The English name of the ornamental shrub Acocanthra:
Wintersweet bush
In Australia, Acokanthera oblongifolia is commonly known as the “Dokum” or “Deadly Poison Bush”.

Scientific name of the ornamental shrub Acocanthra:
Acokanthera oblongifolia:

The original home( native to) of Wintersweet bush
S.W. Africa:

Botanical description of the ornamental shrub Akocanthra:

Acokanthera is one of the evergreen ornamental shrubs, with a height of 3-4 meters. The leaves are oval to oblong, and they are thick leathery.

The flowers in the ornamental shrubs, Akocanthra, are found in dense white clusters that have an aromatic scent. They appear during the spring season.

As for the fruits, they are round to oval grapes, which turn black when fully ripe.

propagating Acokanthera

The process of propagating ornamental shrubs is done by planting seeds immediately after their ripening, where the seeds are planted in agricultural beds that contain a good agricultural environment of compost + peat moss + soft silt, in a ratio of 2: 1: 1, and they are taken care of until they germinate and the true leaves appear.

After the appearance of the new real leaves, the plants are spread out in pots or planting bags until they reach the appropriate length of about 20 cm, where they are rotated in pots or larger planting bags until they are planted in permanent land.
The process of fertilizing ornamental shrubs Akocanthra:
Fertilizing ornamental shrubs Akocanthra using mineral (chemical) fertilizer neutral NPK 10: 10: 10 of the major elements nitrogen – phosphorus – potassium at a rate of 400 g / bush from the age of 3-5 years.

Provided that the mineral (chemical) fertilizer is added in two equal batches, the first batch during the month of March and the second batch during the month of August.
Environmentally friendly biofertilization for ornamental shrubs Acocanthra:
Acokanthera are fertilized with environmentally friendly bio-fertilizer instead of using mineral (chemical) fertilizer that pollutes the environment, in order for the shrubs to grow well and lively.
Among the most important biofertilizers used in the biofertilization of ornamental shrubs are the following fertilizers:

1- Using the water soaked in compost, which is known as compost tea.

2- Using bacteria that fix atmospheric nitrogen, such as Azotobacter and Azospirillium.

3- Use Trichoderma fungus, which helps shrubs to absorb rock phosphates in the soil.

4- Use active dry brewer’s yeast during the spring season at a rate of 20 gm / bush per day. all ages .

5- The use of humic acid, which helps the soil to retain irrigation water instead of losing it through leaching, especially in light and sandy soils.

We found that humus helps shrubs and plants to absorb microelements in the soil, such as iron, zinc, manganese, calcium and magnesium.
Soil suitable for growing ornamental shrubs Akocanthra:
Aquacanthra ornamental shrubs are grown in fertile, light, well-drained soil that is free of harmful salts, as Aquacanthra ornamental shrubs are extremely sensitive to salinity, whether soil salinity or irrigation water salinity.

Wintersweet bush should also be planted in neutral and alkaline soil, where the soil PH should be between 5.5-6.5 approximately for the bushes to grow well.
Light requirements for ornamental shrubs Akocanthra:
Akocanthra ornamental shrubs must be planted in sunny, well-lit places so that the shrubs grow well and achieve the purpose of growing them as ornamental shrubs.

Light is also important for the process of photosynthesis in which the plant uses the energy it derives from the light reaching the mechanism in the representation of carbon dioxide + water to build carbohydrate materials, from which the rest of the other food components are created.
Preparation and sterilization of the

soil for the Wintersweet bush

For the cultivation of ornamental shrubs Wintersweet bush, you must follow the following steps:

1- Determine the place of planting, provided that it is in sunny, well-lit places, and that the soil is fertile, with good drainage, free of harmful salts, and that it is neutral in acidity and alkalinity.

2- The area of the jar is determined to be 100 cm wide and 100 cm long, and the soil is stirred well with the removal of weeds, disturbances and harmful impurities, then the following ingredients are added to the jar.

* Adding well-decomposed organic fertilizer at a rate of 1-2 kg + mono phosphate fertilizer 15% + suitable fungicide to combat soil rot (according to the recommended recommendations).

3- After adding the previous ingredients, the soil is stirred well, then the pot is irrigated without drowning.

4- To sterilize the jar, the jar is covered with a high-density black plastic sheet, where the hoora is completely covered from all directions with a good fixation, by placing dry soil on the edges with strong pressure on it, so that the wind does not remove it.

5- The jar covered with high-density black plastic sheet is left for a period of 2-3 months, until good sterilization is completed.

6- After the period of 2-3 months has passed, the plastic sheet is removed from the bag, then the bag is turned over, and left for 48 hours until it is ventilated properly.

7- After airing Al-Hoora for 48 hours, the seedlings are brought, provided that they are treated with a suitable fungicide to combat root rot + root stimulating hormone (according to the recommended recommendations).

8- After treating the seedlings with the previous materials, the place of planting is determined, provided that the planting takes place in the exact middle of the hole, provided that the place of the seedling is dug at a depth suitable for the size of the seedling.

9- After planting the seedling, irrigation is done without drowning, and the seedling is followed up in terms of irrigation and appropriate fertilization, in order for it to grow well.
The process of trimming and trimming ornamental shrubs Akocanthra:
Attention must be paid to the process of pruning and trimming ornamental shrubs, Wintersweet bush, where dry and broken branches are removed, as well as branches infected with fungal diseases and insect pests.

Well only is removed

Intertwined branch inside the heart of the bushes, in order to allow light to reach the heart of the bush so that it grows well.
Cultivation of ornamental shrubs Akocanthra in home gardens:
Akocanthra ornamental shrubs are beautiful shrubs with beautiful flowers, so they are grown in home gardens, where they are planted in flower beds or in entrances, where they are planted singly or in groups.

Uses of Wintersweet bush Acokanthera
1 – Akocanthra ornamental shrubs are planted in gardens and public parks as beautiful ornamental shrubs.

2 – Acokanthera ornamental shrubs are grown in home gardens, due to the beauty of the shape of the bushes and flowers. .

3- It is good to plant shrubs in coastal places.

4- Shrubs can be trimmed to use as fences.