Vegetable Kistel(Leucothoe fontanesiana) is an evergreen shrub belonging to the heather family (Ericaceae). It comes from North America, where it grows on the slopes of the Appalachian Mountains. It is decorated with picturesquely colored leaves, thanks to which it is an interesting compositional element on moors and naturalistic flower beds. See whatcultivating a laurel branch looks like , when to performcutting a branchand find outvarieties of a laurel branchwith beautiful leaf colors .
Laurel Kistel
Fig. Michael Wolf, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Laurel leaves - description
The laurel tree is a small, deciduous, evergreen shrub.It usually reaches 50 to 100 cm in height. Unlike other representatives of the heather family (Ericaceae), the main decoration of this shrub is not flowers but leaves.The leaves of the bunion are shiny , broad, lanceolate, leathery and ending with a long, sharp tip. Some varieties have an attractive color, and in autumn they turn red or brown.
Kistinis forms dome-shaped shrubswith arched, zigzag-shaped shoots. Most cultivars have red, brown or vivid green young shoots that change color to dark, shiny green with age. In spring (in May), cluster inflorescences grow in the leaf axils.The flowers of the laurel root are creamy white , fragrant, similar to the flowers of the Japanese pieris (Pieris japonica). They hang down, are hidden between the leaves and hardly visible.In summer, small berries develop from the flowers, which are inedible.
Flowerbeds are good plants to plant alongside rhododendrons and azaleas, in ornamental beds and on the moorland.
Cultivation of a laurel root
The laurel tree has high demands on the substrate.Kistem requires acidic soil(pH 4.5-6.5) with a high content of organic matter. In its natural environment, it inhabits wet forest areas, densely overgrowing the banks of streams. Therefore,the bunion should be grown in constantly moist soilIt will grow well even in wet, swampy areas. The laurel tree absolutely does not tolerate drought, so you need to mulch the soil under the bushes to limit its drying out. Composted pine bark is best suited for mulching the knot.
The bunches should be grown in semi-shaded positionsIt also tolerates deep shade, but then the shrub's shoots elongate excessively and the shrub loses its nice shape.Betternot to grow a seedling in full sunas it may burn the leaves. However, if we plant a shrub in a sunny position, it will be necessary to water it systematically and abundantly, and in winter to protect it from the sun.
The laurel tree is characterized by high frost resistance.Nevertheless, it should be grown in places sheltered from strong winter winds. It is also good to protect the root system of the bushes in winter. For this purpose, you can build mounds of compost around the bottom of the bush and cover them with mulch or agro-textile.
Fertilize the flowers twice a year , in spring and after flowering, with rhododendrons and azaleas.
Laurel tree 'Rainbow'
Fig. © Petrus, forum.PoradnikOgrodniczy.pls
Varieties of laurel branch
The laurel treeis not very popular in our country. There are not many varieties of this interesting plant in Poland. A much larger selection of varieties can be found in Western Europe and the USA. Theof the most easily available varieties of bunches in Polandinclude:
Rainbow- this is the most popular variety of the laurel blossom. Shrub shoots at the turn of spring and summer are intensely pink-red, some shoots are placed on the ground. A characteristic feature of this variety are mottled, marbled leaves. The entire leaf blade is heavily covered with cream, yellow and pink spots. Bushes reach a height of 50-70 cm.
Nana- this is a dwarf variety of the laurel root, reaching 50 cm in height. The leaves are dark green and shiny, and in winter they turn dark red. This variety can be used as a ground cover plant. On constantly moist soils, it can also be cultivated in sunny positions.
Makijaż- this is the Polish variety of the laurel blossom. The leaves turn cream-orange in spring, red-pink in summer, and deep red in autumn. There is a clear marbled pattern on the leaf blades. The bushes reach a height of 50 cm and a width of 80 cm.
Whitewater- bushes reach a height of 100 cm and a width of 120 cm. The leaves of this variety have a clearly marked white margin at the edges. The color of the leaves changes with the growing season. Leaves are green in early spring, turn pink-red in summer, turn purple-pink in late fall, and dark red in winter.
Cutting the laurel branch
The laurel flowers tend to grow vigorously after one or two years of cultivation. To control the growth of shrubs, pruning is necessary.We can cut the trunk at any time of the year , but the best date is February or March, before the bushes start to grow again.
Root shoots can be pruned very strongly , even close to the trunk. This does not harm the plant in any way, as the bushes recover very quickly after intensive pruning. Such a strong trimming allows you to maintain a compact bush habit, better tillering and will reduce the uncontrolled formation of shoots. Truncated shoots can be used to propagate the bushbecause they root very easily.
Every year, if necessary, we cut out sick, dead and excessively bare shoots.The bunches can also be formed into low hedgesor interesting shapes.
MSc Eng. Agnieszka Lach
