Description of the aubrieta plant, rules for planting and caring for aubrieta in the open field, recommendations for reproduction, methods of combating diseases and pests, species and varieties.
Aubrieta can be found under the name in accordance with the transliteration in Latin - Aubrieta. This representative of the flora is attributed to the Cabbage family (Brassicaceae), which was called Cruciferous (Cruciferae) a little earlier. The area in nature in which this plant grows stretches from southern European lands, which include Asia Minor and the Balkans, the southern regions of France and Italy to the Middle East (in particular Iran). There are such thickets even on the South American continent, but today aubrieta has firmly won the hearts of flower growers, so it is cultivated almost everywhere. The genus contains 12 species that naturally prefer to settle on the rocky bottom of the coastal slopes.
| Family name | Cabbage |
| Growing period | Perennial |
| Vegetation form | Herbaceous |
| Breeding method | Seed and vegetative (by cuttings or dividing) |
| Landing period in open ground | Seedlings are planted in the second half of May |
| Landing rules | Planting seedlings is carried out at least 5 cm |
| Priming | Scanty, preferably stony, but loose and permeable, with a sufficient amount of peat or ash |
| Soil acidity values, pH | 6-7 (alkaline or neutral) |
| Lighting degree | Well-lit flower bed |
| Humidity parameters | Watering, moderate at the beginning of development, decreasing as it grows, apply sprinkling |
| Special care rules | Avoid waterlogging of the soil |
| Height values | 0.1-0.35 m |
| Inflorescences or type of flowers | Small-flowered racemose inflorescences or single flowers |
| Flower color | Reddish pink, white, blue, crimson and purple |
| Flowering period | From April to early summer, re-blooming possible in autumn |
| Decorative period | Spring-autumn |
| Application in landscape design | Vertical gardening, ground cover for rockeries or rock gardens, cut |
| USDA zone | 4–9 |
The genus of these flowering plants got its name in Latin, thanks to the traveler and naturalist from France Michel Adanson (1727-1806), who decided to name after his colleague the botanist Claude Aubrie (1651-1742), who not only studied flora, but also made beautiful botanical illustrations that are part of the Botanicon Parisiense (collection of works on botany). Here you can hear how the plant is called a windbag.
All types of aubrieta are perennials with evergreen foliage and a herbaceous form of growth. The stems are divided into two types: the first are vegetative, creeping and covering the soil with a green carpet; the second are generative, which in the form of lateral processes tend to rise vertically upward and serve as a place for the formation of flowers and subsequently fruits. Because of such stems, the windblown bush acquires dense oblong outlines. The root system is branched, allowing it to stay on steep rocky river banks.
The height of the stems, which form a dense grass carpet, does not go beyond 10–35 cm, while the width of the bush reaches 50–60 cm. The leaves on the shoots are characterized by a regular arrangement and grow evenly along their entire length. The surface of a small leaf plate is pubescent, which is why the leaf is quite soft to the touch, and its color is bluish-emerald. The foliage can be ovoid, obovate, or elliptical in shape. The edge can be serrated and solid.
When blooming, flowers open, covering almost the entire deciduous mass. The corolla has two pairs of petals, which have a bend at the top, while the rest of them forms a narrowed tube. The color of the petals in them takes on shades of reddish-pink, white, blue, crimson and purple. The diameter of the flower at full disclosure reaches 1 cm. From such small flowers, inflorescences are formed in the form of brushes, the number of buds in which is few or the flowers can grow singly.
The flowering of various types of windbag falls on the period beginning in April and continuing until the beginning of summer, in some cases, when the care was correct, a second wave of flowering is possible in the fall. The flowering process usually takes 35 to 50 days. After flowering, the aubrieta ripens fruits in the form of a swollen pod filled with flattened brown or light brown seeds.
The plant is not capricious and can perfectly cope with summer heat and drought, so it can become a real decoration of the garden.
Aubrieta: planting and care in the open field
- Landing place the windbag should be open and brightly lit, only in this case the formation of a real green carpet, covered with a large number of brightly colored flowers, is possible. In shading, such flowering cannot be achieved, and in full shade the aubriet will not grow at all.
- Aubriet soil should be consistent with her natural preferences, namely low nutritional, preferably stony. But at the same time, its friability and ability to transmit water and air to the root system are important. Therefore, you can plant the plant between stones or concrete slabs. It is also necessary in the substrate the presence of wood ash or peat chips. The acidity of the soil is maintained within 6–7 pH, that is, a slightly alkaline or neutral substrate is preferable. If the soil is heavy on the site, it is recommended to dig it up and mix it with fine gravel before planting the aubrieta. With increased acidity of the soil, liming is performed - slaked lime or dolomite flour is mixed into the substrate.
- Planting aubriets performed from mid-April, but if the region is famous for return frosts, then it is recommended to postpone the planting time to the end of May. The depth of the hole is dug out corresponding to the size of the root system of the windblown, and the width should not be less than twice the width of the container in which the seedling is located. The distance between the plants is kept about 5–10 cm, so that the bushes grow to form a real green rug. If, when growing seedlings, not peat cups or tablets, but plastic or ceramic containers were used, then before transplanting they are immersed in a basin with water and wait until air bubbles begin to form on the surface of the substrate. After that, the seedling is carefully removed from the pot and, without destroying the earthen coma, is placed in the hole. Then the soil around the plant is poured and compressed. Next, you need to mulch with river sand, the layer of which will be 3-5 cm and careful watering using a watering can or a garden hose with a sprinkler nozzle.
- Watering when caring for aubrieta it will not be a problem, since it calmly survives dry summer periods. After the seedlings are planted, the soil should be moistened moderately but regularly. As the plants grow, it is recommended to water the windbag less and less. However, do not bring the soil to dryness. Watering is carried out only in a very dry and hot period, when there is very little rainfall. If their number is normal, then you will not need to shave watering. With frequent and abundant soil moisture, the green mass builds up to the detriment of flowering. The best choice for grooming is to use a sprinkler head. After any rain or watering, it is recommended to loosen the soil surface so that it does not turn into a crust that does not allow air to pass to the roots of the windpipe. In this case, weeding is necessarily performed.
- Fertilizers when caring for a shave, it should be applied during the entire growing season (from early spring to autumn). Usually, for this, sprinkle with a layer of mulch the entire flower bed where the bushes grow. Such a layer can be fine-grained river sand 3-5 cm thick. Mulch the area 2-3 times during the growth activation. Since the plant in nature settles on poor soil, it is possible, before the buds begin to bloom, to fertilize, both in spring and in autumn. For this, complete mineral complexes are used for flowering garden flora representatives, such as, for example, Kemira-Universal, Bona Forte or Fertika. Potash fertilizers can be used. You should not be zealous with top dressing, as this will cause the lush growth of greenery, and the flowering of the aubriet will become very scarce.
- Trimming windbag held in the spring, when the flowering is already fully completed. The stems must be cut to the very surface of the soil. This action will stimulate the growth of young stems with leaves. At the same time, their color will become much more intense. Against such a greenish-gray background, other flowering representatives of the garden will become more profitable until a new wave of blooming of the aubrieta begins.
- Seed collection windbag is performed immediately after the end of spring flowering. But it is important to remember that plants that grow from such seed material may be devoid of all the characteristics of the species or variety of the parent bush. When pruning of shoots is performed in the spring, 2-3 stems with inflorescences are left intact so that they give fruit. When the pods are dark, they are carefully cut. Seeds from the pods are removed and brought indoors to ripen and dry.
- Wintering aubrieta. After the flowering is completed in spring, experts recommend cutting off the entire aerial part of the windblown bush. However, at the end of the second wave of flowering, such an operation is not performed. For the winter period, when caring for a shaved, all shoots and inflorescences are left intact, and they are pruned already with the arrival of spring. Since the plant is frost-resistant, shelter is not required for it. But if the winter months are too harsh, and the amount of snow is not enough, then the windblown bushes may freeze. Therefore, many flower growers organize a kind of shield from a good layer of fallen leaves or coniferous spruce branches. You can use a covering material - lutrasil or spunbond.
- The use of obriety in landscape design. Since the plant has an interesting arrangement of stems, it is used for both vertical and horizontal gardening. In the first case, it is recommended to plant the windbag on the walls of the slopes and stone fences (fences), and in the second, in the voids between stones in rockeries or alpine hills, because of its creeping shoots, it can be used as an ampelous culture. In flower beds, Alyssums and Euphorbia, Caucasian rezuha and irises, soapworms and phloxes can act as the best neighbors for Aubriets. Aubrieta plantings will also look good in mixborders in the form of a green rug dotted with a scattering of pinkish-purple flowers.
See also recommendations for growing alyssum, planting and caring for a personal plot.
Reproduction of obriety: growing from seeds, cuttings, division
To please yourself with the bright and abundant flowering of the windbag, you can sow seed, engage in cuttings or divide the bush. In the first case, there are both seedling and non-seedling methods.
Reproduction of aubriets in a seedling way
To get healthy seedlings by the time of planting in open ground, you need to sow seeds in the last week of February. It is recommended for sowing to use immediately separate containers, which are made from a peat-humus mixture, or to take peat tablets. Such devices will then make it easier to plant the seedlings in the flower bed. The substrate is used for seedlings or peat chips are mixed with river sand. The seeds are spread over the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a 3-5 centimeter layer of sand. Then the sand must be carefully sprayed using a fine spray gun. In order for the seeds to germinate as soon as possible, the containers are covered with plastic transparent film or glass is placed on top.
The containers are placed in a place with good lighting, the temperature during germination is maintained in the range of 18-21 degrees. Periodically, it is recommended to air and spray the soil if it begins to dry out. After 3-4 weeks, when the sprouts of the aubrieta appear, the shelter can be removed. It is required to moisten the seedlings with great care, since the seedlings are very sensitive to fungal diseases. Around April, you can start hardening windblown seedlings. To do this, the seedling containers are taken out into the open air, leaving there for 15–20 minutes. Gradually, the specified time is increased so that it eventually becomes around the clock.
After 7-14 days, you can transplant aubrieta seedlings to a prepared place in the garden, leaving no more than 5 cm between seedlings. Since the root system is very sensitive to any damage, the transplant should be done very carefully - for this, the seeds were sown peat cups, so that later the roots are not injured. Flowering can be enjoyed by such plants with the arrival of next spring.
Reproduction of aubriets by a seedless method
When sowing seed directly on a flower bed, it is important to remember that the variety often splits. Therefore, growing seedlings, it is possible to get all the maternal qualities of the windbag. But still, if this fact does not frighten the grower, then the seeds are sown in mid-late spring, distributed over the surface of the substrate. Before sowing, the soil must be thoroughly moistened and dug onto a shovel bayonet (approximate depth 15 cm), remove any clods and stones, weed roots.
Then the substrate is thoroughly mixed with wood ash, full complex mineral fertilizer (you can take Kemira-Universal) and lime (crushed chalk). Seed material is not required to be sealed, and after distribution on the ground, sprinkle a little with dry river sand. The thickness of such a layer should not exceed 3-5 cm. After that, watering is carried out using a watering can with a sprinkler nozzle.
If the sowing was carried out in the spring, then you can expect the seedlings of the aubrieta after 10-15 days from the moment of sowing, the same ones that were sown before winter (in September), will appear only with the arrival of spring, when the soil warms up enough. Flowering, of course, will have to be expected only next spring.
Reproduction by cuttings
After the pruning operation has been carried out in July, those that will be blanks for cuttings are selected from the remnants of half-ripe stems. The length of such branches will be approximately 10 cm, they should not have inflorescences. Disembarkation is performed immediately after trimming. The blanks are placed in a container filled with a substrate of equal parts of peat and river sand. In order for the cuttings to take root successfully, it is necessary to provide them with greenhouse conditions. To do this, cover the container with cuttings with a plastic bag or place it under a plastic bottle or glass jar. In a plastic container, you can cut off the bottom, this will ensure its stability and easy airing (then the neck is simply unscrewed).
It is recommended to carry out daily airing and soil moistening until August. By the end of summer, roots are formed in the windblown beetles and they can be planted in open ground. However, if the region is famous for harsh and too unpredictable weather conditions (thaws and frosts) in winter, then the transplant should be postponed until spring. The shelter should not be removed before transplanting.
Reproduction by division
Spring or autumn time is suitable for this operation. Since the windbag has a very sensitive root system, transplanting is always a difficult process for it. The aubrieta bush is removed from the soil using a garden pitchfork, then carefully the remains of the soil are removed from the roots and the separation is performed with a sharpened knife. Sections should be immediately sprinkled with crushed charcoal, which can be replaced with activated charcoal. Each of the divisions must have a sufficient number of shoots and roots. The planting of the cut is carried out immediately, preventing the root system from drying out. However, it is important to remember that only some of the divisions will successfully take root, therefore this method is rarely used in autumn.
Read more about how to breed Iberis
Methods for controlling diseases and pests of aubrieta
When caring for a shaved, usually there are no problems and special efforts are not needed here. However, if the rules of agricultural technology are regularly violated, then it will be exposed to diseases and pests. When the soil is constantly flooded, the landing site is chosen with insufficient lighting or it is rainy and cool for a long time, the windbag is amazed powdery mildewwhich is also called linen or ashes.
With this disease, a whitish bloom appears on parts of the bush, as if they were poured with a solution of lime. If the disease develops further, the plaque will acquire a brownish color, the growth of the bush will slow down, the parts damaged by the plaque begin to turn black and gradually die off. In winter, the aubrieta will not be so hardy and may die. To carry out work on the treatment of powdery mildew, it is necessary to process the entire windblown bush with colloidal sulfur, without departing from the manufacturer's instructions. You can also use fungicidal preparations, for example, Fundazol.
Also, a problem with constant waterlogging of the soil can be root rotoften called "Black leg". The disease is of fungal origin and manifests itself due to damage to the root system on the basis of cuttings, this part becomes black. The plant then becomes weak and in this place they simply break, as they simply rot. For treatment, spraying the root system of the bushes with fungicides is recommended - Topaz, Fundazol or Previkor after all parts with a lesion are removed. Then you need to transplant to a new place with disinfected soil. However, if the disease has gone far, then the affected bushes must be removed, and the soil for disinfection should be watered with a strong solution of potassium permanganate.
Among the harmful insects that harm the shave, and even those capable of bringing the bush to death, they distinguish aphids … These small green bugs suck nourishing juices from the leaves and promote the spread of viral diseases that cannot be cured today. Therefore, upon seeing small pests, it is recommended that all bushes be treated immediately with insecticidal preparations. There are a lot of similar funds in flower shops today. The successful drugs are Aktara and Arrivo, Actellic and Karbofos. Spraying should be carried out 2-3 times (sometimes more) in order not only to destroy existing bugs, but also those that have just hatched from the eggs and the clutches themselves. Repeated spraying is performed with a 7-10 day gap.
Read more about dealing with emerging diseases and pests of Arabis
Types and varieties of obriety
Aubrieta deltoidea
occurs under the name Aubrieta deltoid … It is a perennial herbaceous plant. The height of the stems does not exceed 15 cm. They are evenly covered by alternately arranged leaf plates of forward-looking outlines. The color of the foliage is grayish-green due to the presence of pubescence. The edge has 1–2 teeth on each edge.
When blooming, flowers open with lilac, lavender, dark pink or purple-blue petals. From a few buds, inflorescences-brushes are formed. The diameter of an open flower is not more than 1 cm. The first buds open with the arrival of May, flowering stretches for a little more than a month.
The species began to grow as a culture in 1710, while the people call it "lilac bush", "purple rock watercress" or "rainbow rock watercress". In nature, the plant can be found in the southeastern lands of Europe, but it has spread almost all over the world as an ornamental culture. The variety became the basic one in breeding robots, which gave rise to the most famous type of cultural obriety.
There is also a variety Bougainvillea, during flowering of which buds with delicate lilac petals open, while there is an orange central part in the corolla. The height of the stems of this variety reaches 20 cm.
Cultural Aubrieta (Aubrieta x cultorum)
also has a synonym name Aubrieta is hybrid. But this name unites a group of representatives under itself, the height of the stems of which does not exceed 20 cm, capable of surviving the winter period under the snow cover. The leaf plates are small in size, with notches on the edge. The outlines of the leaves are oblong. When blooming, flowers with petals, lilac or crimson color, open. Their diameter is not more than 1 cm. Today, there are varietal forms, not only with a simple corolla structure, but also lush (double) or semi-double. Reproduction can be carried out by seeds, while the parental traits will not be lost. There are varieties that are cultivated as a pot plant. There are also those that behave well in the cut.
The first varieties began to be bred at the end of the 19th century. Today the number of varieties exceeds a hundred. The most popular among florists deserve:
- Cascade Aubrieta represented by a perennial with evergreen foliage that does not change year-round grayish-green hue. All because of the pubescence, which covers not only the leaves, but also the shoots. When blooming, small flowers that had a miniature central part of a bright yellow color scheme, but the color of the petals can take on a blue and turquoise, crimson and pinkish or red tone. Recommended for vertical gardening. Differs in later flowering periods.
- Charming Morocco a plant characterized by lush forms and high decorativeness. The height of the stems varies in the range of 8–10 cm, through which dense clumps are formed. Flowers open up to 1.5 cm in diameter, which distinguishes the variety from others. The petals in the corolla can range from sky blue to pinkish and red. Flowering occurs from late spring to June. It is recommended to grow in an open well-lit place.
- French Riviera (Cote d'Azur) when flowering for two summer months, the bush is completely covered with numerous flowers of a bright shade of the sky. But at the beginning of autumn, a second wave of flowering may come, when the flowers will stand open until the first frost.
- Giant waterfall represented by a variety mixture, including plants with flowers of pink, red, lilac and purple petals. The height of the shoots does not exceed 15 cm, while in spring and summer they are decorated with flowers, the diameter of which does not exceed 1 cm. Differs in winter hardiness.
- Aurea variegata characterized by green shoots forming a compacted bush, while the foliage has a golden spot. Delicate lavender flowers bloom during flowering.
- Blu King or Blue King has rather bright loose inflorescences of a bright blue color.
- Red King or Red King, in which the bush takes the shape of a ball, thanks to densely growing stems with a height of 10-15 cm. At the end of spring, rather large flowers begin to cover them, the diameter of which reaches 5 cm. The color of the petals is of a rich bright red hue.
- Royal Cascade the owner of hanging stems, decorated with small flowers, the corolla of which are petals of a pale pink tone.
- Joy has characteristic ampelous outlines due to hanging shoots, covered entirely with flowers with a magnificent shape and pale pink or lilac petals.
Aubrieta thessala
can be found under the name Greek rock cress. Not as common as the previous ones. When blooming, flowers bloom with bright purple, purplish blue or blue petals. The color of the petals fades slightly towards the base and turns into a bright yellow central part. The foliage of the green color covers the stems, reaching a height of 30 cm. The flowering process occurs in the period from May to June. The plant is distinguished by its high endurance throughout the year.
Aubrieta columnae
distributed over the length of the territory from Italy to Romania, that is, in the Mediterranean lands. Perennial herbaceous species, capable of forming a real dense green carpet through stems and foliage. Because of this, it is suitable for planting in stone gardens and rockeries. Shoots cannot grow more than 10-15 cm. Stems of vegetative type are refined, spread over the soil surface. Flowering shoots grow ascending. The leaf plates are small in size, their outlines are spatulate, there is a narrowing to the base. The edge can be whole-edged or there are 1–3 pairs of denticles on it. The color of the foliage is grayish due to the stellate pubescence.
In the process of flowering, flowers open, the petals in which are measured in the range of 1–1, 8 cm. They are characterized by a sharp narrowing in the marigold. The color of the petals in the corolla takes on a reddish-purple, lilac or lilac-red hue. From the buds, racemose inflorescences are collected, but there are few flowers in them. The flowering process lasts until May-June. After pollination, the shortened pods ripen, characterized by swelling at the places of the seeds. The pods are in the form of an ellipse, they are covered with stellate hairy pubescence, devoid of bristles. The species can withstand frosts down to -23 degrees.
Related article: Tips for growing jaundice
Video about growing aubriets in the garden:
