Sea buckthorn: how to distinguish a male plant from a female. How to distinguish a male sea buckthorn from a female How to distinguish a male sea buckthorn tree

Sea buckthorn fruits are of great value compared to other berry crops. They are rich in vitamins, carotene, trace elements, sugars and organic acids necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Many gardeners want to have such a shrub on their personal plot. Unfortunately, it often happens that, having acquired a plant and given it the right care, the gardener does not receive fruit. The fact is that plants are divided into male and female. How to distinguish female sea buckthorn from male? Is it necessary to have both shrubs on the site for a guaranteed harvest?

How to distinguish?

How to distinguish female sea buckthorn from male? You can determine this by the following signs:

Shrub bud shape. On female plants, they are located singly with a small distance from each other; on the male tree, they are collected in some inflorescences of several pieces that look like cones. Unfortunately, this difference is imperceptible on plants that have not reached the age of 3-4 years.
Female flowers have a yellow tint and are collected in inflorescences, male flowers are greenish-silver.
In late spring, when the leaves have already grown to their final size, on female shrubs their shade is greener. Male plants have a bluish bloom on the foliage.
The shape of the leaves in male trees is flat, in female trees it resembles a bowl in shape.

When buying shrub seedlings, you need to know how to distinguish female from male sea buckthorn, but on young plants it is almost impossible to determine gender, you have to rely on the words of the seller. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase adult plants that are 3 years old. How to distinguish male from female sea buckthorn, the photo will show clearly.

The nuances of growing

The shrub is dioecious, meaning that the female plant must be pollinated by the male plant in order to bear fruit. That is why it is important to know how to distinguish female from male sea buckthorn when buying seedlings.

Occurs through the work of insects and wind. One male plant is able to pollinate five female plants at a distance of 10 meters from him. Of course, a female sea buckthorn shrub can be pollinated, located at a distance of up to 50 meters from the male one, however, for a better result, the plants are planted nearby.

Where to plant sea buckthorn in the country

After we learned how to distinguish a male sea buckthorn tree from a female, it's worth thinking about the right place to plant. The shrub is quite photophilous, so it is important to place it on a site with sufficient lighting, avoiding close proximity to tall trees with a spreading crown.

The soil for planting shrubs should be fertile, nutritious, loose, with a neutral ph. In swampy and waterlogged soils, the tree will not bear fruit, in addition, there is a high probability of its death.

When watering and fertilizing, one should take into account the fact that the root system is located superficially and has a diameter that is 2 times the height of the crown. The plant responds positively to the introduction of phosphorus and loosening the soil.

Choosing the right shrub variety

From right choice The variety of a tree depends on its fruiting. Since it is desirable to select one variety of sea buckthorn for successful pollination, it is important to understand how to distinguish a male plant from a female one. A variety of shrubs should be suitable for the climatic conditions of the region, as well as for the characteristics of the soil.

For a temperate climate, shrubs with small growth (up to 2 meters), weak thorniness, high yields, and large-fruited are ideal. According to these parameters, varieties such as Orange, Excellent, Chuiskaya, Amber, Moscow Beauty, Gift to the Garden are most suitable.

Planting and caring for plants

Before planting sea buckthorn, you need to know how to distinguish female and male bushes so as not to accidentally plant two same-sex bushes, because in this case there will be no harvest.

How sea buckthorn is planted:

For planting, dig a hole about 50 cm deep and 50 cm wide.
The soil from the pit is combined with fertilizers - compost, potassium phosphate and superphosphate.
Part of the nutrient soil falls asleep at the bottom of the pit.
The seedling is fixed in vertical position and covered with the rest of the soil. The root neck should be deepened by 5 cm.
A newly planted plant is watered with a bucket of water, to which 1 cup of dolomite flour was added per 10 liters of liquid.

With proper planting, plants should be located at a distance of 2 meters from each other due to the developed root system.

Sea buckthorn care consists of regular watering, loosening the soil, fertilizing and removing weeds around the bush. In hot weather, watering should be especially plentiful and preferably carried out by sprinkling. Formative pruning is required periodically.

There are no particular difficulties in growing sea buckthorn; for a bountiful harvest, you only need to correctly select and plant heterosexual plants.

