An acacia-like tree with pink flowers. Robinia is a charming white acacia. When does Robinia bloom?

A sun-loving tree, blooming profusely with a lush cap of small pink fragrant inflorescences, and mistakenly called “pink acacia”, is widespread in North America, but in middle lane In Russia it can rarely be seen. The botanical name of this false locust is Robinia viscosa, which comes from the name of the Frenchman Jean Robin, the chief royal gardener of the French court, who brought the exotic plant to France in 1601.

Robinia sticky (also known as pink acacia and false acacia) is a tree belonging to the genus Robinia, legume family. Natural range covers the southeast North America. The species chooses mountain landscapes for growth.

The established name of this sun-loving tree, brought to the gardens of France from North America, is acacia. But, as can be seen from the international flora classifier, it is erroneous. Therefore, in the scientific literature synonyms are used - “false acacia”, “false acacia”, “pseudoacacia” or “robinia”.

Acacia Robinia is different rapid growth(30-60 cm per season), and in general the height of an adult tree can reach 10 m. The crown of the false acacia is lush and spreading, the trunk diameter is about 30-35 cm, the bark is dense, smooth, rich dark Brown. It is called sticky because its branches, leaf petioles, inflorescence axes, and pedicels are sticky due to the presence of sticky glandular hairs on their surface.

The leaves of pink acacia are imparipinnate, each in the shape of an oblong ellipse, blunt at the end, the base rounded or in the form of a wide wedge, collected from 13-20 oval leaves. The length of the leaf blade is up to 20 cm, width - up to 2 cm. Young leaves are completely covered with fluff; as the tree matures, the upper surface of the leaf blade becomes bare, and the lower surface may become bare or remain pubescent. The color of the leaves is rich green above, grayish-green below. Stipules are spines up to 5 mm in length and may fall off.

White false locust is a variety that today is represented by many varieties, and all thanks to selection and crossing, which has led to such diversity. And one of its options for decorative cultivation was the rose crop or sticky robinia.

The main decoration of the pink acacia is a lush flower cap, emitting a delicate aroma. Small (up to 2 cm in length) flowers are united in 10-15 pieces into even racemose inflorescences (up to 10 cm in length, up to 5 cm in width). Their pink color can be either very light or rich. The period when pink acacia blooms profusely is in June. Under favorable climatic conditions, double annual flowering is possible: the first in early summer and the second in August.

The fruits of rose acacia are seeds enclosed in oblong (up to 9 cm long) sticky pods with a curved end, loosely covered with glandular hairs. The seeds themselves are also oblong (up to 0.4 cm long), brown in color, with a smooth, non-shiny surface. Fruit ripening begins in August and ends in November, the entire winter period they can hang on a tree without falling off.

Pink Robinia has a branched, horizontal root system, which makes it capable of strengthening slopes, sandstones, and wastelands.

Robinia adhesive has been considered an ornamental crop since 1791. In countries with favorable climatic conditions (Mediterranean, southern Russia), it is actively used in landscape gardening ensembles. Both single trees and groups are planted for decorative purposes.

Pink acacia: planting and care

Pink acacia is a rather capricious plant, so gardeners must carefully follow the rules for planting and caring for this tropical “guest.” She loves to grow in well-lit, elevated places protected from drafts. Due to the fact that the crown of this exotic beauty is spreading and reaches a diameter of 10 m, the tree needs to be provided with space.

The choice of place for planting Robinia is determined by its need for light. It develops better under the sun. It will also grow in shaded areas, but it will not bloom as profusely and may suffer from frost. For pink robins, natural protection from the north wind (the wall of a house, barn or fence) is also desirable.

For Robinia to bloom long and profusely, it needs light and fertile soil. And at the beginning of flowering it is necessary to apply additional fertilizing. But in principle, pink acacia is undemanding to the composition of the soil; it can grow well even on heavy soil, poor in nutrients, but in this case one cannot expect lush flowering from it.

