Lankaran acacia: description, planting and care

There is a great variety of crops that a gardener can cultivate. But some of them not only look beautiful, but their name sounds delightful and unusual. Lankaran acacia is an excellent example of this.

From a biological point of view, the Lankaran acacia is one of the plants of the dicotyledonous class, the legume-flowering order, and is a member of the legume family. It is generally accepted that it is part of the genus albitsia, and therefore there is even a scientific name - Lankaran albicia. The plant has been known since 1772. Its alternative names:

• silk tree;
• silk bush;
• gul-ebrishim;
• silk acacia;
• Crimean acacia.

The very word "albicia" goes back to the name of a resident of Florence, who first introduced this species into biological systematics. The height of trees can reach 16 m.But in most specimens, it is up to 6-9 m. It is characterized by both a spreading and an umbrella crown. Its width varies from 6 to 7 m. The leaves are bipinnate. For them, an openwork structure is typical, division into 9-15 shares. The leaf is colored dark green above and whitish below. In length, the leaf can reach up to 0.2 m. If hot weather sets in or night approaches, it will fold along the midrib.

For the winter, the trunk of the albition is bare. Flowering begins in May and, under favorable conditions, takes over the whole summer. When they say that Lankaran acacia has pink flowers, this is not entirely accurate. She may have stamens pink or white. The very surface of the flower has a yellow-white color. In the description, one cannot fail to mention the crown of the albition with characteristic fluffy corollas. It is enough to see them once in order not to forget them anymore. The plant forms flat beans containing many seeds. At first they are green, but later they acquire a straw yellow or brownish color. The length of the fruit varies from 0.1 to 0.2 m.

The seeds resemble an elongated oval. They are dull brown or brown in color. A single seed reaches 0.6-0.7 cm in length. The life of a plant can be 50-100 years. In nature, this culture has populated:

• Iran;
• Turkey;
• Caspian regions of Azerbaijan;
• The Korean Peninsula;
• China;
• Japanese islands;
• Taiwan;
• India and other parts of the Indian subcontinent;
• Myanmar (while not found in other Southeast Asian countries).

The frost resistance of the Lankaran acacia is low, because it comes from the zone of pronounced subtropics. In an unfavorable year, the bush can freeze even in Georgia and Azerbaijan, not to mention the more northern regions. But among the subtropical crops, albicia is still one of the most resistant to cold. It is successfully planted:

• on the southern coast of Crimea;
• north of Anapa;
• in Krasnodar;
• in the south of Kazakhstan;
• in Italy, France;
• in the south of the United States.

Lankaran acacia is damaged only by frosts below -15 degrees. If the temperature drops below -20 degrees, the main part of the crown will suffer. If this temperature lasts more than a decade, and the snow cover is weak or completely absent, the entire surface part will freeze.

"Silk" varieties of acacia are named so for a reason.In the past, the bark removed from them was used to dye silk and fabrics based on it. Subtype deserves attention Summer chocolate, characterized by atypical foliage colors. "Chocolate" the plant stands out for its increased decorative effect. The following types are also popular:

• Jjulibrissin;
• Mollis;
• Tinkle Bells.

Crescent albicia - the tree that is leading in terms of growth rate on the planet. However, you can find it in our country only in the botanical garden. The culture of this species in nature exists only in Indonesia. The benefits of crescent acacia are undeniable - it gives a soft light wood, suitable for souvenirs. But albicia Lebbeck stands out among other varieties in height (up to 20 m); it comes from India, but also inhabits the Andaman Islands and Myanmar.

Sheaf-colored albitsia, she is Lofant's albition, comes from the west of Australia. This is a heat-loving shrub that gives a spreading crown. Its height is up to 5 m. Flowering in temperate latitudes occurs in July and is very abundant. The diameter of the flowers is approximately 0.02 m.

Since 1803, this species has been used by Europeans for decorative purposes. In our country, it can only grow on the Black Sea coast. Albizia Saman (up to 25 m high and up to 40 m wide) comes from the Pacific Islands. This species also inhabits in nature the center and south of America, the countries of Southeast Asia. As night approaches and in rainy weather, its foliage folds.

