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Photos and descriptions of the Bumald spirea, as well as reviews of other gardeners about the shrub, will help you choose the best option for your summer cottage. The ornamental plant deserves attention, because throughout the entire season it pleases with lush flowering and attractive appearance.
Description of Spirea Bumalda
Spiraea Boumalda is an ornamental deciduous shrub. It is quite compact in size, its height does not exceed 1.2 m. Some varieties rarely grow more than 85-100 cm.
The crown of the spirea is round and spherical. The branches are erect, ribbed. The young bark is green; as the bush ages, it acquires a red-brown tint. The leaves are ovate, small, light green. In autumn they change their color to pink or red-orange. The flowers are collected in small inflorescences. The color of the petals ranges from light pink to purple.
The Boumalda hybrid originated from the crossing of 2 species: Japanese and White-flowered spirea. The description states that the plant takes root well in any climate zone.The flowering of the deciduous shrub lasts for about 2 months from the beginning of summer. Some varieties delight with inflorescences until the beginning of September.
This type of decorative spirea has its own advantages:
- unpretentiousness;
- undemanding to soil composition;
- tolerable winter hardiness.
In addition, the plant adapts well to the urban climate and tolerates air pollution and drought.
Varieties of spirea Boumalda
In total, more than 90 species of spirea are known in breeding. There are weeping, erect, pyramidal, creeping and spherical shrubs. All of them belong to decorative foliage plants.
The Boumald hybrid has several popular varieties. They differ in the height of the bush, the color of the inflorescences and the timing of flowering. Spiraea grow quickly; already in the 3rd year they will delight you with flowers.
Spiraea Boumalda Anthony Waterer
The Anthony Waterer shrub is the most spectacular among the Boumald spireas. It has bright crimson inflorescences that appear until September. The leaves of the bush turn red in autumn, which only adds to its attractiveness. The variety was developed in 2001. Plant height is no more than 50 cm.
Spiraea Boumalda Frobeli
The Froebelii variety reaches 1.3 m, with a spreading crown. This Boumalda spirea blooms from late May to late September. The inflorescences are bright with a lilac tint. The disadvantage of this variety is that the tops of the shoots often freeze.
Spiraea Boumalda Crispa
The Crispa bush is distinguished by its short height and wine-red carved leaves, which later turn green. It blooms 2 times: in early July and again in September. Inflorescences are dark purple. The shoots tolerate frost well and do not freeze at the ends.
Spiraea Boumalda Darts Red
The variety is decorative throughout the season.The leaves of the bush are pink at first, then dark green, and red by autumn. Inflorescences are bright crimson. The bush itself is spreading, low, no more than 50 cm.
Planting and caring for spirea Boumalda
Boumalda spirea is planted at different times. In early spring, the shrub is planted before the buds swell, and in the fall - immediately after leaf fall, a few weeks before the upcoming frost. If planting is delayed, the plant will not have time to take root and will die in the winter. However, it is worth considering in which region the spirea will grow, since late planting in the central part of Russia will not bring positive results.
All varieties of Boumalda spirea prefer sunny areas that are evenly illuminated throughout the day. In the shade, flowering will not be as attractive. The most suitable place for shrubs is the southern side of the site, where there are few trees.
Spiraea prefers well-drained soils, which necessarily contain leaf humus. The groundwater level in the area should be low. The shrub does not tolerate excess soil moisture and may die.
Preparation of planting material and site
In order for spirea to delight you with flowering, you need to choose the right seedling. The frost resistance of the shrub and its ability to reproduce depend on this.
It is better to purchase Boumalda spirea seedlings in early or mid-April in order to immediately begin planting them. When purchasing, pay special attention to the root system. It should be well developed, without external signs of disease or damage.
If you plant a seedling too early, it must be properly preserved. For this purpose, the bush is lowered into the cellar. At a temperature of +5°C, spirea is stored for 2-3 weeks.
During this time, you need to prepare the area and a hole for planting, the size of which is 30% larger than the root system. The average depth of the hole is 40-50 cm. The bottom is well drained, and a mixture of fertile soil, humus, peat and sand is poured on top.
If there are several bushes, then it is better to arrange them in rows. Leave up to 50 cm between plants. Row spacing is no more than 45 cm. Boumalda spirea cannot be planted too densely, otherwise development will be disrupted.
Planting spirea Boumalda
In order for Spiraea Boumalda to remain decorative, the shrub must be planted correctly. The photo shows the process itself. Subsequent care of the plant is simple and does not require special manipulations.
Landing algorithm:
- Before planting, all roots are carefully straightened and cut to a third of their length.
