Tsercis is a shrub or small tree whose branches in spring are completely covered with pink flowers. Such a charming plant deserves to settle in every garden. Among its gardeners, its other names are common: Judas tree, crimson.
Description
The plant belongs to the legume family and is distributed in the eastern and western parts of the Mediterranean, China and North America. Botanists distinguish seven main species, which differ in resistance to frost, height, color of flowers and structure.
A perennial plant usually lives from 50 to 70 years. Shrubs or trees for the winter discard foliage. Their maximum height is 18 m. The bark on the old branches and trunk is black-brown with small cracks. Younger shoots are olive brown or gray in color. Twigs of the first year are painted in reddish tones and have a smooth surface.
Simple ovoid leaves have smooth edges and embossed veins. Attached to the branches with the help of petioles, are arranged next in a spiral. Small linear stipules fall early. The color of the foliage is light green; by mid-summer it darkens slightly.
Even before the leaves bloom, pink buds of future flowers become noticeable on the trunk and branches. They sit tight on the bark or in the axils of the leaves. Flowering lasts a month until the leaves fully open. Irregularly shaped flowers are gathered in dense tufts or brushes. The corolla of the flower resembles a small moth, while the cup has the shape of an open bell. Each flower has 5 pink or purple bright petals, up to a dozen short stamens and one short ovary.
After flowering, large pods up to 10 cm long are formed on the tree. They contain from 4 to 7 fruits. Beans are oval and flat, have a glossy surface.
Varieties
In our country, the most common types of cercis are Canadian and European.
Tsercis European different very decorative. In the spring, its branches almost completely turn pink due to abundant flowering. The plant is thermophilic, does not tolerate prolonged frosts, so it is suitable for cultivation in the southern regions. Most often grows in the shape of a tree, but because of root shoots it may look like a large shrub. The height of an adult plant can reach 10 m. The trunk is thick, the crown is sprawling, the leaves are semicircular. In autumn, the leaves become bright yellow. Flowers appear in early spring before the leaves bloom and wilt after a month. The color of the petals is bright pink.
Cercis canadian more common in the northern regions and is resistant to severe frosts. Trees are higher than the previous species and reach 12 m. The foliage is large, heart-shaped, green above and bluish below. Smooth leaves turn yellow in autumn. Light pink flowers are smaller than those of the European variety and do not cover the stems so densely. But nevertheless the branches and even the trunk are covered with dense bunches of 5-8 colors. Flowering begins a little later and lasts until the beginning of summer. Beans ripen in August and do not fall for a long time; some of them remain for two years. This species has two hybrid varieties:
- white;
- terry.
Tzercis chinese It is a very tall (up to 15 m) trees with large heart-shaped leaves. The plant is thermophilic and does not tolerate frost. Bright purple-pink flowers are gathered in large bunches, which in May make the tree very elegant.
Tsercis Griffith unlike the previous species, it forms a tall bush with stiff shoots. The height of the plant reaches 4 m. The foliage is round, dark green, leathery. Flowers are collected in brushes of 5-7 pieces and have a pink-purple color. In a temperate climate does not winter.
Tzercis western. Frost-resistant trees are characterized by a highly branched crown and bright green foliage. Otherwise, the view is similar to Canadian.
Cercis kidney develops in the form of a large shrub or tree with a maximum height of 10 m. The plant is thermophilic, differs in the form of inflorescences. The buds are collected in small drooping brushes on shortened pedicels. The length of the inflorescence is about 10 cm. The color of the flowers is bright pink. The foliage is oval, smooth, dark green.
Cercis cyst lives in the central part of China. Large tree with a dark green crown in the summer and yellow leaves in the fall. Spring blooms in purple. The buds are collected in large brushes, both tightly sitting on branches and a trunk, and falling on short pedicels.
Breeding
Cercis is propagated by layering, cuttings or seeds. During seed propagation, the beans are pre-scarified, scalded or incubated in a solution of sulfuric acid. This is due to the too dense bean shell, which is difficult for a young sprout to overcome. Seeds are sown immediately in the open ground before winter, crops are insulated with peat, fallen leaves, spruce branches. Heat-loving varieties will sprout only if the air temperature in winter does not drop below + 3 ... + 5 ° C.
To get a young plant from the cuttings, in autumn you need to cut a dense shoot at the age of 2-3 years. It is important that it has at least 2-3 kidneys. The resulting material without treatment is instilled in a new place in the garden. Deepen the cuttings at an angle of 10-15 cm. Even before the frosts, they manage to take root, so frosts are not afraid of them. Even if the upper part freezes, a new sprout forms from the rhizome.
In tall trees, basal shoots with their own root periodically grow. In the spring they can be carefully separated and transplanted to a new place.
Regardless of the method of planting, it is necessary to surround young seedlings with care, because they are very sensitive to harsh climates. As they grow older, their stamina will increase.
Growing
For a plant, it is better to choose a well-lit place or weak partial shade. Cercis prefer alkaline soil with lime, it is important to ensure good drainage. Young plants are immediately planted in a permanent place. They try to complete the transplantation in the first year, as the root system deepens significantly and is easy to damage in the future. Young trees give a very small increase in the first 3-4 years of life. And in the first and second year, ground shoots generally dry up. This should not be a concern.
By the end of the third year, constant shoots are only 20 cm from the ground, but after 2 years the plant will easily reach 1-1.5 m in height.
Cercis has a highly developed root system. It goes deep into the earth by 2 m, and in a radius of up to 8 m. Thanks to this, the plant receives all the necessary substances and water. It does not need regular watering and fertilizers. Only in excessively hot and dry weather does the tsertsis need watering. Trees and bushes are disease resistant and do not suffer from pests. Aphid attacks are occasionally possible, from which insecticides will help to get rid.
Using
These flowering trees are recommended to be used as a standalone decoration in gardens or parkland. It is important to maintain a reasonable distance in the plantings so that the roots and branches can freely develop. The plant looks spectacular against the background of conifers. Shrub forms are suitable for creating hedges. Due to abundant flowering, it is a good honey plant. Cercis leaves contain beneficial flavonoids that help fight tuberculosis.
