Types and the best varieties

Among the huge number of plants that are popular with domestic gardeners, the irga, a shrub with a lot of positive qualities, occupies an increasingly prominent place. In addition to its tasty and healthy fruits, this member of the Pink family has another advantage - a spectacular appearance appreciated by many masters of landscape design. Worthy of mention is the variety of irgi varieties, made possible by the efforts of the best breeders in Russia, Canada and other countries.

Irga is a genus of woody plants, which includes about two dozen species and several hybrid forms. Being common in Russia, this shrub prefers the southern regions, although it can successfully grow in cooler latitudes. The only thing he does not tolerate is marshy soil, which reduces the probability of its development to a minimum.

If the plant in question is not cut off, its average height will be within 3-5 m. The root system of irgi deserves special attention: being superficial and highly developed, it promotes the active growth of the shrub by means of sprouts. In addition, the following characteristics are characteristic of the irga:

• small thickness of shoots;
• pubescence of young branches;
• impressive growth rate (about 60 cm per season);
• bloom for 1-1.5 decades;
• active fruiting after reaching 5-6 years of age;
• elongated or flattened berries (depending on the variety);
• the beginning of the harvest is the end of June or the first days of July;
• productivity - up to 15 kg from an adult plant.

As a rule, irga actively bears fruit for half a century. If you regularly take care of the shrub, it can remain productive for much longer - up to the age of 70. No less remarkable feature of irgi is self-fertility, a quality that provides good and regular yield without the help of pollinators.

Considering the representatives of the Irga clan, it can be concluded that many of them are very similar. As for the most common species of this plant, then their brief description can be found below.

This type of irgi was cultivated before anyone else - in the XVII century. Since then, it has gained considerable popularity and has been used repeatedly by breeders who wanted to get varieties and hybrids with properties of interest. Especially Canadian irga is common in the St. Lawrence River Basin - a region whose climate suits it the most. But in other parts of the world the classic version of this bush takes root with great difficulty and is most often represented in botanical gardens.

The list of the main characteristics of Canadian shadberry is as follows:

• height - up to 6 m for shrubs and up to 10 m for wood (in nature - up to 18 m);
• wide crown, resembling a tent;
• active growth of shoots during the first 5 years;
• a reddish tinge of bark;
• leaf length - about 10 cm;
• short flowering (7-10 days), falling at the junction of April and May;
• dark purple berries, having a slightly elongated shape;
• the taste of the fruit is sweet;
• harvesting - the beginning of July;
• productivity - relatively low (up to 6 kg per season).

In addition to the above, the described type has two more names - the common shadberry and the ovalfoil shard.Unlike the previous one, it is often found in the Russian Federation - mainly in the Krasnodar Territory, although it can also be seen in much colder regions. The characteristic features of the round-leafberry irgi include:

• height - up to 3 m;
• beautiful sprawling crown;
• upright branches;
• grayish olive bark;
• leaves having an ovoid shape and a length of up to 4 cm;
• bloom in early May;
• dark purple berries with a bluish tint;
• fruit taste - sweet, with a barely noticeable cinnamon note;
• harvesting - from mid-July;
• productivity - up to 15 kg from a bush.

Among all the advantages of the described type is to highlight its resistance to cold, allowing you to easily transfer temperatures to -40 ° C. He is not afraid of return frosts - a very frequent spring phenomenon, leaving many gardeners without a crop. Other advantages of round-leaved shadberry are undemanding to soil composition and easy reproduction.

In nature, this species of irgi is found on the territory of North America (as a rule, in its central part). There he successfully mastered a variety of places - from river valleys to cliffs and cliffs. It can be distinguished from other types by the following set of characteristics:

• height - up to 5 m;
• very sprawling and dense crown, having a clear oval shape;
• high rate of shoot growth;
• grayish brown bark;
• "Fleecy" leaves, the length of which does not exceed 5 cm;
• dark purple, almost black berries;
• fruit taste is sweetish;
• Harvest - from the beginning of August.

As for the advantages of the described shrub, the main one is impressive unpretentiousness. Both the 50-degree frosts and stony soils cannot prevent the development of the rickety iris, which makes it one of the most enduring representatives of its kind. The immunity of this plant to the overwhelming majority of diseases is worthy of attention, whereas among the pests it is only seriously threatened by leafworms.

Until recently, biologists considered this species one of the natural mutations of the Canadian shadberry. Recently, the opinion of experts has changed, and they raised the status of this variety - the most decorative of all the representatives of its kind. Having first appeared in North America, already in the 19th century, Irga Lamarck became popular in the Old World, which was promoted by its excellent appearance. But in Russia, this shrub is relatively rare - at least for today.

The main features of the plant in question are presented below:

• height - up to 5 m;
• very beautiful sprawling crown;
• moderate rate of shoot growth (up to 25 cm per year);
• very powerful root system (up to 3 m deep);
• narrow leaves, the average length of which is 11 cm and width - 4 cm;
• bluish-purple berries;
• fruit taste - rich sweet;
• harvesting - from the first decade of August;
• average productivity - up to 7 kg from a bush.

Like other types of irgi, the described plant does not impose special requirements on the soil. The latter may have very different specifics - the main thing is that it is not swampy. Also, Irga Lamarck boasts good frost resistance (down to -35 ° C) and the ability to withstand prolonged drought without problems. We should also mention the fact of using shrubs of this species for landscaping - both privately owned and public gardens and parks.

In addition to the above, there are other types of irgi, also of considerable interest to gardeners.

• Irga olkholistnaya. This shrub, reaching 4 m in height, is best known for its large purple fruits. The maximum size of such berries is 15 mm, and their main advantage is impressive sweetness.Another plus of the olkhi holly irgi is productivity, which allows collecting up to 10 kg of fruits from a bush.

• Irga blood red. The height of the shrubs of this type is small - up to 3 m. Their berries also do not differ impressive size, and the main advantage of such fruits - a pleasant taste. Productivity of bloodberry red is low - no more than 5 kg per season.

• Irga kolosotsvetny. This species is characterized by an average height (up to 5 m) and a dense oval crown. The ripe fruits of the irgi kolosotsonoy are painted in dark red (almost black) color, which is complemented by a noticeable bluish bloom. Most often, the diameter of these berries does not exceed 8 mm.

Worthy of consideration and short-haired jungle - light-shrub native to North America, whose height is 1-1.2 m. This species is interesting for its berries, which have a good taste and are painted in a rich black color. Another characteristic feature of the shadberry shad is its miniature leaves, the length of which does not exceed 2.5 cm.

To date, there is an impressive number of varieties of irgi, bred by breeders and significantly different in their properties.

• "Slate". One of the earliest varieties of irgi, having Canadian origin. The shrub grows up to 1.5 m in height, its leaves are painted in a rich salad color, and the buds are collected in loose brushes. To achieve good yield, the plant must receive a lot of heat and direct sunlight. Frost resistance is below average (down to -25 ° C).

• "Mandan". In many ways, the representatives of this variety resemble an alga irgu, differing from it in larger and juicy berries. The average mass of the fetus is about 1 g. Crohn is noticeably elongated, due to which many compare it with the column. Other characteristics of the variety are relatively slow growth and a long fruiting period.

• "Pembina". The described dessert variety, obtained on the basis of the Canadian shadberry, does not differ in impressive dimensions (height - up to 3.5 m). A characteristic feature of the "Pembina" - the shape of the crown, which is almost a perfect ball. Also, this variety is notable for its berries, the diameter of which often reaches 20 mm.

• "Smokey". One of the most sought after varieties in Canada. The height of such shrubs is up to 2.5 m, as well as the diameter of their crowns. The main advantages are ease of cultivation, stable fruiting and large berries (up to 15 mm). The only drawback of the variety is its sensitivity to moisture deficiency.

• "Ballerina". Shrubs of this variety grow to 6 m in height and are most often used for landscaping, and not for harvest. The shoots they have are very thin, and therefore over time they nest, dropping almost to ground level. Berries are characterized by sweetness and original almond notes. Another feature of the variety is simplicity, contributing to the rapid adaptation of plants to unfavorable habitats.

• Northline. This variety is characterized by low height (up to 1.6 m) and a large number of trunks. The Northline berries are large (up to 16 mm), with a waxy coating, and their clusters from afar resemble grape clusters. They are sprinkled en masse, and their collection can be carried out not only manually, but also in a mechanized way.

• Altaglow. A distinctive feature of this variety - almost white berries. Shrubs grow to a height of 7-8 m, but this process is very long. The crown of the plant has an original elongated shape, resembling a pyramid or cone.

• "Krasnoyarsk". The described large-fruited variety appeared thanks to the efforts of domestic breeders. One of its main advantages is frost resistance, which allows to transfer temperatures down to -50 ° C. Other advantages of Krasnoyarsk are also noteworthy - the maximum diameter of the berries, reaching 18 mm, and high yields (up to 15 kg from a bush).

It is also necessary to tell about irge honey. This variety, bred in Canada, is interesting for its productivity, which is especially evident at a young age. Worthy of mention is the “North Pole” - a variety with an early ripening period, the fruits of which are pear-shaped.

As mentioned earlier, almost all types of irgi tolerate the Russian winter without any difficulties, and therefore such shrubs should not be sheltered. As for the buds, they suffer from insidious spring frosts in situations where the temperature drops to -7 ° C and below.

When choosing a variety of irgi for the Moscow region and other regions of central Russia, one should pay attention to varieties that have proven themselves in Canada and the United States. These are “Smoky”, “Martin”, “Mandan”, “Slate”, “Pembina” and “Ballerina”. It also makes sense to give preference to such varieties as: "Prince William", "Success", "Forestbourgh" and "Pierson", which enjoy well-deserved popularity with domestic and foreign gardeners.

As for the regions with a more severe climate (first of all, the Urals and Siberia), the following types of irgi are most relevant for them:

• Krasnoyarskaya;
• Altaglow;
• Northline.

One of the most significant advantages of an irgi is its ability to adapt to adverse environmental conditions. Given this circumstance, landscape designers are increasingly giving preference to this particular plant, organically fitting it into the green zones of cities with a tense ecological situation. No less important is the spectacular appearance of the described shrub, which allows it to be successfully used both alone and as part of groups representing screens or hedges.

As a rule, garden forms of irgi are relatively small, and therefore they are an excellent solution for decorating a small local area. Choosing a place for planting irgi, you need to make sure that there are no tracks, benches, lanterns and garden figures nearby. If we ignore this recommendation, over time all of the listed elements will be stained with pigment - the contents of the juice of falling berries, which is extremely difficult to get rid of.

Thus, we can confidently state that the steadily growing popularity of the irgi has a quite logical justification. This plant not only presents its owners with regular crops, but also effectively decorates the garden, daily attracting a lot of enthusiastic eyes to itself.

An overview of Irga regular and Canadian, see the video below.