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Weigela Bristol Ruby is an ornamental species with red flowers and a dense crown that will decorate any area. Every gardener will appreciate such a plant, since weigela Bristol Ruby is not only beautiful, but also unpretentious, and also resistant to cold.
Description of Weigela Bristol Ruby
This perennial ornamental plant is named after the German botanist Christian Weigel. The Bristol Ruby weigela species was bred by American scientists in 1941 by crossing several other species - flowering weigela, Korean weigela, garden weigela and abundantly flowering weigela. Since then, this new variety has become the most popular in Europe.
Weigela Bristol Ruby belongs to the Honeysuckle family; its homeland is considered to be the Far East. She lives up to 50 years old.The height of the bush is 2.5 m, the crown is about 3.5 m. The leaves of the weigela Bristol Ruby are oblong, and the flowers of 4 - 5 petals are shaped like ruby elongated bells, united in several pieces in inflorescences. They are quite large in size - 4 - 5 cm in diameter and smell pleasant.
The name also reflects the color of the petals. The yellow center adds brightness to the ruby. The description and photo of weigela Bristol Ruby will help you get a complete picture of this plant.
Weigela Bristol Ruby in the photo:
Weigela is frost-resistant, and this is important, given the Russian climate.
How red weigela Bristol Ruby blooms
Blooming weigela Bristol Ruby pleases the eye for about 2 weeks. She is very beautiful. Its most interesting feature is that the color of the petals changes from soft crimson to rich ruby as the bud blooms.
Weigela Bristol Ruby blooms 2 times, the first in June, and the second at the end of August. Later, in place of the flowers, boxes with small seeds appear.
If you plant this shrub in the shade, it will bloom very little. If the root system is damaged, there is a lack of moisture and nutrients, ruby bells will not please gardeners at all.
The use of weigela Bristol Ruby in landscape design
A beautiful medium-sized perennial shrub with lush green foliage suitable for creating a growing hedge. It looks great in the garden at the entrance to the site, on a well-groomed lawn, and also as part of various compositions. Bright red flowers look great against a green background. Repeated blooms highlight the autumn tone of the garden.
Weigela Bristol Ruby does not shed its leaves until the end of autumn, and its bushes decorate the garden for a long time, not only in summer, but also in autumn.
How does hybrid weigela Bristol Ruby reproduce?
Hybrid weigela Bristol Ruby propagates using:
- seeds;
- Cherenkov.
At the end of February - beginning of March, the seeds are planted in moist soil in greenhouses or at home. There is no need to deepen them into the ground: just sprinkle them lightly with sand (preferably river sand) and cover with film. After about 3 weeks, the seeds should sprout.
Cuttings that are lignified and young are suitable. The first type of shoots is obtained in July, when the flowers fall. The buds on weigel Bristol Ruby from such cuttings will begin no sooner than after 5 years: this is why the bush is often grown from young cuttings. They need to be cut in May, before the buds appear. The length of the shoot is 10 - 13 cm, it should have 2 - 3 buds or leaves.
Cut cuttings are left in water with a growth catalyst for 12 hours (150 ml per 1 l) in the dark and warm. Heteroauxin promotes rapid root growth. After 12 hours, the cuttings are placed in boxes with a mixture of peat and sand under a film. Plant no deeper than 0.5 cm. It is necessary to moisten the soil well and wet the leaves; once every 3-4 days you can treat it with a very weak solution of potassium permanganate to prevent the appearance of fungi and bacteria. After a month, the roots will grow, and the cuttings can be transplanted into the soil with humus added to the mixture. It is recommended to plant shrubs on the site after 1 - 1.5 years.
Planting and caring for weigela Bristol Ruby
Weigela prefers a mild climate and is quite unpretentious. It does not require, for example, a certain acidity of the soil. If planted and cared for correctly, weigela Bristol Ruby grows in height and width and blooms twice during the summer. The bush adds an average of 25 - 30 cm every year. But at the same time adhere to a number of rules.
Recommended timing
It is better to plant or replant weigela Bristol Ruby in the spring (March - April), before the flowering period begins. By this time the earth will have warmed up sufficiently. If you plant in the fall, the plant may not have time to take root before winter and will die. Seedlings over 3 years old take root better.