Water pink acacia sparingly. Abundant application of water to the soil is necessary only for a young planted plant and when the upper soil horizon is very dry. The tree trunk circle should be weeded periodically.

For better flowering and the formation of a beautiful crown, pruning is done every spring. Cut off the root shoots with which the pink acacia actively grows, and remove damaged and dead branches.

Sticky Robin is not cultivated at home; this species is exclusively garden. Growing is not difficult; several methods of plant propagation are used:

1. Seeds. Germination rate is almost 100 percent. Seeds are germinated at a temperature of 20 - 25°C. IN open ground seedlings that have reached a height of 0.5 m are transplanted.
2. By cuttings. The lateral roots are cut and placed in a substrate saturated with nutrients. Shoots appear quickly and grow intensively (in a couple of months they can rise to 50 cm).
3. By grafting. Graft onto wild rootstock. To preserve varietal characteristics, mother shoots are cut out.

Pink Robinia is propagated in the spring before the sap begins to flow.

Gardeners who decide to plant false acacia on their site should take into account that the tree is capable of producing basal shoots, which is unfavorable for garden and vegetable crops growing nearby. It should also be noted that pink flowers are attractive to pollinating insects.

Pink acacia in the Moscow region

Robinia adhesive is heat-loving and drought-resistant, so many gardeners are interested in whether the crop will grow in the Moscow region and in general in the central part of the country. In mid-latitude conditions, the species is propagated mainly by seeds. You can bring a seedling from another region, but it is unlikely to take root, since it is not adapted to local climatic conditions. Even if it takes root, it will grow and develop poorly. Some gardeners practice propagation by grafting on white acacia.

As it grows, Robinia's winter hardiness increases. But if the winter is harsh, thin twigs and the ends of thick branches may freeze. Young plants may freeze to the snow edge. However, if the roots are alive, the plant recovers thanks to its rapid growth capacity and active production of shoots.

To attract pollinators, sticky robinia uses not so much the aroma, which is too weak, as the color of the inflorescences: all shades of pink and pink-violet.

To prevent young plants from freezing, in the first few years of their life cold period cover. Spunbond is used as insulation. If the winter is snowy, then you can simply throw snow on the tree. Some gardeners construct a shelter from burlap. bend over top part crowns are not allowed for the winter. The branches may be damaged, which will slow down the growth of the crop.

Pink acacia: medicinal properties

Robinia adhesive is not only a beautifully flowering plant with high decorative qualities, but also medicinal. Both flowers and other parts of the acacia tree have medicinal properties. IN pink flowers are essential oils, useful acids, tannins. Leaves are rich sources of flavonoids and glycosides. The thin bark of young plants is rich in tannins, oils, and sterols.

Robinia adhesive has all the healing qualities of white acacia: as part of antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs, diuretics, distracting rubs for neuralgia and radiculitis, in the treatment of gastritis and peptic ulcer.

In many homeopathic medicines for ulcers, gastritis, migraines, the composition contains an extract of young false acacia bark. IN folk medicine the bark and leaves are not used, since these parts of the plant contain a significant concentration of a toxic compound - the alkaloid robinine. Previously, a strong laxative was prepared from the leaves and bark. The flowers contain much less robinine, so they are actively used in folk medicine.

Recipes and dosage folk remedies must be strictly observed. In case of overdose, vomiting and headaches are observed.

Pink Robinia flowers with therapeutic purpose Harvested in June, at the peak of flowering. Whole inflorescences are cut off. You must act carefully so as not to damage the flowers or break thin tree branches. The collected inflorescences are placed on clean paper or cloth. The collection is dried in a shaded, well-ventilated place. Dried raw materials are stored in paper parcels in a cool place.

