Lovely kolkvitsia: photos and descriptions of varieties, reviews, frost resistance

Kolkvitsia charming is a deciduous ornamental shrub that is valued for its beautiful spring appearance during the flowering period. Its main advantage is that, blooming in July, it creates a unique decor for a garden or personal plot at a time when other plants have already faded. The culture looks great as a tapeworm and as an element of landscape composition.

Description of the flowering shrub Kolkvitsia

Kolkwitzia amabilis is a monoecious (which bears flowers of both sexes) deciduous shrub of the Honeysuckle family.The homeland of the plant is Western China. It was brought to Europe more than 100 years ago, but is not yet widely used in landscape design. One of the names of the plant is Pleasant Colquitia.

Main species characteristics:

1. A multi-stemmed shrub with a spherical crown and abundant basal shoots. Its height is up to 3 m, width - up to 4 m. A cultivated plant can be more compact - 1.5 - 2 m.
2. At first, the straight branches, growing, bend in the form of an arch, bending to the ground under the weight of the flowers.
3. The bark of the shoots of the lovely kolkvitia is thin, reddish-brown and peels off in plates.
   
4. The wide leaves are oval in shape, pointed towards the top. They are located opposite. Their length is 3 - 7 cm. Their edges are shaggy. The upper part of the leaves are dark green in color, becoming lighter towards the base. In autumn they turn bright yellow and red.
   
5. The flowers, approximately 1.5 cm in size, have a light aroma, are collected in corymbose inflorescences and are located at the ends of the shoots. Their shape is bell-shaped, five-lobed. The color of the lovely colquitia flower is light pink with a lilac tint, and there is an orange pattern inside the throat. Pedicels are drooping.
   
6. Single-seeded fruits ripen in autumn. They are dry, covered with bristles and look like a brown box. They produce seeds that have poor germination.

This description and specific features of the lovely kolkvitia are detailed in the photo:

The shrub grows well and blooms profusely in any garden soil. An illuminated sunny place is preferable for it; the culture does well in partial shade.Colquitia charming is characterized by the properties of frost resistance and endurance in an urban environment.

How and when does kolkvitsia bloom?

The blooming lovely kolkvitsia looks very elegant. Its soft pink flowers, reminiscent of mother-of-pearl, are arranged in cascades on hanging branches. The bush blooms profusely: the foliage behind the flowers is almost invisible. They attract insects with their sweet aroma.

The growing season of the plant is mid-April to November. The lovely kolkvitia blooms from the age of five in spring or summer, depending on the climate of the growing area. In the middle zone it blooms in early July, later than other ornamental shrubs. Flowering lasts more than three weeks.

Application in landscape design

According to reviews of experts in the field of landscape design, the charming colquitia looks most advantageous as a tapeworm in various compositions:

1. An accent element on a green lawn. The lovely Colquitia is planted individually on a well-groomed area. By trimming, it is given a neat spherical or fountain-shaped shape.
   Advice! The lovely colquitia goes well with the texture of stone and dark wood.

   

2. Group plantings of lovely kolkvitia. A shrub planted as a hedge looks impressive. In this way, you can add privacy to a relaxation area in the garden or grandeur to the central entrance of a personal plot. The combination of different varieties of the charming kolkvitia in group planting creates non-contrasting color transitions from dark pink to almost white.
   
3. Contrasting compositions.The light color of the flowers of the charming kolkvitia is emphasized by darker deciduous, coniferous or brightly flowering plants. In autumn, its yellow or red foliage sets off the less colorful shrubs. Vegeila and hawthorn emphasize the delicacy of the flowers of the crop.
   
4. Mixborders. Delicate pink flowers of the lovely colquitia highlight the central part of the shrub group. It is placed as a tapeworm and surrounded by lower plants.
   Important! A mixborder is a free-form flowerbed.

   

Varieties of wonderful collection

Few varieties of this plant have been selected. They are highly decorative. Heat-loving and not hardy enough, varieties of the lovely kolkvitia require special conditions for planting and care. Varieties Pink Cloud, Rosea and Dreamcatcher are suitable for growing in the temperate continental climate of the middle zone.

Pink Cloud

Pink Cloud blooms more profusely than the original variety. The shrub is characterized by its smaller size. At the age of five, it reaches a height of 0.8 m. Its maximum size is 2x2 m. The variety is frost-resistant and drought-resistant. Its shoots grow vertically, and the emerging pale pink flowers almost completely hide them.

