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White astilbe belongs to the Saxifraga family. The homeland of the plant is considered to be Japan and North America. In total, there are more than 400 varieties of flowers.
Advantages of growing white astilbe
Astilbe is one of the plants that can decorate not only a flower garden, but also a garden, lawn and even a pond.
Benefits of the flower:
- Most often, astilbe blooms in mid-summer, but some varieties form an ovary in the spring or in the last summer months, which allows you to create continuously flowering flower beds;
- Astilbe varieties with white flowers can be either sun-loving or shade-loving;
- The plant is very unpretentious, grows safely in one place for up to 5 years without replanting, and with proper care remains viable for up to 10 years.
One of the main advantages of astilbe is its decorative appearance and good compatibility with other flowers and conifers.
Types and varieties of white astilbe
A wide variety of flower varieties allows you to choose a plant to suit your taste. The height of astilbe varies from 10 to 200 mm.If the variety is dwarf, then it grows up to 30 cm, short-growing representatives of the Saxifraga family - up to 50 cm, and tall white astilbes stretch up to 2 m.
In all varieties, inflorescences can be of two types: paniculate or pyramidal, as well as drooping or diamond-shaped.
Brautschleier
This variety of white astilbe grows up to 80 cm in height and 40–60 cm in diameter. Its stems are thin, but quite strong, and branch. A large number of leaf plates of a brownish-green color are attached to them.
The flowers are simple, small, up to 1 cm in size. All of them are collected in large, up to 30 cm in length, white pyramidal inflorescences. The aroma of the flowers is similar to bird cherry.
The buds open in June and continue to bloom for 2 weeks. The Brautschleier variety prefers fertile, well-drained soil. The plant has good immunity and is resistant to garden pests and various diseases.
When choosing a place on the site, it is recommended to plant the variety in partial shade; for the winter the plant needs shelter
White Gloria
The culture was obtained by the breeder Arends in the 20th century. The height of the perennial is no more than 70 cm. The root system is powerful, presented in the form of cord-like roots.
Diamond-shaped flower stalks bloom in June-July. They are 25 cm long and 12 cm in diameter.
The leaf blades of the Weisse Gloria variety can change color: at first they are light green with a shiny surface, gradually darken, acquire a brown border and brown spots. Despite the fact that the shrub is short, its leaves are large, growing up to 50 cm in length, so the plant visually looks spreading.
The inflorescences die off in August, but the shrub continues to decorate the garden thanks to its decorative leaves.
Vision in White
This variety of white astilbe has very strong and branched branches covered with dark green foliage with a bronze tint. The height of the plant does not exceed 45 cm.
The leaf blades are complex: trifoliate, with veins on both sides, covered along the edge with small hairs of a reddish hue. The leaves are large at the roots, on smaller stems and on short petioles.
The flowers are small, forming dense and large inflorescences up to 30-35 cm long. Buds appear from June and remain on the branches until early August.
The Vision in White variety is used not only for decorating the garden, but also for making bouquet arrangements or appliqués
Mont Blanc
The variety was bred by E. Lemoine. The height of the flower reaches 60 cm. The leaf blades are green with a brown tint, up to 40 cm long. The inflorescence is formed of small flowers, medium density, pyramidal in shape, up to 18 cm long. The petals are white. The flower smells pleasant.
Early flowering: begins in the last week of June and continues for 20 days
Bronzelaub
The height of the plant including buds reaches 60 cm. The leaf blades are complex, feather-like, dark green in color. In spring, when they bloom, they have a bronze-brown color.
The flowers are small, white with a pink tint, form diamond-shaped inflorescences, and appear in July.
The white astilbe variety Bronzelaub is recommended to be planted in sparse shade or in an area where it can be organized on hot days. The shrub grows well near water bodies or in places with high humidity, preferring loose and nutritious soil.
Astilbe is recommended to be used as landscaping, planted in a monogroup or alone
Washington
This variety of white astilbe grows up to 50-70 cm in height, has strong stems with fern-like leaf blades. The buds are white, with a creamy tint, appear from the end of June and continue to bloom until August.
The optimal place for planting is sparse shade. The variety is resistant to low temperatures, but does not tolerate dry weather well.
It is preferable to plant white astilbe near a pond to provide it with sufficient air humidity.
Younique White
White astilbe is an elegant plant with thin, white inflorescences attached to drooping shoots. The leaf blades are small, with carved edges, and have a dark green color.
The flowers are located close to each other, so from the outside it seems that the inflorescence is covered with frost. The duration of bud formation is July-August.
Young shoots of the Younique White variety are reddish in color, but gradually turn green. The shrub tolerates winter frosts well under cover. If you do not provide protection to the root system before the onset of cold weather, then there is a possibility of plant death.
To extend the flowering period, it is recommended to plant white astilbe in an area where there is afternoon shade.
