Native bushes are perennial and woody plants. They do not have a continuous trunk, but rather several lignified and thin shoots that branch out near the ground or grow directly out of the ground. There are ground-covering, flowering, deciduous and evergreen bushes, as well as fragrant, slow-growing and fast-growing and covered with thorns and prickles. They can grow erect, hanging or sprawling. In the case of flowering shrubs, a distinction is made between spring, summer, autumn and winter flowering. In the summer many of these shrubs are covered in fruit and in the fall they sport colorful foliage.
Table of Contents
Characteristics
- Perennial woody plants
- Grow close to the ground or upright
- Branch out near the ground or shoot straight out of the ground
- Can be planted singly or as a hedge
- Do not have a continuous trunk
- Can be deciduous, winter or evergreen
- Sometimes occur as a bush/shrub and tree
- Some develop thorns
- Propagate via berries and nuts
Native bushes flowering March/April
Daphne daphne
The daphne daphne is one of the most beautiful winter bloomers, but also one of the most poisonous. It grows as a small, upright to ascending bush, with a height of between 40 and 100 cm. It forms rod-shaped shoots, which usually branch only slightly. The initially yellowish-brown bark later tears open and shows a brown-grey colour. The pink to crimson flowers exude an intense fragrance.
The highly poisonous, bright red, rarely yellow, berry-like fruits, around 1 cm in size, ripen from August to September. This plant prefers semi-shady to shady locations and nutrient-rich, evenly moist and calcareous soil. A layer of mulch on the root area is recommended. Both diseases and pests are not an issue.
Pear pear
Pear pear is a deciduous shrub or small tree. It grows loosely upright and can reach heights of growth of up to 400 cm and a growth width of between 150 and 250 cm. This plant impresses with star-shaped, brilliant white, racemose bud sites that contrast nicely with the initially copper-colored leaves that appear with the buds. The spherical, dark red to black-blue apple fruits ripen in August.
The pear thrives in sunny locations or in light shade. It prefers loose, humus-rich and slightly calcareous soil with a pH of 7-7.5. It does not tolerate compacted soils well. It copes very well with short-term wet and dry periods. As far as susceptibility to diseases and pests is concerned, it can be attacked by powdery mildew but also the dreaded fire blight.
Common broom
Broom is a rod shrub that is bare in winter and sometimes in summer. It grows between 100 and 200 cm high, rarely up to 300 cm. Its tails are broom-shaped and dense with silky hairy leaves. The golden-yellow flowers are what are known as ‘Quick Mechanism Pollen Butterfly Flowers’. This pollination mechanism is only triggered by bumblebees. This plant is poisonous to animals. It prefers fully sunny locations with low-alkaline and nitrogen-poor soils. These can be sandy, loamy or rocky. Under optimal conditions, it will not be attacked by diseases or pests.
Native shrubs flowering between May and August
Snowball
The snowball or snowball grows as a deciduous shrub that can reach a height of 150-600 cm. The white umbels of flowers form after the green foliage. They vary from species to species and reach diameters of between 5 and 12 cm. Its initially yellow, later bright red, berry-like stone fruits ripen between August and November.
The snowball thrives in sunny and partially shaded locations. In locations that are too shady, growth and flowering are significantly reduced. It gets along with any normal garden soil, which can also be calcareous and of loamy consistency. The snowball is also poisonous. The only pests to be mentioned are aphids.
Blood-red dogwood
The term blood-red dogwood refers to the leaves, which turn red in autumn, and the annual shoots, which are also red and have a deep red color on the side facing the light.
This dogwood is a deciduous shrub and can grow up to 500 cm tall. Between May and June, the creamy-white flowers appear in dense cymes. The scent exuded by these flowers is quite unpleasant. The berry-like fruits ripen from August to September and are blue-black in color when ripe. Diseases and pests are not a problem with this plant either.
European firethorn
The firethorn grows as an evergreen, opaque, large shrub or small tree, with a height of 400-600 cm. He is very robust and undemanding. The umbrella-shaped inflorescences appear in spring or early summer. With the intensely colored fruits, it is a firework display in the wintry garden and sets impressive accents.
The fruits resemble small apples and are ripe, yellow, orange or red depending on the species. This plant thrives best in sunny locations. It prefers humus-rich and well-drained soils that can be slightly clayey but also sandy-loamy. Poor and impermeable soils can promote disease infestation.
Variegated
Creeping Spindle The Variegated Creeping Medlar is a perennial, carpet-forming, slow-growing dwarf shrub that mainly grows creeping and prostrate, but also as a flat, broad shrub. With the appropriate climbing aid, the white-colored creeping medlar can also climb up to 200 cm high.
It is easy to care for and robust. The leaves are multicolored with white edges and pinkish in winter. Flowers and fruits are rather inconspicuous. It thrives in sunny to partially shaded locations, in humus-rich, fresh and sandy garden soil, but also tolerates calcareous soil.
Native bushes with flowering in summer and autumn
Red honeysuckle
The red honeysuckle is summer green and grows to a length of 100-200 cm. It grows well branched and produces yellowish-white flowers in early summer and autumn. It is very suitable as a hedge plant but also for individual positions. The red honeysuckle thrives in sunny as well as shady locations and makes no demands on the soil. The striking red fruits are poisonous to humans and animals.
Kolkwitzie or mother
of- pearl shrub The mother-of-pearl shrub owes its name to the pearlescent, pink flowers. Kolkwitzias are deciduous, upright native bushes that grow to a height of 200-400 cm. Its branches grow far overhanging and are profusely covered with flowers. With age, the mother-of-pearl shrub becomes wider and wider. It does well in a sunny to shady spot and in any good garden soil. This plant is almost resistant to diseases and pests.
Native winter bloomers
Ordinary Daphne Daphne
also belongs to the winter bloomers. It is usually barely a meter high, grows upright and has few branches. The pink to purple flowers and the intensely sweet scent are striking. The pea-sized, bright red fruits are highly poisonous. Just touching it can cause severe skin reactions. The location should be semi-shady to shady. Fresh to moist, nutrient-rich soils as well as humic and heavy loam or mull soil are ideal.
Snow heath The snow
heath is one of the dwarf shrubs. It grows up to 30 cm high and forms arching shoots. It flowers from February/March, sometimes also from December and is often in full bloom for months. The inflorescences are racemose, white, pink or reddish. The snow heather loves fully sunny locations and thrives well on humus-rich, fresh and well-drained soil, and chalky soil is also tolerated. Disease and pest infestation are not to be feared.
planting of bushes
Bushes can be planted in autumn and spring. In order to create optimal conditions, the soil must be prepared accordingly. Before planting, the soil should be loosened to a depth of at least 40-60 cm and widely, i.e. beyond the planting hole. Stones, root remains and weeds, especially very stubborn weeds are removed.
The root area should be thoroughly watered before planting. If the soil is not optimal, you can improve its permeability by adding sand or an appropriate drainage layer of gravel.
Before the shrub is planted, a support stake is placed in the planting hole, to which the plant is tied until it is well established. Now the plants are planted, the planting hole is filled with excavated earth and this is trampled down. Don’t tamp the soil too tightly, so as not to compact the soil too much, and then water it.
Care of native bushes
- Apart from the cut, hardly any maintenance is required.
- Fertilization is usually not necessary.
- If there is a counter-infestation, basic fertilization can be carried out in the spring.
- Water immediately after planting, during growth and during prolonged drought.
- Otherwise water depending on the weather.
- Mulch protects the soil from drying out.
- It suppresses weed growth and promotes healthy soil life.
- Refrain from hoes between the bushes.
- This could damage roots or tear them off.
To cut
There are a number of things that can go wrong when pruning shrubs, which in turn can destroy the habit of some plants. Trees such as the service pear should not be cut if possible. A cut would do them more harm than good. The same goes for most dwarf shrubs, they too do not require pruning. Only dead parts should be cut out.
Flowering shrubs such as Kolkwitzie or shrubby dogwood should be thinned out. Here, too, old shoots that are too close together are removed directly at the base. This promotes the growth of new shoots, the shrub retains its species-specific shape and remains willing to flower. Shrubs that bloom in summer should be pruned generously in the spring, down to the woody parts. Prune evergreens as late as possible but before the first frosts.
multiply
About
cuttings When there are no leaves, cuttings are cut from one-year-old shoots near the point at which they sprout. Then you shorten it from the shoot tip to 15-25 cm and cut it off below just below a bud and at the top above a bud. All leaves are cut off from evergreen shrubs. Then remove some bark from the lower end of the sticks.
A narrow planting trench is dug, which should be at least half as long as the stick. Then you fill in a 3-5 cm thick layer of coarse sand and insert the sticks in such a way that they are at least halfway into the ground. Then fill with soil and water vigorously. After about a year, the young plants can be transplanted.
By offshoots
With this form of propagation, an elastic shoot from the previous year is bent down in the spring and placed in a groove in the ground so that the tip of the shoot sticks out of the ground. Then cover with soil and water. Roots will have formed by autumn so that the offshoot can be cut off the mother plant and planted.
frequently asked Questions
What is the best way to propagate garden shrubs?
Native bushes can be propagated very well with sticks or offshoots. Corresponding sticks can be cut in autumn or winter and placed in the ground. Spring is the best time to propagate offshoots.
Do all shrubs need to be cut back?
Most shrubs should be pruned. However, there are shrubs that should not be pruned if possible, so as not to destroy their natural growth habit. In these cases, only dead shoots that are too close together are removed. Even with dwarf shrubs, pruning should be kept to a minimum.
