The characteristic differences of the sucker plant, advice on planting and caring for a personal plot, methods of reproduction, problems in growing and ways to solve them, interesting notes, species and varieties.
Loch (Elaeagnus) can be found under the name Pshat and belongs to the order Rosaceae (Rosales), which is part of the family Lochs (Elaeagnaceae). The main distribution of all varieties is in Japanese, Chinese and European territories. If we talk about the lands of Russia, then you can find the species Elaeagnus angustifolia, the distribution area of which falls on the southern and southeastern regions of the European part and the Siberian expanses. According to some reports, this genus has from fifty to one hundred species.
| Family name | Lokhovye |
| Growing period | Perennial |
| Growth form | Tree or shrub |
| Breeding method | Vegetative (root suckers, layering or cuttings) and seed |
| Landing period | In the spring, when the soil warms up and return frosts pass |
| Landing rules | The distance between seedlings is not less than 1.5 m |
| Priming | Loam and sandy loam |
| Soil acidity values, pH | 6, 5-7 - neutral |
| Lighting degree | Open space, but shaded in the heat |
| Humidity parameters | Watering is regular, abundant, drying of the soil is unacceptable |
| Special care rules | It is important to limit the growth of root shoots |
| Height values | 1-4 m |
| Inflorescences or type of flowers | Single flowers or collected in bundle-shaped inflorescences |
| Flower color | Yellowish green, yellowish orange |
| Flowering period | Late May to mid June |
| Fruit shape and color | Elliptical drupes, red, yellowish brown |
| Fruit ripening time | August-October |
| Decorative time | Spring-Autumn |
| Application in landscape design | As a fruitful plant, the formation of hedges, suitable for landscaping fences and walls |
| USDA zone | 3 or more |
If we talk about the scientific name of the plant, then it goes back to the Greek term "elaiagnos", composed of the words "elaia" and "agnos". Their translations are "olive" and "Abraham's tree". In our open spaces it is called "Russian olive". On the territory of the countries of Central Asia, it is customary that the goof bears the name "Jigda" or "Jida", sometimes even "Jigida".
All representatives of the genus Loch can have both shrub and tree-like growth. Its height varies from one meter to four. The branches are sometimes provided with thorns. Foliage can remain on the branches all year round or fly around with the arrival of cold weather. The leaves of the representatives of the Loch family are characterized by a silvery sheen, which is provided by the scales. Sometimes they can have a felt coating, which is formed by stellate hairs. The leaf plates are attached to the shoots with short petioles, arranged in the next order. The color of the leaves varies from light green to rich emerald hue. With the arrival of autumn days, the foliage begins to change color to yellow-gold.
During flowering, which is observed in the sucker from late May to mid-June, axillary flowers are revealed, characterized by a fragrant aroma. The buds are formed singly, but they can form bundle-shaped inflorescences. The calyx has tubular-bell-shaped outlines and two pairs of lobes; there are no petals in the flower. There are also 4 stamens. The flower takes on a greenish-yellow color scheme.
The fruits of the sucker (some of its species) can be used for food. Usually they are drupes on elongated stalks, characterized by an elliptical shape. Fruit length varies in the range of 1–2.5 cm. Mealy pulp in fruits with a tart-sweet or sweet taste. The skin of the berry is bright red or burgundy, the surface of the seeds is usually decorated with a striped pattern. Because of this, in places of natural growth, children can collect beads from the bones of the sucker. The fruits begin to ripen, depending on the species, from August to October.
Since the sucker is a plant that does not require special care and easily tolerates dry periods, even a novice gardener can cope with its cultivation.
Planting and Caring Tips for Loch - Outdoor Growing
- Drop off location it is recommended to choose with a high level of lighting, but with shading at noon hours, when the sun's rays are especially aggressive. The proximity of groundwater is undesirable for pshhat.
- Soil for planting sucker light and fertile is recommended. Although the plant is not particularly demanding and, as practice shows, it can grow on a depleted, rocky substrate, loam and sandy loam will be the best choice. To enrich poor and heavy soil, it is recommended to add compost (humus) and sand to it. Its acidity is preferable in the range of pH 6, 5–7 (neutral). If the soil is very acidic at the planting site, then liming is performed. All preparatory work is best done not just before planting, but in autumn. It is strongly not recommended to grow sucker on poor and waterlogged soil.
