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Astilbe Mighty Chocolate Cherry is a young but very interesting variety that has already attracted the attention of gardeners. It is still rare to see it in summer cottages, but it is all the more interesting to study the characteristics of the plant.
Description of astilbe Mighty Chocolate Cherry
Astilbe Mighty Chocolate Cherry is a plant from the Saxifraga family, which is very popular in landscape design. It has numerous basal leaves, usually pinnate and toothed, on long petioles. Dark green, with a bronze-olive tint, the leaves change color throughout the season - by autumn, Mighty Chocolate Cherry takes on a rich chocolate hue. The perennial's stems are thin and erect, the flowers are tall panicles of a cherry hue.
The hybrid has dark green leaves and rich cherry blossoms.
The height of Mighty Chocolate Cherry reaches 70 cm, and during the flowering period - up to 120 cm due to the highly rising inflorescences. The bush can spread approximately 1-1.2 m.
According to gardeners, astilbe takes about 3-4 years to grow, during which time the perennial forms a full-fledged bush.Astilbe Chocolate Cherry feels best in the shade; in the sun the perennial develops poorly. Mighty Chocolate Cherry soil needs to be moist but well drained.
The advantages of the plant include high frost resistance. Chocolate Cherry astilbe can be grown in frost resistance zone 3, that is, in regions where winter temperatures reach -35 °C. The variety is recommended for cultivation in the Central region and the Urals, in the middle zone and in the Far East.
Astilbe Chocolate Cherry prefers shaded areas of the garden
Features of flowering
The Mighty Chocolate Cherry variety belongs to the hybrid group of astilbes, which combines shade-tolerant perennial plants bred on the basis of Japanese and Dutch varieties.
Although even the leaves of the new variety have decorative qualities, its flowering attracts special attention. Astilbe Mighty Chocolate Cherry produces very beautiful velvety cherry paniculate inflorescences, comparable in height to the green part of the plant.
Mighty Chocolate Cherry blooms from July to the end of August
Astilbe blooms in the summer, in July and August, for 2 months. The splendor depends mainly on the quality of care. To achieve abundant flowering, the gardener needs to regularly feed Mighty Chocolate Cherry, protect it from direct sunlight and water it on time.
Application in design
Rich cherry blossoms of astilbe can decorate any garden plot. This unpretentious plant is used in mixed flower beds, planted in mono-groups, and often used to decorate places near water bodies. Mighty Chocolate Cherry thrives in the shade of shrubby hedges and under the cover of tall trees, and at the same time it benefits from enlivening the green background.
The hybrid goes well with other garden perennials that prefer shade
You can combine astilbe with perennials with whole leaves - for example, with hostas and bergenia, buzulniks and brunners. Mighty Chocolate Cherry feels good with lilies of the valley, mountain weed, irises, tulips and others shade-loving perennials.
But with perennials that prefer sunlight, it is better not to plant the plant. Peonies, hyacinths, chrysanthemums and poppies do not get along well next to astilbe due to mismatched growing requirements.
Chocolate Cherry looks impressive in group compositions
Reproduction methods
You can increase the population of Chocolate Cherry astilbe on your site by vegetative methods - by dividing the rhizome and cuttings:
- Dividing the bush. The method is practiced for propagating adult bushes no younger than 5 years old. In autumn or spring, the perennial is dug out of the ground, the rhizome is cut into several parts so that each section has living buds, and then they are planted, deepening the growth bud to at least 7 cm.
The easiest way to propagate an adult Chocolate Cherry is by dividing the bush.
- Cuttings. Young rosettes with 2-3 leaves and a root are separated from the top layer of the rhizome, planted in fertile soil and covered with a glass cap for the first time.
Astilbe responds well to propagation by cuttings with roots
The simplest and most effective method is dividing the bush. But astilbe Mighty Chocolate Cherry is not propagated by seeds.
Landing algorithm
It is customary to plant astilbe in the ground in the second half or at the end of May, after the return frosts have passed. A place for the perennial is selected that is shaded, with loose and nutritious soil.
Landing algorithm:
- Shortly before planting, you need to dig a hole about 30 cm deep in the area; astilbe has superficial roots, so it does not require a deep hole.
- Garden soil and humus, potash and phosphorus fertilizers and some ash are placed at the bottom of the hole. The mixture is thoroughly mixed and moistened.
- As planting material, choose a strong and healthy seedling with well-developed, intact roots and green shoots in the upper part.
- Before planting, astilbe is briefly immersed in water to saturate the root system with moisture, and then placed in the center of the hole and sprinkled with soil mixture to the end.
You can plant the hybrid near groundwater or next to a pond.
Immediately after planting, the plant is watered and mulched at the base with peat or rotted sawdust.
Aftercare
When caring for Mighty Chocolate Cherry, you need to pay special attention to watering; the soil at the roots should not dry out. It is advisable to supply the perennial with moisture three times a week; during dry periods, watering can be done every day.
They begin to feed astilbe after 3 years of life. Feeding is carried out at standard intervals:
- in early spring, after the leaves grow, nitrogenous fertilizers are applied - urea or ammonium nitrate;
- Before flowering, the perennial is fed with phosphorus and potassium;
- In the fall, astilbe is supplied with organic fertilizers - peat or humus.
For good growth, the hybrid needs to be moistened frequently.
It is necessary to regularly loosen the soil at the roots, this prevents the growth of weeds and provides oxygen access to the soil. Loosening is carried out twice a month. When carrying out the procedure, be careful - you cannot loosen the soil deeply, as this will damage the surface roots.
It is very useful to mulch astilbe after watering. A layer of mulch will slow down the evaporation of moisture and help prevent the roots from drying out. In addition, it will prevent the growth of weeds, simply by not allowing them to break through to the surface.
Preparing for winter
Astilbe Mighty Chocolate Cherry, or Mighty Chocolate Cherry, has high winter hardiness, but you still need to protect it from frost. With the onset of autumn and at the end of flowering, pruning is carried out for the perennial - the entire above-ground part is cut off flush with the ground, since the astilbe stems will die off in any case during the winter.
For the winter, the stems of the Chocolate Cherry are cut off entirely.
Before the onset of cold weather, the area with astilbe is covered with compost or humus with a layer of about 10 cm; phosphorus and potassium can also be added to the soil, which will increase the plant’s endurance. To avoid freezing, cut astilbe is additionally covered with spruce branches or lutrasil until spring.
Diseases and pests
Mighty Chocolate Cherry rarely suffers from pests and diseases. However, sometimes it is affected by the following insects:
- strawberry nematode — small worms feed on the juices of the perennial, the leaves of the Mighty Chocolate Cherry astilbe turn yellow, brown and dry out under their influence;
It is very difficult to notice a nematode in time, but it causes serious damage
- slobbering penny - this pest settles in the axils of the leaves and leaves a white foamy discharge that resembles saliva; over time, the plant begins to lag in growth, and the leaves become unnaturally light.
The slobbering pennice leaves characteristic marks on leaves and stems
To control pests, they use Aktara and Karbofos products, as well as homemade solutions - garlic, soap and onion. It should be noted that it is very difficult to fight nematodes on astilbe. If the plant is heavily infected, it is easier to dig it up entirely and destroy it.
The following diseases are especially dangerous for Mighty Chocolate Cherry:
- root rot, in conditions of severe swamping, the roots of the perennial begin to rot, and a black border appears along the edges of the leaf blades;
Root rot can quickly lead to crop death
- bacterial spot, Frequent and large black dots appear on the leaves, the plant begins to dry out and wither.
Bacterial spot appears as black spots and spots on the foliage.
To combat diseases, you need to immediately remove the affected parts of the perennial that cannot be saved and burn them in a remote corner of the site. After this, you need to treat the plant with Bordeaux mixture, copper sulfate or potassium permanganate solution; chemical fungicidal preparations, such as Fundazol, are also suitable.
Mighty Chocolate Cherry tolerates severe winter frosts well
Conclusion
Astilbe Mighty Chocolate Cherry is a very beautiful plant from the hybrid group. The new variety appeared only 3 years ago, but managed to win the interest and love of gardeners due to its decorative qualities.Caring for Chocolate Cherry is easy, you just need to provide it with good moisture.
