Soil acidity: optimal and excessive pH values. Karyopteris - there is nothing simpler and more beautiful Alkaline soil reaction

Completely depends on the presence of alkaline elements in it. Depending on this parameter, soil can be of three types. There are acidic, alkaline and neutral soils. Despite the fact that some representatives flora They love soil with a high level of this indicator; such soil is the least preferable.

Acidity index

Soil acidity is a certain property that depends on the concentration of hydrogen ions. It is designated as the pH of the solution, that is, the liquid phase of the soil itself. The value is expressed in gram equivalents per liter.

Acidic soil (as defined above) is characterized by a pH value below seven, that is, the number of H+ ions is less than OH- ions (with a neutral reaction, their number is equal, which is expressed by the number 7).

How to determine acidity?

It is quite easy to set this indicator at home. To do this, in a specialized store you need to buy a kit for measuring soil acidity, which includes a certain number of litmus papers. In addition, you need to prepare a so-called soil extract (add five parts of water to one part of the soil). The container with this extract needs to be shaken thoroughly and left alone for a while to allow it to settle. Now you can place litmus paper in the liquid that is located above the sediment. Upon contact with liquid, it changes its color, which is compared with the template.

Acidic soil, the symptoms of which are described in this article, is characterized by the following colors on a piece of paper: green, blue-green and blue.

What plants indicate acidic soil?

Acidic soil (how to determine it at home is indicated above) is loved by many plants, despite the fact that its presence in the garden or personal plot can cause many problems.

Plants that live exclusively on such soils are called acidophiles. Knowing which wild herbs love such soil, you can determine acidity without chemical tests. On such soils the following most often grow:

• horsetail;
• small sorrel;
• caustic buttercup;
• blueberry;
• sorrel;
• on weak acidic soils You can find heather, cornflowers and ferns.

However, it is worth considering the fact that many plants are indifferent to small fluctuations in this indicator, that is, they are able to adapt to edaphic factors (a set of chemical properties soil and its physical features). Therefore, for a more accurate result, it is recommended to determine the amount of alkaline elements in the soil using a litmus test.

If speak about horticultural crops, then acidic soil (its signs are very easy to remember) will not be to the taste of any famous representatives. It is possible for some of them to grow at a pH closer to neutral, for example, quince, different varieties apple trees, raspberries and blackberries, as well as tomatoes, sorrel, zucchini, potatoes and pumpkin. Knowing the signs of acidic soil in the garden, improving the condition of the soil is quite easy. This is possible by adding certain substances. Among the flower representatives of the plant world, acidic soil (how to deal with it can be found in the article) is suitable for irises, delphiniums, some lilies, conifers and most roses.

Other detection methods

Can help in determining acidity special device Alyamovsky. This is a set of special reagents, the main purpose of which is to analyze soil extracts (for comparison, two extracts are taken: salt and water). It also includes an indicator, potassium chloride solution, test tubes and samples. The analysis is similar to that used with litmus strips.

There is also a device that is designed to determine the acidity of the soil, while performing several functions at once:

• determination of acidity;
• humidity;
• temperature;
• soil illumination.

There are also traditional methods. For example, using cherry or currant leaves. They need to be brewed with boiling water and then cooled. Next add some soil. The acidity of the soil is determined by the color of the liquid. If the water changes its color to red, then the soil is acidic.

How does soil acidity affect plants?

For getting large quantity Soil acidity is a very important parameter that should be taken into account when choosing plants. This is necessary so that plant nutrition is not disrupted, as well as the process of assimilation of elements necessary for full development. If unadapted specimens are planted on acidic soils, this can lead to nitrogen starvation, especially in unfavorable conditions. climatic conditions, in particular during rains and low temperatures. A manifestation of this is considered to be that it begins to absorb the plant from the veins, and then moves on to adjacent tissues. In order not to be confused with natural aging, remember that the latter begins with the tissues between the veins, and the veins themselves remain green for some time.

In addition, acidic soil (what grows on it is indicated above) is characterized by the transition of aluminum and iron into salts, and this can lead to the fact that plants simply cannot absorb it. A high amount of these salts in the soil can lead to the fact that calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and molybdenum practically do not penetrate into plant tissues and contribute to a decrease in yield. Other elements, such as copper, boron and zinc, also become phototoxic. Plants that are not adapted to grow in acidic soil develop poorly, root branching is suspended, the absorption of water and other nutrients is significantly deteriorated, signs of acidic soil on the site prove this.

In addition, such soil can become waterlogged, and the lower the pH level, the greater the likelihood of waterlogging.

Acidic soil: how to combat it with fertilizers?

One of the ways that allows as soon as possible reduce soil acidity - apply fertilizers. For these purposes, potassium or ammonium sulfate is usually taken; potassium chloride, sodium or superphosphate are also suitable. This is due to the fact that when the specified types of fertilizers are applied, plants growing on acidic soils receive anions, not cations. During this process, positive cations remain in the soil, which leads to its alkalization.

By using such fertilizers at regular intervals, you can ensure that the soil pH level is normalized.

If different methods pointed out what you have in the spring? You can use a tool that is universal. It is suitable for absolutely any type of soil (if you are not sure that your garden has acidic soil, the symptoms of which are described above). And this is urea. In this case, it can be used to achieve a certain degree of alkalization of the soil.

But it is better not to use ammonium nitrate, because you can get the opposite effect.

Use of lime

The most common method of combating increased acidity the soil still remains limed. This is due to the fact that lime is able to displace hydrogen and aluminum from fertile soil layers, replacing them with magnesium and calcium. The lower the pH, the more the soil needs liming.

This procedure consists of adding lime flour (you can safely replace it with dolomite) to a depth of no more than 20 cm. After this, fill the soil with plenty of water. The frequency of liming should be about once every 5 years (in some cases it can be done less often or more often depending on the acidity level). Clay soils require the greatest amount of applied lime, sandy soils require the least.

The advantages of this procedure are obvious:

• neutralization of soil acidity, which leads to the development of microorganisms that live in the soil and are directly involved in the formation of many plant nutrients, such as nitrogen or phosphorus;
• compounds of manganese and aluminum pass into their inactive form, as a result of which the toxic effect of these elements on plants is significantly reduced;
• the absorption of potassium, phosphorus and molybdenum is activated;
• increases the efficiency of applying other fertilizers, such as manure.

Along with the application of limestone, fertilizers enriched with boron are required, since boron and manganese compounds lose their mobility.

The safest way to reduce acidity

Acidic soil, the symptoms of which are described at the beginning of the article, will improve if green manure plants are planted on it. They are able to increase the pH value.

Such plants include:

• rye;
• oats;
• representatives of legumes;
• lupine;
• phacelia.

For this method to be effective, sowing must be done several times a year for several years in a row.

This method is considered safe, since it does not harm either microorganisms that live in the soil and suffer from large amounts of calcium and lime, or plants that will subsequently grow in this area, or groundwater.

Other remedies for acidic soil

• crushed chalk (it needs to be ground, sifted, and then added to the soil at the rate of 300 g of chalk per 1 m 2 of soil, subject to strong acidification);
• peat ash (the amount of this preparation should be significantly more than chalk);
• wood ash (suitable for sandy, sandy loam and peat soils).

How to get acidic soil

In some cases, the gardener is faced with the question not of how to reduce the acidity of the soil, but, on the contrary, how to increase it. This is due to the fact that some garden crops They feel good on such soils. To do this, swampy peat is used as a fertilizer, which can significantly lower the pH level.

Even if there are no particular problems with soil acidity this moment No, you still need to check it periodically. This is necessary in order to take timely measures to increase soil fertility. Knowing the signs of acidic soil in the garden makes it much easier to do this.

The magnificent wrinkled rose (Rosa rugosa) thrives in alkaline soil. Sometimes it grows and can form a low hedge.

Gardeners who have the opportunity to cultivate magnificent rhododendrons and other garden plants that prefer acidic soil consider themselves very lucky. However, if you look at the list of species that grow well in alkaline soil, you will be surprised to find that there are no less of them than calcephobes. By creating thoughtful compositions from them, you can design a garden that will be no less beautiful than the one in which plants from acidic soils are planted.

Plants that prefer alkaline soil, with a pH of 7.0 or higher, are called calciphiles. Use a soil acidity test kit to find out how the soil in your garden reacts.

