Content
- 1 General description of paniculate phlox
- 2 The best varieties of paniculate phlox
- 3 Peculiarities of reproduction of perennial paniculate phlox
- 4 Planting and caring for perennial paniculate phlox
- 5 Pests and diseases
- 6 Conclusion
Phlox paniculata is an ornamental perennial plant represented by numerous varieties. It is interesting to get acquainted with popular varieties and learn the rules for caring for them.
General description of paniculate phlox
Paniculate phlox is a herbaceous perennial, usually a medium-sized bush with paniculate inflorescences in the upper part.The stems of the plant are fragile, but quite strong, and by the end of summer they begin to become woody.
Paniculate phlox is quite strong and rarely needs support.
The leaves of paniculate phlox are elongated, lanceolate, paired, growing crosswise on the stem. The plant blooms with small five-petalled flowers, collected in inflorescences, and at the end of flowering it bears fruits - small boxes with seeds.
Dimensions of the bush and height of paniculate phloxes
The plant can rise to a height of 60-180 cm above the ground. The bushes spread on average up to 150 cm in width and grow quickly.
How and when paniculate phlox bloom
Paniculate phlox blooms in mid-summer, around mid-July. This period is considered early; late varieties bloom only in August.
Flowering lasts 1-2 months, throughout the entire time the plant looks very decorative. The flowers, small in themselves, are formed into large inflorescences of spherical, conical or cylindrical type, up to 30 cm in diameter. Despite the fact that each of the small buds lives a little more than a week, flowering does not occur simultaneously, and this allows the bushes to remain lush and beautiful for a long time.
Small flowers of the plant are collected in large inflorescences
Paniculate phlox in landscape design
Unpretentious, but very beautiful paniculate phloxes are widely used in landscaping. Most often they are planted:
- along a high fence - lush bushes enliven the landscape and hide the bare, monochromatic fence;
Flowering bushes decorate fences and hedges well
- alone in unoccupied corners of the garden, the flowering perennial is a very noticeable plant in the garden and attracts attention;
Phlox of different colors can be used to form a spectacular flower bed.
- As part of artistic groups, paniculate phlox often acts as a background for astilbe and other flowering perennials; it is also planted next to tall shrubs and conifers.
The plant goes well with other shrubs and flowers
The perennial feels comfortable in light but slightly shaded areas and in moist soil. Therefore, you can plant it near a reservoir, decorating the banks with shrubs, or in a section of the garden where other bushes and plants grow poorly due to light shade.
The best varieties of paniculate phlox
There are many varieties of paniculate phlox. But among them we can distinguish the most popular varieties, which are found most often in summer cottages.
New varieties of paniculate phlox
The selection of new varieties continues constantly. Over the past few years, European hybridizers have pleased lovers of ornamental shrubs with several new products.
Blue Paradise
Reaches 1.2 m in height and grows up to 60 cm in diameter. The plant blooms in the middle period, from the second half of July until autumn. Blue Paradise bears spherical or cone-shaped inflorescences; the blossoming buds have a deep blue color and become blue-violet after full opening. Phlox flowers are quite large, up to 4 cm in diameter.
Blue Paradise - a popular blue variety
Hesperis
Another new variety of Dutch selection is the paniculate phlox Hesperis, reaching 1.4 m in height.The erect bush produces large branched inflorescences, slightly reminiscent of lilac branches. The flowers of the variety are deep lilac in color, with a uniform color, and they appear on the branches in mid-August and bloom for about 45 days.
Hesperis - variety with August flowering
Queen of Spades
A new Russian selection is the Queen of Spades variety with average flowering in mid-July. It bears purple-lilac flowers with a crimson eye; in cloudy weather it takes on a bluish-violet hue. The height of the bush reaches 90 m, and the diameter of individual flowers is approximately 4 cm. The inflorescences of the Queen of Spades are conical and dense.
The Queen of Spades is one of the newest varieties
Early varieties of paniculate phlox
Early varieties are considered to be varieties that begin flowering in mid- or late June. Such phloxes look very good in lush flower beds and group compositions in the garden if they bloom simultaneously with neighboring plants in the midst of summer.
Fog
It reaches a height of 80 cm, has good spreading ability and blooms very profusely. Flowering usually begins in mid-June and lasts about 1.5 months. Paniculate phlox bears dense round-conical inflorescences consisting of soft lilac flowers with a bright crimson eye in the middle. In the morning and evening, the inflorescences appear bluish.
The fog changes color depending on the lighting
Apple blossom
The low paniculate phlox rises up to 65 cm above the ground, is compact in size, and grows quickly. It bears dense inflorescences-umbrellas of a soft pink warm color, closer to the middle the flowers are whitish, and in the center they have a dark pink eye.
With good care, the variety blooms in mid-June. Individual flowers are quite large - up to 4.5 cm wide.
The color of the Apple tree is distinguished by very delicate and bright blooms
Storm
The height of paniculate phlox is about 1 m, flowering occurs in late June or early July. The plant bears lilac-violet flowers with a smooth shade transition and a crimson eye in the center. The shape of the inflorescences is round, slightly loose.
Thunderstorm - lilac variety for shaded areas
Varieties of paniculate phlox with large flowers
Almost all paniculate phlox bear large and clearly visible inflorescences. But the varieties with large diameter flowers are the most decorative; they are collected in especially wide clusters of spherical or conical shape.
