Medlar (Eriobotrya) is a subtropical shrub or small tree belonging to the Rosaceae family. There are several types of medlar. The most popular of them are Japanese and German medlar, which belong to the pink family. The homeland for the growth of this unusual plant are countries with a rather warm climate: Crimea, the Caucasus, the southern parts of the United States and Europe.
There is a huge number of plants in the world, the names of which cause surprise and a keen desire not only to see them, but also to grow them at home. Experts make a lot of effort to adapt plants that are accustomed to growing in warm climates to the conditions of our region. If this is not possible, then breeders develop varieties that can be grown in the house. One of these mysterious plants is the medlar.
This amazing plant fell in love with flower growers not only for its beautiful decorative appearance, but also for its delicious fruits. Medlar blooms for a long time with beautiful snow-white flowers, and then pleases with useful fruits of orange or brown color. They can be used to make wonderful jams and jellies. But it is most useful to eat fresh medlar fruits.
Description of the medlar plant
Medlar has another name - eriobotria, or lokva. It is a tree that can reach two or even three meters. It can be grown not only in spacious flower pots at home, but also in winter gardens or greenhouses. As a decoration, Japanese medlar is displayed in shop windows. You can often see this beautiful plant in offices and green areas of various businesses. In addition to the fact that the inflorescences of the medlar bloom for a long time, they also smell nice. The plant blooms at a time when most flowers are resting and not pleasing to the eye with their flowers. Blooming lokva falls in the autumn-winter period from October to January. Even a non-flowering Japanese medlar tree can decorate a room: its leaves are similar to those of a ficus tree.
Bone medlar at home
The Japanese medlar can be easily grown from the seed. In order to grow a lokva on your own, you need to know some of the propagation features of this plant.
- First, the seeds of the medlar must be fresh, best of all recently extracted from the fruit. The seeds separate well and do not need rinsing.
- Secondly, plants grown from seeds retain all the qualities of the mother tree. Therefore, it is worth taking seeds from a healthy medlar with good taste of the fruit.
- Thirdly, it should be remembered that the Japanese medlar begins to bear fruit only in the fourth year. By this time, it turns into a fairly tall tree. For this reason, it is worth choosing a suitable pot and a room with a high ceiling for her. It is best to grow loqua in greenhouses or conservatories.
Caring for Japanese medlar at home
Watering
It is necessary to water the medlar two to three times a week. When the plant is actively growing, you can often. The soil should not dry out.
Water for irrigation should be soft and settled. The water temperature should exceed room temperature by 1-2 degrees.
Air humidity
The humidity in the room where the heat-loving plant grows can be maintained with the help of special air humidifiers. If this is not possible, arrange a shower for the plant. When the medlar grows large, simply spray the leaves with water.
Top dressing and fertilizers
Young plants are fed once a month, and adults - 2-3 times a year.
Transfer
Lokva grows very quickly, so once a year it needs to be transplanted into a large container. It should be carefully, without disturbing the earthen lump, to transplant the plant. The roots of the Japanese medlar are very sensitive and can be damaged, causing the plant to die.
Pruning
Japanese medlar comes in different forms. To form a tree, you need to cut off excess shoots. If you want bush-shaped loquat, you should leave it as it is.
Reproduction of medlar
Seed propagation
Seeds (bones) must be selected large and healthy. They must be fresh. To avoid diseases, the seeds should be kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for about a day.
Pots should be up to 10 cm in diameter. Holes for draining excess water are required. You can make the soil yourself: mix high-moor peat with river sand and leafy soil in a ratio of 1: 1: 2. Or take turf and leafy land 2: 1.
Then it is necessary to water the ground to such a state that the remaining water merges into a saucer through the drainage holes.
Prepared seeds of Japanese medlar are planted to a depth of 3-4 cm, gently pressing them into the soil. A greenhouse effect is required for successful seed germination. The planted seed pots can be covered with plain foil. In the room where the pots are located, the temperature should be at least 20 degrees.
It is important to maintain soil moisture. Daily spraying and airing has a beneficial effect on the germination of plants. But, don't overdo it. Excessive moisture can cause mold.
The emergence of sprouts has to wait a long time. Sometimes they can appear only after two months. Two sprouts emerge from one seed. Throughout this time, it is necessary to maintain the temperature and water balance.
Propagation by cuttings
Vegetative reproduction of the Japanese medlar is quite successful. Cuttings up to 15 cm long are cut from last year's branches. Plant leaves that are large enough should be cut in half. This can be done with scissors or a sharp knife.
In order for the cutting to take root, it must be placed in water. A jar of water should be wrapped in dark paper or thick cloth: the roots can only appear in the dark.
Also, the roots may appear in the cuttings planted in the sand. To do this, you need to make a horizontal cut and dip it in crushed charcoal to avoid decay. The sand should be poured abundantly and covered with foil on top. The temperature should be the same as when grown from seed. Roots will appear in two months. The plant can be transplanted.
The Japanese medlar loves light, loose soils. The same soil is suitable as for planting seeds.
The lokva sprout is planted in a pot with prepared soil and watered. Cover the plant with foil for two weeks. After this time, it is necessary to remove the film and water the young medlar. The earth should be constantly loosened. A small plant must be protected from direct sunlight. Daylight hours should be at least 10 hours. If necessary, the medlar must be provided with artificial light.
Cultivation of German medlar
This type of medlar is slightly different from the lokva. The plant blooms in late May. Inflorescences are white with a pleasant smell. Red-brown fruits appear on the tree in November. They are rounded.In autumn, the leaves turn red, which gives the tree a decorative look.
It is possible to grow German medlar even in temperate climates. It tolerates frost well. The fruits become tasty only when they freeze. They acquire a sweet taste and juiciness.
The tree reaches 8 meters and is suitable for growing in the garden.
Germanic medlar is bred from seeds or vegetatively. Seedlings are grown at home. Fresh seeds are placed in a container with sand. Then they are watered. To accelerate the growth of seeds, the container is alternately placed in cold, then in warmth. The alternation of temperatures continues for three months. After this procedure, the seeds are planted in pots and grown in warm conditions. Then the seedlings are planted in the garden. Vegetative reproduction is carried out in the same way as in the Japanese medlar.
Medlar fruits are very beneficial for health and have a huge number of beneficial properties.
