Description, we grow an astilba plant in the open field, how to reproduce, fight against possible diseases and pests, use the plant, species and varieties. Astilbe (Astilbe) is found under the name Astilbe, is part of the Saxifragaceae family, which unites dicotyledonous representatives of the flora. In natural conditions, plants from this genus are found in East Asia, in the Japanese lands and the North American continent. Even in Russia, namely in the Far East and the island of Kunashir, two varieties of astilbe grow. They mainly prefer broadleaf forests, land on the damp banks of small river arteries, or in areas where the soil is swamp and remains moist throughout the hot summer days. In the genus scientists, there are up to 40 varieties and more than 400 varietal variations.
| Family name | Saxifrage |
| Life cycle | Perennial |
| Growth features | Herbaceous |
| Reproduction | Seed and vegetative (renewal buds or dividing the bush) |
| Landing period in open ground | Delenki, planted in spring or autumn, seedlings in spring |
| Disembarkation scheme | At a distance of 50 cm from each other tall varieties, for undersized about 30 cm |
| Substrate | Any wet soil |
| Illumination | Shaded flower beds |
| Moisture indicators | Moisture-loving |
| Special Requirements | Unpretentious |
| Plant height | 0.08–2 m |
| Color of flowers | Snow white, pink, lilac, lilac, red, purple |
| Type of flowers, inflorescences | Panicle |
| Flowering time | June August |
| Decorative time | Spring-summer |
| Place of application | Semi-shady mixborders, rocky slides, ridges along lawns, coastal areas of reservoirs |
| USDA zone | 4, 5, 6 |
The name of this representative of the green world was obtained by combining a pair of words: "a" and "stilbe", which translates as "without" and "shine", respectively. Another botanist from Scotland, Lord Hamilton, noted when describing the characteristic differences of the plant that the inflorescences and foliage are devoid of shine. In our country, astilbe is found under the names "false spirea" or "false goat-bearer". Occasionally, you can hear Astilbe pronounced in accordance with transliteration.
All these astilbe are perennials, herbaceous plants, and in the winter period their aboveground part usually dies off. The woody rhizome, depending on the variety, is dense or takes on a loose shape. At the top of the rhizome, new buds are formed every year, and the lower part gradually begins to die off. Annual growth in the vertical plane can reach 3-5 cm, so it is recommended, when growing in the garden, to sprinkle with fertile soil that part of the rhizome that appears above the soil surface and remains exposed.
The stem grows erect, but its height parameters directly depend on the species, they can vary in the range from 8 cm to 2 m. There are quite a lot of leaf plates in the root zone, all of them have elongated petioles. The shape of the leaf occasionally takes on simple outlines, usually it is double- or thrice-pinnate. The color of the leaves is dark emerald, bronze or reddish-green. There is a serration along the edge.
The flowering process takes place throughout the summer. Small flowers gather in panicle inflorescences, which differ in different lengths and crown the tops of the stems. Their petals are painted with snow-white, pink, red, purple or crimson colors. The length of the inflorescences can vary from 10 cm to 60 cm, while their outlines are not only panicle, but can take a diamond-shaped or even pyramidal shape. Depending on the flowering time, Astilbe is usually divided into: early (June, first days of July), middle (mid-summer) and late (August).
After pollination, the fruits that look like a box ripen. At the same time, it is filled with very small seeds - so, just 1 gram contains up to 20 thousand seeds.
Growing astilba: planting and care in the open field
- Choosing a landing site. This herbaceous plant is distinguished by its love for shady places, therefore, when choosing a flower bed, it is necessary that it be with an openwork shadow. Only then will growth and flowering be good and long lasting.
- Landing astilba. If the variety has high shoots, then the distance between the seedlings is maintained up to half a meter, they try to leave 30 cm between the undersized varieties. The soil is dug up before planting in open ground, the roots of weeds are removed, and fertilizers are applied. The substrate can be anything but moist. Since in one place astilbe bushes can grow up to 5 years, but then they grow, it is recommended to carry out rejuvenation. Often, the bush is not even completely dug up, but simply divided and the delenki are planted on another flower bed. The cuts on the mother bush are sprinkled with wood ash, and fresh soil is poured into the empty space.