- Planting a sucker. Usually, saplings are planted in a prepared place in the open field in the spring, since if you plant the plants in the fall, they do not have time to root normally before the cold weather and may die. Since Elaeagnus is characterized by a profusely growing crown, it is recommended to leave up to 1.5 m between the seedlings. Otherwise, the bushes will shade each other, which will negatively affect subsequent growth and fruiting. When planting, the pit is prepared in such a size that a drainage layer can be laid on its bottom, sprinkle a little with soil and install a sucker seedling on top. The immersion of the plant is carried out at the same level as it was before. After planting, it is necessary to water and mulch the trunk circle. Usually peat crumbs or rotted manure are used as mulch, but if the heat is intense, slurry should be used. During the formation of sheared hedges, the seedlings of pshhat are placed at a distance of 40-60 cm from each other, adhering to a checkerboard pattern. If the hedge is planned to be free-growing, then due to the fact that the crowns of such plants grow strongly (the diameter can be approximately 2, 5–3, 5 m) and root shoots will form next to time, then when planting, you should think about the limiters in advance. So at a distance of about 2–2, 5 m, for example, sheets of metal or other devices that retard growth are dug in.
- General tips for caring for a sucker. The soil in the near-trunk circle must be regularly looked after - weeding weeds and loosening after watering or rains. Pruning is an important aspect.
- Pruning recommendations. A pshhat bush or tree must be examined systematically. When old or shriveled branches appear, they must be cut off. When the age of the plant exceeds 15 years, experts strongly advise removing up to a third of the entire green mass in order to rejuvenate. Pruning is usually done in the spring or fall months. If a hedge is formed from the plants of the sucker, then such an operation is necessary twice during the growing season (approximately in June and with the arrival of September). Shoots are removed as they grow. Do not cut off the root shoots of the willow too much, as this will further stimulate its growth.
- Fertilizers for sucker must be entered annually and systematically. It is recommended to use not only potassium salt, superphosphate, but also organic matter. From the first year of growing a seedling and subsequently annually, it is recommended to apply the following composition: about 10 kg of rotted manure (compost), 40 g of double superphosphate and about 2/3 of a glass of wood ash.
- Watering. The plant does not like when the soil dries out, but the waterlogged substrate also affects it negatively. Therefore, when the weather is hot, the soil in the trunk circle of Elaeagnus is thoroughly moistened so that the earth gets wet up to 1.5 m deep. Thorough mulching will help slow down the evaporation of moisture.
- The use of a sucker in landscape design. It is clear that the plant (some varieties), because of its fruits, is considered an excellent fruit shrub, but due to its decorative outlines, there are other areas of its application. You can plant pshhat either freely or form a hedge with it. When cultivated, the silvery foliage of the sucker will help to visually enlarge the entire space. Representatives of conifers will be good neighbors, especially those with a bluish tint of needles. The silver shade of the leaves will serve as an unusual and attractive backdrop for garden plantings with crimson foliage. In flower beds next to such dzhida bushes, it is recommended to place flowers with purple and blue inflorescences, as well as snow-white, lilac, pink and bluish.
See also tips for growing cephalotus at home.
Methods for breeding sucker
To get such a useful and highly decorative shrub, it is recommended to use the following propagation methods: seed and vegetative. The latter includes grafting and jigging root suckers or using cuttings.
Loch propagation using seeds
This method is considered simple, as it allows you to quickly get young seedlings, but there is a risk of losing the qualities of the mother plant. Seeds are sown immediately after harvesting the fruits of the wheat - in the period from September to October. Remove the seeds from the berries, separating them from the pulp. In this case, on the garden bed, the seeds will undergo natural stratification, and as soon as the soil warms up in spring, you can see young seedlings.
When sowing in the spring, it is recommended to stratify yourself. 3-4 months before sowing, the seeds are placed on the lower shelf of the refrigerator in moistened sand or peat, where the temperature does not exceed 10-15 degrees Celsius. As soon as the sowing time comes (April) they are pulled out.
Some advise to soak the seed material in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection for another 5 days before planting. Sprouted seeds are spread over the soil of the beds at a depth not exceeding the size of the seed (about 3-4 cm). When sowing seed before winter, it is recommended to sprinkle dry foliage or a layer of mulch on top of such a bed to protect the sprouts from possible frost. With the arrival of spring, such a shelter must be removed so that the seedlings do not dry out.
Usually, crops sprout more amicably before winter, and those that were sown in the spring will hatch only next year. Only when the seedlings of pshhat grow up, and they have a pair of real leaves unfold, and the height approaches 10-15 cm, they can be transplanted to a prepared place for permanent cultivation. Leave 15–20 cm between seedlings. When propagated in this way, a harvest can be expected after 5 years from the moment the seedling is transplanted into the garden.
Loch propagation by cuttings
This method is recommended for obtaining young plants of species with evergreen foliage. For blanks, segments from semi-lignified branches of the current growing season are used. Slicing is carried out between July and August. Pshat cuttings from lignified shoots are also suitable, but then they are cut from mid-autumn to its end. The length of the stalk should be at least 0.5 m and have 2 pairs of leaf plates. Before planting, the lower cut of the workpiece must be treated with a rooting stimulator (for example, Heteroauxin or Kornevin).
