Marsh wild rosemary: botanical features and medicinal properties of a medicinal plant. When wild rosemary blooms: description, properties, features and reviews

It is unlikely that among the green inhabitants of the swamp kingdom there will be a more fragrant plant than wild rosemary. Interesting case describes in one of his books the famous phenologist and expert on Russian forest D.N. Kaygorodov: “Many years ago I was hunting white partridges in the Shlisselburg district. I had to wander for several hours in a row through mossy swamps, abundantly overgrown with blueberries and wild rosemary. My dog, usually so tireless and lively, suddenly became strange after several hours of hunting. sway, gave up looking for game, began to lie down on the ground, as if in great exhaustion, with difficulty, reluctantly rose to her feet and, swaying, reluctantly approached me at the whistle, which she usually obeyed well. Wondering what had happened to her, I abandoned hunting and returned home. An hour later, after a sound sleep, the dog became completely fresh and cheerful, as if nothing had happened. Subsequently, when I once told this incident to an old hunter, he explained to me that the dog was “intoxicated” with wild rosemary, which I smelled too much of, looking for game among its bushes for several hours in a row.” D.N. is right. Kaygorodov, calling wild rosemary an insidious plant, because the initially pleasant aroma ultimately causes a very strong, sometimes nauseating, headache.

The genus Ledum, belonging to the heather family, is very small. There are 8 species known throughout the world, but only 4 are grown in gardens, including in Russia. Russian name“Ledum” comes from the ancient verb “bagulit”, which means “to poison”, and the now forgotten derivative of it, the adjective “Ledum” means: poisonous, stupefying, tart, strong. The Russian title reflects characteristic feature This bush has a strong, suffocating smell. The scientific name is "ledum" (ledum) comes from Greek ledon- this is what the ancient Greeks called the plant from which the aromatic resin was extracted - incense (ladanum). Often wild rosemary is called Daurian rhododendron, the branches of which are sold in Moscow in winter. But Dahurian rhododendron has nothing to do with wild rosemary. This name is incorrect. So, let's get back to the real wild rosemaries.

Greenland rosemary(Ledumgroenlandicum)

Shrub native to North America, up to 1 meter high, with oblong leaves, white flowers collected in an umbrella-shaped inflorescence. Blooms from mid-June to the second decade of July. The seeds ripen by the end of September. Growth is moderate. From the end of July until autumn frosts, there are cases of secondary growth due to which, probably, the ends of young shoots do not have time to completely lignify and freeze slightly. However, this does not affect the decorativeness of the view.

There is an interesting form of wild rosemary "Compact"(" Compacta"). This is an evergreen, upright growing shrub up to 45 cm high with creamy-white flowers collected in spherical inflorescences. Blooms profusely in May-June. Young shoots are brown and pubescent. Deserves more attention. Can be recommended for planting in heather gardens.

Creeping wild rosemary(ledum decumbens)

Homeland: Eastern Siberia, Far East: Chukotka, Kamchatka, Okhotia, Sakhalin, northern part of North America, Greenland. It grows in shrub tundras on hummocks with open forests, on sandy hills, loaches, in thickets of dwarf cedar, in high-mountain sphagnum bogs, and rocky placers. Evergreen shrub 20-30 cm tall. It does not bloom profusely, but annually from the second ten days of May to mid-June. Fruits irregularly. The seeds ripen at the end of August. Grows slowly, annual growth is about 1 cm.

Large-leaved wild rosemary (Ledummacrophyllum)

Homeland: Eastern Siberia, Far East: Sakhalin, Primorye, Amur River basin; northern part of Korea, Japan (Hokkaido). It grows in the undergrowth of mountain coniferous forests, in sphagnum bogs, along the edges of stone placers among thickets of heather shrubs. Evergreen shrub up to 1.3 m tall. It blooms profusely, from the second half of May to the first ten days of June. The seeds ripen in late August - early September. Annual growth is 34 cm, rarely 6-8 cm.

Marsh rosemary(ledum palustre)

Widely distributed in nature and most often found in culture. People call it: bagun, bagula, bagunnyak, bogovnik, bagunnik, bugun, swamp hemlock, gologolovo, bagno, oregano, oregano, kanabornik, swamp canaber, large bug grass, bog grass, swamp stupor, forest rosemary. Homeland: Arctic, East European Plain, Western and Eastern Siberia, Western, Northern, Southern Europe, Northern Mongolia, Northeast China, Korea, North America. It grows in the tundra and forest-tundra on peat bogs, in high bogs, in the undergrowth of damp coniferous forests, along mountain rivers and streams, in the highlands, in groups, in small thickets, among dwarf cedar trees. Evergreen shrub 0.5-1.2 m tall. The diameter of the bush in adulthood is about 1 meter. Young shoots are covered with thick rusty-felt pubescence. The leaves are leathery, on short petioles, linear-lanceolate, dark green above, rusty-felt-like with hairs below, and smell when rubbed. It blooms from mid-May to the second decade of June. The flowers are white, less often pinkish, fragrant, collected in inflorescences. The fruits are dark brown capsules. The seeds ripen in mid-August.

It grows slowly. Lives in culture for more than 30 years. Overwinters without shelter.

In moss bogs, wild rosemary is in danger of being pulled into the thickness of the moss, since the moss grows every year and the surface of the bog invariably rises. Thus, the root and most of shoots eventually end up in a waterlogged, oxygen-deprived layer and gradually die off, rot and become part of the peat, and adventitious roots form on living shoots, above the surface of the mosses. Ledum flowers make a charming impression moonlit night: they seem as if sculpted from white marble. A pleasant intoxicating aroma complements this truly fabulous picture.

Based on materials from the magazine “In the World of Plants”, No. 4, 2004.

The content of the article:

Ledum in Latin is called Ledum, which is exactly the same term used to name a genus or subgenus included in the Heather family (Ericaceae). But if we rely on data from Western literature on botany since the early 90s of the last century, all species classified in this genus are included in the Rhododendron family. But such a judgment has not yet found support in Russian-language sources. All representatives of this plant association are distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, where a subarctic and temperate climate reigns. In total, according to The Planet List website (taken in 2013), there are only six species of wild rosemary, although scientists have described up to 10 varieties, four of which are found in the regions of Russia. It prefers to settle on moist soils along river arteries in mixed or coniferous forests and peat bogs.

Family name	Ericaceae
Life cycle	perennial
Features of growth	Evergreen, shrub
Reproduction	Seed and vegetative (cuttings, layering or rhizome division)
Disembarkation period in open ground	Rooted cuttings, planted in spring
Disembarkation scheme	50–70 cm between seedlings
Substrate	Fluffy, nutritious and sour
Illumination	Open area or partial shade
Humidity indicators	Drying the soil is harmful, but waterlogging is not a problem
Special requirements	Unpretentious
Plant height	0.5–1.2 m
Color of flowers	Snow white or light pink
Type of flowers, inflorescences	Umbrella or corymbose
Flowering time	April June
Decorative time	Year-round
Place of application	Borders, ridges, rock gardens or rockeries
USDA zone	3, 4, 5

If we take the Latin term “ledum”, the plant takes its name from the translation from the ancient Greek word “ledon” due to the fact that the dense foliage has a strong woody aroma. This brings it closer to incense, which serves as a raw material for the extraction of aromatic resin. But if we rely on the translation of the Slavic word “bagulnik”, then from Old Russian “bagulny” means “poisonous”, “intoxicating” or “stupefying”. It is popularly called ledum, bedbug, forest rosemary or bagoong, oregano, hemlock or bovine. All these names are given because of the persistent suffocating odor.

Ledum is a perennial that never sheds its foliage. It can grow in the form of a shrub or shrub, the height of which varies between 50–120 cm. The rhizome of the plant is superficial, characterized by branching with short root processes. This is what ensures the flow nutrients to all other parts. The stems that form from ledum are rigid and have a small diameter. The stems grow erect and can ascend or creep along the surface of the soil. The color of young shoots is olive-green, but they are covered with rusty pubescence; over time they become covered with bare dark bark.

Leaves appear alternately on the stems and never fly off. Their surface is leathery, the leaf shape is lanceolate or elongated, there is a raised vein in the central part, and the edge sheet plate folded down. The color of the foliage is dark green, but if wild rosemary grows in bright sun, it takes on a brown-brown color. The same thing happens with the arrival of autumn days. When rubbed, a tart aroma is heard.

On last year's branches, with the arrival of April until June, inflorescences begin to form, shaped like umbrellas or shields. Each flower has a shortened peduncle. The calyx formed by the petals takes on the shape of a bell. The petals of the calyx are oval in shape, snow-white or pale pink in color. All elements in a flower are multiples of five. Flowers are bisexual. Pollination of ledum is carried out by insects, after which the fruits ripen, which are formed into boxes. When fully ripe, the boxes dry out and open from the very base to the top. Inside the fruit there is a division into five seed sections. The seeds that fill them are small in size, but they have wings that allow them to fly far from the mother plant.

In natural conditions, bagoong can cover the soil surface with a dense carpet, in the thickets of which lingonberries are found, while rare fruits ripen in them, differing large sizes. If there are places in the garden with wet soil, or there are banks of streams or rivers, then wild rosemary can be planted there. It will also do well on rocky embankments, rock gardens or rock gardens. You can use similar plantings to fill spaces under trees, but wild rosemary is more decorative in group plantings. Often, with the help of strip plantings of oregano, living fences are formed or the site is divided into zones.

Growing wild rosemary at home - planting and care in open ground

1. Planting hemlock in open ground. Ledum planting is carried out in spring period, but if you purchased a plant already grown in a pot, then of great importance there is no period of placement in open ground. Because bushes will grow in one place long time, then the depth of the planting hole should reach 30–40 cm, despite the fact that almost all root system lies at a depth of no more than 20 cm. To create a group planting, it is recommended to maintain a distance between seedlings of approximately 50–70 cm. A layer of 5–8 cm of drainage material must be laid at the bottom of the hole. After the plants are planted, mulching is required.
2. Place for planting ledum. The plant can feel great both in an open place and in shade, only in the latter case it will lose a little decorativeness and growth will slow down slightly.
3. Soil for oregano. Since wild rosemary is a marsh plant that prefers swampy places or coniferous forests, the acidity of the soil should be high. When planting in open ground for hemlock, the hole is filled with a soil mixture from coniferous land, top peat and coarse sand (in a ratio of 2:3:1). However, there are species of bugs that prefer depleted and sandy compositions. For such plants, some of the sand is taken more.
4. Watering. Ledum easily tolerates waterlogging of the soil; drying out is harmful to it. Reacts negatively to substrate compaction. After each watering, loosening should be done in the root zone, but very carefully, since the root system is superficial.
5. Fertilizers for wild rosemary. In order for soil acidity levels to be maintained at the same level, plantings need to be watered with acidified water once every 2–3 weeks. Feeding for bushes is necessary every year with the arrival of spring. Complete mineral complexes are used (for example, Kemira-universal or Pokon). During April-May, 1.5–2 tablespoons of the drug are scattered around the ledum plantings. It is forbidden to fertilize with any organic matter (chicken droppings, manure, etc.), since the mycosis on the roots will die.

How to propagate wild rosemary?

To obtain new plantings of oregano, it is recommended to sow seeds, root cuttings, root shoots and layering, or divide an overgrown bush.

Seeds must be collected from fully ripened fruits that open independently from bottom to top. The seeds are collected in the fall, but they are sown with the arrival of spring. For planting, the substrate must be loose and moist and have high acidity. This substrate is placed in seedling boxes, mixed with coarse sand. The seed material should be distributed over the surface of the soil, only slightly pressed into it and watered. Then the box is wrapped in transparent plastic film and put in a cool room. Caring for crops consists of regular ventilation and watering when the soil dries out.

After a month, you can see the first shoots, the shelter is then removed. When the seedlings get a little stronger and grow, they are planted in separate pots (it is recommended to use peat ones). Or disembarkation is carried out in another seedling box, but leaving a greater distance between young wild rosemaries. This is necessary so that the root system does not subsequently become tangled.

Vegetative propagation using layering is used. To do this, a flexible shoot is selected, carefully bent to the soil and fixed. In this case, you should dig a hole up to 20 cm deep and there you can secure the branch with a stiff wire, after which it is sprinkled with soil. The tip of the shoot should remain above the surface of the substrate. After it is noticed that the cuttings have taken root, they are carefully separated from the mother bush and planted in a prepared place.

With the arrival of spring, if the wild rosemary bush has grown too much, then it can be replanted and divided into parts. To do this, the entire plant must be dug up, the root system freed from the soil and cut into pieces with a sharp knife. But you shouldn’t make the divisions too small, otherwise they will take a long time to take root. All cuts must be sprinkled with wood or activated carbon. They try not to dry out the roots and immediately plant them in the chosen place.

When cuttings, semi-lignified shoots with 2–3 leaves are used. You can cut them throughout summer period. It is recommended to treat the lower cut with a stimulator (for example, Kornevin). The cuttings are planted in pots with loose and nutritious soil (peat and sand). Those leaves that are close to the ground must be completely removed or cut to half. Rooting of such hemlock seedlings usually takes a long time, so they will be ready for planting in open ground only with the arrival of next spring.

Possible difficulties when caring for wild rosemary

When grown in open ground, you don’t have to worry about ledum plantings, since the plant repels anyone with its aroma and active substances. harmful insects. And diseases are not a problem when growing these bushes. If the soil is not loosened, a fungus may develop, which is controlled with fungicides (for example, Bordeaux mixture). When seedlings are affected spider mite or bedbugs, spraying with insecticides is performed (such drugs can be Aktara, Actellik, Karbofos or the like).

Notes for gardeners about wild rosemary

You can understand why wild rosemary is placed indoors because of its tart aroma, which repels blood-sucking insects (this is why the plant is called bedbugs), and it can also ward off moths - the shoots are placed in closets to preserve fur and wool.

It is important to remember that wild rosemary is completely saturated with poison. After working with the plant, wash your hands thoroughly with soap. Not worth it for a long time stand next to ledum thickets, as its aroma can cause severe weakness and dizziness. Despite the fact that forest rosemary is an excellent honey plant, its honey and pollen are unsuitable for use (very poisonous). These products can be used for food only in small quantities and after long-term heat treatment.

Ledum herb contains a lot of essential oil, which is mixed with tar and used in the tanning industry, and is also used to make soap and perfume products and a fixative in the textile industry.

Since the aerial part contains many active substances, wild rosemary has long been needed by folk healers, and later it was recognized by official medicine. Thanks to ascorbic acid and phytoncides, the collected grass works as an antiseptic or fights bacteria.

Based on this remedy, baths are taken and compresses are prepared; acute respiratory viral infections, coughs and intestinal infections can be treated. Healers also used ledum for many diseases: gastritis and eczema, chickenpox and skin problems, bronchitis and pneumonia, and infusions based on it helped solve problems with the kidneys, liver and cholecystitis.

If a person has insomnia, then he is prescribed to drink tea with wild rosemary leaves. Traditional medicine recommended the use of oregano herb for women with gynecological diseases. At the same time, it is curious that in different countries healers (both folk and official) in different areas used this plant in their own way.

People who have allergic problems and intolerance to the components of the plant should not use preparations based on wild rosemary. Since such drugs increase the tone of the uterus, women expecting a child are strictly prohibited from taking them. Since ledum is poisonous, any treatment with its use should be carried out under the supervision of a physician.

Types of Bogulnik

Ledum palustre is also called Rhododendron tomentosum. The variety with the greatest distribution, preferring temperate climatic areas. The plant's branches form a dense shrub with a height of 1.2 m. The root system is located superficially and has mycorrhiza. Branched shoots grow raised, covered with pubescence of short rusty fibers. The foliage is dark green in color and has a pleasant scent. The shape of the leaf blade is lanceolate, the surface is shiny. The edge of the leaf is strongly bent down. In May or early summer, small flowers of white, sometimes pale pink color begin to bloom, from which umbrella or corymbose inflorescences are collected. The diameter of the flower is no more than 1.5 cm. The fruit is box-shaped, opening with 5 doors. The seed material fully ripens at the end of summer.

Greenland rosemary (Ledum groenlandicum). The native lands of growth are located in the regions of the north and west of the North American continent, and settles in peat bogs. Rarely cultivated, mainly such plants can be included in the collections of botanical gardens (for example, in St. Petersburg, Canada, USA, Riga or Germany). It is called Greenland Rhododendron (Rhododendron groenlandicum).

The shrub plant reaches up to 1 m in height with its branches. Their color is light brown. The foliage is oblong, bright green in color, and looks like needles. The length measures 2.5 cm. back side twisted leaf with felt fleecy pubescence. When flowering, whitish or beige flowers with a diameter of 1.5 cm are formed. Umbrella inflorescences are collected from them. The flowering process is observed from mid-June to the end of July. By the end of September, the seeds ripen. Differs in moderate growth.

Large-leaved wild rosemary (Ledum macrophyllum). The territories of Eastern Siberia and the Far East are considered native lands. Prefers to settle in the undergrowth of mountain forests from coniferous trees, found in sphagnum bogs, on the edge of rocky outcrops, among thickets of heather. Its branches reach 1.3 m. The length of the leaf plate is 3–4 cm with a width of 8–15 mm. The leaf shape is oval. On young shoots and with back side leaves have red dense hairy pubescence. Flowering occurs profusely, occurring from the second half of May to early June. Aging seed material observed in late summer or early September. The shoots lengthen by 3–4 cm annually, and occasionally such growth can reach 6–8 cm.

Video about wild rosemary:

Photos of wild rosemary:

There is probably no more fragrant bog plant than wild rosemary This evergreen shrub, catchy lush flowering and a pronounced heavy, resinous aroma. When handled correctly, wild rosemary has not only a decorative value - it benefits the garden and has a healing, antiseptic, and cleansing effect on the human body. In addition, the plant is quite easy to grow without much effort.

Did you know?belongs to the Heather family, its name comes from the old Russian verb “bagulit” - “to poison”, and the adjective “bagulny” derived from it means “poisonous”, “stupefying”, “tart”. People named it this way because of its distinct, strong aroma, which can be suffocating if inhaled too much.

Ledum also has a scientific name - ledum (lat. Lédum), which comes from the Greek “ledon” - so the inhabitants Ancient Greece called incense. There is still no consensus about its genus: Western botanists identify wild rosemary and rhododendron and classify both plants as belonging to the same genus - Rhododendron; and in Russian sources wild rosemary is considered a separate genus. At the same time, each name can be considered correct.

A characteristic feature of wild rosemary is that during flowering it releases substances that, in large doses, can have an adverse effect on humans. The source of the pungent odor is essential oils that contain iceol, a poison that affects nervous system. The aroma leads to headaches and dizziness, so it is not recommended to bring wild rosemary flowers into the house. Honey collected from flowers (“drunken” honey) is also poisonous, and should not be consumed without boiling.

Types of wild rosemary

Evergreen wild rosemary has up to 10 species, of which the most common is wild rosemary.

This is a cold-resistant shrub that is extremely rarely used because it is poisonous. It grows in swamps, swampy coniferous forests, and also on peat bogs, especially in Western and Eastern Siberia, Southern and Northern Europe, Northeastern China, Northern Mongolia, and North America. This shrub usually grows up to 60 cm in height, but there are also plants reaching 120 cm. The flowering of wild rosemary occurs in May-July, then numerous white flowers bloom at the tips of the shoots. delicate flowers, which form inflorescences.

The fruit of this plant is an oval, five-lobed, multi-seeded capsule. The lush, spectacular flowering of wild rosemary attracts attention to the bush as a ornamental plant, however, its cultivation in the garden is not very common. Cultivation of this species is simple, with proper agricultural technology he lives for a long time in heather gardens.

Did you know? Popular names for bog rosemary include bug grass, swamp hemlock, oregano, gologolovo, swamp stupor, bogovnik, wild rosemary, bugun, swamp canabra, forest rosemary.

Greenland rosemary

This species is widespread throughout the Arctic zone. In Europe, Greenland rosemary extends to the Alps; in North America it reaches the northern states of Ohio, New Jersey, Oregon and Pennsylvania. It grows mainly in peat bogs or wet coasts, and sometimes on Alpine rocky slopes. The evergreen shrub reaches a height of 50 cm - 1 m (sometimes even up to 2 m). The leaves of the plant are wrinkled above, covered with white or brownish-red hairs below, and wavy at the edges. The plant has increased cold resistance.

Greenland rosemary blooms from mid-June to the second half of July. Small white flowers, just like those of wild rosemary, form spherical inflorescences and have a bright aroma. In gardening, wild rosemary is rarely found, mainly in the collections of botanical gardens. The seeds of the plant ripen by the end of September.

Did you know? Greenland rosemary has interesting variety"Compacta" is an evergreen shrub up to 45 cm in height. It has significant decorative value thanks to abundant flowering small cream flowers collected in semicircular inflorescences.

The habitat of large-leaved wild rosemary is the Far East and Eastern Siberia, the Korean Peninsula, Japan. It grows in the undergrowth of mountain coniferous forests, as well as in sphagnum bogs, along the edges of stone placers among thickets of heather bushes. Reaches a height of 50 to 130 cm. It has abundant color, blooms from the second ten days of May to early June. Large-leaved wild rosemary seeds ripen in late August - early September.

Creeping wild rosemary

Creeping wild rosemary, or prostrate wild rosemary, grows in Siberia, on Far East: Kamchatka, Chukotka, Sakhalin, Primorye; in the north of North America, on the island of Greenland. A low shrub, reaching 20 - 30 cm in height, which makes it the shortest growing species. It grows in deciduous woodlands, moss swamps, shrub tundra, high-mountain sphagnum bogs, sand hills and rocky outcrops.

The shoots of this species have dense, reddish-rusty hairs. The leaves are long, from 1 to 2.5 cm, linear, very narrow, curled downwards. In late spring - early summer, when wild rosemary blooms, its inflorescences reach 2 cm in diameter - these are the largest flowers of all wild rosemary species. However, the flowering is sparse, not as lush as that of its counterparts.

Choosing a place and soil for wild rosemary

Ledum can take root almost anywhere, but it is better to plant it in the shade, as it does not like sunlight. Looks great lush inflorescences against the backdrop of spruces, pines or thujas, so for decorative effect you can plant them next to these plants. Since its homeland is a swamp, the soil for rosemary, especially swamp, should be acidic and loose. To do this, the planting hole is filled with a mixture of high-moor peat (3 parts), sand (1 part) and coniferous soil or tree bark (2 parts). Species such as wild rosemary and greenland rosemary can grow even on poor and sandy soils, for them the substrate is made according to the same principle, but with a predominance of sand.

Planting wild rosemary

When growing wild rosemary, you do not need to follow complex planting and care rules; it is unpretentious and cold-resistant. Best time for planting wild rosemary - spring. But if you bought a plant with a closed root system, then planting time does not matter. The bulk of wild rosemary roots are located at a depth of 20 cm, but the depth of the planting hole should be 40-60 cm, since the plant is planted on permanent place for a long time. A drainage layer of sand and river pebbles is poured into the bottom of the planting hole with a layer of 5-8 cm. In order not to wait for one specimen to grow well, you can plant several bushes at once in one hole, while maintaining a distance between holes of 60-70 cm. After planting the bushes need to be mulched.

Caring for wild rosemary in the garden

Even though wild rosemaries do not require fertile soil, they still need fertilizer to grow well. Therefore, in order to receive beautiful, abundant flowering plant, it needs to be fed. This is done once per season, in the spring. Feed wild rosemary full mineral fertilizer, scatter under the bushes 50-70 g per square meter for adult plants and 30-40 g for young plants. The plant does not need special pruning. To maintain its aesthetic appearance, only dried and broken branches are cut off.

In dry and hot summers, wild rosemary requires watering. Once a week it should be well watered, using about 7-10 liters of water per bush. After watering, the soil around the bush should be carefully loosened and mulched with peat so that the moisture is retained longer.

Important! The soil under wild rosemary should be loosened very carefully to avoid damage to the root system located close to the surface

Methods for propagating wild rosemary

All types of wild rosemary can be propagated different ways: seed and vegetative (layering, dividing the bush, cuttings).

In autumn, on the long stalks of wild rosemary bushes, you can see arched, hanging boxes that look like small chandeliers. The seeds of wild rosemary ripen in them, with which it reproduces. Seeds should be sown in boxes or pots in early spring, on top of the soil, after mixing them with sand. The soil should be loose and acidic, with an admixture of sand. Then the pots are covered with glass and put in a cool place. Seedlings are watered with rain or settled water, airing the pots daily and wiping the glass. Seeds usually germinate in 3-4 weeks and require careful care.

Vegetative methods

The most common way vegetative propagation wild rosemary - layering. Thin shoots are tilted and rooted next to mother bush. The inclined shoot is partially laid in a hole (at least 20 cm deep), the middle part of the cutting is sprinkled with a mixture of soil and peat, and the top with leaves is tied to a peg. After this, the drainage pit is regularly watered until the middle part takes root. A fairly common method is dividing the bush.

In early spring, carefully divide an adult bush into small seedlings and plant them in open ground. Then the plantings are mulched. It is also possible for wild rosemary to propagate by cuttings, but this method requires some skills. Cuttings are prepared in the summer: semi-lignified shoots are cut 5-7 cm long, the lower leaves are cut off, leaving a few upper ones. For successful rooting cuttings should be kept for 18-24 hours in a solution of heteroauxin 0.01%, indolylacetic acid (IAA) or succinic acid 0.02%, then rinse and plant in a box. But even after such treatment, rooting of wild rosemary cuttings occurs only at next year in the spring.

The Russian name “Ledum” means intoxicating, poisonous, strong, which accurately characterizes this shrub with a suffocating odor. The ancient Greeks obtained an aromatic resin from wild rosemary - incense.

Name

Ledum belongs to the heather family. Botanists assign it to the genus (Rhododendron). In regions with cold and temperate climate 6 species of wild rosemary grow, and 4 species are registered in Russia.

Ledum

Description

Ledum is a branched shrub with evergreen, leathery leaves. The shoots are dark gray in color and grow up to 80 cm. The entire, elongated leaves have a curled edge and an alternate arrangement.

A special feature of the shrub is the strong, intoxicating aroma emitted by the branches and leaves, which contain a high concentration of essential oil. The oil has a toxic effect on the human body, affecting the nervous system. Leads to dizziness, headaches, nausea and vomiting, and in some cases to loss of consciousness.

During the flowering period, umbrella-shaped inflorescences on long stalks appear on the edges of last year's branches, formed from five-dimensional flowers of white or whitish-yellow color.

After pollination of bisexual flowers. The fruit begins to form, which after ripening resembles a box with five nests. The fruit splits at the base and small, winged seeds appear.

Common types of wild rosemary

How to land

Ledum is shade-tolerant, unpretentious in care and loves damp areas. Ledum planting is carried out in the spring. In order to immediately get an attractive, bright bush and not wait for one plant to grow, do a group planting of several specimens, placing them at a distance of 50-70 cm.

For the perennial, deep holes are prepared, dug to a depth of 30-40 cm. The bottom of the prepared hole is filled with drainage from a mixture of river pebbles and sand 5-7 cm thick. The soil for the full development of wild rosemary must be acidic. The hole is filled with a composition of 3 measures of peat, 2 measures of coniferous soil and 1 measure of sand. When planting, the root system of wild rosemary is located in a hole at a depth of 20-25 cm. New plantings are mulched.

Certain types of wild rosemary are less demanding on soil composition and grow well on poor sandstones. These include Greenland rosemary and large-leaved wild rosemary. When preparing soil mixtures for them, add more sand.

Caring for wild rosemary

Ledum responds positively to waterlogging, but does not tolerate overdrying and compaction of the soil.

In the hot summer months, wild rosemary is watered at least 1-2 times a week at the rate of 5-8 liters of water per bush. It is recommended to periodically carry out light loosening, acting carefully so as not to damage the superficial roots of the shrub. Wet, loose soil is covered with peat or mulch to retain moisture.

Thanks to its repellent, pungent odor, the shrub is resistant to diseases and insect pests.

The required level of acidity in the soil is maintained by watering twice a month with acidified water. Root feeding Complex mineral fertilizer is applied in the spring. Fertilizing is distributed around the bush in April-May. Can be sprinkled thin layer earth or dig it in. For 1 adult bush, 50-70 g/m2 is enough, for young plantings – 30-40 g/m2.

Reproduction of wild rosemary

IN natural conditions Ledum reproduces by seed. In cultivated species, cuttings are carried out, rooting by layering, dividing the bush and planting new root shoots.

For effective rooting, the cuttings are left for a day in a 0.01% heteroauxin solution. They are then washed and placed in a container with a nutrient substrate. With spring cuttings, the root system will grow only next year.

Ledum is endowed with grace and decorative appeal, and in any case will decorate the garden. The shrub is successfully used to form group plantings, such as hedge and in solitaire compositions.

The aroma of the leaves destroys bacteria and drives away blood-sucking insects.

Do not forget that wild rosemary emits toxic substances that cause headaches, so it is not recommended to plant it near residential buildings and near an apiary. The honey from its flowers is called “drunk” and can be eaten only after mandatory boiling.

Medicinal properties

Ledum contains a rich set of useful substances, which are actively used in folk medicine. The essential oil of wild rosemary contains iceol, palustrol, and cineole. Tannins, coumarins and resins, and flavonoids were identified in the above-ground part of the plant.

The plant has the following effects:

• Antispasmodic
• Sweatshop
• Expectorant
• Diuretic
• Wound healing
• Calming
• Antiseptic and analgesic

Ledum helps with all types of respiratory diseases, including pneumonia and bronchial asthma. It is prescribed for diseases of the stomach and liver, dysentery, cystitis and urethritis, diabetes and cancer.

Baths and lotions are effective for boils, frostbite, rheumatism, gout, arthritis, bruises and eye diseases. Compresses are applied to wounds for healing. An infusion of wild rosemary shoots promotes expansion blood vessels and normalization of blood flow. Ledum is used for insomnia and hypertension.

Based on wild rosemary, the production of pharmaceuticals in the form of tablets, infusions, herbal preparations, essential oils, ointments and drops.

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