Description of the rosemary plant, advice on growing and care in the open field, how to reproduce, possible difficulties in care, notes for florists, species. Ledum in Latin is called Ledum, exactly this term is called a genus or subgenus, which is part of the Heather family (Ericaceae). But if you rely on the data of Western botanical literature since the early 90s of the last century, all the varieties attributed to this genus are included in the Rhododendron family. But in Russian-language sources, such a judgment has not yet found support. All representatives of this plant association are distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, where the subarctic and temperate climate prevails. In total, according to the site The Planet List (taken in 2013), there are only six species of wild rosemary, although scientists have described up to 10 varieties, while four of them are found in the regions of Russia. It prefers to settle on moist soils along river arteries in mixed or coniferous forests and in peat bogs.
| Family name | Heather |
| Life cycle | Perennial |
| Growth features | Evergreen, shrub |
| Reproduction | Seed and vegetative (grafting, jigging or dividing the rhizome) |
| Landing period in open ground | Rooted cuttings, planted in spring |
| Disembarkation scheme | 50–70 cm between seedlings |
| Substrate | Loose, nutritious and sour |
| Illumination | Open area or partial shade |
| Moisture indicators | Drying of the soil is harmful, its waterlogging is not scary |
| Special Requirements | Unpretentious |
| Plant height | 0.5–1.2 m |
| Color of flowers | Snow white or light pink |
| Type of flowers, inflorescences | Umbellate or corymbose |
| Flowering time | April June |
| Decorative time | Year-round |
| Place of application | Curbs, ridges, rock gardens or rockeries |
| USDA zone | 3, 4, 5 |
If we take the Latin term "ledum", then the plant bears its name thanks to the translation from the ancient Greek word "ledon" due to the fact that the dense foliage has a strong woody aroma. This brings it closer to frankincense, which serves as a raw material for the extraction of aromatic resin. But if you rely on the translation of the Slavic word "wild rosemary", then from the Old Russian "wild rosemary" means "poisonous", "intoxicating" or "intoxicating". The people call it ledum, bedbug, forest rosemary or bagun, oregano, hemlock or goddess. All of these names are given because of the persistent, suffocating odor.
Ledum is a perennial that never sheds its foliage. It can grow in the form of a shrub or dwarf shrub, the height of which varies between 50-120 cm. The plant's rhizome is superficial, characterized by branching with short root processes. It is this that ensures the supply of nutrients to all other parts. The stems that form at the ledum are tough, with a small diameter. Stems grow upright, can ascend or creep along the soil surface. The color of young shoots is olive green, but they are covered with pubescence of a rusty color, over time they become covered with bare dark bark.
Leaves are formed on the stems alternately, never fly around. Their surface is leathery, the shape of the leaves is lanceolate or elongated, in the central part there is a relief vein, and the edge of the leaf plate is turned down. The color of the foliage is dark green, but if the rosemary grows in the bright sun, then it acquires a brown-brown color. The same happens with the arrival of autumn days. When rubbed, a tart aroma is heard.
On last year's branches, from the arrival of April until June, inflorescences begin to form, having the shape of umbrellas or shields. Each flower has a shortened stalk. The calyx, formed by the petals, takes the shape of a bell. The petals of the calyx are oval in shape, snow-white or pale pink in color. All elements in the flower are multiples of five. Flowers are bisexual. Pollination of ice is carried out by insects, after which the fruits ripen, which are formed into capsules. When fully ripe, the capsules dry out and open from the very base to the top. Inside the fruit, there is a division into five seed sections. The seeds that fill them are small in size, but they have wings that allow them to fly away from the mother plant.
In natural conditions, bagun can cover the surface of the soil with a dense carpet, in the thickets of which lingonberries are found, while rare fruits ripen in it, differing in large sizes. If there are places with wet soil in the garden, or there are banks of streams or rivulets, then wild rosemary can be planted there. It will be good for him and on rocky embankments, in rock gardens or rockeries. It is possible to fill the places under the trees with similar plantings, but the great decorative effect of forest rosemary is manifested in group plantings. Often, with the help of strip plantations of oregano, live fences are formed or division into zones of the site is carried out.