Various medicinal tinctures are prepared from dried flowers of pink acacia:

1. Flower infusion from colds, for expectoration and relaxation. Pour a teaspoon of dried flowers into a glass of boiling water and leave for half an hour. Drink a tablespoon 3 times a day.
2. Flower infusion from urolithiasis and other pathologies of the urinary system. A tablespoon of floral raw materials is poured into a glass of boiling water and left for half an hour. Drink 1/3 glass 3 times a day after meals.
3. Alcohol tincture from increased acidity digestive juice. A tablespoon of floral raw materials is poured with half a glass of 40 percent alcohol and kept for 2 weeks in a shaded place. Drink 20 drops dissolved in water 2 times a day.
4. Alcohol tincture for external use for osteochondrosis, varicose veins, rheumatism, radiculitis. Take 80 g of a mixture of fresh and dried flowers, pour a glass of alcohol, and keep for 2 weeks in a shaded place. Used for compresses and rubbing.

False locust robinia with pink flowers― a very beautiful exotic plant that can improve a personal plot, become a bright, noticeable, eye-pleasing detail of a garden and park landscape and, moreover, has a number of useful medicinal properties. Many gardeners have already appreciated it and “settled” it in their country estates.

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Delicate pink acacia gives landscape design unusual sophistication. Volumetric flowers on a compact tree harmoniously combine with the cold walls of houses or.

In scientific circles it is called by the amazing name “Robinia Glutinous”. And since it differs from its “relatives” in some features, the culture is most often called false acacia. Its second flowering period begins in July. However, these curly scutes are already rarer and smaller. And only with the onset of the first frosts do they begin to fall, like snow falling in neon rays.

All beekeepers are required to plant it on their site, because it is an excellent honey plant. So, over the course of three weeks, from mid-May to early June, it produces fragrant flower stalks.

Favored Pink Acacia

The peculiarity of the crop is that it is planted on the poorest, and most importantly, sandy soils. Why? It belongs to the legume family. The root system of these plants is equipped with nodule bacteria. In the absence of adequate nutrition, which comes from the ground, they begin to feed themselves. As a result, the tree is able to bloom magnificently on parched soil. It is recommended to place group plantings of pink acacias in vacant lots where nothing else grows. You also need to know about this variety:

• rarely reproduces by seeds, because the climate of mid-latitudes is cold for it;
• considered fast growing;
• gardeners often breed them using grafts made on;
• in severe winters, the tips of the branches freeze slightly.

In this regard, during the winter period, young seedlings are covered in the first years of life. They use spunbond or simply bury the tree in the snow. Others make a small hut from burlap, branches and supports. At the same time, it is not recommended to bend the upper part of the false locust tree. Such a gesture on the part of the gardener contributes to damage to the branches of the crop, which leads to a slowdown in their development.

The variety is unique in that African Robinia loses its color in the first year after grafting. Therefore, you can enjoy its fragrance immediately, without waiting several years.

Pink acacia should not be pruned, since the woody plant forms a crown on its own. Still, sometimes you have to remove frozen, diseased or dried sprouts. Then this garden exhibit will become a real highlight of the summer cottage.

Description

Pink acacia (Robinia viscosa)- d tree up to 12 m tall with a wide-rounded crown and dark brown smooth bark. It received its specific name because the shoots, leaf petioles and inflorescences are densely covered with glandular, sticky hairs. The spines are very small or absent altogether. Leaves are up to 20 cm long, with 13-25 bright green leaflets, grayish underneath. Leaves stay on the branches for a long time in autumn. Large, up to 2 cm, pink-violet flowers, odorless, are collected 6-15 in small, erect racemes, abundantly covering the tree during flowering. Fruits up to 5-8 cm, sparsely glandular-bristly, sticky.

Photophilous. Less drought- and frost-resistant than white locust. Propagated by seeds, root shoots and grafting. Used in single and group plantings.

Beneficial features:

Acacia (robinia) flowers have long been used in medicine in various countries as an astringent, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, antipyretic and antispasmodic agent, they were used in the treatment of diseases gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and bladder, nephrolithiasis and urolithiasis, thrombophlebitis, radiculitis, myositis, osteochondrosis, rheumatism, neuralgia, colds, wounds. The bark of young branches was recommended for high acidity of gastric juice.