- The seedling is kept in a growth stimulant solution for 24 hours.
- During planting, they are buried so that the root collar remains level with the ground.
After planting, the spirea shoots are shortened and the bush is watered abundantly. The soil is mulched to prevent moisture from evaporating.
Seedlings with a closed root system are planted slightly differently:
- The plant is watered well so that the moisture completely saturates the soil.
- The seedling is removed from the container, being careful not to damage the earthen ball, and immediately placed in the prepared hole.
- The root collar is left at the same level as before. There is no need to deepen it anymore.
After planting, care for the plant as usual.
Watering and fertilizing
The description of Boumalda spirea states that the plant does not tolerate too wet or dry soil; the Antoni Waterer variety is especially sensitive to watering. The level of soil moisture must be carefully monitored; water the bush regularly as soon as the top layer dries.
Immediately after planting, the seedling is watered every day until it takes root. This takes more than 2 weeks. In the future, the bush is watered at least once every 5 days. During particularly dry periods, the soil needs to be moistened more often.
In order for spirea to maintain the decorativeness of its leaves and fully bloom, it needs to be fed on time. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are used.
Fertilizing is applied several times:
- in early spring;
- before flowering;
- after leaf fall.
In early spring, nitrogen fertilizers are used, after which mineral complexes alternate with organic matter throughout the entire growing season. For lush flowering, gardeners often use humus or the preparation “Kemira Universal”. It is bred strictly according to the instructions.
Trimming
Spirea Boumalda is pruned in spring and summer, since this procedure does not affect the development and vigor of the bush. The crown can be shaped in any way, in the form of a ball or a pyramid.
During spring pruning, poorly overwintered branches, dry and broken shoots are cut out. Summer pruning is done only in the southern regions of the country so that the bush blooms again in the fall.
Once every 10 years the bush is rejuvenated. To do this, in the spring, all shoots are shortened to soil level. During the season, new young shoots will grow, which will definitely bloom next year.
Preparing for winter
Spiraea Boumalda is a winter-hardy plant, but it is necessary to prepare it for cold weather, especially young shoots. In autumn, the bushes are covered with soil, covered with dry leaves, and covered with spruce branches. In winter, snow is thrown under the spirea.
In regions with harsh winters, spirea is covered more carefully. The shoots are tilted to the ground, pinned and covered with dry leaves. After which the bush is covered with spruce branches and arcs for non-woven material are installed.
Diseases and pests
Spiraea Boumalda is resistant to diseases and pests, but if not properly cared for, it can get sick. For prevention purposes, the bush is regularly sprayed throughout the growing season. Particular attention is paid to early spring treatments to destroy overwintered pests.
Aphids, leaf rollers, and spider mites especially bother the plant. To combat them, special drugs or traditional methods are used.
Aphid
Aphids attack spirea during flowering. You can get rid of it with onion infusion or chemicals. Onion infusion is used at the beginning of the growing season, when there are still few pests.
To prepare it:
- 200 g of onion peels are poured into 10 liters of hot water.
- Leave it for 5 days, after which it needs to be strained.
- Use 2-3 times every 5 days.
The infusion repels not only aphids, but also has a beneficial effect on the soil and destroys all pathogenic microflora. In addition, it enriches the shrub with vitamins A and B.
leaf roller
At the end of May, when a stable temperature of +15°C is established, the leaf roller caterpillar appears. It not only spoils the appearance of the plant, but also eats away the buds and inflorescences, which leads to a delay in flowering or its complete absence.It is necessary to combat the leaf roller immediately, since the pest multiplies quickly and produces up to 3 generations per season.
For prevention purposes, Boumalda spirea bushes are sprayed with new generation chemicals. They are used every 2-3 weeks to prevent the parasite from multiplying.
Among the folk methods, field chamomile has proven itself well. The flowers and leaves of the plant are dried, ground into powder and left for a day in the dark. For 1 liter of liquid you will need 100 g of raw materials. The working solution is prepared from 100 g of infusion and 0.5 liters of water, to which 50 g of liquid soap is added. Spraying is repeated every 10 days.
Spider mite
A particularly dangerous pest of Boumalda spirea is the spider mite. The females of this insect overwinter in plant debris and in the spring lay eggs on the underside of the leaf. The affected plant dries out and white spots appear on the leaves. The tick is especially active during drought periods.
The pest is controlled by spraying the bush with Acrex. This is the most effective remedy. Dilute it according to the instructions.
Conclusion
Photos and descriptions of spirea Bumald, information about planting and care help to grow a beautiful shrub that will delight you with flowering for more than 15 years. This is how long spirea can successfully grow in one place.
