Almost everyone knows the tonic tincture of lemongrass, which is sold in pharmacies. Not everyone knows what kind of plant this is, what it looks like, how it grows and how it blooms, but it is a beautiful climbing shrub that can decorate the space near the house. In addition, you can eat lemongrass 2-3 berries a day if there are no contraindications. Schisandra chinensis is not a tree or a herb, but a shrubby vine that requires any support.
Schisandra blooms
3. Medicinal properties and contraindications
Similar to ginseng, lemongrass has many beneficial properties - its fruits are widely used in food. The Chinese were the first to notice the healing properties of plants and began to use it for medicinal purposes already in the 5th century AD.
Schisandra berries have a rich content - they contain organic acids such as citric, succinic, malic, tartaric, as well as pectin and vitamins P and C, tannins.
The leaves, shoots, and bark of plants are rich in essential oils, and special substances are found in the berries - phytohormones that can tone the body and withstand quite strong physical exertion. It was not for nothing that the fruits of lemongrass were eaten by Siberian hunters, and during the Great Patriotic War the fruits were mandatory in the diet of military pilots.
The plant is used to increase resistance to disease and stress, increase physical performance and endurance, prevent premature aging and increase life expectancy, normalize blood sugar and blood pressure, and improve immunity.
The effectiveness of herbal preparations based on schisandra has been proven in reducing cholesterol levels and treating diseases of the upper respiratory tract. With the help of this plant, they eliminate sleep problems (insomnia), relieve fatigue and irritability, and improve the condition of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. Schisandra seeds can regulate the acidity of gastric juice.
It is believed that plants have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, and also prevent the development of cancerous tumors and help remove toxins from the body.
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Schisandra berries contain a large amount of antioxidants and can stabilize cardiac activity and improve visual acuity, especially at night. Schizandra is also used for weight loss - by stabilizing metabolic processes in the body, it gives people strength and energy, forcing them to move more.
The seeds in the round red berries have the highest concentration of useful substances - they are collected in the fall, after full ripening. You should not take medicinal seeds uncontrollably - if the dosage is exceeded, symptoms such as nausea and vomiting are observed.
Contraindications include individual intolerance to the plant and possible allergic reactions. Schisandra should not be used during lactation or for treating children under 12 years of age. Also, contraindications to the use of plants may be increased acidity of gastric juice, sleep disturbance and increased excitability, increased arterial and intracranial pressure, and epilepsy.
It is not recommended to use it uncontrollably or exceed the dosage, since a large amount of consumed berries or lemongrass leaves can cause insomnia and headaches. It is better to take medications with this plant in the first half of the day.
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3.1.Collecting and preparing lemongrass
The collection time will depend on what kind of raw material will be used as a medicinal product. The highest concentration of useful substances in the bark is observed in early spring - it is at this time that it is worth collecting.
The leaves are collected young, when they have just reached their adult size, the berries are collected in September, after turning red and ripening. Checking the ripeness of the berries is very simple - with the slightest tap on the hand, they are easily separated from the stalks and fall off.
Drying different parts of plants should also take place differently. The berries are scattered on a hard surface and left in a warm place without direct sun to dry. Complete drying should take place in an oven or a special dryer at a temperature of about 40 degrees. Instead of drying, the berries can be frozen or mixed with granulated sugar.
Shoots and foxtails can be tied into small bunches and hung upside down, out of direct sunlight. After complete drying, the raw materials are collected in paper bags and stored in a cool and dry place.
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What are the benefits of Chinese lemongrass?
Coming from the Far East, Schisandra chinensis takes its rightful place among medicinal plants. It improves the functioning of the nervous, circulatory and digestive systems, strengthens smooth and skeletal muscles, improves vision and increases endurance. Its beneficial properties are simply countless.
It is no coincidence that Siberian hunters always take dried lemongrass berries with them to the taiga. Research conducted by Soviet scientists during the Second World War confirmed the medicinal properties of the plant. Medicines based on it were used in hospitals, and a tincture of the berries was given to pilots before flights to improve visual acuity.
Schisandra berries contain most of the vitamins, macro- and microelements necessary for humans, and it is no coincidence that herbal tea made from its leaves with the aroma and taste of lemon is considered one of the best.
Schisandra is also used in dermatology and cosmetology. They treat vasculitis, psoriasis, baldness, dermatosis and vitiligo, and are included in skin tonics. Masks with lemongrass juice and pulp refresh and whiten it.
And, of course, all kinds of jams, jelly, drinks, filling for sweets are prepared from lemongrass berries, and the juice is even used in winemaking.
4. Planting and care
Growing lemongrass does not cause much trouble, but it is important to immediately choose a suitable location for the flower. The area should be illuminated by the morning sun and at the same time be in light shade during the daytime.
This vine does not like flooded lowlands or areas from which rain and melt moisture does not drain for a long time; areas with shallow groundwater are also not suitable. You should not plant the flower in places blown by strong winds, where there is often a cold draft.
4.1.When and how to plant lemongrass
Planting of seedlings in open ground is carried out in mid-May - it is at this time that the threat of the last night frosts in the central zone becomes minimal, and the soil warms up to the required 10º C. It is better to plant in the ground on a cool and cloudy day, and if the weather is warm, then can be postponed until the evening.
Plants 2-3 years old and 12-15 cm high are suitable for planting. For planting, it is worth choosing bushes with dormant growth buds - as soon as they wake up, the plant will take a long time to take root.
The area for the vine is carefully dug up using a spade and a week before planting, planting holes are prepared, the depth and width of which should exceed the root ball of the lemongrass bushes - approximately 50 - 60 cm. About 100 cm is left between the holes.
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At the bottom of the planting holes, a drainage layer is made of crushed stone, river pebbles or coarse expanded clay. The free space in the holes is filled with a soil mixture, into which turf and leaf humus, wood ash and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are additionally mixed. After 1 - 2 weeks, the soil in the holes will settle and you can start planting the bushes.
The day before planting, water the plants very generously, completely soaking the soil in the pots. The seedlings are moved by transshipment, keeping the bark ball intact and placing it in the planting holes along with it. This method of transplantation allows the plant to quickly adapt to a new place and begin to grow.
If you purchased a seedling with an open root system, then you should make sure that such a plant has three root shoots at least 20 cm long.
If there are rotten or diseased sections, they are removed using pruning shears, roots that are too long are shortened to 22 - 25 cm. In order for the root system to be saturated with moisture, the day before planting, the plants are soaked in warm water with the addition of potassium permanganate and preparations such as Epin and Zircon.
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After soaking, the root system is dipped into a clay mash with the addition of well-rotted manure and air-dried for 2 hours.
At the bottom of the planting holes, a little soil is poured onto the drainage layer in the form of a mound and a seedling is placed on it with the roots straightened and directed downwards. Next, the bushes are sprinkled with soil and compacted well.
After planting, the flower should be at the same depth as in the container, and the root collar should be flush with the soil level or 2-3 cm above it.
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The planted vine is watered abundantly with warm water and the shoots are cut off, leaving only 2 - 3 growth buds. The leaf blades are removed completely or also trimmed, leaving only 1/3 of the length.
The bases of the plant are mulched with mowed grass, straw, rotted humus or sawdust. Mulch will protect lemongrass from weeds and help conserve moisture after watering.
In the first 7 - 10 days, the bushes are protected from direct sunlight and watered abundantly, keeping the soil evenly moist, but not swampy.
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4.2.Soil
Schisandra loves nutrient-rich substrates that easily allow moisture to pass through and allow the root system to receive oxygen. If the soil at the planting site does not meet these requirements, it can be easily corrected.
To improve the structure and drainage capacity, river sand is mixed into dense clay soils. In order for the plants to receive a sufficient amount of nutrients, the soil is enriched with well-rotted manure or humus.
A slightly acidic soil pH in the range of 5.5 to 6.5 is preferred.
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4.3.Support
This vine is grown only on a support - without it, the plants will remain small and will hardly exceed 80 - 100 cm in height. Such specimens will not bear fruit. Using lemongrass you can decorate gazebos and walls of buildings.
To grow vines, temporary structures can be provided - vertical supports, trellises. 2 lemongrass bushes, planted on different sides of a decorative arch located above the garden path, will look extremely decorative.
Flexible shoots can be secured using construction ties or special garden plastic clamps painted green. Tall shoots of lemongrass can also be simply thrown over the garden fence.
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It is best to build a support for lemongrass, similar to a trellis for grapes - take pillars about 3 m high and dig them into the ground at the same distance from each other.
A thick metal wire is stretched between the pillars so that its lower level is 50 - 60 cm above the surface of the substrate, the second at a height of about 150 cm, and the third about another meter higher.
As the vine grows, it is directed accordingly along the lowest wire, then along the middle and then along the highest.
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4.4.Water and fertilize
Young and newly planted plants will need regular and abundant watering. With age, lemongrass will better tolerate minor droughts, but during the period of formation of leaves and buds, watering should not be neglected. As the berries fade and form, the frequency of watering can be reduced slightly.
Watering is carried out early in the morning or in the evening - before sunset. At this time, water can go deep into the ground. When watering during the daytime, water evaporates too quickly from the soil surface, and if it gets on the leaves, it can even cause sunburn.
Since the vine develops a fairly large root system, each plant will need about 50 - 60 liters to be completely saturated with moisture. Schizandra does not like watering with cold water - it is better to use warm and well-settled water.
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Schisandra does not like intense heat, and abundant watering and spraying of the leaves, carried out in the morning or evening, can help the plants survive this time.
For abundant flowering and fruiting, plants will need timely fertilizing, which is carried out 2-3 times per season.
The first fertilizing after planting can be done only after 2 years - during this time the plants will have enough nutrition that was placed in the planting hole.
As the first spring feeding, you can use well-rotted organic matter or mineral compounds rich in nitrogen. Nitrogen will help the vine grow leaves faster. With the appearance of the first buds, it is worth switching to potassium-phosphorus fertilizers - elements that contribute to the formation of a large number of buds.
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As organic matter, plants are watered with a weak solution of chicken droppings, slurry from well-rotted horse or cow manure, and wood ash and coal are also added.
The third fertilizing is carried out mainly when growing in fairly poor soil - it is done after ripening and harvesting of the fruits using potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. After any feeding, the plants are watered with plenty of water.
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4.5. Care in autumn, wintering
Schisandra has enviable frost resistance and, when grown in the garden without shelter, can withstand frosts down to -20 - 30 degrees Celsius. The most common species in the Middle Zone is Schisandra chinensis.
The greatest danger to adult plants can only be posed by night frosts in spring, when young leaves appear on the shoots.
For young vines less than 4-5 years old, it is worth providing additional shelter for the winter. To do this, the plants are watered very generously with warm water, adding up to 80 liters under each bush, then removed from the support and the long shoots are laid on the ground.
The root system is hilled up, raising the soil high, and the vine is sprinkled with dry fallen leaves or spruce branches on top. As soon as snow falls, it is also sprinkled on the vine.
The shelter is removed in the spring, when the snow has completely melted and the temperature at night will exceed zero.
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4.6.Transplant
It is not recommended to replant adult plants - they react negatively to damage to the root system and suffer for a long time if they lose too much moisture during the replanting process.
It is also worth choosing the right time - during the period of flowering and fruiting, all the forces of the plants are spent on this process, so it is worth replanting the vine in early spring, before the formation of buds.
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In case of emergency, transplantation is carried out in cloudy, or better yet, rainy weather. Pre-prepare the planting holes and water them thoroughly.
The bushes are dug up together with a lump of earth and placed on a small piece of plastic film - this way you can carefully move the schizandra to a new place along with the earthen lump. Plants are planted in holes, then watered abundantly and the bases of the vines are mulched.
In the first 7 - 10 days after transplantation, protect from direct sunlight, and water abundantly and regularly during the first month. Overdrying of the soil during this period can threaten the plants with death.
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4.7.Pruning and formation of lemongrass
Formative pruning of male plants is carried out immediately after flowering, female plants - after the fruits have fully ripened. A sanitary haircut can be done at any time, as needed.
Most often, during sanitary pruning, shoots that have frozen over the winter are removed and this is done in early spring.
In the first 2 - 3 years, plants are allowed to take root and develop freely, cutting off only weak and dead shoots. The growth of the above-ground part during this period occurs quite slowly - the main forces of the plants are devoted to the formation of the root system.
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At the age of 4 - 6 years, the first formative pruning is carried out. From 3 to 6 stems are left for each bush, and the rest are cut off at soil level - this trimming is carried out after the leaves have completely fallen off in the autumn months.
