown is not completely visible, the shrub is used only as a filler for a hedge, the density of the foliage and the beauty of flowering are not so important - feel free to plant the elderberry in depleted soil. Decorative forms and varieties are more demanding on the soil than the basic types. Elderberry does not tolerate extremely acidic and damp soils, preferring loams with a loose texture and average moisture, but can adapt to denser soils.

Planting elderberry

Before planting elderberries, it is advisable to improve the soil a month in advance by digging deeply and adding any complete mineral fertilizer, and, if possible, compost.

Elderberry can be planted in both autumn and spring, but for planting it is better to use seedlings at two years of age.

Planting holes for elderberry are dug in accordance with the size of the root system of the seedling. When planting, elderberries must be placed at the same depth at which the plant grew before. Immediately after planting for black elderberry, it is better to immediately shorten the main shoots and completely cut out weak and damaged branches. Other species are not pruned. Abundant watering is carried out immediately after planting and repeated to maintain stable soil moisture until the plant adapts to its new location.

Elderberry care

Young plants, as well as black elderberry at any age, will gratefully respond to abundant watering during drought. Mature elderberry of all decorative types, except black, tolerates drought well and does not need watering.

To save yourself even basic care, it is better to create a layer of mulch under the bushes every spring, using compost or manure as a protective layer. This mulching will allow you to avoid fertilizing. If mulching is not done, then for elderberry in the first 2-3 years after planting it is better to provide weeding and loosening of the soil. Mineral fertilizers for elderberry are applied only when there is a clear weakening and slowing of growth. In such cases, in the spring it is better to add complete mineral mixtures to the soil in a standard dosage along with water for irrigation.

Pruning elderberry is a purely aesthetic issue. The plant can be formed, thinned out, and removed unnecessary branches at the end of winter - beginning of spring, at the end of winter - beginning of spring, before the buds break. Or you can use the standard strategy:

1. Mandatory pruning for elderberries is carried out in the spring in the form of sanitary pruning: only dry and damaged branches are removed from the bushes.
2. Pruning is carried out once every 4-5 years: to renew the crown and rejuvenate any elderberry, it is better to radically prune it. Elderberry recovers amazingly quickly after heavy pruning; it is a shrub with very good shoot-forming abilities, which, even after heavy pruning, grows again in a matter of months.

The only exception is all varieties and forms of black elderberry, which prefers not just rejuvenating pruning, but annual cutting of shoots to a quarter of the length, removal of thickening and unnecessary basal branches along with sanitary cleaning in early spring.

After pruning, it is better to always treat the wound with garden varnish.

Wintering elderberry

It is not for nothing that this shrub is considered domestic: it is perfectly adapted to growing in regions with harsh winters, and does not require any preparation for the frosty period, either in the middle zone or to the north. In some varieties and forms, the non-lignified parts of the shoots freeze, but the elderberry recovers well and does not lose its attractiveness.

Pest and disease control

All types of elderberry are considered persistent and hardy shrubs. They do not suffer from pests and diseases, but some ornamental varieties of black elderberry are often attacked by aphids. For prevention, low-growing bushes can be sprayed with insecticides in early spring.

Elderberry propagation methods

For ornamental elderberry species and varieties, exclusively vegetative propagation methods are used. Unlike fruit and ordinary shrubs, the most attractive species will not retain their characteristics when regenerated from seeds. If you are growing basic forms of species, especially black elderberry, then the seeds of the plant can be sown immediately after harvesting and drying. They are placed on seed beds, deepened by 2-3 cm in mid-October and mulched on top of the crops with any available materials.

For cuttings in the spring, cut the tops of annual shoots about 30 cm long. Elderberry cuttings are rooted directly in open soil, with a depth of 15 cm. If you want to use semi-lignified cuttings, then it is better to cut them in mid-summer, root them in a greenhouse or greenhouse, deepening them only by 5 cm. The cuttings are not replanted until the fall of next year, after which they are transferred to a permanent place.

Layerings are obtained from almost all ornamental types of elderberry, except black. By rooting shoots buried near the mother bush, you can get plants that can bloom already in the third year after planting. Watering is required for rooting.

Popular types and varieties of elderberry - photos and descriptions

Adding an article to a new collection

The deciduous elderberry shrub, or sambucus, has about 40 species, but no more than 10 of them take root in the climate of the middle zone. Let's find out how they differ and what varieties you should pay attention to when choosing a plant for your summer cottage.

