The tree is a rejuvenating tree among the common people. Loch - medicinal properties, uses and recipes

A shrub with a strange name to our ears is very useful for the human body. Moreover, almost all of its parts are used in folk medicine. Elf is a plant that has many varieties, and they can be found almost all over the world.

Sucker: description and meaning of the plant name

The etymology of the word is not entirely clear, but in biology there is a whole family of plants called “suckers”. In different countries you can find different names for this plant. So, in Central Asia it is called jigida or jida. In Greece - elaeagnus, which loosely translated means "Abraham's olive tree." The name pshat is also known, but all these names do not reflect the beneficial properties that the plant is rich in.

Some of its species are evergreen, while others are deciduous. But in most cases they are covered with thorns. Branches with light bark are covered with alternate silvery leaves with short petioles. The flowers can be single or grow in bunches, depending on the type of oleaster. The flower shape is four-lobed, tubular-bell-shaped, without petals with four stamens.

The most valuable thing in a plant is the fruit. The berry is a drupe with mealy sweet pulp and an elliptical seed. It is eaten raw, dried, added to dishes, and medicinal decoctions and infusions are prepared.

Important! Sucker fruits are a treasure trove of organic acids, potassium and phosphorus salts. They are recommended to eat to maintain the functioning of the cardiovascular system and improve memory. Also, special preparations are prepared on their basis.

The shrub can be propagated by cuttings, root suckers or seeds. The plant is drought-resistant, unpretentious and at the same time an excellent honey plant. Moreover, in places where the silver elk grows, the soil is enriched with nitrogen. Colonies of bacteria live on its tubers, which contribute to the concentration of nitrogen in the soil.

Popular types of sucker

In total, there are more than 100 species of sucker in the world, which grow in Europe, Japan, and China. However, the following varieties have taken root in our area.

Its greatest concentration is observed in East Asia, because the plant does not tolerate winter well. If it still survives a temperature of -5 °C, then at -10 °C it can die. The umbrella oleaster reaches a height of 4 m, and the crown grows up to 160 cm. The leaves are light green, lanceolate. Already in May it produces yellowish-silver flowers, which are very attractive to bees - the plant is considered an excellent honey plant.

Important! Honey from sucker, like most of its preparations, is stored for no more than two years. Then they begin to gradually lose their properties. In flowers, this process begins earlier - within a year.

The first fruits appear on a bush that has reached the age of nine. They ripen by autumn and have a round shape, and not oblong, like most other varieties.

Elf prickly is an evergreen shrub species that grows up to 7 m in height. Its spreading branches are covered with thick spines, and oblong-elliptical leaves with wavy edges grow on them. They are silvery-brown below and shiny dark green above. Sometimes side shoots appear on the branches, with which it clings to neighboring plants or objects. Then it develops like a climbing plant.

The flowers of the plant are silver-white on top and golden in color at the core. They grow in bunches of 2-3 pieces and emit a strong aroma. At the end of flowering, they initially produce a greenish-brown fruit, which turns red as it ripens. For its special beauty and unpretentiousness, it is revered by landscape designers, who use it to form hedges.

A relatively low, up to 1.5 m in height, shrub that does not have thorns. Oval, slightly oblong leaves grow on brown-red scaly branches. They are silvery scaly above and silvery brown below. In June it is covered with yellowish-white bell-shaped flowers. In August, in their place large red berries are formed on thin long drooping stalks. Their pulp is sour, juicy, rich in such useful substances as amino acids, glutamic and aspartic acids, arginine, lysine.

Did you know? Initially, this type of plant could only be found in the forests of China and Japan. It spread throughout the Russian Federation in the 20th century, when it was brought to South Sakhalin by the Japanese. With its help, they improved the area around their houses, calling the plant “gummi”. From them came the belief that the sucker berry, among other beneficial properties, has the ability to restore youth.

North America is considered the birthplace of the shrub. Silver oleaster has a description similar to multifloral. Its branches are not covered with thorns, the young bark has a brown tint, and the old bark is silvery. The leaves are leathery on both sides, but have brown scales underneath. It produces flowers that are the same in color, aroma and honey production as other species. They appear in mid-summer and last about 20 days. If the bush is more than 8 years old, at the end of flowering, scaly fruits are formed in their place, which ripen only in September.

