Content
Astilba America fell in love with many gardeners due to its unpretentiousness, love of shaded areas and ease of maintenance. It is considered an ideal outdoor plant. Easily tolerates frost, blooms profusely and decorates summer cottages.
Astilba can have pink and bright red inflorescences
Description of Astilba Arends America
Astilba "Arends America" refers to perennial plants. It has erect stems that die off in winter. The length of the shoots, depending on the variety, varies from 10 cm to 1.5 meters. The root system continues to develop, despite the winter frosts.
Carved green leaves. In the spring, their edges take on a brown color. The length reaches 40 cm.
Bushes can be compact, but more often take on a spreading shape. Openwork foliage gives a beautiful appearance to astilba "America" even without inflorescences.
Astilba belongs to the shade-tolerant types of plants.
Bushes take root in direct sunlight. In this case, they need frequent watering and spraying.
The plant thrives best in partial shade or in a place with diffused light.
Astilba "America" grows rapidly and forms into a bush. Already in the first year, it can please with flowering.
With the onset of cold weather, Astilba "America" stops blooming, gardeners must cut off flowering shoots in a timely manner. The stems continue to decorate the area with green foliage for a long time.
Some varieties are able to adapt to cold conditions. They can survive in the regions of Siberia and the Urals, where winters are long and harsh.
Astilba "America" tolerates soil freezing down to –22 ˚С, and external frosts down to –36 degrees. It is saved from death by the top layer of snow and mulching after pruning the plant.
Flowering features
Astilba belongs to the herbaceous plants of the Saxifrage family. The flowering period is in the summer months, the plant begins to bloom from late June to mid-August. At the end of the flowering of astilba, a box with seeds is formed.
The inflorescence forms spreading panicles up to 60 cm long, which consist of many small flowers.
Astilba "America" differs in the shape of the inflorescences, there are 4 of them:
- Paniculate shape.
- Drooping.
- Pyramidal.
- Rhombic.
The color of astilba "America" can be light lilac, white, red and pink.
To provide the plant with a presentable appearance and abundant flowering, you need to provide it with proper care:
- Every year, you need to fill up the bare areas of the root system.
- Maintain the required level of moisture in the soil.
- Mulch the soil in a timely manner.
- Top dressing regularly.
Application in design
Astilba "America" is often used to decorate the landscape. Designers prefer her for beauty, endurance and unpretentious care. It can be a decoration for any flower garden.
Astilba gets along well next to other vegetation.
Astilba "America" gets along with conifers (thuja, junipers), it can also exist next to ferns and hosts. The carved green leaves of astilba are beautifully combined with the large foliage of hellebore, cuff, bergenia and rogers. In landscape design, for decoration, it is planted next to lilies, geraniums and daylilies. In the spring garden, it looks great and grows next to snowdrops, lilies of the valley, crocuses and tulips.
Reproduction methods
Gardeners have three methods for plant propagation:
- Seeds... This is not the best way to preserve the characteristics of the variety. For this method, it is enough to sow the seeds in spring or autumn over the ground, there is no need to drop them in. Sprouted sprouts of astilba dive, planted for growing, and then transferred to a permanent place. In winter, they are sheltered.
- Dividing rhizomes... It is considered the most reliable way. Astilba "America" is divided so that each part has at least three buds. The cut is sprinkled with ash, and the sprout is planted in the previously prepared soil.
- Renal renewal... In the spring, during the active period of growth, buds with a small area of tissue are cut from the plant, then planted in prepared greenhouses with a peat-sand mixture. After three weeks, the astilbe "America" takes root. A year later, the first inflorescences appear.
Planting and caring for astilba America
Astilba Arends America does not need much care. It is planted in May or June in a shaded area, some species can take root in a sunny place, but then the flowering period will be reduced.
When choosing planting material, it is worth carefully examining the root system and stems. The roots should not have rotten and dry areas, unsuitable specimens must be cut off. The sprouts released into the ground will take root faster if the buds are small.
Landing Algorithm:
- Prepare a hole no more than 30 cm deep.
- It is fertilized and watered.
- The plant is planted along the upper buds.
- Mulch from above.
A distance of 50-60 cm should be observed between tall varieties, 25-45 cm is enough for undersized species.
For the winter, it is advisable to cover the plant with spruce branches.
When leaving, it is important to follow the basic rules of watering, feeding, mulching and pruning.
Growing features
This flower needs sufficient moisture during any growing season. In dry times, astilba "America" is watered several times a day (morning and evening). It is advisable to do this with settled water.
Particular attention is paid to feeding. In spring, astilba "America" needs nitrogen fertilizers (you can fertilize with humus during hilling). In June, you need to make a top dressing containing potassium. At the end of flowering, the plant needs phosphorus.
Mulching helps to retain moisture and protect against weeds.
Loosening the topsoil prevents the soil from crusting and allows the roots to "breathe". It is necessary to loosen it 2-3 times a season, no deeper than 10 cm.
Preparing for winter
Potash and phosphorus fertilizers in the fall increase the level of frost resistance of the plant. Astilba "America" loves soil with humus, so organic fertilizer can be added before winter. The slow decomposition of the top dressing will allow it to accumulate the necessary elements during flowering, which promotes growth and lush flowering.
In preparation for wintering, the stem is cut almost to the very root.
The land is mulched with foliage with sawdust or peat. Such a shelter helps to survive the frost. In the upper part of the rhizome, new buds will form, which will begin to develop with the arrival of heat. Also, bark, humus can be used as a shelter. The mulch layer depends on the climate of the region and varies within 5-20 cm.
An adult plant with a developed root system is difficult to cover with mulch, so in the fall you need to rejuvenate it by removing unnecessary roots.
Diseases and pests
Astilba "America" is not susceptible to diseases and pests. In case of poor care, it may develop root rot, bacterial spotting or phytoplasma disease of viral etiology.
Bacterial spot disease is characterized by the appearance of dark spots on the foliage, which provoke the wilting of astilba.
As parasitic pests, one can distinguish: gall and strawberry nematodes, slobbering pennies and small cicadas.
Conclusion
Astilba America is a versatile plant that will harmoniously fit into any landscape design. A non-capricious flower requires minimal maintenance, which guarantees rapid growth and abundant flowering.
Testimonials
