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This spectacular flowering shrub can be seen more often in Ukraine or Western Europe, and in central Russia it is rare, although it grows in our zone under certain conditions.
The only species of the genus Colquitia (Kolkwitzia)related to this. Honeysuckle (Caprifoliaceae), lovely colquity, or pleasant(Kolkwitzia amabilis) grows in the mountainous regions of China. The name of the genus is given in honor of the 19th century German botanist Richard Kolkwitz. In the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences, this branchy shrub, which outwardly resembles a weigela, reaches 2 m in height. Young shoots are densely covered with short hairs, and on old ones, the brown-red bark exfoliates in plates. In mid-April, broadly ovate leaves with a pointed apex develop, up to 8 cm long. They, like all honeysuckle, are located opposite.
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In the middle of summer, the shrub blooms magnificently. Under the pale pink cloud of flowers, you can't even see the bright green leaves. Small (1.5 cm long), fragrant paired flowers look like graceful green pubescent calyces. In autumn, dry bristly fruits-boxes 6 mm long ripen, and the leaves are painted in bright colors.
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Kolquitsia is a light-loving shrub that prefers light neutral fertile soil, moderate regular moisture and reliable drainage. When choosing a place for planting, you need to pay attention to the fact that the plant is well protected from cold winter winds (even to the detriment of illumination).
Spring is the most favorable time for planting, when the soil has warmed up, but the buds of the bulk of the plants have not yet opened. If there is a choice, it is better to purchase planting material with a closed root system - in pots, holes are dug 40-50 cm deep, 40 cm in diameter and filled with a mixture of humus and sand. It is advisable to plant in the evening or on a cloudy day. The roots of the plant are lightly pruned with pruning shears. After planting, the bush must be watered abundantly. The trunk circle must be mulched twice a year, for which materials such as wood chips, bark, sawdust or pine nut shells are suitable. Mulch not only helps to retain moisture in the soil, but also protects the root system from overheating in summer and from frost in winter. It is scattered in an even layer 7-10 cm thick around the bushes on weed-free soil. The diameter of the cover should correspond to the projection of the crown of the bush, or exceed it by 15 cm. The best time for mulching is late spring, when the soil is still sufficiently moist, but has already warmed up well, and in the fall - after the establishment of negative temperatures. Kolkvitsiya responds well to feeding with organic fertilizers carried out in spring or early summer.
To protect against winter cold, especially in the first years after planting, the crown of the bushes is wrapped with kraft paper or non-woven covering material (lutrasil, spunbond). In the spring, but not earlier than mid-April), when the danger of severe frosts has passed, the shelter is removed. Although kolkvitsiya is relatively winter-hardy, in very harsh winters, young shoots can freeze slightly. In the spring, dry branches are removed, and after flowering, the crown is rejuvenated, which has a beneficial effect on the bush, since the shoots give a large increase annually.
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Kolkvitsiya propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering and dividing the bush. Seeds ripen annually and sprout in spring when sown before winter. To speed up their germination during spring sowing, it is recommended to carry out stratification in wet sand or sphagnum according to the following scheme: 3 months at room temperature (+ 200C) and 3 months in a refrigerator at + 40C. Good results are obtained by a 10-minute treatment of seeds with concentrated sulfuric acid.
Kolquitsia is much easier to propagate not by green, but by semi-lignified cuttings, which are harvested in the fall, and planted in boxes in a greenhouse in the spring.They take root easily in early July, but are very sensitive to low temperatures in the first winter. If the ground under the snow freezes, then all the cuttings may die. Therefore, they should not be left outdoors for the winter. Cuttings can be safely stored in boxes in cold greenhouses and basements, where the soil does not freeze. In a more adult, the winter hardiness of plants increases.
To obtain layering, young strong shoots of colquitia are bent to the ground and fixed in this position. Previously, a small groove is dug in the place of contact with the ground, the shoot is laid, pinned and sprinkled on top with loose earth. For better root formation, the bark above the place of filling from the side of the bush is pulled with wire or cut. The soil in the place of the "prikop" is regularly moistened. When adventitious roots develop, and young shoots from the buds, the layering is cut off with a pruner and transplanted to a permanent place. Young bushes can be divided in such a way that there are at least two renewal buds on each division.
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| Kolkvitsiya adorable Pink Cloud |
This beautifully flowering shrub has been known in culture since 1901. Varieties are very attractive and widespread. "Rosea" («Rosea ") with rich pink color of flowers and hot pink "Pink Cloud" («Pink Cloude "), but they are much more capricious and need careful care and protection from the cold. Kolkvitsii are especially expressive in a single planting against the backdrop of a well-groomed lawn. Lower shrubs - Mahonia holly, Japanese spirea or purple-leaved Thunberg barberries ("Atropurpurea") and Ottawa, which favorably set off the advantages of the charming kolkvitsiya, can be a good addition to them for group planting.