Site selection and soil preparation
You need to choose a place with plenty of sunlight. In addition, it must be closed from the winds. The bush can also grow and bloom in a slight shade, but strong shade will lead to weak flowering, slow seed ripening and early woodiness of the shoots.
Soil types most suitable:
- neutral, slightly alkaline;
- loamy, sandy loam.
Weigela Bristol Ruby loves light, fertile soil without excess moisture or stagnant water. On sandy loam there is no need for drainage.
The roots are sprinkled with peat and humus in equal parts. An alternative option is to mix turf, sand, humus in a ratio of 1:2:2.
How to plant correctly
Weigela Bristol Ruby is planted in loosened soil, but not too moist. Adding fertilizers to the pit is not prohibited. The roots in the hole need free space (at least 50, and preferably 60 cm in depth and width). The root collar cannot be sprinkled.
Then the seedling should be watered and the soil should be filled to the required level in case of shrinkage. After this, you need to mulch the soil with crushed bark, sawdust or peat. Mulching will retain moisture, prevent weeds from growing, and the roots will not overheat.
Growing rules
It is necessary to water, feed, loosen and prune the bush in a timely manner so that it pleases the gardener with beautiful flowers. Care is important even for unpretentious plants.
Growing weigela Bristol Ruby in the photo:
Watering
The plant needs to be watered regularly, but moderately, as the soil dries out. Excess or deficiency will lead to depletion and death of the crop. In autumn, watering is reduced, since the wood needs to ripen before the onset of cold weather.
Top dressing
For the first time, Bristol Ruby weigela is fertilized in the spring with urea (20 g/m2), superphosphate (10 g/m2) and potassium (10 g/m2). If fertilizing was applied during planting, the bush is fertilized in the summer when the buds swell with potassium and phosphorus (30 g/m2). The third time you can feed with potassium alone at the end of September.
Loosening, mulching
The soil must be loosened every time after watering (no deeper than 5 - 8 cm) to ensure access of oxygen to the roots. Sawdust is usually used for mulching; it should be sprinkled in a layer of 10 cm.
Pruning, crown formation
The plant should be pruned once every 1 - 2 years, in spring or summer. In July (after the first flowering), the dried part of the shoot is cut off or shortened by half. It is better to coat the cut area with garden varnish.
Every year it is recommended to remove 1/4 of the shoots, then the bush will be spreading, with a beautiful crown.
Preparing for winter
The winter hardiness of weigela Bristol Ruby is high; the Russian climate is well suited for it. If the winter is mild, the bush does not need to be insulated - it will be enough to hill it up (the height of the hill is no more than 20 cm) and mulch it with peat or compost.
Typically, a crop is insulated when its leaves have completely fallen off and the soil is slightly frozen.They do it like this:
- The branches are tied together, bent or left straight on a special frame;
- The roots are covered with pine branches and leaves, and burlap is laid;
- The bush is wrapped with covering material or pressed down with roofing felt or roofing felt;
- Cover the top with plastic film. If snow has already fallen on the site, you can fill the entire structure. Snow protects shrubs from the cold best of all.
Pests and diseases
Weigela Bristol Ruby is quite resistant to various diseases. If aphids attack, the bush is sprayed with Karbofos, a solution with laundry soap or potassium permanganate. Infusions of tobacco dust (shag), garlic, potato tops, onions, hot pepper or wormwood also help. Rust stains and rot will be destroyed by Topsin. The bush is sprayed with a 1% solution, except for the period when the buds have not yet blossomed - then the 3% composition of the drug is diluted.
It is important to remove fallen leaves from areas where weigela Bristol Ruby grows, because this is a favorable environment for the appearance of fungal diseases.
Rodents and bugs can also cause damage, especially to the roots.
Conclusion
Weigela Bristol Ruby is a beautiful perennial shrub in the Honeysuckle family that can be used as a hedge or combined with other vegetation. It will enliven any area with its ruby-colored bell flowers. The culture is propagated by seeds and cuttings, blooms twice in one season