Using a sharply sharpened and sterile garden tool - a knife or pruning shears - they shorten shoots that are too long, often leaving only 10 - 12 buds at the base. It will be possible to adjust the growth again in the first half of summer.
Unlike many other plants, Schisandra actively flows sap during the winter months and should not be touched at this time - after winter pruning, the plants may die.
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If necessary, also trim the root shoots. An exception to this rule is the period of plant rejuvenation - when the old skeletal shoot should be replaced with a young one, which is left in the root shoots. Branches that have been forming fruits for 3 years in a row must be completely removed - they are replaced with young shoots.
Without pruning, plants become too bushy and straggly, are often susceptible to fungal diseases and produce less fruit.
When the vine is over 15 - 18 years old, it is worth carrying out a radical rejuvenating pruning, leaving only 4 - 5 shoots entering the fruiting phase, and cutting the rest to the ground.
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Aftercare
To obtain a harvest of berries with healing properties, it is important to properly care for the plant. It doesn’t take much time, but you shouldn’t forget about watering, weeding and pruning.
Moistening and loosening
After each watering or rain, you need to loosen the soil around the main trunk. As soon as weeds appear, they are immediately removed.
Young shoots are sprayed in the evening. To avoid moisture deficiency, the circle around the trunk should be covered with mulch on a permanent basis.
On a note! You should not carry out deep loosening, otherwise you can damage the roots located close to the surface.
Top dressing
In the first 2 years of life, the plant develops due to fertilizers added to the pit. Additional microelements need to be added starting from the third year after planting.
Once a month the following composition is applied to the root:
- 10 liters of water;
- 1 kg mullein;
- 0.5 kg of chicken manure.
The procedure is performed during the warm period – from April to October. After the leaves fall from the tree, the feeding mixture is changed. In October, a solution is poured under the bush at a time: 5 liters of water mixed with 100 g of wood ash and 20 g of superphosphate.
During flowering, add additional fertilizer. Nitrophoska is used at the rate of 50 g per m2. Afterwards, water it abundantly with settled water.
Trimming
You can start pruning vines from the third year of the plant’s life. At this time, the root system begins to vigorously produce new shoots. Not only decorativeness, but also further fruiting depends on the correct formation of the culture.
In spring, formative pruning is performed. 5-6 large healthy branches are left near the root, and the remaining shoots are cut out at ground level.
Sanitary pruning is carried out in the fall, after the end of the growing season and the falling of leaves. Find and remove weak, diseased and dried vines that have formed over the season. Those vines that have bear fruit in the last 3-4 years are not abandoned either - the procedure is necessary so that new cuttings receive sufficient nutrition and produce a good harvest.
Summer pruning is allowed only when you need to get a lot of young shoots. Experts advise leaving about 12-15 buds from the edge of the vine. Root shoots should also be removed annually. Young offspring take too many nutrients from the mother bush, but in return they will not produce as much yield as the main plant.
Periodically, the skeleton of Far Eastern Schisandra should be updated
Many-year-old vines are cut off at the very root, and instead they are given a chance to live to new offspring of the crop.
5.Home care
Schisandra can be grown not only in the garden, but also at home. Plants are installed on a southeast or southwest windowsill. If the vine is large in size, then it is grown in a floor pot, in close proximity to the window.
Every 2 weeks, the pot is rotated around its own axis a quarter turn so that the vine does not stretch towards the light source and develops evenly.
Pruning and shaping are carried out more radically, maintaining a compact shape and removing old and diseased shoots.
Water the plants with water at room temperature until the soil is completely soaked. After watering, excess moisture is immediately removed from the pan.
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Plants prefer to be in well-ventilated areas without cold drafts. There should be sufficient air movement in the rooms at all times.
In the warm season, pots with lemongrass are taken out into the fresh air - into the garden, placed under the shade of trees or on the balcony. You should not immediately change the location of the flower - the plants are accustomed to any changes gradually, over the course of a week.
Since a flower in a pot has a limited feeding area, for proper development and flowering it will need regular feeding, which is carried out from spring to autumn. Fertilizers are applied to moist soil immediately after watering.
