Features of Ledebour Rhododendron and Growth Tips

Those who are interested in gardening and breeding indoor plants are always looking for new unusual plants in their collection. Such an interesting acquisition can be the rhododendron of Ledebour. This flower in the scientific community is called Maralnik. The branches of this flower are called rosemary. In addition to decorative properties, it has valuable medicinal properties. This article presents the features of Ledebour's rhododendron, describes the history of its occurrence and gives useful tips on growing this beautiful unique plant.

Brief definition

Rhododendron of Ledebur belongs to the semi-evergreen rhododendrons of the Vereskov family. Natural varieties grow in Altai, northeast of Mongolia. Habitat - rocky terrain, mountain slopes, can inhabit the forest among deciduous trees.

Attention! This rare variety is protected by nature reserves.

Detailed description and photo

Rhododendron Ledebur is a semi-evergreen early flowering shrub that grows to 1.5 - 2 m in height. Thin branches grow up. The bark is dark gray. At a young age, scaly shoots, slightly pubescent, in an adult bush, branches are red - brown.

The leaves are small, densely planted on the stems. Soft, leathery in structure, oblong, small in size - grow up to 3 cm in length. The tops of the leaves are rounded, dark green with an olive tint.

Leaves at the base are lighter, yellow - green, shiny, covered with rare scales. By autumn, the leaves darken, acquire a brown - brown color.

In late autumn, the leaves coagulate, winter in a folded state, open in the spring, fall off after flowering.

The flowers are medium in size, grow up to 4-5 cm in length, bell-shaped in shape. They have pink, lilac shades, there are sub-grades of white colors.

Flowers gather in inflorescences - umbrellas. The fruits ripen in early autumn, have a small size, up to 1 cm, are collected in boxes.

History of occurrence

Rhododendron Ledebour was discovered in the 19th century. This variety is named after the German scientist Karl Lebedur, who discovered this exot on a botanical expedition to Altai.

Healing properties

Rhododendron of Ledebur contains a large number of tannins, ascorbic acid, many trace elements - copper, silver, manganese, etc.

Leaves of a 3-year bush during flowering are medicinal. Decoctions of dry leaves in medicine use:

• with a cold, like a diaphoretic;
• diuretic;
• decoctions are also used for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• externally apply baths with a decoction of leaves with rheumatism and gout;
• bursitis;
• neuralgia and radiculitis.

In pharmacology, drugs containing rhododendron extract of Ledebour are knownhaving a bactericidal effect on staphylococci.

Important! Rhododendron Ledebour is poisonous, if dosage is not respected or self-medication causes severe poisoning.

What is the difference from the rest of the species?

The main difference - it has a huge range of therapeutic effects, is widely used in medicine.

Rhododendron Ledebour often blooms 2 times, repeated flowering occurs in late August - early September. The peculiarity of the leaves of this variety is preserved during flowering, they begin to fall off during the blooming of new leaves.

Subcort

In the 50s of the 20th century, the rhododendron of Ledebur combined with the Daursky rhododendron and was considered its variety. Now these two varieties are distinguished as separate varieties.

Rhododendron Daursky

A deciduous shrub 1.7 to 2 m high blooms in early May. It can bloom a second time, in autumn, less abundantly.

The branches extend up. The root is flat, superficial. Young branches are collected in bunches, brown, pubescent. Old gray branches.

The leaves are leathery, soft, oblong, bright green in color. In the fall they change color, get dark, fold into a tube. The leaves are densely covered with scales.

The flowers are funnel-shaped, pale pink, with a lilac shimmer, small, up to 2.5 cm in diameter. Petals are covered with hairs. The seeds are trihedral, located in the egg-shaped capsules, ripen in September. Learn more about this plant here.

Bloom

When and how?

It blooms in May for the first time, with good care it blooms a second time in the fall. The flowering is plentiful, early. The duration of flowering is 3 to 4 weeks.

Care before and after

In early spring, before the onset of flowering, you need to prune the damaged branches - shoots. The air temperature during the ripening of the buds should not exceed 15 - 16 ° C. During flowering, Ledebour's rhododendron needs good lighting and regular watering.

Attention! After flowering, care for the Ledebour rhododendron should be thorough, it is imperative to collect all the fallen buds, leaves around the bush.

What if not?

In order to achieve abundant flowering, it is important to cut off the faded umbrellas of the inflorescences. Only when they are removed do new flowers form.

