Ledum is a perennial evergreen flowering plant belonging to the heather family, there are about ten species. Grows mainly in subarctic and temperate climates northern latitudes, in mountain thickets, elfin cedar forests, found in our country. Marsh wild rosemary has been known for a long time; even the ancient Romans extracted resin from it - incense; this plant has a very strong odor and is dangerous to human health during flowering.

This is a shrub, which in adulthood can reach a height of up to one and a half meters, has a branched root system, a straight trunk, covered with regular oblong leaves. The branches are brown, covered with pubescence. It grows in swamps and swampy forests, has many names, bug, bagoong, hemlock, sleepy stupor and many other names that accurately characterize its aromatic properties.

The flowers of wild rosemary, white, sometimes pink, form an umbrella and are located at the end of the branches. The flowering period occurs in May and June, and at this time it is quite dangerous for health to be near this shrub, as it emits a stupefying aroma that can cause headaches, even loss of consciousness. The plant is extremely poisonous, this applies not only to the flowers, but to the entire bush. There are several types of wild rosemary:

1. Bolotny.
2. Greenlandic.
3. Large-leaved.

After flowering ends, fruits are formed that look like oblong boxes containing a large number of seeds. This is a cold-resistant plant, however, if the shoots remain uncovered by snow, they will die in the cold winter. The shrub grows in open meadows and has a smooth, trimmed crown, which looks beautiful during flowering, which occurs almost simultaneously. Because wild rosemary has a long growing season, mass flowering occurs only once every four years. The photographs show wild rosemary flowers.

Gallery: wild rosemary (25 photos)

Description of wild rosemary species

This species mainly grows in temperate climates, its compact bushes can grow more than a meter. The surface of the branches is covered with dark green leaves with a shiny surface, a pleasant aroma, the shoots are covered with short brown hair. In spring, the shoots are covered with small white or light pink flowers.

Greenland wild rosemary

It differs from other species in having rigid creeping stems, the leaves are bright green in color, linear and tightly adjacent to each other, which seem to be soft needles, lowered on the reverse side with a fine pile. The flowers are also collected in umbels of white and slightly yellowish color and are resistant to severe frosts.

Large-leaved wild rosemary

The growing area is mountain slopes and embankments, common in the Far East, Japan and Korea. This shrub has a height of 40 to 80 centimeters; the shoots have oval leaves, covered on the outside with thick red hair.

Wild rosemary

Or it is also scientifically called Dahurian rhododendron; it is a rather branched plant that grows in height, maybe even up to two meters. Narrow dark green leaves densely cover the surface of the branches. Flowers bloom unlike other species of these plants bright pink flowers, it is often used in bouquet arrangements, this is pink wild rosemary.

Chemical composition

Marsh wild rosemary, all of its leaves and branches themselves, contain essential oils, which determine its specific smell. The oils contain:

• up to 70% sesquiterpene alcohols, the main one is ice;
• Flavonoids;
• Tannins;
• Neomertillin.

In addition to these basic substances, shoots contain minerals, enzymes, amino acids, vitamins and other useful substances. Our scientists noted that even with long-term use of drugs based on wild rosemary, they are not addictive, therefore, for some diseases, they can be used for a fairly long period of time.

Application of wild rosemary

Although wild rosemary is considered poisonous plant, it has found wide application in the manufacture of drugs in folk and conventional medicine. Thanks to chemical composition This plant is used as a bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, diaphoretic, wound healing and expectorant.

The plant is used in medicinal preparations:

Medicinal preparations based on wild rosemary are produced in:

The components of this plant, grass, flowers and shoots, have long been used in folk medicine. Decoctions are prepared from it, water infusions, alcohol tinctures, make drops, oil and ointments. Herbal infusions containing wild rosemary have also found wide application.

Other uses of wild rosemary

This plant is used not only as a medicine, but also in everyday life:

• Dry leaves are used to fumigate rooms to get rid of flies and other insects, and to repel things from moths.
• The essential oil made from the plant is used in the perfume industry, soap making, and leather tanning.
• The plant is also used in veterinary medicine to treat animals.

Contraindications

The use of this shrub seems limitless, but with all its useful qualities, it also has a number of contraindications. Since this plant is poisonous, it is recommended to use it strictly according to the instructions.

Where does wild rosemary grow? This question is quite simple to answer, although it is undemanding to the composition of the soil, but prefers acidic and moist areas and tolerates frost well. When planted in a garden plot, it looks very beautiful, can be used as hedge, perfectly scares away garden plot flies and mosquitoes. It is also used to create a flowering landscape along the banks of rivers and lakes; it grows well on rocky embankments and under trees.

Plant propagation

Marsh wild rosemary propagates by seeds, layering, dividing the bush and cuttings, but this requires a certain skill.

Cuttings are carried out in the summer, the finished cuttings immediately after cutting are placed in a special solution of heteroauxin for a day, after which they are washed well and planted in prepared soil, which is typical for this method; the plant can only give roots the next year.

When propagating by seeds in prepared soil, and it should be from garden soil mixed with sand, the consistency is loose and moist, the seeds are sown, which are collected in autumn period. The seeds are scattered over the surface, but not covered with soil on top, but lightly pressed down, after which the box is covered with film and placed in a cool place, periodically watering and ventilating. When seedlings appear, and this will happen about a month after sowing, it is advisable to plant the grown seedlings in separate containers, preferably peat pots.

They reproduce well garden plants and by layering, for this purpose, twigs are dug into the ground next to the bush, to a depth of at least two tens of centimeters, watered well, leaving the top on the surface. After it gives roots, it is separated.

IN spring period You can divide the root into parts, but to do this, the bush is dug up completely and washed well. The cut parts must be treated with charcoal powder and immediately planted in place for permanent growth.

Planting and care

Plants are planted in the spring, a hole is dug a little more than half a meter, a drainage of sand and small pebbles is laid at the bottom, a prerequisite is that the soil must be acidic and quite loose, you can add pine needles. After planting, the soil around the seedling is well compacted and watered abundantly. To protect the soil from drying out, peat mulching is used.

For good growth. several times during the summer, shrubs need to be fed with a comprehensive mineral fertilizers, loosen the soil, remove weeds, but since the root system is located close to the surface, this must be done extremely carefully.

Ledum is practically not affected by any plant diseases, but sometimes spider mites and bugs can appear on it; insecticidal preparations are used to combat them.

As you can see, it is not at all difficult to grow a beautiful and useful shrub; the main thing is to carry out all the necessary measures correctly.

Attention, TODAY only!

Ledum is a well-known plant of the heather family. This winter-hardy shrub with evergreen foliage. The plant grows in the temperate climate of the northern hemisphere.

In Russia you can find 4 species out of 6 known in nature. The most common of them is wild rosemary. Used infrequently, because poisonous. And yet it is possible cultural cultivation. Ledum: planting and care - this is the main topic of the article.

Interesting observation! “Ledum and bird cherry bloom at the same time.”

Types of wild rosemary

Bolotny

Most known species among wild rosemaries. Usually these are bushes with narrow oblong leaves 50-60 cm tall, but they can grow up to 1.2 m. back side The leaves are covered with small rust-colored fibers. It blooms with small umbels of white or cream-colored flowers.

Greenlandic

Distributed in swamps and rocky slopes in Europe and Asia, in the cultivated version it is less common than other species. It blooms in the third year after planting, somewhat later than other types of wild rosemary. Low, up to 100 cm, spherical shape.

creeping

The height of this species is only 20-30 cm, it does not bloom profusely and grows very slowly, growing only 1 cm per year. The flowering period is mid-May to mid-June.

large-leaved

Described by A.I. Tolmachev in 1953, so its second name is Tolmachev’s rhododendron. Originally from Eastern Siberia, it grows in peat bogs of the Far East, Primorye, and Sakhalin. This is a frost-resistant shrub; specimens up to 1.3 m tall are found. Flowering is abundant, May - June. Each year it grows 4-6 cm. Seeds ripen in August.

Choosing a place and soil for planting

To answer the question of where to plant it in the garden, you should know that in nature wild rosemary is a lover of swamps, damp coniferous forests, river banks and streams. Moist and even slightly oxygenated soils are suitable for it.

IN winter period bushes do not need shelter. Ledum “intoxicates” with its intoxicating aroma, so it must be planted at a sufficient distance from the recreation area.

“For comfortable growth, the plant requires soils with high level acidity (pH 3-4) and good moisture.”

The mixture used to fill the planting hole must consist of three components:

• peat,
• coniferous soil,
• sand
• in a ratio of 3:2:1.

