Skumpiya is a perennial shrub or undersized tree from the Sumakhov clan. Grows in Eurasia and North America. The people call it “smoky tree”.
Has a dark green or purple-burgundy foliage with flowering, similar to a fluffy cloud. The tree not only decorates any site with its royal crown, it is used to prepare medicinal decoctions.
Description
Mackerel is a flowering shrub with spreading branches. It grows in height to a half to three meters. Life expectancy is from 45 to 100 years. Shoots sprout from the very beginning of the trunk. In older specimens, the bark begins to exfoliate with plates.
The leaves are round or oval-shaped on elongated petioles, dark green. Iridescent plates with solid or jagged edges. They grow to five to eight centimeters. In the fall, they become red, yellowish, purple, crimson, golden.
In late spring and early autumn, long inflorescences up to thirty centimeters resembling panicles appear among the foliage. The corolla consists of shortened petals and a bunch of elongated thin stamens. Greenish yellow flowers of small sizes. In their place appear long pedicels, covered with villi. They grow even after the tree itself ceases. As a result, scoopia takes on a magical appearance: it resembles a fluffy pink cloud.
This shrub is fruitful. It produces fruits in the form of drupes with thin, dark skin, they ripen in July-August.
Types of Skumpy
There are seven types of scoopia, but only two are grown as a decorative plant:
| Title | Description |
| Leather | Starts branching from the bottom. Reaches one and a half to three meters. Shoots with dun bark. Stems that have reached the age of one year become greenish or reddish. On the roundish next leaves, patterns of veins are visible. In late May and early June, small yellowish or green flowers appear. After the petals fall, the panicles turn pink, lengthen. Soon, fruits with a bone without pulp are formed on them. |
| American | A tree with a branchy crown. It grows to five meters. The leaves are roundish, bright green. In length up to 12 centimeters. In the first two summer months, a large number of inflorescences are formed. This species is frost-resistant. |
Varieties for Moscow region
In the conditions of the Moscow Region and in the entire central region, leather tanning survives in the following varieties:
| Title | Description |
| Young lady | A bush with saturated green foliage. Reaches four meters. Green flowers become cream or pink over time. |
| Royal purple (perple) | A small shrub. Growing slowly. It has a round red-leaved crown, which turns blue in autumn. Gives voluminous buds. |
| Rubrifolius | A heat-loving variety of scoopia, but you can try to grow it in the suburbs, sheltering with frost. It has oval-shaped leaves of violet-purple color. In height reaches three to five meters. |
| Grace | Mumps Grace takes root well in the middle lane. It is a fast-growing shrub with spreading branches. In height reaches three to five meters. The foliage is purple in the summer and reddish in the fall. The plates are oval. |
Hybrid varieties Lilla, Spirit, Follis (folis) Purpureis can also be grown in the Moscow Region. They are thermophilic and require shelter in cold weather.
Landing
The most important thing is to choose the right place and soil. All summer seedlings are grown in containers. Disembarkation is made in the fall.
Location
For landing, the most illuminated open area is selected. The most suitable - on a slope or a small hill. The lowland does not fit, there are groundwater close to the surface. The plant does not like excessive moisture.
It should be borne in mind that skumpiya grows on the sides by three to five meters. When the area is limited, it is better to choose shoots in pots more compactly.
The soil
Skumpia is not picky about the ground. The soil is suitable garden. Better to choose light and airy.
The depth of the pit depends on the size of the root system of the shoot. It is recommended to add lime for better growth. Although the plant survives in poor soil, it is better to cover the roots with earth with compost and humus.
Care
Mumps do not tolerate frost. Therefore, before they occur, it is necessary to mulch peat, sawdust, coniferous branches. Before sending the plant to winter, it is recommended to cover it with agrofiber so that the rhizome does not freeze.
Watering
Mumps tolerate drought well. Watering is needed only for trees planted recently. It is produced in dry weather once a week. Adult tree can not be watered.
Top dressing
Once the snow has completely melted, scumpia will need to be fertilized with fertilizers consisting of a mixture of nutrients. This will help her recover as soon as possible after the cold weather and begin intensive growth.
Top dressing is also carried out in June. Used organics: mullein or bird droppings. In the future, until the end of the season, the shrub does not need fertilizer.
Pruning
Need for young plants. This will help the intensive and abundant growth of the crown. The leaves become larger due to this.
Adult plants do not need pruning, if she gets carried away, they will lose their decorative appearance.
Breeding
Mackerel, as a rule, is bred by the vegetative method: layering and cuttings.
It is best to propagate the plant with earthen layers, as they are well rooted. To do this, choose the lower healthy branch, make an incision on it and with this part they drop it to the ground. To root layering regularly watered. After the emergence of sprouts, the branch is cut and planted.
Step-by-step instruction for cutting:
- cuttings with two or three leaves are cut in May-July;
- soaked in Kornevin;
- planted in containers with aerial garden soil, cover with a cap;
- the shelter is removed every day, condensate is removed from it;
- before the shoots take root (it takes two to three weeks), they are carefully watered.
Smoky trees are also propagated by seeds, but rarely do:
- Seeds are placed in sulfate acid for five to ten minutes.
- Perform cold stratification at + 3 ... + 5 ° C for two to three months (you can skip the first point, but stratification in this case is necessary for six months).
- After preliminary preparation, the seeds are planted in open ground in pits one and a half to two centimeters.
- The earth is regularly loosened and watered, but in moderation.
When propagating in this way, the first seedlings appear after a few weeks. About half of the seeds germinate.
Diseases and Pests
A tree or shrub rarely infects diseases and pests. Occasionally, on a scump,
- leaf beetle;
- cracker;
- leaf tree.
When infected, the foliage dries up, scumpia begins to quickly fade. Insecticides are used to deal with the cause of wood drying out. For example, Karbosov. You can buy it in a specialized store.
Mr. Summer resident recommends: Mumps - a beautiful doctor
The plant is able not only to decorate any garden plot, it also has medicinal properties. Its healing qualities are studied in pharmacognosy.
Mackerel contains in large quantities the following useful substances:
- tannins;
- tannins;
- essential oils;
- organic acids.
Broths are prepared from greens and shoots. They are useful for the prevention and treatment of many pathological conditions. They help with pneumonia, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, intoxication. They can also be used externally, do compresses, baths, lotions for skin rashes, purulent lesions. It is recommended to rinse the mouth regularly. It stops inflammation, eliminates bleeding gums.
