Content
- 1 General description of Chinese astilbe
- 2 The best varieties of Chinese astilbe
- 3 The use of Chinese astilbe in design
- 4 Features of planting and care
- 5 Pests and diseases
- 6 Conclusion
Astilbe chinensis is a common crop often found among beginning gardeners. The plant is grown in gardens, country houses, and used in landscape design. The culture is unpretentious, but has a very impressive appearance.
General description of Chinese astilbe
Astilbe chinensis is a perennial characterized by late flowering. The plant is intended for open ground and has a strong root system.
The height of shoots of different varieties varies from 0.3 to 1.5 m. The leaf plates are characterized by a complex structure and delicacy. The color range is different: there are representatives of a bright green color, and there are varieties whose leaves are emerald in color.The leaves of the roots are larger than those of the stem.
Chinese astilbe is characterized by very dense inflorescences, the length of which ranges from 20 to 35 cm. They are candle-shaped or diamond-shaped in shape, but slightly elongated.
From the photo you can evaluate the color scheme of Chinese astilbe: the inflorescences of the perennial can be lilac, white or pink.
The culture is characterized by rapid growth, so you can often see a “carpet” of flowers in gardens
The perennial grows well in sunny or slightly shaded places. Many varieties are characterized by drought resistance, despite their love of moisture.
Chinese astilbe is also known among gardeners as a honey plant, so they prefer to plant it near apiaries. The plant is used as a seasoning and medicine.
The best varieties of Chinese astilbe
The herbaceous plant has various hybrids, differing from each other not only in the duration of flowering, but also in the color of the foliage and petals.
There are early-flowering, mid-flowering and late-flowering varieties. The principles of planting and care are similar.
Purple Rain
The perennial is compact and has a pyramidal shape. Its height is 60 cm. The leaf blades are complex in structure, dark green in color, with a glossy surface.
The inflorescences are powerful, purple-lilac in color. Buds are formed in June-July. The length of the inflorescence is 20 cm. Astilbe chinensis Perple Rhine can withstand low temperatures down to - 35 ° C.
The variety prefers partial shade, so it needs to be placed on the north side of buildings, near bodies of water where there is high humidity.
Dauria
The height of the bush reaches 100 cm. The leaf blades have a complex structure: trifoliate, with a shiny surface.
The flowers are small, collected in dense inflorescences reaching 35 cm in length. The color is varied: the formation of lilac or pink, less often white buds is possible. They appear in June-July.
The variety grows well on loamy soils and is capable of maintaining vital activity for up to 15 years without requiring replanting. And although it adapts well to unfavorable conditions, it is less drought-resistant than other varieties of the crop.
In gardens, gardeners prefer to grow the Dauria variety in partial shade so that the buds do not prematurely lose their brightness of color.
Superba
The bush of the variety is spreading, reaches 1 m in diameter and height. The leaves are green, with a glossy surface. The flowers are small, mauve, collected in inflorescences of an elongated panicle. The buds form in August and fade in mid-September.
Chinese astilbe Superba grows well in the sun, but in the midday heat it needs shelter. The plant loves moisture and tolerates frosts down to -34 °C.
Landscape designers prefer to decorate mixed borders, flower beds and banks of ponds with Chinese astilbe.
Pumila
The perennial is a ground cover plant reaching a height of 30-35 cm. The variety forms many stolons, whose length varies from 15 to 20 cm.
The leaf plates form rosettes 10-15 cm high, from the center of which rise peduncles in the form of panicles, 15-18 cm long. The buds of Astilbe Chinese Pumila are soft pink in color, with slight pubescence, and a lilac hue. The flowers smell pleasant, appear in August, and fade only in November.
The variety grows quickly and can occupy an area of up to 1 m2 in two seasons.
Purpurkerze
The Chinese astilbe variety is a late-flowering variety: buds form from July to September. Inflorescences are in the form of panicles, dense and fluffy, purple-violet in color. The buds are very fragrant.
The leaf blades are hard, with jagged edges, green in color with a bronze tint. The height of Chinese astilbe Purpurkertse is 45 cm, and during flowering it increases to 130 cm, so the variety is considered one of the tallest.
Ideal companions for the variety are daylily, phlox and bergenia.
Milk and honey
The perennial reaches 40 cm in height, has leathery large green leaves with a bronze tint. Over time they darken.
The flowers are small, distinguished by a pleasant greenish-white color with a pink tint, collected in large and fluffy panicles. Astilbe chinensis Milk and Honey buds form from July to August.
The plants that gardeners grow in semi-shaded, well-moistened and fertile soils have the most spectacular appearance.
Vision Series
These varieties of astilbe are known for their very beautiful, unusually colored inflorescences. Perennials of the Vision series grow well in sunny places, love moisture, and are resistant to winter frosts. Plants are preferred to decorate borders and flower beds.
Visions in Red
The variety is low-growing, its height does not exceed 50 cm: about 30 cm is occupied by the green part of the plant, and the remaining 10-20 cm are peduncles. The shoots are straight and dense, the structure of the leaf plates is pinnate, oval in shape with serrated edges.
The buds are set from July to August, collected in inflorescences similar in shape to a diamond. The color of the petals is deep reddish purple. Fully opened buds of lighter colors.
The variety is resistant to direct sunlight and insufficient watering, but this affects its appearance: it is recommended to place the shrub in partial shade
Visions in White
Hybrid perennial reaches 40-70 cm in height. Astilbe Chinese White is compact: its diameter does not exceed 30 cm. The leaf blades are densely dissected, the surface is glossy. The color of the leaves is rich, dark green, with bronze edges.
The inflorescences are dense, paniculate, and white in color. The buds form in July and fade in August. Astilbe sinensis Visions in White loves moisture and partial shade, but can survive during dry periods. The plant can withstand frosts down to -34 °C.
This variety of Chinese astilbe is preferred to be used as a decoration for flower beds and flower beds on borders, placing shrubs in the foreground
Visions in Pink
The variety was obtained in Holland. The plant is not tall: the length of the shoots does not exceed 35 cm, and together with peduncles 50 cm. The leaf blades are roughly textured, with a glossy surface, an unusual blue-green shade with pubescence.
Peduncles are dense, highly branched, light pink in color. Flowering lasts 1 month, beginning in July.
Hardy perennials go well with the variety; the plant is ideal for cutting and making flower arrangements
Visions Inferno
A shrub with a spreading crown, grows up to 0.5-0.6 m in height. The foliage is decorative, juicy green, with awl-shaped-toothed edges.
The flowers are small, pale white with a pink tint, and collected in panicles. The buds have a pleasant aroma. You can observe the flowering from July to August.
Chinese astilbe is used for both single and group compositions, placing the flower in flower beds and mixborders, as well as making flower bouquets from buds
Cappuccino
The variety, among other types of Chinese astilbe, was recently obtained and is characterized by beautiful openwork foliage, dark green, almost brown in some specimens. The stems are chocolate colored. The bush is compact: up to 40-50 cm in height.
The inflorescences are pale white, appear in June, fade in July. The panicles emit a pleasant honey aroma, which attracts insects.
If Chinese astilbe is planted in full shade, flowering will not begin or will be very sparse.
Hip Hop
This variety of Chinese astilbe is popular among gardeners due to its long flowering period: buds form in early July and fade in August. The inflorescences are diamond-shaped, each up to 25 cm long. The flowers are of an unusual shade: pink with red stamens.
The shrub grows up to 65 cm in length, is compact, and has a pyramidal shape. The leaf blades are lacy, slightly reddish in spring, but gradually become greenish-yellow.
The variety is undemanding, prefers slightly acidic soil, shaded areas and moisture.
Heart and Soul
The variety is medium-sized: the height of the bush is up to 60 cm. The stems are strong, the leaf blades are dark green in color, with a shiny surface. The buds are lavender-pink in color and form dense and fluffy panicles. Flowering from June to July.
The variety does not tolerate dry air well, so the best option for placing it is in sparse shade near bodies of water.
Veronica Klose
The height of Chinese astilbe is 45-60 cm. The leaf blades are green. The inflorescences are paniculate, pink in color with a purple undertone. The buds appear in July and fade in August.
The shrub is demanding on lighting: it grows in partial shade or with shading in the midday heat. Chinese astilbe grows well near bodies of water.
The variety is used to create flower arrangements in flower beds and mixborders, decorating borders
Mighty Chocolate Cherry
Chinese astilbe is tall: the length of the foliage is 70 cm, and the peduncles are 120 cm. The bush spreads 1-1.2 m in diameter. The leaf blades are dark green with reddish-brown, pinnate, with jagged edges.
Panicles of an unusual cherry color appear in August and fade in September. Chinese astilbe has high frost resistance: up to – 34 °C.
The culture takes 3-4 years to grow, after which the perennial begins to resemble a full-fledged shrub
Black Pearls
The perennial is a groundcover, its height does not exceed 60 cm. Compared to other varieties of Chinese astilbe, Black Pearls has the darkest green leaf plates.
Inflorescences in the form of panicles give the shrub a decorative appearance: the buds have a rich purple color.Flowering lasts August and September.
Chinese astilbe grows well in semi-shaded and humid places, so beautiful flower stalks are formed when the crop is planted on the banks of reservoirs
Color Flash
The herbaceous plant reaches a length of 60 cm and a diameter of up to 40 cm. The stems of Chinese astilbe are round, very strong, and do not require supports. Sheet plates with jagged edges and a glossy surface.
A special feature of the variety is the ability to change color during the season: in the spring the leaves are green, but gradually become purple, and in the autumn months they are red, with a brown tint. The inflorescences are slightly drooping, collected from small pinkish or white buds. Flowering lasts from July to August.
The high decorative value of the shrub allows the perennial to be used in landscape designs throughout the season.
Glitter and Glamor
The perennial grows up to 80 cm, is distinguished by dark green leaf blades and strong shoots. Inflorescences in the form of fluffy, light pink panicles with red stamens. The buds form in August and fade in September.
The culture is moisture-loving and can withstand frosts down to -23 °C. The plant prefers partial shade.
The shrub is compact and does not require pruning or sheltering for the winter.
The use of Chinese astilbe in design
Landscape designers use culture as a way to decorate a garden or site. Not only flowers, but also leaves are decorative.
It is recommended to plant hosta, primrose or iris as neighbors nearby. It is undesirable to grow large trees near these representatives of saxifrage.
In order for the garden to delight with a variety of flowers throughout the season, it is recommended to plant varieties with different flowering periods in the area, placing shorter crops in the foreground
To create spring gardens, it is recommended to place tulips, lilies of the valley, and mountain weed next to the bushes. In the first rows a place should be given to low-growing varieties of Chinese astilbe.
Often the perennial is used to create an artificial swamp as a landscaping plant; it decorates plant borders well
Features of planting and care
Chinese astilbes are easy to care for. If planting is carried out correctly, the plant will only need to be watered, loosened, and preventive measures against diseases and pests.
The optimal location of the bush is partial shade. The soil must be fertile and well permeable.
The planting algorithm is simple: dig a hole so that the root system is placed freely, lay out a drainage layer of crushed stone and sand, place the seedling in the hole and sprinkle it with earth. It is recommended to compact the soil around the trunk and water it abundantly. If the soil is infertile, it is recommended to add complex flower fertilizers to the planting hole.
In order for Chinese astilbe to grow quickly and have strong immunity, it is necessary to maintain soil moisture. It is recommended to use complex organic fertilizers. To do this, in the second year after planting, peat-compost soil should be distributed around the tree trunk.
Chinese astilbe is frost-resistant, so it does not need shelter, but spring frosts can damage the shoots, so it is recommended to cover them with cloth or pine needles
Pests and diseases
The culture has a strong immune system, so it is rarely susceptible to disease or attack by harmful insects. If the rules of care are violated, immunity decreases and bacteria become more active, causing harm to the plant.
Diseases and pests of Chinese astilbe:
- slobbering penny;
The pest lives in the axil of the leaf, sucks the juice out of it, which leads to the appearance of yellow spots on the leaf blades
- nematodes;
The worms infect the leaf blades and buds, as a result of which they change color to brown, become deformed and fall off, and the plant slowly dies
- root rot;
The disease is more often detected when the soil is waterlogged and is characterized by brown spots along the edges of the leaves; gradually the shoots curl and dry out
- bacterial spot.
When infected, black spots spread across the leaf blades, Chinese astilbe gradually weakens and dies
As a remedy for slobbering pennies and root rot, you should irrigate the bush with Aktara or Rotor. If nematodes or other viral infections appear, treatment is impossible; Chinese astilbe should be destroyed. Copper solution helps against bacterial spotting.
Conclusion
Chinese astilbe is a beautiful and unpretentious perennial. The variety of varieties allows you to choose the optimal hybrid for your site. The shrub is frost-hardy, loves partial shade and moisture, and when optimal conditions are created, it pleases with abundant flowering.
