Japanese sakura tree. Features, planting and care. How to grow sakura at home from seeds? In what season can you plant sakura seeds?

Sakura is the common name for certain types of cherry trees. Their harvest is meager, but during flowering the plants amaze with their beauty. A guest from Japan can be grown from seeds in domestic gardens. home tree may have the size of an ordinary sakura or be its copy several tens of centimeters high. Gardeners share their experiences, photos and video recommendations on how to avoid mistakes and successfully go through the long journey of growing a tree.

Sakura from seeds: preparation for planting

The basis for growing any crop is high-quality seed material. Sakura seeds can be bought in specialized retail outlets. Seed germination is poor - no more than 20%. On this score, gardeners advise:

buy more material;
use products from different manufacturers to determine who has better quality.

Sakura seeds

The process of planting a tree requires the following actions:

Perform stratification. For seeds, you should imitate natural winter weather. To do this, put them in a bag of wet sand and place them in the warmest compartment of the refrigerator. At a temperature of +4...+5 °C the material should be stored for at least 2-3 months.
A couple of days before planting, soak the seeds for a day in lukewarm water.
To help seedlings break through the seed coat, scratch or puncture outer layer mechanically.

Sakura seeds are planted in calcined or otherwise disinfected coarse sand. This substrate is most suitable for germinating seeds and, in addition, will protect the crop from diseases. An alternative to sand is moss or vermiculite. Use a wide and shallow container as a pot. Be sure to have drainage holes.

How to plant and pick sakura at home

Proper planting is half the success of future sakura growing:

treat the seeds with a fungicide;
moisten the substrate;
deepen the seeds half a centimeter into the grooves made (there should be at least 3 cm between them);
fill up the planting thin layer fine-grained sand;
cover the pot with film or glass;
leave at a temperature of +5…10 °C.

Seedlings should appear in 1.5-2 weeks. Until this point, care consists of maintaining the top layer of soil in a moist state, ensuring large quantity light, gradually raising the temperature to room level. When shoots appear, plant them in separate pots. The distance between seeded seedlings should not be more than 10 cm if you move them to a new common container.

Sakura blossom

Picking - important condition normal development of sakura. Repeated transplants help strengthen the root system. Sakura seedlings are left untouched only in the cold season. They are placed in a cool, shaded room until spring. The key point in picking grown seedlings is the selection of new pots. The gardener has two options:

leave the crop to grow in a cramped container and form a bonsai version of the tree;
move it to deeper and wider pots and prepare the tree for the garden.

Features of tree care

Sakura varieties have many differences in cultivation techniques. To grow bonsai sakura, the roots are shortened every season, and horizontal cuts are made on the bark, right on the trunk. For a garden tree, these methods are irrelevant - you form a seedling in a room, and then transplant it into open ground.

The rules for caring for a specific variety differ. common feature- trees are capricious and require daily attention. The tree needs soil enriched with humus, potassium, and nitrogen. During the season, sakura is watered with half a glass per day, in winter - less often. It is important for the plant good lighting and absence of drafts.

Sakura bonsai

The secret of the beauty of sakura is not only in large and abundant flowers, but also in the aristocratically built crown. It can be formed starting from 2-3 years of age of the plant. In the natural and miniature versions, the branches are arranged according to the same pattern. The crown may imply a straight trunk, a bend in the spirit of centuries-old Japanese cherry blossoms or widely spread branches.

Advice. To create a wide crown, prune the main shoot when you think it is tall enough. You can also trim the side shoots to correct their direction.

How to prune bonsai sakura correctly

To grow miniature crops, experts use various tricks and techniques. The goal is to make even a young tree look like a hundred-year-old tree. For this:

Expose some of the roots by removing a small layer at the base of the trunk. It should be thick. To do this, regularly remove all vertically growing shoots.
The barrel should not be too long. Cut off part of the root at its base. When replanting, deepen the cutting area into the ground. Over time, new roots will grow on it. Then the tree can be picked again, removing the old rhizome.
The heaviest branch of the tree will be the bottom one. Which shoot to leave for its formation - decide based on the compositional idea.
For a broom-shaped crown, prune vertically growing branches as much as possible. For vertical - on the contrary, protect vertical branches. In this case, only horizontal ones are cut.

The bonsai tree needs all these manipulations constantly. Otherwise it will lose its shape. The gardener's goal is to maximize decorative effect from sakura. If you adhere to cultivation technology, provide the plant with a little care and attention every day, then the Japanese guest will delight you with lush, large and bright colors every spring.

Growing bonsai: video

Sakura - belongs to the tree-like representatives flora from the Plum family. Japan is considered the true homeland of this tree; it is in this country that mass cherry blossoms are observed in the spring, which attracts tourists so much. The flower of the plant has a variety of color shades, from white to dark pink. It is according to these characteristics that sakura are distributed by type. Homemade Japanese sakura is a separate plant variety that is able to grow and reproduce in our climatic conditions.

Many landscape designers More and more often they began to introduce the planting of this particular plant into their projects, because its beauty will not leave even the most inconspicuous area unnoticed. Every gardener wants to have this extraordinary cherry in his garden or country house. Since it is quite difficult to grow a full-fledged homemade sakura from seeds, most people resort to buying ready-made plants. But it is worth noting that Japanese sakura, grown with one’s own hands from seeds in ordinary home conditions, is not a myth, but a reality. In order to fulfill your fantasies or simply surprise your neighbors with a beautiful tree on your apartment balcony, first of all, you need to know the basic rules for growing sakura directly at home.

Preparing to grow sakura from seeds at home

First of all, it should be noted that the method of growing sakura from mature seeds directly at home has its positive aspects:

no need to spend money on buying plant seedlings:
Sakura takes root well, as from the very beginning it adapts to certain environmental conditions.