Landing

It is best to plant wild rosemary in the spring. If the plant was purchased in a container and its root system is closed, it can be planted at almost any time. Depth landing pit– 30-40 cm. It is advisable to plant several bushes at once. Then, after growth, the plants will be more noticeable on the site. The distance between them in the group should be 50-70 cm.

“After planting, the plant needs to be watered and mulched with peat.”

Further care

Watering

The plant needs regular sufficient watering, especially during dry periods. It is better if this happens at least once a week.

An adult plant requires up to 8 liters of water at a time. Water for irrigation can be slightly acidified, this can be done using citric or acetic acid. After watering, to better retain moisture, it is recommended to loosen the soil and mulch with sawdust or peat. You need to loosen carefully and without deepening, because... The roots of wild rosemary are located near the surface.

Top dressing

Ledum is an oligotrophic plant, i.e. it feels good even on poor and acidic soils. But it won't hurt to spend spring feeding complete mineral fertilizer (including phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen). At the same time, for each mature plant you need to scatter 50-70 g/m2. For young plants, 30-40 g/m2 will be enough.

Lighting

The plant also does not require bright sunlight. It grows well in both partial shade and on the bright side. Even in the shade, wild rosemary will not die, only smaller flowers will bloom.

Reproduction methods

The plant can be propagated both by seeds and vegetatively:

• cuttings,
• dividing an overgrown bush,
• root suckers.

Propagation by seeds

It is easier and more accessible to propagate wild rosemary by seeds. They ripen in mid-August-September in arched boxes. For greater germination, it is necessary to sow the seeds current year collection In early spring, seeds are sown in boxes on the surface of the substrate without being buried, having previously mixed them with sand. Then the boxes should be covered with film or glass and stored in a cool place. You need to look through and ventilate every day, carefully water with settled water from a spray bottle so that the soil does not dry out. After 3-4 weeks, seed germination will occur.

Cuttings

In order for propagation by cuttings to be successful, you need to have some understanding of the essence of the process. The process of propagation by cuttings has its own difficulties. Planting material is prepared in the summer. To improve the process of root formation, cuttings are treated with a 0.01% heteroauxin solution for 24 hours. To prepare the drug, take one tablet (0.1 g) and dissolve in 2.5 liters of water. After this, the cuttings need to be rinsed in water and planted in a greenhouse or in special boxes. The process of root formation takes a long period: by autumn, callus (a callus-like mass at the end of the cutting) is formed, and roots will appear only by the next season.

Pest control and disease prevention

One of the distinctive properties of the shrub is its intoxicating aroma. It is not surprising that various pests avoid the plant. Only occasionally is it possible for bushes to be attacked by spider mites or bugs, which manifests itself in yellowing and falling leaves. Insecticides are used for control. And wild rosemary is also disease-resistant.

Conclusion

The aroma of wild rosemary can be considered ambiguous. It beckons and intoxicates, causing headaches. At the same time, it repels insects, protects fur items from damage by moths, and finally, has medicinal properties. If you “forgive” the bush for its intoxicating effect and plant it in accordance with the requirements, you will be able to enjoy its unusual flowering. But you also need to plant wild rosemary in such a way that you can only see it from afar.

Ledum (lat. Ledum) is a genus of evergreen shrubs of the Heather family (lat. Ericaceae). The genus is named similarly to another genus (cistus), for similar properties - plants of both genera have an unusual strong odor due to the presence in their composition large quantity essential oils. The Russian name comes from the old Russian “bagulit” - meaning to poison, since the aroma of the plant can really be slightly stupefying and intoxicating.

Description

The genus consists of shrubs, in the wild - inhabitants of swamps and the banks of reservoirs of northern and temperate latitudes, upright or creeping, the plant is completely poisonous. A special property of very fragrant wild rosemary is the ability to destroy harmful bacteria in the surrounding air.

This is what wild rosemary looks like

Root system Ledum is short, the roots are located close to the surface of the earth. The trunk is very short and almost completely underground. The crown of the bushes is highly branched, with thin shoots, with a dense edge; glandular hairs secrete essential oils with a pungent aroma.

Whole leathery leaves on short petioles are arranged in an alternate order, their shape is oblong, the edges are wrapped, the bottom of the leaf has a “rusty” edge or is covered with scales, they also have strong odor.

The flowers on thin stalks are very small and fragrant, most often white or pinkish, collected in corymbose or umbrella-shaped dense inflorescences on the tops of the branches; there are a lot of flowers in the inflorescences. The corolla of the flower consists of 5 petals, the stamens (5-10 pieces) are longer than the corolla. The fruit is a dry capsule of five sections, small seeds with wings. Flowering occurs from April to June.

General structure wild rosemary

Popular types

The genus cannot boast of a large number of wild rosemary species included in it. There are only 8 of them, 5 of which have been actively used in decorative landscaping since the beginning of the 18th century. These wild rosemary bushes are popular due to their unpretentiousness and beautiful flowering.

Ledum (L. glandulosum)

Marsh rosemary(lat. L. palustre) - ubiquitous in gardens and parks of temperate latitudes. Its bushes do not exceed 120 cm in height on average, and are distinguished by raised branched stems with reddish pubescence. The foliage is dark and dense pleasant aroma. The flowers are small, white and pale pink, collected in numerous umbrella-shaped inflorescences. It is dangerous during the flowering period, as volatile substances are released that have an intoxicating effect on humans.

(lat. L. glandulosum) has larger flowers, also collected in umbrellas. The leaves are wider, rounded, slightly curled at the ends.

Felt pubescence of leaves

Greenland rosemary(lat. L. groenlandicum) reaches a maximum height of 0.9 m. The leaves are wrapped, linear on top, smooth on top, and soft tomentose on the bottom. Small flowers are collected in shields 5-6 cm in diameter. It has excellent frost resistance. The ‘Compacta’ variety looks very interesting - a low shrub up to 50 cm in height. Cream graceful flowers are united in spherical inflorescences. The shoots have a beautiful dark brown color.

Creeping wild rosemary (L. decumbens)

(lat. L. decumbens) – the most stunted appearance, pubescent shoots 20-30 cm long are densely surrounded by dark green oblong foliage. The inflorescences do not exceed 2 cm in diameter.

Large-leaved wild rosemary(lat. L. macrophyllum) - a tall and profusely flowering shrub, wide, light green, relatively little pubescent. The shoots lose their red pubescence over time.

Photo gallery of species

Growing and care

Let's talk about where and how to plant wild rosemary. He likes good lighting, grows successfully in partial shade, and will not die if left in the shade, but may partially lose its decorative effect.

It needs ordinary, light, loose, acidic soil. Growing and caring for wild rosemary is possible on infertile soils. It is advisable to add sand and pine needles to the soil.

Ledum on the site

Caring for a rather unpretentious wild rosemary consists of the following operations:

• good watering, especially when long absence precipitation, since the plant is not drought-resistant;
• careful destruction of weeds and loosening the soil, because the roots are short and fragile, mulching with peat so that the soil does not dry out;
• periodic feeding with complex mineral fertilizers, preferably in the spring;
• pruning damaged branches for decorative purposes.

Ledum is quite frost-resistant and successfully tolerates cold seasons without protective measures in the presence of snow. The height of the bushes depends on the depth of the snow cover, since uncovered branches freeze out.

Ledum seeds

Reproduction

You can propagate wild rosemary different ways: seed and vegetative (dividing the bush, cuttings, shoots of rhizomes).

When growing wild rosemary from seeds, the latter must be sown freshly harvested, but they will only sprout next spring.

To propagate wild rosemary by cuttings, they are harvested in the summer, treated with special preparations, planted in boxes; the appearance of roots should only be expected for the next season. You can more successfully propagate wild rosemary by carefully dividing an adult bush or using root suckers in early spring.

Young plants are planted in holes about 40 cm deep; in group plantings of wild rosemary, the distance between specimens is at least 50 cm, since the bushes grow about a meter in diameter.

Ledum (L. palustre)

Diseases and pests

Ledum has good disease resistance and is rarely damaged by pests if you create for it comfortable conditions. Rarely occur fungal diseases with insufficient soil aeration.

Among the pests, it is susceptible to spider mites and bedbugs, which cause yellowing and falling leaves. To combat them, it is necessary to spray with insecticides.

Ledum among the stones

Use in decorative landscaping and medicine

Attractive view exquisitely flowering evergreen bushes with a dense crown have won the hearts of gardeners who plant wild rosemary in damp and even swampy areas in groups and one plant at a time. It can also be used to decorate the shoreline of reservoirs and on rocky hills.

