Monday, March 2, 2009

Bladdernut

By Jada Aaron

Holly is an evergreen shrub or tree 2-10 m in height with a conical crown. The bark is smooth and grey-brown. In older trees the leaves in the upper part of the crown arc only slightly spiny. The flowers, borne in the axils of the leaves, appear in May-,June. The red fruits ripen in October and remain on the tree until late in the winter. In Great Britain and the United States it is used as a Christmas decoration.

The yellow flowers are striped brownish-red at the base of the standard and have a persistent, many-pointed calyx. They appear in succession from May to June. The bladder-like seed pods, which ripen from late summer and from which the shrub takes its name, contain 30-40 kidney- shaped, markedly flattened, blackish-brown seeds, which are a good and easy means of propagation. It is recommended, however, to immerse the seeds briefly in hot water before sowing so that they will germinate uniformly.

This is a shrub of western and southern Europe. In central and western Europe its occurrence is limited to the warm, wine-growing regions. It grows in sunny positions, mostly on rocky limestone banks. It requires ample light, stands up well io dry spells but is greatly damaged by frost in severe winters. Game animals are fond of nibbling the bark.

The common box is a broad shrub or small tree 4-8 m high. The twigs are square in cross section and covered with dense foliage. The inconspicuous blossoms appear in April. The, female flower is situated in the centre of the cluster of male flowers. The woody capsules ripen in autumn, when they split and eject several glossy black seeds. It is a slow-growing plant but may live to an age of several hundred years. It produces abundant sprouts and stands up well to pruning.

This shrub's range of distribution extends northward to the Baltic Sea. It is most plentiful on moist rich soils in valleys bordering brooks, on the edges of forests, in hedgerows and in light woodlands because it is a plant that requires partial shade. It is best propagated by seeds. The leaves turn scarlet in the autumn and these, as well as the fruits, make it very attractive at this time.

Propagation is by means of seeds and root cuttings. The leaves contain 20-30 per cent of quality tannins and the smoke bush is therefore cultivated on a large scale in southern areas for its yield of this substance. - 16035

About the Author: