Kalina Nanum: description, agricultural cultivation

Viburnum vulgaris looks very beautiful, and now there are various decorative forms and varieties of this plant. Among them, dwarf Nanum stands out for its size and interesting shape. It is relevant for small areas, because it takes up little space in the garden.

Kalina Nanum (viburnum opulus nanum), use

The modest size of Viburnum Nanum allows you to use this shrub for landscape design of the site. It looks great on borders and in rockeries, as well as in compositions with taller bushes.

It can be planted to create a low hedge or in solitary landings. Unfortunately, this dwarf form of Viburnum vulgaris does not actually bloom, but if flowering is observed, it is extremely rare. The bush is intended for decorative purposes, and not for harvesting.

Important! Viburnum berries should be collected only after the first frost: it is at this time that the bitterness of the berries passes, the palatability improves.

Selection history

In the wild, viburnum vulgaris is very common throughout the northern hemisphere. This culture has long been grown in gardens or in front of the courtyard. All parts of the plant were used in folk medicine, and the red fruits were used in cooking. Then, European breeders began to pay more and more attention to the bush. They obtained various varieties.

The dwarf form of Nanum was isolated in France in 1841. Now it has begun to spread in our country due to the ever-increasing interest in landscape design.

Grade description

The guelder-rose ordinary Nanum (viburnum opulus nanum) forms a bush with thin numerous shoots no higher than a meter and grows slowly. This densely leafy shrub has a spherical crown shape with a diameter of about 60–80 cm. The green leaves, usually with 3 blades and fine-toothed edges, are small. In autumn, they acquire a red tint.

The young growth at the tops has red-pink tones. Flowering later, rare, with small flowers collected in a thyroid inflorescence . In the middle of these inflorescences, the flowers are small and cream-colored, and larger and whiter at the edges.

Did you know? Among the Slavs, viburnum was a cult plant and it was used during wedding ceremonies. Some nationalities believed that it protects from the evil eye and drives away evil spirits. The berries are small red with a glossy sheen. According to the description of the variety, flowering with the appearance of fruits is rarely observed, and on the Internet you can rarely find a photo of a flowering bush of this dwarf form. The plant is frost-resistant. In severe winters, the upper branches can sometimes freeze slightly.

Landing and care

It is advisable to plant a seedling of viburnum ordinary Nanum in a well-lit place or in partial shade. This plant crop prefers fertile soil with good moisture and neutral acidity.

If the plot of land where you plan to plant Viburnum Nanum has a high pH level, then you should first process it with slaked lime or dolomite flour. Landing is best done in spring or autumn.

They recommend doing this in the following sequence:

• first they dig a hole 0.4 × 0.5 m wide and 0.5 m deep;
• excavated soil is mixed with 1 bucket of peat and humus (compost), and also add 3 tbsp. urea and 250 ml of wood ash;
• at the bottom of the pit make a mound of soil mixture, on which a seedling is carefully placed;
• planting material is covered with nutritious soil, slightly tamping it;
• then a hole is formed around the tree and watering is carried out.

It is desirable to mulch the trunk section: sawdust and peat are well suited. When caring for viburnum Nanum, you need to organize good watering, since this plant crop has a superficial root system and loves moisture. In dry and hot weather, the plant should be watered at least three times a week. Otherwise, the tree is unpretentious in maintenance. Important! When planting viburnum Nanum, the root neck is buried no more than 5-6 cm

It does not require trimming and frequent top dressing. But still it will not be amiss to fertilize the soil and after some time rejuvenate the bushes. Anti-aging pruning is performed 1 time in 6 years. With this procedure, old shoots are removed, leaving 15 strong branches. If necessary, sanitary pruning should also be done and dry and damaged branches should be removed. As fertilizers for this form of viburnum, organics are good - humus, manure, compost . They are recommended to be added to the trunk circle every 2 years.

Pests and diseases

Viburnum has enough pests, and you need to know as much about them as possible to avoid serious troubles.

The most dangerous pests of viburnum are:

1. Viburnum leaf beetle . This is a small bug (6 mm) of brownish color, whose larvae actively eat leaves of viburnum. Females lay with numerous eggs (up to 700 eggs) on the tops of shoots, and in early May, gluttonous larvae appear. Then they pupate and in July beetles appear, which also severely damage the foliage.
   

2. Viburnum aphids . Black aphids no larger than 7 mm in size, sucking the sap from the plant.
   

3. Viburnum leaflet . A bluish or olive caterpillar that eats buds and leaves, entangling them with its web.
   

There are other pests - cap moth and comma scale. Against all these pests in May, treatment is carried out with Karbofos, and in July they are sprayed with Fufanon. As a prophylaxis, before the buds open, the bushes should be sprayed with Nitrafen, and then in May use Karbofos. Did you know? Kalina perfectly tolerates the conditions of megacities and does not suffer from urban smog, increased gas contamination and smoke. In wet weather, viburnum can be affected by fungal diseases (gray rot, phylostictic spotting, powdery mildew). Various spots appear on the infected foliage, plaque with spores, the development and growth of the plant slows down, and the leaves begin to dry and fall off. Copper-based preparations are used to combat these diseases and as preventive measures. The most commonly used Bordeaux mixture.

The form of Viburnum vulgaris Nanum is used to decorate the site, but it rarely blossoms and gives fruit. It is quite unpretentious to growing conditions, it may need protective measures against pests and diseases.