Tulip tree at home. When a tulip tree blossoms

Each of us is familiar with the herald of spring - a tulip. It can be found in a flower garden of almost any gardener. To date, there are about 2500 varieties of this beautiful plant. However, very few people know that tulips can grow on trees. Yes, yes, this is one of the most beautifully blooming trees in the world! Let's talk in more detail about this "miracle of the world".

Requirements for climate and soil

Tulip tree (lyriodendron) is widely cultivated in temperate climates. It is able to grow in the northern countries, extending to the breadth of the capital of Norway - Oslo. Tulip tree is the national symbol of the states of Kentucky and Indiana in the United States. The lyriodendron is very demanding on the composition of the soil, light and moisture, it does not tolerate the excess of lime. He prefers deep loamy, well drained soils with a thick layer of shallow chernozem. The tree does not like salty soils. Nevertheless, tulip trees can grow in sandy loamy soils. They are very grateful to respond to top dressing with complex and organic fertilizers.

Tulip tree at home

If you decide to plant a lyriodendron on your home plot, then the following information will be helpful. Tulip tree is quite resistant to various diseases and pests. In addition, he has a small susceptibility in soot and smoke. This tree is different, like all the magnoliaceous rocks, with soft, fragile fleshy roots. Therefore, in the process of transplantation, it is very important to take special care to prevent damage to the root system. The lyriodendron can be transplanted throughout the warm period, from April to mid-November (for the climate of Ukraine and the southern regions of Russia).

The tulip tree is rather wind-resistant, its life span is 500 (!) Years. As well as magnolias, it easily withstands frosts to -25 ^o C, provided there are no strong winds. If the temperature drops to -30 ° C for a long period, the branches may freeze, like in walnuts and magnolias.

Propagated by layers, cuttings, graft, seeds. It is necessary to know that when multiplying by seeds, it will take a very long time to expect the first flowering. The crown is well formed by trimming. Tulip tree in the home perfectly suits and does not require special care. It has been observed that when cultivated outside its natural climate, the liridendron does not show aggression towards local species and is well established in a new place.

Flowering period

The lyriodendron is distinguished by a very original shape of the inflorescence. In shape they resemble a tulip (6-10 cm in size) with greenish-white sepals curving downwards and yellow-green petals with a large orange patch. But in terms of fragrance the lyriodendron has nothing to boast about. Flowers have a mild flavor, reminiscent of the smell of fresh cucumber. They blossom gradually, one at the end of the branch. Flowering lasts for two to three weeks, from the end of May to the middle of June. Beer lovers should know that the lyriodendron is very attractive to insects, because it gives off a lot of nectar. When the tulip tree blooms, a real holiday is coming for the bees, because it is rightfully considered one of the most honey plants. If you put the torn flower in a warm and bright room, you can type from it a full teaspoon of nectar.

Decoration of any park

You should know that the tulip tree (the photos given in the article, will allow the reader to see this blossoming miracle in all its glory) is very effective not only in the flowering process, but also in the rest of the time. His colon-shaped silver trunks, peeled from the branches, look very elegant. In addition, the tulip tree is distinguished by a luxurious crown, the shape of which can be different - from rounded-hipped to broad-pyramidal. He has quite interesting ornamental lily-shaped leaves (up to 15 cm long) of a bluish-green color, painted in the autumn period in golden tones. A feature of the crown is that the upper branches always bend in one direction. The branches of the tree seem to be covered with wax, and in the place of the fracture they have a pleasant spicy aroma. And how beautiful are the alleys along which these trees are planted! Especially when their branches weave, forming a flower dome ... The average height of the crown reaches 30-35 m, and in the wooded areas there are also real giants with a height of about 60 m. The lyricendron is considered to be one of the most beautiful ornamental trees. In the flowering period, it simply attracts the eye to its crown, where thousands of flowers are collected.

Varieties

In ancient times the lyriodendron grew throughout the territory of modern Europe, as evidenced by the numerous finds of archaeologists. To date, two types of tulip tree are widely distributed: North American and Chinese. Both of them are characterized by rapid growth. If one species is adjacent to another, then they are easily interbreeded. As a result, the resulting hybrid grows faster than each of its "parents."

African tulip tree

In West Africa, another species of tulip tree grows - the bellhop bellworm. For large bright inflorescences it is also called "forest flame", "fire tree", "ball lightning". Spathodei belongs to the Bignonia family. In nature, this evergreen tree grows quite quickly and reaches a 15-meter height.

It blossoms all year round, so it is often planted in parks and city gardens of the tropics and subtropics. Unlike wild trees, cultural spathodes are smaller. The mature plant has dark green foliage, which emphasizes the beauty of bright red flowers. During the rain, an African tulip tree collects in its flowers water that attracts birds to it . Hummingbirds love to eat nectar, which is produced in flowers in large quantities. Softwood serves as home to many breeds of birds that make nests in it.

However, despite its fragility and softness, the wood of the Spatodea bell-bellied has the property of resisting fire. In West Africa, drums are made from it, and paper is made in Singapore. Thanks to the powerful antibacterial action, the leaves and bark of this plant are successfully used in folk medicine.