The main difficulty in growing lemongrass is the cool dormant period. In autumn, after leaf fall, the frequency of watering is reduced so that the vine is in a barely moist substrate.
The air temperature is gradually lowered over the course of a week to 4 - 6 degrees Celsius - you can send the plants to the basement or take them out to an unheated balcony.
In the spring, with the first signs of new growth, the flower is taken out of the basement and brought into a warm room, the pot is placed in a bright place.
As with growing outdoors, plants must be provided with support.
Transplantation into new soil is carried out every spring. For young bushes, gradually increase the size of the pot when transplanting. For adult tub plants, the transplanting of which is difficult due to their size, it is enough to replace the top layer of soil 5-7 cm thick in the spring with a fresh soil mixture.
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Varieties
Breeders have developed many varieties, but only two are the most popular. The first of them has a non-trivial name - Firstborn. This is an unpretentious and frost-resistant plant with pink flowers growing in the form of brushes. One brush can contain up to 40 berries. The firstborn is raised in central Russia and the Moscow region. Sadovoy has approximately the same habitat. This variety is characterized by shiny and greenish leaves. Its fruits are very juicy and sour.
6.Reproduction
There are many ways to propagate Schisandra - this includes growing from seeds and vegetative propagation using air layering, stem cuttings, and root suckers.
6.1.Growing from seeds
Schisandra is quite easy to grow from seeds, which you can collect yourself from fully ripened berries. The berries are crushed by hand and the seeds are washed from the remaining pulp with running water.
The washed planting material is laid out on sheets of paper in a warm and ventilated room to dry. After complete drying, the seeds are collected in paper bags or fabric bags stored in a dry, cool place and used throughout the year. After this period, seed germination will decrease.
Before sowing, the seeds are soaked overnight in warm water, and stimulating drugs - for example Zircon or Epin - can be added to the water 1 - 2 hours before sowing.
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The outer hard shell of the seeds can be scarified - gently scratched with sandpaper, being careful not to damage the internal contents.
Instead of scarification, you can carry out cold treatment - stratification. For this period, 2 months before sowing, the seeds are placed in bags with slightly damp peat in the vegetable compartment in the refrigerator. After a period of stratification, the surface of the seeds may even crack.
Sowing is carried out at the end of winter - beginning of spring, in small separate pots with drainage holes, placing 2 - 3 seeds in each.
Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pots and filled with slightly moist, crumbly and nutritious substrate with the addition of river sand. The seeds are sown and covered with a layer of soil 5-10 mm thick. and thoroughly moisten the soil surface with a spray bottle.
To maintain high air humidity, pots with seedlings can be covered with plastic wrap or covered with transparent plastic. Place such pots in a warm and well-lit place, but small sprouts should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
The shelter is raised every day, ventilating the plants and wiping off accumulated water condensation. The ventilation time is increased daily, and with the appearance of the first shoots (within 2 - 2.5 weeks) the shelter is completely removed.
The last shoots may appear even 2 - 2.5 months after sowing. During the first month, maintain uniform soil moisture using a spray bottle, and after 2-3 waterings, add a few grains of potassium permanganate to the water.
If all the plants in the pot have sprouted, then get rid of weak shoots by pulling them out with tweezers and leaving only 1 bush per pot. As the vine grows and develops, larger containers are selected, transferring small plants by transshipment.
After each transshipment, 7-10 days later, the vines are fed with nitrogen fertilizers in a very low concentration. Within 1 year, the bushes add only 5 - 6 cm in height.
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Such plants are planted in open ground only 2 years after sowing the seeds, and the first buds and berries should be expected when the vine is 3-4 years old.
Sowing in open ground is carried out before winter - in mid-autumn. When sowing in autumn, the seeds will undergo cold stratification under natural conditions, and this will help to increase seed germination. The first shoots may appear in the spring.
Before planting home seedlings in the garden, they are hardened by leaving them outside during the daytime and gradually increasing the duration of such time over 2 weeks.
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6.2.Cuttings
Cuttings are carried out using both stem and root cuttings. Stem cuttings are taken in early summer using young shoots. The length of the cuttings can reach 10 - 12 cm and have 2 - 3 internodes.
The leaf blades of cuttings are shortened by half their length to reduce moisture loss. The bases of the cuttings are immersed in rooting powder, and then 1–2 cm deep in well-moistened soil or wet river sand.
The cuttings are covered with a transparent film on top, creating greenhouse conditions and placed in a warm, well-lit place, but inaccessible to direct sunlight.
After 2 - 3 weeks, if these agricultural techniques are followed, it will be possible to observe the appearance of the first young leaves - and this, in turn, indicates that the first roots have appeared under the surface of the earth.
When transplanting, you can separate the lateral shoot from the root system, cut it into cuttings about 10 cm long, and in each such part there should be 2 - 3 renewal buds.
The wound surface is treated with charcoal powder or wood ash for disinfection and drying. The rhizomes are soaked in dissolved rooting powder for several hours.
Planting is carried out in open ground, sprinkled with a layer of soil about 3 cm thick on top and watered abundantly.
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6.3.Formation of air layers
In early spring, as soon as the snow melts on the site, shallow grooves are dug near the lemongrass bushes and 2-3 year old, non-lignified lateral shoots located closer to the ground are placed in them.
Air layering is pinned to the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a layer of earth 10 - 15 cm thick. The soil in this place is kept evenly moist throughout the summer. The tip of the shoot must remain above the soil surface for photosynthesis. After 2 - 3 months, you will be able to observe how young shoots appear from underground.
With this method of rooting, several bushes can be formed from one layer at once, because the root system is formed in each buried leaf node.
You shouldn’t be greedy and dig up the entire length of the shoot - it’s worth remembering that the more leaf nodes are buried, the slower the formation of new plants will occur.
It will be possible to completely separate such cuttings from the mother plant only after 2 - 3 years.
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6.4.Separation of root shoots
Basal shoots are daughter plants that form on the root system of the mother adult bush - on a side branch located close to the soil surface.
In the first half of summer, such shoots are separated with a shovel, the wounds are treated with wood ash and immediately planted in a new, permanent place. As with transplantation, the offspring are watered abundantly and protected from direct sun.
Botanical description
The plant is a climbing deciduous vine up to 15 m long with a trunk up to 2.5 cm in diameter and shoots covered with brown-brown bark, flaky on old ones, and shiny and smooth on young ones. Both the shoots and leaves of lemongrass have a characteristic citrus aroma, from which the plant gets its name.
The leaves of Schisandra are dense, obovate or elliptical, with a wedge-shaped base and a few and indistinct teeth along the edges. The leaves are connected to the shoots by pink or red petioles up to 3 cm long. In spring and summer, the upper part of the leaf blade is light green, shiny, bare, and the lower part is bluish, with pubescence along the veins. In autumn, the leaves of Schisandra chinensis turn yellow-orange and ocher-yellow.
Growing lemongrass: planting and care in open ground
Fragrant, waxy white dioecious flowers up to 2 cm in diameter on drooping pedicels are located in groups of 3-5 in the leaf axils. The aggregate racemose fruit, up to 10 cm long, consists of edible spherical two-seeded berries of red color and sour taste. The berries of Chinese lemongrass also have a characteristic smell of the plant. The kidney-shaped seeds of Schisandra chinensis remain viable only until spring.
- Follow the rules for pruning and shaping remontant raspberries to get a harvest twice every year!
7. Diseases and pests
Plant diseases may suffer from leaf spot, phyllostictosis, ramularia, and ascochyta blight. With high air humidity, low air temperature and insufficient movement, powdery mildew may appear. High humidity also contributes to the occurrence of fusarium.
Among the harmful insects, slugs and snails can attack plants.
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Contraindications
The list of contraindications for lemongrass is small, but you should pay close attention to them. If you are very overexcited, it is not recommended to eat berries, as they help tonify the nervous system. It is prohibited to consume lemongrass in any form if a person has chronic diseases, including those of the cardiovascular system. Berries may not help with insomnia or epilepsy. On the contrary, the substances in them can only harm the body. The fruits are contraindicated for pregnant women and nursing mothers. Schisandra contains a fairly large number of allergens, so it is recommended to consult a doctor before including it in your diet.
8.Types and varieties of lemongrass:
8.1.Chinese or Far Eastern lemongrass - Schisandra chinensis
The most common species in Russian gardens, which is distinguished by excellent healing properties, high frost resistance and unpretentiousness. Dioecious perennial vines with shoots up to 10 m long. Modern breeders have developed self-fertile varieties based on this species, which form berries regardless of pollination.
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Use in landscape design
Perennial is quite common in landscape design. Green vines and a pleasant aroma will decorate any garden or area near buildings. Schisandra is easy to care for and retains its beauty until frost. It is most often chosen to add variety to boring hedges or fences. After all, the plant easily entwines the support, making it alive and unusual.
Did you know? Schisandra improves the functioning of the male reproductive system.
In spring, the shrub saves from the heat and pleases the eye with its flowering. And in the fall it complements the surroundings with red berries. You can combine the vine with any plants. It can be placed near dry trees and old buildings. It will perfectly hide the unpresentable appearance of your garden plot.
Chinese lemongrass is suitable for landscaping:
- buildings;
- facades;
- arches;
- gazebos
Appearance
First of all, it’s worth talking about the appearance. It is quite unusual: most of all the plant resembles a liana. Moreover, in warmer climates its length can reach ten or even fifteen meters! True, in the harsh Moscow region with relatively short summers and cold winters, the plant rarely exceeds four meters. The thickness of the stem is small (about two centimeters). The bark is wrinkled and dark brown. The vine wraps around almost any suitable object: from a tree growing nearby to a long cord or stake.
The leaves are large, about three to five wide, and up to ten centimeters long.
The flowers are not too large, about one and a half centimeters in diameter, and have a pronounced aroma. The color is predominantly white, but towards the end of flowering they turn pink. Collected in fairly large inflorescences.
After the flowering season ends, they turn into small berries that turn deep red as they ripen. They taste bitterish-burning with a pronounced taste of spice.
Planting lemongrass
Now we move on to planting Schisandra chinensis and caring for it. The photos of the plant attached to the article will allow you to get a more holistic picture of it.
When the place has already been chosen, it is also worth deciding on the appropriate time. Experts recommend planting it after the threat of night frosts has passed - in the middle or end of May. However, if for some reason time was missed, then lemongrass can be planted in early to mid-June. Yes, it may not be possible to get a rich harvest this year. But the plant will grow, take root, and next season you will be able to collect a lot of valuable berries.
But there is no point in planting it later than mid-June. There is a high probability that the lemongrass will not have time to strengthen well before the first autumn frosts and will simply die. It is better to postpone planting until next year.
The landing itself does not cause any particular problems. First you need to prepare the ground. To do this, a hole is dug about 40 centimeters deep and up to 50 in diameter. The bottom is filled with broken bricks or stones (this will be drainage). A layer of 10-15 centimeters is quite enough. The rest of the volume is filled with a mixture of humus, turf soil and compost in equal parts. The abundance of nutrients ensures that the plant quickly takes root and receives everything it needs for successful development.
All that remains is to plant the cuttings or seeds. If you plan to plant several plants in a row, then make sure that the distance between them is at least 40-50 centimeters, otherwise they will interfere with each other. Also make sure that there is a suitable support nearby, it is best if it is an ordinary well-tensioned cord. But a strong tree will also do, the trunk of which will be tightly covered with Chinese lemongrass with its vines.
Don't forget about watering and fertilizers
Chinese lemongrass, which is native to the Far East, is accustomed to high humidity. Therefore, it does not tolerate drought well. Particularly affected are young plants that have not had time to acquire a powerful root system capable of extracting moisture from great depths even on hot summer days.
Therefore, it is advisable to water at least once a week. Moreover, you need to moisten the soil abundantly: two or three buckets per plant on sandy soils (on black soil or clay, the amount of water can be reduced). Of course, if the soil is already wet due to the proximity of groundwater or regular rains, then watering should be abandoned: excess moisture will cause the roots to rot and the plant will die.
We must not forget about feeding. Already in the second or third year it is worth using saltpeter. About 30 grams is scattered on the ground around the trunk. A layer of mulch is laid on top; hay, grass, sawdust or regular pine needles are suitable. Thanks to this, when watering, the saltpeter will gradually dissolve and be evenly distributed in the soil, providing long-term nutrition to the plant.
In the summer, it is advisable to use liquid organic fertilizer every month. Green slurry or cow dung dissolved in water in the proportion of a kilogram per ten liters of water will do.