Sea buckthorn - useful berry which pleasantly surprises with its taste and aroma. A tree with such berries can become a real decoration of any garden. Gardeners are very fond of sea buckthorn and know all the subtleties of caring for it. What is the difference between male sea buckthorn and female sea buckthorn and how to properly care for such trees - you will find answers to these and many other questions below.

What is the difference?

By nature, sea buckthorn is considered a dioecious plant, which means the fact that there is a female tree and a male tree. Distinguishing sea buckthorn male from female is not so difficult. True, sex can be determined only when the kidneys appear. Now we will tell you in more detail.

"Boy from girl" can be distinguished by the buds and flowers of the tree, this is their main difference. As a rule, the female tree is distinguished by unisexual pistillate flowers, and the male staminate. Recognizing staminate buds is easy, as they are several times larger.

Pay attention to the scales that cover the kidney. The male tree has at least 5-6 of them, and they all differ in size. And the female has only two or three, but very large ones. Purely visually, if you remember all these features, it is easy to find out which tree is in front of you.

They also differ in leaves. The flatter leaves belong to the boy tree and are covered with a thick, almost gray coating. Concave leaves are a sign of a “girl”, there is practically no plaque on them, they are greener.

Which one is fruitful?

Having learned all the details of the differences, a completely logical question arises - which of these trees will bring those very useful fruits? As a rule, sea buckthorn berries appear on a female tree. But if there is no male tree nearby, then, accordingly, such a plant will not bear fruit either.

In windy weather, the male tree will pollinate the female, after which orange berries will appear on it. It is worth noting that for 6–7 female trees, one male will be quite sufficient. Remember that it should not be planted too far, the distance should be no more than fifty meters.

Varietal features

It would seem that sea buckthorn is only one species. This is the same tree that we are used to seeing in gardens since childhood. But in fact there are many different varieties. Let's talk about the most popular right now.

"Beloved", "Girlfriend", "Amber", "Excellent" - all these are popular varieties of sea buckthorn. Their main difference is that these varieties grow almost without thorns, which makes it much easier to harvest. For example, the “Excellent” variety is distinguished not only by the complete absence of thorns, but also by the fact that the berries are easily harvested and are not damaged at all during harvesting. Other varieties grow with sparse spines.

The berries of all are juicy, fragrant, of medium size. They are great for winter preparations in the form of jam, and for fresh consumption.

Among the dessert varieties, the following can be noted: "Ruet", "Tenga" and "Elizaveta". The first of these varieties is distinguished by the fact that it gives a plentiful early harvest. The thorns of this variety are short, the berries are small, but very tasty. "Elizaveta" tolerates winter well and is considered more late variety. The bush of this variety is compact, and the berries have a special, pronounced taste. "Tenga" is the sweetest variety among the above, having tried which it is impossible to stop.

All of the varieties listed above are varieties of female trees. As for male, namely, pollinating varieties, it is worth noting "Gnome" and "Alei". Both options withstand frost well, produce a lot of pollen and take up little space in the garden, so they do not obstruct other trees and plants.

Subtleties of care

We hope that all our tips will help you choose the right seedling, and soon there will be another fruitful tree in your garden. It is important to note that you need to plant sea buckthorn in the sunniest and brightest corner of the garden, as the tree loves light and warmth very much.

We do not recommend planting a male and female tree together. It is best that the male tree is located in the center, and the female - around it. This will help him better pollinate all the seedlings, the buds will bloom on time and correctly, which will lead to the correct growth of plants and, accordingly, to good harvest in future.

Many amateur gardeners have a question whether this type of tree needs to be grafted. Of course you can graft. The main thing is to know all the subtleties. Remember that only well-growing, strong shoots can be grafted. It is best to do this a week before flowering, using the improved copulation method.

This tree does not require special care. Therefore, at the beginning of spring, as soon as the heat comes, it is necessary to process the tree. Namely, remove sluggish, dried and diseased branches. Already in April, you can begin to loosen the ground, and a month later - water it.

It is important to start watering on time, especially if the winter was not snowy and there was little rain in the spring. If snow lay all winter, and spring began with heavy rains, then postpone watering the trees until a later time.

IN summer time never let the soil dry out. Also, do not allow weeds to grow around the trunk, remove them in time. When the fruit ripens, it is important to make supports for heavy branches. You can start harvesting when the berries are fully ripe.

