Ash (Dictamnus), or the burning bush, or wild star anise, or dictamnus, is a perennial flowering plant from the Rutaceae family. Wild species of ash trees deserve special attention of gardeners due to their high resistance to adverse conditions.
Yasenets are common in mid-latitudes, where a temperate climate prevails. We are talking about Western European countries, Russia and the Caucasus. The flower has a powerful root system. In the natural environment, perennial grows in calcareous rocky terrain, mainly in partial shade, which is thrown by nearby shrubs.
A bushy frame is characteristic of the burning bush. The plant develops rapidly and fills the free space around, turning into impassable thickets. The vitality and spectacular appearance of wild star anise attract many gardeners. Therefore, the culture can often be seen in summer cottages.
Ash tree description
Yasenets belongs to the perennial group. Its height reaches up to 1 meter in the wild. The plant got its name due to the specific dark green color of the leaves. The leaf blades are very similar to ash foliage. The popular nickname "burning bush" is also easily explained. The fact is that if you throw ash branches into the fire, the plant actively burns, but never burns to ashes. The secret of the flower's unusual properties lies in the essential oils that are contained in the fruit. As soon as you bring a match close to the shoots, the plant immediately ignites. In addition to the “burning bush”, one can often hear “wild star anise” addressed to the culture, since the flowers and fruits look in the shape of an asterisk, which resemble the seed capsules of an actual star anise.
If the weather is favorable, the ash tree blooms in early summer. The phase lasts until mid-July, then the seeds ripen. The color of the inflorescences is varied. There are bushes with pink, white and burgundy asterisks-flowers. When opened, they exude a pleasant citrus scent that attracts insects from all over the garden. In place of the pollinated buds, fruits are formed.
For a long time, white ash has occupied the first line among popular landscape gardeners. The modern principle of decorating the territory of the garden implies a kind of combination of several types of ash into a common floral arrangement. For these purposes, Caucasian ash, woolly ash, holostolic ash, narrow-leaved ash are chosen.
Growing an ash tree
Wild forms grow without problems on stony substrates. The plant takes root even on lifeless rocky slopes, hide in a crevice or grab a stone. Ash tree cultivars are allowed to be planted in ordinary, poorly fertile soil. A perennial is propagated in standard ways, namely, using seeds, cuttings or division.
Growing from seeds
The seeds collected from the fruits are immediately sown into the soil. Long-term storage of seed material has a bad effect on germination. However, when it is not possible to do operational sowing, it is allowed to postpone the event until next spring or autumn. Only in this case, the seedlings will germinate no earlier than a year later. The flower has a well-developed self-seeding function. If the owners do not want to see thickets of wild star anise on the site, it is necessary to pluck the fruits until the walls open.
For the first few years, the burning bush is grown by the seedling method. The choice of the location of the culture is treated with great care. It is better to prepare a quiet corner for the flower bed, hidden from prying eyes and protected from the wind. The soil is dug up and seeds are poured over the ridge.
Overwintered seedlings thin out with the arrival of spring heat. A distance of at least 20 cm is left between the young, strengthened plants. At the same time, extra bushes are planted, which thicken the planting. After 3 years, the matured bushes are planted in another area, where the flower can grow on a permanent basis. In order to have time to collect seeds, they take into account the climatic features of the region where it is planned to grow the crop. If you miss the moment of ripening, self-seeding of the perennial will occur.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
Wild star anise reproduces through the division of the bush. The optimal time for the event is the period when all vital processes are activated in the flower, namely, spring or summer. To carry out the division, it is recommended to dig the rhizome in cool weather, when the sun is hiding behind clouds.
Wells are pre-prepared. Only one requirement is imposed on them - a distance of at least 50 cm must remain between the bushes. Otherwise, the thickened plantings will interfere with each other. Finish the transplant with abundant watering. Until the split plants fully adapt, they are regularly hydrated. When the root system gets stronger, and the shoots begin to lengthen intensively, the amount of moisture is reduced. Excessive wetting of the substrate threatens the roots with rot infection.
Rhizome division is considered the most common breeding method. Gardeners practically do not encounter problems with flower development. The bushes bloom at a speed and during the first two months of summer they decorate the garden with colorful inflorescences. However, if you do not adhere to the rules of care, delenki risk getting sick or dying.
Sometimes gardeners frame the flowerbed of wild star anise with stones. During the day, the sun's rays heat the surface of the stones, and at night the heat returns to flowers. Experienced breeders are advised to choose a western or southern direction in the garden as a site for cultivation. The flower bed should be well lit by the sun. Slight shading of the ridge is allowed.
Propagation using cuttings
Another alternative way to propagate the ash tree is cuttings. However, the effectiveness of this method leaves much to be desired. Only the cutting that is cut at a certain angle is rooted. In the process of rooting, water is systematically poured into a container with segments. To stimulate the appearance of roots, the cut is moistened with a special tool. Cuttings are harvested in the spring, when the growing season comes. Cuttings are cut with a length of 10-15 cm. Rooting is carried out in mini-greenhouses. Or use a glass jar for these purposes.
Precautions
When contacting with parts of the plant, it is imperative to take care of protective equipment so that drops of juice do not fall on hands and eyes. Inhaling the aroma of inflorescences is quite dangerous for humans. After transplanting or trimming the bushes, the palms and face are immediately washed with water. The sap of ash leaves and shoots leaves redness and burns on the skin, therefore the culture is considered poisonous. Plantings with flowers are placed in a place protected from children and pets.Some gardeners note that after interacting with the leaves or flowers of the described perennial, the temperature rises, weakness and dizziness appear.