At minimum costs It is sakura, like an extraordinary tree, grown at home that will become an unsurpassed decoration of the living room or loggia. Growing beautiful sakura from seeds at home involves using the following varieties: Amanogawa, Shirofugen, Shirotae, Tai Haku.

The most important point in cultivating plants whose origin is foreign is to adhere to all the basic rules for planting and care from leading botanists and breeders. First of all, you need to know how to plant seeds correctly. Japanese cherry blossom for growing at home.

Preparation of planting material involves the following steps:

Before planting, seeds are carefully inspected and only whole, undamaged, healthy seeds are selected;
the day before planting, the seeds need to be filled with water room temperature with a small amount of manganese or a specific fungicide.

Important: the so-called process of soaking and disinfection is a very important point, since growing healthy sakura in certain home conditions is quite difficult. Therefore, it is necessary to exclude everything possible options damage by fungi or mold to a young, unprotected plant.

The frequency of planting plays a significant role; it is best to plant sakura from seeds in early spring or early autumn. This way the plant will enter the desired vegetation cycle and will grow up healthy and beautiful. To achieve visible results and get a healthy plant, you must adhere to the rules of planting seeds and seedlings.

How to properly plant sakura seeds at home

For planting, use seeds collected from the plant after the flowers have dried; the storage time of planting material should not exceed 1 year;
it is necessary to plant 2 times more seeds than plants are needed, since there is a certain percentage of seedlings rising;
be sure to provide protection from direct sunlight;
adhere to the planting interval between seeds: for large seeds it is 5-7 cm, for small ones it is 2-3 cm.

By following the rules and using high-quality planting material, in just a couple of months you will be able to see young shoots, which will eventually need to be transplanted to a certain place on the site. Sakura, like a wonderful home flower, will feel great on the balcony.

Regardless of the variety and selection, sakura requires planting in a certain soil for normal growth and development of the tree body and further formation of flowers. That is why, when preparing for planting, you need to take into account the fact that the plant is predisposed to coarse-grained sandy soil; this is the kind of soil that should be used.

First of all, you will need to disinfect the soil; this can be done using special preparations or, directly, by roasting in the oven. Thus, they kill all unnecessary bacteria and fungi that can cause harm to both seeds and young plants.

The second very important point is the choice of container for planting. Depending on the desired number of sprouts and taking into account the interval between plantings, you should take a container of appropriate length.

For example: for 6 large seeds you will need a container at least 30 centimeters long.

It should be taken into account that in the early stages of development the root system of sakura is fibrous, the depth of the container should be from 5 to 10 cm.

The container is filled with soil, it is necessary to have a tray and drainage holes at the bottom for air circulation and moisture. You need to put pebbles or small stones at the bottom of the flowerpot.

Planting Japanese sakura from seeds in apartment home conditions involves the use of compact plastic containers specially designed for growing seedlings. Such containers fit very compactly on a windowsill or on a cabinet.

Planting seeds:

sowing of seeds is carried out in soil with a humidity of at least 60%;
the bones need to be immersed to a depth of 1-2 centimeters;
The top of the container must be covered with polyethylene to maximize moisture retention and create a certain atmosphere;
watering should be carried out once every 2-3 days, before climbing, water using the soil method, after - only with a tray;
2 months after climbing, the plant can be transplanted into another container for single growth.

At the age of 6 to 9 months, sakura can be planted in open ground.

Feeding sakura from seeds at home and photos of flowers

It is worth knowing that at the time of germination, young cobs use nutrients from their own cotyledons, so fertilizing during planting is excluded, as this can provoke the development of fungi or oversaturate the soil with organic matter, which will ultimately slow down, rather than enhance, the growth and development of the plant.

Feeding with nutrients is carried out using a pallet method when the tree has reached a height of at least 5 cm, it is at this time that the root system has formed, is able to function correctly, and requires additional nutrients.

It is necessary to take into account the fact that sakura requires constant care when growing at home; this applies, first of all, to fertilizing with organic fertilizers in the period before flowering or on time. There is no need to apply fertilizer before entering dormancy.

The state of true peace corresponds to the seasonality and growing season of the plant, that is, with the onset of autumn and winter, sakura seems to fall asleep in order to renew its strength until next spring.

You can see how homemade sakura is grown on the balcony in the photo:

Sakura bonsai grown from seeds at home

Sakura bonsai, grown from seeds in ordinary home conditions, will ideally fit into the interior of a house or apartment. Bonsai should be grown in wide, shallow containers to prevent the root system from growing. During the growth period, when the plant has reached at least 25-30 centimeters, you can begin to form a crown. To do this, it is necessary to cut off the main podium so that the tree develops a wider crown. Unusual crowns can be made by tying the growing branches with wire to create a specific look.

Important: grow a sakura tree in open ground It is quite difficult to grow from seeds in home country conditions; it is best to use seedlings for further planting on the site.

Planting of seedlings is carried out in the fall; the age of the seedlings should be at least 6 months, and preferably more. The older the seedling, the more resistant it is to factors environment. Very young seedlings will have to be wrapped for the winter when frost arrives, so as not to lose the plant.

Planting rules are identical to growing from seeds; any type of soil must be mixed with sand for maximum survival rate of the sprout. Do not forget about fertilizer and watering, and also periodically drain the soil around the tree to improve air exchange in the root system. Proper care of sakura will not require much time, the most important thing is to do everything clearly and according to the rules, and the efforts made will give an unsurpassed result.

After the home sakura surprises you with its first flowers, you can collect seeds and give advice to your friends on how to properly grow Japanese cherries with your own hands.