Remember that sea buckthorn is very fond of water, so it is important to ensure that it is regularly watered. During the fruiting period, the tree will need twice as much water.
Avoid stagnant water, so as not to harm the roots.
It is recommended to regularly loosen the soil, but it is worth remembering that the roots of this tree are quite close.
If there is no wind at all during the flowering of the trees, pollination will have to be carried out as follows: cut a small branch from the male tree and shake it over the female crown.

The video below will help consolidate the information obtained in this article.

Those who decide to plant sea buckthorn on their site should take into account that this culture is dioecious, there are male and female individuals.

Without their mutual neighborhood, fertilization will not occur, and, consequently, there will be no harvest.

One male sea buckthorn plant is planted in company with 4-5 female plants at a distance of 2.5 m from them. But this is not done thoughtlessly - you need to know the climatic features of your region.

It is even easier with flowers - here, due to the lack of petals, “sexual characteristics” are more clearly visible.

Female flowers of a yellowish color are collected in bunches (from 3 to 11 pieces in each sinus). Outwardly, they consist of a cup-shaped simple perianth with one pistil.

Male flowers are painted in a dirty green with a silvery sheen and are collected in small spikes. Here is already a calyx perianth bilobed. On him 4 stamens are located.

During the flowering period, they begin to scatter pollen quite strongly, which the wind carries around the neighborhood for decent distances.

So, knowing the biological characteristics of the plant, it will not be difficult to distinguish male sea buckthorn from female, and breed a “polygamous family” of this culture on their site, which, with good care will yield a great harvest.

Sea buckthorn is a fairly common berry crop and is successfully grown in most regions of our country. When choosing a variety of sea buckthorn, it is necessary to give preference to zoned varieties, in addition, not only female, but also male plants should be planted on the site, in a ratio of 3–4: 1, which will ensure pollination and fruiting.

How to distinguish sea buckthorn male from female

Annual and abundant fruiting of sea buckthorn can be achieved only when both female and male plants grow together in the same area. Upon purchase planting material or self-propagation by cuttings to distinguish sea buckthornmale from female is easy.

Regardless of the type and variety, it is necessary to pay attention to the following features of the popular berry crop:

the plant has two types of buds, which are called growth, or vegetative, and fruit-growth, or generative-vegetative;
the plant does not differ in growth buds, which are almost the same in male and female plants;
fruit-growth buds have significant differences and make it easy to identify both female and male plants;
male kidneys have more large size and are characterized by the presence of several pronounced scales.

Gardeners should take into account the fact that buds of an exclusively growth type are formed on young plants, therefore, with absolute certainty, it is possible to determine the sex of a berry crop at about the age of three to four years.

How to plant a crop

Features of agricultural technology of garden sea buckthorn are quite simple. It should be remembered that this light-loving culture grows well in areas that are not shaded by buildings or other tall plants. Landing in most regions must be carried out in the spring according to the following rules:

the site for growing sea buckthorn should be represented by light, fertile, sufficiently moist soils;
you can not plant berry plants in areas with stagnant water and a high location ground water;
too much acidic soils require mandatory pre-planting liming with slaked lime at the rate of 0.5 kg for each square meter;

work on deep digging of the soil and liming is best done in the autumn;
heavy loamy soils need to improve their air permeability, so it is necessary to add coarse-grained river sand, humus or peat;
you can plant plants in a curtain, placing a male plant in the center, and around it bushes of a female type;
row planting is allowed with a standard distance between plants of about 2.0–2.5 m.

During autumn digging, it is advisable to enrich the soil with basic nutrients. For this purpose, 0.25 kg of superphosphate and 40–45 g of potassium salt must be added for each square meter. If necessary, potash and phosphate fertilizers are applied directly to the planting pit. Nitrogen-containing fertilizers and lime cannot be poured into the planting hole, due to the risk of burning the root system. It is necessary to plant sea buckthorn in pre-prepared planting pits measuring 65x65x65 cm. Two-year-old seedlings, located according to the scheme 2x4 m or 1.5x3.5 m, take root best of all.