- Watering. The plant is very fond of moist soil, therefore it is recommended to ensure that the earth does not dry out, therefore regular watering is needed for astilba. Only mulching can provide some protection against the rapid drying of the substrate. The amount and frequency of humidification directly depends on the variety and variety of plants, but they will always vary from medium to abundant. If the formation of inflorescences has begun, then in this case watering is carried out systematically and quite abundantly. When there is no rainfall for a long time in the summer, then humidification will need to be carried out twice a day. They try to coincide with the morning and evening hours.
- Fertilizer Astilbe. Since the planting site may not change for a long time, it is necessary to regularly feed the plant when grown in the open field and then, according to some reports, the bushes can grow without transplanting for up to 20 years. It is important not to disturb the next fertilization plan. In the spring, nitrogen-containing preparations are added to the soil, usually humus is taken during hilling. In mid-June, it is recommended to use potash products on the basis that 1 bush needs half a liter of solution. It is prepared from 2 tablespoons of saltpeter dissolved in 10 liters of water. When the flowering process comes to an end, it is necessary to use phosphorus-containing dressings (superphosphates). So for 1 bush of astilbe there is 20 grams of the drug. After fertilization has been carried out, the soil under the bush will need to be mulched.
- General advice on care. The main aspect is mulching, using bark, chopped straw, fine expanded clay or pebbles, sawdust and similar materials. This will protect the bushes in winter not only from frost, but will also ensure the preservation of moisture and looseness of the soil, and will also protect them from overheating in the summer. Since the rhizome has the property of growing upward, its lower part will gradually die off, but the top will appear above the soil and then Astilbe will not be able to receive a sufficient amount of nutrients, therefore, hilling should be carried out regularly.
- Application in landscape design. Astilba looks good in mixborders in the shade, rocky hills and ridges located along the lawns. You can use it to plant greenery on the shores of reservoirs.
Reproduction of astilba
Seed and vegetative methods are usually distinguished for growing a new Astilbe plant.
Dividing an overgrown bush is the most common breeding method. The best time will be March, then by the autumn days it will be possible to admire the flowering. It will be necessary to remove the bush from the soil, then all its foliage is cut and divided into parts, each of which will have 3-5 buds. The rhizome, which has already died out, must be removed. Astilbe delenki are planted at a distance of 30 cm from each other. Watering is necessary daily until the plants take root.
The method in which kidney renewal is used is the fastest in this case. On spring days, as soon as shoots begin to grow or young buds appear, then you need to carefully cut them off, grabbing pieces of the rhizome. All "wounds" of the cuts, both on the handle and on the mother bush, will need to be sprinkled with ash for disinfection. Such pieces of astilba must be planted in a substrate mixed of peat and gravel in a ratio of 3: 1. Then the seedlings are covered with transparent plastic wrap. When autumn comes, it will be very possible to "transfer" the seedlings to the chosen place in the garden, or to engage in planting already with the arrival of spring next year.
It is customary to grow basic Astilbe species from seed, since varietal or hybrid ones will not be able to maintain their characteristics when using this method. But if a high-quality seed is purchased, then such reproduction is quite possible. A peat-sand substrate is placed in the seedling box, it is well moistened from a spray bottle. Seeds are spread on the soil surface without covering.
If it is necessary to stimulate their germination, then stratification is recommended. Seeds should be placed in cool conditions, where temperatures will range from -4 to 4 degrees. When 20 days have passed, they are moved to a warm room, in which the thermometer will not go beyond the range of 18-22 units of heat. When the seedlings are already growing up in the spring, you can not be afraid to transfer them to the beds, providing them with shading at first.
Fight against possible diseases and pests of astilba
Among all the pests that annoy Astilbe bushes, nematodes (gall and strawberry) are distinguished, and the attacks of the slobbering penny are also a problem. At the same time, the last pest prefers to settle in the leaf sinuses; over time, the foliage wrinkles and turns yellow. Therefore, it is recommended to carry out spraying with insecticidal, such as Karbofos, Aktara or Aktellik.
When affected by nematodes, the growth of the bushes slows down, flowering becomes scarce and, as a result, the plant may die. As a control, treatment with fungicides is used (for example, Fitoverm), it is also necessary to remove weeds in a timely manner. However, it is not always possible to save the affected bushes, so if pests are found, it is better to dig them up and burn them.
The use of astilba
This plant with panicle inflorescences was brought to the territory of European countries in the period from the end of the 18th century or in the early years of the 19th century. He was brought from Japan by the famous "hunters" for extraordinary flora specimens von Siebold and Karl Thunberg. Since then, Astilbe has become so fond of gardeners for its stamina and shade tolerance that its popularity still does not subside. A few years later, the French botanist Emile Lemoine, who was engaged in work in the field of selection, turned his attention to this plant. It was he who bred such varietal forms of astilba, which differed from the base species in the colors of the inflorescences and their sizes.
His developments inspired the botanist from Germany G. Arehde, who began not only to study the plant, but to engage in its selection. It was this scientist who managed to breed Astilbe, which has inflorescences consisting of pink and bright red flowers. By the middle of the 20th century, Arenda had received up to 84 varietal varieties, which, even years later, remain unsurpassed in beauty.
There are species that have long been familiar to folk healers. So, for example, Astilba Chinese is not on the pharmacopoeial list of the Russian Federation and is not a recognized medicinal plant, but it is used by Chinese healers for the ability to lower fever and resist inflammatory processes in the human body. It can have an antitussive and tonic effect (decoctions are prepared using herb).
It is recommended to use Astilbe leaves and rhizomes for such medicinal products. If an oil tincture was prepared on their basis, then it was recommended as an external wound-healing agent.
Even in ancient times, Chinese astilba was used for cosmetic purposes, since a decoction of herbs and rhizomes was prescribed to wash problem skin in order to get rid of inflammatory processes.
However, there are no exact data on the side effects and contraindications to the use of drugs made on the basis of this plant, so you should not use such drugs during pregnancy if a woman is breastfeeding or offering them to children.
Description of species and varieties, photo of astilbe
Astilbe davidii. The plant has a bush of spreading outlines, which can reach 1.5 m in height. The leaf plates are complex outlines, their surface is wrinkled, painted in a light green color, the veins have a brown tone. The axis of the inflorescences is pubescent, the petals of the flowers are pinkish-lilac. The flowering process is observed all summer.
Astilbe naked (Astilbe glaberrima) can reach a height of only 12 cm with its shoots, while the diameter of the bush is 15 cm. The shade of the foliage is bronze. The plant blooms from June to the end of July.
Chinese Astilbe (Astilbe chinensis). It is a perennial plant that reaches 1–1.1 m in height. The leaf plates in the root zone are distinguished by elongated petioles and large sizes, other leaves have short petioles. The outlines of the last leaves are openwork, the surface of the leaflets is glossy, there is pubescence of reddish hairs. Inflorescences vary in length from 30–35 cm. Small flowers with petals of lilac, pinkish or white color are combined into inflorescences. The flowering process will last for the whole summer. In culture, this variety has been cultivated since the middle of the 19th century (from about 1859). Brought out forms with small sizes, the height of which does not exceed 15-25 cm - var. pumila hort. There are also plants with a cone-shaped inflorescence - var. Taquetii.
Such representatives of the genus are distinguished by their ability to grow and bloom beautifully in areas in the garden that are in direct sunlight. The most popular varieties are:
- Astilbe chinensis taquetii "Purpurlanze" inflorescences of an unusually bright lilac color scheme;
- Astilbe chinensis "Vision in Pink" the plant is decorated with pink flowers;
- Astilbe chinensis (Pumila Hybrida) "Vision in Red" blooms with dark crimson inflorescences.
Japanese Astilbe (Astilbe japonica). It takes the shape of a bush, and its branches can reach a height of 70–80 cm. The leaves of this species are distinguished by ornamentation. They have a feathery shape and a bright green color, the surface of the leaflets is glossy. When flowering, paniculate or diamond-shaped inflorescences are formed. Their length is about 30 cm. They are collected from small flowers of snow-white or pink tones. There is a pleasant aroma. Flowering occurs in mid-summer, sometimes even earlier. At the same time, even when dry, the inflorescences serve as an excellent decoration and can hold out without changing decorativeness until November.
In culture since 1837. The first varieties were bred by G. Arends. Modern varietal varieties are frost-resistant and have an excellent survival rate. The following varieties are distinguished:
- Deutschland (Astilbe japonica Deutschland) bush with white flowers.
- Rhineland (Astilbe japonica Rheinland) flower petals of a beautiful pink color scheme.
- Europe (Astilbe japonica Europe) it is distinguished by its elegant outlines and inflorescences of a delicate lilac shade.
- Montgomery (Astilbe japonica Montgomery) in fluffy panicle inflorescences, the color can be burgundy or deep red.
