Content
- 1 General description of Chinese astilba
- 2 The best varieties of Chinese astilba
- 3 The use of Chinese astilba in design
- 4 Features of planting and care
- 5 Pests and diseases
- 6 Conclusion
Astilba Chinese is a common culture often found among novice gardeners. The plant is grown in gardens, summer cottages, and is used in landscape design. The culture is unpretentious, but has a very effective appearance.
General description of Chinese astilba
Chinese Astilba is a perennial with late flowering periods. The plant is intended for open ground, has a strong root system.
The height of the shoots of various varieties varies from 0.3 to 1.5 m. The leaf plates are characterized by a complex structure and openwork. The color scheme is different: there are representatives of a bright green color, and there are varieties whose leaves are of an emerald hue. At the roots, the leaf plates are larger in comparison with the stem ones.
The Chinese astilba is characterized by very dense inflorescences, the length of which ranges from 20 to 35 cm. In shape, they are candle-shaped or diamond-shaped, but slightly elongated.
From the photo, you can evaluate the color range of Chinese astilba: perennial inflorescences can be lilac, white or pink.
The culture is characterized by rapid growth, so you can often observe a "carpet" of flowers in gardens
Perennial grows well in sunny or slightly shaded areas. Many varieties are characterized by resistance to drought, despite the love of moisture.
Chinese astilba is known among gardeners and as a honey plant, so it is preferred to plant it near apiaries. The plant is used as a seasoning, medicine.
The best varieties of Chinese astilba
The herbaceous plant has various hybrids that differ from each other not only in the duration of flowering, but also in the color of the foliage and petals.
Early flowering, medium flowering and late flowering varieties are distinguished. The principles of planting and caring for them are similar.
Purple Rain
The perennial is compact, has a pyramidal shape. Its height is 60 cm. The sheet plates are complex in structure, dark green in color, with a glossy surface.
The inflorescences are powerful, purple-lilac in color. Buds are formed in June-July. Inflorescence length 20 cm. Chinese Astilba Pearl Rhine can withstand low temperatures down to -35 ° C.
The variety prefers partial shade, so it must be placed on the north side of buildings, near water bodies where there is high humidity
Dauria
The height of the shrub reaches 100 cm. Leaf plates with a complex structure: tripartite, with a shiny surface.
The flowers are small, collected in dense inflorescences, reaching 35 cm in length. The color is varied: the formation of lilac or pink, less often white buds is possible. They appear in June-July.
The variety grows well on loamy soils, is able to maintain vital activity for up to 15 years, without requiring a transplant. And although it adapts well to adverse conditions, it is less drought tolerant than other varieties of culture.
In gardens, gardeners prefer to grow the Dauria variety in partial shade so that the buds do not prematurely lose their color brightness
Superba
The bush of the variety is sprawling, reaches a diameter and height of 1 m. The leaves are green, with a glossy surface. The flowers are small, mauve, collected in inflorescences of an elongated panicle. Buds form in August and wither in mid-September.
The Chinese astilba Superba thrives in the sun, but needs shelter in the midday heat. The plant loves moisture, tolerates frosts well down to -34 ° C.
Landscape designers prefer to decorate with astilba Chinese mixborders, flower beds and the banks of water bodies.
Pumila
A perennial is a ground cover plant, reaching a height of 30-35 cm.The variety forms many stolons, whose length varies from 15 to 20 cm.
The leaf plates form rosettes, 10-15 cm high, from the center of which flower stalks rise in the form of panicles, 15-18 cm long. The buds of the Chinese Pumila astilbe are pale pink in color, with slight pubescence, lilac hue. Flowers smell nice, appear in August, and wither only in November.
The variety grows rapidly, in two seasons it can occupy an area of up to 1 m2
Purpurkerze
The variety of Chinese astilba is a late-flowering variety: the buds form from July to September. Inflorescences in the form of panicles, dense and fluffy, purple-violet hue. The buds are very fragrant.
The leaf plates are rigid, with jagged edges, green in color with a bronze tint. The height of the astilba of the Chinese Purpurkertse is 45 cm, and during flowering it increases to 130 cm, so the variety is considered one of the highest.
Daylily, phlox and bergenia are ideal companions for the variety.
Milk and honey
Perennial reaches 40 cm in height, has leathery large green leaves with a bronze tint. They darken over time.