The shrub reaches a height of 4 m, tolerates drought worse than the species described above, but is more frost-resistant. Feels good in city conditions, but grows very slowly. Thanks to its beautiful fruits and leaves, it is widely used in landscape design.

Did you know? Not only the silver species, but also other varieties of oleaster are readily used to create living compositions in the garden. The shrub goes well with low plants covered with red leaves, golden trees and conifers. It looks good in contrasting compositions and copes well with the role of a hedge.

In the wild, this plant can be found on the banks of rivers and lakes in Central and Asia Minor, in Kazakhstan, the Caucasus, and also in the southern part of Russia. It is also grown there as a cultivated plant, although it is called completely differently. If you don’t understand what jida is, know that we are talking about this particular type of sucker.

It is a spreading deciduous shrub that grows up to 10 m in height. It has red-brown bark covered with silvery scaly hairs. The branches grow spines up to 3 cm in length and soft lanceolate leaves up to 8 cm in length. They are light green on top and covered with silvery-white scales underneath.

The flowers are just as fragrant, but slightly different in color - yellowish on the outside and silvery on the inside. They also last no more than 20 days after the start of flowering. Then the berry is set, which as it ripens changes from a silvery tint to a yellowish-brown one.

Elf angustifolia has a deep root system, so it develops relatively quickly, is drought-resistant, frost-resistant and easily tolerates the polluted air of megacities. Often used as a hedge and in compositions against a background of dark greenery.

The use of sucker in folk medicine

The plant is known for its astringent properties, so various anti-diarrhea remedies are prepared from it. Decoctions and infusions have a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect. They are used in the treatment of helminths and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Most often, leaves and fruits of shrubs are used for such purposes.

Botanical name: Elaeagnus angustifolia, genus Elaeagnus, family Elaeaceae.

Homeland of Elf angustifolia: China, North America.

Lighting: photophilous.

The soil: not picky about soil.

Watering: moderate.

Maximum tree height: 10 m.

Average life expectancy: 60 years.

Landing: seeds, cuttings, layering.

Description and photo of the tree - Eleven angustifolia

Deciduous shrub or small tree up to 10 m high. The crown is wide and spreading. The bark is red-brown, shiny, with spines that reach up to 3 cm in length. The trunk has a curved shape. The root system is powerful and deep. Young shoots are silvery and pubescent.

The leaves are oval, lanceolate, narrowed at the base, pointed, gray-green above, white below, covered with small scales. The leaves are held on petioles 4-7 cm long.

The flowers are small, solitary, up to 1 cm in length, silvery on the outside, yellow-orange on the inside, fragrant, rich in nectar. Flowering begins in June and lasts 15-20 days.

The fruit is a spherical or oval, yellowish-red drupe with a sweetish taste, up to 1 cm long, weighing 2-3 g. Ripens in August - September. Ripening occurs unevenly, but even overripe fruits remain on the tree for a long time. They require a long warm period to fully ripen. The tree begins to bloom and bear fruit at the age of 3-5 years.

In the photo presented in the gallery below, you can see that the oleaster tree is very similar to sea buckthorn.

Spread of the oleaster tree

It grows under natural conditions in Ukraine, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. In Russia, it is distributed in the European part. It is found in steppe and forest-steppe zones, settling along river banks. In Kazakhstan, in abandoned areas it forms dense thickets, called “tugai forests”.

The plant is drought-resistant. Not demanding on soils. Can grow on saline, poor soils. Numerous adventitious roots form on sandy soils. Tolerates urban conditions, air pollution and dust well. Heat-loving. It has a hard time withstanding harsh winters.

It grows very quickly. The average annual growth is up to 1 m. Lateral shoots appear in the 4th year of the tree’s life.

The fruits of Eleven angustifolia

The fruits of this tree have a slightly sweet, astringent taste and resemble dates in appearance. Nutritious. They are easy to harvest because they are attached to the shoots with long, thin stalks. They can be stored for quite a long time (at room temperature they are stored throughout the winter period). They contain potassium and phosphorus salts, the astringent tannin, 40% sugars, fiber, 10% proteins, amino acids, and vitamins. Inside each fruit there is a seed surrounded by red pulp. The fruits of Elefon angustifolia are consumed fresh, but they are also frozen and used to decorate dessert dishes in winter. Dried fruits are used to make decoctions and infusions.

