Marsh wild rosemary ornamental trees and shrubs. Ledum: description and features of the plant, planting and care

Landscaping 28.05.2019
Landscaping

Where does rosemary grow ... Far East.

Description.Ledum - what kind of plant is it?An evergreen shrub with a rounded crown up to 1 m in height, blooms from April to June. The leaves are narrow, dark green, up to 4 cm long, aromatic, strongly smelling of hops. The underside of the leaf blade and young shoots with red or white pubescence. The flowers are small, white. Blooming wild rosemary emits a pleasant aroma.

Marsh Ledum - Ledum palustre

Widespread evergreen shrub up to 1 m high. Stems are erect, abundantly branching. The leaves are narrow, tough, dark green in color. The surface of the leaves is glossy from above, from below it may have pubescence. When damaged, leaves and stems give off a pungent odor, as they contain a large number of oils. Marsh rosemary resin was used to make incense. The flowers are collected in large fragrant umbrellas.

Transbaikal or Far Eastern wild rosemary - Daurian rhododendron - Rhododendron dauricum

An evergreen shrub native to Eastern Siberia, China and Japan. Plants reach a height of 120 - 250 cm, in frosty climates they can shed their leaves. Shoots are thin, profusely branching, forming a very lush crown. The leaves are oblong, oval, glossy, dark green, 1 to 4 cm long. The lower surface of the leaf blade is often colored in a lighter shade. Leaves often appear after flowering. The flowers are attractive, rather large, up to 5 cm in diameter, appear in low-flowered inflorescences at the tops of the shoots. Shades of petals include lilac, blue, lavender, pink, white.

Ledum greenlandic - Ledum groenlandicum

Evergreen shrub up to one and a half meters high with a dense, rounded crown. Young plant stems are often covered with slight pubescence. Leaves are thick, green, narrow-lanceolate, whole-edged, up to 5 cm long, arranged alternately. The lower surface of the leaf blade may be covered with slight pubescence. The flowers are white, numerous, fragrant, collected in small inflorescences at the tops of the shoots.

Height... About 1 m.

Ledum care

Ledum in the house - temperature... Tolerates a wide range of temperatures during periods of active growth. In the winter months, a cool dormant period is desirable at temperatures no higher than 10 ° C.

Ledum lighting... It can grow in full shade, partial shade, but will be denser in areas with good lighting without direct rays of the sun.

Care... Trim the tips of young plants to encourage branching. Thin the crown of mature plants to provide more light and air circulation. Older plants can be rejuvenated with cardinal pruning, but it is recommended that no more than 1/3 of the branches be removed at a time.

Growing wild rosemary - soil... Sandy, loamy or clayey with acidic pH. Ledum can grow in very acidic soils, peat, sand, bark compost, or coniferous soil.

Top dressing... Young plants need fertilizers containing phosphorus to develop a strong root system. Fertilizers with a high nitrogen content contribute to the growth of green mass, but you should not overfeed the wild rosemary with nitrogen - the flowering will be weaker.

Appointment... Ledum can be used for cutting - it does not lose its freshness for a long time at home, in a vase, but it should be used with caution because of its specific smell.

Blossoming time of wild rosemary... April - July.

Air humidity... The wild rosemary will feel better if it is periodically sprayed.


Soil moisture... Prefers moist soil at any time of the year.

Ledum planting, transplant... Young plants as they grow - in spring, every year, adult plants - every 2 - 3 years, or just change the top layer of soil.

Propagation of wild rosemary... Seeds sown in February or March. Germination is better in fresh seeds, therefore, if suitable conditions are available, they are sown in the fall, immediately after ripening. They come out rather slowly. Reproduction is also possible by half-ripe cuttings 5 ​​- 8 cm long, which are rooted in July - August.

Pests and diseases... Plants that do not receive enough light can become pale, have fewer leaves and taller, grow more slowly and bloom less abundantly. In direct sunlight, the plant can wither, the leaves get sunburn.


Note... Leaves and young flowering shoots have an astringent, diaphoretic, disinfectant, diuretic, laxative effect. In summer, the plant releases essential oils from its leaves into the air, which can cause headaches.

Hydroponics.