When choosing plants to decorate an area with alkaline soil, you will be surprised to find that both trees and shrubs will grow well on it, including clematis, honeysuckle, rowan and viburnum, which love such conditions.

Clematis does well in alkaline soil.
Honeysuckle in bloom is also a calcephile.
Rowan also grows well in alkaline soil.
Viburnum in bloom will decorate your garden.
Viburnum is also good in the fall.

Flax Linum narbonense is a charming perennial that displays blue or dark blue flowers in summer. It prefers light soil. To these can be added herbaceous perennials, as well as members of the legume family, such as cistus, gorse, honey locust, sweet pea and black locust.

In some areas the soil layer is very thin, barely covering the massive limestone outcrops. Of course, in such conditions, gardening turns into hard work. After all, even planting plants can be very difficult, and the roots of the seedlings simply have nowhere to develop. Due to these reasons, there are few trees in gardens. However, some tree species, such as European beech (Fagus sylvatica), are capable of forming shallow but widely branched root systems and adapt to the almost complete absence of soil.

Such a thin soil layer can hold very little moisture during dry periods, so its upper part dries out greatly. However, plants adapted to such living conditions have roots that penetrate even soft stones.

During rare rains, they absorb quite a lot of moisture before it seeps through the soil and goes into the rocky layer. Application organic fertilizers It is best to carry out immediately after heavy rainfall.

Typically, the soil reaction on a site is not the same. There are always places on it where it is more alkaline than in other parts. This is usually explained by the accumulation construction waste- for example, near the walls of a house or a patio.

This situation is especially common in urban gardens, where fences were often made of stones held together lime mortar. This solution can quickly turn acidic soil into distinctly alkaline soil. In this case, plants that can grow only in acidic soils should be moved, and calciphilous species should be planted in their place. This could be, for example, clematis.

However, in this case, you should remember that their roots must be protected from the hot sun. Typically, gardeners avoid replanting plants, especially in summer time. These fears are in vain: if you dig up a bush or tree with a large lump of earth and place it in a deep and wide landing hole. in most cases, they tolerate the transplant procedure quite satisfactorily.

Alkaline soils are common in areas close to chalk or limestone. Although they may be among the most productive agricultural soils in different areas, they can become a problem in the garden. Alkaline soils are often rocky and free-draining. Therefore, added organic matter can decompose quickly, making it difficult to maintain fertility. Poor growth and yellowed leaves (chlorosis) are the result of plants being unable to absorb iron and manganese through their roots.

About which soils are alkaline, what to do and how to counteract them

We will discuss the negative factors on alkaline soils in our material.

1. What soils are alkaline?

Alkaline soils vary greatly from gravel to clay. The clay-like element may be mostly fine calcium carbonate, making it unsuitable for plant growth. However, when true clay is present in the soil, nutrient levels can be higher and water retention capacity greater. Alkaline soils can be identified as follows: chalky or lime-rich soils, primarily composed of calcium carbonate and are highly alkaline (they have a pH of 7.1-8.0), if the soil foams when poured into a jar of vinegar, then it contains free calcium carbonate (chalk) or limestone and rich in lime, highly alkaline soils may contain pieces of small, white stones and are often large, with sharp edges that can be easily broken. Calcareous soils contain chunks of limestone.

2. Features of gardening

Naturally, lime-rich soils contain chalk and limestone in abundance and are often associated with lowlands, grass-rich pastures and chalk and limestone forests. Very often such soils are full of stones, they can be too dry in the summer, and they are often poor nutrients and microelements. Thus, manganese and iron can be “locked” in the soil and are not available to plants. But, this type of soil has several advantages: flooding rarely occurs on light alkaline soils due to their elevation and porosity, with good fertilizer, can be moderately fertile and ideal for growing a wide range of plants, plants in the Brassica family are less likely to suffer from growing conditions in chalk soils.

3. What to do if the soil is alkaline

Apply a lot to the soil organic matter to improve moisture retention and humus levels in the soil (this condition can disappear very quickly due to the characteristics of the soil). Chalky and calcareous soils generally allow the roots of trees and shrubs to easily find moisture, but in some cases it may be irreversible to break down the subsoil to obtain sufficient depth for planting woody plants. Apply fertilizer, use mulch with added organic matter to retain moisture, Use “green manure” to help correct nitrogen levels in the garden.

