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Spiraea Snowmund belongs to the genus of deciduous, ornamental shrubs of the Rosaceae family. The name of the plant is based on the ancient Greek word “speira”, which means “bend”. The shrub was named so because its shoots are very elastic - they bend easily, but then quickly return to their original position without forming breaks. The main advantage of spirea is its low maintenance requirements. In addition, the flowering of this variety is considered the most spectacular among all spireas that bloom in spring.
Features of planting and caring for this garden crop, as well as photos of Snowmund spirea, are presented in the sections below.
Description of Spirea Snowound
Spiraea Snowound is a small spreading shrub, the height of which does not exceed 1.5 m. The diameter of the plant is 1-1.5 m. This garden crop does not grow very quickly - the average annual growth of the shrub reaches 20 cm under favorable climatic conditions and proper care.
The skeletal branches of Snowmund spirea are arranged vertically, however, the ends of the shoots sag, resulting in a kind of arch being formed. The variety blooms profusely. Flowering time: early to mid-June.Snowmund spirea flowers are small - about 8 mm in diameter. The petals are painted white.
The variety blooms on last year's shoots, so the plant is pruned immediately after flowering. To do this, remove both faded branches and dried or damaged shoots. If the bush grows significantly, its shape and height are adjusted.
Spiraea Snowound leaves are oval. The leaf blade is dark green on top, and pale greenish-blue on the reverse side.
This variety is resistant to low temperatures and undemanding to air quality, which makes it possible to grow shrubs not only in the garden, but also in the city, in conditions of increased environmental pollution. The composition and quality of the soil also does not matter much; however, Snowmund spirea develops best on loose, moderately moist soils. The plant does not tolerate stagnant water.
Resistance to pests and diseases is high. The variety rarely gets sick and practically does not attract insects.
Spiraea Snowound in landscape design
In landscape design, the variety is used for both solitary and group plantings. Spiraea Snowound looks very impressive as a hedge. When planting a clump of spireas of different varieties with early flowering periods, this will allow you to prolong the flowering of the flowerbed.
Combinations of spirea with the following garden crops have proven themselves well:
- astilbe;
- lilac;
- lilies of the valley;
- primroses.
You can also plant perennial groundcovers around the shrub, such as periwinkle and painted cherry.
Planting and caring for Snowmund spirea
The Snowound variety is usually planted in well-lit areas, but planting in partial shade is also possible.Strong shading negatively affects the growth of shrubs.
Preparation of planting material and site
Before planting seedlings in open ground, it is necessary to carefully select planting material. It is better not to plant weak and underdeveloped plants. It is also recommended to trim off roots that are too long. The cut must be even, for which it is necessary to use only sharp tools. When pruning with blunt scissors or a knife, breaks may form, which negatively affect the further development of the bush.
Landing rules
Planting is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- The seedlings are watered abundantly and removed from the container.
- If the earthen ball is too dry, the planting material is soaked for an hour in a bucket of water.
- Then the plant is lowered into the planting hole, straightening the roots.
- The hole is sprinkled with soil mixture so that the root collar of the seedling is flush with the soil surface.
- After this, the tree trunk circle is lightly compacted and watered moderately.
Watering and fertilizing
Water the bushes moderately. In dry times, the frequency of watering is 2 times a month, while no more than 1 bucket of water is spent on 1 bush. Young seedlings are watered a little more often.
The plantings are fed with complex mineral fertilizers.
Trimming
Snowmund spirea is usually pruned in March. To do this, the shoot is shortened to large buds. It is recommended to remove small and weak branches completely - intensive pruning stimulates shoot formation of the bush.
You can learn more about the features of pruning spirea from the video below:
Preparing for winter
Spiraea Snowound is a frost-resistant variety, however, young seedlings must be covered for the winter. For this, dry leaves and peat are used. The optimal cover layer is 8-10 cm.
Reproduction
Spirea of the Snowound variety is propagated by the following vegetative methods:
- cuttings;
- layering;
- in divisions.
Breeding Snowmund spirea through cuttings is recognized as the most effective - with this method of propagation, more than 70% of the planting material takes root. Cuttings are harvested in early June. The preparation procedure is as follows:
- The most straight annual shoot is selected from the bush and cut off at the base.
- The cut branch is divided into several parts so that each cutting has at least 5 leaves.
- At each cut, the bottom leaf is removed along with the petiole. The remaining leaves are cut in half.
- Planting material is dipped into the Epin solution for 10-12 hours. Recommended dosage is 1 ml per 2 liters of water.
- Then the cuttings are taken out and the lower node is treated with a growth stimulator. You can use the drug “Kornevin” for this.
- After this, the planting material is planted in a container with wet sand. Plants are buried at an angle of 45º.
- The cuttings are covered with plastic film or glass to create greenhouse conditions. As the plants grow, they are regularly moistened.
- With the onset of cold weather, the cuttings are buried in the garden plot and covered with dry leaves. Protection is installed on top in the form of an inverted box.
- The following spring, the plants are opened and transplanted to a permanent location.
Reproduction of spirea by layering occurs according to the following scheme:
- In spring, one of the lower shoots is bent to the ground.
- The end of the branch is buried and secured with a heavy object or staple. Water the cuttings in the same way as the main part of the bush.
- In the fall, it is separated from the mother bush and planted.
Spirea can be divided both in spring and autumn. The recommended time frame for the procedure is late August-early September.
Division algorithm:
- The spirea bush is dug up, focusing on the diameter of the crown.
- The plant is dipped into a basin of water for 1-2 hours to soften the soil on the roots of the bush.
- The soaked soil is washed off, after which it is necessary to straighten the root system of the bush.
- The rhizome is cut into 2-3 parts using a knife or pruning shears. Each division must have at least 2 strong shoots.
- The division procedure is completed by planting the resulting parts in holes and abundant watering.
Diseases and pests
Spiraea Snowound practically does not get sick. The following insects can be identified as the main pests:
- sawfly;
- aphid;
- haplica.
Getting rid of them is not difficult - just spray the bushes with industrial or natural insecticides. The drug "Pirimor" has proven itself well.
Conclusion
Spiraea Snowound is one of the most popular varieties of the Pink family. The prevalence of the plant is explained by its unpretentiousness and frost resistance, as well as high decorative qualities.The shrub can be grown either singly or as part of flower groups.
