Ledum
Family. Ericaceae.
Where does grow? The plant originates from the Far East.
Description. Ledum is an evergreen shrub with a rounded crown up to 1 m high, blooming from April to June.
The leaves are narrow, dark green, up to 4 cm long, aromatic, smell strongly of hops. The underside of the leaf blade and young shoots have red or white pubescence.
The flowers are small, white, pink or purple. The flowering bush exudes a pleasant aroma.
Height. About 1 m.
Planting and care
When it blooms
April – July.
Reproduction - growing from seeds
Ledum can be planted with seeds sown in February or March. Germination is better for fresh seeds, so if suitable conditions are available, they are sown in the fall, immediately after ripening. They come out quite slowly. You can also propagate the bush with semi-lignified cuttings 5-8 cm long, which take root in July-August.
Transplanting
Young plants as they grow - in the spring, every year, adult plants - once every 2 - 3 years, or simply change the top layer of soil for this flower.
Care, pruning
Prune the tops of young plants to encourage branching. Thin out mature plants to provide more light and improve air circulation. Older plants can be rejuvenated by radical pruning, but it is recommended to remove no more than 1/3 of the branches at a time.
House maintenance - temperature
Tolerates a wide range of temperatures during periods of active growth. In winter, when growing ledum, a cool dormant period at a temperature not exceeding 10° C is desirable.
Diseases and pests
If there is insufficient light, the bushes may become pale, have fewer leaves and stretch out, grow more slowly and bloom less abundantly. Under direct sunlight, the shoots often become weak, and the leaves may get sunburned. Of the harmful insects, ledum can be harmed by spider mites and bedbugs.
Soil
Sandy, loamy or clayey with an acidic pH. Ledum can grow in very acidic soils, peat, sand, tree bark compost or coniferous soil.
Lighting
The shrub can grow in full shade, partial shade, but will be denser in a place with good lighting without direct sun rays.
Fertilizer
Young seedlings need fertilizers containing phosphorus to develop a strong root system. Fertilizers with a high nitrogen content contribute to the growth of green mass, but do not overfeed the bush with nitrogen - flowering will be weaker.
Watering
Prefers moist soil at any time of the year.
Spraying
Home ledum will feel better if it is periodically sprayed.
Purpose
Decorative shoots can be used for cutting - they do not lose freshness at home for a long time, in a vase. However, indoors such plants are placed with caution due to the specific smell. Definitely do not leave a vase with this fragrant plant in the bedroom overnight. When grown in the garden, the bush will add a bright accent to any flower bed or flower garden.
Note
The plant has many medicinal properties. The leaves and young flowering shoots have astringent, diaphoretic, disinfectant, diuretic and laxative effects. In summer, the bush releases toxic essential oils from its leaves into the air; its smell can cause headaches. Often, pickers of marsh berries, such as blueberries, suffer from the flowering of wild rosemary. Symptoms of poisoning include dizziness, headache and loss of coordination.
Varieties:
Ledum palustre
Widespread evergreen shrub up to 1 m high. Stems are erect, abundantly branched. The leaves are narrow, hard, dark green. The surface of the leaves is glossy above and may have pubescence below. When damaged, the leaves and stems emit a pungent odor as they contain large amounts of oils. Ledum resin was used to make incense. The flowers are collected in large fragrant umbrellas.
Rhododendron dauricum
An evergreen shrub native to Eastern Siberia, China and Japan. Plants reach a height of 120 - 250 cm; in frosty climates they can shed leaves. The shoots are thin, abundantly branched, forming a very lush crown. The leaves are oblong, oval, glossy, dark green, 1 to 4 cm long. The lower surface of the leaf blade is often painted in a lighter shade. Often leaves appear after flowering. The flowers are attractive, quite large, reaching a diameter of 5 cm, appearing in few-flowered inflorescences at the tops of the shoots. Shades of petals include lilac, blue, lavender, pink, white.
Ledum groenlandicum
An evergreen shrub up to one and a half meters high with a dense, rounded crown. Young plant stems are often covered with slight pubescence. The leaves are thick, green, narrowly lanceolate, entire, up to 5 cm long, arranged alternately. The lower surface of the leaf blade may be covered with slight pubescence. The flowers are white, numerous, fragrant, collected in small inflorescences on the tops of the shoots.