Among the countless varieties and hybrids of sweet peppers, there are those, such as the Ramiro pepper, whose popularity is literally worldwide. And if most vegetables on supermarket shelves are nameless, and it is almost impossible to find out about their variety, then the name of this pepper “Ramiro” will certainly be on the packaging. And, as my experience has shown, this pepper is worth letting other gardeners know about it. In connection with which this article was written.

Autumn is the most mushroom time. It is no longer hot, and heavy dew falls in the mornings. Since the earth is still warm, and foliage has already attacked from above, creating a completely special microclimate in the ground layer, the mushrooms are very comfortable. Mushroom pickers are also comfortable at this time, especially in the mornings when it is cooler. It's time for both to meet. And, if you haven’t introduced yourself to each other, get to know each other. In this article I will introduce you to exotic, little-known and not always edible mushrooms that look like coral.

If you are a busy person, but at the same time not devoid of romance, if you have your own plot and are endowed with aesthetic taste, then explore the opportunity to purchase this wonderful ornamental shrub– karyopteris, or Nutwing. He is also “wing-hazel”, “blue fog” and “blue beard”. It truly fully combines unpretentiousness and beauty. Karyopteris reaches its peak of decorativeness in late summer and autumn. It is at this time that it blooms.

Pepper ajvar - vegetable caviar or thick vegetable sauce from bell pepper with eggplants. The peppers for this recipe are baked for quite a long time, then they are also stewed. Add to ajvar onion, tomatoes, eggplants. To store eggs for the winter, they are sterilized. This Balkan recipe is not for those who like to make preparations quickly, undercooked and underbaked - not about ajvar. In general, we approach the matter in detail. For the sauce, we choose the ripest and meatiest vegetables on the market.

Despite simple names(“sticky” or “indoor maple”) and the status of a modern substitute for indoor hibiscus, abutilons are far from the simplest plants. They grow well, bloom profusely and delight with a healthy look of greenery only in optimal conditions. On thin leaves, any deviations from comfortable lighting or temperatures and disturbances in care quickly appear. To reveal the beauty of abutilons in rooms, it is worth finding the ideal place for them.

Zucchini fritters with Parmesan and mushrooms - a delicious recipe with photos of available products. Ordinary zucchini pancakes can be easily turned into a non-boring dish by adding a few savory ingredients to the dough. During the squash season, pamper your family with vegetable pancakes with wild mushrooms; it is not only very tasty, but also filling. Zucchini - versatile vegetable, it is suitable for stuffing, for preparations, for main courses, and even for sweets there are delicious recipes - compotes and jam are made from zucchini.

The idea of ​​growing vegetables on the grass, under the grass and in the grass is scary at first, until you become imbued with the naturalness of the process: in nature, this is exactly how everything happens. With the obligatory participation of all soil living creatures: from bacteria and fungi to moles and toads. Each of them contributes. Traditional tillage with digging, loosening, fertilizing, and fighting all those we consider pests destroys the biocenoses that have been created over centuries. In addition, it requires a lot of labor and resources.

What to do instead of a lawn? So that all this beauty does not turn yellow, does not get sick and at the same time looks like a lawn... I hope that the smart and quick-witted reader is already smiling. After all, the answer suggests itself - if you do nothing, nothing will happen. Of course, there are several solutions that can be used, and with their help, you can reduce the area of ​​​​the lawn, and therefore reduce the labor intensity of caring for it. I propose to consider alternative options and discuss their pros and cons.

Tomato sauce with onions and sweet peppers - thick, aromatic, with pieces of vegetables. The sauce cooks quickly and is thick because this recipe contains pectin. Make such preparations at the end of summer or autumn, when the vegetables have ripened in the sun in the garden beds. Bright, red tomatoes will make equally bright homemade ketchup. This sauce is a ready-made dressing for spaghetti, and you can also simply spread it on bread - very tasty. For better preservation, you can add a little vinegar.

This year I often observed a picture: among the luxurious green crown of trees and shrubs, here and there, like candles, the bleached tops of shoots “burn.” This is chlorosis. Most of us know about chlorosis from school biology lessons. I remember that this is a lack of iron... But chlorosis is an ambiguous concept. And lightening of foliage does not always mean a lack of iron. What is chlorosis, what our plants lack during chlorosis and how to help them, we will tell you in the article.

Korean vegetables for the winter - delicious Korean salad with tomatoes and cucumbers. The salad is sweet and sour, spicy and slightly spicy because it is prepared with Korean carrot seasoning. Be sure to prepare a few jars for the winter; in cold winter, this healthy and aromatic snack will come in handy. You can use overripe cucumbers for the recipe; it is better to prepare vegetables in late summer or early autumn when they are ripe in open ground under the sun.

Autumn for me means dahlias. Mine begin to bloom as early as June, and all summer the neighbors peek at me over the fence, reminding them that I promised them a few tubers or seeds by the fall. In September, a tart note appears in the aroma of these flowers, hinting at the approaching cold. This means it’s time to start preparing the plants for a long harvest. cold winter. In this article I will share my secrets autumn care for perennial dahlias and preparing them for winter storage.

To date, through the efforts of breeders, according to various sources, from seven to ten thousand (!) varieties of cultivated apple trees have been bred. But despite their enormous diversity, in private gardens, as a rule, only a couple of popular and beloved varieties grow. Apple trees are large trees with a spreading crown, and you cannot grow many of them in one area. What if you try to grow columnar varieties of this crop? In this article I will tell you exactly about these varieties of apple trees.

Pinjur - Balkan-style eggplant caviar with sweet peppers, onions and tomatoes. Distinctive feature dishes - eggplants and peppers are first baked, then peeled and simmered for a long time in a roasting pan or in a thick-bottomed pan, adding the rest of the vegetables specified in the recipe. The caviar turns out to be very thick, with a bright, rich taste. In my opinion, this cooking method is the best known. Although it is more troublesome, the result compensates for the labor costs.

When selecting plants for landscaping, it is necessary to take into account many environmental factors of the territory - fertility, moisture and mechanical composition of the soil, lighting, level groundwater etc. Along with these factors, it is very great importance For good growth Soil acidity also affects the state of plants.

In this article we will talk about alkaline soils and trees that can grow successfully in such conditions.

What soils are called alkaline?

Alkaline soils characterized by the presence of calcium salts (lime) and high pH values ​​of the soil solution. Based on the pH value, the following gradations of alkalinity of soil solutions are distinguished:

slightly alkaline - pH 7-8; medium alkaline - pH 8-8.5; highly alkaline - pH - 8.5 or more

It is possible to accurately determine the pH values ​​of a soil solution only in laboratory conditions, and approximately using litmus (indicator) paper - an aqueous solution of alkaline soil will color standard indicator paper V Blue colour. The presence of lime in the soil can also be determined using vinegar: when it is applied to a lump of earth that contains lime, a reaction will occur - the earth will foam and hiss.

Limestone soils vary greatly - from stony loam lying on a layer of limestone to heavily clay soil. But all of them are alkaline soils, that is, they are saturated with alkali.

High alkalinity is unfavorable for the growth and development of most plants. Alkaline soils generally have low fertility, unfavorable physical properties and chemical composition. They are usually heavy, viscous, sticky, and waterproof when wet.

In Ukraine, alkaline soils are mainly located in the south in the steppe and forest-steppe parts and are confined to southern chernozems, chestnut and brown soils.

Improvement of alkaline soils

Alkaline soils, and especially solonetzes and highly saline soils, can be improved only by radical reclamation measures with the addition of calcium sulfate - gypsum. Calcium displaces absorbed sodium, as a result, solonetzic horizons become more structural and permeable to water, and, therefore, it is possible to remove salts from the lower horizons. In practice, waste from the phosphorus mining industry - phosphogypsum - is most often used. In addition to calcium sulfate, it contains impurities of sulfuric acid and fluorine. Acid is useful for neutralizing alkalinity. But the admixture of fluorine is dangerous due to toxicity. However, no direct evidence has been obtained that it comes from the soil into plants. The rate of application of gypsum on solonetze soils is about 0.5 kg/m2; on solonetz soils, 0.2 kg/m2 of gypsum or phosphogypsum is sufficient.

The process of reclamation of solonetzes is significantly accelerated by irrigation. In dry areas it is necessary.

