Tree of Legends

One of the old European legends says that a certain nobleman, hunting in a dense forest, fell behind his retinue, got lost, and went out to a lonely hut, where a weeping old man sat. When asked about the reason for the tears, the old man complained that his father had hurt him, because when he was carrying his grandfather in his arms, he dropped it. The astonished grandee went into the house and saw two more ancient elders there. Struck by what he saw, he began to cry out from the old people, as they managed to live up to such respectable years. And they said that all their lives they live in the forest, they cultivate the land, and they feed mainly on bread, milk and cheese. And they always eat black elderberry, which they owe to their longevity.

People have long noticed this tree, and have known its useful properties for a long time. Especially loved was the black elderberry from the Germans, Danes, Poles, Czechs. This is reflected in the folklore of these peoples: their proverbs, fairy tales, customs. How can you not remember, inspired by folk life, not too well-known, the fairy tale of G. H. Andersen's “Elder grandmother”, in which the infusion of elderberry was treated for a cold. All the peoples of the center of Europe, the elder was revered for the sacred tree, contributing to the extension of life, giving the opportunity to know the future. Elderberry fruits and flowers were widely used by the people as food products and medicinal raw materials.
Since the natural range of black elder was shifted to the south, in the Russian Empire it was known only in the southern black earth provinces, in Ukraine, in Belarus, and in the Baltic states. Traditional medicine in these areas used elderberry for the treatment of colds, rheumatism, radiculitis, bowel and stomach diseases, skin diseases, gout, kidney diseases and many other ailments.

Recognized black elderberry and scientific medicine. Elderberry flowers are an excellent diaphoretic agent. Phytotherapists prescribe an infusion of flowers for various colds: sore throat, cough, flu, rheumatism ... Elderberry extracts are used for colitis and constipation as a laxative.

Outwardly, black elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is very similar to elder red or cystic (Sambucus racemosa), its sister, however, not marked by such obvious beneficial qualities. Their differences become noticeable during flowering. In black elderberry flowers are collected in fairly large umbellate inflorescences with a diameter of up to 25 cm, and in red, similar greenish-yellow, nondescript flowers are crowded into denser brushes up to 6 cm in diameter. Black elderberry berries are dark blue or almost black, edible. Other botanical features for both types of elderberry is a sharp unpleasant smell of leaves, however, more pronounced in red elderberry.

Black elder in the southern areas can reach a height of 8-10m, and there grows a tree. Under Vladimir, this is already a low (up to 4m) shrub with several low-branchy, grayish trunks. Despite its southern origin, it grows with us quite steadily, it blooms and bears fruit every year, produces ripened fruits and viable seeds. At the same time, there is no year to year, sometimes the bushes literally bend under the weight of the fruit, and sometimes the harvest of the fruit is very poor. Occasionally, the wood is completely non-cracking, and is damaged by frost in winter, but the plant quickly recovers and is able to grow 2 m over the summer. I think it is realistic to cultivate black elderberry in much more northern areas.

Varieties and types of hydrangeas

All types of hydrangeas, including the most exotic, come from East Asia and South America. In the European gardens, these magnificent shrubs first appeared in the 14th century and decorated the gardens of wealthy people. To us the hydrangea has already come from Europe. Until some time in our gardens there were only shrubs of a large, human-sized, tree hydrangea. But now it is increasingly possible to meet her tiny sister - the hydrangea paniculata, as well as the most unusual representatives of the family of the same name.
While at home, in Japan, the flower is called Adzai, which literally translates as "solar circle", in Europe he was given a different name, known to us today. The people called hydrangea another ornamental shrub from this family, which in botany bears a different, rather medical name - a schizophragm. Tree hydrangeas in the garden very quickly add to their growth, and require mandatory formation. For three years, a small sapling can turn into a gorgeous shrub. Inflorescences-caps reach a diameter of 15 cm. On the basis of the tree, other, more exotic types of hydrangeas were obtained, with pink and blue inflorescences. This is, for example, a rare and rather expensive variety of Invincibelle Spirit. Brought such a frost-resistant motley look American Thomas Early.
The panicled hydrangea grows in China, Japan, is found in the south of Sakhalin and on the Kuril Islands. This species is distinguished by the pyramidal form of inflorescences, flowering “pyramids” grow up to 30 cm. In the process of growth and maturation of buds, the color changes from white to pink. Grandiflora is especially good: its large creamy-white flowers become white when blooming, then turn pink and turn greenish in autumn.
In the process of flowering, the Vanilla Fraze variety looks like ice cream - the base remains white, and the tip turns pink, and by the autumn they become purple.
Unusual variety Lime Light with green flowers also turns pink by autumn. All varieties, excluding dwarf varieties in growth, are not inferior to the ubiquitous tree form, and can form shrubs up to 3 meters in diameter.
The variety of hydrangea with large leaves attracts gardeners with its dark leaves and large, up to 25 cm in diameter. Inflorescences of amazing shades. It is said that, depending on the level of acidity of the soil, flowers can change shade. Thus, blue flowers form on acidic soils, and pink flowers on alkaline soils. But these decorative varieties must be carefully insulated for winter, or scooped up for wintering in room conditions. Large-leaved hydrangea retains its beauty at home and is grown as a potted indoor plant.
The rarer varieties include oak-leaved hydrangea. The leaves of this tall deciduous shrub resemble oak. In the autumn, as is characteristic of trees, they acquire a crimson hue, and fall in winter. There are species with white and red pyramidal inflorescences. This attractive variety winter well in the open field under light cover.
In the family of hydrangeas even sheltered liana. This is a stalked hydrangea, or stalked. Originally from Sakhalin Island, it is a very rare species listed in the Red Book of the Sakhalin Region. The original woody climbing vine forms a trunk up to 15 m in height. Winter-hardy species blooms in the first half of summer. Unlike its sisters, this rare beauty does not like direct sun and prefers partial shade. An interesting feature of the plant is to stick to a dense support - trees, walls, and even climb along the ground. Because it can be grown in the form of a pochvnik, then pruning is not required.
Hydrangeas in the garden, of course, solo! These noticeable plants in all respects are planted in separate areas. Tree shrubs, large and bulky, need at least one and a half meters in diameter for growth. Dwarf panicled forms may very well coexist with soil growers and other ornamental shrubs - purple, rose, and wild rose. Hortensia, preferring acidic soil, can successfully coexist with heather and Erica, setting off its snow-white inflorescences.

What happens to the fallen leaves in the garden

If you think that it’s not too late to remove the foliage in the spring, and the cold period will quietly lie under the trees and become additional mulch, then you make 5 mistakes at once:

Foliage is a bad material for mulch, because, soaking, the leaves clot and turn into a dense thin layer that does not allow air to flow to the roots and does not allow the ground to evaporate moisture, that is, the foliage left without additional shelter helps the plants to dry out.
On the fallen leaves, insect insects most often lay eggs, and their larvae pupate. With the onset of spring at the first sunbeams, the pests will wake up from sleep, and they will not even have to go far for prey - the native tree or bush is already here, you can begin to grow and reproduce.
In addition, the leaves are often affected by fungal diseases - powdery mildew, anthracnose, gray rot, late blight. The spores of their pathogens winter well and, once in the soil, in the new season they disperse through your garden more actively.
Bacterial diseases are less common in the garden, but their probability cannot be ruled out. Decaying leaves are a wonderful environment for the spread of bacteria, and sunburns on trees in winter become the weak point through which bacteria enter a favorable environment and begin to destroy plants.
The leaves on the lawn are thrown out over the winter, but not alone, but together with the lawn section, on which bald spots appear in the spring. The affected area will not be able to recover by itself, and you will have to first remove the dead grass, and then sow a new one.