Content
Darmera thyroid belongs to the Saxifraga family. The plant is native to North America. There it is found in its natural environment on the banks of rivers in the mountainous terrain. For home cultivation, other plant varieties are used. Darmera thyroid is popular among amateur gardeners. They plant the flower to decorate areas and create beautiful flower beds.
Darmera prefers partial shade lighting
Description of the thyroid darmera
Darmera is a perennial plant, the roots are dense, knotty, and go deep into the soil. The flower is winter-hardy and easily tolerates severe frosts of the northern regions. However, gardeners mulch it to avoid freezing of the root system.
Darmera produces its first shoots in early May, and dense green trunks appear. Of these, large, veiny, wide leaves will bloom in the future. The color is light green, the surface is covered with a faint waxy coating. By the end of the season, the dharmera's foliage turns red. This is a feature of vegetative development. When most of the flowers die, darmera decorates the area with its bright foliage.
The plant reaches a height of 60 cm, the foliage moves away from the rosette, forming the appearance of a low bush. Flowering begins in early summer, buds appear, which bloom with medium-sized light pink flowers, their diameter reaches 12 cm. Flowering is long-lasting, the plant produces buds throughout the entire season.
Darmera is planted in areas for its massive foliage; it goes well with any flowering plants
Thyroid darmera in landscape design
Darmera peltata is used in landscape design to decorate the banks of ponds or streams. The plant goes well with other shade-loving flowers: hosta, meadowsweet, Rogers, mountain weed, spindle.
Darmera is planted near flowering trees. They also make long flower beds along the shady side of the house and the fence.
Shield darmera is not suitable for decorating small ponds; massive foliage will cover the surface of the water
Features of reproduction
Plant propagation is carried out using two methods. The method of dividing the bush has a higher survival rate. However, growing from seeds is also used.
Seeds
Seed material is collected at the end of flowering. Instead of flowers, boxes form on the buds. Inside them are seeds for future planting.
This method is used less frequently, since flowering of seedlings is observed only in the third year after germination.
Step-by-step growing instructions:
- Collect seeds at the end of summer and store them in the refrigerator in a dry cloth all winter.
- At the beginning of March, the soil is prepared. It is bought in agricultural stores or taken from the site.
- Prepare a container of small volume, maximum 200 ml.
- A day before planting, the seeds are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate.
- Fill the container halfway with soil.Water it with water.
- Several seeds are placed at the bottom and covered with earth.
- All boxes are covered with transparent cellophane or transparent glass.
- Leave it this way until sprouts appear.
- Water the plantings as the soil dries and leave them in a warm place.
- After two true leaves appear, the seedlings can be transferred to open ground.
- 14 days before transplanting, the plantings are hardened off on the balcony. Every day, young dwarfs are taken out into the cold for 1 hour. Increase the time by 1-1.5 hours daily.
The flower is transferred to open ground after the night frosts have passed and the ground has warmed up by at least 10 0WITH.
Darmera is unpretentious in care, seedlings take root well in a new place
Dividing the bush
This method is used by most gardeners. At the beginning of the season, the rhizome of the plant is divided in half and planted in different places. The bush quickly recovers and increases its green mass. The method has several features that must be observed:
- At the beginning of spring, the mother bush of Darmera thyroid is dug up.
- Scissors are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate or treated with alcohol.
- Divide the bush into two even parts and cut with scissors.
- All cuts are made carefully so as not to damage the roots.
- The mother's half is put in the old place.
- The daughter plant is transplanted to a new location.
- After planting, each darmera is watered generously.
New bushes bloom in early May. The period of their budding does not differ, as in seed propagation.
Planting and caring for darmera
The plant takes root well in all regions of Russia. Darmera can be planted in the Leningrad region and other climatic zones. They usually choose a shady place.
Landing dates and rules
Planting of Darmera thyroid occurs in early spring or autumn. Gardeners note that when planted in spring, the bushes take root better. Autumn does not always end successfully; sometimes the roots of a flower freeze out.
Darmera prefers moist and loose soil. The flower is unpretentious to the composition of the soil and grows well even on infertile soil.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
The plant must be watered daily in sunny weather. During frequent rains, monitor the soil moisture. If there is enough water, no irrigation is required. Do not overwater the roots of the flower. This provokes infection of its root system with fungal diseases.
Darmera grows on any soil, but if the plant is additionally fed, the foliage and flowers will have a stronger and healthier appearance. For these purposes, mineral or organic fertilizers are used.
Complex formulations are sold in finished form in agricultural stores. Darmere buy fertilizers for Saxifragas. Feed the plant twice a season. The first time before flowering, the second before wintering. The solution is diluted according to the instructions.
The following organic fertilizers are used:
- manure;
- chicken droppings;
- herbal decoctions;
- wood ash;
- compost;
- humus;
- forest land.
For Darmera thyroid, a high nitrogen content in the fertilizer is important. This element stimulates the growth of green mass. However, phosphorus and potassium are no less important; they strengthen the plant’s immunity and are also responsible for flowering.
Feeding is carried out in the morning, before sunrise, in dry weather.
Preparing for winter
Darmera is a winter-hardy plant, but it is recommended to mulch it for the winter. Preparation for wintering begins in October and takes place in several stages:
- Remove all foliage.
- Water the plant abundantly.
- Feeding is carried out.
- Cover the roots with a layer of mulch.
The following materials are used for mulching:
- sawdust;
- straw;
- moss;
- fallen leaves;
- chopped grass;
- spandbond;
- agrofibre.
There will be snow on the mulch in winter, which creates additional insulation.
Diseases and pests
Darmera thyroid has strong immunity. But if not properly cared for, the plant begins to hurt. Most often it is affected by fungal diseases:
- Septoria. Appears during the budding period. Yellow-brown spots appear on the leaves. The shoots gradually dry out and fall off. Flowers are formed with defects and are weak.
Septoria spots have smooth outlines, they appear from the lower shoots and gradually move upward
- Fusarium. Yellow spots appear on the shoots of Darmera. The fungus penetrates the roots and spreads quickly. The leaves gradually die off.
Fusarium spreads quickly, the diseased dwarf needs to be removed from the flowerbed as soon as possible
- Bacterial rot. The root system is affected, and wet black spots appear in the rosette area. The flower develops poorly, the buds fall off, the leaves grow weakly and partially dry out.
Bacterial rot is almost impossible to cure; the plant most often dies
To combat diseases, the affected plant is removed from the flowerbed. Treat with a fungicide solution. To avoid infection with fungal diseases, preventive spraying with preparations is carried out in the spring before budding begins.
Pests rarely attack the plant. As a preventive measure, at the beginning of spring, plantings are sprayed with insecticides. Decoctions of garlic, onion or mustard are also used.Traditional methods help repel insects for 7-10 days. The downside is that the effect is lost after rain.
Conclusions
Darmera thyroid is an unpretentious evergreen plant. It is often used in landscape design. The massive leaves pair well with flowering shrubs, trees and other perennials. Darmera is a shade-loving and winter-hardy flower, which allows it to be grown throughout Russia.