Further care

Sea buckthorn can be classified as unpretentious and with sufficient resistance to adverse external influences of berry crops. The plant requires minimal attention, and the main agrotechnical measures carried out in the conditions of home gardening are as follows:

in early spring, it is necessary to carry out sanitary pruning of the crown, removing all dried, frostbitten or thickening branches;
at the end of May, sea buckthorn plantations are sprayed with a solution of karbofos, diluted in an amount of 25 g per 10 l of water;
With preventive purpose it is recommended to spray plants with 0.2–0.3% chlorophos in the first half of July;
if necessary, twice a year, in spring and autumn, water-charging irrigation is carried out, followed by loosening of the soil in tree trunks;
for feeding sea buckthorn, you can use both organic matter in the form of manure or bird droppings, as well as mineral complex fertilizers.

With proper planting and good care of the sea buckthorn tree, the berry crop is able to bear fruit abundantly every year for up to 30–40 years.

Of course, it is preferable to purchase seedlings of berry crops in special crop nurseries, where experts will help determine the gender of the plant. Meanwhile, experienced gardeners recommend that when choosing planting material, focus on the following features:

male plants have an almost flat and slightly turned-out leaf plate;
a cross-section of a leaf of a male plant may resemble a bird in flight;
the leaves of the female plant are concave at the edges and resemble a boat;
a cross-section of a leaf of a female plant may resemble a bowl.

Differences can also be seen in the density of plaque on the leaves. Such a coating on male plants has a more bluish tint, while the leaves of female plants have a color as close as possible to green.

The uniqueness of this shrub lies in the fact that, due to the biochemical components contained in it, sea buckthorn replaces several other plants rich in useful substances. A couple of decades ago, sea buckthorn oil was a scarce commodity, since this shrub grew in mountainous regions and was difficult for many people to access. But thanks to the perseverance of gardeners, sea buckthorn has firmly taken its rightful place.

Description

In 18 st. this shrub was described by botanists studying the territory of Eastern Siberia. But many believe that it appeared on the territory of Russia much earlier. In ancient times, its fruits in Tibet and Mongolia were used in medical purposes, and in ancient Greek and Chinese ancient documentary sources it is indicated that these countries are the birthplace of the shrub.

According to the size and mass of berries, the following groups of varieties are distinguished:

“small”, berry weight 0.4–0.5 g: Mikhalevskaya sweet, Miracle, Fragrant, Bogatyrskaya, Vladimirka, etc .;
“medium”, berry weight 0.6–0.7 g: Vitaminnaya, Nugget, Altai News, etc. This group also includes the Otradnaya variety. It is of medium ripening, vigorous, pyramidal, characterized by resistance to frost, diseases and pests. Shoots are dark green, straight and thick, with thorns. The berries are round, pear-shaped, red-orange. The skin is of medium thickness. The length of the stem is 6.5 mm. The berries are slightly sour, the yield is 155 q/ha;
"large", the weight of their berries is more than 0.8 g: Golden, Excellent, Giant, etc.

Everyone knows the healing properties of this plant, its berries contain many vitamins, oils and acids, as well as others. useful substances. Since ancient times, healers have been treating burns and wounds of warriors with a miraculous ointment made from the fruits of this shrub. Sea buckthorn tinctures had a tonic and analgesic effect, helped the body cope with colds and skin diseases, sea buckthorn oil was used in the treatment of rheumatism. Nowadays, sea buckthorn extract is part of many medical preparations.

It is believed that this shrub is endowed with strong protection from otherworldly energy, helps to dissipate the destructive influence of geopathic zones.

It is best to place it at the entrance to the courtyard or on the north side. If you are visited by a person with negative energy, throw some sea buckthorn berries after him. So you protect your family and yourself from destructive energy.

According to one of the ancient Greek legends, the leaves and shoots of this shrub were fed to horses to improve their condition, strength and appearance. They were also Pegasus' favorite food.

How to distinguish a male tree from a female

Particular attention should be paid to the issue of gender differences. If the shrub blooms, but does not bear fruit, then this is a male specimen. It produces the pollen necessary for setting berries, which is carried by the wind to the female bush. In late autumn or spring, the buds of the female bush are 2-3 times smaller than the buds of the male and form no more than 2 covering scales.

In order for the pollination process to take place and fruits to set, it is necessary to plant one male plant on 2-3 female plants from the side of the main wind currents.