Summing up - 7 secrets of success:

  1. Growing temperature: summer - 10 - 25 ° С, winter - preferably not higher than 10 ° С.
  2. Lighting: tolerates a wide range of light conditions, but when grown in partial shade, the shape of the bush will be loose and elongated.
  3. Watering and humidity: uniformly moistened soil at any time of the year and high humidity air.
  4. Pruning: formative - regularly pinching the tips of young shoots and trimming excess length after flowering, sanitary - removing old and diseased branches.
  5. Priming: must have an acidic pH.
  6. Top dressing: in spring and summer they are fed with mineral fertilizers 2 times a month.
  7. Reproduction: stem cuttings in spring and summer, by seeds - a rather long process.

You may also be interested in:

It is unlikely that among the green inhabitants of the swamp kingdom there is a more fragrant plant than rosemary. An interesting case is described in one of his books by the famous phenologist and connoisseur of the Russian forest D.N. Kaigorodov: "Many years ago I hunted white partridges in the Shlisselburg district. I had to wander for several hours in a row through mossy swamps, abundantly overgrown with blueberries and wild rosemary. My dog, usually so tireless and lively, suddenly, after several hours of hunting, became somehow strange swaying, quitting looking for game, began to lie down on the ground, as if in great exhaustion, with difficulty, reluctantly got to her feet and, swaying, reluctantly approached me on the whistle, which I usually listened to well. hunting and returned home. An hour later, after a sound sleep, the dog became completely fresh and cheerful, as if nothing had happened. Subsequently, when I once told this case to an old hunter, he explained to me that the dog was "intoxicated" with wild rosemary, which I sniffed too much, looking for game between its bushes for several hours in a row. " D.N. Kaigorodov, calling wild rosemary an insidious plant, because the aroma, pleasant at first, ultimately causes a very strong, sometimes nauseous, headache.

The genus wild rosemary, belonging to the heather family, is very small. There are 8 species known all over the world, and only 4 are grown in gardens, including in Russia. The Russian name "wild rosemary" comes from the old verb "wild rosemary", which means "to poison", and the adjective, which is now forgotten, is derived from it "wild rosemary" means: poisonous, stupefying, tart, strong. The Russian name reflects characteristic feature this bush has a strong, suffocating odor. The scientific name is "ledum" (Ledum) comes from Greek ledon- this is how the ancient Greeks called the plant from which the aromatic resin was extracted - incense (ladanum)... Often called wild rosemary rhododendron daurian, the twigs of which are sold in Moscow in winter. But the Daurian rhododendron has nothing to do with wild rosemary. This name is incorrect. So, back to the real wild rosemary.

Greenland wild rosemary(Ledumgroenlandicum)

Shrub native to North America, up to 1 meter high, with oblong leaves, white flowers, collected in an umbrella-shaped inflorescence. It blooms from mid-June to the second decade of July. The seeds ripen by the end of September. Moderate growth. From the end of July to autumn frosts, there are cases of secondary growth due to which, probably, the ends of young shoots do not have time to completely lignify and freeze slightly. However, this does not affect the decorative effect of the species.

There is an interesting form of Greenland rosemary "Compact"(" Compacta "). It is an evergreen upright shrub up to 45 cm high with creamy white flowers, collected in globular inflorescences. Blooms profusely in May-June. Young shoots are brown, pubescent. Deserves more attention. May be recommended for planting in heather gardens.

Ledum creeping(Ledum decumbens)

Homeland: Eastern Siberia, Far East: Chukotka, Kamchatka, Okhotia, Sakhalin, northern North America, Greenland. It grows in shrub tundra on hummocks with light forests, on sandy hills, loaches, in thickets of dwarf cedar, in high-mountain sphagnum bogs, stony placers. Evergreen shrub 20-30 cm tall. It blooms sparsely, but annually from the second decade of May to mid-June. Fruiting irregularly. The seeds ripen at the end of August. It grows slowly, with an annual growth of about 1 cm.

Large-leaved wild rosemary (Ledummacrophyllum)

Homeland: Eastern Siberia, Far East: Sakhalin, Primorye, Amur river basin; northern part of Korea, Japan (Hokkaido). It grows in the undergrowth of mountain coniferous forests, on sphagnum bogs, on the outskirts of stone placers among thickets of heather shrubs. Evergreen shrub up to 1.3 m tall. Blooms profusely, from the second half of May to the first decade of June. The seeds ripen in late August - early September. Annual growth 34 cm, rarely 6-8 cm.

