Kalina fragrantis one of the earliest flowering shrubs. Bunches of fragrant viburnum flowers may appear even in January. This hardy and hardy shrub is also easy to care for. Get to know the most beautifulvarieties of fragrant viburnumand the principles of its cultivation in the garden. We also advise how to makefragrant viburnumand the best ways to propagate this shrub.
Kalina fragrant - Viburnum farreri
Fig. pixabay
What does fragrant viburnum look like?
Kalina fragrant(Viburnum farreri) belongs to the musk family (Adoxaceae), and its homeland is northern China. In our conditions, this small shrub grows up to 2.5 m in height. It can be run in the form of a small tree.
Raised shoots of viburnumare covered with lanceolate green leaves with distinct veins. In the fall, the leaves turn maroon. Youngleaves of the fragrant viburnumare coppery-brown in color. The clusters of decorative pink flower buds are undoubtedly the pride of this species. In the early spring, before the leaves appear, fragrant, small, tubular, white or pale pink flowers emerge from the budsviburnum flowersIn warm, mild winters, shrubs bloom even in January. The fruits rarely appear in our climatic conditions
Fragrant viburnum looks greatas a solitaire, but it also goes well with bulbous plants such as: tulip, scilla, snowdrop, narcissus, checkerboard or early flowering shrubs such as: forsythia, witch hazel, dogwood, hellebore or daffodil.
Kalina fragrant - varieties
Kalina fragrant 'Album'- a variety that grows similarly to the species, characterized by perfectly white flowers.
Kalina fragrant 'Nanum'- is a compact, small, domed shrub that grows up to 1.0 m high and 1.5 m wide. This dwarf variety of fragrant viburnum blooms from late winter to early spring with small, fragrant, pale pink flowers. Suitable for small gardens. It can be used as a ground cover.
Kalina fragrant 'Nanum' in the arboretum in Wojsławice
Fig. Krzysztof Ziarnek, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Viburnum leaves 'Nanum' - leaves color
Fig. Salicyna, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kalina fragrant 'Farrer's Pink'- grows up to 2.5 heights. Flower buds have an intense shade of pink. Larger than other varieties of viburnum. The flowers are white with a slight pink blush.
Vulina fragrant 'Candidissimum'- grows up to 2 m high and has snow-white flowers.
Kalina fragrant 'December Dwarf'- this variety grows up to 1.5 m in height. It looks good both in a flower bed and in a pot.
Kalina fragrant 'December Dwarf' in the arboretum in Wojsławice
Fig. Salicyna, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Viburnum leaves 'December Dwarf'
Fig. Salicyna, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kalina fragrant - cultivation
Fragrant Kalina thrivesboth in sun and light shade. A warm and sheltered position will help the plant survive the winter. Kalina fragrant is frost-resistant enough to grow all over Poland. The plant withstands temperature drops down to -20 ° C, and botanists have classified it to the plant frost resistance zone 6B.
Kalina does not have high soil requirementsIt prefers moderately fertile, permeable and slightly acidic substrates reaction.In weaker, dry and poorly fertile positions, before planting the bush, it is necessary to enrich the substrate with peat and mature compost.
Kalina fragrant - planting
We plant viburnum bushesin spring or autumn. Place the seedling in the soil so that the root neck is slightly sunk into the ground to a maximum depth of 6 cm. After planting, we mulch the plants to keep the soil moist and protect the young plants from freezing.
Fruits of the fragrant viburnum
Fig. Salicyna, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kalina fragrant - watering
Viburnum requires a moist substrate . When there is no rainfall, we water the bushes once a week. In rainy weather, we limit watering to prevent root rot. Combine irrigation with soil loosening to improve air-water relations.
Kalina fragrant - fertilization
Fragrance Kalina does not have a particularly high demand for nutrients. When the plant begins to bloom, it is worth supporting it with a multi-component fertilizer with an increased dose of potassium. Target fertilizer for flowering plants is perfect for this purpose. In the fall, we mulch the bushes with mature compost. In spring it is worth raking the compost with the top layer of earth. By decomposing, it will provide the plant with nutrients.
Kalina fragrant - cut
Fragrant Kalina forms a regular and dense crown and does not require shaping. The exceptions are tree-shaped bushes. In spring, we makesanitary cutting of viburnumand correct the shape to obtain the desired shape of the crown. Every few years, in order to rejuvenate, older shoots of viburnum are cut in half. Thisrejuvenating viburnum cutstimulates the plant to grow stronger and sprout young shoots.
Kalina fragrant during flowering
Fig. Kolasiński Marcin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kalina fragrant - reproduction
In amateur garden crops, fragrant viburnum is easiest to propagate using cuttings and layering.
Viburnum reproduction by simple layering
Propagation by layering is a very easy method and works well in the case of fragrant viburnum. It is best to start the preparation of splits in spring or autumn. We choose a he althy shrub, preferably one that has been pruned in the previous year and has produced young and flexible shoots. Move the soil around the plant and add mature compost or manure.
Then select a he althy shoot, bend it at a height of 20-25 cm to the ground and stabilize it with a clip or a simple stone. At the point of contact of the shoot with the ground, remove the leaves, and make a slight incision from the bottom to make it take root faster. Cover lightly with soil and water.
In spring or autumn of the following yearseparate the rooted shoot from the mother plantand plant it permanently.
Propagation of viburnum by herbaceous cuttings
We start preparingof viburnum seedlingsin May and June. The herb seedling should be about 10 cm long with 2-3 internodes. Remove the lower leaves and dip the tip of the cuttings in the rooting agent (optional), then place it in a box filled with a mixture of sand and peat, or with a substrate for seedling. Then we cover the boxes with foil or glass and place them in a sunny and warm place. The plants are regularly ventilated and watered. Roots will appear after 3 weeks. Young plants are planted permanently in the next spring.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