Bergkristal
White astilbe grows up to 90-120 cm. The leaf blades are green at first, then turn brown at the edges.
Flowering is abundant, the buds are very fragrant, collected in large, up to 25 cm in length, paniculate inflorescences. The diameter of the peduncle reaches 18 cm. The color of the petals is yellowish-white.
Buds appear from mid-July, flowering continues for 2 weeks
Diamant
The shrub reaches a height of 90 cm and a diameter of 40-50 cm. The branches of the Diamant variety are strong, with complex pinnate leaf blades of a dark green hue.
The flowers of white astilbe are not large, up to 0.5 cm in diameter. They are collected in paniculate-type inflorescences. Their color is white, gardeners note a pleasant aroma.
The buds bloom in June and begin to fade in September. The inflorescences can be used to create flower arrangements and collect bouquets.
The variety is winter-hardy and demanding of moisture. The variety has good resistance to pests and diseases.
White astilbe is suitable for growing in central Russia; in more northern regions it requires shelter for the winter
Avalanche
This variety of white astilbe is known among gardeners for its fragrant, pleasant aroma.
The perennial is low-growing, its height is 45-60 cm, and its width is 60-90 cm. The leaves are compound, twice or thrice pinnate, with a glossy surface. Their edges are subulate-toothed.
The inflorescences are fluffy, collected from small flowers. The rhizome is woody, very powerful. White astilbe has a long flowering period: from July to October. Large, beautiful buds form on shrubs planted in shaded areas.
The Avalanche variety can grow safely in full shade, but in this case the buds will form in small quantities and fade faster
Professor Vander Wielen
This variety of white astilbe is tall, capable of growing up to 1 m. The leaf blades are very beautiful, bright green with veins and slight pubescence, with jagged edges.
The inflorescences are large, up to 30 cm in length, but thin, elongated in shape. Flowering begins in mid-summer and lasts 20 days.
The variety is very moisture-loving, so open sunlight and drought negatively affect the growth and development of the crop.
Gerbede Neige
The culture reaches 80-90 cm in height, has strong shoots and medium-sized leaf blades. The flowers are small, creamy white. They are collected in drooping inflorescences. The buds appear at the end of July and fade in August.
The variety is photophilous, undemanding to soil, and tolerates low temperatures well. White astilbe has developed immunity to pests and diseases.
It is preferable to place white astilbe near ponds and bushes
The use of astilbe with white flowers in design
In the first year of life, the culture does not have time to reach its final shape and size. It is recommended to plant crocuses, snowdrops, and hazel grouse next to young shrubs.
Tenacious plants, saxifrages or damselflies should be placed close to mature plants.
If you need to plant white astilbe near water bodies, then hosta, lungwort or anemone will take root well next to it.
The crop can also be planted in pots and flowerpots to create a decorative garden and avoid incompatibility between plants located nearby.
To plant white astilbe next to a rose, you need to place the flower on the north side
If you plan to place white astilbe in the garden, it is recommended to give it a place near shrubs such as spirea or barberry, hosta.
It is impossible to plant a plant under large trees: the crops will compete with each other for nutrients and moisture.
Planting and caring for white astilbe
Transplantation of seedlings to the site is carried out in the spring. And although the plant is unpretentious, for its full development it is recommended to adhere to the basic principles of agricultural technology:
- plant according to the varietal characteristics of the plant;
- equip a drainage system in the pit, add complex fertilizers;
- the distance between tall white astilbes should be 50 cm, between low-growing specimens - 30 cm.
The plant is very moisture-loving, so watering and mulching the soil must be done regularly. To ensure adequate nutrition during the flower development period, fertilizing should be applied to the soil from May to August. In total, white astilbe is fertilized 3 times during the season: during the flowering period - complex additives, organic fertilizers - for a safe overwintering, and the ground around the bush is sprinkled with ash for better flowering next year.
Diseases and pests
White astilbe varieties, thanks to the efforts of breeders, have good immunity. But high disease resistance does not guarantee that the flower will not be affected by bacteria or fungus.
Most often, weakened shrubs that have not been provided with good care or proper planting suffer.
If the roots are mechanically damaged, rot may appear, which often develops when the soil is waterlogged. If the root system is not completely damaged, then the use of disinfectants will help: Fundazol or Topaz.
With a spotted mosaic of leaf blades, shoots of white astilbe are affected. The leaves gradually change color, curl and then become deformed.
There is no cure for mosaic: it is recommended to destroy the affected shrub to prevent the spread of the disease to neighboring plants
The appearance of black spots on the leaves of white astilbe is very dangerous - this is a sign of bacterial spotting. For treatment, the affected parts of the plant are removed, and the bush is treated with Bordeaux mixture.
Conclusion
White astilbe is a very beautiful, unpretentious flower. It is used both to decorate gardens and lawns, as well as to create landscape compositions. White astilbe is frost-resistant, has good immunity, and is a perennial.