Rooting is very slow. Workpieces are planted from the branches of the sucker in a peat-sandy substrate or sand. For this, a school (seedling bed) is formed, in which the distance between the cuttings is maintained up to 6 m. For successful rooting, it will be necessary to create greenhouse conditions - cover the seedlings with a plastic bottle, from which the bottom is cut off or carefully cover with plastic transparent film.
When caring for cuttings, you need to ventilate them daily, and moisten the substrate if it begins to dry out. At first, such spraying of the soil is done three times a day. Gradually, watering is reduced to once a day. With the arrival of winter, the cuttings need to be insulated - cover them on top with spruce branches and on top with non-woven material (for example, lutrasil or spunbond).
- Loch propagation using root suckers. Over time, young plants, formed from dormant buds on the root system, begin to appear next to the parent specimen. Their varietal and species qualities completely repeat the parental ones, and after the transplant is carried out, the harvest will have to wait relatively long. But transplanting after the separation of the offspring from the mother's head is required very quickly, since the roots of the seedlings do not tolerate even the slightest drying out.
- Loch propagation using layering. To get a seedling in this way, it is recommended that in the spring, when the snow melts, choose a good, healthy shoot on a mother bush that is close to the soil surface. Then grooves with a depth of about 15 cm are formed in the substrate, into which the selected branches are laid. From the shoot in the place of contact with the ground, you need to remove the bark in a circular manner, carefully so as not to damage the inside. Then the branch is bent into the groove and secured with a stiff wire. Sprinkle the run with soil so that its top remains above the ground.
Care for the layer will be the same as for an adult plant. When a couple of months have passed, centimeter roots have already grown from the layer, then it is separated from the parent bush and planted in a well prepared in advance. In this case, the fruits can be obtained already 3-4 years from the time of transplantation.
Read also how to reproduce the bladder
Possible difficulties in garden cultivation of sucker and ways to solve them
If we compare this plant with other fruit-bearing shrubs and trees, then we can assume that pshhat is practically not susceptible to disease and harmful insects. Since branches can suffer from a strong drop in temperature and gusts of wind in winter, with the arrival of spring, you should carefully inspect the plant. All spoiled shoots are to be removed, and the places of the cuts are lubricated with garden varnish. If mold is noticed on the trunk, usually this occurs during periods of very high humidity, then processing is performed with special means. Such preparations are iron vitriol, KOLORIT Start BIOSTOP or Sano Mildew Remover, you can take any other that is presented in a specialized garden store. The affected branches of the sucker must be cut.
If the dog has crossed the ten-year age limit, it can become a victim of diseases and pests. Then experts recommend removing most of the green mass (branches). With the arrival of spring, all cut shoots will be successfully restored.
Interesting notes about sucker
Traditional healers have long known about the medicinal properties of the Abrahamic tree. At the same time, both the fruits of the "Russian olive" and its leaves were used to prepare the potions. They revealed substances that have an astringent effect, as well as capable of resisting viruses and pathogenic bacteria. Decoctions and infusions are prepared from the foliage, prescribed for admission for colds and fevers. They, acting on the body, help to lower the temperature. If you take medications based on sucker, they relieve pain in rheumatism and radiculitis, and will help with gout.
Folk healers advised in the old days to eat the fruits of some types of sucker, since they had the ability to improve memory, and were also characterized by a wet and expectorant effect. Berries and infusions based on them contributed to the strengthening and toning of the body, they were given to patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases. A decoction from the fruits of pshat is taken for diarrhea and colitis, it can relieve inflammation and destroy pathogenic microbial organisms.
If we talk about sucker wood, it was considered suitable for making not only simple crafts, but also musical instruments, and glue was made from gum. Since when flowering above the plantings of shrubs or trees of representatives of the Loch family, a fragrant aroma hovers, the flowers have found application in the perfume industry.
Read also interesting notes for gardeners about Stephanandra
Description of species and varieties of sucker
Silver loch (Elaeagnus commutata)
often found under the name Elaeagnus argentea. It has both a shrub and a tree-like shape. Branches in height can reach four meters if it grows as a tree or in the range of 2–2.5 m as a shrub. Crohn with wide, spreading outlines. The foliage is elongated or heart-shaped with a very beautiful decorative silvery sheen created by the hairs on the surface. The surface of the leaves is leathery along the length of the leaf is measured. The shoots have a grayish-brown hue, which makes the plant even more spectacular even in the winter months, combined with the strict graphic contours of the crown.
In the last week of May, or with the arrival of June, flowering begins, which stretches from 14 to 20 days. The size of the opening flowers is small, the color is yellow. In their outlines, the flowers are somewhat similar to bells. At the same time, a pleasant delicate aroma with vanilla notes hovers over the plant. From August or September, the fruiting period begins. Fruits with a very pleasant pulp. Their color is mainly reddish or yellowish brown. The length of the berry is about 1 cm. The winter hardiness of this variety reaches -40 degrees of frost.