For exacerbation of gastritis and peptic ulcers, it is prescribed alcohol infusion leaves and young shoots, as well as a hot decoction of the bark.

Robinia sticky (false locust) - Robinia viscosa Vent.

Acacia is a sticky tree up to 12 m high with a wide-rounded crown and dark brown smooth bark. Acacia shoots, leaf petioles and acacia inflorescences are densely covered with glandular, sticky hairs. Acacia spines are very small or absent altogether. Acacia leaves are up to 20 cm long, with 13-25 bright green leaves, grayish underneath. Acacia leaves sticky in the fall and stay on the branches for a long time.

Large, up to 2 cm, flowers of sticky acacia are pink-violet, odorless, collected in 6-15 pieces in small, erect brushes that abundantly cover the tree during flowering.

Acacia fruits are up to 5-8 cm, sparsely glandular-bristly, sticky.

Acacia sticky is photophilous. Sticky acacia is less drought- and frost-resistant than white acacia. Propagated by seeds, root shoots and grafting. Used in single and group plantings. In culture since 1791. Grown in Ukraine, Moldova and the southern regions of Russia.

Flowering is abundant in late May - early June, lasting all summer until mid-September (4-5 waves of flowering are noted, between which there are usually short breaks of 2-3 weeks). Good honey plant and pollen plant. According to the observations of beekeepers, it is well visited by bees, despite the fact that acacia flowers are odorless.

For beekeeping, sticky acacia is interesting because it can be planted in parks and public gardens, for landscaping streets, expanding the honey supply in populated areas. Sticky acacia can be planted on inconvenient areas, for example, to stabilize the slopes of ravines, along with other honey-bearing shrubs and trees. Sticky acacia is undemanding to soil and grows quickly.

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In our region there are few truly spectacular plants that can stop a thoughtful passerby with their blooms. IN Lately, thanks to the efforts of enthusiasts who wanted to decorate our northern nature, southern ones began to appear ornamental plants, capable of withstanding the hardships of our climate.

Robinia and its cultivation

These plants include acacias! More precisely, their close relatives - Robinia.

Those who have been to the south of Russia in the spring could see white robins blooming: their cascading flowering clusters cover the trees in such numbers that the plant itself is simply not visible; in front of you stands a solid wall of flowers, which exudes a pleasant sweet aroma for several meters around it . These beautiful plants are also capable of blooming in our latitudes.

Robinias are not only beautiful, but also not demanding on growing conditions. They easily tolerate the gas pollution of the city, put up with poor soil - they grow well even on bare sand, while, like all legumes, they improve it due to nitrogen-fixing bacteria on the roots, so plants growing next to Robinia receive an additional portion of nitrogen to their nutrition . The main thing for robins is a sufficient amount of sun and the absence of stagnation of water at the roots.

By the way, honey prepared by bees from Robinia flowers is never candied.

White Robin easily tolerates our harsh winters, almost never freezes, and if this happens, it recovers very quickly. The plant reproduces both by seeds and by root shoots, which in the spring, even before the buds open, can be dug up and transplanted to another place.

An even rarer acacia - Robinia sticky, or pink acacia(Robinia viscosa Vent.).

While white Robinia can still be found here and there on the streets of the city, you are unlikely to see a pink one.

This Robinia has pink flowers, such a color is generally rare among the trees of our strip, except that it also has pink flowers steppe almond, bean(Prunus tenella).

She comes from North America, just like she is white.

Approximately the same height, has an umbrella-shaped crown, blooms several days later than white acacia, and they bloom together for about three weeks. Then the white one fades and remains in a green outfit throughout the following summer.

But the pink acacia pauses in flowering for about three weeks, and then blooms again, and blooms throughout the summer until the coldest weather.

