Astilba Arends: description, planting and care

The herbaceous plant Astilbe Arends has a light airy appearance, for which it is appreciated by many gardeners. The culture fills the garden with a magical atmosphere and fits perfectly into all types of landscaping. A fabulous look is created during the flowering period. This species got its name from the name of its creator, botanist G. Arends.

The life expectancy of Astilba Arends is up to 15 years. The size of the plant, as well as the appearance, largely depend on the variety. On average, the height of the culture is 80-100 cm, although there are varieties that reach sizes up to 2 m.

White fluffy panicles include many small flowers formed on small branches. The duration of flowering is also determined by varietal characteristics; on average, this period is from June to mid-August.

The lightness of the plant is due to the unusual appearance of the leaves. They are openwork, carved, at first painted in a brown shade, in adulthood they turn green, and by autumn they are covered with a reddish tint. The root system is fibrous, massive, tolerates winter well and temperatures up to -35 degrees Celsius. Old roots wither every year, but new buds form on top, from which fresh roots hatch.

Even after flowering, the plant looks very aesthetically pleasing in the garden, and in winter, snow piles, laying on the specimen, form interesting shapes.

Among the types of Astilba Arends, there are varieties called false goatbeard and spirea... The first belongs to Asteraceae plants, and spirea is a rosaceous culture. In their appearance, they resemble astilbe, and for this, for the simplicity of the syllable, they can be called by her name.

In nature, this representative of the flora grows in East Asia, Japan, and the USA. It prefers to develop in partial shade, but you can also find the plant at the edge of the forest. This is a moisture-loving flower, which is distinguished by good winter hardiness and high immunity against diseases and pests, but this resistance can only be ensured by observing all the rules of planting and growing.

The varietal variety of the presented species is distinguished by its versatility. Each species has its own description. Let's consider the most popular varieties.

• "Amethyst". This variety is characterized by light lilac flowers, reminiscent of a noble stone, with a delicate honey aroma.
• Fanal. This species is famous for its long pinnately dissected leaves and bright crimson inflorescences 20 cm long.
• Gloria Purpurea. The shrub is 80 cm high and has branched green stems with dark green leaves. Flowers of "Gloria Purpurea" are distinguished by a small diameter (1 cm) and a light pink shade.
• "America"... This is just one of the types of spirea. It is a hybrid of David's astilba. It has leaves of complex shape with jagged edges. The flowers are characterized by a light pink or purple hue.
• "Diamond". The plant reaches 90 cm in height and 40-50 cm in width. It has leaves of medium size and dark green color. This variety is appreciated for its long flowering period and unpretentious cultivation.The flowers are small - up to 0.5 cm, modest and delicate in appearance, decorated in bright pink tones and have a pleasant aroma.
• Etna. This variety is preferred by lovers of tall fluffy bright flowers. They have a deep red color, and the leaves look like feathers, which creates a very attractive appearance.
• Boomalda. A compact plant up to 70 cm high with miniature delicate light pink or white flowers.
• "Garnet". Another small hybrid that grows up to 70 cm. It has dense foliage and spreading branches. The edges of the leaf plate are serrated, the bud is formed in the form of a rhombus and consists of small flowers. The petals are colored with juicy red shades. And also the variety has a pleasant fragrance.
• "Brautschleier"... In height, this species reaches 70-80 cm, and in width - 40-60 cm. It is characterized by small flowers up to 1 cm in diameter with snow-white petals. The scent of the flowers is reminiscent of the scent of bird cherry. Flowering continues for two weeks.
• Cattleya. Plant up to 70-80 cm high with dense rhombic bright pink inflorescences 23-27 cm high. Flowering lasts 3 weeks.
• Anita Pfeiffer. On average, it grows up to 80 cm, but there are specimens with a height of up to 100 cm. In width it can grow by 50-80 cm. Leaves are complex, dense. The flowers are small, pink, and have a weak floral aroma. Flowering can last for a month.
• Sister Theresa. Miniature variety up to 50 cm high, with high lush inflorescences. During flowering, the plant exhibits creamy pink small flowers with a delicate aroma.
• "Red charm"... This bush can grow up to 1 m, and its brushes are crowned with cherry-red flowers.
• Burgundy ed. A small shrub, rarely reaching a height of more than 50 cm. Differs in good branching, pyramidal shape, green glossy foliage. A lot of flowers are formed, their color is dark red.
• Color Flash. This type is recommended for those who want to create a delicate floral arrangement. The atmosphere of romance and magic will create narrow pale pink panicles.
• "Radius". The cultivar grows up to 60-70 cm. The bright red flowers create an impressive contrast in combination with glossy green foliage and dark unopened buds.
• "Hyacinth". A tall shrub up to 1 m in size and 40-50 cm wide. It is characterized by small flowers of an attractive bright pink color.

Before you start planting a crop, it is worth choosing the most suitable site for it. This flower does not like the sun, ultraviolet light has a destructive effect on it, and therefore the planting site should be in partial shade. This is a moisture-loving plant, but it will not tolerate excess moisture, which means that you should avoid areas with a close occurrence of groundwater.

Refuse planting in low-lying flower beds, where stagnant melt or rainwater is not excluded.

