Tamarix (lat. Tamarix) - a genus that includes several dozen species. Its representatives are common in the steppe, semi-desert and desert regions of Central Asia, the Caucasus, southern Europe and North Africa. In Russia, plants are known under the names "bead", "comb", "Astrakhan lilac". Representatives of the genus are found at an altitude of up to 2000 m above sea level.
Botanical Description
Most species are shrubs, their size does not exceed 1–4 m. There are also trees up to 8–12 m and trunk widths up to 40–50 cm. Tamarix shoots are flexible, thin, covered with brown bark, and form a spreading, fluffy spherical or irregular crown.
The leaves are small, scaly, up to 1 cm in size, located on the entire surface of the branches. During the swelling period, the rounded tubercles of the buds on the shoots resemble small green beads in appearance. In the first days after blooming, the foliage is painted in a pale green color, then the shade changes to bluish, and then becomes silver. At the ends of the branches are microscopic glands through which salt crystals protrude outward.
Bisexual flowers have a size of about 3-5 mm. Petals are white, cream, pink, red, raspberry or light violet, corollas are collected in narrow paniculate or cylindrical, long inflorescences. On the branches, the buds last for several weeks. Tamarixes can bloom 3 times per season: in spring, summer and autumn. Fruits - small dry polyspermous boxes. Small seeds are easily carried by the wind, clinging with bristles to the hair of animals and feathers of birds.
The root system is powerful, long, with many branches. It forms a wide network, penetrating into the soil for several meters or spreading near the surface of the soil. The photo shows blooming tamarix.
Representatives of the genus are very hardy, grow on poor rocky sandstones and salt marshes, do not need abundant precipitation, can break through a thick layer of silt. They grow in floodplain areas, on the slopes of the mountains. In desert areas form discontinuous islands.
Species and varieties
Tamarix is appreciated for its high decorative qualities and resistance to adverse environmental conditions. Popular Views:
- Tamarix chetyrechichinkovy (Latin Tamarix tetrandra). A dense, widely branched shrub about 5–8 m in height. It forms long brown or reddish shoots. The leaves are ovoid, small, with pointed tips, emerald hue, completely cover the branches. The flowers are light pink, collected in long pyramidal panicles. From May to June they form fluffy bright hats that completely cover the crown. Plants are durable, live up to 70 years or more, are photophilous, drought tolerant. They are common in the Crimea, the Caucasus, southern Europe. Frosts are tolerated to –20 ° С. In the temperate zone they reach a height of 1.5–2 m.
- Tamarix loose (lat. Tamarix laxa) Shrub reaching 4–5 m, with numerous thin branched shoots. Leaves are about 2-3 mm long, diamond-shaped, dark green, with a bluish bloom. Inflorescences are lilac, cream or purple. It is found in nature in Afghanistan, Iran, Mongolia, China, and the lower Volga. It tolerates strong winds, drought, heat.
- Tamarix graceful (lat. Tamarix gracilis) Compact shrub up to 3-4 m in height. It occurs on the territory of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Northern China, in the southern regions of Russia. The leaves are imbued, on adult shoots they are lanceolate, up to 1 cm in length, green or olive. On the year-old branches, smaller, narrower, pointed leaves are formed. Flower brushes are bright pink, panicled, about 5-7 cm long, bloom in April, and remain throughout the summer.
- Tamarix branched (lat. Tamsrix ramosissima) It is found in Mongolia, the Russian Far East, Iran, and Ukraine. This miniature shrub plant up to 1.5–2 m in height forms numerous thin shoots. The leaves are narrow, about 1.5 mm in length, bright green. The flowers are pink, collected in large brushes. Branched tamarix blossoms in June, flowering continues until August.
Popular decorative varieties derived from wild tamarix:
- Summer Glow. A short, lush shrub with purple inflorescences.
- Rubra Beautiful flowering variety with dark red tassels.
- Pink Cascade A low elegant plant with large pink inflorescences.
Landing
Tamarix easily adapts to any conditions, but prefers to grow in sunny places without prolonged stagnation of moisture. The soil should be well-drained. Acidity does not play a special role.
You can plant the plant at the end of May or in September. In temperate climates, doing this is best in spring. Tamarix should not be placed near walls or where communications run. The root system should not interfere.
Pits for seedlings need to be dug up twice as many coma roots. In order to make the soil more loose, a thick drainage layer of river pebbles, fragments of brick or coarse sand can be laid to the bottom. In heavy clay soil, you need to add wood ash, peat or humus.
The roots, together with an earthen lump, are carefully placed in the holes, sprinkled with soil, slightly tamped. The neck should be flush with the surface of the soil. In group plantings between plants leave gaps of 1 m. The shoots are cut at a height of 2-5 cm.
Care
For faster engraftment of seedlings, they must be regularly watered. In the first 2 years, it is recommended to moisten tamarisk every week. In bright sunshine and intense heat in the first 2-3 months, it is desirable to shade the crowns with screens or sheets of plywood.
Adult plants may only need protection in severe frosts. You can completely forget about watering. Trunk circles are optionally mulched with sawdust or needles. Weed removal is carried out more for aesthetic purposes.
In spring, tamarix is fed with nitrogenous fertilizers or liquid organics. Before blossoming inflorescences and in summer, you can spray the leaves with phosphorus and potassium compounds.
Crown trimming is carried out regularly, because tamarix grows very quickly. Freezing and drying branches are removed, the plant is given the necessary shape.
In winter, bushes usually do not cover. The roots are covered with snow. Lignified shoots easily tolerate frosts down to –25 ° С, but in more severe cold weather it is recommended to cover the crowns with agrofibre or burlap.
Breeding
Tamarixes usually do not propagate by seed, because the material very quickly loses its germination capacity. The main method of breeding at home is vegetative.
Cuttings are harvested in April, before the start of sap flow. They should be half lignified, about 10 cm long, at least 1 cm thick. The sections are kept in an aqueous solution of phytohormone for a day, then placed in a substrate from a mixture of moist soil and sand. To create greenhouse conditions, shoots are covered with film, glass or plastic jars. A sign of rooting of cuttings is the appearance of new green leaves. In warm regions in summer, plants can be immediately planted in a permanent place, but when cold weather sets in, they must be tightly covered. In the middle lane for two years, young tamariks are grown in pots, then transferred to pits dug in the garden.
Pests and diseases
The appearance of dark spots on branches, twisting and shedding of foliage are signs of the development of fungal infections or damage to the root system by rot. The reason may be excessive watering of plants. In this case, the diseased areas are cut out and destroyed. Tamarixes do not tolerate transplant. Injury to the root system can lead to the death of the plant. If adult individuals cannot be preserved, healthy shoots are allowed on the cuttings, and the decayed part is destroyed.
To prevent the development of diseases, you can regularly treat the crown with fungicides.
Application
Many species of tamarix are decorative, have a branched root system that protects the soil from destruction.
Landscape design
Beautifully flowering varieties are planted singly or in groups. Tamarix is a universal plant suitable for creating hedges, tapeworms. It can be placed in the center and around the perimeter of the plot. In places with a slope of soil or on steep banks, bushes prevent the soil from creeping and weathering. The most successful combination with low conifers: dwarf spruce, fir, juniper. Look good next to jasmine and lilac.
Other applications
Tamarix wood belongs to sapwood annular vascular species. It is light yellow or grayish in color, with a pronounced contrasting pattern, durable. Large individuals are quite rare, so the yield of material is small. Wood is used to make small crafts, parts and souvenirs.
In places of greatest distribution, the shrub serves as natural fuel. Young branches are fed to livestock.
The bark and leaves of many species contain tannins and tannins. These compounds are used in veterinary medicine as raw materials for the preparation of drugs for dysentery.