Rhododendron And Diagnosis And Leaf

Pruning time coming to end

If your planting is done for the spring, what is your next task? A strong case can be made that the window of opportunity for pruning the spring flowering shrubs is closing. Depending on the shrub and given that the season is still 10 days to two weeks behind normal, on or about July 15, most of the spring flowering trees and shrubs will be forming their flower and leaf buds for next year.

Consider, if you will, that plants undergo three major stages of being during each 12-month period. Dormancy normally takes place during the winter when light levels and temperature are too low to support active growth. Their reproductive period is when flowering and seed formation occurs, and immediately following bud set is the vegetative cycle, during which stem and leaf growth develops.

Unless a plant is dead, these stages and others (root extension, for example) are happening. After apparent dormancy (leaves have discolored and fallen) root growth is still occurring, hormonal changes in buds are taking place and plant cells are adjusting to external weather conditions. During summer periods of excessively high temperatures and severe drought, plants as a saving feature transit into a mini-dormancy. (You have seen the results of this. It is when spring flowering plants open a few flowers in the fall. The plant “confuses” the weather-induced dormancy for true dormancy.)

However, the major point to be made in this article is that the reproductive period is largely completed (seed development is still happening) and the vegetative cycle is starting (in rhododendrons for example) or has been occurring for some time (think forsythia).

About the aforementioned July 15, spring flowering plants will begin to set next year’s flower buds. If you prune those plants after about the third to fourth week of July, you are removing next year’s blooms.

In addition, pruning now (or dead-heading in the case of rhododendrons) to remove faded flowers and seed capsules will save carbohydrates for plant health rather than have them wasted on seed development that you do not need or want. A further benefit to pruning during the vegetative cycle is that the plant quickly heals each pruning wound. (During the other plant cycles, the plant is “busy” elsewhere, and the wounds do not receive the attention due them.)

Plant enzyme and hormonal functions are largely affected by day length. By July 15, day length has shortened to less than 15 hours.

Monograph-Rhododenron leaf (Rhododendron anthopogon)

Few realize that anthopogon, known more commonly as rhododendron and found so prolifically throughout European and North American gardens today-is native to the Himalaya. Known more for its brilliant blossoming that covers hillsides from Bhutan to central Nepal, few have encountered its fragrant and unique scent, let alone traditional therapeutic properties. In the Sowa Rigpa (Tibetan medicine traditional), anthopogon (known as balu ot sunpati) grows as a shrub on open slopes from 3300-5100 meters. The leaves and fresh flowers, are made into a tea by Himalayan healers and drunk to promote digestive heat, stimulate appetite and relieve liver disorders. Anthopogon tea is also drunk for sore throat, and to counteract water-earth illness, fire headaches, fire back pain, cold, blood disorders, bone disease, potato allergies, and vomiting. Most significant, anthopogon has been collected and gathered by high Himalayan people from Dolpo, Mustang to the Sherpas and Bhutanese as a scared fragrant substance to be burnt in offering to please and harmonize the earthly divine-especially local earth spirit. It is one five common Himalayan incense herbs symbolizing the elements that are offered to sanctify and pacify the environment. Almost balsamic in scent, rhododendron essential oil can be used on the skin and hair. According to Himalayan aromatherapy, rhododendron has grounding, calming, and centering properties. The stems and leaves of the sub-species R. anthopogon hypenanthum are used in Tibetan herbalism. They have a sweet, bitter and astringent taste and they promote heat. They are antitussive, diaphoretic and digestive and are used to treat lack of appetite, coughing and various skin disorders. In Nepal, the leaves are boiled and the vapour inhaled to treat coughs and colds. The flowers of the sub-species R. anthopogon hypenanthum are also used in Tibetan medicine, having a sweet taste and neutral potency. They are antitussive, febrifuge and tonic, being used in the treatment of inflammations, lung disorders and general weakening of the body. They are also used when water and locality are not agreeable due to a change of environment. Since childhood I have been interested in the world of natural aromatics. This interest gradually developed into our home business White Lotus Aromatics.

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