Gaultheria (Gaultheria) is an evergreen perennial shrub from the Heather family. The plant grows mainly in North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, and is also found in Asian countries. The origin of the name is associated with the name of the founder of the scientists who studied the Canadian flora - the Frenchman Jean-François Gaultier. The flower was named after this famous botanist. Some cultivated plant species are bred as a decorative decoration in garden plots in different countries.
Description of the flower haulteria
The haulteria looks like a short evergreen bush. The shoots are short, the leaves have a glossy surface, painted in a rich green color. During flowering, white-pink inflorescences open, which resemble the shape of lilies of the valley. They form in late May or early June. The flowers are composed of delicate and fragrant petals. After flowering, bright red, white or blue berries ripen in their place. The diameter of the fruits does not exceed 1 cm. The berries, together with the green foliage, create a spectacular contrast, making the bushes look very attractive next to other green neighbors. If you take care of the gault correctly, the flower can grow for a long time in the garden without transplanting.
Growing haulteria from seeds
The seed must be left for 3 months for stratification. The seeds of the haulteria are combined with moist moss and stored in closed glass containers, which are sent to the refrigerator. The storage temperature should be kept within 2-4 degrees. When the seeds are completely stratified, they are evenly sown in peat containers and then kept in a lighted and heated germination room. As a rule, the first green leaves appear after a few weeks. Then the seedlings dive into separate pots and continue to care for them for about 2-3 years in indoor conditions or greenhouses. Only after that is the transplant carried out in open ground.
Planting haulteria in open ground
For planting a haulteria, an open illuminated area or light partial shade is selected. The flower develops best in acidic air-permeable soil with a high peat content without traces of lime. Heavy soil can be diluted with a looser substrate. For example, mix high-moor peat, coniferous litter and coarse sand in a 3: 2: 1 ratio.
The seedlings of the haulteria are placed in pre-dug holes, which should be at a distance of at least 20 cm from each other. The bottom of the holes is covered with broken brick or pebbles, keeping a layer thickness of about 10 cm. It is important to plant the plant in such a way that the root collar looks out of the hole. The soil around the seedling is carefully compacted and watered.
Caring for the garden
Watering
Moderate watering. In order not to burn the leaves, it is carried out only in the evening. The flower of the gault is watered 2 times a month. One bush accounts for about 5 liters of water. If the summer is very dry, the watering is increased.It is recommended to regularly weed the area and loosen the soil, removing weeds around the tree trunk. Mulching bushes with peat or wood chips with a layer of 8-10 cm greatly simplifies the task, since the roots retain moisture for a long time.
Top dressing and fertilizers
Before the shoots begin to grow actively in the spring, they carry out a rejuvenating shearing of the bushes. This stimulates growth and starts the branching process. In addition, old and dried branches, withered leaves are removed. Gaulteria are fed with mineral fertilizers. For each square meter of soil, a mixture of Kemira and Nitroammofoska is added. And already at the beginning of summer, the flower is fed with nitrogen-free complex fertilizers.
Wintering
The plant is left for the winter without additional shelter. However, the roots of the bushes in the first year of life are insulated with a peat layer or covered with dry foliage. If winter is promised without snow, it is better to overlay the gault with spruce branches. With the arrival of spring, the protective layer is removed.
Types and varieties of haulteria
Haulteria hairy - China or the Himalayan mountain ranges are considered the homeland. It is a low-growing gray-green shrub. The shape of the leaves is elongated and ellipsoidal. The height of the shoots can reach up to 10 cm. The flowers look like pink bells, the length of which is no more than 4 mm. The bell heads are down. Flowering ends with the formation of bright blue berries on the branches. In Europe, this type of haulteria began to spread in garden culture more than a hundred years ago.
Ovate gaulteria - found in western North America, where the shrub grows predominantly along the coast. The branches are taller than those of the previous species. The leaf blades are medium in size, the inflorescences are white, the berries are large, painted in a bright red tone. As a cultivated plant, it began to be grown back in 1890.
Gaultery prostrate - also native to North America. A compact shrub with ovoid, rounded leaves. The edges of small leaf blades are serrated. Axillary flowers are arranged singly, the length of the petals does not exceed 5 mm. The color of the fruit is red. The berries are large, their diameter is about 7 mm. On the garden plots, the haultera prostrate appeared in 1830.
Gaultria glandular Is a Japanese representative of the flora that grows in rocky areas or forest edges of coniferous trees. The plant can often be seen on the island of Honshu, Hokkaido and Shikoku. The shoots are tall, the leaf blades are leathery, oval in shape. Inflorescences are arranged singly or collected at the top of the shoots. The bell flowers are white with their heads down. The inner surface of the petals is pink. The bells are 8 mm long. In place of wilted inflorescences, red fruits are formed. There are tiny glands on their shell. Breeders began breeding the species in 1915.
Mikel's Gault - bushes grow in group plantings and are found on the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin. Shoots are erect, no more than 25 cm high. The plant retains foliage throughout the year, has a creeping rhizome. The leaves are strong, they have an expressive green tint. Racemose inflorescences are formed from small flowers. After ripening, the fruits resemble a snowberry. Mikel's haulteria tolerates temperature changes well, the flower shows resistance to severe frosts. However, when growing this species, you can face certain difficulties.
Gaulteria Shallon - the area of growth covers the territory of North America. Here the plant is especially popular in horticultural cultivation. This is one of the tallest representatives of the Heathers. The flower has even shoots, oval leaf blades, which are alternately located on the branch. The length of bright green leaves does not exceed 12 cm. The edges are rounded, the surface is glossy.The flowers bloom in the form of drooping water lilies, painted in a white tone. Small red berries are considered inedible. From the natural environment, Shallon moved to the garden in 1762. The shrub exudes a pleasant aroma during flowering. It is often grown as a ground cover.
Properties of the haulteria
The gaulteria is not only an excellent decoration for any garden, but it is also used for medicinal purposes. The vegetative parts of the plant act as an anti-inflammatory, diuretic, stimulant, resorption, carminative and analgesic agent. Alcoholic infusions are used for back pain and rheumatism. The tissues of the flower contain arbutin, tannins, formaldehyde and organic acids, as well as methyl salicylate - one of the biologically active components.
In folk medicine, decoctions and teas are made from the leaves of the bush, which are recommended to be drunk for headaches. Herbal teas relieve fatigue and treat sore throats. The oil made from young shoots of the gaulteria is added to medicines such as Naftalgin, Kapsin, Sanitas and Saliniment. They are prescribed as a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory when a person experiences severe joint pain. The oil has a warming effect. It is rubbed on the areas of the body where the muscles are most tense and react painfully. Also, the oil is recommended for the treatment of skin inflammation, rheumatism, lumbago and fibrositis. If you fill the room with the fresh aroma of the plant, you can get rid of fatigue, improve your well-being and get a boost of vivacity.
Preparations based on gultheria should not be taken together with aspirin. The plant is contraindicated for use by pregnant women, young children or people who have an individual intolerance to substances in the tissues of the flower. Broths and teas made from flower leaves should not be drunk by women who are breastfeeding. Some of the ingredients in the leaves and roots can cause allergic reactions on the skin. The plant is considered poisonous, for this reason, medications, which include haulteria, should be taken after consulting a doctor, observing a certain dosage.