Another important point when planting is the choice of planting material. Visually examine the root system of the seedling, and if you notice dried or rotted fragments that exude an unpleasant odor, do not take this specimen. Purchase seedlings only from proven nurseries, and during storage, slightly moisten the roots so that they do not dry out. The planting process itself is as follows:

1. dig a planting hole of such a size that the rootstock of the seedling fits easily into the dug space without much deepening;
2. add mineral fertilizers, ash and hydrogel to retain moisture;
3. moisten the planting site;
4. place a seedling in the prepared hole so as not to fill the growth point;
5. tamp the area, and water again abundantly;
6. mulch the planting with bark or peat chips to retain moisture and prevent the roots from drying out.

It is not difficult to look after Arends' astilba, but there are some nuances. Care includes several points.

The plant should be moistened 2-3 times a week, and after flowering - once a week. To prevent the roots from overheating in the ground from the sun, it is recommended to make a hole around the seedling. Watering is done in the evening. And also experienced gardeners advise every 2-3 weeks to irrigate the culture with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or fungicide. With the onset of September, the irrigation procedure is completely stopped.

The plant needs 3-4 fertilization times... With the formation of a new kidney, you can feed the culture with a complex mixture or a growth stimulator. During the period of flower formation, it is better to give preference to compositions, containing phosphorus and potassium - these components are responsible for the colorfulness and abundance of flowering.

The third top dressing is applied only when a weakening of the bush is noticed, more often this is observed in the middle of summer.

This is a necessary procedure for astilba, which allows the roots to breathe easily and absorb oxygen. Too dense soil can lead to the death of the rhizome. It is recommended to loosen the flower bed every week. During loosening it is important to eliminate all weeds along with the root - they can become a source of disease.

In the first 2-3 years of life, the plant needs pruning. During clipping, dried, damaged, frozen stems are removed, while should be left 8-10 cm in length. The rest of the areas are pruned before freezing. The whole process is carried out with a well-sanitized instrument.

Pruning before wintering is a kind of preparation for the cold. It allows you to cover the plant well for the winter. If it did not work out with pruning, it is recommended to insulate the bush in several layers between the stems with sawdust, hay, peat, spruce branches.

Among the most common diseases of the presented culture, root rot, bacterial spotting, and phytoplasma infections are noted. So, rot can be judged by spoiled roots, large black spots will indicate the presence of spotting, and an infection that is already on the purchased seedling may not appear for a long time.

The main method of dealing with these and other ailments is the use of various drugs.

• Bordeaux liquid... This remedy allows you to cope with a fungal infection.
• Copper preparations. An effective remedy for stopping bacterial rot.
• Potassium permanganate solution. It can be used to treat roots where the first signs of rot are observed.
• Insecticides. They fight pests that become a source of spread of diseases.

Of the insects, the leaf aphid most often loves to feast on astilba, which can be got rid of by tobacco fumigation. Another enemy - the strawberry nematode - easily tolerates industrial preparations, and therefore the bush affected by it should be dug up and destroyed. To protect the culture from the invasion of the strawberry nematode, it is recommended not to plant the plant next to the strawberry garden.

A slobbering penny, which prefers to lay eggs on the leaves, becomes a frequent uninvited guest.

Breeding a culture is allowed in several ways.

Experienced flower growers can try to propagate astilba by seeds, however, you can get healthy, full-fledged planting material only through varietal selection, which specialists are engaged in. Before sowing, the grains undergo a stratification procedure in the refrigerator for three weeks. Sowing is done on moistened soil; you do not need to sprinkle it with earth.

Further, the planting site is regularly moistened so that the grains do not dry out. The container where the seedlings are planted must be placed in a bright place, but so that the direct rays of the sun do not fall on it. A favorable temperature for seedlings is +20 degrees Celsius. After about 3 months, young seedlings can be planted in a summer cottage in open ground.

This is the most promising breeding method that even a novice gardener can do. The bottom line is to extract the rhizome from the flower bed and divide it into 2-3 parts so that each part contains the rhizome, adventitious roots and buds... The cut site should be disinfected with garden grease or crushed charcoal to reduce the likelihood of bacteria spreading.

If a shovel is used for separation, then it is not necessary to dig out the bush completely, it is enough to separate part of the rhizome directly in the ground. When using a knife, the entire bush is dug up. It is important to inspect the roots for defects; if necessary, all dead and rotten areas should be eliminated.

Further, the separated shoots are immediately planted in moist soil, after which the gardener must ensure constant watering and loosening. The use of additional compounds, for example, a growth stimulant, is allowed.

The specimens multiplied by this technology are characterized by good survival rate. The process is carried out in the spring when the buds appear. It is necessary to cut the cuttings, plant them in greenhouse conditions, having well moistened the substrate prepared from earth with sand and gravel in advance. Growing by bud division differs in duration, in contrast to root - only after a year the plant will stretch to the desired size and please with its flowering.

In the first year of life, the culture cannot yet take the desired shape and dimensions, and therefore young specimens will look aesthetically pleasing with hazel grouses, crocuses, snowdrops. Adult specimens are harmoniously combined with tenacious animals, umbilicals, lamines, saxifrages.

To create a spring composition, the shrub can be planted near the doronicum or rhododendron. If the gardener plans to decorate a garden pond, then iris, lungwort, anemone are suitable as aesthetic neighbors. A scenic landscape can be created by planting a crop next to rose bushes, but place flowers in the northern half of the flower bed.

Lush bright panicles look spectacular against the background of large trees or shrubs, for example, juniper, barberry, spirea, and the garden path, framed by impressive bushes, will fill the garden with an atmosphere of magic and fairy tale. Culture looks no less elegant with a single planting.

For information on how to care for Arends' astilba, see the video.