Growing conditions pink acacia (photo) the same as that of white acacia, however, it reproduces only by grafting onto white acacia and produces almost no seeds in our climate. This is probably why it is still rare in our parks and gardens.

There are no special tricks in planting robins: you plant a seedling in a dug hole, water it, tie it to a peg so that it does not break (or is not broken), because. Robins have fragile branches. Planting is best done in spring.

Robinias do not require much care.

Perhaps in the summer you have to spray against aphids (they love acacias), but this is not necessary. You can also do lower pruning in the spring, that’s basically all.

Another rare tree for our nature is the catalpa bignonieve (Catalpa) from the bignoniaceae family. Perhaps this is the only representative of this family capable of tolerating our cold climate. The Bignoniaceae family is known for such beautiful plants as Kampsis (tekoma), pandorea, paulownia etc.

Catalpa- a low tree, about 3 meters high with a wide crown, deciduous. In spring, very large, almost round leaves, up to 30 cm in diameter, bloom on it. The growth of catalpa in the warm period continues until the beginning of June and ends with the formation of flower clusters, shaped like horse chestnut candles.

These candles reveal large, white, bell-shaped flowers, the throat of which is decorated with yellow spots and red-brown streaks. Flowering lasts about three weeks. The big plus is that the catalpa blooms when all the trees in our strip have already bloomed, and closer to autumn there is a second bloom, though not as spectacular, but still.

After flowering, fruits are formed on the tree, shaped like icicles, up to 30 cm long; flat seeds ripen in them by autumn gray with furry wings around the edges. These seeds are quite viable and produce good seedlings when sown.

Like all southern, heat-loving plants in our climate, catalpa needs to be planted in a sunny place protected from the wind. It is advisable to make the soil for it as poor as possible, this is necessary in order to limit the duration of the growing season, the catalpa wood will ripen well and be better prepared for winter. For the same purpose, on the first of August we pinch off all growing shoots.

Fertilizing is done once a season at the beginning of spring before the buds open; complex fertilizer is embedded in the ground, in the circle around the trunk. In winter, while the plant is small, it is better to cover it; after 3 years of age, shelter is no longer required, the catalpa tree can withstand the frosts of central Russia well and almost does not freeze.

Many who visited the Southern Coast of Crimea or the Black Sea Coast of the Caucasus in May could see falling lilac fountains of flowers from Asian species of wisteria. The spectacle is fascinating, it’s just a pity that these southern vines are not able to tolerate winter cold our climate.

But it is not all that bad. Relatively recently, the species was brought to Russia North American large clustered wisteria(Wisteria Macrostachya).

The main advantages of this type of wisteria are frost resistance (within -30°C) and the ability to lay flower buds at a fairly low amount of active temperatures (which Asian types of wisteria lack); the warmth of our summer is enough for it to develop well and bloom very beautifully.

In central Russia, this liana blooms in the first half of June, covered with a cloud of flowers from lilac-blue brushes with pleasant aroma. At the end of summer, re-blooming is possible, although not as abundant as in June. During the season, wisteria can grow shoots up to 1.5-2 meters, the plant itself reaches 6-8 meters.

After flowering, the vine produces beans (seeds), which ripen in late September - early October. Leaf fall begins around the same time.

The agricultural technology of wisteria is not very complicated; planting, of course, on the south side of the building in quiet place, the least fertile soil possible is desirable; fertilizing is given once per season - in the spring - with a universal complex fertilizer.

On the first of August, it is worth pinching off all growing shoots, giving the wood the opportunity to better ripen and prepare the plant for winter. For the first 2-3 years of winter, the plant must be removed from its support, rolled into a ring and covered with a plastic bucket. In the spring, as soon as the snow melts, the plant is lifted and secured on a support, the wisteria wakes up for a long time and thanks to this it escapes the spring return frosts.

From year to year, the plant will increase the mass of shoots, on which the number of flower clusters will increase every year; mature bushes look very decorative during the period of mass flowering.

And since the group of plants for vertical gardening in our gardens is not represented by a very large selection of plants, especially beautifully flowering ones, it is worth trying to grow such a spectacular liana in your garden as wisteria.

AND locust, And catalpa bignoniformes, and, of course, wisteria are very beautiful, unusual plants that deserve to be introduced into the landscaping culture of our gardens, parks, and courtyards.

Wisteria from seeds

My favorite wisteria is easily propagated by seeds.

In early December, I collect seed pods from the plant and store them in a cool, dry place until spring. In early April, I peel them, soak the seeds in water, then wrap them in damp cotton cloth for several days. When they hatch, I sow them in cups filled with light soil mixed with well-sifted humus. I put it on the windowsill. Care is usual, as for any seedlings.

When the threat of return frosts has passed, I gradually harden the plants and only then plant them in a permanent place. In the first winters, the still immature wisteria needs shelter. With age, its frost resistance will increase. Such seedlings bloom in the 3-4th year.

For the winter

In the fall (late October), wisteria is removed from the support on which it grew. If a young plant has grown too much, it can be cut off by half. Then the vine is rolled up and covered with shavings with leaves (or just leaves), and sprinkled with earth at the root (2-3 buckets). In an adult plant, frost resistance increases over the years, so for the winter the root part can be sprinkled with earth or covered with spruce paws. Another point: yes different types wisteria, while some can withstand frost down to -15 degrees, and others up to -35.

Olga SURINOVICH, agronomist

White acacia - a tree with an openwork crown and white clusters of fragrant flowers, it turns out, wrongfully bears this name. And in her real name this is specially emphasized: “robynia false acacia.” This is how it reads: they say, there is no point in “clinging” to noble subtropical crops, although their appearance - something like a mimosa with thorns - is much less attractive.

A tree is more important than a house

But our timidity is simply beautiful. During the flowering period, it becomes like a white cloud, from which comes the hum of bees collecting nectar from morning until late evening. It was at this peak of flowering that I saw it for the first time almost 30 years ago, when I came from the Far North to Belarus and came to look at the house that I was going to buy. This tree grew in the yard. Looking at him, I forgot about the house, hugged the trunk of the acacia tree, inhaled its aroma and whispered: “For such a beauty, you can buy any house.”

But I was very upset by the fact that a rough rope was tied to the trunk, on which clothes were dried. This shocked me, and I asked the owners to trim it. Neighbors gathered to look at the “abnormal”.

Acacia requires care

I bought a house, remodeled it according to my own understanding, and on long summer evenings I went out onto the porch,

sat down and enjoyed a date with her favorite, who grew up nearby. To care for it, I bought a garden drill and drilled a hole around the tree trunk at a distance of 1-1.5 m. They were fertilized with mullein infusion 1:10. In the same way, I fed all the apple trees, stone fruits and berry gardens, which at first looked deplorable, but then came to life from such nutrition and gave a good harvest.

By the way, when I bought a car, having received my license at the age of 56, it turned out that an acacia tree was standing on the way to the garage. It was necessary to fit into a narrow passage, which was not easy for an inexperienced driver. The neighbors kept saying: “If you cut down this tree, why do you need it?” But would a hand be raised against such a beauty, and a healer at that? I had to practice to learn how to fit the car into the space between the fence and the acacia tree.

Useful properties of acacia

I have long known that white acacia flowers are healing, but I never once raised my hand to pick at least one bunch. Behind medicinal raw materials we went to the edge of the village, where 3 ownerless acacias grew. A tincture was made from the flowers for sore joints. It is prepared like this: fill a liter jar halfway with the indicated raw materials, fill it to the top with vodka and leave for 10 days. You can simply rub problem areas or make compresses. To do this, soak cotton wool or gauze in the tincture, squeeze it out a little, press it to the sore spot, put pharmaceutical paper or parchment on top, secure it well and wrap it in a warm cloth. These compresses are best done at night.