Amelanchier

The genus Irga (Amelanchier) includes more than 30 species of deciduous shrubs and low trees. Crown oval dense; leaves petiolate whole-edged or toothed. Pointed buds and then small white or cream five-petaled flowers are collected in corymbose racemes at the ends of the shoots. The fruits are small (up to 10 mm in diameter) berry-like, 4-10-nesting, with a single large whitish seed in the nest. In some species, the fruits are edible, and birds are very fond of them. Usually the fruits are bluish-black or purplish-black in color, sweet, ripen in August-September. The most common species cultivated as a fruit crop is Amelanchier canadensis, a shrub or root-spreading (producing many shoots near the base of the trunk) small tree. The branches are long and straight. The leaves are ovate and pubescent, turning red and yellow in autumn. In spring, completely white star-shaped flowers appear; blue-black edible fruits are round in shape. The Prince William variety in autumn is characterized by red to bright orange leaves and purple-blue fruits. The tree irga (A. arborea) grows up to 18 m in height. The leaves are ovate to oval in shape. White flowers are fragrant. Irga blooming (A. florida) leaves are oval and rounded, in autumn they turn bright yellow. Cream-colored berries. Irgi levis (A laevis) has pinkish young leaves that contrast beautifully with white flowers. Autumn coloring is also great. Lamarck's irga (A. lamarckii, or A. grandiflora) is a natural hybrid of the Canadian irga and Levis irga. Its oval-oblong leaves are copper-red in summer, darker in autumn. Irga oval, or round-leaved (A. ovalis), a shrub 0.5-3.0 m high, with large flowers that are replaced by red berries, gradually darkening.

The genus Irga (Amelanchier) includes more than 30 species of deciduous shrubs and low trees. Crown oval dense; leaves petiolate whole-edged or toothed. Pointed buds and then small white or cream five-petaled flowers are collected in corymbose racemes at the ends of the shoots. The fruits are small (up to 10 mm in diameter) berry-like, 4-10-nesting, with a single large whitish seed in the nest. In some species, the fruits are edible, and birds are very fond of them. Usually the fruits are bluish-black or purplish-black in color, sweet, ripen in August-September.

The most common species cultivated as a fruit crop is Amelanchier canadensis, a shrub or root-spreading (producing many shoots near the base of the trunk) small tree. The branches are long and straight. The leaves are ovate and pubescent, turning red and yellow in autumn. In spring, completely white star-shaped flowers appear; blue-black edible fruits are round in shape. The Prince William variety in autumn is characterized by red to bright orange leaves and purple-blue fruits.

The tree irga (A. arborea) grows up to 18 m in height. The leaves are ovate to oval in shape. White flowers are fragrant.

Irga blooming (A. florida) leaves are oval and rounded, in autumn they turn bright yellow. Cream-colored berries.

Irgi levis (A laevis) has pinkish young leaves that contrast beautifully with white flowers. Autumn coloring is also great.

Lamarck's irga (A. lamarckii, or A. grandiflora) is a natural hybrid of the Canadian irga and Levis irga. Its oval-oblong leaves are copper-red in summer, darker in autumn. Irga oval, or round-leaved (A. ovalis), a shrub 0.5-3.0 m high, with large flowers that are replaced by red berries, gradually darkening.

Cultivation

Irsu is widely used in gardening - they are planted in groups, on the edges, to create hedges, in parks and gardens. It grows in a variety of soils and prefers moist, organic-rich, neutral or slightly acidic soil. Some species (irga flowering and irga ovalleaf) also grow on calcareous soils. When planting, make a full mineral fertilizer. Usually, pruning is not required, only at an early stage of development, so that the plant develops several trunks. Fruits are consumed in fresh, dried form, go for processing.

Irsu is widely used in gardening - they are planted in groups, on the edges, to create hedges, in parks and gardens. It grows in a variety of soils and prefers moist, organic-rich, neutral or slightly acidic soil. Some species (irga flowering and irga ovalleaf) also grow on calcareous soils. When planting, make a full mineral fertilizer. Usually, pruning is not required, only at an early stage of development, so that the plant develops several trunks.

Fruits are consumed in fresh, dried form, go for processing.

Location

Irga is light-loving, suitable for both open sun and partial shade, but in the latter case, the flowering is less bright, and the autumn color of the leaves loses its intensity.

Temperature

This plant is resistant to temperature fluctuations, is characterized by winter hardiness.

Watering

The soil should always be fairly moist. Watering is necessary during the period of drought (often) and young plants immediately after they are planted in the ground. To maintain humidity, it is useful to apply mulching of the soil surface.

Reproduction

Propagate in culture by layering, cuttings, dividing bushes, seeds. Seeds must be stratified. Seedlings are planted singly in pots filled with a mixture of peat and fertile land; a complex mineral fertilizer is added in the amount of 15 g per bucket of soil. Over the course of two to three years, the seedlings are occasionally transferred to larger and larger pots, after which they are finally planted. Layering is propagated in late summer and autumn or early spring, then the seedlings are treated in the same way as the seedlings.

Diseases

On dry or calcareous soils, the irga develops chlorosis, in which case the plants should be treated with iron chelates. Some fungi, such as the genus Nectria, cause blackening, wilting, and then drying of branches, then it is recommended to remove the affected parts. You should not plant an irga in the vicinity of a juniper tree, since the irga is a secondary host (a plant that develops diseases that require two different crops to complete the full life cycle) of juniper rust. Treat this disease with fungicides based on dithiocarbamates.

Acquisition

Plants of the Irga genus are most easily found in horticultural centers offering an expanded range of garden crops, and in specialized nurseries. When buying, make sure that the plants are healthy and well-formed. Make sure that there are no spots on the edges of the leaves.