Growing wild rosemary at home - planting and care in open ground
- Landing a hemlock in open ground. The planting of wild rosemary is carried out in the spring, but if a plant already grown in a pot is purchased, then the period of placement in open ground does not matter much. Since the bushes will grow in one place for a long time, the depth of the planting hole should reach 30-40 cm, despite the fact that almost the entire root system lies at a depth of no more than 20 cm. To create a group planting, it is recommended to maintain the distance between the seedlings about 50–70 cm. A layer of 5–8 cm of drainage material must be laid on the bottom of the hole. After the plants are planted, mulching is mandatory.
- Place for planting ice. The plant can feel great, both in an open place and in shade, only in the latter case it will lose a little decorative effect and growth will slow down slightly.
- Primer for oregano. Since wild rosemary is a marsh plant that prefers swampy places or in coniferous forests, the acidity of the soil should be high. When planting in open ground for a hemlock, the hole is filled with a soil mixture of coniferous soil, top peat and coarse sand (in a ratio of 2: 3: 1). However, there are species of bedbugs that prefer depleted and sandy compositions. For such plants, some of the sand is taken more.
- Watering. The wild rosemary calmly tolerates waterlogging of the soil, drying is harmful to it. Reacts negatively to the compaction of the substrate. After each watering, loosening should be carried out in the root zone, but very carefully, since the root system is shallow.
- Fertilizers for wild rosemary. In order for the soil acidity indicators to be maintained at the same level, plantings need to be irrigated with acidified water every 2-3 weeks. Top dressing for the bushes is needed annually with the arrival of spring. Complete mineral complexes are used (for example, Kemira-wagon or Pocon). In the period from April to May, 1, 5–2 tablespoons of the preparation are scattered around the plantings of ice. It is forbidden to feed with any organic matter (chicken droppings, manure, etc.), since mycosis on the roots will die.
How to breed wild rosemary?
To get new plantings of oregano, it is recommended to sow seeds, root cuttings, root suckers and cuttings, or divide an overgrown bush.
The seeds must be harvested from fully ripe fruits that open themselves from bottom to top. Seeds are harvested in the fall, but they are sown with the arrival of spring. For planting, the substrate must be loose and moist, have high acidity. Such a substrate is placed in seedling boxes, mixed with coarse sand. Seed material should be distributed over the surface of the soil, only pressed a little into it and watering is carried out. Then the box is wrapped in transparent plastic wrap and placed in a cool room. Crop care consists in regular airing and watering, when the soil dries out.
After a month, you can see the first shoots, then the shelter is removed. When the seedlings get a little stronger and grow up, then they are dived in separate pots (it is recommended to use peat ones). Either the planting is carried out in another seedling box, but leaving a greater distance between the young rosemary. This is necessary so that the root system does not subsequently turn out to be confused.
Vegetative propagation is applied using layering. For this, a flexible shoot is selected, it is carefully bent to the soil and fixation is carried out. In this case, you should dig a hole up to 20 cm deep and there you can fix the branch with a stiff wire, after which it is sprinkled with soil. The shoot tip should remain above the substrate surface. After it is noticed that the cuttings have taken root, then they are carefully separated from the mother bush and planted in a prepared place.
With the arrival of spring, if the rosemary bush has grown too much, then it can be transplanted into parts. To do this, the entire plant must be dug up, the root system must be freed from the soil and cut into pieces with a sharp knife. But do not make the divisions too small, otherwise they will take root for a long time. All sections must be sprinkled with charcoal or activated charcoal. They try not to overdry the roots, and immediately plant at the chosen place.
When propagating by cuttings, semi-lignified shoots are used, on which there are 2-3 leaves. You can cut them throughout the summer. The lower cut is recommended to be treated with a stimulant (for example, Kornevin). Cuttings are planted in pots with loose and nutritious soil (peat-sandy). Those leaves that are close to the ground must be completely removed or cut to half. Rooting of such hemlock seedlings usually takes a long time, so they will be ready for planting in open ground only with the arrival of next spring.
Possible difficulties in caring for rosemary
When grown outdoors, you do not have to worry about planting ice, since with its aroma and active substances, the plant scares away any harmful insects. And diseases are not a problem when growing these bushes. If the soil is not loosened, then a fungus may develop, which is fought with fungicides (for example, Bordeaux liquid). When the seedlings are infected with spider mites or bugs, spraying with insecticides is performed (such preparations can be Aktara, Actellik, Karbofos or the like).
Notes for flower growers about wild rosemary
You can understand why the rosemary is placed in the room because of the tart aroma that repels blood-sucking insects (because of this, the plant is called a bug), and you can also drive them away from moths - the shoots are placed in cabinets to preserve fur and wool.
It is important to remember that wild rosemary is completely saturated with poison. After working with the plant, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. You should not stand next to the thickets of ice for a long time, as due to its aroma, severe weakness and dizziness may begin. Despite the fact that forest rosemary is an excellent honey plant, its honey and pollen are unusable (very poisonous). These products can be used in food only in small quantities and after prolonged heat treatment. The wild rosemary herb contains a lot of essential oil, which is mixed with tar and is used in leatherwork, as well as soap and perfumery products and a fixative in the textile industry.
Since the aerial part contains many active substances, it has long been needed by folk healers, and later it was recognized by official medicine. Thanks to ascorbic acid, phytoncides, the collected herb works as an antiseptic or fights bacteria.
On the basis of this remedy, they take baths and prepare compresses, it is possible to treat ARVI, cough and intestinal infections. Healers also used ledum for many diseases: gastritis and eczema, chickenpox and skin problems, bronchitis and pneumonia, infusions based on it helped to solve problems with the kidneys, liver and cholecystitis.
If a person has insomnia, then he is prescribed to drink tea with rosemary foliage. For women with gynecological diseases, traditional medicine recommended the use of oregano herb. At the same time, it is curious that in different countries, healers (both folk and official) in different areas used this plant in their own way.
You can not use drugs based on wild rosemary for people who have allergic problems and intolerance to the components of the plant. Since such funds increase the tone of the uterus, women who are expecting a baby are strictly prohibited from taking them. Since ice is poisonous, any treatment with its use should be under the supervision of a physician.
Types of godmother
Marsh rosemary (Ledum palustre) is also called Rhododendron tomentosum. The most widespread variety, preferring temperate climatic areas. With branches the plant forms a dense shrub with a height of 1, 2 m. The root system is located superficially, has mycorrhiza. Branched shoots grow uplifted, covered with pubescence of short rusty villi. Foliage with a dark green color, with a pleasant smell. The shape of the leaf plate is lanceolate, the surface is shiny. The edge of the sheet is strongly bent downward. In May or early summer, small flowers of white, occasionally pale pink color begin to bloom, from which umbrella or corymbose inflorescences are collected. The diameter of the flower is no more than 1.5 cm. The fruit is in the form of a box, opening with 5 valves. Fully seed material ripens at the end of summer.
Greenlandic Ledum (Ledum groenlandicum). The native land of growth falls on the territory of the regions of the north and west of the North American continent, settles in peat bogs. It is rarely cultivated, mainly such plants can be included in the collections of botanical gardens (for example, in St. Petersburg, Canada, USA, Riga or Germany). Bears the name of the Greenlandic Rhododendron (Rhododendron groenlandicum).
A shrub plant with its branches reaches up to 1 m in height. Their color is light brown. The foliage is oblong in bright green color, like needles. The length is measured 2, 5 cm. The reverse side of a twisted leaf with a felt, fleecy pubescence. When blooming, flowers of a whitish or beige color with a diameter of 1.5 cm are formed. Umbrella inflorescences are collected from them. The flowering process is observed from mid-June to late July. Seeds ripen by the end of September. Differs in moderate growth.
Large-leaved wild rosemary (Ledum macrophyllum). The territories of Eastern Siberia and the Far East are considered native lands. It prefers to settle in the undergrowth of mountain forests of coniferous trees, it is found in sphagnum bogs, on the edge of stony placers, among thickets of heather. Its branches reach 1, 3 m. The length of the leaf plate is 3-4 cm with a width of 8-15 mm. The shape of the leaf is oval. On young shoots and on the back of the leaves, there is a dense red hairy pubescence. Flowering is abundant, falling from the second half of May to early June. Ripening of seed is observed in late summer or early September. Shoots are annually lengthened by 3-4 cm, occasionally such an increase can be 6-8 cm.
Video about wild rosemary:
