Argenteo variegata

Argenteo variegata Care

Rhamnus alaternus

What is the plant

Italian buckthorn is a great shrub plant to ornate the borders of the garden with, but it is also great to keep it around if you plan on creating your own house decoration or table decoration for your holidays, as its evergreen cream-striped leaves will make an amazing natural setting. This plant also produces bright red berries, which will attract birds in your garden, although so you really are in for a joyful experience when having the Italian buckthorn around.

Originally from the Mediterranean coast, Italian buckthorn is an evergreen shrub plant that grows up to be about 3 ft tall (1m) and between 14 inches to 3 ft wide (36-100 cm), depending on how you decide to prune it. In late spring, fragrant yellow flowers bloom to attract insects around the garden, then turn into small red berries. It usually grows fast if given enough space, so it is great border coverage, but you will need to prune it consistently, so it does not take all the spotlight in the garden.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Full Sun

Temperature

5°C - 21°C

Difficulty

Easy

Hibernation

Cold Period

Toxicity

Poisonous

Invasive

Weed

How to Care for the Plant

Water
This plant likes to be kept in moist conditions but not waterlogged. You should water when a few inches (5cm) of the top of the soil has dried. Don’t let the soil dry out completely because this might affect the root system of the plant, and leaves will start to fall if you do this repeatedly. If you keep it in a container, water gradually, letting the soil absorb water, and stop the waterflow when you see that water is no longer absorbed in the soil. If kept outside, normal rainfall should be enough to keep your plant watered, but look out for it in hotter days of summer, so the soil does not stay dry for too many days.
Pruning
Pruning is key to having a healthy, non-invasive shrub in your garden. You should prune it to ensure good airflow so the plant does not attract disease and to control its spread, as it can get quite chaotic in growth without pruning. Cut any dead or diseased canes first, then focus on the old canes, especially the ones that started to get a bit all over the place. Cut those to the ground so you encourage new growth. Always aim for a single sharp cut so you reduce the danger of spreading disease and affecting the remaining healthy branches.
Fertilizer
This is not a plant that requires you to go hard on fertilization. Fertilize once a year in spring or late fall with a fertilizer rich in nitrogen to encourage leaf growth. However, do not exaggerate with this nitrogen fertilization, as this can lead to too much leaf growth and almost no flowers.

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
In order to help your Italian buckthorn shrub flower, you need to keep it in full sun. It does well in partial shade as well, but there will be less flowering and less fruits later in summer. Try to give your plant at least 6 hours of sun daily to see it thrive.
Soil
Use a soil mix that has the ability to retain water to some extent, as the Italian buckthorn prefers to stay in moist conditions. Clay or loamy soil is good for it as well, or you can use normal gardening soil, which you add natural compost to, to keep the soil rich in nutrients.
Propagation
The easiest way to go about propagating the Italian buckthorn is by cuttings off new growth at the beginning of summer. Simply cut a diagonal cut in the new growth and let the new cut air dry for two to three days. Then, you can optionally add growth hormone to the new cuttings and place them in new soil. You can also go by the ground layering method if you have a mature plant that can support the new plant in establishing itself.

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Temperature
Italian buckthorn does well in most temperatures, and it is frost resistant to some extent, at about 5 °F (-15 °C). It is bчвіеetter to bring them inside during winter, so the shrub saves the energy for spring instead of using it to keep the plant alive to negative degrees.
Container
Although most of the time, Italian buckthorn is identified as a plant, which grows directly in soil, you can also keep it small and nicely looking in a container. Choose a container that is big and heavy enough to support the Italian buckthorn growth and root system. Choose one with drainage holes.
Fun fact
Italian buckthorn is a little firefighter. Although no plant is completely resistant to fire, there are some species that will help keep a fire under control if kept around, as they don’t burn as fast as other plants do. Although it is considered invasive, Italian buckthorn is often used in landscaping in territories prone to wildfires.

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Popularity
436 people already have this plant 107 people have added this plant to their wishlists

Common pests
Caterpillars and mealy bugs usually show up on the garden’s shrubs. You can use insecticidal soap or neem oil to send them away, but try to check your plant regularly as these pests can heavily affect the plant and its leaves, slowing down or even stopping new growth from happening.
Frequent diseases
Botanist’s tips