Use in garden design

Usually this variety is planted in the shade of other, sprawling, deciduous trees in the garden. Rhododendron Ledebour look good with coniferous plantings. Pine, juniper bushes protect the flower from wind and sun.

Step-by-step care instructions

Seat selection

Rhododendron Ledebur is planted in places protected from through wind, diffused light is desirable, this variety does not tolerate direct sun.

What should be the soil?

The substrate for Ledebour rhododendron requires acidic, drainage during planting is required for good breathability. The main components of the soil mixture:

• Peat 1 h.
• Sand - 1 hour
• Top layer of coniferous forest substrate - 1 h.

Planting

Rhododendron Ledebur is planted in spring or late fall. Planting is carried out in several stages:

1. Dig a hole with a depth of 50 cm and a width of at least 60 cm.
2. A layer of drainage of sand and broken bricks with a thickness of 10 -15 cm is placed at the bottom of the hole.
3. Planting bushes are planted at a distance of 1 - 1.5 m.
4. A specially prepared substrate is poured into the hole, slightly ramming it.
5. A sapling is placed in a small depression, without deepening the root too much.
6. Fall asleep with a substrate at the level of the root neck.
7. Abundantly water the seedling.
8. Around the bushes, mulch is scattered from a mixture of medium pieces of bark of pine needles and peat, with a thickness of at least 5 - 6 cm.

Temperature

The optimum temperature of the content of rhododendron Ledebur is up to 15 ° C. It is considered a frost-resistant variety, can tolerate a temperature drop of up to −32 ° C.

Important! In spring, flowers can be damaged by night frosts.

Watering

In the summer it is necessary to avoid drying out of the substrate, daily watering is required, high humidity. Spraying required. In the fall, watering is reduced. Before winter frosts, the soil is well moistened. In winter and autumn, watered only in dry weather.

It should be watered with settled, purified, acidified water.

Top dressing

In the spring, every year the substrate is fertilized by adding a mixture of rotted manure and peat to it - top dressing is closed to a shallow depth.

It is also recommended to feed Ledebur rhododendron with mineral fertilizers - superphosphate, ammonium, potassium sulfate. Dosage: 1 tbsp. spoon of each component, add a powder.

Loosening should be carried out carefully due to the characteristics of the root. You can’t dig trunk trunks.

Pruning

The bush is trimmed with a very large crown. Pruning is carried out in the spring. Truncated old, large, up to 2 cm in diameter branches. At the updated bush new young shoots appear faster. After sanitary pruning, the buds awaken, the bush begins to grow more intensively.

Places of cuts are treated with bactericidal agents, for example, garden var.

Transfer

Ledebour's rhododendron is usually transplanted in early spring, before flowering. In the fall, 2 weeks after the bush has bloomed, you can also transplant the bush. In the first two years after transplanting, ripe flower buds are cut off so that the root system is better strengthened.

When transplanting, mulching of the trunk circle is mandatoryIt prevents overheating of the soil and retains moisture well in summer.

How to prepare for winter?

In winter, it is important to shelter the bush from large frosts. Florists recommend closing the root neck with dry oak leaves. Up to -10 ° C frost Ledebur rhododendron does not hide, so as not to root the neck of the neck. If the winter is snowy, snow is raked at the base of the bush.

How to propagate?

Rhododendron of Ledebour propagated by seeds propagated, usually in greenhouse conditions - the process is long and laborious, as well as layering and cuttings.

The easiest way is to propagate by layering:

• Pick up a branch of a bush that grows low to the ground.
• A small incision is made on this stem.
• Lay the stem in the hole, fix it with wire, and add it.
• Abundant watering is required with the addition of a growth stimulant or fertilizers for rooting.
• When the shoot takes root, the bush is carefully separated and transplanted.

Diseases and Pests

Although Ledebur's rhododendron is quite resistant to pests and diseases, planting in open ground carries the risk of insect damage and infections.

1. From the spider mite, you need to spray the bush with a fungicide solution. Repeat the procedure 2 to 3 times with an interval of 10 to 12 days.
2. Snails, slugs are collected by hand.
3. From a mealybug, rhododendral bugs and flies will be saved by spraying with any insecticides: an actar solution or phytoerm.

Prevention of various problems

For the prevention of fungal diseases - root rot, wax disease, chlorosis and leaf spotting Mandatory treatment of bushes with Bordeaux fluid.

Attention! Prevention is carried out after flowering, in late November and early spring, at the very beginning of March.

Gardeners especially prefer rhododendron Ledebour for their exotic decorativeness of thick leaves and gentle early flowering.