Deciduous shrubs
Zenobia
Zenobia
Zenobia (lat. Zenóbia) — a genus of deciduous semi-evergreen shrubs of the heath family (Ericaceae) native to the southeastern USA. The genus Zenobia is most closely related to the genus Andromeda: these two genera constitute the tribe Andromedeae (Andromedeae) of the subfamily Vaccinioideae (Vaccinioideae).
The genus received its scientific name in honor of Zenobia Septimia (lat. Zenobia Septimia), the queen of Palmyra, famed for her beauty and learning.
The Russian name of the genus in scientific literature is «зеновия»: in accordance with the traditional rendering of the queen's name in Russian historical scholarship. In horticultural literature the plant is called «зенобия». Since Zenobia and species of the genus Pieris (Pieris) were previously placed in the genus Andromeda (Andromeda), representatives of these three genera are known in English-language horticultural literature under the collective name andromedas (lat. andromedas).
The natural range of the genus is the southeastern USA: South and North Carolina, Virginia. Zenobia grows on wet sandy soils — in coastal areas, in swamps and other wet places, on the edges of pine forests, often together with heather.
Height of an adult plant — from 0.5 to 2 m, the width of the shrub also varies within these limits. Branches are thin, gracefully curved. Leaves glossy, from oval to oblong-oval in shape, opposite, slightly serrated at the edges, length — from 2.5 to 8 cm, width — from 1 to 2.5 cm. Leaf color — dull green; in autumn — yellow-orange with a purple tint.
The flowers are small, bell-shaped, pendulous, smelling of anise or lemon, up to 10 mm in diameter and up to 12 mm in length. They are gathered in racemes up to 20 cm long with up to 20 flowers. The plant blooms in May–June. The fruit is a dry five-celled brown capsule.
Location: Prefers well-lit positions, can tolerate shade. Requires acidic, moist soil.
Care: consists of pruning to shape the shrub, applying fertilizers in spring and autumn, and removing dried and withered parts of the plant.
Propagation: by cuttings, division and seeds.