After dropping the leaves in the fall, it is worth adding 100 grams of wood ash under each plant, and then thoroughly loosen the soil. It would also be a good idea to add 20 grams of superphosphate per plant.
How does lemongrass affect blood pressure?
Many people fall into the category of hypertensives. When wondering whether Schisandra increases or decreases blood pressure, you can determine how suitable its properties are for a particular person. Among the beneficial properties of the “second eleutherococcus” is blood pressure stabilization. But opinions on this matter are contradictory.
In herbal books, traditional healers mention the ability of the Far Eastern plant to equalize pressure: if necessary, increase or decrease it by dilating or constricting blood vessels. Some healers believe that berries increase this indicator, and seeds reduce it.
But official medicine answers this question unequivocally. The instructions for medications that contain the Far Eastern adaptogen plant say that it increases blood pressure. He is a useful “healer” for people with asthenic syndrome who experience a loss of strength. This is possible after a severe injury, with large blood losses, or after operations. The pressure also drops for other reasons, as indicated in the patient’s medical history.
The largest amount of tonic and beneficial substances is contained in the fruits of the Far Eastern Schisandra. The remaining vegetative parts of the plant (leaves, bark, stems) have a milder effect due to the reduced concentration of some components.
Trimming
The first pruning is done when the tree is 2-3 years old. By this time, the development of the root system is almost complete, and the active growth of the above-ground part of the plant is just beginning. For development, 3-6 of the strongest stems are selected, the rest are cut off just above the base. The procedure is carried out during leaf fall, but if part of the vine is very neglected, you can trim it in June-July.
Under no circumstances should stems be cut in winter or spring. During this period, active sap flow occurs, so there is a considerable risk of the bush dying from drought.
Small or damaged parts of the tree should be trimmed regularly. They will require large amounts of nutrients to grow or recover, so healthy stems and leaves may not receive enough.
Why doesn't lemongrass bear fruit?
The plant, as we have already noted, is quite capricious. There are several reasons why lemongrass does not bear fruit:
- Too dense shade interferes with the development of vines;
- A large number of shoots does not allow the plant to gain height. As a result, it remains stunted and produces little fruit. This is why you need to trim the bush regularly;
- Very often the problem is lack of pollination. Schisandra is pollinated by pollen beetles. Sometimes they are unable to cope with the task, especially when the cold season sets in or it starts to rain often.
Liana diseases
Chinese lemongrass is resistant to disease, provided that the planting material is properly cared for and healthy. Otherwise, the possibility of such diseases cannot be excluded:
- Spotting. Brown spots appear on the leaves and the same edge along the edge, sometimes black dots on the back side. The leaves fall off (they should be burned immediately to prevent the infection from spreading to healthy branches). Treatment: the vine is sprayed with Bordeaux mixture (1%).
- Powdery mildew. Appears when infested with mealybugs. This usually occurs against the background of strong soil moisture. Due to an insect attack, the leaves become covered with a coating resembling flour and black dots, after which they fall off. Powdery mildew infection causes shoot death. Treatment: treat the plant with ground sulfur and soda ash until the pest disappears.
- Fusarium . This is a fungal infection that usually affects young growth. As a rule, we are talking about low-quality planting material. Characteristic manifestations include rot on the rhizome, root collar, darkening and depletion of stems, yellowing of the edges of leaves and their falling off. The liana withers and dies. Treatment: affected shoots are removed, healthy shoots are sprayed with a weak aqueous solution of potassium permanganate for prevention.
Mealybug
Description of the plant with photo
Chinese lemongrass looks like a vine adorned with flowers or clusters of scarlet berries, depending on the time of year. Its length can reach 10-15 m, so most often the wall of a house or gazebo becomes a support for the curling stems; sometimes special structures like an arch are used. The bush is deciduous, so the area will not always have thick green foliage. But this is a minor minus, considering the benefits that the fruits of schizandra will bring.
The lemon tree was named so due to the citrus scent of the same name emanating from its bark, flowers and fruits. The plant has no other parameters similar to lemon.
The crop blooms in May-June, when the thin and pliable branches of lemongrass are decorated with white oblong buds. But their life is not long-term; such beauty will please the eye for only a couple of weeks. The fruits will be ready for eating only by the beginning of autumn.
