Content
Weigela belongs to the Honeysuckle family, grows throughout the European part of Russia, and is found in the Caucasus. The culture is represented by numerous varieties with different colors of flowers, leaves and bush shape. Veigela Alexandra is a blooming representative of the species, winner of the silver and gold medals of the Dutch and American gardening communities. The plant is grown in a temperate climate and in the South, used for landscape decoration.
Description of weigela Alexander
Veigela Alexandra is a deciduous, winter-hardy shrub, reaching a height of 1.2 m, crown volume - 1.5 m. The main growth occurs in the first two years of life and is 20-25 cm, then growth slows down. At the age of five, weigela is considered an adult, her dimensions do not change anymore. The culture is long-term, the duration of biological life is 35-40 years. Drought resistance is average, periodic watering is required.
External characteristics of weigela varieties of Alexander:
- The shrub is rounded, the crown is compact, formed from numerous shoots. Stems are upright, dark brown in color.
- The foliage of Alexander's weigela is intense, before and after flowering, the unusual color of the leaves makes the culture decorative. Leaves are lanceolate, oppositely located, length - up to 9 cm, width - 3-4 cm. Leaf plate with finely toothed edges, smooth, matte. The color is maroon with beige veins. In the shade, the color is closer to brown, with sufficient lighting there is a purple tint in the color of the leaves, yellow in autumn. Leaves are formed without petioles, do not fall off until the onset of frost.
- The root system of a mixed species, not deepened, overgrown.
- Seed pods are dark gray, small, contain 2 seeds, ripen in September.
The seeds are equipped with a lionfish, scatter near the mother bush, germinate the next year.
How weigela Alexandra blooms
The flowering period of the weigela Alexander is long, the duration is about 40 days. The buds are large (4 cm), formed in mid-May on last year's shoots, bloom in early June. Flowering continues until mid-July.
After flowering, it is recommended to cut off the tops of last year's stems by 40 cm. After 14 days, approximately at the beginning of August, Alexandra Veigela will bloom again. Buds are formed on young shoots. The peculiarity of the variety is that the second wave of flowering is not much different from the first.
The flowers of Alexander's weigela are large, funnel-shaped, tubular. Outwardly, they resemble a bell in shape. The color is dark pink. It is lighter at first, darkens by the middle of active flowering. On the shrub, single flowers and inflorescences of 3-5 pieces are formed, forming in the leaf axils. In partial shade, the flowering is plentiful, but the flowers are smaller than in the area open to the sun.
Application in landscape design
Veigela Alexandra is one of the most popular and fairly common varieties in landscape design.The shrub retains decorativeness from the appearance of the first leaves until they fall. The crown is compact, dense, takes up little space on the site, and lends itself well to molding. The plant is used for landscaping urban neighborhoods, public places and recreation areas. The shrub serves as a decoration for personal plots and gardens.
Several examples with a photo of the use of the flowering Alexander weigela in landscape design are presented below.
- For creating a central accent color in plantings with decorative perennials and flowering plants.
- As a tapeworm for lawn decoration.
- At the edge of tall trees and bushes.
- On the sides of the garden path.
- Weigela Alexandra is ideal for creating a hedge.
- In the center of the flower bed against the wall of the building.
- Composition with conifers and dwarf shrubs.
- To decorate the shores of an artificial reservoir.
Weigela Alexandra can be combined with all types of plants, if their proximity does not affect the development of the shrub. Do not plant a culture near large-sized plants with a dense crown. In the shade, weigela loses its decorative effect.
How weigela Alexandra reproduces
Weigelu Alexandra, like any shrub, is bred generatively and vegetatively. This is a variety, not a hybrid, so the seeds retain 100% of the characteristics of the parent plant. The collection of planting material is carried out at the end of September. Seeds are sown in the spring in warm ground. The next spring they are seated in a permanent place, after 3 years the plant blooms. The breeding method is reliable, the seeds germinate well, but the process takes a long time before flowering.
Gardeners use faster and equally productive breeding methods:
- By dividing the bush. Plants at least 3 years old are suitable for this purpose. Weigela is planted in the spring; by the fall, the culture is fully adapted in a new place.
- Layers. In the spring, the lower perennial shoot is fixed to the ground, I cover it with soil on top. Until the fall, they are constantly watered. In the spring, the layers will sprout, they are separated and planted. Next summer, the Alexandra variety will bloom.
- Cuttings. Cut the material from last year's shoots. After flowering, the tops are cut off, at this time cuttings are harvested with a length of 20 cm. They are taken from the middle part. Placed in the ground, create a greenhouse effect. In the spring, the rooted material is seated in a permanent place.
The plant will bloom in the third year after transplanting.
Planting and caring for weigela Alexandra
In the planting and subsequent care of the weigel, the flowering Alexandra is absolutely not a problem plant. The survival rate of the variety is good, the agricultural technology is standard. Lossless culture tolerates temperatures down to -35 0C. Responsive to formative pruning.
Recommended timing
In temperate regions, the weigelu varieties of Alexandra are planted in early spring, around the end of April. Soil temperature should be at least +70 C. Autumn planting is not recommended, the plant will not have time to fully take root before the onset of frost, by the spring the seedling may die. In areas with a warm climate, planting work is carried out in the spring (at the beginning of April) or in the fall (at the end of September).
Site selection and soil preparation
Veigela Alexandra is a light-loving plant, the decorative effect of the crown will be full only with sufficient lighting. For landing, an open area is chosen, protected from the north wind. The south or east side of the slope will do. The plant feels comfortable behind the wall of the building and near ornamental shrubs that do not shade the weigela.
The shrub requires moderate watering, but constantly waterlogged soil can cause fungal diseases. The site for Alexander's weigela is chosen without close-lying groundwater, and it should not be in the lowland. The soil should be light, fertile with satisfactory drainage, the composition should be slightly alkaline or neutral.The site is dug up 2 weeks before planting, organic fertilizer and superphosphate are applied. If necessary, the acidic composition is neutralized with agents containing alkali.
How to plant correctly
Before planting, a fertile mixture is prepared, consisting of a sod layer, compost, sand (in equal parts). For 10 kg of soil add 200 g of mineral fertilizers and 0.5 kg of ash.
Landing weigela Alexander:
- A landing recess is prepared with a depth of 70 cm, a diameter of 50 * 50 cm.
- Gravel of the middle fraction or broken brick is placed on the bottom. The layer must be at least 15 cm.
- The next layer is a nutrient mixture (25 cm).
- The seedling is placed in the center of the pit, covered with the remnants of the prepared soil on top.
- The landing recess is filled to the top with soil.
- The trunk circle is tamped, watered, mulched.
Growing rules
Subject to the recommendations for planting and care, weigela Alexandra retains a decorative appearance throughout the spring-autumn period.
Watering
The frequency of watering depends on the precipitation, if the indicator is normal, the adult weigela Alexander is not watered. In the dry season, the shrub is watered abundantly during bud formation. The following procedure is shown for main flowering. In the fall, water-charging irrigation is carried out. Young seedlings are watered more often, the main task is to prevent the root ball from drying out.
Top dressing
Potash fertilizers are applied to the adult weigel of Alexander every year in early spring, and urea is scattered around the bush. At the beginning of flowering, they are fed with superphosphate. At the end of August, it is watered with a concentrated organic solution. Young seedlings under 3 years old do not fertilize, they have enough nutrients introduced during planting.
Loosening, mulching
A weigela seedling forms a root system in the first two years, at which time the soil should be light, well enriched with oxygen. Loosening of the trunk circle is carried out after each watering, at the same time weeds are removed.
After planting, Alexander's weigela is mulched with sawdust mixed with peat, crushed tree bark or crushed coniferous cones. The covering material retains moisture, protects the root system from overheating, and reduces weed growth. In the fall, the mulch layer is increased with straw or needles, in the spring it is completely renewed. Weigel mulching is carried out throughout the entire biological cycle.
Pruning, crown shaping
The first pruning of Alexander's weigel is carried out in the second year of growth in early spring (before sap flow). Two full-fledged buds are left from the root, the rest of the stems are removed, the length of the shoots will be about 10-15 cm. Over the summer, the weigela from the buds will give young shoots. If the bush is not thick enough, the procedure is repeated the next spring.
For an adult plant, crown molding is done after flowering. The upper part of last year's shoots is removed by 1/3. After 5 years of vegetation, the shrub is rejuvenated, old trunks are cut out near the root, and by autumn the weigela will form a replacement.
Every year in the spring, they carry out cosmetic pruning, remove the weak, frozen over the winter, twisted and dry stems. The bush is thinned out for better air circulation, part of last year's shoots is cut off.
Preparing for winter
Shelter for the winter is necessary for Veigel Alexander until the age of five. Preparatory activities:
- Young seedlings spud.
- Increase the layer of mulch.
- The branches are tied into a bunch.
- They are bent to the ground, fixed.
- Install arcs with a covering material.
- Cover with spruce branches from above.
Pests and diseases
Weigela varieties of Alexandra have an average immunity to infection and pests. With a constantly high soil moisture, signs of rot appear on the root system. Bacterial contamination is eliminated with Topsin; in the spring, for prophylactic purposes, weigela is treated with copper sulfate.Often the plant is affected by rust; Bordeaux liquid is effective in the fight against fungal infection.
The bush is parasitized by:
- Spider mite, he is eliminated by “Keltan.
- Aphid, in the fight against it, "Rogor" is used.
- Thrips and caterpillars liquidate "Nitrofenom" or "Aktara".
In the spring, in order to prevent the bear and the larvae of the May beetle, a solution of "Karbofos" is introduced under the root. Blooming repellent crops are planted near the shrub. For example, calendula, tansy, pelargonium or feverfew. These plants scare away insects with their smell.
Conclusion
Veigela Alexandra is a deciduous ornamental shrub popular with professional designers and amateur gardeners. The culture is used for landscaping parks, backyards or summer cottages. High frost resistance allows you to grow shrubs in the European and Central Russia.