Ledum contains natural essential oils that slightly irritate the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and generally stimulate their functioning, help relieve spasms, and have a bactericidal effect. It is taken in the form of an infusion based on leaves, which contain active medicinal components in significant concentrations.

Shrub type. There are six species of it in nature, four of which grow in Russia. How and when wild rosemary blooms, read about its cultivation and use in the article.

origin of name

The word “ledum”, according to the ancient verb “bagulit”, means “to poison”. The adjective derived from it is “bagulny”. It, in turn, has the meaning of something poisonous, tart, stupefying, strong. The name of the plant reflects a feature characteristic only of wild rosemary. The shrub has a strong suffocating odor. IN scientific world Ledum is called “ledum”, which translated from Greek means “incense” - a resin that has a strong aroma.

Description

The wild rosemary grows in regions with cold and temperate climates. Depending on the growing conditions, the shrub has different heights: from 15 to 130 cm. Although in some cases it grows up to five meters. The branches of young plants are covered with brownish fluff. Mature plants do not have it, and the stems have a grayish tint.

The leaves are evenly distributed. They are leathery, whole-cut, the edges are turned up. Their color is dark green and the surface on top is smooth. The bottom of the leaf blades are covered with reddish-brown fluff, among which glands containing essential oil substances with a complex composition are visible. This is what explains the pungent odor with an intoxicating effect, which affects the nervous system, causing headaches, dizziness, vomiting, and nausea. This is an amazing plant. It's hard to believe that such beauty as wild rosemary in bloom can make a person lose consciousness.

Inflorescences form on last year's shoots. Depending on the type of wild rosemary, they are corymbose or umbrella-shaped. The flowers are bisexual. They consist of five white petals, although the color may be different.

According to gardeners, blooming wild rosemary It is a breathtaking sight, which, unfortunately, cannot be admired for a long time, otherwise you may get poisoned. The fruit of the plant is a capsule with five nests. The base is revealed first. Winged seeds are very small. Interesting fact, noticed by gardeners: when wild rosemary blooms and bird cherry blossoms at this time.

Reproduction

Seeds and summer cuttings are planting material for wild rosemary. In order for the cuttings to quickly take root and take root, their sections must be treated with heteroauxin, that is, placed in a solution (0.01%) for a period of 16-24 hours. Then rinse under running water and only then plant them in a container with soil. It is important to know that callus, even on a treated cutting, forms by autumn, and the roots themselves will grow only by the next season.

Soil selection

To admire the beauty during the period when wild rosemary blooms, it is important to ensure comfortable growth and development for the plant. To do this, you need to know that the flower prefers acidic soils. Therefore, when planting, the hole should be filled with a mixture of peat, soil from under coniferous plants and sand in proportions 3:2:1. Some varieties also grow on depleted sandy soils.

Landing

Ledum is grown as a cultivated plant. The best time Spring is the time for planting it. But if the plant has a closed root system, the time of year does not matter. Ledum is planted for long-term growth on permanent place. Each bush is placed in pre-dug holes with a depth of 30 to 40 cm. The bottom of the planting hole is covered with a drainage layer of five to seven centimeters. Sand or small river pebbles are suitable for this. After landing tree trunk circles plants are mulched with sawdust, pine needles or small wood shavings.

The plant is grown to create a bright spot in the garden during the period when wild rosemary blooms, but to do this you need to wait for it to grow. If waiting was not part of the gardener’s plans, you can grow shrubs in groups of several specimens each. The distance between plants should be at least 50-70 cm.

Care

Ledum is unpretentious plant, which can grow on soils poor in nutrients. It grows in wetlands, but does not do well in compacted soils and does not tolerate drought. It, like other plants, needs care, which includes watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil, and pruning. Only in this case can you see how wild rosemary blooms. If care is poor, the plant will not reveal all the beauty of its many beautiful buds.

To maintain soil acidity at the proper level, wild rosemary should be watered two to three times a month with acidified water. In extreme heat and during periods of prolonged drought, wild rosemary needs frequent watering: once every seven days is a must. Watering should be plentiful, at least five to eight liters of liquid for each bush.

After this, it is necessary to loosen the soil and mulch it with peat, this will retain moisture in the soil. Loosening should be done very carefully, since the location of the roots is very close to the surface.

