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Astilbe Sister Teresa is a plant that is often used to decorate the area in front of a house or garden. It has a long flowering period, and even when not blooming, it looks great in landscape design.
Description of astilbe Sister Teresa
The variety "Sister Teresa" belongs to the perennial plants of the genus Astilbe. The name of the flower itself literally translates as “without shine.” It is believed that it received this name due to the matte color of the leaves.
Astilbe Arends blooms in July-August
Astilbe Arends Sister Theresa has a smooth, straight stem, the height of which can reach 50-60 cm. Its leaves are long-petiolate with jagged edges. Their color changes throughout the season from dark green to a lighter shade.
The “Sister Teresa” variety is unpretentious and takes root well in a new place. If you plant a plant in the spring, in the fall it will delight the gardener with lush flowering.
Astilbe feels equally good in both open sunny and shaded areas. In the shade, “Sister Teresa” appears more spreading. On average, the width of one bush is 60-65 cm.
As for the regions for cultivation, there are no special conditions here - astilbe can be found in Europe, Asia, and North America.
The flower tolerates cold well and winters successfully in open ground. With the onset of frost, its above-ground part dies off.
Features of flowering
Astilbe "Sister Teresa" is a medium-flowering variety. It blooms in the first half of July and blooms for 2-3 weeks.
Its flowers are small and pale pink. They form dense diamond-shaped panicle inflorescences up to 30 cm high and 15-20 cm wide.
The inflorescence of astilbe consists of small flowers
Longer and more abundant flowering is observed in specimens that are located in shaded areas, sheltered from direct sunlight.
Application in design
Astilbe fits perfectly into any garden plot and is combined with almost all plants.
They can be placed in groups next to bushes to form hedges, paths and artificial ponds.
Astilbe is great for decorating paths
Astilbe “Sister Teresa” is often combined with irises, hostas and daylilies. Together they form beautiful flower beds that look attractive even between flowering periods due to the dense foliage.
When combined with other tall flowers, lush compositions are obtained.
Another method of application is zoning flower beds into several areas to create flower arrangements. In this design, roses, tulips or hydrangeas would be suitable neighbors for astilbe.
Astilbe looks beautiful among the abundance of green foliage
The combination of single astilbes with coniferous shrubs or trees also looks beautiful.
Excellent neighbors for astilbe are juniper and other evergreen shrubs.
The “Sister Teresa” variety is perfect for landscaping and can be combined with almost any plant.
Reproduction methods
There are 3 main methods of propagating Astilbe Arends Sister Teresa:
- Dividing the bush – the plant is dug up, the leaves are removed and cuttings are prepared with 3-4 buds and a rhizome of about 5 cm (the dead parts are cut off). Division can be done at almost any time, but the most optimal would be early spring - under such conditions, the first flowers will appear on the astilbe in the fall. The cuttings are planted at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other and watered abundantly every day for 1.5-2 weeks.
- Seeds - This is a labor-intensive method, used mainly for breeding purposes. The difficulty lies in the fact that with such propagation there is a partial loss of the characteristics of the “Sister Teresa” variety. Ripe seeds are collected from inflorescences in early autumn and planted in a mixture of peat and sand (3:1) in spring. They sprout within a month, and the first leaves appear only a year after planting. Such astilbes begin to bloom after three years.
- Kidneys – at the end of March-beginning of April, part of the rhizome with a new bud is cut off and planted in a greenhouse in a mixture of peat and sand (3:1), which is poured onto ordinary soil in a layer of 5-6 cm. The astilbe is transplanted into open ground next spring, and already By autumn it begins to bloom.
The easiest way to get several flowering plants at a time is the first one - dividing the bush.
Landing algorithm
The right time for planting is April-May, when smooth, warm weather has already established itself.
Astilbe seedlings must be free of visible defects, have at least 2-3 buds and a rhizome about 5 cm long without rotten or dead parts.
When choosing a planting site, it should be borne in mind that the “Sister Teresa” variety, although it can grow in any soil, feels best in loamy soil. An area located near a pond or shaded by bushes or trees is suitable.
Astilbe should not be planted too deep
Planting consists of the following stages:
- Holes are made in pre-dug soil at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. The depth depends on the specific seedling - the rhizome must fit freely.Advice! You can put humus and ash with bone meal at the bottom of the hole to feed the astilbe and also retain moisture in the soil.
- Cover the seedlings with soil, preventing the growing point from falling asleep.
- Mulch the soil around the bush with sawdust or peat.
- Water every day for 1.5-2 weeks.
If all necessary conditions are met, astilbe planted during this period will already bloom by autumn.
Aftercare
The “Sister Teresa” variety is very easy to care for. To get a beautiful flowering specimen, gardeners will need to put in very little effort.
Caring for astilbe includes:
- watering – frequency and volumes depend on weather conditions. In hot weather and in the absence of precipitation, daily watering is required, but water should not accumulate;
- feeding – in the spring it will not be amiss to support the growth of the plant with nitrogen supplements and organic fertilizers.In autumn, potassium-phosphorus compounds will be useful;
- mulching - an important procedure, since the astilbe rhizome constantly grows and eventually ends up in the upper layers of the soil. Mulching with compost early in the season helps retain nutrients and moisture;
- loosening – helps enrich the soil with oxygen and also gets rid of weeds;
- transfer – the “Sister Teresa” variety is recommended to be replanted every 5-6 years. But with proper care, it can live in one place for up to 20-25 years.
Care consists of regular watering and timely hilling
Preparing for winter
Astilbe "Sister Teresa" is famous for its high frost resistance. But some preparation for the cold season is still necessary.
In order for the planted plant to survive the winter well, it is better not to let it bloom in the first year - the flower stalks should be removed before the formation of buds.
In the fall, astilbe is cut to soil level and fed with potassium-phosphorus mineral supplements, which will help the roots survive the winter. Then cover with natural mulch - spruce branches or pine needles. This will help protect the rhizomes from temperature changes.
The spruce branches protect the rhizomes from temperature changes
Diseases and pests
Astilbe "Sister Teresa" is highly resistant to various diseases and dangerous pests. However, some of them can cause considerable damage to the plant:
- strawberry nematode - a parasite that lives on leaves and flowers. External signs of its presence are the curling of leaves and the appearance of brown and yellow spots on them. The infected plant stops growing and gradually dries out. It is impossible to get rid of the pest, so the diseased astilbe is removed and burned;
- root-knot nematode – affects the roots of the flower.Looks like small growths. Affected astilbe stops blooming and developing. To prevent the spread of the parasite, the diseased plant is weeded out and burned, and the area is treated with fungicides;
- root rot or fusarium - a disease that affects the roots and leaves of astilbe. The plant becomes covered with a white-gray coating, begins to turn yellow and dry out, and the roots rot. The cause may be excess moisture. At the first signs of damage, treatment with Fundazol should be carried out;
- spotted mosaic - a virus that appears as dark spots along the edges of leaves. Astilbe "Sister Teresa" dries quickly and may die. Viruses cannot be treated with chemicals, so the infected flower should be destroyed.
Conclusion
Astilbe Sister Teresa is an unpretentious, luxuriantly growing flower. It fits perfectly into any landscape design and harmoniously combines with most garden plants. Astilbe does not require special care and tolerates winter well in open ground.
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