Slightly alkaline soils on personal plots improved by shallow digging, application of increased doses of organic fertilizers and sowing of green manure - alfalfa, mustard, etc.

Range of woody plants for alkaline soils

Most plants in the garden prefer soil with a neutral reaction or close to it with slight deviations in one direction or another).
Plants that prefer alkaline soils are called calciphiles.
The range of fruit and berry crops that can be successfully grown on alkaline soils is quite limited. But if the pH does not exceed 8, then these conditions are suitable for growing such breeds fruit crops: apricot, quince, pear, peach, cherry, dogwood, almond, walnut, mulberry, etc.

Highly alkaline (solonetzic) soils are extremely unfavorable for grapes and most fruit crops, the usual reaction of which is chlorosis (yellowing of leaves, poor shoot growth and dryness).

Many plants generally cannot tolerate a large percentage of lime, so plants that cannot tolerate this substance, for example: rhododendrons, azaleas, heathers and others, cannot be planted on alkaline soils.

On calcareous, alkaline soils, a wide range of products can be successfully grown ornamental plants. Their choice is quite large, so bring full list impossible in a short article. Below are the most common and most unpretentious ornamental trees (species and their decorative forms - varieties), which are traditionally used in landscaping in Ukraine on alkaline soils, and also their short characteristics are given, namely their dimensions and basic decorative properties.

Deciduous trees for alkaline soils

Ailanthus altissima or Chinese ash

Tree 20-25 m high, with a slender cylindrical trunk covered with thin light gray bark; young trees with a wide pyramidal crown, old trees with a tent-shaped spreading crown. The crown is semi-open. The leaves are compound, odd-pinnate, palm-shaped (like those of pinnate palms), very large, up to 60 cm long, and in coppice specimens even up to 1 m. Leaves of 13-25 leaflets, ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, bluish below, 7-12 long cm, with 2-4 large blunt teeth at the base; When touched, the leaves emit an unpleasant odor.

The flowers are bisexual and staminate (male), small, yellowish-green in large panicles, 10-20 cm long. Male flowers have an unpleasant odor. The fruits are lionfish, 3-4 cm long, light reddish-brown in color.

Photophilous; It is unpretentious to soil conditions, grows on dry rocky, gravelly and sandy soils, tolerates fairly significant soil salinity, grows well even on salt marshes, but develops best on deep loamy, fairly moist soils.

Field maple - Acer campestre

Tree 12-15 meters high. The crown is oval, dense, the leaves are five-lobed, less often three-fingered. Very shade tolerant. Relatively drought-resistant, demanding soil richness.

Ash maple - Acer negundo

Tree 10-15 (18) meters in height. Decorative forms are often used in landscaping:

- "Odessanum"- a tree up to 9 m high with beautiful bright, lemon-yellow foliage. Leaf petioles are orange-yellowish.

- "Elegantissima"- most often a shrubby form (about 5 m tall), young leaves with a bright yellow border, lighter with age.

- "Flamingo"- more often in standard form about 5 m high. The leaves are covered with white-pink spots. When they bloom, they are creamy green in color, then they have soft pink and white stripes and a wide border of the same color, later the pink turns into white or pale green.

- "Variegatum"("Argenteo-variegatum") - a tree or shrub 5-7 m high. The leaves have an irregular wide stripe of cream color along the edge, pink when blooming.

Norway maple - Acer platanoides

Tree 18-25 m high. Both the species and its numerous varieties are used in landscaping:

- "Crimson King"(synonym "Schwedleri Nigrum"). The tree reaches 20 m in height. The leaves are a deep purple, almost black color throughout the season.

-"Drummondii". Tree up to 6-10 m (sometimes up to 12 m) in height. Leaves with a wide, uneven stripe of cream color.

- "Globosum" a small tree, often in standard form, 4-6 (7) m tall, 3-5 m wide, initially strictly spherical, later the crown gradually becomes flattened.

Spiny honey locust (three-spined, common) - Gleditsia triacanthos

Trees 8-15(20) m tall. They have an openwork crown, feathery leaves and beautiful fruits - beans. Very drought resistant.

Bignonioides catalpa, or common catalpa - Catalpa bignonioides

Tree up to 20 m tall. The crown is broadly oval, the leaves are large. Beautiful abundant flowering.

