Magonia is an evergreen shrub or tree of the genus barberry. It is found in East and Central Asia, North America. The plant is named after B. MacMahon. He moved it from the west of the United States to the east. The genus includes about 50 species. Magnolia holly belongs to them. It is also called “Oregon Grapes”.
Description
Magonia tolerates drought well, has frost resistance, shade tolerance. It is not demanding on the soil and is able to take root in almost any conditions. It differs in delicious fruits, which in addition have medicinal properties.
Magonia has shoots of pinkish-gray or gray-brown color. Her leaves are leathery, dark green. In April-May, buds of all tones of yellow appear. Flowering lasts twenty to thirty days. From bluish, almost black fruits (sweet and sour berries), confectionery, wine are produced. Therefore, the question is whether they are edible or not. Ripening and harvesting occurs at the end of summer or beginning of autumn.
Views for the middle lane
The following varieties of mahonia are popular in our area:
- Holly-leaved: bush, reaching a width of one and a half meters, in length - one meter. It differs in fertile-root layers.
- Creeping: creeping shrub growing up to 45 centimeters. It is used to cover the ground, design decorative rocky gardens.
- Japanese: in height reaches two meters, in width - three. The length of the sheet plate is up to 30 centimeters. Has reddish cuttings.
Most often, of these species in Russia, you can find holly magonia. It is appreciated by its fruits. Resistant to low temperatures, able to withstand frosts down to -30 ° C.
Outdoor landing
In order for magonia to take root and bear fruit, planting in open ground must be done according to all the rules. An important role is played by the choice of place.
Dates, location, soil
Landing is carried out from the beginning of spring, when the snow will completely melt and until the end of autumn. The most favorable time is considered to be March 1-15.
The plant grows well in open and sunny areas. However, he needs a small penumbra for several hours a day. Therefore, it is good if tall trees are located nearby that block the sun. The place needs to be selected protected from drafts and strong gusts of wind.
A lot of shade affects magonia badly: the fruits become worse, their number decreases. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight burns the green of the tree.
It takes root in any soil. But it is better to transplant young specimens into the ground with a large amount of humus. The landing pit is covered with a mixture of sod land and humus in a ratio of 1 to 2.
Rules, a step-by-step description of the planting of mahonia
Landing is as follows:
- Prepare a pit for a seedling 3 times the rhizome. The depth of the hole is 50-60 centimeters.
- Fill the bottom of the pit with a mixture of humus, garden soil and sand.
- Place the seedling in the hole in an upright position. With a closed rhizome, it is important not to destroy the earthen lump. With an open lay, straighten.
- Sprinkle the pit with the rest of the soil, without tamping it heavily.
- Water, making sure that the earth remains airy.
- Trunk circle to mulch.
- After watering when the soil dries.
Rules to be observed during landing:
- The neck of the seedling is at the same level as before planting, or two to three centimeters lower.
- If water accumulates at the landing site, a drainage layer is necessary: pour pieces of brick or gravel eight to ten centimeters into the bottom of the pit. This will prevent decay of the root system, improve the vegetative process.
- When plants are grown in groups, the distance between them should be at least a meter.
Magonia quickly takes root in the open ground. If the landing is carried out in accordance with all the rules and recommendations, further care does not cause much trouble. Transplanting does not bring discomfort to the plant.
Top dressing
Fertilizing the plant is recommended at least twice a season. The first feeding is carried out in early spring. Mixtures with nitrogen are used. Such fertilizers contribute to the rapid and abundant growth of leaves. The second time they feed during the flowering period. Complex mineral fertilizers are used.
Pruning
Magonia tolerates her well. But you can’t cut the branches too short: the plant will stop giving buds. You can form a plant after flowering. It is impossible to cut branches with ovaries, fruits will appear from them. Flower buds appear only on biennial branches. To harvest next year, they can be cut in half.
Breeding
The plant is bred by cuttings, root shoots or layering, seeds. The latter option is less popular because of the complexity:
- the need for stratification (preliminary soaking of seeds);
- most specimens are hybrid: the likelihood of varietal is minimized;
- seedlings germinate for a long time;
- flowering only three years after planting.