Check out the homemade sakura in the photo below:

Sakura bonsai can reach large sizes in natural conditions. With proper care, it will fit in a small pot, while remaining an exact copy of a Japanese cherry. Sakura is a recognized symbol of East Asia, the flowering of which is accompanied by national holidays. It is possible to grow a reduced reproduction of such a tree at home, but this process is long and painstaking.

Description of the variety

Japanese sakura bonsai is a decorative tree that easily takes root in the house. It is resistant to increased indoor air pollution, but requires good lighting and daily watering.

Sakura is valued for its unusual flowers; in bonsai they reach 1 cm in diameter. In nature they are bright pink, but you can buy artificially bred varieties with red, green, purple and other colors. Individual flowers are collected in inflorescences.

How to grow a tree from seeds

Growing bonsai sakura from seeds at home is difficult, but possible. You need to prepare for the process in advance and be patient. In terms of formation time, bonsai is not inferior to ordinary trees, and you can get a full-fledged home garden in 10-20 years, provided daily care.

Sakura bonsai seeds can be purchased in special stores. It is better to take more seeds, because the percentage of their germination and survival rate is quite low. You need to be prepared for the fact that only 1-2 seeds out of 10 will turn into full-fledged trees. There is a certain algorithm for preparing and planting sakura bonsai at home:

The seeds are scarified (pricked) to speed up the germination process. The day before sowing, they should be placed in water at room temperature.
Next, the seeds are placed in slightly moistened soil, deepening by 0.5 - 1 cm.
To germinate, sakura bonsai seeds must undergo stratification, which will imitate natural winter conditions. The container is covered with film and placed in the refrigerator for 2 months.
After this time, the seeds continue to germinate at room temperature and good light, maintaining constant soil moisture.

When the seeds begin to germinate, they need to be planted - transplanted into new soil. If seedlings are placed in a common container, the distance between them should not exceed 10 cm. It is best to plant the plants in separate bonsai pots - special flat pots.

It is worth consulting with the seller on how to grow sakura bonsai from seeds. Different varieties have their own preferences regarding soil, fertilizing or watering regime. Along with the seeds, you need to purchase all the necessary equipment and learn in advance about the rules for caring for dwarf trees.

Bonsai care rules

Those who have managed to grow a full-fledged bonsai tree at home admit that the plant is very capricious and requires daily care. Special attention allocated to the irrigation regime. In summer, bonsai needs half a glass of water a day, otherwise it can quickly die from drought. IN winter time You can water it less often. Equally important is the lighting in the room. Bonsai pots are located in the brightest areas, protected from drafts.

Bonsai are grown in flat pots with a diameter of up to 20 cm, so that the root system does not have the opportunity to grow. The plant is replanted annually, shortening the roots if necessary. The choice of soil must be taken responsibly - sakura grows well in soils with high content nitrogen, humus and potassium. Organic fertilizers applied to the ground approximately a month before planting, nitrogen is added directly with the seedlings.

When growing sakura bonsai, you can shape the crown at will, using available means. Trunk young tree fixed with wire or tension. When the plant reaches 25-30 cm in height, the main shoot is cut off so that the crown grows in breadth. After flowering, you can trim the side shoots, thus changing the direction of their growth. The rhizome is shortened at each transplant to prevent the tree from growing in height.

Another way to control the growth of the plant is to make horizontal cuts along the bark. They will release sap, which will weaken the bonsai and leave it dwarfed.

There are many varieties of crowns in sakura bonsai. You can leave the main trunk straight, or you can form unusual bends. If you follow the growing technology correctly and devote a small amount of time to the plant every day, it will bloom with decorative flowers every spring.

How to grow bonsai - video

Bonsai is a special art that originated in China more than 2 thousand years ago, later improved in Japan. Bonsai means miniature tree, grown in a flat dish at home. Sakura bonsai, the Japanese cherry tree, surprises with its amazing pink blooms.

All about the view

A little history. The art of bonsai has reached perfection in growing miniature indoor plants in exact replicas of large trees growing in nature. According to legend, the Chinese emperor wished to see his empire in miniature - with forests, fields, gardens and trees. His gardeners were able to grow dwarf trees to fulfill the will of the monarch.

After some time, the art of bonsai ended up in Japan, where it received modern name and development. Different kinds small trees look like real ones. Throughout their life, trees gain only 1–2 cm in height. At the same time, they require constant care - they must be trimmed correctly, constantly monitor the shape of the crown, pulling the branches with wire, fertilize and water.

One type of dwarf tree is the cherry bonsai (sakura). The tree has a brown trunk with a dense umbrella-shaped crown. Decorating it in natural environment serve white and pink flowers. They grow quite densely - 2-5 flowers in one inflorescence bunch, their double color covers the entire crown.

Purple, red, blue and other flower colors are artificially bred. The leaves are small, green, and turn red or crimson in autumn. After the flowers, sakura produces black fruits, but birds prefer to feed on the flower buds.

Video “Do-it-yourself bonsai”

In this video, an expert will talk about how to grow bonsai yourself.

Landing rules

Small cherry blossoms complement the decor of any home or office, adding a touch of oriental culture. An ornamental plant is difficult, but still possible to grow at home, starting with planting seeds. At the same time, you will need to stock up on a large supply of patience and hard work, because it will take 10–15 years of careful and regular care to form a miniature home garden.
You should not hope that seeds purchased in flower shops or online are a museum rarity. Bonsai seeds are regular seeds, from which you can grow a copy of a large tree. Consult with specialists what soil and fertilizer you need to choose for this variety, find out about the correct watering regime.

So, you have purchased several seeds and want to grow a sakura bonsai. To do this you will need:

disposable container for temporary planting of seeds (glass or bowl);
a flat pot (bonsai pot), which before planting must be treated with a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water in a ratio of 1 tsp. peroxide in half a glass of boiled water;
soil - sprinkle with cinnamon;
seeds - keep in mind that in order to germinate 1-2 sprouts, you will need to plant 8-10 seeds.

Now we will tell you how to properly plant sakura bonsai seeds. This procedure includes several stages of preparing seeds before directly planting them in the soil:

The seed is pierced, which speeds up the germination process. Then leave it in water for 24 hours. Feel free to throw away any seeds that float to the surface after soaking. They are guaranteed not to germinate.
Moisten the soil in a disposable container and deepen the grains into it to a depth of 1 cm.
Seeds need to create maximum conditions close to the natural winter period. To do this, cover the container with polyethylene and place it in the refrigerator for 2 months. This is how stratification takes place - imitation of winter conditions.
After this, bonsai sakura seeds continue to germinate at room temperature with good lighting and moisture.
When seedlings appear, the sprouts must be transplanted into a permanent flat pot. It is better that everyone has a separate place. If the bonsai machine allows you to plant several seedlings, keep a distance of 10 cm between them.

Care and cultivation

The plant is very capricious. It is especially important to properly water young shoots. In summer, bonsai requires half a glass of water a day, and this is a mandatory procedure, otherwise the plant is doomed to dry out. In winter, watering is infrequent; just monitor the soil moisture. Another equally important factor is good lighting in the room. The best bright places on the windowsills should belong to sakura. At the same time, do not forget to protect it from drafts.

For cultivation bonsai It’s not for nothing that special bonsai pots are used. In flat, shallow pots, the root system does not grow well. In addition, with mandatory replanting once every 2–3 years, the roots are shortened if necessary. This tactic does not allow the tree to grow in height.

The soil should contain high levels of nitrogen and potassium. Bonsai must be fertilized every month. The trunk is tied with wire, and when a height of 20–30 cm is reached, the main shoot is cut off to complete its upward growth.

The formation of the crown depends on your imagination. To process it and trim the roots, you can use scissors or pruners, but be sure to disinfect the tools by wiping them with an alcohol solution. Pruning should be carried out only during the rest period, i.e. after flowering.

Let's reveal another secret of how to maintain growth: make several horizontal cuts along the trunk. The tree will weaken due to loss of sap, and its development will slow down.

Wintering a tree

There are several rules for wintering sakura:

cover the lower branches and hole with mulch and remove from the windowsill away from light. You can keep the tree during this period in a garage or shed - any cold and dark place is suitable. It is important to close off access to light and drafts;
In winter, bonsai are watered less frequently as the soil dries out.

Growing Japanese cherry bonsai from seeds is a troublesome process. However, when grown correctly, beautiful Japanese sakura will delight you with its magical flowers.

When most people hear the word sakura, they associate it with Japan. This plant is truly national flower Land of the Rising Sun. Its short-term flowering signifies the arrival of spring. However, few people know that this is symbolic, tender and very beautiful tree can be grown in Russia.

Variety selection

Before you start planting a plant, you should carefully familiarize yourself with its main varieties and decide which variety is more suitable for cultivation.

Currently, breeders are creating new varieties of crops that can adapt to certain conditions. As a rule, the main way to develop a new species is by crossing already known varieties. For hybridization, varieties with certain characteristics are used, which in combination create a plant that is more resistant to certain growing conditions.

For example, to create the Spire and Shidare Yoshino varieties, breeders cross cherries of the Yedoensis, Iniciza, and Lannesiana varieties. The result is a hybrid that is very beautiful and delicate in appearance, and whose qualities are resistant to 30-degree frosts.

The Halle Olivetti variety is also good for frost. This species is prone to active reproduction, and its aesthetic appearance allows the culture to be used as a spectacular decoration landscape design.

Suitable for home planting varieties Amanogawa, Shirofugen, Shirotae, Tai Haku. All these species can only be grown by seeds. The advantage of the varieties is their resistance to stressful growing conditions. The trees turn out very beautiful.

Shidare Yoshino

Halle Olivetti

Amanogawa

By the way, some consider dwarf sakura to be a separate variety. This plant is actually grown using the art of bonsai.

This Japanese phenomenon involves regulating growth through a flat root system. Therefore, many gardeners are trying to grow sakura in miniature to decorate their home.

There are varieties of sakura that bear fruit, but this does not apply to all varieties. However, Japanese cherries themselves are sour and tasteless, and the pit takes up most of the contents of one berry. In Japan, some sakura fruits are used for pickling, drying, or as a seasoning for rice dishes.

Preparation of soil and planting material

Sakura seeds should be prepared in advance for the fact that future plants will have to grow in difficult conditions. Most often, gardeners choose seeds from China for planting. When preparing planting material, listen to the recommendations of specialists.

Study the grain structure. If their surface is quite dense, then carefully make small cuts on the shell without touching inner part. It will be easier for shoots to break through the holes.
Place the planting material in warm water (+25.30 degrees) for a day. You can add a little fungicide, it will protect the seeds from fungus.
It is necessary to prepare seeds, the number of which is 1.5 times greater than the number of planned trees. This is necessary for reinsurance - not all the material will sprout.
It is necessary to start preparing the seeds immediately after collection, before they lose their viability.

An important step when planting is choosing a container. To ensure that future shoots grow freely and actively develop, it is recommended to take a wide container about 5 cm high. The presence of a drainage system is of particular importance - stable water circulation will provide the crop with the substances required for healthy growth.

As a primer the best option Coarse sand is used, since Japanese cherry trees love slightly acidic, loose soils. A small amount of compost and wood ash. Ideally, the soil should be calcined.

Planting methods and scheme

You can germinate the crop from a seed at home or by planting a ready-made shoot at your summer cottage. Familiarize yourself with the rules for growing both options.

At home

The most suitable time for planting seeds is spring after the end of frost and the end of summer, beginning of autumn. Let's look at the stages of planting.

We dig furrows in the soil approximately 2-2.5 cm deep at a distance of 3 cm from each other.
We place the grains in the grooves, slightly deepening them into the ground. The gap between two adjacent copies should not be less than 2 cm.
Once all the seeds are in the container, sprinkle them with sand so that the top layer is approximately twice the diameter of one grain.
Cover the container with polyethylene and place it in the warmest refrigerator for two months. The stratification process will contribute to the hardening of future plants.
After the allotted time, we take out the container and continue growing under normal conditions at room temperature, providing good lighting and regular moisture.
When the first shoots appear, they need to be planted. Ideally, each future tree should be planted in a separate container. If this is not possible, then the distance between adjacent shoots should be at least 10 cm.

In the open ground

You can plant a tree directly in the ground at your dacha. Ready-made shrubs can be easily purchased at a specialty store. But when planting, a number of conditions must also be observed.

Dig a hole in the ground with a diameter of 45 cm. When digging separately, remove the top fertile layer of soil.
Combine the separated soil into equal proportions with humus and compost. If the composition is not enough, you can add purchased land.
Using pebbles, expanded clay or crushed stone, we create in the pit drainage system. The layer must be at least 10 cm.
Pour the mixture that we prepared earlier on top, so that there is a hill in the middle of the hole.
We plant the shoot evenly into the formed tubercle, without deepening the root collar.
Distribute the remaining mixture on top, compact and water.
When the soil settles a little, you need to fill the soil under the sprout again.
As soon as the tree is planted, we install a support stake nearby and tie the sprout to it.
We dig a ditch around the perimeter to a depth of about 10 cm and fill it with water.

How to properly care?

To get a beautiful mysterious tree with delicate flowers, It is important to comply with all conditions for caring for this vulnerable and feminine plant.

Watering. Make sure that the soil is not dry. Particular attention should be paid to watering during the period of swelling of the buds, at the first stage of flowering and in the next couple of weeks - at this time a moisture deficiency should not be allowed under any circumstances.
Nutrition. It is important to fertilize during watering. Humus and compost are suitable. But the tree also needs nitrogen and potassium, so don’t forget about mineral fertilizers. If the soil contains little organic matter, it is recommended to feed the plant once a year with 10 kg of humus/compost and 15 g mineral fertilizers. If the soil is more saturated with organic matter, then these elements should be used in a ratio of 5 kg/8 g. It is important to avoid fertilizers that oxidize the soil.
Trimming. In order not to provoke the release of resin, it is recommended to form a crown and eliminate dead and diseased branches only before the sap begins to flow. It is important to spray the cutting areas with garden varnish.
Wintering. The tree, which is fragile and vulnerable to harsh conditions, must be prepared for winter frosts. To do this, at the end of August we feed it with potassium and phosphorus mixtures. At this time, nitrogen should be abandoned, as it will cause active development of foliage, which the plant will not have time to shed before winter. A week before the first frost, we cover the trunk with a special covering material, and the lower part without leaves with agrofibre. It is important to choose a material that allows oxygen to pass through.

It is important to clarify that with the right approach, it is possible to grow Japanese cherries even in the harshest conditions. Residents of the Urals and Siberia can well count on beautiful garden, decorated with delicate pink flowers. However, for this it is worth paying special attention to the variety, choosing a frost-resistant variety.

In Siberia, the tree blooms for several weeks. The first petals open in May.

“Louisiania Three-lobed” is popular among Siberian gardeners; this is one of the types of plants that can also be found under the name “Almond”. The tree turns out beautiful, soft and pleases the eyes of garden visitors. Its height reaches 5 meters. Caring for the plant is simple; the variety was bred specifically for growing in harsh climates.

Louiseania triloba

Kiku Shidare

FAQ Residents of the Moscow region also wonder about planting sakura. Here the tree begins to bloom in April and continues flowering in May. It is important to choose the right site; the place should be well lit by the sun, and the nearest trees should not shade the young shoot.

Gardeners from the Moscow region prefer such an ornamental variety as Kiku Shidare. The main advantage of the variety is resistance to frost. The tree grows up to 5 meters in height. Flowering can begin as early as the end of March. The bush looks very aesthetically pleasing and effectively emphasizes the style of landscape design. However, the gardener should try to ensure that the soil contains a lot of nutrients, the area is light and moderately moist.

How to propagate a plant?

The most preferred method of propagating sakura is cuttings. In addition, many people graft the plant. Cherries, plums, sweet cherries, and bird cherry are used as rootstocks, but only a certain crop is suitable for each variety. Sometimes even seedling sellers get confused about this issue, because sakura is not only a cherry, but also a collective name various forms plums, peaches, almonds and other plants.

If you choose the propagation method by cuttings, it is recommended to use the following tips specialists.

First of all, we wait for the tree to bloom. The shoots should grow to 10-15 cm.
We dilute “Kornevin” in water in a ratio of 10 g/5 l.
We collect cuttings 10 cm long from the bush and place them in a jar with Kornevin solution for 12 hours.
We are preparing a greenhouse where the cuttings will be planted under the film.
We plant the planting material at an angle of 45 degrees, screwing it halfway into the ground, and cover the greenhouse with film.
After 5-7 weeks, the cuttings will give roots. During this time, they need to be watered and ensure air and soil moisture.

Growing and propagating sakura yourself is not that difficult. The main thing is to choose the right variety that is most suitable for a particular climate, and also to follow all the rules for planting and caring for the plant.

For his efforts, a responsible gardener will be rewarded with a beautiful, elegant, luxurious tree with touching flowers, and his garden will be filled with the mysterious subtle fragrance of Japanese cherry.

ABOUT self-cultivation sakura is explained in the video below.

Description of the variety

Japanese sakura bonsai is a decorative tree that easily takes root in the house. It is resistant to increased indoor air pollution, but requires good lighting and daily watering.

How to grow a tree from seeds

The seeds are scarified (pricked) to speed up the germination process. The day before sowing, they should be placed in water at room temperature.
Next, the seeds are placed in slightly moistened soil, deepening by 0.5 - 1 cm.
To germinate, sakura bonsai seeds must undergo stratification, which will imitate natural winter conditions. The container is covered with film and placed in the refrigerator for 2 months.
After this time, the seeds continue to germinate at room temperature and good light, maintaining constant soil moisture.

It is worth consulting with the seller on how to grow sakura bonsai from seeds. Different varieties have their own preferences regarding soil, fertilizing or watering regime. Along with the seeds, you need to purchase all the necessary equipment and learn in advance about the rules for caring for dwarf trees.

Bonsai care rules

Those who have managed to grow a full-fledged bonsai tree at home admit that the plant is very capricious and requires daily care. Particular attention is paid to the watering regime. In summer, bonsai needs half a glass of water a day, otherwise it can quickly die from drought. In winter, you can water it less often. Equally important is the lighting in the room. Bonsai pots are located in the brightest areas, protected from drafts.

Bonsai are grown in flat pots with a diameter of up to 20 cm, so that the root system does not have the opportunity to grow. The plant is replanted annually, shortening the roots if necessary. The choice of soil must be taken responsibly - sakura grows well in soils with a high content of humus and potassium. Organic fertilizers are applied to the ground approximately a month before planting, nitrogen fertilizers are added directly with the seedlings.

When growing sakura bonsai, you can shape the crown at will, using available means. The trunk of a young tree is fixed with wire or tension. When the plant reaches 25-30 cm in height, the main shoot is cut off so that the crown grows in breadth. After flowering, you can trim the side shoots, thus changing the direction of their growth. The rhizome is shortened at each transplant to prevent the tree from growing in height.

Another way to control the growth of the plant is to make horizontal cuts along the bark. They will release sap, which will weaken the bonsai and leave it dwarfed.

Sakura - a cultivated Japanese cherry - is grown not for its harvest, which is scarce, but for the opportunity to admire beautiful flowering. In Russia, it is quite possible to grow sakura at home from seeds purchased in China. A copy of a tree (bonsai) reduced several times in size is just as beautiful as the original, and one grown with one’s own hand from a seed is a real reward for a hardworking, attentive and patient gardener.

General description of the plant

Sakura is usually called finely serrated cherry, or more precisely, a number of trees of the plum subfamily - both trees and shrubs. Most of them are highly decorative, but either are not fruitful or bear small and unsuitable fruits for food. Tree trunk - Brown. The crown is dense, umbrella-shaped. In their natural environment the flowers are white and pink shades grow 2-5 pieces in an inflorescence, densely. The appearance of the plant blooming in different shades is very attractive and pleasing to the eye.

Small homemade cherry blossoms in the form of bonsai, obtained from seeds, are like copies of real ones. The trees grow slowly, adding no more than one or two centimeters per year. Growing sakura at home is not easy: the process requires patience (10-15 years, no less) and constant attention - the formation of the trunk and the direction of the branches, regular fertilizers and watering. Sakura with purple, blue, and red flowers are artificially bred.

Preparatory stage

First of all, you need to stock up, as already noted, with patience. It will take at least ten years to grow sakura bonsai from seeds and get an amazing miniature tree.

Japanese sakura easily tolerates air pollution above normal, but requires regular (daily) watering, as well as good lighting. Since the growing process is long, you should take care in advance good location It also talks about delegating responsibilities for watering in the absence of the gardener himself. It is also necessary to protect the flower from direct sunlight and drafts.

Not all varieties of Japanese sakura are suitable for home grown. Amanogawa can be sprouted from seeds at home. Shirofugen. Tai. Shirotae.

Selecting container and soil for sowing

To grow decorative sakura, you first need disposable containers for germinating seeds, and then bonsai pots, special shallow flat pots that do not allow the root system to grow too much, with a diameter of no more than 20 cm. The bonsai pot is first washed with hydrogen peroxide diluted in water (1 tsp. peroxide per 250 ml of boiled, cooled water).

Disposable containers for germinating seeds and forcing sprouts:

originally - wide, shallow plastic containers with holes for drainage. It is enough to rinse them with clean water. Since sakura roots are fibrous in the early stages of development, the germination container should be 5-10 cm deep;
after diving - small, literally 100 ml plastic cups with mandatory holes to drain excess water.

Sakura seedlings are demanding on the soil, which must be sufficiently saturated with potassium and nitrogen. For successful germination, it is advisable to purchase a soil substrate made from vermiculite (or sphagnum) and coarse sand. To force the sprouts, it is permissible to use sand alone. In any case, it must first be disinfected with potassium permanganate and calcined or steamed.

Substrate after diving: mix 1 part humus and 7 parts turf soil with sand (3 parts).

Preparing and sowing seeds

Sakura bonsai seeds are planted in the spring or in late August and early September. High-quality seed material is one of the main components of success factors. Seeds are sold in specialized stores. You can order them directly from the manufacturer by mail.

Seed germination is low - up to 20% (to grow two sprouts you need to plant ten pieces). Therefore you should:

buy and plant more material;
purchase products from different manufacturers in order to identify those who have better quality.

Seed preparation begins long before sowing and includes:

careful inspection of each and removal of spoiled ones with damaged outer shell;
scarification or pricking, scratching of the outer shell. This will help the seedlings break through it faster;
Soaking in water at room temperature (or slightly warmer) for a day. Manganese may be added (to give the liquid a faint pink color) or a suitable fungicide. Specimens that float to the surface are removed - they are guaranteed not to sprout.

The substrate is moistened and the seeds are deepened into it 0.5-2 cm into the grooves. The following should remain in the row between future seedlings and furrows:

not less than 3 cm - between small seeds;
at least 5-7 cm - between large ones.

Cover the plantings with a small layer of fine-grained sand and cover the container with transparent cellophane or glass.

It is not enough to plant the seeds correctly; it is necessary to carry out a stratification process - create conditions similar to winter ones by placing them in the refrigerator. There, on the bottom shelf, at a temperature of +4-5 °C, future sakura are hardened for at least 2 months. After this, the seed is germinated under normal conditions, gradually raising the temperature to room temperature and ensuring good lighting and sufficient soil moisture.

Some gardeners stratify the seeds before planting, for which they place them in a bag of moistened sand and keep them in the refrigerator for the prescribed two months. And only after this they carry out scarification and planting.

If all the noted conditions are met, seedlings appear 10-15 days after being removed from the refrigerator.

Please note: during germination, young sakura sprouts use nutritional reserves from the cotyledons of the seeds, so they do not need additional feeding. Moreover, the application of any fertilizer can provoke the development of fungal diseases or delayed plant development due to oversaturation of the soil with organic matter.

Seedling care and picking

The technology for growing miniature sakura requires several pickings after germination. They are seated while pinching the roots. If the first picking is also carried out in a single container, at least 10 cm is left between the sprouts. The composition of the substrate used after picking is given above. During the first procedure, the root is shortened by a third, stimulating the development of lateral branches.

The second pick is carried out two or more months after the first. This time, pinch off the main root two-thirds of the way and transplant the plant into a shallow bonsai pot (you need to put clean pebbles on its bottom for drainage). Experienced flower growers deepen the sakura a little more than during the first transplant.

The following dates are determined by the ratio of the height of the sakura and the pot - 2:1. When the seedlings outgrow it, they replant and shorten the roots.

It is important for young shoots proper watering- half a glass of water a day. In addition, they need the best place in the house for illumination (without exposure to open rays of the sun) and protection from drafts.

Rules for growing bonsai

Both planting and caring for seedlings or adult sakura bonsai require daily attention:

proper regular watering, varying depending on the time of year;
bright lighting;
influx fresh air no drafts;
proper feeding;
during transplants.

A separate “art” is the technique of shaping correct form tree. Mastering the rules for pruning the crown and setting the direction of branch growth is not difficult, but it requires attentiveness, accuracy and patience.

You can propagate sakura:

seeds, which will be discussed in detail below;
by cuttings - you need young, non-lignified ones, 5-10 cm long. When propagated by cuttings, they are immediately planted vertically in the ground;
air layering, which requires a branched sakura plant with branches no more than 3 cm in diameter, suitable for forming a bonsai trunk. The branch is separated from the trunk using special technology, having previously spent 2-3 months germinating roots on it. The plant rarely reproduces in this way; specialists are needed for this.

Watering and fertilizing

Young homemade sakura requires about 100 ml of water daily and reacts sharply to missed watering. The exception is the winter months, when the tree grows very slowly, the activity of all processes “falls asleep”, and it is watered once every 2-3 days, focusing on the drying of the top layer. In any case, the water should not remain in the pan after watering.

Since the tree’s soil volume is very limited, it requires regular feeding:

V warm time years - every 20 days;
in winter - monthly.

Plants older than 12 years are also fertilized once a month. In the spring they require more nitrogen, so they are looked after by selecting a complex with a mineral ratio - one part of phosphorus and potassium and two parts of nitrogen. During the period of bud formation and flowering, emphasis should be placed on potassium content. In summer, nitroammophoska with an equal content of minerals is suitable, and in winter the proportion of nitrogen is reduced by three times.

Shaping the trunk and crown

This process is carried out entirely in accordance with the tastes and ideas of the grower; there are no canonical forms of the bonsai tree. You can leave one or two branches or several, bend the plant in any direction, or allow the trunk to have a natural straight shape. Craftsmen can even young plant make it look like an ancient hundred-year-old tree.

If a sakura tree is grown with the formation of a trunk, the process begins almost immediately, in the first year of life, in early spring or winter, when the “skeleton” of the plant without foliage is clearly visible.

To fix the trunk and branches, soft and flexible aluminum wire coated with copper is used. When wrapping the trunk, the wire is allowed to run freely, since it will spread out as it grows in width. The wire corset is kept on the tree for no longer than three months, after which it is removed, dividing it into pieces with pliers, without affecting the trunk or leaves.

After flowering, the side branches are pruned, paying attention to the location of the remaining outer buds on them - new shoots will come from them at an angle to the mother branches. You need to make sure that the branches do not intertwine and each one has enough air and light.

The top is cut off when the plant reaches 30 cm in height. After this, it will practically not grow upward, but the trunk will thicken and the crown will become a little more luxuriant. In specialized literature you can find advice to make small cuts on the trunk to reduce its growth rate, but this procedure is painful for sakura. To implement it (if a decision is made not to touch the top), it is advisable to contact experienced specialist for caring for Japanese cherry bonsai.

Necessary equipment for forming a tree:

special pruning shears for pruning bonsai plants;
wire cutters.

Subtleties of transplantation

Regular transplants of sakura strengthen it in the first two to three years of development, but they are not carried out more often than once every two months. Also, do not disturb the plant in winter, during the dormant period, when a “disturbed” tree can get sick. Mature trees are replanted every two or three years.

With each repetition, large roots are cut off. This manipulation inhibits the tree's upward growth. Young bonsai trees have a properly developed root system - the basis of health.

Diseases and pests

Attentive, proper care looking after the plant is the best prevention of any diseases and insect attacks. It can be harmed by caterpillars, woodlice, and red mites. The most dangerous “invaders” are bark beetles and aphids. The way to combat them is with insecticides, which must be applied quickly to prevent the spread of pests.

The development of diseases is possible if the rules for caring for sakura are violated:

Among fungal diseases, leaf curling is the most common;
When a plant is left in a dark environment for a long time and is “flooded” with water, it is susceptible to the development of powdery mildew.

The affected leaves are immediately removed and the bonsai is sprayed with any of the fungicides for home flowers.

Typical beginner mistakes

Sakura is considered a difficult type of bonsai to care for. To grow it, it is advisable to have basic skills in caring for such a crop, acquired by forcing more simple types- myrtle, olive tree, ficus Benjamin or Microcarp. TO typical mistakes Beginner hobbyists include:

excessive watering. Knowing the danger of skipping watering, amateurs pour water into the pan, hoping that the plant will take “as much as it needs.” As a rule, the tree dies within a week;
non-compliance with temperature and seasonal regimes - fertilizing in winter and the decision to add lighting with a regular lamp. Because of this, in the air already dried out by central heating, the plant suffers more;
The wire is pulled too tightly on the stem. When the wire cuts into the bark, it injures it. The tree suffers such damage painfully.

It should be noted that those who begin to grow difficult-to-care bonsai cannot do without the death of seedlings. If we analyze the errors and extract useful experience from what happened, it can be avoided next time.

When we mention the phrase “Japanese cherry”, a bright picture with sakura trees buried in lush pink blossoms immediately emerges from the depths of our memory.

In Japan, sakura is traditionally considered a symbol of female beauty and youth; many beliefs and legends are associated with it. The flowering period of this plant is celebrated by the Japanese as a universal family celebration. Decorative cherries and sakura were brought to Russia at the beginning of the 20th century by Professor Krasnov and planted in Batumi botanical garden, later - in the Sukhumi Arboretum.

Description of the tree

In fact, sakura is a generalized name for several forms of East Asian species of finely serrated cherry that have double flowers. Belongs to the Pink family. In their natural environment in their homeland, Japan, these trees can reach a height of 20 meters.

The crown is round, spreading. The bark of the tree is red to brown, with small cracks. Large oval leaves, jagged at the edges, green in color, in autumn they turn from dark purple to brown tones.

The flowers are painted in colors from bright pink to white and are collected in brushes of 7–9 pieces. There are cherry blossoms with red, yellow and crimson flowers.

The flowering of one tree lasts no more than a week, but since there are many types of sakura and they bloom in different time, this wonderful spectacle can be enjoyed for about two months.

Modern garden varieties Sakura are created by crossing sharp-serrated wild cherries with cultivated relatives, as well as through grafting. Now there are about 400 varieties of this elegant plant. It is quite understandable that many gardeners want to have such a beauty on their plot.

Sakura fruits and their uses

Sakura, as an ornamental plant, does not produce valuable fruits, which is why it differs from ordinary cherries, which are a fruit tree.

Of course, fruits exist and are called sakura-no-mi in Japanese. They are so small, hard and sour in taste that the Japanese use them only in pickled form and for making wine and jam.

The size of the berries is about 8 mm, the skin is smooth, from pinkish to dark red in color.

Good to know: The leaves of the tree are also suitable for food - after pickling or salting, they become sweet-salty, sour or spicy in taste and, together with the fruits, they are added as a seasoning to rice.

Planting in a garden plot

Considering the homeland of its growth, sakura is very thermophilic and can die at outside temperatures below -15C. For cultivation in Russia, the best varieties are those grown on the northern islands of Japan, where the climate is at least somewhat similar to ours.

The place for this tree is chosen to be quiet, protected from drafts, and with a high degree of illumination. The area must be well drained to avoid stagnation of water, or a mound of soil must be prepared on which the seedling is planted.

Sakura loves light loamy soil of neutral or weak acidity, containing a lot of humus. In heavy soils, it is necessary to add some kind of loosening agent, for example, sand, compost, vermiculite.

As when purchasing any planting material, you must carefully examine root system so that it has a sufficiently branched shape for better survival in a new place. You cannot cut the roots, you can only carefully straighten them with your hands.

Annual trees no more than 1 meter high with mature wood (reddish bark color) are best suited.

Gardening advice: To get abundant flowering, plant a couple more cherries of a different variety nearby.

Tree care

Sakura is more demanding to care for than cherry. It needs not only regular watering, but also spraying of the foliage, especially in hot summer weather. However, it also does not like excess moisture in the soil - the root system may die.

In the spring, before the buds open, it is necessary to carefully thin out the tree crown, removing dry, excess branches. Since sakura does not tolerate the cutting procedure very well, the cut areas must be treated with garden varnish or other antiseptic.

Sakura requires regular spraying with fungicides to prevent fungal infections and damage from pests (such as aphids): first spray before bud break, then a month after the berries set.

The application of organic and complex mineral fertilizers has a beneficial effect on the overall development of the plant and its productivity; cherry is especially responsive to potassium and phosphorus. Application rates depend on soil fertility. They are excluded from autumn feeding. For the winter, it is better to wrap young trees with some material to prevent it from freezing and also protect it from rodents.

How to grow sakura at home, watch the following video: