Wolfberry is an ornamental shrub that, regardless of the variety, has a seductive floral aroma. The plant blooms its delicate fragrant flowers in early spring. This shrub is also called “wolf’s bast” or “wolf’s bast”.

All these names should not be confused with those generally known among the people." wolf berries", which refers to a number of shrubs (including the wolfberry itself) with inedible and poisonous fruits. Wolfberry is a compact shrub; its height, depending on the variety, does not exceed 90 - 120 cm.

Some species of this plant are evergreen, others are deciduous. Due to its compact appearance, the wolfberry is perfect for single decorative plantings. You can use it to decorate your front garden, alpine slide or a terrace, planted in a large container.

Wolfberry fits well into compositions with plants (shrubs, bulbs) that bloom in early spring. To enjoy the sweet aroma of wolfberry more often, it can be planted along paths in the garden.

Growing

"Wolf Bast" is planted in early spring or autumn on sunny areas, which are not blown by winds, some varieties can grow in partial shade. The soil for planting should be permeable and rich in humus.

Shrubs are planted as young seedlings, as mature plants take root less easily.

You need to wear gloves when working with wolfberry when planting and caring for it, as the plant is poisonous and can cause skin irritation.

To plant wolfberry, you need to choose places inaccessible to children, because the fruits of the plant are poisonous. Just a few berries ingested can be fatal.

Care

The plant does not require special care; it is enough to mulch the soil with compost or humus in spring and autumn. The plant is propagated by cuttings. They take root well in a mixture made up of sand and peat. The second way is to sow berries directly into the ground in late autumn, however, in this case the germination rate is very low.

In hot and dry weather, wolfberry can infect spider mite, which is easy to detect on leaves and shoots. This pest sucks moisture from the leaves, causing them to fall off. Therefore, during dry periods, the bush must be watered in a timely manner.

Types, varieties

17 species of wolfberry grow in Russia out of 50 that are found in Eurasia. Some species of these plants have leathery leaves that resemble laurel leaves. This is where another name for the wolfberry comes from - daphne, which is Greek means laurel.

Below are the most common types.

• fragrant wolfberry. This shrub, native to China, is shaped like a dome. In Russia, it rarely grows above 30 cm. In early spring, red fragrant flowers with a cherry tint appear on its branches. The plant blooms earlier than other species. The most famous evergreen variety is "Variegata". In winter, these plants in the middle zone need to be covered.
• Deadly wolfberry, second name “Wolf Bast”. The height of the plant is about 1 m. This species is also distinguished by its early flowering, but blooms after the previous species. Flowering duration is 2-3 weeks, and begins to bloom before the leaves appear. If you cut the branches of a bush in winter and place it in a vase with water, the bush will bloom with fragrant flowers. Famous varieties are “Rubra Select” (“Ruby Glow”) with large dark pink flowers and red berries and “Alba” with creamy white flowers.
• Birkwood's wolfberry. This plant blooms pink in May. The color of the flowers gradually turns white. This species belongs to the group of hybrid varieties that do not form berries. Some varieties have decorative leaves with a light border around the edges. Famous variety'Somerset' has evergreen lanceolate leaves and blooms in light pink tones.
• Yulia's wolfberry. A low dwarf shrub no more than 30 cm high. It is relict plant and is listed in the Russian Red Book. The plant blooms from April to May with small fragrant pink flowers. At the end of the summer season it may bloom a second time. The plant has very deep roots (up to 1.5 m deep) and tolerates frost well under snow.

Medicinal properties

Wolfberry, like most poisonous plants, has medicinal properties. The bark, berries, leaves, and shoots are used in medicine. Medicines are prepared from the bark and are used to treat joint pain, as well as eye and skin diseases. The flowers of the plant are used as effective means from worms.

Alcohol tinctures of wolfberry are used to treat radiculitis, gout, rheumatism, as well as various tumors and abscesses. All wolfberry preparations, with rare exceptions, are used as an external remedy and according to the recommendations of a doctor.

Wolfberry - an ornamental shrub with the aroma of delicate flowers will decorate your garden in the spring before other plants.
Video: Wolfberry - ornamental shrub

The genus includes about 50 species of wolfberry, common in Eurasia. There are 14 species found in our country. Some species of the modern genus wolfberry have leathery foliage that resembles laurel.

Evergreen or deciduous, small shrubs, with a wide spreading or cup-shaped crown. With short-petiolate, obtusely elliptical or lanceolate, smooth, hard leaves.

The flowers are fragrant, numerous, densely covering the shoots previous year. The fruits of the wolfberry are bright and remain on the branches for a long time.

A brief botanical description does not convey the beauty and charm of this shrub. Wolfberry is a pearl of flora.

In addition to the amazing flowering, the shrub also gives a wonderful aroma, pleasant and quite strong, it can be felt from a distance, and most importantly, it is different for different species.

A good feature of this plant is its fairly long flowering period - about 25 days, and in hot weather - more than a month.

At the beginning of autumn, the wolfberry tree again attracts a lot of attention - the fruits ripen, in most species they are brightly colored - yellow, black or red.

Unfortunately, not all species of wolfberry bear fruit in garden culture.

Not so in our region large number primrose bushes. One of them is Wolf's Bast (wolfberry, wolfberry), which blooms in the forests near Moscow in race with spring streams. A meeting with a blooming wolfberry is always unexpected.

Europeans grow about dozens of species, as well as varieties of wolfberry, one better than the other.

Deadly wolfberry

The popular name of the shrub is given for its strong strips of bark that are difficult to tear.

IN natural conditions grows in forest areas of central and northern Russia. The wolfberry plant, transferred from the forest to the garden, is rightfully considered one of the pearls among the lush flowering shrubs of our gardens.

Wolfberry is rarely more than 1 m in height. Tempting with its early colorful flowering. The flowers are small, fragrant, in bunches or single, lilac-pink or lilac-pink in color, in exceptional cases - white-cream.

Deadly wolfberry blooms before the leaves bloom, lushly covering the shoots, for 20 days. At the beginning of autumn, the bush becomes even more beautiful, covered with bright red berries. In winter, flowers soon bloom on cut branches placed in water, filling the entire room with aroma.

Deadly wolfberry grows slowly. It grows well in a little shade, on well-fertilized soil. Frost-resistant. Does not tolerate drought.

"Wolf's Bast" can be easily taken from cuttings using annual shoots. It does not like to be transplanted, so it is better to cut it directly into pots.

Buy planting material only with a closed root system. Very beautiful in the flowering and fruiting phase. Looks great in group plantings in small shade trees.

Deadly wolfberry has decorative forms: white - with snow-white, fragrant flowers and yellow fruits; grandiflora - with large, purple flowers; terry - with double, white flowers.

Wolfberry or Julia

Found in the mountains of Europe. In Russia, it is rarely found in the Belgorod region on limestone and crushed stone soils.

A relict shrub with branches covered with brown bark. Foliage, Wolfberry blooms in May - June, with cherry or pinkish, sometimes white flowers. The inflorescences exude a vanilla aroma. Flowers cover the bush completely.

The fruits are leathery, yellowish-brown in color. Julia's wolfberry grows slowly, in small groups on forest edges, sometimes among bushes.

The roots of the wolfberry penetrate into the soil to a depth of 1.5 m (in nature it is almost impossible to dig it up, and it is prohibited).

In the garden it requires moist soil and a sunny position, but tolerates partial shade. When planting shrubs in a hot place, mulching is required. The wolfberry winters under the snow without any problems.

In Europe, Julia's Wolfberry is called a flower garland.

Common varieties:

"Eximia"- flattened bush with large foliage and flowers;

"Ruby Glow"- with bright flowers;

"Major"- with purple flowers;

"Variegata"- with cream-edged foliage.

Location of the wolfberry forest

Shade-tolerant, but develops best in open areas.

Soil for wolfberry

Wolfberry is grown in moist, well-drained soils. The shrub does not tolerate drying out.

Wolfberry care

In late autumn, diseased shoots need to be removed. Heavy pruning of the bush is contraindicated, since the bush almost does not form new shoots, but grows only along the perimeter of the crown.

In the first years it is important to form a bush correct form. The soil must be mulched to create favorable conditions for the roots: moisture and coolness.

Reproduction of wolfberry: by seeds, cuttings, layering, suckers, and also by dividing the bush. Wolfberry cuttings take root in early summer. Wolfberry is difficult to tolerate transplantation.

Using wolfberry

Wolves are excellent early honey plants. Well suited for planting in heather thickets, rock gardens and lawns. Sprigs of wolfberry, cut in winter, can bloom in the house.

Wolfberry is not common in our gardens. The main reason is the toxicity of the plant. The bark, flowers, leaves, and fruits are poisonous. 10 berries are lethal to humans.

Altai region, Eastern Kazakhstan

Habitat:

on mountain slopes overgrown with shrubs, in forests and oak groves, in thickets of bushes, on limestone

Sizes and growth forms:

life form:

deciduous

40-80 cm (in culture - up to 1.5 m)

crown shape:

shrub with a few stems branched at the top

Lifespan:

durable, lives more than 25 years

Growth rate:

Soil:

pH:

neutral to alkaline

mechanical composition of the soil:

specific need for micro and macro elements:

calcephil

Planting and propagation:

methods of reproduction:

Features of seed propagation:

• seeds are sown before winter;
• in spring they germinate in the dark at a temperature of +18+22°C, preferably after cold stratification;
• seed germination is low

vegetative propagation:

easily propagated by root suckers

Care:

Watering:

non-drought-resistant, needs watering

Trimming:

does not tolerate pruning well

Winter hardiness:

main view:

Shelter for the winter:

mulching the root system

Decorative:

Decoration season:

Peak decorativeness:

during the flowering and fruiting period

Decorative properties:

Branches (bark color, shape):

the bark of young branches is reddish-brown, old ones are dark gray, with light transverse lentils

Leaves:

narrowly elliptical or almost lanceolate, 2.5-7 cm long and 0.7-1.5 cm wide, curved-pointed, with a short spine at the apex, sometimes obtuse, with a solid, slightly uneven edge, long wedge-shaped narrowed towards the base, decurrent to a short petiole

Summer color of leaves (needles):

bluish-dark green above, grayish-green below, much lighter

Autumn color of leaves (needles):

Flowering time:

in May-June, sometimes again - in late August-early September

Color range:

Flowers:

white, fragrant, sessile, bloom after the leaves develop, have a sparsely hairy tube 8-10 mm long and up to 2 mm wide, the limb blades are elliptical, obtuse or briefly pointed, 1.5-2 times shorter than the tube, with the stamens of the upper one protruding from the tube row

Inflorescences:

flowers sit in groups of 3-7 at the ends of leafy shoots

Family: wolfberry (Thymelaeáceae).

Motherland

Wolfberry grows in the Northern Hemisphere, Europe, Asia and North Africa. The genus includes about 50 species, some of which are found in Russia.

Form: deciduous or evergreen shrub.

Description

Wolfberry, or daphne, is deciduous or evergreen up to 1.5 m tall with a wide cup-shaped or spreading crown. The leaves of the plants are alternate, short-petiolate, entire, lanceolate or elliptic, hard, smooth. The flowers of the wolfberry are numerous, fragrant, sessile, with a very strong pleasant aroma, densely arranged, developing on the shoots of the previous year. Daphne blooms for a long time, sometimes up to a month. The fruits are decorative, yellow, red or black, and remain on the plants for a long time. The fruits of the daphne plant are very poisonous! All parts of the plant are also poisonous - bark, leaves, flowers. Root system wolfberry deep. Wolfberry is a good honey plant.

Deadly wolfberry , or wolf's face(D. mezereum). A small, strictly vertically growing shrub up to 1.2 m tall. The leaves of the deadly wolfberry are alternate, oblong or oblanceolate, dark green, lighter below, pale yellow in autumn. Wolf's bast flowers are numerous, very fragrant, lilac-pink or pink-lilac, occasionally creamy-white, bloom in April, even before the leaves bloom. The fruits of the deadly wolfberry are round, pea-sized, yellow or red. Wolf's bast - poisonous plant; all its parts are poisonous. Deadly wolfberry grows very slowly. In nature, wolf's bast grows in the European part of Russia, in Western Siberia, in the Caucasus and Western Europe.

Yulia's wolfberry , or wolfberry(D. julia or D. cneorum). Subshrub up to 30 cm tall, grows up to 2 m wide. The bark of the plants is dark brown. The leaves of the wolfberry are leathery, obovate. Plants bloom after the leaves bloom, in May-June, sometimes they bloom again. The flowers of the boron wolfberry are pink or cherry, occasionally white. A rather capricious plant, it does not always take root. In nature, Julia's wolfberry is found in Central and Southern Europe, in Russia it is listed in the Red Book.

odorous wolfberry , or fragrant wolfberry(D. odorata). An evergreen, wide, dome-shaped shrub up to 0.9 m tall; in cultivation it rarely exceeds 30 cm in height. The fragrant wolfberry blooms in early spring with cherry-red flowers that have a very strong pleasant aroma. Plants are not winter-hardy. The homeland of fragrant wolfberry is China.

Altai wolfberry , or Crimean wolfberry, or Sofia's wolfberry(D. altaica or D. taurica, or D. sophia). Ornamental deciduous shrub from 0.5 to 1.4 m tall with red-brown bark. The leaves of Altai wolfberry are oblong-lanceolate, gray-green, pubescent below. White flowers of plants are collected in inflorescences. Daphne Crimean blooms abundantly, in May-June, during the blossoming of leaves or after. The fruits are bright red or black. In September-October, Sofia's wolfberry blooms again, not so profusely. In nature, plants are common in Western Altai and Crimea.

Caucasian wolfberry (D. caucasica). Deciduous shrub up to 1-1.5 m tall. Caucasian wolfberry is a species with white fragrant flowers and black fruits. The plant blooms in May. In nature, Caucasian wolfberry grows in the Caucasus and Asia Minor.

Growing conditions

Wolfberry is shade-tolerant, develops better in shaded, cool places with high humidity air. Plants prefer fertile, moist substrates, from to , and grow well on humus-rich loams.

Application

Wolfberry plants (wolf bast) have found application in group, mixed plantings. Also used as, suitable for planting in rock gardens and rockeries, in. Planting wolfberry is limited by the fact that all parts of the plants are poisonous, a few berries - lethal dose for a person. This must be taken into account if there are small children at the dacha.

Care

Daphne is a moisture-loving plant, so it needs to be watered. The near-trunk zone is better for creating more favorable conditions growth of plants. It is extremely undesirable to dig up the wolfberry plant; damage to the roots leads to rot and the death of the plant. In late autumn, weak, diseased and old branches are removed from the wolfberry, but the wolfberry is never pruned heavily, since the plants almost do not form new shoots. In the first years of life, a correct, symmetrical crown of the wolfberry is formed, shortening the shoots (also for better tillering).

Reproduction

Wolfberry is propagated by seeds and vegetatively (by suckers, by dividing the bush). Plant seeds quickly lose their viability. wolfberry is rooted in the first half of summer. Plants do not tolerate transplantation very well.

Diseases and pests

Wolfberry is stable; with proper agricultural technology, plants are not affected by diseases and pests. When the roots of the plant are damaged, rot strikes, which is very dangerous and can lead to the death of the plant.

Popular varieties

Shapes of a wolf's bast:

white(f. alba) - form with fragrant white flowers and yellow fruits;

grandiflora(f. grandiflora) - form with large, bright purple flowers;

terry(f. plena) - form with white double flowers.

Varieties of wolf bast

'Rubra Select'. Wide, dense, vertically growing shrub up to 1-1.5 m tall with more numerous shoots than the species. The leaves are lanceolate, pale green, and do not change color in the fall. The flowers of the wolfberry ‘Rubra Select’ are more numerous and larger than those of the species, with a rich dark carmine color, and bloom in late March-April. The aroma of flowers spreads over very long distances. The variety does not set fruit.

‘Variegata’- a variety with white-edged leaves, ‘Bowles Variety’ is a tall shrub with pure white flowers and yellow fruits.

Varieties of wolfberry or Yulia wolfberry

'Eximia'- a variety with a spreading crown and large leaves and flowers, 'Major'- variety with purple flowers, 'Ruby Glow'- variety with very bright flowers, ‘Variegata’- a variety with cream-edged leaves.

Deadly wolfberry ornamental trees and shrubs. Daphnes - types, care. Sunny bush - forsythia	Name: Latin transcription of the Greek name for laurel - "daphne", given by the name of the nymph Daphne, who, fleeing from Apollo who was pursuing her, was accepted by her mother, the earth goddess Gaia, and turned into a laurel tree. The love story of Apollo and Daphne is told by Ovid in his Metamorphoses. "Daphne was a beautiful nymph-orestiad, the daughter of the earth goddess Gaia and the river god Peneus. She vowed to remain chaste and not marry. The insidious Eros shot her in the heart with an arrow that kills love, and in the heart of Apollo with an arrow that kindles love. Suffering out of unrequited love, God pursued Daphne everywhere, but instead of his beauty and passion, she saw only the ferocity of the beast, and horror grew in her chest. - Don't run from me, nymph! I am Apollo, son of Zeus! I am not a robber or a shepherd, why are you running from me, nymph! Stop! Daphne continues to run. But the chase is getting closer, she has less and less strength left, she already feels Apollo’s heated breath behind her... She can’t escape! And then the nymph prayed, turning to Peneus: - Father. Help your daughter! Hide me, change my appearance so that the pursuer cannot even touch me! And Daphne felt her legs grow stiff and grow roots into the ground, the folds of her sweat-wet clothes became rough, turning into bark, and her arms became branches. Instead of a beautiful nymph, Apollo in love sees a laurel tree..." The Latin name Daphne was not given by Carl Linnaeus to the laurel into which the beautiful daughter of Peneus turned (he retained his name - Laurus). This is how the genus began to be called perennial plants from the wolf family (Thymelaeaceae), possibly due to the fact that in some species the leathery leaves resemble laurel leaves in appearance. Russian name of these plants are wolfworts, or wolfberry plants. Everything that one should be afraid of, beware of, is most often accompanied by the epithet “wolf” among the people. A cunning, merciless predator, the wolf has instilled fear in humans since ancient times. Wolfberry farmers are no exception to this rule. These plants are truly deadly. The national name Wolf Bast was given to the plant for its strong, difficult-to-tear bark. Description: the genus includes up to 50 species distributed in Eurasia. There are 14 (according to some sources 17) species found in Russia. Some species of the modern genus have leathery leaves that resemble laurel. Deciduous or evergreen, small shrubs up to 1.5 m tall, with a wide cup-shaped or spreading crown. With alternate, short-petiolate, entire, lanceolate or obtusely elliptical, rigid, smooth leaves. The flowers are numerous, fragrant, sessile, densely covering the shoots of the previous year. The fruits are colorful and remain on the branches for a long time. Stingy botanical description in no way conveys the charm and any special charm of these plants. Wolfworts are truly the pearls of our flora. Besides in highest degree amazing flowering, they also give a delightful aroma, very pleasant and quite strong, noticeable from a distance, and most importantly, different in different species. This is how Professor A. Kerner von Marilaun writes about this in his work “The Life of a Plant,” which was published in Russian translation in 1902 and has not lost its relevance to this day (the style has been preserved): “The fact that related, In appearance, even completely similar species often have completely different smells. Among the species of wolfwort, Daphne alpina smells of vanilla, Daphne striata of lilac, Daphne philippi of violets, and Daphne blagayana of cloves.” Daphne mezereum ‘Alba’ Photo of Dmitrieva Nadezhda One more positive trait These plants have a fairly long flowering period - approximately 15-20 days, and in cool weather - more than a month. At the end of summer, the plants again attract attention - the fruits ripen, in most species they are brightly colored - red, yellow or black. Unfortunately, not all species bear fruit in cultivation. There are not so many attractive primrose shrubs in our forgotten land. One of them is Wolf's Bast (wolfberry, wolfberry), which blooms in the forests near Moscow in a race with spring streams. Meeting this flowering plant is always unexpected and impressive, no matter how many times it happens. How often do you see it in our gardens? Hardly. Europeans grow dozens of species and varieties of wolfberry, each more beautiful than the other. Some species, for example low-growing ones: D. alpina, D. arbuscula, D. jezoensis, are worth trying to grow here if you get your hands on them. They, judging by the available information, can withstand snowless frosts down to -15 ° C, and possibly lower. And since their height does not exceed 20-60 cm, their chances of surviving, thanks to the snow cover, increase. And almost 100 percent chance of success in middle lane have such types as Daphne altaica (D. taurica, D. sophia), Daphne julia (D. cneorum), Daphne pontica, Daphne mezereum. Alpine wolfberry- Daphne alpina L. Europe (Alps). Grows in the alpine zone. An alpine deciduous shrub up to 50 cm tall with terminal clusters of white flowers that bloom in late May. Sometimes it blooms a second time in October. Red berries ripen in mid-July. In GBS, 3 samples (3 copies) were grown from seeds obtained from Austria, Germany and collected from plants of the GBS collection. At 14 years old, the height is 0.7 m, the crown diameter is 50 cm. It grows from late April to the second half of September and early October. The growth rate is low. It blooms from 2 years old, from late May to early June, sometimes secondary flowering is observed in early October. The fruits ripen in mid-July. Winter hardiness is high. Cuttings are weak. Can be used to a limited extent in landscaping Moscow when creating rock gardens. In culture in St. Petersburg and Tartu. Photo by EDSR. Altai wolfberry, or Crimean wolfberry, or Wolfberry of Sofia- Daphne altaica Pali.= D. taurica = D. sophia A very decorative, tree-like, deciduous shrub 0.5-1.4 m high, the durable stem and branches of which are covered with red-brown bark. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, wedge-shaped, narrowed into a short petiole, gray-green, sometimes with whitish pubescence below. White flowers of 3-7 pieces are collected at the ends of the branches in capitate inflorescences. It blooms very profusely for about three weeks in May-June after the leaves bloom or simultaneously with them. After flowering, bright red, brownish-black or black drupes are produced. In September-October there is a weak re-blooming, after which there is no fruit. V. altai is propagated by seeds (blooms in the 6th year), root suckers and cuttings. It is found singly or in small groups on rocky slopes, often composed of limestone, at the foot of hills, and in river floodplains. Photophilous. Winter-hardy. Grows in a number of botanical gardens. Belongs to rare endemics of the Russian flora. Protected! Use in landscaping is limited as it is STRONGLY POISONOUS! In culture since 1796. Due to the fact that the areas of distribution of V. altai are far from each other, for a long time some scientists believed that this is not one, but three independent species. Its main habitat is Western Altai. Occasionally found on chalk slopes and in pine forests of the Belgorod, Kursk, Voronezh regions (it was considered an independent species- V. Sofia) and the only location in Crimea (considered - V. Crimean). V. Sophia (D. sophia) is a relict species endemic to the Don basin. It is found in oak forests in a number of areas of the Belgorod region. Small ornamental shrub, rarely exceeding 1 m in height. The flowers are snow-white. This species (along with Kozo-Polyansky's breaker, Shiverekia Podolskaya, etc.) prompted botanists to deeply consider the issue of relics on the Central Russian Upland, which made it possible to call Pooskolye “the country of living fossils.” Listed in the Red Book of Russia. Deadly wolfberry, or "Wolf's Bast"- Daphne mezereum L. The popular name of this shrub is given for the strength of the strips of its bark, which are difficult to tear. Grows wildly in forest areas of northern and central European Russia, Western Siberia, the Caucasus and Western Europe. Transferred from the forest to the garden, it is rightfully considered one of the pearls among beautiful flowering bushes our gardens and parks. Rarely exceeds 1 m in height. Remarkable for its very early colorful flowering. The leaves are alternate, oblong or oblanceolate, wedge-shaped-narrowed at the base, up to 10 cm long, glabrous above, bluish-dark green, lighter below, densely located at the ends of the shoots. The flowers are small, very fragrant, in bunches of 2-5 or single, sitting directly on the trunk, lilac-pink or pink-lilac in color, in rare cases - creamy white. It blooms before the leaves bloom, abundantly covering the shoots, for 15-20 days. At the end of summer, the bush becomes even more elegant, becoming covered with shiny, bright red sessile berries that remain on the shoots for a long time. Flowers soon bloom on branches cut in winter and placed in water, filling the entire room with aroma. It grows slowly. Frost-resistant. It grows well in semi-shaded places, on fresh peaty or well-fertilized soil. Does not tolerate drought well. Propagated by sowing seeds in autumn. Seeds must be kept in the dark before sowing; they germinate at 20 °C. First remove the pulp and soak. Store in a cool place with a humidity of about 25%, preferably in thick dark bags or opaque containers. Sowing depth 1 cm. Wolfweed can be easily propagated by cuttings from annual shoots. It does not like transplanting, so it is better to cut it directly into containers. Buy only planting material with a closed root system. Very colorful at the time of flowering and fruiting. The earliest flowering shrub in the central and northern zones of Russia. Looks good in single or group plantings in partial shade of trees. Warning labels about its toxicity should be posted in public places. It has several decorative forms: white(f. alba) - with whites, fragrant flowers and yellow fruits; grandiflora(f. grandiflora) - with large, bright purple flowers; terry(f. plena) - with white, double flowers. Very attractive variety Bowles Variety» grows up to 2 m tall, blooms with pure white flowers and sets yellow fruits; " Rubra Select"- with large and bright flowers, often blooms in autumn; " Variegata" - with white-edged leaves. Photo on the left of Konstantin Alexandrov Photo on the right of Olga Bondareva Yulia's wolfberry, or upland- Daphne julia K.-Pol.= Daphne cneorum L. Habitat: mountains of central and southern Europe. On our territory it is occasionally found in the Kursk and Belgorod regions on chalk outcrops, crushed stone and limestone soils. Protected! Listed in the Red Book of Russia. Zone according to Western catalogs: 4-7. Relict shrub, 15-30 cm tall and up to 2 m in diameter, with branches covered with dark brown bark. Leaves, 0.8-2 cm long, perennial, leathery, obovate, dark green above, bluish below, collected at the top of the branches in rosettes. It blooms in May - June, after the leaves unfold, sometimes again in the second half of summer, with pinkish or cherry, occasionally white flowers, up to 1 cm long. The umbrella-shaped inflorescence on a long peduncle contains 6-20 flowers, emitting a strong, pleasant (vanilla) aroma. Flowers cover the bush almost completely. Drupe fruits are leathery, yellow-brown in color. It grows slowly, growing by 3-7 cm per year, singly and in small groups in forest clearings and edges, and occasionally among bushes. The roots penetrate the soil to a depth of more than 1.5 m (therefore, digging it up in nature is almost impossible, and is strictly prohibited). In the garden it requires light, moist, calcareous soil and sun, although it can tolerate partial shade. When planting in a dry and hot place, mulching is required. V. bovine is quite finicky and not always stable in cultivation. In the Moscow region it does not set seeds, but it is easy to propagate from green cuttings. Winters under snow without problems. V. boletus will live longer if its base and bald lower branches are periodically sprinkled with leaf soil, leaving only the ends of the branches on the surface. The buried shoots take root, and the bush grows in breadth. In St. Petersburg it is damaged by frost. In Europe, where it is called a flower garland, the following varieties are popular: "Eximia"- a strongly flattened bush with large leaves and flowers "Major"- with purple flowers. "Ruby Glow" - with very bright flowers; "Variegata" - a spectacular variety with cream-edged leaves. In addition, there is a compact form "pygmaea"- only 10 cm high and a bush up to 30 cm in diameter, with leaves 6-8 mm long. Birkwood's Wolfberry - Daphne burkwoodii Interesting is the berkwood wolfberry blooming in May, up to 1 m high. pink flowers. Zone: 4-8. This is a group of both deciduous and semi-evergreen popular hybrid varieties, originating from c. Borovoy and V. Caucasian (D. caucasica), with terminal tufts of flowers. We may have promising varieties: " Albert Burkwood" - fast-growing, semi-evergreen, with pale pink, very fragrant flowers; " Carol Mackie" = "Variegata" - low, with a yellow, then lighter border on the leaves; " Somerset" - similar to "Albert Burkwood", but the bush is taller and the flowers are lighter. Daphne x burkwoodii "Gold Edge" Photo of Svetlana Polonskaya Daphne x burkwoodii "Carol Mackie" Photo by Georgy Lotkin Daphne x burkwoodii "Albomarginata" Photo by Olga Bondareva Pontian wolfberry- Daphne pontica L. It is found in the undergrowth of mountain forests, rising to a height of 500-2000 m. It grows singly and in groups, often forming thickets. Prefers fresh, fertile soils and open spaces. Distributed in Western Ciscaucasia. An evergreen shrub 1-1.5 m tall and wide with oval, pointed, shiny, dark green leaves, up to 10 cm long. The flowers are yellow-green, fragrant, up to 2 cm in diameter, collected 2-3 in axillary racemose inflorescences. Blooms in early summer. The fruits are juicy black berries. This shrub is quite stable in central Russia; in St. Petersburg it is not winter-hardy. Grows in. Pontic is quite slow. It blooms irregularly and does not set fruit. Photo on the right of Olga Bondareva Daphne Good- D. Blagayana Freyer. In the forests of the south-east. Europe. Shrub up to 0.3 m tall, almost unbranched, with white flowers. It bears fruit in St. Petersburg and Estonia. Daphne genqua- D. genkwa Sieb. etZucc. China, Kopeya. Shrub up to 1 m tall. with lilac colors and white drupes. In cultivation in Adler and Batumi - blooms; not winter-hardy in St. Petersburg. Daphne Transcaucasian- D. transcaucasica Pobed. South Transcaucasia, Türkiye. Evergreen shrub. Grows on rocky slopes at altitudes of 2000-2500 m. u. m. Close to it Daphne of Baksan- D. baxanica Pobed., found in the Baksan River basin (Pre-Caucasus) (the species is listed in the Red Book of Russia). Wolfberry laurel- D. laureola L. European Mediterranean. An evergreen shrub up to 1 m tall, with greenish-yellow fragrant flowers with bluish-black drupes. In cultivation it grows well in the parks of Crimea, and runs wild in places. It's freezing in St. Petersburg. Daphne false silky- D. pseudosericea Pobed. The Caucasus is a subalpine zone. Evergreen shrub with pink flowers. Daphne crowded- D. glomerata Lam. Caucasus (all districts except Lankaran). Evergreen shrub up to 0.5 m tall, leaves clustered at the tops of branches; fragrant flowers; red drupes. The plant is highly poisonous. In cultivation in St. Petersburg it freezes and blooms. Daphne narrow-leaved- D. angustifilia S. Koch. Armenia. Evergreen shrub up to 3 m tall. with brown-white flowers and bright red drupes. Not introduced into culture. Circassian wolfberry- D. circassica Q. Woron. A species growing on calcareous rocks of the Alpine belt in the Ciscaucasia. Evergreen shrub up to 0.2 m tall. with almost black bark. Not introduced into culture. Iezsky wolfberry(D. jezoensis)), native to Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. R. Phillips and M. Ricks describe the following types: fragrant wolfberry,or fragrant - Daphne odorata Thunb Homeland - China. An evergreen shrub, dome-shaped, up to 90 cm in height and more in width (in central Russia, as a rule, no more than 20-30 cm). in winter and early spring sweet-smelling brushes appear on it cherry red flowers with tubular corollas. The fruit is a poisonous berry. Has a variegated form(f. variegata = "Margmata"),most common in culture. Along the edges of the leaves of this plant there is a thin yellow stripe. Less sensitive to cold than varieties with regular leaves. "Peter Moore". A shrub of medium (height up to 1.5 m) size, upright, deciduous or semi-evergreen with gray-green leaves edged with a creamy white stripe. Blooms in spring. In summer, white flowers turn into red berries. There is also a form " Aureo-marginata"("Marginata") with golden-edged leaves. The plant is not winter-hardy and requires good shelter for the winter. It is better to plant in places protected from the morning sun. Zone according to Western catalogs: 7-12. R. Phillips and M. Ricks indicate winter hardiness down to -12°C. Completely acclimatized on the southern coast of Crimea and Black Sea coast Caucasus. These wolfworts feel good on limestone screes and are suitable for planting on the southern slopes of rock gardens. Photo from the book by R. Phillips, M. Ricks “Ornamental plants in your garden” Location: shade-tolerant, but develop better in semi-shaded or open areas. Soil: Wolfberry plants are grown in humus-rich, moist but well-drained soils. They cannot tolerate overdrying. Daphna "Anton Fahndrich" Photo by Mikhail Polotnov Care: in late autumn, diseased and weak shoots are removed, maintaining the overall symmetry of the bush. However, severe pruning is contraindicated, since the plant practically does not form new shoots, but only grows along the perimeter of the crown. It is important in the first years to form a bush of the correct shape and, by shortening the shoots, to achieve its tillering. It is recommended to mulch the soil to create more favorable conditions for the roots: coolness and moisture. In addition, mulch will allow you not to till the soil, because the slightest damage to the shallow shallow roots will inevitably lead to their rotting and, ultimately, to the death of the plant. Reproduction: sowing freshly harvested seeds, suckers, layering, semi-lignified cuttings and dividing the bush. Cuttings root in the first half of summer. Transplantation is difficult for wolfberry plants. Usage: all wolves are good early honey growers. P Ideally suited for planting in rock gardens, heather thickets and lawns. With the help of the relatively tall, early-blooming V. lethal, you can create flower volumes in the spring among the usually low-growing primroses. Twigs cut in winter and placed in water can bloom in the house. Despite their attractiveness, wolfberries are not very common in gardens. One of the reasons is the poisonousness of the plant. The bark, leaves, flowers, fruits are very poisonous! 10-15 berries are already fatal to humans. If it comes into contact with the skin, all parts of the plant cause severe irritation, which can even lead to tissue death. The berries are eaten by birds without harm to themselves, which contributes to the spread of the species. If you have small naughty children, then it is better to pick the fruits. True, the berries have a very unpleasant taste, so poisoning occurs extremely rarely. Materials from the article by E. Epifanov “Dangerous Beauty” // “Floriculture” - 2004 - No. 2 were used.