Plants correspond to one of the main resources that man tries to obtain the greatest possible benefit for the development of society, in this case we will highlight the importance and relevance of the Ombú Tree, which represents a type of plant that in addition to having great properties It has a great cultural importance as a national symbol in Argentina and Uruguay, let's learn a little more about this wonderful tree.
Ombu Tree
Tree diversities are amazing plants. Each tree represents a habitat in itself, an ecosystem that has to be known to take care of, in the same way that they take care of us. For the life of the human being, the cultivation of trees and plants is necessary, since due to the oxygen that they expel through their leaflets, existence on the planet would be very different. The importance of the massifs lies, since, without these extraordinary bushes, the world would be a desert.
The ombú tree is a genus called Phytolacca dioica L which corresponds to the branch of the Phytolaccaceae. It is also identified by bellasombra, fitolaca or massif of the beautiful shadow. Its origin is South American; the name comes from a Brazilian jargon that symbolizes the shadow or beautiful shadow. In its actions, the twilight that casts its shadow is grandiose because its long thick, steep and discordant branches with abundant long and large leaves of a very strong green favor this.
Features
The maintenance of a plant is of the utmost importance to affirm an appropriate and healthy evolution, mainly for trees that are planted in gardens, especially those that are tree species where adequate environments must be granted for their progress; The Ombú de sombra is considered a very durable and resistant tree, but it needs specific crop conditions and benefits from its good development. This tree is considered grass because the ombú does not produce wood.
The tissues under the shell are very soft, they need development rings and they can withstand large amounts of water, which allows them to survive in environments with little rainfall. Below we know the unavoidable sowing conditions for the ombú:
Soils
Soil is a significant component of jungle and wooded environments as it reinforces the regulation of substantial ecosystem techniques, such as nutrient filtration, disintegration, and water availability. The surfaces provide anchorage, water and food for the trees. This ombú plant works very well in most of the remarkable bases that we can find consecutively, we will distinguish the soils that are more suitable for this type of bush.
Which is the most suitable for planting very poor soils, that is, which does not require as many nutrients. This soil prototype shows a structure that does not support its extraction due to the subsistence of roots. It is a type of sandstone soil, light and drained, but prone to drying out. This plant requires a lot of land to be able to develop and spread. It is very managed in medium and large parks and gardens. Away from houses, floors, pipes, swimming pools and others.
Trunk
Its trunks are very wide, elongating into wide roots that occasionally protrude from the ground; According to specialists, they are not properly trees: they are herbaceous prototype plants. Indeed its wood is very flaccid, they are referred to as decorative shrubs. Some describe them as shrubs. They are very ornamental and decorative. These trunks can reach a height of about 15 to 20 meters, with an extensive crown of up to 15 meters and large, highly visible roots, it is a giant fodder. When this trunk reaches adulthood it manages to measure 3 to 4 meters.
Leaves
The leaves are the parts of the plant dominated in absorbing light energy through photosynthesis. They regularly consist of a flat area, the limb or blade, and a petiole, which joins the limb to the stem. If the leaf blade does not break up into particular parts, the leaf is said to be simple. Carry out the process of photosynthesis, where inorganic matter becomes organic matter, all thanks to sunlight.
The leaves of the ombú tree are kept all year round on the bush, they are green and shiny by the bunch, in which the main vein is very marked. Elliptical in shape and large, they measure 20 cm in length. They are stacked in a way that gives the tree an unmistakable style. The cup it forms is thick and enlarged, supported by thick branches. They are simple, whole buds, located in alternate representation on the branches.
Fruits
The fruit is the original member of the flower, or parts of it, which holds the seeds until they bloom and then favors their dispersal. It fulfills three (3) primary functions: to hold and protect the seeds during their progress, to help spread them once they bear fruit, and to conquer animals that benefit their further spillage. The fruits of the ombú tree are shaped like balls that are concentrated with a light green color. It is the beginning of winter. As the days go by, the fruits turn pale and yellowish and lose their smoothness and beauty. They are crowded into infructescences that can reach about 20 cm in length.
Flores
They are the structures responsible for reproduction in some plants. They are dioecious, with male ends and female ends and their corresponding and diverse flowers. It has unisexual flowers on separate stems and trunks. In spring its unique and beautiful flowers are born. The flowers are unisexual and are displayed on separate feet. They have specimens with male flowers and with female flowers. In one and other cases the flowers agglomerate in long inflorescences. They are displayed on long spikes. No petals, but their numerous whorls give them a semblance of craftsmanship. They are gallant and beautiful flowers.
Taxonomy of the Ombú Tree
Its scientific name Phytolacca dioica. The word Phyntolacca emanates from the Greek φυτόν which is phyton which expresses plant and the Latin word lacca which means, a red dye; while the word dioica is a Latin adjective that means with two houses. The pseudonym Ombú is instituted that comes from the word umbú of the Guarani language which expresses lump oscrurp or shadow. Despite, this word does not emanate from its geographical marketing or from the Guaraní language, according to León Cadogan in 1957, assisting in the study of the Guaraní Nomenclature, explains that rescindo is not of Guaraní origin.
Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family : Phytolaccaeae
Genus : Phytolacca
Species : Phytolacca dioica
Care for the Ombú Tree
Trees have an impact for all the things they provide us: They provide us with oxygen and clean the air. They absorb CO2, helping to reduce the effects of atmospheric change. They are also home to insects, small mammals and birds. Within the care are detailed below:
Location
Plants continually require to be exposed to a large amount of sunlight to carry out the different biochemical techniques that help the development of the plant and also support the photosynthesis process carried out by plants.
The location of the ombú tree will be in full sun and with warm weather. These leafy trees can resist some moderate freezing and tolerate the coastal environment. It is a shrub that requires enough space for its roots to develop without any inconvenience. For this reason it is recommended to plant it in a substrate only if the garden is totally large to place it at a distance of ten meters from the main pipes, pavements, walls and other trees. In the early days of the tree, many people grow it in pots, but since it is already one meter tall, it is necessary to pass it to the substrate; or that you prefer to keep it as a potted shrub or bonsai.
Land
Soil refers to the area where a plant can live and grow . This tree isn't particular about soil type; it only needs slightly moist soil to thrive. It can grow quickly and live a long time. Keep it away from houses and swimming pools, as its roots tend to seek water and can cause damage.
Irrigation
Humidity can create one of the essential situations for the proper development of trees, having great dominance in the internal sap of the tree. It should be watered sparingly to prevent root decay. Keep in mind that they accumulate water in their spongy trunk without rings. If it is watered frequently it can damage not only the roots but also the flowers and the fruit.
Pruning
Pruning is a set of practices necessary to preserve the beauty of the plant, but it is also a maintenance step to benefit its survival and shape. The vines at the base can be pruned to control their growth and to be able to direct it without hindering their foliage.
Diseases and Pests
Plants are subjected to different natural and essential conditions for their proper development such as air, sun, water, but in the same way they are exposed to biological conditions that can negatively affect them, as in the case of pests that usually adhere plants by dehydrating them, drying them to death. This herb has the virtue that it is not usually affected by diseases and pests, which the trees are naturally exposed to.
Multiplication
These bushes can be reproduced by their own seeds removed from the fruits. The duplication of the Ombú can be fulfilled in two ways, the initial one, which is the most common, is through the seeds or seed. These can be harvested in the fall, which are in a row of clusters that are hanging from the plant. When it is going to be sown, it can be shaped both by sources and by boxes, what is significant when it comes to executing is that it has to be deep. After this, the seeds are spread on the fly, to later wrap with a consumed layer of substrate.
After sowing, they must be moistened with plenty of water and placed in a place that is deprived of rain and direct sun. If desired, it can be placed in the dark or covered with glass, although this is not mandatory. The seeds or seeds of the Ombú have a high power of germination, which means that after about 3 or 4 weeks it will already sprout; already when the plants are growing it is unavoidable that they change their place where they get direct sunlight. However, they must be protected by a plastic net or semi-shade which allows 50% light to pass through.
Uses of the Ombú
The plants correspond to one of the main resources that man takes into account for the development of society, through various studies and applications he has discovered the main use of each one, in this case we will highlight the main uses of the Ombú Tree:
- Decorative: used as a solitary specimen, as well as occasionally as a bonsai.
- Shelter: serves as shelter, mainly during the day as a shade for rest
- Medicinal: with its leaves and root bark, measures are taken as an extract that has emetic (provokes vomiting) and purgative properties.
- The ombúes de Rocha mountain is part of Los Humedales del Este, listed by UNESCO as a Biosphere commendation.
the bonsai
Bonsai is a term of Japanese origin that literally means bon = tray + sai = cultivar. However, etymologically it comes from the Chinese word 盆栽, penzai, which symbolizes pén = bowl + zāi = plant and resides in the technique of planting trees and flora, regularly bushes, controlling their size. Its typologies make it ideal for apprentices of the bonsai technique.
Frequently the ombú is not well treated by growers and farmers since they expand to subject it to enormous irrigation, since the same plant holds a large amount of water which it stores within itself. Faced with an abundance of irrigation, there is a danger that the roots and trunk will ferment. The signs of abundant irrigation are: soft and fallen leaves, in turn the wrinkled and soft trunk can be seen.
In their care, the main thing is to be restrained to the branches of the tree and to the infiltration of the earth. The bonsai should be watered with rainwater when the soil is slightly dry, if it is somewhat damp, wait a while. It is very convenient since the roots are very sensitive to waterlogging and can be damaged by lack of aeration.
The development of branches and leaves in trees is equally extensive. Barbarian trees often reach heights of five (5) meters or more when they are older, while a large bonsai rarely exceeds one (1) meter and all types are much smaller. However it takes a long time at least three (3) years before there is a tree that you can actually try to work on it, this is the only way to create a Bonsai from scratch.
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