The region is a flat surface with rivers, gullies, and ravines. There are relief changes in the form of craters, basins, underground voids, and caves. The climate in the Tula region is moderate continental. Winters are relatively cold, summers are warm. In the cold season, the temperature can reach -12 degrees, in the warm season +22. The above-zero temperature lasts for more than 200 days.
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The largest river in the territory is the Oka; almost all other rivers belong to its basin. In the east of the region there is the Don River. There are 2 large lakes on the territory - Shilovskoye and Zhupel.
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beauty of the Tula region
Trees growing in the forest: pine, spruce and larch
The names of Russian trees such as pine, spruce and larch are familiar even to preschoolers; they are among the most common in our country.
The forest tree Scots pine (Pinus silvestris L.) is common in the European part of Russia, the Urals, Siberia, and other areas.
The pine reaches 20-40 meters in height. The trees have slender trunks covered with red-brown bark. The crown of young trees is cone-shaped, while that of old trees is wide and rounded.
Trees growing in the forest have a high crown, while trees growing in open areas have a low crown.
In medicine, unopened spring pine buds, pine needles, and resin are used. They contain essential oil, resins, starch, tannins, and vitamins. Pine oil has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and general stimulating properties.
Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst) is distributed throughout almost the entire territory of Russia. Forest-forming species.
Spruce reaches 30-35 m, there are trees 50 m in height and up to 1 m in diameter. Spruce grows throughout its life; the maximum age of spruce is 300 years.
It is an evergreen forest coniferous tree with a superficial root system.
How to grow, care and pests and diseases
To grow acacia, you don't need any special skills. It is enough to plant the plant in a place where it will be protected from the wind and at the same time receive the required amount of light. Almost all types of acacia are very unpretentious, which is why you will not have any difficulties planting trees and shrubs on your property.
What trees grow in the forest: fir, cedar and juniper
The following photos and names of trees in Russia, not inferior in importance to pine, spruce and larch, are fir, cedar and juniper.
Common fir (Abies) is common in the European part of Russia, Siberia, and the Caucasus.
Tree 40-50 m tall, trunk diameter about 1 m. Lives 500-700 years.
The crown is pyramidal. The bark is light gray, sometimes with a reddish tint.
The needles are flat, arranged in two rows, comb-like. The upper side is dark green, the lower side has white stripes.
Fruits in 25-30 years.
Siberian cedar (Pinus sibirica) is an evergreen tree 30–44 m in height, trunk diameter about 1.5 m. Lives up to 500 years.
The crown is multi-peaked and dense.
The needles are dark green with a bluish bloom, 6-14 cm long, soft, triangular in cross-section, growing in bunches, five needles in a bunch.
Mature cones are large, elongated, ovoid, first purple and then brown, 5-8 cm wide, up to 13 cm long.
Each cone of this forest tree species contains from 30 to 150 seeds - pine “nuts”.
Common juniper (Juniperus communis) is found throughout almost the entire territory of Russia.
Evergreen coniferous multi-stemmed tree or shrub 2-6 m tall.
The crown is multi-peaked and dense.
The needles are sharply needle-shaped, arranged in whorls of three needles, which are pressed to the shoot and stick out to the sides.
The “fruits” of juniper, cone berries, are green at first, but in the second year they are blue-black with a bluish bloom and resinous pulp.
Cone berries are used in cooking as a seasoning and for the production of tinctures. Pine needles and cone berries are used for smoking fish and meat.
Flora of the Tula region
The Tula region is enriched with vegetation. In various areas there are forests, meadows, swamps and steppes. The Tula region can be divided into forest-steppe zones and zones of broad-leaved trees.
It cannot be said that there are many forests in the Tula region, but some part can still be identified.
In the northwest, deciduous forests predominate, in which oaks, birches, aspens, maples, poplars and others are most often found. Swamps often form among them.
The vegetation of fields, steppes and meadows is diverse, but mainly it consists of weed species. The soil of these places is suitable for wild radish, white pigweed, field and garden thistle, milkweed, meadow chamomile and a huge number of weeds and shrubs.
Forest trees of central Russia with photos and names: oak, birch and linden
Of course, everyone knows the names of trees in central Russia such as oak, birch and linden.
English oak (Quercus robur) reaches a height of 20-40 m. It can live up to 2000 years, but usually lives 300-400 years.
The name of such a Russian tree as the common birch (Betula pubescens) is strongly associated with our country. Birch grows throughout the European part of Russia, in Western and Eastern Siberia, in the Caucasus Mountains, and is one of the symbols of the state.
Reaches 25-30 m in height and up to 80 cm in diameter. The bark of young trees is brownish-brown, and from 8-10 years it turns white. Lives up to 120 years.
The birch root system is highly developed, but penetrates shallowly into the soil.
Leaves are ovate or rhombic-ovate, 3.5-7 cm long, 2.5-5 cm wide.
The tree is monoecious, but the catkins are dioecious. Fruiting catkins are 2.5-3 cm long, on pubescent legs, seed scales are 3-5 mm wide, ciliated along the edge.
Leaves and buds are used in folk medicine.
Heart-shaped linden, or small-leaved linden (Tilia cordata) is common in the European part of Russia, especially in the Urals.
Deciduous tree 20-38 m tall with a tent-shaped crown.
The bark is dark and furrowed on old trees.
The leaves are alternate, heart-shaped, long-petiolate, toothed, green above, bluish below.
The flowers are regular, bisexual, with a double five-part perianth, up to 1-1.5 cm in diameter, yellowish-white, fragrant, collected in pendulous corymbose inflorescences of 3-11 pieces. It blooms from the beginning of July for 10-15 days.
The fruits of this tree of the Russian forests are spherical, pubescent, thin-walled, one- or two-seeded nuts. The fruits ripen in August - September.
Linden blossom is used as a flavoring agent in perfumery, in the production of cognacs and liqueurs, and also as a tea substitute.
Honey plant. In terms of taste and healing qualities, linden honey has long been considered the best.
"White acacia"
Robinia pseudoacacia
, known in Russia as “white acacia,” is an alien from North America. For several centuries it has been cultivated in Europe and in many countries it displaces local forest species. The photo shows how this plant spreads along the slope of a road embankment in Aleksin, Tula region. New shoots line up in straight lines, as they are root shoots growing from long, several tens of meters, roots. Thus, all the trees here are one clone, that is, genetically identical. This method of vegetative propagation helps Robinia to capture new territories, which is what we see in the photo.
When people talk about invasive plants, the first thing that comes to mind are herbs: Sosnovsky's hogweed (see picture of the day Sosnovsky's hogweed), impatiens, goldenrod (see picture of the day Niedereder's goldenrod). But shrubs and trees can actively colonize new territories. Perhaps the most famous alien tree in Russia is the American maple ( Acer negundo
), one of the main components of urban gardening, and also a major competitor to our native riverine vegetation.
But in Central Europe, one of the most significant invasive trees is black acacia. Like our other “acacia”, yellow - this is what we call the tree caragana ( Caragana arborescens
), - from the point of view of biological systematics, Robinia does not belong to the genus of acacia (
Acacia
), however, all three genera (
Robinia
,
Caragana
and
Acacia
) are included in the legume family.
The flowers of Robinia false acacia, for which it received the name “white acacia” in Russia. Photo by Sergei Lysenkov, city of Aleksin, Tula region, June 15, 2022
Robinia is native to eastern North America, where its native (original) range consists of two separate parts. Now it is widespread on all continents except Antarctica. And even in its homeland, in the USA, it is an invasive species, as it has significantly expanded its range, reaching the Pacific coast.
Primary range of Robinia false acacia. Picture from en.wikipedia.org
The spread of Robinia in Europe is a striking example of how biology itself is intertwined in invasive biology with history, economics and culture. It’s not for nothing that Czech biologists titled their article about the invasion of this species (Black locust: beloved and despised).
This species was described in 1635 by the French physician and botanist Jacques Philippe Cornut in a work devoted to the flora of Canada (at that time this geographical name was also applied to more southern regions). Cornu himself had never been to those parts, but the material was provided to him by the French gardener Vespasian Robin, the son of the court gardener of King Henry IV, who planted the first tree in Paris in 1601. All other European Robinias came from this tree. It was in honor of Roben (or Robens) that Cornu named this species Acacia Americana Robini
, that is, "Robin's American acacia."
The modern name Robinia pseudoacacia
was given to the plant by the founder of modern taxonomy, Carl Linnaeus (all names proposed before Linnaeus are not considered valid).
However, the Hungarian naturalist and historian József Ernyey, in his 1926 article “Paths of penetration and settlement of Robinia in Hungary,” disputes this version, without finding any documentary evidence that it was the Robens who brought Robinia to Europe and generally transferred this material to Root. Moreover, he writes that, apparently, the French botanist named some other tree after the Robins, since its description does not agree with what Robinia looks like. So, as often happens, it is impossible to establish the exact date of introduction of this species. Moreover, most likely, Robinia was imported from America to Europe more than once. But by the beginning of the 18th century, Robinia had become quite common in some regions of Europe. This species was brought to Russia in 1756 - it was planted as an exotic tree in the Moscow garden of P. A. Demidov (now Neskuchny Garden).
In the 18th century, Robinia in Europe began to be looked at not only as an ornamental tree - it began to be used for forest plantings. The first such project was proposed by Johann Georg Kramer in 1735 for the Hungarian lowlands, but the project was not destined to be realized due to the death of Prince Eugene of Savoy, who was supposed to finance this enterprise. Therefore, the first major project to use Robinia for afforestation took place in 1750, when 290 hectares were planted with this tree near the Hungarian fortress of Komárno. At the end of the 19th century, Robinia began to be used in Russia to create forest shelterbelts in the steppe.
In the second half of the 18th and 19th centuries, black locust plantations in Europe occupied more and more extensive areas: they were used as a source of timber and also to counteract erosion. Fast growth and low soil requirements made planting this tree economically profitable. However, at the beginning of the twentieth century, interest in Robinia in Europe waned due to the deterioration of wood quality caused by soil depletion, and the discovery of the fact that Robinia is a secondary host of the parasitic insect Acacia pseudoscale ( Parthenolecanium corni
). Many robinium forests were cut down, but soon interest in this species returned, including because it was now also used as a valuable honey plant. For example, a significant part of the honey now produced in France comes from this plant.
Acacia false scale on a blackcurrant branch. This is an insect from the family of scale insects of the order Hemiptera (a relative of cicadas and bugs). Photo from the website botsad.by, Minsk, March 2, 2022
As happens with many invasive species, the beginning of penetration into natural communities is very distant from the time of the first introduction. In the case of Robinia, this so-called lag phase took at least two centuries: the first “crop escape” mentioned in the literature occurred in 1824 in Brandenburg (Germany). The onset of invasion in any country was always preceded by a program to use this tree for afforestation. By the mid-twentieth century, black locust had become naturalized in many warm temperate European countries, including colonizing ruins left after World War II. Since then, the area occupied by this tree has only increased. The invasion of Robinia false acacia was greatly facilitated (and, probably, is facilitated) by the attitude of the local population, who consider it a beautiful and useful tree (one cannot say that they are completely wrong), and in some cases, almost one of the national symbols. That is, the plant has become so naturalized that it is no longer perceived by people as alien.
Is the spread of Robinia so bad (or good)? Here you can give arguments both for and against. On the one hand, Robinia has great economic value. Here there is wood, used as a building material and as fuel, soil strengthening, the creation of forest shelterbelts, and high-quality honey. We must not forget about the decorative value: Robinia is quite resistant to air pollution and therefore grows well in cities.
On the other hand, black locust, like many other invasive species, invades natural communities and changes them, often in the direction of reducing biodiversity. The main reason for the change in species composition after the invasion of Robinia is a change in soil composition and light regime. Firstly, like all legumes, this tree lives in symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, so nitrophilic herbs, such as nettle, gravitate towards it. Secondly, Robinia thickets are usually lighter than European forests - but, of course, darker than the grass communities into which Robinia usually invades, displacing light-loving grasses. However, not all studies show that black locust has a negative effect on biodiversity. On heavily disturbed agricultural lands, Robinia islands can be downright oases.
Robinias on a mountainside near the Szczecin Bay in Poland. Photo © Krzysztof Ziarnek from the website, June 4, 2012
Robinia is a rather demanding plant when it comes to environmental conditions. Firstly, it is thermophilic and can hardly tolerate spring frosts. This significantly limits its progress to the north. However, with climate warming, this factor is gradually losing its deterrent significance. Also, according to some reports, in some regions the plant becomes more cold-resistant. Secondly, Robinia is light-loving - especially its seedlings can hardly tolerate shading, therefore this species inhabits only habitats with disturbed forest cover. Thirdly, Robinia does not tolerate even temporary flooding.
Robinia does not reproduce well from seeds, which prevents the emergence of new populations away from existing ones. But, having settled in any place, it begins to grow with the help of root suckers - shoots growing from buds on the roots. The roots of this tree can reach several tens of meters in length, greatly exceeding the height of the first shoot - so it may seem that new, younger shoots have emerged from seeds. But if you look closely, you will notice that they line up in a more or less straight line - and this is a sign that new trees are growing from the root. So even one seed that manages to germinate can give rise to an entire robinium grove, as can be seen in the main photo.
In Central Russia, Robinia, apparently, does not yet pose a great danger - it is not even included in the “Black Book of the Flora of Central Russia” (including alien species) precisely because rare local populations are found only in the south of the region. The reason for the low success of Robinia in this region is primarily the relatively cold climate and frequent spring frosts.
In this regard, it will be interesting to see what will happen next with the “self-organized” robinium grove in Aleksin in the north of the Tula region. The first tree appeared there, according to my recollections, less than ten years ago - and now you can already count several dozen shoots, and new ones appear every year. Interestingly, the road embankment where the local invasion occurs is quite far from the urban "black locust" trees used in landscaping. Perhaps the parent seed got there from the wheels of cars passing along the road (this is a known route for the dispersal of weeds) and was able to germinate in a heavily disturbed herbaceous community - “weeds”. It is unlikely that the entire field visible in the main photo will become a robin grove. This can be prevented by spring frosts and the Oka floods, which often flood this area, so the slope of the road embankment is probably more favorable for Robinia. Let's wait and see, as they say.
Photo by Sergei Lysenkov, city of Aleksin, Tula region, June 30, 2020.
Sergey Lysenkov
Beech, or European beech (Fagus sylvatica)
Deciduous tree up to 30-50 m tall with a slender columnar trunk with a diameter of up to 1.5 m (centuries-old trees up to 3 m), ovoid or wide-cylindrical crown.
Lives 500 years, sometimes up to 950 years.
The leaves are elliptical, broadly pointed at the base and apex, 4–10 cm long, 2.5–7 cm wide.
In autumn the leaves are yellow, then brown, falling at the end of October.
Nuts are used for food: in their raw form they are harmful in large quantities, it is better to eat them roasted.
Fauna of the Tula region
The world of birds is located on the treetops. Most often you can find rooks, swifts, woodpeckers, ducks, sparrows, swallows and others there.
Rivers and lakes are full of their own life. They are inhabited by pike, roach, scaly carp, carp and catfish. Bream, perch, chub, ide and asp are also often found.
One of the rarest and most valuable fish is sterlet.
Biological features
Attitude to light : photophilous, in the middle zone it requires a place open to the sun for shoots to ripen, and in warmer conditions it can tolerate light partial shade.
Relation to moisture : drought-resistant, does not tolerate stagnation of water, with prolonged waterlogging the roots dry out and the plant dies. The groundwater level should be below 2 m.
Attitude to soil : undemanding to soil fertility, but prefers loose, well-drained, uncompacted soil with neutral acidity (pH 6.5-7.5).
Relation to temperature : easily tolerates summer heat up to 40 degrees. The natural species is winter-hardy, withstands frosts up to 35 degrees.
Shrubs of the Moscow region: names
This group includes not only domesticated cultivated plants. Wild shrubs of the Moscow region also widely inhabit local biotopes. The most common among the cultural forms that fill summer cottages and gardens are fruit and berry species.
Among the wild-growing organisms of this group, we can distinguish such as euonymus, wolfberry, dogwood, bladderwort, maple, lilac, Middendorf weigela, elderberry, broom, dogwood, rhododendron, forsythia, oleaster, peony, rowan, roses, almonds, hawthorn, willow, barberry and others.
Spirea
Wild shrubs of the genus Spiraea include about 90 species. Some of them have long been cultivated by people and are very widely used for landscaping areas.
Types of middle spirea, the most common in the nature of Russia, are beautiful wild-growing shrubs, photos of which can be seen below.
The following representatives are also very popular:
Spectacular bushes strewn with fragrant bright inflorescences can leave few people indifferent, this explains the popularity of the plant. It has practically no medicinal value.
Shrubs of Russia
Wild shrubs in our region are distinguished by great species diversity. They are widespread in all zones and latitudes, form deciduous and partly coniferous forests, and line hills and mountain ranges. Also among them there are many representatives that people use for decorative purposes in garden plots. Berries of some types are actively consumed as food and are valued for their vitamin components. Wild shrubs in Russia even have medicinal forms.
The most common species growing in the wild are:
The wild shrubs of our region are very beautiful, diverse in their role in nature and significance for humans. There are a number of species that people strive to plant and propagate on their plots of land for different purposes: decorative, nutritional, landscape design. Such representatives include the following wild trees and shrubs: bird cherry, blueberry, apple tree, ash, rose hip, thuja, pine, spruce, currant, plum, lilac, rowan, broom, nightshade, alder, sea buckthorn, juniper, raspberry, pear, hazel , viburnum, barberry, grapes, linden, lemongrass, gooseberry, buckthorn, maple, honeysuckle, oak and others.
Wild shrubs of the Urals
The flora of the Urals, the Urals, Siberia and the Far East is very similar in the species composition of shrub forms. Thus, common species in these areas are quince, barberry, elderberry, weigela, wolfberry, dogwood, gorse, honeysuckle, willow and other plants.
All of them form the general appearance of the nature of fields and meadows, forests. Thanks to plants such as wild shrubs and trees, the picture of the natural habitat of animals and people becomes complete, capacious, beautiful and varied.
You can give a short list of those species of the Urals that are basic for these places. These are wild shrubs, the names of which are given below.
Caring for bonsai from Albizia Lankaran
Due to the fact that this decorative tree lends itself well to molding, it is suitable for creating a dwarf tree or bonsai on your site. Albizia will need a not very large container or pot for this. It is best if it is ceramic with drainage holes. The container must be filled with a mixture of:
- three parts of turf land;
- two parts of peat;
- one part sand.
The place where you plan to grow albizia at home should be well illuminated by sunlight. The best option is southwest or southeast windows.
For better crown formation, it is necessary to wrap some of the shoots with strong wire. Albizia should not be kept in this position for more than three to four months. Experienced flower growers say: the procedure should be carried out no more than once every two years. From time to time, you should pinch the side shoots to slow down growth and give the plant the desired shape.
Note! It is recommended to replant Albizia annually. This should be done immediately after flowering ends.
When growing Albizia as a bonsai, you need to carefully monitor the size of the roots. They should be trimmed, and then treated with charcoal and reduced watering. Trees whose height does not exceed 100 cm are usually grown this way.