For better growth and the development of the plant must be fed. This will have a particularly positive effect during the period when wild rosemary blooms. The procedure should be done once a year in the spring. The best nutrition is complex fertilizer mineral composition. For adult bushes, 50-70 g are needed per square meter of plot area, for young bushes - 30-40 g. Fertilizer is applied to each plant.

Ledum does not need special pruning. For decoration, only dry, diseased or broken branches are removed. Ledum in cultivation is resistant to disease and pest damage. Obviously, a strong repellent odor contributes to this.

Usage

Regardless of the variety, wild rosemary is elegant and very interesting plant. Beautifully blooming wild rosemary decorates the garden. The smell of its leaves and stems repels insects. In addition, the plant protects a person from harmful bacteria; they die next to wild rosemary. But when growing this shrub in your garden, you should always remember when wild rosemary blooms in The air releases many toxic substances that cause poisoning to the human body. During this period, you should protect yourself from their influence: do not be near wild rosemary, much less smell its flowers.

Healing properties

Ledum has a whole complex of active substances, so it is difficult to divide it into areas of influence on human body. In folk medicine, wild rosemary is a universal remedy. It has an expectorant and antispasmodic effect. It is an excellent diuretic, analgesic and disinfectant. Has sedative and narcotic properties.

ethnoscience has long been using wild rosemary to treat bronchitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, influenza, pneumonia, cough, asthma, whooping cough. The plant is used to heal wounds, as well as in cases of insect or snake bites.

According to patient reviews, it helps in the treatment of eczema and boils, frostbite and scabies, various diseases eyes, rheumatism, arthritis and osteochondrosis, gout and other diseases.

Patients who have used tinctures from the shoots note that wild rosemary dilates blood vessels, improves blood circulation, and eliminates insomnia. The unique ability of the plant to reduce blood pressure has been revealed. Patients note that wild rosemary is well tolerated and has no toxic effects.

Marsh rosemary

This type of plant cannot boast of much species diversity. As already mentioned in the article, only four species grow in our country: marsh wild rosemary, Greenland rosemary, creeping rosemary, and large-leaved wild rosemary. Greater distribution received in nature marsh wild rosemary. This led to a variety of names. People call it wild rosemary, fragrant bagan, headwort, swamp dope, bug grass, gonobyl and others.

The homeland of wild rosemary is the Arctic, west and east of Siberia, south, north and west of Europe, north of Mongolia, north and east of China, America and Korea. Where does wild rosemary bloom? Places of growth and flowering are swampy soil, permafrost areas, tundra, damp coniferous forests, highlands, dwarf cedar forests, banks of rivers and streams. Grows in single specimens and thickets. In our country, habitats and flowering areas are Yakutia, Sakhalin, Primorye, Sayan Mountains, Altai, Karelia.

Marsh wild rosemary is an evergreen, highly branched shrub. Its height reaches 50-120 cm. The bush is one meter in diameter. The shoots are erect, with dense pubescence the color of rust. The leaves are dark green, with a characteristic shine on the surface and a specific, strong odor. Their edges curl down. The flowers are small, reaching 1.5 cm in diameter, and have a white, sometimes pink tint. When wild rosemary blooms, it emits a pungent odor. The flowers are collected in inflorescences that look like umbrellas. The fruit is a five-leaf capsule. Seed ripening occurs in August.

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 subarctic and temperate climate. 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)
Open ground planting period	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 of large size ripen. 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 the spring, but if you purchased a plant that is already grown in a pot, then the period of placement in open ground is not of great importance. Since the bushes will grow in one place for a long time, the depth of the planting hole should reach 30–40 cm, despite the fact that almost the entire 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 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 hemlock in open ground, the hole is filled with a soil mixture of coniferous soil, 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. Apply full mineral complexes(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 wrap and placed 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 planting is carried out in another seedling box, but leaving a greater distance between the young wild rosemaries. This is necessary so that the root system does not subsequently become tangled.

Apply vegetative propagation using layering. 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-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 any harmful insects with its aroma and active substances. 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 attacked by spider mites or bugs, they are sprayed with insecticides (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. You should not stand near ledum thickets for a long time, as its aroma can cause severe weakness and dizziness. Although wild rosemary is excellent honey plant, but 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 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.

Because aboveground part contains many active substances, wild rosemary has long been needed traditional healers, and later recognized him 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 fields 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; it 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. The reverse side of the rolled leaf has 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 Far East. 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 on the back of the leaves there is a thick red 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.

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