Only 3 types of elderberry are common in gardens: red, black and Canadian. They all prefer fertile and moist soils. Plants can withstand partial shade, but develop well only in a sunny area. Elderberry tolerates pruning well, which is why it is popular in landscape design. In addition, at present there are many forms with openwork leaves of various colors and lush inflorescences.

Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra)

This shrub (or small tree) reaches a height of 3-4 m, is distinguished by large leaves, fragrant yellowish-green inflorescences that adorn the plant in May-June, and predominantly black edible fruits that appear in August-September. Some varietal forms have greenish berries.

Wild types of black elderberry are winter-hardy, and decorative varieties with red and yellow leaves in the middle zone and Moscow region often freeze without shelter.

Varieties of black elderberry with unusual openwork leaves:

Variegated forms and varieties of black elderberry:

• Albovariegata– green leaves with rough white strokes;
• Argentea– white leaves with green spots;
• Aureovariegata– with a golden border;
• Luteovariegata– during the season, the color changes from dark golden yellow to creamy yellow;
• Marginata– uneven silver-white border;
• Pulverulenta– spots, strokes and stripes of white color;
• Bimble– with yellow spots;
• Madonna- leaves with a wide yellow border.

Popular varieties of black elderberry with purple leaves:

• Black Beauty– with dark purple leaves and pink flowers;
• Black Lace (Eva)– with purple-black leaves and pink inflorescences;
• Guincho Purple– in spring the leaves are purple, and by autumn they turn green;
• Black Tower– purple-brown, violet or almost black leaves (color depends on growing conditions and age of the plant), in autumn they turn red-brown.

Dwarf black elderberry:

• Dwarf Form– up to 30 cm high;
• Pigmy– up to 60 cm;
• Witch's Broom– up to 45 cm.

Varieties of black elderberry with an unusual crown shape:

• Pendula– with drooping branches;
• Hessei– on arched branches there are narrow leaves without teeth;
• Pyramidalis- a tree with a pyramidal crown.

Varieties of black elderberry with unusual fruits:

• Fructu Lutea– creamy golden berries with a red blush;
• Viridis- pale green inflorescences and fruits of the same color.

Red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)

This elderberry is very popular in the middle zone. Species forms are used as a background plant in mixed plantings, and varietal forms are used as an accent in a sunny area. In May, the shrub is strewn with odorless paniculate inflorescences. In their place, red fruits appear in August-September. The berries of this elderberry are poisonous and therefore unsuitable for consumption.

Varieties of red elderberry with openwork leaves:

• Laciniata– large leaves that turn yellow in autumn;
• Ornata– unusual feathery leaves;
• Plumosa Aurea– yellow leaves dissected to the middle;
• Tenuifolia– thread-like leaves that become purple when blooming;
• Moerheimii- a variety similar to Plumosa, but with narrower leaves.

Red elderberry variety with yellow leaves:

• Golden Locks- a compact plant up to 75 cm high with golden-yellow dissected leaves that do not fade even in bright sun.

Red elderberry variety with unusual fruits:

• flavescens– yellow fruits with an orange blush.

Canadian or American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

The shrub reaches a height of no more than 3 m. Externally, the plant is very similar to black elderberry, but it better withstands the vicissitudes of the weather in the unstable climate of the middle zone. Canadian elderberry blooms in June-July: white or yellowish-green flowers appear on the bush, collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences. Edible black fruits ripen in August-September.

Varieties of Canadian elderberry with non-standard leaves:

• Acutiloba– the upper leaves are thinner than the lower ones and do not turn yellow in autumn;
• Aurea– in spring and autumn the castings are yellow, in summer they become greenish;
• Plumosa Aurea– with feathery leaves of golden yellow color;
• Chlorocarpa– with golden-green leaves and greenish fruits.

Secrets to Successfully Growing Elderberry

When planting an elderberry seedling of any kind, the hole is filled with a mixture of humus, turf soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2:2:1:1; the root collar of the seedlings is not buried.

If the bush freezes in winter, it is pruned into a stump. Anti-aging pruning is also carried out every 5 years. The plant forms new shoots well, so you shouldn’t feel sorry for them.

And if you want to propagate your favorite type or variety of elderberry yourself, use one of the following methods:

• seed propagation,
• cuttings,
• propagation by layering.

Other breeding methods can also be tried, but they usually give worse results.

Seed method Suitable only for species plants. The seeds are sown before winter, they germinate in the spring, and a year later the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place.