Tropical beauty Albizia
Watering mode
Albizia is a tropical tree, and therefore it needs well-moistened soil. Even a slight drying out of the substrate can cause the development of various diseases or even the death of silk acacia.
Top dressing
In the second year of Albizia’s life, you can begin to add nutrients. This must be done from spring to autumn once every 30 days. Liquid complex mineral fertilizers, which are intended for flowers growing at home, are excellent for this purpose.
Features of care during the flowering period
Blooming albizia will require a temperature of 22-25 °C. Gardeners note that it blooms quite rarely if it is in the house, and therefore in spring and summer it is best to move the pots to the garden, terrace or balcony. It is extremely important to monitor the level of soil moisture.
For your information! Improper care of the original plant can provoke an attack by pests, in particular spider mites.
Features of care during the rest period
With the onset of cold weather, Albizia begins to shed its leaves and prepare for a period of rest. Fertilizing should be stopped. To keep your bonsai alive, you need to reduce watering.
Important! Even in the winter months, the plant requires large amounts of sunlight. You can install a phytolamp for it.
The ideal air temperature is from 10 °C to 15 °C. This means that the plant can spend the winter either in a greenhouse or on a well-insulated loggia.
Albizia bonsai
Preparing for winter
In order for the tree to survive the unfavorable winter months, at the end of summer it is important to stop adding mineral compounds containing nitrogen to the soil. Otherwise, the tree will produce young shoots. Albizia can be fed with fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus. Crown molding should be postponed until spring. To prevent lignification of plant shoots, reduce the frequency of watering and the amount of water.
Based on all of the above, you can understand that growing albizia at home is quite simple. If you follow all the rules of care, an amazing tree in a garden or a pot will delight residents and guests of the house with bright inflorescences with a pleasant aroma and a bizarre trunk shape.
Reproduction
Propagated by sowing seeds. Seeds remain viable for a long time. The main condition is a suitable substrate for sowing. The substrate cannot be rich in fertilizers; the plant must create a reliable root system with appropriate efforts. The soil for flowers is full of pathogens, often the seeds germinate well, and 10 cm seedlings begin to fall - fusarium or blackleg. For sowing, a specially prepared substrate is used. In the spring it is not difficult to buy a substrate called “sowing soil”.
Due to their hard shell, the seeds need to be prepared. Sometimes it is enough to put the seeds in warm water and put them on the radiator for a day. Some seeds will need a second day. You can help by using sandpaper. Seeds are sown one at a time in small pots. The seedlings cannot tolerate transplantation because of their long roots and can be broken; it is better to sow one at a time.
It is better not to sow for the winter. Seedlings require good lighting.
Wild plants
These are usually called those plants that live in natural conditions and are not cultivated by humans. They inhabit fields and meadows, steppes and savannas, deserts and forests. These include:
That is, all existing life forms of plants. Specifically, wild shrubs make up the bulk of the undergrowth, thickets, edges of meadows and fields, roadsides, and landscapes of urban areas. It is these forms that are used to create hedges in front of residential buildings, retail outlets and other structures.
Climate in the Tula region
Spring comes at the beginning of March. By April, all the snow cover melts and a gradual increase in temperature begins. Spring in the Tula region is sunny, but sometimes the temperature can drop.
Autumn comes closer to September. And in the middle of the first autumn month, the first frosts are possible. But most often in September the weather remains warm, and in October the thermometer drops to +5 degrees.
Source
Rose hip
Since ancient times, this plant has been considered a healing source of important substances and vitamins. Avicenna also called rose hips a remedy for liver diseases. Today this plant is valued not only for its medicinal properties, but also for its beautiful appearance and unpretentiousness to living conditions. Delicate crimson roses leave no one indifferent. Flowering continues from mid-May to the end of June.
All parts of the plant except leaves are used to make medicines: fruits, roots, stems and flowers. The most valuable substances in the plant are carotenoids, vitamins B and PP, flavonoids, organic acids, and essential oils.