The fruits are valued in folk and scientific medicine. In scientific medicine, they are used to make the drug pshatin, which is used for diseases of the intestines and stomach. In folk medicine, the fruits, which have an astringent effect, are used for diarrhea and cataracts. Decoctions from the fruit are used for respiratory diseases, colds and fever, and are used as rinses for inflammation in the oral cavity.

The fruits are also used for food. Eat fresh or crushed and used as an additive to bread, soups and other dishes.

Eleven angustifolia: planting and care

The plant is propagated by seeds, cuttings and layering, but the layering is very difficult to take root, only in the second year of life. The most reliable way is to sow seeds. Shoots appear in the first year of the tree’s life and reach up to 1 m.

Before planting, you need to select a site and prepare the soil. It is better to plant oleaster on hills protected from the wind, since strong winds can harm a young tree. The soil should be neutral, slightly acidic. If there is excessive acidity, lime should be added.

Planting takes place in early spring or late autumn. Plants are planted at a distance of 2-3 m from each other in planting holes 0.5 m deep. A mixture of fertile soil, compost and sand is first added to the hole. Place small stones and pebbles at the bottom of the hole to prevent water stagnation. For the full development of the tree, nitrogen fertilizers, wood ash and double superphosphate are added to the soil mixture. When planting, the root collar is buried 5-8 cm from the surface. The first 3-4 days after planting require abundant watering.

Caring for sucker consists of annual feeding and loosening of the tree trunk circle. In early spring, add mullein, urea and ammonium nitrate diluted in water. At the beginning of autumn, nitroammophoska is introduced. In winter, young individuals are covered with a layer of snow or branches to prevent the shoots from freezing. In spring, dried branches are pruned. At the beginning and end of summer, hedges are trimmed.

Application

The Eleven angustifolia tree is used in medicine. The medicinal raw materials are the flowers, leaves, fruits and bark of the plant. Infusions and decoctions of flowers are used for scurvy, heart disease, edema, and colitis. The leaves are used for rheumatism, gout and wound healing. The bark and leaves are natural dyes for leather, producing shades of black and brown. The fruits are eaten.

In modern speech, the word “sucker” evokes completely different associations that are not related to the plant world. But in fact, such a plant as Indian elk actually exists, but it is quite rare in Russia. The Indian Chilean oleaster grows mainly in North America, Japan, China and European countries.

Description and characteristics

Greek oleaster is a relatively short plant, growing up to 3.5−7 m, depending on the variety. Most species shed their leaves with the onset of autumn, but there are also evergreen varieties of shrubs. The large green leaves, which turn bright yellow in autumn in the fall, as well as silvery shoots, which give the tree an unusual appearance even in winter, give the oleaster a special charm and beauty. The most famous varieties of this plant, used to decorate household plots and gardens, are the following types of oleaster:

• Umbrella.
• Multi-flowered.
• Indian.
• Silver.

In gardens you can most often find the following varieties of silver oleaster:

• Cultural.
• Barbed.
• Green.

The shrub tolerates drought well and is frost-resistant. Can grow in metropolitan conditions with increased air pollution.

Varieties of spiny sucker:

• Dig holes with a diameter of about 50 cm, the distance between them should be 2-3 m.
• Add a nutrient mixture consisting of wood ash, nitrogen, compost, sand and double superphosphate.
• Plant the plants, deepening the root collar by 4-6 cm. Water the seedlings generously.

Plant care

Although the Greek elk is an unpretentious plant and does not require special growing conditions, some simple rules for caring for it must still be followed. The following recommendations exist:

The ornamental plant Loch attracts gardeners with many advantages: unusual beautiful foliage, unpretentiousness to soil and growing conditions, the presence of beneficial properties or nutritious honey. One has only to look at a photo of a sucker, and everyone will want to decorate their garden with this shrub. In this article we will look at what types of oleaster exist, how to plant it and how to care for it, what needs to be done for its good growth and beautiful foliage.

Elaegnaceae is a deciduous or evergreen shrub or tree belonging to the Elaeagnaceae family. This word is of Greek origin, it consists of 2 terms: “elaia” - means “olive” and “agnos” in translation “Abraham’s tree”. In addition, in Central Asia, many people call the sucker “dzhigda”, “dzhigida”, “dzhida”. Elf grows in Japan, China, North America, Europe, and Russia. Most often, the oleaster plant itself grows in the form of a shrub or a small tree with an openwork spreading crown. Loch is a low plant; cases of reaching a height of 8 meters are rare. The branches of the oleaster are gray-brown in color. The oblong leaves are 3-10 cm long. The elf blooms in May, often in June-July. It all depends on the type of plant. The branches of the oleaster are covered with fragrant flowers, which attract not only people, but also bees. Later, in August, edible fruits appear; they are very tasty and rich in chemical composition. However, they can sometimes be prickly. People rarely eat them because they have a large seed and a small amount of pulp. Types of sucker The oleaster plant has about 50 species, but we will consider only the most famous: prickly - in Japan; umbrella - found in East Asia; silver - grows in North America; multi-flowered - grows in China, Japan; narrow-leaved - grows in the south of Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. Prickly sucker, description This species of sucker is native to Japan. The prickly oleaster reaches a height of up to 7 m. It is an evergreen deciduous shrub. The spreading branches are strewn with thick and short thorns. A peculiarity of this species is the frequent growth of shoots with lateral branches that are directed downwards. They help the sucker cling to other plants or objects. Therefore, sometimes this type of sucker can reach a height of up to 10 m. The elliptical leaves are 10 cm long and dark green in color, shining in the sun. Umbrella sucker, description This type of sucker grows in East Asia. The umbrella sucker has a height of 4 m. It begins to bloom in early to mid-June, but the fruits ripen later - in October. In addition, the tree begins to bear fruit only after 9 years of life. Silver goof, description The silver sucker grows in North America. It has a wide crown and grows up to 4 m. For exquisite decoration of the site, the silver gooseberry is suitable. The design of the garden looks like a winter fairy tale in the middle of a sultry summer. As if covered with frost and snow, the silver gooseberry appears white among the greenery. The leaves of this sucker are silver in color on both sides. In addition, oleaster flowers are very fragrant, and also silvery on the outside, but yellow on the inside. It blooms in June or July, and continues to bloom for up to 20 days. Silver sucker has oval or spherical fruits with sweet, powdery and dryish pulp. It begins to bear fruit only after 8 years of life. The fruits ripen in September. In addition, silver sucker has high winter hardiness and drought resistance. It grows best on loam or sand, as it is unpretentious to the soil and loves bright places. Elf multiflora, description The countries of origin of Elaeaceae multiflorum are China and Japan. It is often called by another name, “gummi.” This type of sucker is a low shrub, no more than 1.5 m in height. Young shoots have brown-red scales. The upper side of the leaves is covered with silvery scales, and the lower side is covered with brown and silvery scales. The yellowish-white flowers are bell-shaped. The multiflowered oleagin blooms in June. The fruits are juicy and large with a rich, bright red color and ripen in August. The taste is pleasant, sometimes a little sour. Unpretentious: drought-resistant and survives the winter well. Eleven angustifolia, description This is the type of sucker that grows in Russia, in the south. In addition, it can be found in the Caucasus, Kazakhstan, and Asia. It grows on the banks of rivers or lakes. It has an asymmetrical spreading crown. The Elf angustifolia itself is a low (up to 10 m) deciduous tree. It has long spines - about 3 cm. Long leaves (8 cm) are very soft, gray-green above and silvery-white below. The flowers are orange-yellow on the outside and silvery on the inside. The fruits here are yellowish-brown, mealy and sweet. This species has several features: it grows quickly and has a deep root system. In addition, this is one of the few types of sucker that can withstand city gas pollution and smoky air. It tolerates winter, shearing and pruning well and is resistant to drought. Living fences are often created from it. Planting sucker If the sucker sits in a permanent place almost forever, then you need to plant it only in the spring. When planting in autumn, a fragile oleaster seedling may freeze. The seedlings are planted in a well-lit place not shaded by other plants. The distance between them should be at least 1.5 m. This is due to the strong growth of the crown. The hole is dug depending on the soil; the heavier and worse the soil, the more fertilizer is needed. So, in clay soil you need a hole 50 x 50 cm. In ordinary soil you can make 40 x 40 cm. Then you need to pour a mixture of compost or humus with sand and turf soil, superphosphate. When placing a seedling, it is necessary to deepen the root collar by 4-6 cm and water it abundantly. During the summer, you should mulch with peat or humus in dry weather and fertilize with slurry. Caring for a sucker Elf is an unpretentious plant, but it still requires little care. Loch is quite