With the other three methods of reproduction, these difficulties are absent. Step-by-step cultivation of mahonia by cuttings:
- Semi-freshened material is cut with 6-8 buds in spring or autumn.
- The cuttings are treated with Kornevin, placed in soil two buds deep.
- The root system should be warm, and the top in moderate cool. Often a container with seedlings is placed near the battery, the greens are located above the window sill.
Layings need to be pinned to the ground in the spring. They are separated from the mother plant in the fall. The percentage of appearance of high-quality seedlings is higher than when cultivated by cuttings. Root shoots are also excellent breeding material.
Proper wintering in the Moscow region and other regions
Magonia tolerates low temperatures well. Only young bushes that were planted one or two years ago should be prepared for wintering. It happens as follows:
- In October, the root system is spud. The neck and trunk circle are covered with earth (the higher it is, the better).
- Mulch with straw, sawdust, hay. The base of the bush is covered with fir spruce branches. This will help prevent rhizome freezing.
- The branches of mahonia protect by falling asleep with snow. It is optional, but it helps well in cold weather.
Mulch and spruce branches are removed as soon as the snow melts. This is necessary for warming the earth. The soil around the plant is leveled.
Pests and diseases
The plant is rarely affected by insects and diseases. Sometimes on mahonia appear:
- Powdery Mildew White spots appear on the top of the leaf plate, which over time pass to the entire aerial part. If you examine the plant more carefully, you can see the cobweb, lumps of cotton wool. Powdery mildew spoils the appearance of mahonia, but does not lead to its death. You can get rid of the disease by spraying with Fundazol, Topsin-M, Karatan. Manipulation is performed once a day for 10-12 days.
- Rust. Pustules of different sizes and shapes are formed. If the formations are damaged, a “rusty” powder with fungal spores appears from them. From pathology, fungicide solutions help: Tsineb, Abiga-Peak, Bayleton, Oksikhom.
- Phyllosticosis is a fungal lesion that causes the formation of large spots on the foliage. At the top of the plaques, pycnidia appear. Over the season, the fungus gives several generations. The plant loses its decorative appearance. Foliage falls ahead of time. Flowering and fruiting are getting worse. For disposal in the spring, the affected leaves are collected and destroyed. Magonium itself is treated with Oxychome, Kaptan or Phthalan before the sap flow begins.
- Stagonosporosis. It is characterized by the appearance of oval spots with a border around the edges of the leaf plates. On top of them round pycnids form. Magonia withers and dies. The treatment is the same as with phylostictosis.
Mr. Summer resident recommends: mahonia - beauty and good
Magonia is grown to decorate plots. The bush maintains its decorative effect year-round. The plant tolerates strong gas contamination, smoke.
In the landscape, mahonia is used in different ways because of its universality:
- planted near buildings;
- decorate the slopes;
- decorate lawns, squares, parks, alleys;
- create hedges, low borders;
- complement the alpine slides;
- planted along the highway, roads.
The shrub goes well with other plants. For example, with magnolia, begonia. Magonia is often planted against a background of stones, so it looks even more impressive.
The fruits of the plant are eaten. For the winter, the berries are frozen or ground with sugar. They make jams, preserves, mashed potatoes, marmalade, and compote. Also, mahonia berries are a natural dye.
Rhizome is used in alternative medicine, as it is enriched with ascorbic acid, tannins, acids and alkaloids. Thanks to this composition, the means from mahonia give the following therapeutic effect:
- they tone the body, increase its protective functions;
- improve appetite;
- prevent early aging;
- strengthen vascular walls, improve blood circulation;
- eliminate the negative effects of free radicals;
- help with pathological conditions of internal organs: cholecystitis, hepatitis, dysbiosis;
- destroy pathogenic microorganisms;
- relieve pustular rash, herpes, eczema, psoriasis;
- lower the concentration of glucose and lipids, contribute to the natural synthesis of insulin (this is good for diabetes).
Despite the many useful properties, the plant extract also has contraindications:
- intolerance to components;
- period of pregnancy and hepatitis B;
- childhood.
Magonium-based products have a number of other limitations in their application. Before use, a doctor’s consultation is required.