When planting the heat-loving Lankaran acacia in open ground, you will have to take into account that this plant is drought-resistant. Therefore, it can be planted even where moisture is insufficient. It is advised to plant Lankaran acacia in the first ten days of May. But it's worth making sure that the ground is fully warmed up by that time. 1.5-2 m are left between the seedlings. Acacia seedlings are most often used. You can grow it in medium-sized cups. The sowing depth of seeds in them will be only 0.2-0.4 cm. The grown seedlings are immediately transplanted to a permanent place as soon as they reach the required condition.

Sowing acacia seeds for seedlings should be done in February or March. For this they take fertile soil from sandy loam. It is better if a little lime is added to it. Indoor acacia is planted in self-made soil.

It is formed from:

• 3 shares of sod soil;
• 2 shares of peat;
• 1 share of washed and heated sand.

The pot for the room Lankaran acacia is taken deeper and wider. Good drainage is essential. To ensure it, the bottom of the tank is covered with a thin layer of fine river stones. Even if seedlings are grown, shading can be detrimental to them.

Caring for Lankaran acacia at home is relatively simple. It is imperative to provide her with a stable climatic regime. All standard watering guidelines only apply under normal temperature conditions. If they are not provided, you cannot count on success. Watering acacias is advised occasionally, but abundantly.

For irrigation, you can take only perfectly clean and settled water. It shouldn't be too cold. Two extremes - complete desiccation and waterlogging, are equally harmful for a subtropical guest. Air humidity above average is not encouraged, low air humidity is allowed. Only street crops should be sprayed, but not too often.

In the first year of growing a crop, it is not required to feed it. In the second year of development, special complex fertilizers are used. They are laid a maximum of once every 30 days. More frequent feeding can harm the plant.It needs them only in the growth phase (from May to July inclusive); in winter, acacia is not fed.

Albitsia is pruned in early spring before flowering begins. Diseased and too old branches are immediately removed. Dry shoots will also have to be destroyed, as well as excessively dense growth. Pruning is possible after flowering is complete.

Phosphorus and potash mixtures are introduced in mid-July. Those parts that do not become woody before the beginning of winter are best cut off. The shoots are bent to the ground and covered with any covering material of your choice. For hilling the root collar, sand is used with the addition of a small amount of wood ash.

To propagate the Lankaran acacia, use:

• seeds;
• cuttings;
• root shoots.

The latter option is not acceptable for all trees. It is used only after the roots come out of the ground. They are pruned and rooted. Cutting is effective for both indoor and garden acacias. It is permissible to take both young and lignified cuttings.

The planting material should have at least 2 (or preferably 3) buds. Pre-soaking is optional. Take a fertile, but not overly dense, soil. Rooting of most of the shoots takes several months.

The simplest way to propagate acacias is to use seeds. Before planting, they are wrapped in moistened moss and kept in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 days. Some growers prefer the hot processing method. Its essence is simple: the seeds are kept in very warm water for several hours. Their subsequent planting in the ground is carried out without deepening. The disadvantage of the hot method is the extremely slow growth of the culture in the first year. But there is no need for any fertilizers. But we must remember that without regular watering, acacia will not develop fully. Indoor plants do not reach the age of 50, like garden plants, but they can still bloom for a long time. Top dressing is selected individually for each variety.

The main danger for the Lankaran albition is fusarium... Disease occurs with excessive moisture. Therefore, it is not enough to simply do the treatment with special preparations - you also need to take care of drying the soil. Sometimes even drainage is renewed. If the leaves turn yellow, then this is a sure sign of wilting.

The problem can arise both with overflow and with a lack of water. You must first determine the reason, and only then act. Atypical pallor of foliage is usually associated with a lack of sun exposure. Of the pests, the spider mite and whitefly pose a threat to the culture.

The use of silk acacias in landscape design is limited by their insufficient winter hardiness compared to conventional crops. The plant is perfectly perceived both as a tapeworm and as a companion of other trees. Openwork foliage allows you to plant light-loving species nearby. Although the most sun-dependent plants are best avoided. It is often recommended to place swings or picnic tables next to each other to create a romantic cozy atmosphere.

Silk bush is often used to create a tunnel alley. There is nothing difficult in this - you just need to drop it on two sides along the path. The presence of a hard coating on it is not essential. The older the bushes are, the more attractive the tunnel will look. But for creating a thick shadow, albition will not work.

In the next video you will find additional information about the Lankaran acacia.