sensitive to weeds. That is why they must be constantly removed and the soil around the plant cared for. In addition, annual feeding is required. It is produced with organic fertilizers per plant - about 20 kg or more. Add superphosphate (200-500 g), potassium salt (200 g). It is also necessary to trim old branches every year, most often this is done in the spring. If the plant reaches the age of 15 years, then it is necessary to remove up to a third of the branches and rejuvenate the plant. If you take proper care, the sucker will grow and bear fruit for 25 years. As for fertilizing, it begins to be done annually, starting immediately the next year after planting. A bush usually needs 5-10 kg of compost, 30 g. double superphosphate and 100-150 gr. wood ash. During drought, repeated watering is recommended, calculating 30-40 liters of water per 1 square meter to wet the soil 30-40 cm deep. To retain moisture after watering, it is necessary to mulch the soil. After winter, the sucker's shoots are restored quite quickly, so to reduce them in the autumn, they should be pinned with hooks or tied with a rope or twine. You should put brushwood, batwa or raspberry shoots on the top layer. To avoid damping off, do not cover the sucker with thick materials or burlap. Reproduction of sucker There are several ways to propagate sucker: cuttings, seeds or root layering. Seed method of propagation of sucker This method is considered one of the best and simplest. However, they do not germinate without prior preparation. With the seed propagation method, plants begin to bear fruit in the fifth or sixth year. If you sow seeds in the spring, most of them will germinate only the next year. Seeds that are collected, cleaned and planted in the autumn have greater germination. They seem to undergo stratification over the winter. If you still want to plant seeds in the spring, then you first need to soak them in water for 4 days or keep them for 3 months in damp peat or sand at a temperature of 16-20 degrees. Reproduction of sucker by layering This way the sucker reproduces very well. In spring, the branches are laid to a depth of 10-15 cm in the furrows. After just 3 months, roots are formed that are 5-15 cm long and well developed. With this method of growing sucker, plants begin to bear fruit in the third to fifth year of life. Reproduction of sucker by cuttings For this type of sucker propagation, green cuttings are cut in the second half of June, at which time the shoots reach 20-30 cm. It is necessary to take cuttings with 2 or 4 leaves and keep them in the stimulant solution for 14-16 hours. Then you need to plant them at a distance of 7 cm from each other in the sand. By autumn, the cuttings will have thick roots about 3-5 cm in length. The cuttings should be rooted in greenhouses or under plastic film. It is worth watering them 2-3 times a day in the first days. Later, you can reduce the number of waterings to 1 time. For the winter, rooted cuttings must be covered with leaves, batva or spruce branches. Or it is recommended to place them in a cool place with a temperature of 0-3 degrees. Useful properties of sucker Loch is a very useful plant. For example, the fruits of the multifloral oleaster contain organic acids, sugar, vitamins A and C, phenolic compounds, as well as fats, iron, calcium, potassium and phosphorus salts, tannins and pectin. In addition, the fruits are very rich in amino acids, they contain a huge amount of proline and leucine. Based on research by biochemists of the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences, there are 17 amino acids in the oleaster fruit, 7 of which are essential. Not only the fruits of the oleaster are useful, but also the leaves. They contain large amounts of ascorbic acid, especially in autumn. The leaves can be brewed as tea after drying. The same ascorbic acid is also found in oleaster flowers. Loja wood has qualities such as density and hardness. That’s why it is used for crafts or fuel. Due to their fragrant aroma, oleaster flowers can be used in perfumery. Application of sucker Of course, oleaster is mainly used to decorate garden plots. It is suitable as an ornamental plant, since it can be combined with red, golden deciduous shrubs, or with coniferous trees. Contrasting groups or hedges are created from it. In addition, the fruits, leaves, resin, bark and flowers of the oleaster can be used for medicinal purposes. Leaves are harvested in the first half of summer, flowers are harvested in May or early June. They need to be dried to make tea or a healing decoction. Many people use oleaster as an antiviral, antibacterial, and astringent. Decoctions of oleaster flowers and leaves help with fever and colds, and reduce temperature. The juice of the leaves is used to treat gout, rheumatism and radiculitis. In addition, if you constantly eat oleaster fruits, your memory will noticeably improve, and they also have a diuretic and expectorant effect. Juices from berries increase tone and strengthen the immune system. In addition, they are beneficial for cardiovascular diseases. If you have colitis or diarrhea, you can drink a decoction of oleaster berries; in addition, it will help relieve inflammation and destroy pathogenic microbes. In late autumn, young oleaster bushes can be planted in a pot or container and brought home. Not only will it please the eye all winter, since in indoor conditions it does not shed its leaves, but also at the end of December it can produce several fragrant fruits.