Rosea or Rosea (Rosea)

Rosea begins to bloom with bright pink bells, which, as they bloom, acquire a light pink, almost white color. The shrub lends itself well to pruning. It is formed into perfect balls that are completely covered with flowers. The shoots of the crop hang beautifully in the form of a fountain. In autumn the leaves turn orange.

Dream Catcher Beauty Bush

A common name for this variety is Maradco.Its main difference from other varieties is the more compact size of the shrub. The golden-orange hue of the leaves and sparse flowering are another varietal feature of this lovely plant. The culture is also disease resistant.

Peculiarities of reproduction of colquitia

Charming kolkvitia, like other perennial shrubs, is propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering or division.

Seeds

The seeds of the plant have low germination rate - 25 - 35%, which must be taken into account when choosing this method of propagation. When growing this way, special attention is paid to the nutrient substrate. It is made up of peat and sand, taken in equal proportions.

Seeds are planted in early April. To protect the shoots from late frosts, they are placed in a greenhouse or at home in a pot. The sprouts sprout by the beginning of summer, and in August they grow by almost 20 cm.

Procedure for propagating the lovely kolkvitia by seeds:

1. Prepare the seeds. To do this, the seeds are subjected to stratification for two months: they are stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 1 - 3 ⁰C in a sealed bag with damp vermiculite or napkin. To speed up germination, seed material is soaked for 10 minutes. in sulfuric acid.
2. Deepen the seeds into the substrate no more than 0.5 cm and water generously.
3. The next spring after planting, it is important to pick up the plant and plant it in a permanent place.

By layering

The most effective way to propagate the lovely kolkvitia is by layering.The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. Choose a shoot that grows outward from the bush.
2. A small ditch is dug under it.
3. The shoot is tilted and placed in a groove.
4. Where the shoot touches the ground, it is lightly cut and treated with a growth stimulator.
5. The shoot is fixed with a pin and sprinkled with soil, leaving the top free.
6. The soil is constantly kept slightly moist during the summer.
7. The following spring, after rooting, the layerings of the beautiful kolkvitia are separated from the mother bush and transplanted to a permanent place.

Cuttings

Cuttings are carried out using one of the following methods:

1. Lignified cuttings. At the end of autumn, a lignified twig is cut from the charming kolkvitia shrub and buried in a shaded place. By winter, the cuttings are mulched with hay, straw or leaves. With the arrival of spring they are opened. Over the summer, the shoots will take shape and take root. The following spring, the young plant is transplanted to the desired location.
2. Annual cuttings. In early spring, one-year-old shoots are separated from the mother bush and cut from them. Then, for rooting, they are planted in containers with soil mixture and kept in a warm place. At the beginning of summer, the cuttings are taken outside into the shade and watered regularly, preventing the soil from drying out. After the young shoots appear, they are transplanted into open ground in a shaded place and continue to be watered. Before the onset of winter, plants are covered. In the spring, the young beautiful kolkvitia is transplanted to a permanent site.

Dividing the bush

It is advisable to use the method of propagation by dividing the bush when transplanting the lovely colquitia.They do it this way:

1. The plant is carefully dug up.
2. Conduct a thorough inspection of the root system. Rotten and dry roots are removed.
3. The bush is divided into 3 - 4 parts so that each division consists of a healthy shoot and good roots.
4. The sections are treated with garden pitch or sprinkled with crushed coal.
5. New plants are planted in pre-prepared holes according to the scheme adopted for planting.

Planting and caring for kolkvitsia in open ground

Growing colquitia in the middle zone, in the south of Russia and in the Moscow region requires compliance with the rules of planting and caring for the plant. Agrotechnical measures for this crop are not complicated and are accessible even to novice gardeners.

Recommended timing

It is recommended to plant the lovely kolkvitia in open ground in the spring, when the soil in the root layer has warmed up well:

• end of March - for the southern regions;
• early April - for the middle zone;
• mid-to-late April – for the Moscow region and territories located to the north.

Site selection and soil preparation

The place for planting the lovely kolkvitia must meet the following characteristics:

• be well lit, but openwork partial shade is allowed;
  Important! In the shade, kolkvitsia blooms sparingly.

• protected from gusts of wind (for example, against the wall of a building or fence);
• groundwater should not lie too high, stagnation of rain or snow water is not allowed;
• The shrub develops well and blooms on fertile, loose and weed-free soil: ideally it should contain humus, sand, compost and leaf soil.

How to plant a lovely columbine

For planting, choose one- or two-year-old healthy seedlings with well-developed roots. In order for the lovely kolkvitsia, regardless of the chosen variety, to take root well and bloom thickly, adhere to the following planting algorithm:

1. Prepare a hole measuring 60x60x60 cm. When planting in groups, the distance between bushes should not be less than 1.5 m.
2. Pour a fertile mixture of soil, humus and sand into the bottom of the hole in a ratio of 2:1:1.
3. Place a seedling of the lovely kolkvitia in the hole, making sure that its root collar is not buried.
4. Spread the roots of the plant.
5. Adding soil in portions and watering each layer with a small amount of water, fill the planting hole.
6. Lightly compact the trunk circle.
7. The final stage of planting is watering and mulching the soil around the seedling.

How to plant kolkvitsia in the Moscow region

The procedure for planting charming coli in the Moscow region and Moscow region does not differ from the generally accepted scheme. Prepared seedlings are placed in holes, covered with soil and watered. The soil must be mulched. This helps retain soil moisture and protects the roots from overheating.

Colquittia transplant

An overgrown shrub can be replanted every five to six years to a new location. This is best done in the spring, when the air temperature stabilizes. This way the plant will take root well and produce young shoots. The lovely Colquitia tolerates transplantation to a new place well. It takes root quickly and blooms well. At this time, you can propagate the bush by division.Algorithm for transplanting an adult plant or seedling with a closed root system:

1. The shrub is carefully dug up or removed from the container, being careful not to damage its roots.
2. Prepare a planting hole with a size exceeding the dimensions of the root system with a lump of earth.
3. Pour a soil mixture enriched with nutrients into the hole.
4. The bush is placed in a planting nest, its roots are covered with earth, avoiding deepening the root collar. The soil is compacted.
5. Transplanted kolkvitsia requires abundant watering and mulching of the tree trunk circle.

Features of cultivation

Lovely colquitia can withstand frosts down to -15 ⁰S. According to reviews of domestic gardeners, it is not afraid of short-term frost down to -30 ⁰WITH.

Watering and fertilizing schedule

The lovely Colquitia can withstand short-term drought, but for good flowering and development it needs regular watering. Water the shrubs without allowing the soil to dry out, using water that has been settled and heated in the sun. The best time for the procedure is evening.

An excess of fertilizers reduces the winter hardiness of the plant and activates growth processes, which lead to a deterioration in the flowering of the shrub. Feeding is applied according to the following schedule:

• The crop is fertilized with rotted organic matter and mineral additives 2-3 times during the growing season;
• if the plant develops poorly, use liquid fertilizers in the form of superphosphate (40 g per bucket of water) or mullein infusion (1:10).

Consumption of the nutrient mixture is 10 liters per bush.

Pruning columbine

The lovely Colquitia needs gentle formative pruning.Try not to cut off the side and top branches, as this may negatively affect the flowering of the bush. In summer, the immature tips of the shoots are shortened, which helps strengthen their bases.

Anti-aging pruning is carried out after the lovely kolkvitsia has faded. Old shoots are cut to the base. From spring, the plant will direct all its efforts to forming the growth of young branches. Next year they will begin to bloom.

Sanitary pruning is carried out with the onset of spring. At the same time, branches damaged by frost and pests are removed.

How to cover kolkvitsia for the winter

Successful wintering of the charming kolkvitia, especially in the middle zone and Moscow region, as well as in areas with severe frosts, is possible only with proper preparation. It starts in the fall, without waiting for early frosts:

• reducing watering of shrubs;
• stopping fertilization after flowering ends;
• mulching the root zone with leaf, compost with sawdust or peat for the winter, laying a layer at least 5-10 cm thick, which protects the soil from freezing.

The best protection for a plant from frost is its shelter for the winter. The crown of young plants is wrapped with non-woven covering materials or kraft paper. It is effective to bend the bush to the ground and then lay spruce branches on it. Then a layer of snow up to 30 cm thick is thrown on top, under which the plant will safely overwinter. With the onset of warm weather, the charming kolkvitsia must be freed from covering materials in order to prevent it from rotting.

It is possible to grow a flowering, healthy, disease-resistant shrub, as in the photo, only with proper planting and proper care of the plant.

Pests and diseases

The shrub has properties of resistance to diseases and pests. But in dry and hot weather it can be attacked by spider mites, thrips, aphids and caterpillars. In this case, the crown is treated with a solution of insecticides for flowering plants.

The following problems may occur when growing a plant:

Conclusion

Lovely colquitia is a spectacular element of a modern well-kept garden. It is frost-resistant and almost not susceptible to diseases and insect attacks. The shrub is not difficult to grow in areas with a temperate continental climate: it is enough to carry out regular watering, pruning and fertilizing. To protect against freezing, the plant is covered for the winter.

Reviews

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