Growing an ash tree is not difficult if you follow the advice of gardeners and choose the right time for the procedure. Ultimately, the transplanted bush will decorate the garden with spreading flowering shoots for a long time.
Ash tree care in the open field
Despite the visual appeal, you should be very careful in handling the ash tree. Inexperienced growers often do not even know what potential threat the culture is. The influence of toxic substances contained in the tissues of the plant is felt more strongly during the hours of the sun. Therefore, in hot summer weather, you should not touch the leaves with your bare hands. If burns cannot be avoided, the reddened skin area is washed with water. The wound heals after a few days.
Ash is not pretentious in care. During the first year after sowing, wild star anise, like all decorative perennials, needs regular watering, feeding and good lighting. Full growth of bushes can be achieved if you take care of the composition of the soil and the convenient location of the flower bed in advance.
Lighting
Under natural conditions, the burning bush climbs onto sunny heights (rocks, mountain ranges) or hides on the outskirts of the forest. Bushes easily adapt to live in shaded corners, for example, among thickets of woody vegetation. If possible, it is advisable to choose a bright place for the cultivation of an ash tree on the site, then the perennial will bloom profusely.
The soil
The ash grows stably in a loose substrate that is permeable to moisture. Since the plant prefers poor soil in the wild, the presence of a large number of nutrients in the soil only inhibits the growth of the root system. The flowerbed is systematically loosened to get rid of weeds that create a moisture deficit and shade young crops. Mulching the soil helps to fight weeds. Peat or straw is used as mulch.
Watering mode
The ash tree does not tolerate excess water in the root zone. Therefore, it is important not to overdo it with hydration. In conditions of prolonged drought, watering is organized more often than usual. Young crops especially need water. The seeds need moisture to activate rooting. Adult specimens do not react as sharply to interruptions in watering. The culture is considered drought tolerant. The rhizome stores the required amount of moisture and helps the bushes to survive the dry period.
Fertilization
Top dressing is applied twice during the season, while the inflorescences are kept on the shoots. Florists recommend the use of universal fertilizers that provide the seedlings with a balanced nutrition. An ash can do without additional fertilizers. In poor sandy soil, the root system feels no less comfortable. However, lush flowering in such conditions is not to be expected.
Growing dictamnus in a personal plot is a fairly simple task. The culture does not need shelter for the winter. The bushes are calm about the cold. Diseases and pests are not terrible for the ash tree. Immunity to diseases is due to the presence of toxic toxins in plant materials. Weeding is rarely done. If you take the time to mulch, you don't have to worry about loosening later. Most weeds, like insects, bypass the plant due to the toxic properties of the vegetative parts. The flower is bred mainly for decorative purposes.
Ash in landscape design
Before starting to grow an ash tree, they select the most favorable place in the garden. The main characteristics of the plant are taken into account, namely, the inflorescences have a pronounced aroma, the leaves and branches are poisonous.It is recommended to set a flower bed away from benches, walkways, recreation areas where children and pets like to run. This aromatic shrub is more advisable to knead in the depths of the garden, where it will look even more attractive.
Gardeners plant ash trees to accomplish the following tasks:
- diversify the flower arrangement;
- transform flat flower beds;
- with a competent combination of late and early varieties, you can achieve relay flowering;
- revive an inconspicuous corner in the garden;
- add colors to the landscape park;
- arrange an alpine slide, rockeries;
- decorate the plot in country style and add a touch of "romance".
This decorative flower looks appropriate next to juniper, krasodnev, kachim, geyher and iris. Also, wild star anise is suitable for single planting.
Bushes are rarely transplanted. In the same place, the culture is able to grow for ten years. When cut, the stalks remain fresh for about 4 days.
Useful properties of ash
Healing properties are inherent in the roots of the ash tree. Harvesting of roots is done in early spring or with the onset of the first cold weather in the fall. The rhizome is removed from the soil, shaken off the adhering earth and washed under water. Then they are laid out in the sun to evaporate the moisture. The dried rhizome is cut into strips with a secateurs, which are poured onto paper or a baking sheet. Before handling the plant, put on gloves and cover the bare skin. Raw materials are sent to dry in the oven, or left to dry in a dark place. For storage of finished raw materials, paper bags are used. They are marked so as not to forget about the poisonousness of the flower.
The foliage and shoots of the ash tree have medicinal properties. The tissues contain many essential oils and other beneficial elements. Ground organs are harvested in summer. Dry in the same way as the roots.
On the basis of the plant components of the burning bush, various ointments, infusions and decoctions are made.
Ointment recipe
The dried roots are crushed, petroleum jelly is added in a ratio of 1:20. The mixture is kept for 24 hours, after which it is stored in the refrigerator.
Infusion recipe
At 1 st. vodka take 1 tsp. dry powder from the roots. The components are thoroughly mixed and poured into a bottle. They insist on the drug for a couple of weeks in a closed cabinet. Drink 40 drops 30 minutes before meals, having previously filtered.
Preparations from dictamnus are used only in consultation with a doctor. They effectively help in the treatment of diseases associated with the genitourinary system, gastritis, sciatica, eczema, mastopathy, cervical erosion. The hoods are used as sedatives. The plant is widely known among representatives of non-traditional methods of treatment.