Ronoy's distribution area falls on the lands of Japan, and in nature the plant can also be found in the North American territories. The most popular variety is Zempin it has a denser outline than the base species, but it blooms later. And also the forms:
- Greenish (Virescens) foliage is characterized by greenish foliage, devoid of pubescence;
- Cultural (Culta) differs in leafy plates of considerable size, the upper part of its green color;
- Barbed (Spinosa) has shoots decorated with thorns, foliage with wide ellipsoidal contours, ripening drupes are small in size, round or oval outlines.
Narrow-leaved oak (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
represented by a shrub or a tree with branches dotted with thorns. Usually its height is 6–8 m, but there are specimens stretching up to 10 m. Shoots are characterized by pubescence of a silver tone while they are young, then the branches become bare and painted in a red-brown color. The foliage has a more elongated shape than that of the silvery sucker and their surface is matte, the upper part has a gray-greenish color, and the reverse is silvery-whitish.
When blooming, which falls in June, yellowish-orange small flowers reveal, exuding a pleasant aroma. The fruits ripened after pollination of flowers are painted in a yellowish-brown color, they can be used for food, their pulp is sweetish in taste.
Winter hardiness of this species is somewhat reduced in relation to the previous one. If the winter is particularly frosty, the tips of the branches may freeze over. However, with the arrival of spring, they will easily recover. The natural area of distribution covers the southern region of the European part of Russia, as well as the Caucasian and Kazakh territories, can be found in Central and Asia Minor. There he prefers to settle on the coastal zones of rivers and lakes.
Among the cultural forms of this variety, there are:
- Cult (Culta), with larger foliage;
- Weeping (Pendula), can delight the eye with shoots that form a weeping crown;
- Purpurea when ripe, it is characterized by the fruits of a cherry-red color;
- Emerald Green (Virescens) has a green deciduous mass.
These varietal forms with even lower winter hardiness properties.
The prickly loch (Elaeagnus pungens)
Native lands fall on the territory of Japan. Such a plant has a shrubby form of growth and evergreen foliage, which densely clings to the branches. The height to which the bush grows out can be 7 m, while its crown is formed by spreading shoots that cover thick, short spines. It happens that this variety can develop in the form of a shrub with climbing shoots, grabbing all the protrusions located nearby on plants and objects. In this case, the height to which the shoots rise is 10 m. Young branches cover brown scales. The growth rate is initially very slow over several years.
The leaf plates are characterized by oblong-elliptical outlines, the surface of the upper part is glossy dark green, the reverse has a silvery-brown tint, the edge of the leaf is wavy. The length reaches 10 cm. When blooming, small flowers open, on the inside painted in a golden color, their outer part is silvery-white. They form in bunches of 2-3 buds. Until flowering is over, a fragrant aroma hovers over the shrub. Against the background of a silvery deciduous mass, bright red drupes are formed by autumn.
Suitable for decorating walls, fences and forming living fences. When fully ripe, the fruit has a reddish tint. Attention is drawn to the following varietal variations:
- Frederica and Spotted (Maculata) owners of foliage of a uniform emerald hue, decorated along the edge and in the central part with a yellow color scheme;
- Tricolor - a name that speaks for itself, large-sized leaf plates are covered with a pattern of pinkish and white-yellow strokes;
- Variegated (Variegata) characterized by a deciduous mass with a whitish-yellow border;
- Golden (Aurea) the border on the foliage is dark amber, reminiscent of the color of gold.
Multiflorous goose (Elaeagnus multi-ftora)
most often found under the name Gumi or Gum … The natural area of distribution falls on Japanese and Chinese territories. It is represented by a fruit shrub whose shoots are devoid of thorns. Its height varies in the range of 1.5–3 m. The leaf plates are characterized by an elliptical or oblong-elliptical shape. Flowering falls in June. It is this variety that has the largest fruits, the surface is painted in red color. Drupes are attached to the branches with elongated and thin stalks, which droop under the weight of the fruit. Ripening of fruits occurs at the end of summer.
The berries are juicy, the pulp with a sour or sour-sweet taste. They are very popular among the people because of the many healing properties, and in culture this variety is loved for its yield and high decorativeness. The growing process is extended from the last days of April to early October. Growth rate is average. It is drought-resistant and tolerates frost well.
Umbrella sucker (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb)
distributed in the eastern regions of Asia. Shoots in height can stretch up to 4 m. Flowers bloom in early summer, and ripening of fruits occurs in October. A harvest can be expected from 9 years of age.
Related article: Recommendations for planting and caring for Gumi or Gummi berry bushes in the garden
Video about growing a sucker in a garden:
