Skumpia tannery or vulgaris is a deciduous ornamental shrub that has green, golden or purple foliage during the summer. The plant looks incredibly spectacular at the time of its flowering. For the beauty of the inflorescences it is called the "wig tree". Skumpia is successfully used in landscape design.
What kind of scumpia plant
Skumpia has been known since ancient times and belongs to the sumach family. In nature, it is represented by two types: American and ordinary. Common scumpia or tannery grows in the temperate latitudes of North America and Eurasia. In Russia, scumpia is most widespread in the Caucasus, where it has been grown since 1650.
Common scumpia is a tree or shrub, reaching up to 5 meters. The bark of plants is dark gray, exfoliating in thin round-oblong plates. Annual shoots can be smooth, bare or slightly pubescent. Leaves are simple, rounded, alternate, have a solid edge. At the end of summer, the leaves turn crimson, purple or purple in color and fall off in October-November.
The flowers are collected in an openwork spreading panicle and are located at the top of the growth of the current year.
Scumpia blooms in May-June for 10 to 20 days. After flowering, small triangular boxes are formed, which ripen in autumn.
Since ancient times, people have noticed the unique properties of the plant, therefore, it has many names. "Svyatogorsk tree" or "Svyatogorsk leaf" was the name of the scumpia, where the plant was grown in the undergrowth of pine forests near the Svyatogorsk monastery (Izyum town). "Venetian sumac" is another old name for scumpia, due to the fact that its leaf was imported from Italy. "Morocco leaf", "morocco tree" - scumpia leaves were used for leather dressing, "dye tree" - roots, wood and leaves were the basis for obtaining organic blue paints. Such paints were durable and did not fade for centuries; they were used to dye fabrics, wool and leather. Scumpia leaves were used in leather tanning, and medicines were prepared from them. Solid and textured wood was used to make furniture and crafts. Wooden sticks were used as a support for grapes, since they do not rot in the ground.
One of the common names for scumpia is "wig tree". The panicles with fruits after flowering of inflorescences resemble false hair, a wig.
How to plant a skumpia
For planting, illuminated areas are chosen without a close standing of groundwater. Scumpia does not tolerate wet soils, so it should not be grown in lowlands where there is a possibility of root flooding. The plant is planted in an empty place, taking into account its further growth, both in height and in width. The distance between plants should be from 1.5 meters.
It is best if the soil is light, aerated with the addition of lime, sand, fine gravel. Scumpia develops rapidly on soils with a neutral, alkaline reaction. Although experienced gardeners note that such requirements are suitable for small seedlings. Over the years and with further growth, the plant shows a rather resistance to heavy soils, and the powerful roots themselves adapt well in the ground.
If a seedling with a closed root system is planted, then the root collar is left in the same way as it grew in a pot, at the same level. Seedlings with open roots are planted in a hole, spreading the roots. If necessary, the broken roots are pruned.
If planting is carried out in the spring, then it should be remembered that young leaves suffer from late spring frosts.
When planting, young plants do not need fertilizers, but watering is necessary until the seedling takes root and starts growing. Particular attention is paid to watering in dry weather. If the soil is heavy, then after watering it is mulched with a layer of at least 10-15 cm or loosened.
Features of scumpia care
Scumpia is considered an unpretentious plant to care for. It is photophilous, drought-resistant, winter-hardy enough, is not afraid of diseases and is practically not damaged by pests. Scumpia is smoke and dust resistant.
For the first time after planting a seedling, the scumpia is covered, the roots are mulched for the winter with a thick layer of organic matter or covered with other related materials. In the spring, the excess mulch is removed.
If the plant is planted in poor soil, where the fertile layer is small, then top dressing must be applied. Organic and mineral fertilizers are suitable. In early spring, more nitrogen fertilizers are used; during the period of laying flower inflorescences, they are fed with complex fertilizer. In August, they give a phosphorus-potassium supplement.
Pruning is carried out in the spring after wintering. Gardeners are often faced with frosting on the branches. According to gardeners, where the plant is not covered with snow, branches die from frostbite. Sometimes you have to do a lot of pruning. Such plants do not bloom. But over the summer period, the skumpia is restored. The only drawback of growing scumpia in the middle lane is the lack of flowering, which is an advantage of its decorative effect. More resistant to weather extremes in winter are the scumpia varieties with green leaves. Red-leaved varieties are grown in places protected from the winds, well warmed up by the sun in the spring.
Scumpia is planted on lawns, in the depths of the garden, at the entrance to the site. Two scumpia plants with ordinary green leaves and purples look harmonious.
If the scumpia is damaged by leaf-gnawing pests, the plant is treated with insecticidal preparations (Iskra, Inta-vir, Fufanon, etc.). Scumpia against the background of poor care, acidic dense soil, waterlogging can get sick with verticillary wilting. It is manifested by wilting of leaves, necrosis on the leaves, drying of the branches. All diseased branches are cut out, covered with garden varnish, biological products Gamair, Alirin are introduced into the soil.
How to breed scumpia yourself
Scumpia propagates by seeds, dividing the bush, layering, green cuttings, root suckers. Seed reproduction is the simplest. The disadvantage of this method is the long germination time of seeds, about 7-8 months. Unripe seeds germinate several times faster. Seeds are sown shallow, 2-3 cm.
When propagated by green cuttings, the tops of summer shoots are cut. Cuttings are prepared in late May, early June. The size of the cutting is one internode. They are planted in wet sand in a greenhouse obliquely, at an angle of 45o, deepening by 3 cm. The cuttings take root within three weeks.
Description of scumpia varieties with photos
A truly new birth of the scumpia was given by its decorativeness. Even wild plants look very elegant and attractive. Now breeders isolate spherical, pyramidal, weeping forms from wild plants.
Sorts of skumpia leather or wig wood:
… A shrub with raised shoots, reaches a height of 2.5 meters, a width of 1.8 m.
This is the first variety of scumpia with golden leaves. In the shade, the golden color is lost. In autumn, the leaves change color to orange. Flowers in loose panicles are yellow. They form pink, fluffy, very showy stems. The shrub prefers sunny growing areas. The soil for it: medium, lime. Ideal plant for specimen planting.
… One of the spectacular varieties. The shrub reaches 3-5 m in height.
The leaves are dark purple, in autumn they become bright red. Flowers are collected in panicles at the ends of the shoots. After flowering, they form original, feathery fruit stems from overgrown pedicels. This variety thrives on permeable calcareous soil. Powerful accent color when decorating the site.
… Slow growing shrub with raised shoots. Reaches 3-4 meters in height and width. Leaves are green, orange-red in autumn. Flowers are yellowish in long panicles.
Inflorescences are very decorative, purple, pinnately fluffy. Loves warm, sunny places and calcium-rich soil. Good as a tapeworm in the garden, in the park.
One of the highest grades. Adult specimens reach up to 5 m in height. The leaves are large, red-purple in color.
In the fall, the foliage turns red. Flowering panicles are purple-pink and large in size, up to 20 cm.
… The most decorative variety.
Blooming scumpia is an airy creamy pink cloud, consisting of delicate inflorescences. Plant height reaches 4 m. The color of the leaves is green. It is considered the most reliable variety for growing in the Moscow region.