You rarely hear about the Elf plant in our latitudes. Many will be interested to know why it is called that, what it looks like, what it is used for and in what climate it grows.

Elf is a small ornamental tree of the Elk family. There are evergreen and deciduous species of shrubs, most of them are thorny. They grow in Asia, North America and Russia. The silvery shoots and large green leaves with petioles, which turn bright yellow in the fall, give the plant special beauty.

In spring, the sucker produces single or clustered yellow-green flowers. They are very fragrant, honey-bearing and attract bees. The fruits of the plant are red-pink, oblong, with a stone (drupe). The sweet pulp can be eaten.

Growing such a tree is easy.

The sucker is not picky, loves light, survives well in arid areas, and does not require special soil.

The plant received its Latin name from the Greek term “elaiagnos”, which includes two words: “elaia” - berry, olive and “agnos” - tree of Abraham. The sucker was named so because the trunk, leaves and berries of the plant are very similar in shape and color to the olive tree.

Leaf leaves contain a large amount of ascorbic acid, which strengthens the immune system. Therefore, it is useful to drink tea made from dry raw materials during seasonal colds. The flowers produce a fragrant essential oil.

Common types and varieties

They name a different number of varieties of sucker, which is widespread throughout the world. Some sources indicate the number 40, others, in particular The Plant List, count 98 species and 331 variant names (varieties, including synonyms).

Elf Chilean

This phrase is used in the colloquial speech of our compatriots. It does not actually designate a variety of the oleaster plant. This shrub is not cultivated in Chile; there is no Chilean shrub among its species. This phrase, based on a fictitious name, has a slang connotation.

Multifloral oleaginus

This type of plant is common in China and Japan. Locals call it gumi. In our country, this species also adapts normally, the plant is frost-resistant.

• The tree does not grow higher than 1-1.5 meters.
• The shoots are scaly and red in color.
• The oval leaves also have silvery scales, the bottom is brown.
• In mid-June, flowers appear: not single, but in whole inflorescences. They resemble bells and have a white-yellow tint.

This plant variety is characterized by high productivity. The large fruits of the multi-flowered oleaster ripen in August. They are bright red, have long stalks, and look like dates. The berries are juicy, have a sour taste and are very healthy. The Japanese call them the fruits of longevity.

Due to the presence of organic acids in the plant (aspartic, glutamic), as well as lysine, the berries of multifloral oleaster relieve inflammatory processes in the stomach and intestines. For this, fresh fruits are used, which can be stored for no more than a week.

Indian sucker

Pshat is the name given to this variety of plant in its homeland, in Hindustan.

• The tree has a lush crown, smooth brown bark with small thorns and roots that grow deep into the ground.
• The leaves of the Indian oleaster are lancet-shaped, tapering on both sides, and supported by small petioles.
• The palette of shades ranges from light green to silver, the bottom of the leaves is white.

Pshat blooms in the first days of summer for three weeks. The small yellow flowers are fragrant and have a lot of nectar.

Honey from Indian oleaster is very tasty.

The lifespan of pshat reaches 60 years, the tree grows up to 10 meters. Having reached 4 years of age, the bush bears its first fruits. The fruit is small, with an oval seed. The fruits ripen gradually, not all at once. It depends on weather conditions because it requires several sunny and warm days to ripen.

Silver goof

This type of plant is found in North America, and was brought there from Japan. The shrub is deciduous, small (2–3 m), has a branched crown. There are thorny and non-thorny varieties of wood. It grows slowly.

• A characteristic feature of the plant is the silvery color of the oval leaves on both sides, the same shade of its flowers on the outside, as well as the silvery scales on the oleaster fruits.
• The shoots of the bush are red, the old bark has a gray tint.
• Silver oleaster flowers appear after the leaves fall (in May, June). They are small, yellow inside, gray outside. The flowering period is up to 20 days.
• The fruits appear on an 8-year-old tree and begin to ripen in mid-September. The berries are round or oval-shaped drupes of brown color. The pulp of the fruit is sweet and dry.

Several subspecies of shrubs are known:

• green;
• barbed;
• cultural.

The plant tolerates frost and drought well. In conditions of increased gas pollution in the city, the silver sucker also feels normal.

Narrow-leaved sucker

Shrubs are often found in the Caucasus and southern Russia, Central Asia, and Kazakhstan. They grow in the forest, in the field, on the banks of reservoirs. Plants of this species are low (6–8 m), have a curved trunk with brown bark, thorny branches and a lush crown.

• The shoots have silvery scales.
• The leaves grow up to 8 cm in length, have a gray-green tint, and have white scales on the bottom.
• Flowering period - mid-June (2-3 weeks). The fragrant flowers are orange on the outside and silvery on the inside.

The narrow-leaved oleaster bears fruit in late summer. The berries are first silvery, then acquire a brown tint.

The tree grows quickly and is resistant to frost and drought.

With the help of narrow-leaved oleaster, hedges are created, using its ability to quickly sprout new shoots.

Sucker umbrella

Akigumi is the name of a plant common in East Asia. The umbrella sucker grows in the form of a tree or bush; it is often grown at home in the bonsai style.

• The plant is low (2-4 m), the crown is lush.
• Young silvery shoots have thorns.
• Lettuce leaves in the shape of an ellipse, no more than 7 cm.
• Light yellow flowers appear in mid-July.

The umbrella sucker bears fruit when it reaches 9 years of age. Small pink berries with an oval seed ripen in October. They make jam and wine, and eat them raw to strengthen the immune system.

Elf prickly

Nawashirogumi is the second name of this evergreen thorny shrub. It grows up to 7 m, has a large crown and many overgrown shoots. With its thorny branches, the sucker clings to objects and plants and “climbs” them even higher (up to 10 m).

• The oval, oblong leaves with wavy edges have a brilliant, rich green color, and their bottoms are silvery.
• A special feature of the prickly sucker is the period of flowering and fruiting. The plant blooms in October–November, and the fruits appear in April.
• The small flowers appear in bunches and are silvery-white with a golden interior.
• The fruits are light brown and turn red when ripe.

The following nawashirogumi varieties are popular:

1. Frederica (green-yellow leaves).
2. Tricolor (yellow, white and pink color of large leaves).
3. Variegated (white-yellow leaf frame).
4. Golden (leaves with orange border).

Sucker propagation is possible in several ways:

• cuttings (used for evergreen species);
• root shoots (ready for planting after 2 years);
• seeds.

A place for the plant should be chosen that is protected from the wind, without shade, so that there is plenty of light. The quality of the soil does not matter - the sucker is not picky about the soil. Sowing is most often carried out in September–October, less often in April, but before that the seeds are kept in water for a week.

You can plant oleaster in autumn and mid-spring.

1. For seedlings, holes are dug (0.5 m in diameter) at a distance of 2–3 meters from each other.
2. A fertilizer mixture consisting of sand, compost, double superphosphate, nitrogen and wood ash is placed in them.
3. The root collar of the seedling is covered 4–6 cm with soil.
4. Immediately after planting, the seedlings should be watered abundantly.

Although the sucker does not require special conditions for growth, it is necessary to care for the plant.

1. Fertilize once a year. To do this, dig up the soil around the trunk, add fertilizer and water.
2. In autumn and after winter, prune dry and damaged branches.
3. Once every 7–10 days, loosen the soil and remove weeds near the oleaster.
4. In hot weather, water regularly, then mulch with peat.
5. For rejuvenation, pruning 14-year-old trees. In this case, about a third of the branches are cut out.
6. During frosts, it is better to cover the plant with branches of brushwood. There is no need to use another material for covering, under which the tree will damp out.

The plant's unpretentiousness, attractiveness, ease of planting and care allow it to be successfully used to decorate a personal plot. And the healing properties of the fruits improve health.