Canadian goldenrod: description and cultivation

Goldenrod, or, as it is also called, the golden rod or solidago, can very often be found in city flower beds. Lush yellow flowers are often striking due to their showiness and height - up to 120 cm.The plant is very fond of gardeners. And despite the fact that goldenrod is officially considered a weed, many flower lovers try to plant it so that it does not interfere with other crops.

Golden bunches of solidago can be seen on the territory of the Caucasus, it grows in the Far East, and in Western and Eastern Siberia, however, it is called differently everywhere. The representative of the Astrov family, translated as “healthy”, “strong”, is called both “ordinary” and “Daurian”. In nature, there are about 120 species of this plant, however, on the territory of Russia only more than 20 are cultivated. Goldenrod is a wonderful honey plant, bees love it very much.

Healers and craftsmen use this useful plant as a coloring, medicinal and tannin substance. Particularly popular are Canadian goldenrod, Cloth of Gold and Goldking. It is thanks to this variety that new garden crops have appeared: blue-gray goldenrod, two-color, Kutlera, Shorty, etc. The first is a bush that reaches 2 meters in height, with flowers resembling golden-yellow baskets.

It should be noted that goldenrod is a very useful flower from the point of view of medicine... Moreover, for various types of disease, all parts of the plant are used - both shoots and leaves, and roots. The most popular in this regard are the Canadian goldenrod and the golden rod, which grow in abundance in meadows and fields. The chemical composition of the plant includes acids, organic and phenolcarboxylic acids, as well as their derivatives plus essential oils and diterpenes.

The plant is also used by those who suffer from indigestion, for cholelithiasis. In case of abscesses or boils, many apply fresh goldenrod leaves. However, not entirely safe alkaloids are contained in this plant, so if you decide to take it internally, it is better to first consult your doctor. Also, essential oil is produced from goldenrod.

All varieties of goldenrod are conventionally divided into 3 types:

• early - those that begin to bloom literally in June;
• medium - flowering time occurs at the end of July;
• also medium, but blooming in late summer.

Gardeners all over the world are experimenting with planting this flowering plant, getting new decorative options with different types of inflorescences. The most popular are Canadian and hybrid goldenrod. Canadian reaches a height of 1.5 meters. It is this subspecies that is called the golden rose. It blooms from July to early autumn. The hybrid goldenrod became the "progenitor" of the following varieties:

• Baby Gold;

• Spätgold;

• Perkeo;

• Strahlenkrone.

• Goljungle. This species is not only attractive in appearance, but also its flowers have a pleasant aroma. It is a very disease-resistant, diamond-shaped shrub. The leaves of this plant are also visually interesting: from above they have the usual green color, but from the inside they are grayish. Flowers appear on it at the end of July, and in bouquets they look just great.

• Bred by a breeder from Latvia grade "Dzintra" back in the 60s of the last century, it is especially popular. This is a completely compact bush 60 cm high visually resembles a column.

• Medium-sized grade "Pillar" does not grow above a meter. Graceful yellow panicles appear on the stems at the end of summer and delight others for more than a month.

• Early variety "Perkeo", perhaps, the most frequent guest in the design of a vegetable garden or garden. It has been cultivated since 1945, the maximum height is 60 cm.

• "Josephine" - the owner of large inflorescences, used by gardeners as a hedge. The bushes are quite lush, dense and low.

A favorite perennial of many gardeners, goldenrod will decorate any flower bed, hiding various flaws and irregularities in planting. True, in places where vegetable crops grow, for example, in a vegetable garden, it is not entirely desirable, since it belongs to an aggressive weed plant and can easily "hammer" useful plants. It is unpretentious, and therefore the plant is planted both where there is a lot of light and in dark places. When seating it, remember that it can grow quickly.

Goldenrod usually propagates by seeds and shoots. You can try to plant it both by cuttings and by dividing the bush. This should be done in early spring or autumn. In the warm season, it is better to plant the goldenrod with cuttings rather than seeds. Remember that the golden rose reproduces quite actively, up to 5 bushes can grow per square meter. If the variety is tall, then it is better to tie the stems to the stakes. If you decide to multiply the vegetation in the garden with cuttings, then use young shoots. To do this, it is necessary to separate part of the stem in the ground. In the case of sowing with seeds, at an air temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius, shoots may appear in 2 weeks.

In principle, caring for goldenrod is not particularly difficult. Gardeners need to remove weak shoots in time. In order not to "clog" your flower bed, it is better to cut off the faded inflorescences. In this case, fewer seeds enter the soil, and the likelihood of overgrowth is reduced. It is better to divide shrubs every 3 years, and in winter it is recommended to cut off the ground part of the plant, leaving 10 centimeters above the ground.

Solidago is usually quite drought tolerant. If the weather is dry for a long time, then it is better to water the goldenrod additionally, otherwise it will be impossible to achieve lush flowering. And also in long dry weather, there is a possibility of damage to goldenrod by powdery mildew.

Considering the fact that goldenrod grows and multiplies for a long time in almost one place, for example, decorating the garden landscape, it makes sense to "feed" it with mineral or organic fertilizers. but do not overdo it, feeding is enough 2 times a year.

Given the fact that some shrubs can stretch more than a meter in length, it is advisable to tie them to a support, as they can be bent from strong gusts of wind. Anyway goldenrod is a rapidly growing plant, so experts recommend replanting the bushes at least once every 3-4 years... Solidago is extracted from the soil with roots, then it is carefully divided and planted in new places. Transplanting an old bush will be more difficult - its roots go deep into the ground.

To achieve abundant flowering and accelerated growth of goldenrod, hardworking gardeners very carefully monitor its shoots: weakened it is better to immediately cut it off, and you also need to get rid of young stems that grow not outward, but inside the bush.

As with many horticultural crops, fungal diseases are especially dangerous for goldenrod, the main of which is powdery mildew... If you notice a bloom on the upper part of the plant of a whitish color, then you should immediately start fighting this force majeure. The cause of the disease, experts call the prolonged dry weather, high air temperature, and also the fact that goldenrod has grown too much in a certain area or there is too much nitrogen in the soil.

Therefore, it is so necessary to plant the bushes so that there is enough space between them. Another attack for this garden decoration - rust... This does not happen often, but if you are already faced with such a fact, then the damaged bushes must be dug up and removed from the territory, it is better to burn them. The remaining plants need to be urgently treated with a special solution, which includes Bordeaux mixture and vitriol.

In conclusion, it must be repeated that goldenrod is a very useful plant and, in principle, unpretentious... For example, honey from golden rose flowers has a pleasant spicy taste and a dark shade. In ancient times, Native Americans used the leaves of young goldenrod in their food, and scientists generally found rubber in their composition and tried to make rubber from them. True, the experiment failed, but science is the future. But gardeners have every right to be proud of their achievements and decorative varieties of solidago.

For information on how to properly care for Canadian goldenrod, see the next video.