Varietal plants are most easily obtained from green cuttings with 2-3 internodes. They are cut from June to August, the lower cut is treated with a root formation stimulator (for example, use 4 drops of Epin diluted in 100 ml of water), then the cuttings are rooted in a container with sand, the container is covered with polyethylene and kept in a shaded place. The cuttings are periodically sprayed and ventilated. After the roots appear, the plants are transplanted to a growing bed.

When propagating elderberry layering a new side shoot is bent to the ground, placed in a furrow, sprinkled with soil and watered. After a year, the cuttings are separated from the mother plant and transplanted to a new location.

Thanks to the variety of shapes and varieties, elderberries can decorate almost any corner of the garden. Varieties with carved openwork leaves resemble fan maple, so they can be an excellent replacement for a heat-loving tree in a Japanese garden.

Weigela - types and cultivation

Weigela ( Weigela) is a genus of deciduous shrubs belonging to the honeysuckle family. In nature, there are about 15 species of these shrubs; They mainly grow in East and Southeast Asia. In Russia, in the south of the Far East, three species are found: Weigela early (Weigela praecox), Weigel Middendorf (Weigela middendorffiana) And Weigela is nice (Weigela suavis).

Flowering weigela (Weigela florida). © ?? ?

In culture, as often happens, these plants began to spread from the West, where they appeared at the end of the 19th century and received their name in honor of the German professor of chemistry and botany von Weigel (1748–1831). Since then, weigels have gained extraordinary popularity among Western European gardeners.

Twice a year - from mid-May to mid-June and from late August to late September - weigels are strewn with flowers. Of course, re-blooming is not as lush as in early summer, when the bush is completely covered with red, pink, cream, white or yellow bell-shaped flowers. Moreover, the color changes: newly opened flowers are pale, but gradually they become bright.

Weigel. © normanack

Planting weigela

Weigela prefers sunny areas or light partial shade. The flowers and leaves of the plant can be easily damaged by the wind, so you need to choose protected places for it.

It is better to plant weigela in spring, using three-year-old seedlings. The distance between the bushes should be at least 1.5–2 m, preferably 2.5–3 m. The root collar is not buried, leaving it at ground level. The depth and width of the planting hole is 50 cm. When planted in autumn, the seedlings do not take root well, many die. Therefore, if you bought plants in the fall, it is better to bury them in an inclined position until spring, covering most of the crown with earth.

Weigela grows well in fertile, loose soils, but does not tolerate waterlogging. The soil mixture is made up of humus or leaf soil, sand and turf soil (2: 2: 1). Drainage must be placed at the bottom of the planting hole - sand and gravel in a layer of 15 cm.

Weigela care

The soil in the plant's trunk circle should always be loose. Therefore, after each watering and during weeding, the earth is loosened by 5–8 cm. To facilitate this regular procedure, the circle can be mulched with sawdust or peat, the layer thickness is up to 10 cm.

If the winter was not snowy and the shoots were severely frozen, in the spring the plants are watered abundantly (8–10 liters per bush). The same is required in hot, dry weather.

In early spring, while there is still snow, complete mineral fertilizer is applied: urea, superphosphate, potassium salt (20, 10 and 10 g/m2). When flower buds form, weigela is fed a second time - double superphosphate and potassium sulfate (30 g per bush or per 1 sq. m). After fertilizing, the plants must be watered abundantly.

Every spring, weigel shoots damaged by frost are removed. Anti-aging pruning is done once every 2-3 years, removing old shoots. The best time to prune is immediately after flowering. In order for the plant to bush well, young shoots are shortened by half their length.

Weigela propagation

Seeds retain good germination for one year. Sowing is carried out in the spring without preliminary preparation of seeds. You can sow at home in pots, covering them with film or glass. Shoots are friendly. After the second pair of leaves appears, the seedlings dive. Thickened crops are thinned out. An annual seedling of weigela early has one stem reaching a height of 6-7 cm. It has 3-4 pairs of leaves, axillary and apical buds. The cotyledons fall off in early September. The stem does not branch. The diameter of the root system is 3-5 cm. For growing, it is recommended to take the boxes out into the garden in the spring and place them under trees with a sparse crown. A two-year-old seedling is 40-50 cm in height. The fibrous equine system grows greatly superficially. Flowering begins at 4 years of age. In all weigel bushes, the bush grows due to tillering from the root collar. In some plants, abundant stem shoots appear. Seeds collected from garden forms and hybrids produce heterogeneous offspring. Therefore, it is better to propagate varieties vegetatively: by winter and summer cuttings. Green cuttings are best done in mid-June, before flower buds begin to form.

Cuttings

Plants propagated by summer cuttings bloom for the first time at the age of two years. Green cuttings are taken from young shoots that begin to become only slightly woody. The leaves are cut off completely or by 1/2-1/3 of the leaf blade. The cuttings are placed in water for 1-2 hours, then treated with growth stimulants, for example, heteroauxin (150 mg/1 l of water) for 12 hours in a dark room at a temperature of 20-25 0C. The green cuttings are cut to the length of one internode with two pairs of leaves. The cut is made with a sharp knife: the upper one is above the upper leaf cushion, the lower one is under the base of the lower leaf cushion. In weigela, the lower cut is made straight, since they have opposite leaf arrangement. Green cuttings are planted at the beginning of the second decade of June in a mixture of peat and sand. On top there is a layer of washed river sand (3-4 cm). The cutting is immersed to a depth of 1 cm and covered with plastic wrap. Water 2 times a day. This gives 100% rooting. To form a good crown, it is recommended to cut off the first buds.

Weigela ‘Pink Princess’. © Drew Avery

Winter cuttings for rooting are cut in April. They are cut under the bud before the leaves bloom. The length of the cutting is 15-22 cm, the diameter is up to 1 cm. Rooting is carried out in pots filled with a mixture of turf soil and sand. The cuttings are treated with a growth substance. The rooting percentage of winter cuttings is much lower. After a month, the rooted cuttings are pinched, then fed with mullein (0.5 liters of slurry per 1 m2) or mineral fertilizers (30 g of superphosphate and 25 g of ammonium nitrate).

Work calendar

January February March.

Compacting snow near plants to protect against rodents. Shaking off wet snow to prevent branches from breaking.

Pruning branches damaged by frost. Landing. Processing and mulching of tree trunk circles. Abundant watering. First fertilizing with mineral fertilizers (preferably in the snow). Sowing seeds in open ground.

Picking seedlings, protecting plants from late spring frosts; smoking, spraying. Watering. Processing of tree trunk circles. Weeding.

Green cuttings. Removing overgrowth. Weeding, loosening, watering, fertilizing with complex fertilizer. Protected from pests and diseases.

Formative pruning of the crown. Removing faded inflorescences. Caring for seedlings and cuttings. Spraying seedlings and seedlings against pests and diseases. Feeding with mullein solution (1:10).

Caring for cuttings, fertilizing, watering, weeding.

Planting and replanting, processing and mulching of tree trunks. Continued care for seedlings and rooted cuttings.

Collecting fallen leaves and removing them from the site. Bending branches to the ground for better wintering. Mulching tree trunk circles for the winter with a thicker layer of peat or dry oak leaves. Shelter of seedlings. Collection of seeds.

Layout of rodent baits.

Snow compaction near tree trunks. Shaking wet snow from bushes. Checking shelters, auditing garden tools and materials.

Japanese weigela (Weigela japonica). © Blik

Using weigela in garden design

In garden design, Weigels are used in a variety of ways: clumps on the lawn, single plants on the edge or under sparse trees with an openwork crown, low-growing varieties are suitable for rocky areas, tall weigels are spectacular in hedges.

If you have about a dozen plants at your disposal, then they can be placed in one to three groups, depending on the species or varietal diversity and composition of the site. It is recommended to plant 3-5 specimens in one group, placing them picturesquely on the lawn. The group should consist of plants of the same species or variety, harmoniously combined in the color of the flowers, the shape and size of the bushes, and the timing of flowering. It is recommended for plants planted in groups to create a common tree trunk circle, which must be mulched. If the group is loose, then the space between the weigela bushes is planted with perennials: hosta, astilbe, ferns, which will decorate the garden throughout the summer.

Mixed plantings combine weigels with other shrubs, for example, low-growing barberries, cotoneasters, spirea Vangutta and arguta, Japanese quince, viburnum 'Buldenezh', as well as among conifers - junipers, cypresses and others. Single specimens of weigela are spectacular. on the ground lawns at the front entrance to the house or at the gate.

Garden weigela (Weigela hortensis). © Qwert1234

Types of weigela

Weigel Middendorf(Weigela middendorffiana). Deciduous shrub 1–1.5 m high with ascending shoots. The leaves are bright green, with pubescent veins on both sides. Sulfur-yellow flowers with orange spots and dots, solitary or collected in groups of 2–6 on common peduncles. It blooms twice a year, in spring and autumn. In our climate, the flowering time is 25–30 days. Used in single and group plantings on the lawn, along the edges, under trees with an openwork crown.

Weigela japonica(Weigela japonica) - shrub up to 1 m tall. The leaves are elliptical or ovate, 5-10 cm long, crenate-serrate, pointed at the apex, slightly pubescent. The flowers are bell-shaped, funnel-shaped, 2-3 cm long, carmine in triflorous inflorescences. Slightly pubescent on the outside. The fruit is a capsule. Winged seeds. In the middle zone it can freeze slightly even when covered.

Weigela is nice(Weigela suavis) - the species is common in Primorye, Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands. Rarely found in culture. Low shrub up to 1.3 m tall. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, bright green above, glabrous, with hairs below along the main vein, bluntly serrated. Autumn color appears in mid-September. The flowers are funnel-shaped, pink-purple on the outside and pale pink on the inside. Located at the ends of the side shoots. The diameter of the flowers is 2.5-3.5 cm. Flowering from the second ten days of May to the end of June, secondary flowering occurs from the end of August to mid-September. The fruit is a leathery-cartilaginous capsule with a spout. The seeds are flat, unevenly winged. In the middle zone they often do not ripen.

Weigela suavis. © Irina Shcheglova

Weigela early(Weigela praecox). In the south of the Ussuri region, in China and North Korea, early weigela grows on rocky slopes and edges. This is a beautifully flowering shrub 1.5-2 m high with a spherical crown. Drooping flowers, single or collected in groups of 2-3 on the side shoots of the current year, are unusually spectacular. They are bright pink on the outside and purple-red in the buds, and sometimes white with yellow in the throat. Flowering time is from late May to June. Flowering duration is 10–30 days. Early weigela is planted singly or in groups on the lawn. Can be used as untrimmed hedges.

Weigela korean(Weigela coraeensis) - a shrub up to 5 m high, or up to 1.5 m in cultivation, with large (up to 12 cm) bare shoots; The leaves are broadly elliptical, pointed at the apex, with a wedge-shaped base and a crenate-serrate edge. The leaves are shiny, bare above, and sparsely hairy below. This species has noteworthy flowers up to 3.5 cm long, gradually changing color from pale pink to bright carmine as they wilt. Flowering, which occurs from late May to late June, largely depends on weather conditions. Flowering duration is from 15 to 30 days. The fruit is a capsule. Seeds with a narrow wing do not ripen in central Russia. Weak coloring of the leaves is observed in early October. Then the leaves darken from frost, but do not fall off. Shelter is required for the winter.

Weigela garden(Weigela hortensis) is a shrub native to Japan, up to 1 m high. Outwardly similar to Korean Weigela, unlike which it blooms abundantly with pinkish-carmine flowers in three-flowered inflorescences. Flowers develop at the ends of shoots and in the axils of leaves of short shoots. Leaves are ovate, less often obovate, up to 10 cm long, on short petioles, 2–5 cm long. The shape of the flower is tubular-bell-shaped, with almost equal and sharp blades. The fruit is a capsule. Seeds with a narrow wing. Abundant flowering is observed in the third decade of May and continues until the beginning of July. Requires shelter for the winter. With age, the frost resistance of the plant increases significantly.

Veigel Maksimovich(Weigela maximowiczii) - a low shrub up to 1.5 m. The leaves are almost sessile, pubescent, 4-8 cm long, obovate or oblong-ovate, pointed at the apex. The flowers are 3.5 cm long, pale yellow, funnel-shaped and bell-shaped. Located on short shoots of 1-2 pieces. The fruit is a capsule. Seeds with a wing. In the middle zone it blooms from the second half of May to mid-June. The seeds ripen by mid-October.

Weigela maximowiczii. © Qwert1234

Weigela blooming(Weigela florida) - shrub up to 3 m tall, crown diameter 3.5 m. Bright green leaves remain on the branches for a long time in autumn. The flowers are large, tubular, 2.5–3 cm long, dark pink at the edges and pale pink or white inside, darkening as they wither. They are collected in small inflorescences on short side shoots. They bloom, as a rule, in the third decade of May - early June. This species is widespread in Europe; its garden forms are distinguished by different leaf colors. Here are the most interesting of them:



Early weigela (Weigela praecox). © Kor!An

Protecting weigela from diseases and pests

Aphids - treated with one of the following solutions:

• 0.2% solution of anabasine sulfate
• 0.4% nicotine sulfate with soap solution
• 0.2 - 0.3% trichlormegaphos
• 0.2% karbofos
• 0.3 - 0.5% chlorophos

You can use infusions of shag, hot pepper, onion, and garlic.