Marsh wild rosemary(Ledum palustre)

It is widely distributed in nature and is found more often than others in culture. Popularly called it: bagun, wild rosemary, bagunnyak, goddess, bagunnik, bugun, marsh hemlock, puzzle, bagno, oregano, oregano, canabor, marsh canabra, big bugs, bedbug grass, marsh stupor, forest rosemary. Homeland: Arctic, East European Plain, West and East Siberia, West, North, South Europe, North Mongolia, North-East China, Korea, North America. It grows in the tundra and forest-tundra in peat bogs, in raised bogs, in the undergrowth of damp coniferous forests, along mountain rivers and streams, in the highlands, in groups, in small thickets, among dwarf cedar. Evergreen shrub 0.5-1.2 m tall. The diameter of the bush in adulthood is about 1 meter. Young shoots are covered with dense rusty-tomentose pubescence. Leaves are leathery, on short petioles, linear-lanceolate, dark green above, rusty-tomentose below from hairs, smell when rubbed. It blooms from mid-May to the second decade of June. The flowers are white, less often pinkish, fragrant, collected in inflorescences. Fruits are dark brown boxes. The seeds ripen in mid-August.

It grows slowly. Has lived in culture for over 30 years. Hibernates without shelter.

In moss bogs, ledum is in danger of being drawn into the moss, since the moss grows annually and the surface of the bog is constantly increasing. Thus, the root and most of shoots eventually find themselves in a waterlogged, oxygen-deprived layer and gradually die off, rot and become part of the peat, and adventitious roots form on living shoots, above the surface of the mosses. Flowers of wild rosemary make a fascinating impression on a moonlit night: they seem to be sculptured from white marble. A pleasant intoxicating aroma complements this truly fabulous picture.

According to the materials of the magazine "In the world of plants", No. 4, 2004

Our grandmothers, growing garden strawberries, or strawberries, as we used to call them, were not particularly worried about mulching. But today this agricultural practice has become fundamental in achieving high quality berries and reducing crop losses. Someone might say that it is troublesome. But practice shows that labor costs in in this case pay off handsomely. In this article, we invite you to get acquainted with the nine best materials for mulching garden strawberries.

Succulents are very diverse. Despite the fact that "babies" have always been considered more fashionable, to the assortment of succulents with which you can decorate modern interior, it is worth taking a closer look. After all, colors, sizes, patterning, degree of prickle, influence on the interior are just a few of the parameters by which you can choose them. In this article, we will tell you about the five most fashionable succulents that amazingly transform modern interiors.

Mint was used by the Egyptians as early as 1.5 thousand years BC. It has a strong aroma due to the high content of various essential oils with high volatility. Today mint is used in medicine, perfumery, cosmetology, winemaking, cooking, ornamental gardening, and the confectionery industry. In this article, we will consider the most interesting varieties of mint, and also talk about the features of growing this plant in the open field.

People began to grow crocuses as early as 500 years before the advent of our era. Although the presence of these flowers in the garden is fleeting, we always look forward to the return of the heralds of spring next year. Crocuses are one of the earliest primroses that bloom as soon as the snow melts. However, flowering times may vary depending on species and varieties. This article focuses on the earliest crocus varieties that bloom in late March and early April.

Cabbage soup from early young cabbage on beef broth - hearty, aromatic and easy to prepare. In this recipe, you will learn how to cook a delicious beef broth and cook light cabbage soup in this broth. Early cabbage cooks quickly, so it is put into the pot at the same time as the rest of the vegetables, unlike fall cabbage, which takes a little longer to cook. Ready-made cabbage soup can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. The present cabbage soup is tastier than the freshly cooked one.

Blueberry is an uncommon promising berry crop in orchards. Blueberries are a source of biologically active substances and vitamins, they have antiscorbutic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, restorative properties. Berries contain vitamins C, E, A, flavonoids, anthocyanins, trace elements - zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, as well as plant hormones - phytoestrogens. Blueberry berries taste like a mixture of grapes and blueberries.

Looking at the variety of tomato varieties, it is difficult not to get confused - the choice is very wide today. Even experienced gardeners he is sometimes embarrassing! However, it is not so difficult to understand the basics of selecting varieties "for yourself". The main thing is to delve into the peculiarities of culture and start experimenting. One of the easiest tomato groups to grow are varieties and hybrids with limited growth. They have always been appreciated by those gardeners who do not have a lot of energy and time to care for the beds.

Once very popular under the name of room nettles, and then forgotten by everyone, Coleus today are one of the brightest garden and indoor plants... They are not in vain considered stars of the first magnitude for those who are looking primarily for non-standard colors. Easy to grow, but not so undemanding as to suit everyone, Coleus require constant monitoring. But if you take care of them, the bushes of velvety unique leaves will easily outshine any competitor.

Salmon ridge baked in Provencal herbs - "supplier" tasty pieces fish pulp for a light salad with fresh leaves of wild garlic. Champignons are lightly fried in olive oil and then sprinkled with apple cider vinegar. These mushrooms are tastier than regular pickled mushrooms and are better for baked fish. Ramson and fresh dill get along well in one salad, emphasizing the aroma of each other. The garlic pungency of wild garlic will saturate both the flesh of the salmon and the pieces of mushrooms.

A coniferous tree or shrub on the site is always great, and many conifers are even better. Emerald needles different shades decorates the garden at any time of the year, and phytoncides and essential oils secreted by plants not only flavor, but also make the air cleaner. As a rule, most zoned adults conifers, are considered very unpretentious trees and shrubs. But young seedlings are much more capricious and require competent care and attention.

Sakura is most often associated with Japan and its culture. Picnics in the shade flowering trees have long been an integral part of the meeting of spring in the Land of the Rising Sun. The financial and academic year begins here on April 1, when the magnificent cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Therefore, many significant moments in the life of the Japanese are marked by their blossoming. But sakura grows well in cooler regions - certain species can be successfully grown even in Siberia.

I am very interested in analyzing how the tastes and addictions of people to certain foods have changed over the centuries. What was once considered tasty and was an object of trade lost its value over time and, conversely, new fruit crops conquered their markets. Quince has been cultivated for over 4 thousand years! And even in the 1st century BC. e. about 6 varieties of quince were known, and even then methods of its reproduction and cultivation were described.

Delight your family and make themed Easter egg-shaped cottage cheese cookies! Your kids will be happy to take part in the process - they will sift the flour, combine all the necessary ingredients, knead the dough and cut out intricate figures. Then they will watch with admiration how the pieces of dough turn into real Easter eggs, and then they will eat them with the same enthusiasm with milk or tea. How to make such an original cookie for Easter, read our step-by-step recipe!

There are not so many decorative leafy pets among tuberous crops. And Caladium is a true star among the variegated inhabitants of interiors. Not everyone can decide to start a Caladium. This plant is demanding, and first of all - to care. But still, rumors about the extraordinary capriciousness of the Caladiums never justify. Care and attention will help to avoid any difficulties in growing caladiums. And a plant can almost always forgive small mistakes.

We have prepared a hearty, incredibly appetizing and simply elementary dish for you today. This gravy is one hundred percent universal, as it goes with every side dish: vegetables, pasta, or whatever. Gravy with chicken and mushrooms will save you in moments when there is no time or you don't want to think too much about what to cook. Grab your favorite side dish (you can do it ahead of time to keep everything hot), add the gravy and lunch is ready! A real lifesaver.

The content of the article:

Ledum in Latin is called Ledum, exactly this term is called a genus or subgenus, which is part of the Heather family (Ericaceae). But if you rely on data from Western botanical literature since the early 90s of the last century, all the varieties attributed to this genus are included in the Rhododendron family. But in Russian-language sources, such a judgment has not yet found support. All representatives of this plant association are distributed on the territory of the Northern Hemisphere, where the subarctic and temperate climate... In total, according to the site The Planet List (taken in 2013), there are only six species of wild rosemary, although scientists have described up to 10 varieties, while four of them are found in the regions of Russia. It prefers to settle on moist soils along river arteries in mixed or coniferous forests and in peat bogs.

Family nameHeather
Life cyclePerennial
Growth featuresEvergreen, shrub
ReproductionSeed and vegetative (grafting, jigging or dividing the rhizome)
Disembarkation period in open ground Rooted cuttings, planted in spring
Disembarkation scheme50–70 cm between seedlings
SubstrateLoose, nutritious and sour
IlluminationOpen area or partial shade
Moisture indicatorsDrying of the soil is harmful, its waterlogging is not scary
Special requirementsUnpretentious
Plant height0.5-1.2 m
Color of flowersSnow white or light pink
Type of flowers, inflorescencesUmbellate or corymbose
Flowering timeApril June
Decorative timeYear-round
Place of applicationCurbs, ridges, rock gardens or rockeries
USDA zone3, 4, 5

If we take the Latin term "ledum", then the plant bears its name thanks to 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 you rely on the translation of the Slavic word "wild rosemary", then from the Old Russian "wild rosemary" means "poisonous", "intoxicating" or "intoxicating". The people call it ledum, bedbug, forest rosemary or bagun, oregano, hemlock or goddess. All of 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 dwarf shrub, the height of which varies between 50-120 cm. The plant's rhizome is superficial, characterized by branching with short root processes. It is this that ensures the admission nutrients to all other parts. The stems that form at the ledum are tough, with a small diameter. Stems grow upright, can ascend or creep along the soil surface. The color of young shoots is olive green, but they are covered with pubescence of a rusty color, over time they become covered with bare dark bark.

Leaves are formed on the stems alternately, never fly around. Their surface is leathery, the shape of the leaves is lanceolate or elongated, in the central part there is a relief vein, and the edge of the leaf plate is turned down. The color of the foliage is dark green, but if the rosemary grows in the bright sun, then it acquires a brown-brown color. The same happens with the arrival of autumn days. When rubbed, a tart aroma is heard.

On last year's branches, from the arrival of April until June, inflorescences begin to form, having the shape of umbrellas or shields. Each flower has a shortened pedicel. The calyx, formed by the petals, takes the shape of a bell. The petals of the calyx are oval in shape, snow-white or pale pink in color. All elements in the flower are multiples of five. Flowers are bisexual. Pollination of ice is carried out by insects, after which the fruits ripen, which are formed into capsules. When fully ripe, the capsules 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 away from the mother plant.

In natural conditions, bagun can cover the soil surface with a dense carpet, in the thickets of which lingonberries are found, while rare fruits that are distinguished by large sizes ripen. If there are places with wet soil in the garden, or there are banks of streams or rivulets, then wild rosemary can be planted there. It will be good for him and on rocky embankments, in rock gardens or rockeries. It is possible to fill places under trees with similar plantings, but the great decorative effect of forest rosemary is manifested in group plantings. Often, with the help of strip plantations of oregano, living fences are formed or division into zones of the site is carried out.

Growing wild rosemary at home - planting and care in open ground

  1. Landing a hemlock in open ground. Planting wild rosemary is carried out in the spring, but if a plant already grown in a pot is purchased, then of great importance the period of placement in open ground does not. 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 the distance between the seedlings about 50–70 cm. A layer of 5–8 cm of drainage material must be laid on the bottom of the hole. After the plants are planted, mulching is mandatory.
  2. Place for planting ledum. The plant can feel great, as on open place, and in shading, only in the latter case it will lose a little decorative effect and growth will slightly slow down.
  3. Primer for oregano. Since wild rosemary is a marsh plant that prefers swampy places or in coniferous forests, the acidity of the soil should be high. When planting in open ground for a hemlock, the hole is filled with a soil mixture of coniferous soil, apical peat and coarse sand (in a ratio of 2: 3: 1). However, there are types of bedbugs that prefer depleted and sandy compositions... For such plants, some of the sand is taken more.
  4. Watering. The wild rosemary calmly tolerates waterlogging of the soil, drying is harmful to it. Reacts negatively to the compaction of the substrate. After each watering, loosening should be carried out in the root zone, but very carefully, since the root system is shallow.
  5. Fertilizers for wild rosemary. In order for the soil acidity indicators to be maintained at the same level, plantings need to be irrigated with acidified water every 2-3 weeks. Top dressing for the bushes is needed annually with the arrival of spring. Complete mineral complexes are used (for example, Kemira-wagon or Pocon). In the period from April to May, 1.5–2 tablespoons of the preparation are scattered around the plantings of ice. It is forbidden to feed with any organic matter (chicken droppings, manure, etc.), since mycosis on the roots will die.

How to breed wild rosemary?


To get new plantings of oregano, it is recommended to sow seeds, root cuttings, root suckers and cuttings, or divide an overgrown bush.

The seeds must be harvested from fully ripe fruits that open themselves from bottom to top. Seeds are harvested in the fall, but they are sown with the arrival of spring. For planting, the substrate must have looseness and moisture, and have high acidity. Such a substrate is placed in seedling boxes, mixed with coarse sand. Seed material should be spread over the surface of the soil, only pressed a little into it and watering is carried out. Then the box is wrapped in a transparent plastic wrap and put in a cool room. Crop care consists in regular airing and watering, when the soil dries out.

After a month, you can see the first shoots, then the shelter is removed. When the seedlings get a little stronger and grow up, then they are dived in separate pots (it is recommended to use peat ones). Either the planting is carried out in another seedling box, but leaving a greater distance between the young rosemary. This is necessary so that the root system does not subsequently turn out to be confused.

Vegetative propagation is applied using layering. For this, a flexible shoot is selected, it is carefully bent to the soil and fixation is carried out. In this case, you should dig a hole up to 20 cm deep and there you can fix the branch with a rigid wire, after which it is sprinkled with soil. The shoot tip should remain above the substrate surface. After it is noticed that the cuttings have taken root, then they are carefully separated from the mother bush and planted in a prepared place.

With the arrival of spring, if the rosemary bush has grown too much, then it can be transplanted into parts. To do this, the entire plant must be dug up, the root system must be freed from the soil and cut into pieces with a sharp knife. But you shouldn't make the dividers too small, otherwise they will take root for a long time. All cuts must be sprinkled with wood or activated carbon... They try not to overdry the roots, and immediately plant at the chosen place.

When propagating by cuttings, semi-lignified shoots are used, on which there are 2-3 leaves. You can cut them throughout summer period... The lower cut is recommended to be treated with a stimulant (for example, Kornevin). Cuttings are planted in pots with loose and nutritious soil (peat-sandy). 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 in caring for wild rosemary


When grown outdoors, you do not have to worry about planting ice, since with its aroma and active substances, the plant scares away any harmful insects. And diseases are not a problem when growing these bushes. If the soil is not loosened, then a fungus may develop, which is fought with fungicides (for example, Bordeaux mixture). When the seedlings are infected with spider mites or bugs, spraying with insecticides is performed (such preparations can be Aktara, Actellik, Karbofos or the like).

Notes for growers about wild rosemary


You can understand why they put wild rosemary in the room because of the tart aroma that scares off blood-sucking insects (because of this, the plant is called bedbug), and you can also drive away moths with it - the shoots are placed in cabinets 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 and water. You should not stand next to the thickets of ice for a long time, as due to its aroma, severe weakness and dizziness may begin. Despite the fact that forest rosemary is an excellent honey plant, its honey and pollen are unusable (very poisonous). These products can be used in food only in small quantities and after prolonged heat treatment.


The wild rosemary herb contains a lot of essential oil, which is mixed with tar and is used in leatherwork, as well as soap and perfumery products and a fixative in the textile industry.

Since the aerial part contains many active substances, it has long been needed by folk healers, and later it was recognized by official medicine. Thanks to ascorbic acid, phytoncides, the collected herb works as an antiseptic or fights bacteria.

On the basis of this remedy, they take baths and prepare compresses, it is possible to treat ARVI, cough and intestinal infections. Healers also used ledum for many diseases: gastritis and eczema, chickenpox and skin problems, bronchitis and pneumonia, infusions based on it helped to solve problems with the kidneys, liver and cholecystitis.

If a person has insomnia, then he is prescribed to drink tea with rosemary foliage. Women with gynecological diseases ethnoscience recommended using oregano herb. At the same time, it is curious that in different countries healers (both folk and official) in different areas used this plant in their own way.

You can not use preparations based on wild rosemary for people who have allergic problems and intolerance to the components of the plant. Since such funds increase the tone of the uterus, it is strictly forbidden for women who are expecting a baby to take them. Since ice is poisonous, any treatment with its use should be under the supervision of a physician.

Types of godmother


Marsh rosemary (Ledum palustre) is also called Rhododendron tomentosum. The variety with the greatest distribution, preferring temperate climatic territories. With its branches, the plant forms a dense shrub with a height of 1.2 m. Root system located superficially, has mycorrhiza. Branched shoots grow uplifted, covered with pubescence of short rusty villi. Foliage with a dark green color, with a pleasant smell. The shape of the leaf plate is lanceolate, the surface is shiny. The edge of the sheet is strongly bent downward. In May or early summer, small flowers of white, occasionally 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 in the form of a box, opening with 5 valves. The seed material is fully ripe at the end of summer.


Greenlandic Ledum (Ledum groenlandicum). The native land of growth falls on the territory of the regions of the north and west North American continent, settles in peat bogs. It is rarely cultivated, mainly such plants can be included in the collections of botanical gardens (for example, in St. Petersburg, Canada, USA, Riga or Germany). Bears the name of the Greenlandic Rhododendron (Rhododendron groenlandicum).

A shrub plant with its branches reaches up to 1 m in height. Their color is light brown. The foliage is oblong in bright green color, like needles. Measured in length 2.5 cm. The reverse side of a rolled sheet with a felt, fleecy pubescence. When blooming, flowers of a whitish or beige color with a diameter of 1.5 cm are formed. Umbrella inflorescences are collected from them. The flowering process is observed from mid-June to late July. Seeds ripen by the end of September. Differs in moderate growth.

Large-leaved wild rosemary (Ledum macrophyllum). The territories of Eastern Siberia and the Far East are considered native lands. Prefers to settle in the undergrowth of mountain forests from conifers, found in sphagnum bogs, on the edge of stony placers, among heather thickets. 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 is oval. On young shoots and on the back of the leaves, there is a dense red hairy pubescence. Flowering is abundant, falling from the second half of May to early June. Aging seed material observed in late summer or early September. Shoots are annually lengthened by 3-4 cm, occasionally such an increase can be 6-8 cm.

Video about wild rosemary:


Photos of wild rosemary:





Probably, there is no more fragrant among the marsh plants than wild rosemary. It is an evergreen shrub that attracts attention. lush bloom and a pronounced heavy, resinous aroma. At correct handling Ledum has not only decorative value - it benefits the garden and has a healing, antiseptic, cleansing effect on the human body. In addition, the plant is easy enough to grow without much effort.

Did you know?belongs to the Heather family, its name comes from the old Russian verb "wild rosemary" - "poison", and the derived adjective "wild rosemary" means "poisonous", "intoxicating", "tart". People named it that because of its pronounced, strong scent, which can be suffocating if inhaled excessively.


Ledum also has a scientific name - ledum (lat.Lédum), which comes from the Greek "ledon" - so the inhabitants Ancient Greece called incense. There is still no consensus about its genus: Western botanists identify wild rosemary and rhododendron and attribute both plants to the same genus - Rhododendron; and in Russian sources the wild rosemary is considered a separate genus. However, each name can be considered correct.

A characteristic feature of wild rosemary is that during flowering, it releases substances that, in large doses, can have an adverse effect on humans. The source of the pungent odor is essential oils, which contain iceol - a poison that affects the nervous system. The scent leads to headaches and dizziness, so it is not recommended to bring rosemary flowers into the house. Honey collected from flowers ("drunk" honey) is also poisonous and should not be consumed without boiling.

Types of wild rosemary

The evergreen rosemary plant has up to 10 species, of which the marsh rosemary is most often found.


It is a cold hardy shrub that is rarely used because it is poisonous. It grows in swamps, swampy coniferous forests, as well as peat bogs, especially in Western and Eastern Siberia, Southern and Northern Europe, Northeastern China, Northern Mongolia, and North America. This shrub usually grows up to 60 cm in height, but there are also plants reaching 120 cm. The flowering of wild rosemary occurs in May-July, then numerous white, delicate flowers bloom at the tips of the shoots, which form inflorescences.

The fruit of this plant is an oval five-celled polyspermous capsule. The lush, spectacular bloom of marsh wild rosemary draws attention to the shrub, as to ornamental plant however, cultivation in the garden is not very common. Cultivation of this species is not difficult, with correct agricultural technology he lives in heather gardens for a long time.

Did you know? People call wild rosemary marsh grass, marsh hemlock, oregano, puzzle, marsh stupor, goddess, bagunnik, bugun, marsh canabra, forest rosemary.

Greenland wild rosemary

This species is widespread throughout the Arctic zone. In Europe, wild rosemary reaches the Alps, in North America it reaches the north of the states of Ohio, New Jersey, Oregon and Pennsylvania. It grows mainly in peat bogs or wet coasts, and sometimes on the Alpine rocky slopes. An evergreen shrub reaches a height of 50 cm - 1 m (sometimes even up to 2 m). The leaves of the plant are wrinkled on top, covered with white or brownish-red hairs below, wavy along the edges. The plant has increased cold resistance.

Greenland rosemary blooms from mid-June to the second half of July. Small white flowers, like those of marsh rosemary, form spherical inflorescences and are distinguished by a bright aroma. In gardening, wild rosemary is rarely found, mainly in the collections of botanical gardens. The seeds of the plant ripen by the end of September.

Did you know? Greenland rosemary has interesting variety"Compacta" (Compacta) - evergreen shrub up to 45 cm in height. Has significant decorative value due to abundant flowering small cream flowers, collected in semicircular inflorescences.


The habitat of large-leaved wild rosemary is the Far East and Eastern Siberia, the Korean Peninsula, Japan. It grows in the undergrowth of mountain coniferous forests, as well as in sphagnum bogs, along the edges of stone placers among thickets of heather shrubs. Reaches a height of 50 to 130 cm. It has an abundant color, blooms from the second decade of May to early June. Large-leaved wild rosemary seeds ripen in late August - early September.

Ledum creeping

Ledum creeping, or wild rosemary grows in Siberia, on Far East: Kamchatka, Chukotka, Sakhalin, Primorye; in the north of North America, on the island of Greenland. A low shrub, reaching 20 - 30 cm in height, which makes it the lowest growing species. It grows in deciduous woodlands, moss bogs, shrub tundra, alpine sphagnum bogs, sandy hills and stony placers.

Shoots of this species have dense, reddish-rusty hairs. Leaves are long, from 1 to 2.5 cm, linear, very narrow, curled downwards. In late spring - early summer, when the wild rosemary blooms, its inflorescences reach 2 cm in diameter - these are the largest flowers of all wild rosemary species. However, the flowering is scarce, not as lush as that of its fellows.

Choosing a place and soil for wild rosemary


The wild rosemary can take root almost anywhere, but it is better to plant it in the shade, since it does not like sunlight. Lush inflorescences look advantageous against the background of fir trees, pines or thuja, therefore, for decorative effect you can plant them next to these plants. Since its homeland is a swamp, the soil for wild rosemary, especially marsh, should be acidic and loose. For this, the planting hole is filled with a mixture of high-moor peat (3 parts), sand (1 part) and coniferous earth or tree bark (2 parts). Species such as large-leaved wild rosemary and Greenlandic rosemary can grow even on poor and sandy soils; for them, the substrate is made according to the same principle, but with a predominance of sand.

Planting wild rosemary

When growing wild rosemary, the complex rules of planting and care are not required, it is unpretentious and cold-resistant. The best time for planting wild rosemary - spring. But if you bought a plant with a closed root system, then planting time does not matter. The bulk of the rosemary roots is at a depth of 20 cm, but the depth of the planting hole should be 40-60 cm, since the plant is planted in a permanent place for a long time. At the bottom of the planting pit, a drainage of sand and river pebbles is poured with a layer of 5-8 cm. In order not to wait until one specimen grows well, you can plant several bushes at once in one hole, while observing the distance between the holes of 60-70 cm. After planting bushes need to be mulched.

Caring for wild rosemary in the garden

Despite the fact that ledums do not need fertile soils, for good growth, they still need fertilizer. Therefore, in order to get a beautiful, abundant flowering plant, it needs to be fed. Do this once a season, in the spring. The wild rosemary is fed with full mineral fertilizer, scattered under the bushes, 50-70 g per square meter for adult plants and 30-40 g for young plants. The plant does not need special pruning. To maintain its aesthetic appearance, only dried and broken branches are cut.

In dry and hot summers, wild rosemary requires watering. It should be watered well once a week, using about 7-10 liters of water per bush. After watering, the soil around the bush must be carefully loosened and mulched with peat so that the moisture remains longer.

Important! The soil under the wild rosemary should be loosened very carefully to avoid damage to the root system located close to the surface.

Methods for breeding wild rosemary

All types of wild rosemary can be propagated in different ways: seed and vegetative (layering, dividing the bush, cuttings).


In autumn, on the long stalks of the wild rosemary bush, you can see arcuate hanging boxes, similar to small chandeliers. The seeds of wild rosemary ripen in them, with which it multiplies. Seeds should be sown in boxes or pots in early spring, on top of the soil, after mixing them with sand. The soil should be loose and acidic, with an admixture of sand. Then the pots are covered with glass and put away in a cool place. Seedlings are watered with rain or settled water, daily airing the pots and wiping the glass. Seeds usually germinate after 3-4 weeks and require careful maintenance.

Vegetative methods

The most common way vegetative propagation wild rosemary - layering. Thin shoots are tilted and rooted next to mother bush... The inclined shoot is partially laid in a hole (at least 20 cm deep), the middle part of the layer is sprinkled with a mixture of soil and peat, and the top with leaves is tied to a peg. After that, the drainage pit is regularly watered until the middle part takes root. A fairly common method is dividing the bush.

In early spring, the adult bush is carefully divided into small seedlings and planted in open ground. Then the planting is mulched. It is also possible for wild rosemary to propagate by cuttings, but this method requires some skills. Cuttings are harvested in the summer: semi-lignified shoots are cut 5-7 cm long, the lower leaves are cut off, leaving several upper ones. For successful rooting cuttings should be kept for 18-24 hours in a solution of heteroauxin 0.01%, indoleacetic (IAA) or succinic acid 0.02%, then rinsed and planted in a box. But even after such treatment, rooting of the wild rosemary cuttings occurs only the next year in the spring.

Recommended to read

To the top