Landing and care

Although the shrub loves moisture and light, you should not plant it on soils with high level occurrence of groundwater, as well as on soils that are characterized by an acidic reaction. Before planting, you need to dig a hole 50 cm deep and 60 cm wide. Drainage crust of crushed stone (10 cm) is poured into its bottom, 30 g of potassium chloride and 180 g of superphosphate are added to the prepared soil. A plant is placed in a hole, covered with earth, gently straightening the roots. Then the planted plant is well watered, peat (sand) is added. Once every 3 years, these same fertilizers must be applied to the soil to support the growth and development of the bush.

For a good vegetation of the plant, the soil must be in a moist state. Drying out of the soil is not permissible, the root system reacts painfully to this. The leaves lose color and elasticity, fall off, the ovary ceases to develop and falls off. Watering is carried out as needed. For 1 m2 of a near-stem circle, 4 buckets of water will be needed for a young bush, and 7 buckets for a fruit-bearing one. The shrub tolerates temperatures well from -40 ˚С to +40 ˚С.

The best way to plant and transplant plants in early spring. If the seedling has been growing in a container for more than a year, it can be transplanted into the soil at any time, since the root system will not be injured. But best of all in the spring - the plant will build up a powerful root system before winter and will tolerate low temperatures well.

Cut types:

forming - allows you to form a compact crown of the correct shape, setting it at an early stage of development. It is necessary to remove excess shoots damaged by pests and diseases;
rejuvenating - helps to restore fruiting, increases productivity. In the spring, three-year-old branches and young shoots are left, and the older ones are pruned;
regulating - helps to maintain the created form, its clarification and thinning;
restorative - restores a damaged or neglected crown;
sanitary - carried out with a preventive purpose against pests and diseases.

The shrub winters well, especially zoned varieties. Before wintering, the soil can be mulched. In the first year of life, bushes planted in autumn are wrapped up.

Diseases and pests: methods of treatment

Sea buckthorn suffers from diseases and pests. Shrub pests:

green sea buckthorn aphid - located on the leaves, sucks the juice out of them, causing significant damage. It is necessary to carry out spraying with tobacco infusion (200 g per 5 liters of boiling water for a day insist, then add laundry soap), dandelion (200 g per 5 l of boiling water), onion peel (100 g per 5 l of boiling water insist 5 days);
sea buckthorn fly is a very dangerous pest that can destroy the entire crop. When larvae are found in berries, it is necessary to treat the bush with a solution of karbofos (30 g per 10 l of water).

Major diseases:

scab - the berries become hard, acquire an unpleasant taste;
fruit endomycosis - the berries lose their color, decompose.

Damaged berries and branches are cut and burned, in the spring the bush is treated with a 3% solution of nitrafen.

reproduction

The plant is propagated by formed shoots, as well as by young and adult cuttings, which are harvested in early spring or late autumn. The coppice seedling, which was separated from the root system in the spring, is spudded and watered well. After the formation of independent roots (in autumn), it is marked, indicating gender, and removed from the ground, then planted in a prepared place. Root offspring of grafted bushes are male.

For propagation by cuttings at the end of autumn, healthy, 6 mm thick, annual shoots of a 5-6 year old shrub are chosen. They are cut and stored in a cellar at 0˚С. In the spring, the remaining tops are cut off and cuttings 20 cm long are obtained, which are placed in water for 3 days at room temperature. Then they are planted on a bed at a distance of 10 cm from one another, 2-3 buds should remain above the surface, after which they are watered and fertilized. By the beginning of autumn, plants ready for transplanting grow from them.

How to quickly pick berries

Until recently, the collection of fruits was one of the main problems of summer residents, but it was solved after the breeding of new varieties. For example, varieties Dar Katun and Chuiskaya are characterized by enlarged stalks, which greatly facilitates their collection. It must be remembered that you need to pick berries very carefully so as not to damage the fruits, leaves and branches.

You can make a device called a "cobra". They take a thin steel wire (you can take an “invisible” hairpin), bend it in a loop-like manner from one end (in the form of a baby pacifier), and make a handle from the other end. Sea buckthorn berries are passed through a loop and pulled, they themselves fall into a collection container, and the tedious task becomes more interesting and reckless.

This unique plant is a valuable food and healing agent, which can treat everything from skin burns to heart disease. Nature has created this gift for us, which brings joy with its palatability and heal our body.