The flowers are small, they are distinguished by a pleasant greenish-white color with a pink tint, collected in large and fluffy panicles. Astilba Chinese Milk and Hani buds form from July to August.
Plants that gardeners grow on semi-shady, well-moisturized and fertile soils have the most spectacular appearance.
Vision Series
These varieties of astilba are known for their very beautiful, unusual color, inflorescences. Perennials of the Vision series grow well in sunny places, love moisture, and are resistant to winter frosts. Plants are preferred to be used to decorate borders and flower beds.
Visions in Red
The variety is undersized, its height does not exceed 50 cm: about 30 cm is occupied by the green part of the plant, and peduncles rise on the remaining 10-20 cm. Shoots are straight and dense, in structure, leaf plates are pinnate, oval in shape with serrated edges.
The buds are tied from July to August, collected in inflorescences, similar in shape to a diamond. The color of the petals is deep reddish purple. Fully opened buds in lighter colors.
The variety is resistant to direct sunlight and insufficient watering, but this affects its appearance: it is recommended to place the shrub in partial shade
Vision in White
The hybrid perennial reaches 40-70 cm in height. Astilba Chinese White is compact: its diameter does not exceed 30 cm. The leaf plates are densely dissected, the surface is glossy. The color of the leaves is rich, dark green, with bronze at the edges.
Inflorescences are dense, paniculate, white. The buds form in July and wither in August. Astilba Chinese Vision in White loves moisture and partial shade, but is able to survive in dry periods. The plant can withstand frosts down to -34 ° C.
This variety of Chinese astilba is preferred to be used as a decoration for flower beds and flower beds on the borders, placing shrubs in the foreground.
Visions in Pink
The variety was obtained in Holland. The plant is not tall: the length of the shoots does not exceed 35 cm, and together with the peduncles 50 cm. The leaf plates are roughly textured, with a glossy surface, an unusual blue-green shade with pubescence.
Peduncles are dense, highly branched, light pink in color. Flowering lasts 1 month, begins in July.
Hardy perennials are well combined with the variety, the plant is ideal for cutting, drawing up flower arrangements
Visions Inferno
Shrub with a spreading crown, grows up to 0.5-0.6 m in height. The foliage is decorative, juicy green, with subulate-toothed edges.
The flowers are small, painted in a pale white shade with a pink undertone, collected in panicles. The buds have a pleasant aroma. You can watch the flowering from July to August.
Chinese astilbe is used for both single and group compositions, placing a flower in flower beds and mixborders, as well as making flower bouquets from buds
Cappuccino
The variety among other types of Chinese astilba was recently obtained, characterized by beautiful openwork foliage, dark green, almost brown in some specimens. The stems are colored chocolate. The bush is compact: up to 40-50 cm in height.
Inflorescences of a pale white hue, appear in June, wither in July. The panicles give off a pleasant honey scent that attracts insects.
If the Chinese astilba is planted in full shade, then flowering will not start or it will be very scarce.
Hip Hop
This variety of Chinese astilba is popular among gardeners for the duration of flowering: the buds form in early July and wither in August. The inflorescences are diamond-shaped in shape, each up to 25 cm long. Flowers of an unusual shade: pink with red stamens.
The shrub grows up to 65 cm in length, compact, has a pyramidal shape. The leaf plates are openwork, slightly reddish in spring, but gradually turn greenish-yellow.
The variety is undemanding, prefers slightly acidic soil, shaded areas and moisture
Heart and Soul
The variety is medium-sized: the height of the shrub is up to 60 cm. The stems are strong, the leaf plates are dark green in color, with a shiny surface. Lavender pink buds form dense and fluffy panicles. Bloom from June to July.
The variety does not tolerate dry air, so the best option for its placement is a thin shade near water bodies.
Veronica Klose
The height of the Chinese astilbe is 45-60 cm. The leaf plates are green. Inflorescences are paniculate, pink in color with a lilac undertone. Buds appear in July and wither in August.
The shrub is picky about lighting: it grows in partial shade or with shade in the midday heat. Chinese astilbe grows well near water bodies.
The variety is used to create flower arrangements in flower beds and mixborders, decorate borders
Mighty Chocolate Cherry
The Chinese astilbe is tall: the foliage is 70 cm long, and the peduncles are 120 cm. The bush spreads 1-1.2 m in diameter. The leaf plates are dark green with reddish brown, pinnate, with jagged edges.
Unusual cherry-colored panicles appear in August and wither in September. The frost resistance of the Chinese astilbe is high: up to - 34 ° С.
It takes 3-4 years for the culture to grow, after which the perennial begins to resemble a full-fledged shrub
Black Pearls
A perennial ground cover, its height does not exceed 60 cm. In comparison with other varieties of Chinese astilbe, Black Pearls has the darkest green leaf plates.
Inflorescences in the form of panicles give the shrub decorativeness: the buds have a rich purple color. Flowering lasts August and September.
Chinese astilbe grows well in semi-shaded and humid places, therefore beautiful flower stalks are formed when planting a culture on the banks of water bodies
Color Flash
The herbaceous plant reaches a length of 60 cm, and up to 40 cm in diameter. The stems of the Chinese astilbe are round, very strong, and do not need supports. Perimeter jagged sheet plates with a glossy finish.
A feature of the variety is the ability to change color during the season: in the spring the leaves are green, but gradually turn purple, and in the autumn months they are red with a brown undertone. Inflorescences are slightly drooping, collected from small pinkish or white buds. Bloom lasts from July to August.
The high decorativeness of the shrub allows the use of a perennial in landscape designs throughout the season.
Glitter and Glamor
Perennial grows up to 80 cm, is distinguished by dark green leafy plates and strong shoots. Inflorescences in the form of fluffy, light pink panicles with red stamens. Buds form in August, wither in September.
The culture is hygrophilous, withstands frosts down to - 23 ° C. The plant prefers partial shade.
The shrub is compact, does not require pruning and construction of a shelter for the winter
The use of Chinese astilba in design
Culture is used by landscape designers as a way to decorate a garden or plot. Not only flowers are decorative, but also leaves.
It is recommended to plant hosta, primrose or iris as neighbors nearby. It is undesirable to grow large trees near these representatives of saxifrage.
In order for the garden to please with a variety of flowers throughout the season, it is recommended to plant varieties with different flowering periods on the site, placing shorter crops in the foreground
To create spring gardens, it is recommended to place tulips and lilies of the valley, mountain goat weed next to shrubs. In the first rows, a place should be given to undersized varieties of Chinese astilba.
Often a perennial is used to create an artificial swamp as a landscaping plant, it decorates the plant well with borders
Features of planting and care
Chinese astilbe are unpretentious to care for. If the planting is carried out correctly, then the plant will only need to be watered, loosened on time, and preventive measures against diseases and pests should be carried out.
The optimal location for the shrub is partial shade. The soil should be fertile, well-permeable.
The planting algorithm is simple: dig a hole so that the root system is placed freely, lay out a drainage layer of rubble and sand, place the seedling in the hole and sprinkle it with earth. It is recommended to compact the soil around the trunk and water it abundantly. If the soil is infertile, it is recommended to add complex flower fertilizers to the planting pit.
In order for Chinese astilbe to grow quickly and have a strong immunity, it is necessary to maintain soil moisture. It is recommended to use complex organic fertilizing. To do this, in the second year after planting, peat-compost soil should be distributed along the near-trunk circle.
Chinese astilba is frost-resistant, so it does not need shelter, but spring frosts can damage the shoots, so it is recommended to cover them with a cloth or needles
Pests and diseases
The culture has a strong immune system, so it is rarely exposed to diseases and attack by harmful insects. If the rules of care are violated, immunity decreases, and bacteria are activated, harming the plant.
Diseases and pests of Chinese astilba:
- slobbering penny;
The pest lives in the axil of the leaflet, sucks the juice out of it, which leads to the appearance of yellow spots on the leaf plates
- nematodes;
Worms infect leaf plates and buds, as a result of which they change color to brown, deform and fall off, the plant slowly dies
- root rot;
The disease is more often detected when the soil is waterlogged, characterized by brown spots along the edges of the leaves, gradually the shoots curl and dry out
- bacterial spot.
Black spots spread along the leaf plates during infection, Chinese astilbe gradually weakens and dies
As a remedy for the slobbery penny and root rot, the shrub should be irrigated with Aktara or Rotor. When nematodes or other viral infections appear, treatment is impossible; Chinese astilba should be destroyed. Copper solution helps with bacterial spotting.
Conclusion
Chinese Astilba is a beautiful and unpretentious perennial. The variety of varieties allows you to choose the optimal hybrid for the site. The shrub is frost-hardy, loves partial shade and moisture and, when optimal conditions are created, pleases with abundant flowering.