Cercis pod-bearing (European) or " Judas tree" - Cercis siliquastrum. It grows in the form of a tree (sometimes a shrub), up to 10 m tall, with a spreading, loose crown. It blooms beautifully in May, during flowering, all branches are completely covered with bunches of purple-pink flowers.

Prickly hawthorn (common)— Crataegus oxyacantha (laevigata). A large shrub up to 4 m high or a tree up to 5 m, with a thick, oval crown and thorny branches. The leaves are broadly ovate with 3-5 lobes. White flowers 5-10 in corymbs. Flowering duration is 10-12 days. Round fruits up to 1.2 cm in diameter, bright red to purple in color, with yellow flesh.

You can also use other types of hawthorns - Altai, blood-red, softish, cockspur, single-pistillate, etc.

Hawthorn prickly

Common ash - Fraxinus excelsior

Tree up to 30 m tall, with a wide oval, openwork crown. Grows quickly, light-loving. It has many forms used in landscaping. The most interesting of them:

- weeping (f. pendula)- a tree up to 8 m tall, with a dome-shaped crown and long branches hanging to the ground, very impressive when planted alone;

- yellow-leaved (f. aurea)- With yellow leaves etc.

White mulberry, or mulberry - Morus alba

Tree up to 20 m tall, in unfavorable conditions - shrub. The crown is dense, spherical, spreading in old trees. The leaves are of various configurations and sizes, even on the same tree, from entire to lobed; in summer they are dark green, in autumn they are straw-yellow. The fruits are quite decorative - sweet, edible, of various colors. Has a lot decorative forms, of which the most effective:

- weeping (f. pendula)- up to 5 m high, with thin branches drooping to the ground;

-dissected leaf (f. sceletoniana)- very elegant, with leaves divided into regular, narrow lobes, while the apical and two lateral lobes have strongly elongated ends;

- golden (f. aurea)- with golden yellow young shoots and leaves.

White mulberry "Weeping"

Oriental plane tree or Chinar - Platanus orientalis

A powerful tree up to 30-40 (50) m in height, has a powerful, wide-round, cylindrical, dome-shaped or spherical crown. Usually a single-trunk tree, less often with several trunks with a common base. The bark is very original, smooth, greenish-gray on the branches; on young trunks it is gray, peeling off in large plates; on old ones it is dark gray, with deep cracks. The leaves are large (15 - 18 cm), alternate, palmately lobed. Grows quickly, withstands temperatures down to -25°C,

Oriental plane tree

Black poplar or Osokor - Populus nigra

A large tree, up to 30 m high, with a powerful, wide, branched crown. The leaves are rhombic or triangular, with a long thin point at the apex, dark green above and somewhat lighter below, finely blunt-toothed along the edge, fragrant. It is undemanding to soil conditions and can grow on dry and relatively poor soils. It grows very quickly in rich and humid conditions. Winter-hardy and drought-resistant. Gas and smoke resistant.

Also tolerates the presence of lime in the soil: Simon's poplar, or Chinese - R. simonii;. Poplar Bolle - R. bolleana; Pyramid poplar - P. pyramidalis.

Downy or staghorn sumac (Vinegar tree) - Rhus typhina (Rhus hirta)

Tree 10-12 m high or large shrub. It has a beautiful, decorative, openwork crown, thick, fluffy, light brown shoots, reminiscent of deer antlers. Large, up to 50 cm long, odd-pinnate leaves with an amazing velvety surface, consist of 11-31 leaflets, long-pointed at the top and coarsely toothed along the edge, matte dark green above, whitish-gray below. In autumn the leaves are pale orange to deep burgundy. During the period of fruit ripening, spherical drupes covered with red bristly pubescence greatly decorate the plants, often until spring.

Japanese Sophora - Sophora japonica

A slender, deciduous tree up to 25 m tall, with a beautiful, dense, spherical crown up to 20 m in diameter. The leaves are large, up to 25 cm long, imparipinnate, consisting of 7-17 ovate or lanceolate-oblong leaflets, dense, dark green, shiny above and bluish below. The flowers are yellowish or greenish-white, in large paniculate inflorescences. Beans up to 10 cm, clearly visible, sharply constricted, amber-yellow when ripe. Photophilous. Very drought-resistant, undemanding to soil, resistant to smoke and gases.

Sumac fluffy	Sophora japonica

Downy oak - Quercus pubescens

A tree up to 8-10 m high, with a low, twisting trunk and a wide crown, sometimes growing as a shrub. Young shoots are heavily pubescent. Leaves are 5-10 cm long, very variable in shape and size, with 4-8 pairs of blunt or pointed lobes, dark green above, glabrous, gray-green below, pubescent. It grows slowly, is light- and heat-loving, and drought-resistant.

English oak - Quercus robur

Long-lasting, very powerful tree up to 50 m tall, with single landings on open places- with a short trunk and a wide, spreading, low-set crown. The leaves are alternate, leathery, oblong, obovate, up to 15 cm long, with an elongated apex and 3-7 pairs of blunt, lateral lobes of unequal length. Acorns up to 3.5 cm, 1/5 covered with plus, ripen in early autumn. Despite the fact that it prefers deep, fertile, fresh soils, it can grow in any soil, including dry and saline ones. It has high drought and heat resistance. One of the most durable Ukrainian aboriginal breeds. Such characteristics make it indispensable in green construction.

Robinia pseudoacacia or white acacia - Robinia pseudoacacia

Deciduous tree up to 30 m tall, with a translucent, spreading, openwork crown, consisting of separate tiers. The shoots are bare, greenish-gray or red-brown, spiny. The leaves are alternate, odd-pinnate, with 7-19 leaflets, obovate or elliptical in shape. In spring they are green, silky-pubescent, in summer they are dark green, sometimes yellowish, bluish below, naked; in autumn - dark green. The flowers are white or slightly pinkish, fragrant, in drooping racemes up to 20 cm long. The fruit is a brown, flat, linear-oblong bean 5-12 cm long. White locust has a wide variety of decorative forms. The following are most often used in landscaping: pyramidal (f. stricta), umbrella (f. umbraculifera), golden (f. aurea), dissected (f. dissecta).

Robinia pseudoacacia

Willow pear - Pyrus salicifolia

A low tree up to 8-10 m, the crown is broadly ovate. Young shoots with white-tomentose drooping. The leaves are narrowly lanceolate up to 8 cm, with a width of 1 cm; young ones are silvery, later slightly shiny, dark green above and whitish-fluffy below. The flowers are up to 2 cm in diameter, white, collected in corymbose inflorescences. The fruits are small, up to 2 cm, with a short stalk. Drought-resistant, undemanding to the soil, even tolerates salinity and compaction. Smoke and gas resistant.

Pear tree - Pyrus elaeagnifolia

Tree up to 10 m tall. The crown is wide, openwork, with prickly, felt-pubescent shoots. Lanceolate leaves up to 9 cm long, silvery on both sides, gray-tomentose, very reminiscent of oleaster leaves, which is why the species got its name. Flowers white with pink tint, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, are very impressive during flowering against the background of silvery leaves. Fruits are up to 2 cm in diameter. The plant is not demanding on soil richness, can grow on rocky, infertile soils, is drought-resistant, and light-loving. Winter hardiness is quite high, withstands temperatures down to -20-25 °C.

Elm pinnately branched or Elm (Berest) pinnately branched - Ulmus pinnato-ramosa

Tree up to 15 m tall, with an openwork crown, spreading in youth and oval in mature trees; with thin, flexible, grayish-pubescent, drooping branches. The leaves are elliptical, small, smooth, sometimes symmetrical, coarsely toothed, dark green, turning yellow in autumn. The flowers and lionfish are small, in bunches. Photophilous, drought-resistant.

Squat or small-leaved elm - Ulmus pumila

A small tree up to 15 m tall, or a shrub with a dense, rounded crown and thin branches. Young shoots are pubescent. Small elliptical leaves up to 2-7 cm long, leathery, slightly unequal, with an acute short apex and a simply or double-toothed edge, smooth, pubescent when young. In spring the leaves are green, lighter underneath; in summer - dark green; in autumn - olive-yellow. The flowers are collected in small bunches. Lionfish are yellow-brown or ocher. Light-loving, drought-resistant, tolerates city conditions well.

Rekovets Petr, dendrologist,
Chairman of the Board
Kyiv Landscape Club