Miss Kelly
Tall paniculate phlox rises up to 1.1 m, bears white-purple flowers with a light eye in the center. Individual flowers reach 4.5 cm in diameter, due to which the inflorescence grows up to 20-25 cm in width.
The variety blooms in the middle period, usually in mid-July and until early autumn.
Miss Kelly - tall, large-flowered variety
Anna German
The well-known variety of paniculate phlox reaches 80 cm, in mid-July it begins to bloom with beautiful salmon-pink flowers with a lighter shade towards the center and a purple ring in the middle. The flowers are up to 4.5 cm in diameter and are collected in large and lush round-conical inflorescences.
Anna German brings large and very bright flowers
Sandro Botticelli
A popular low variety up to 75 cm, with rapid growth and flowering in mid-July. Brings round-conical dense inflorescences of an even lilac hue, in the evening twilight it appears bluish.The diameter of the flowers reaches 5 cm, the variety looks very decorative. It grows well in the shade, but may fade a little in the sun.
Sandro Botticelli is a large-petalled variety.
Varieties of white paniculate phlox
Perennials with white flowers seem quite modest and simple, but are in great demand. In the garden, such a shrub becomes a bright, fresh accent; it looks very attractive against the backdrop of dark greenery, and is clearly visible in shady places.
Marshmallow
The low variety Zephyr can reach 70 cm in height. Flowering begins in mid-summer and continues until early September; phlox inflorescences are soft white, with a pale purple core and fuzzy radiating rays of a pinkish tint. The inflorescences themselves are dense, round in shape.
Marshmallow changes shade from white to pinkish, depending on the area
Snow White
The variety bears snow-white flowers with a small yellow eye. Snow White blooms with lush pyramid-shaped inflorescences, reaching a height of 80 cm. Flowering occurs from mid-July. Although the stems of the variety are strong, they can droop under the weight of the flowers, so the variety is often tied to supports.
Snow White lives up to its name
Swan Princess
The medium-sized perennial reaches about 70 cm in height and bears lush, elongated inflorescences in mid-July. The flowers of the variety are quite large, up to 4.5 cm wide, bright white in color, star-shaped in shape. A characteristic feature of the variety is its dense foliage of shoots and rapid growth.
The white flowers of the Swan Princess variety have an unusual shape
Varieties of red paniculate phlox
Red phlox attracts the attention of gardeners; they look very bright and go well with a dark green or lighter background. With the help of red varieties, you can highlight a section of the garden and focus attention on the artistic group in which the phlox grows.
Margarita
The red variety of paniculate phlox reaches 90 cm in height and blooms from July to early September. The variety produces dense, wide inflorescences, consisting of large flowers up to 4.5 cm. The flowering shade is deep red with a crimson tint, such a phlox is guaranteed to attract attention.
Margarita is a very impressive red variety
Miss Mary
The red variety has an average height of 60 to 80 cm. Phlox has an average flowering period, from mid-July to September, the inflorescences are deep red, with a crimson tint and a slight transition to purple closer to the core. At the site, Miss Mary creates an atmosphere of a bright holiday.
Miss Mary - red phlox with spherical inflorescences
Starfire
Decorative paniculate phlox has very beautiful cherry-red blooms. Dense spherical inflorescences appear on its shoots in July; the decorative effect remains until September. The leaves of the variety are also very beautiful; in spring and early summer, a bronze coating remains on the lush green leaf blades.
Starfire - a species with bright red colors
Original varieties of perennial paniculate phlox
Plants with unusual colors that combine different shades are of great interest to gardeners.Most varieties are evenly colored, so two-color paniculate phlox always attracts the eye and forces you to take a closer look at the flowers.
Sherbet Cocktail
The unusual phlox reaches about 70 cm in height and blooms at the end of June. Flowering lasts until August; the variety produces small flowers, collected in spherical dense inflorescences up to 30 cm in diameter.
An unusual feature of the variety is the presence of a yellow tint in the color of the inflorescences. The unopened buds of paniculate phlox are pure yellow; after blooming, they retain light green edges, and the center of the flowers becomes white-pink.
Sherbet Cocktail - a unique species with yellow hues in bloom
Success
The bush grows up to 80 cm and produces large dense inflorescences in mid-July. The paniculate phlox flowers of this variety are mostly purple, but they have a clearly visible white star in the center. This gives the bushes an unusual look. The bushes are densely covered with foliage and lend themselves well to shaping.
Success - an unusual appearance with a white eye in the center of a purple flower
Gzhel
Another unusual variety reaches about 1.1 m in height. It bears inflorescences from mid-July and retains maximum decorative effect until mid or late September. Gzhel's inflorescences are spherical and consist of very interesting two-color flowers. The petals of the variety are white, but with thick, smoothly distributed blue or purple shadows. There is an ink eye in the center of the flower.
Coloring of Gzhel flowers corresponds to its name
Peculiarities of reproduction of perennial paniculate phlox
Paniculate phloxes are propagated by several methods. For adult plants, the following methods are most often used:
- bush division - adult phlox is dug up after flowering and divided into 3-4 parts, and then immediately transplanted to new places;
Dividing the rhizome is a convenient way to propagate an adult plant.
- cuttings in May, strong shoots are cut off at the base of the paniculate phlox, cuttings about 10 cm long are cut, and then planted in a shaded bed and wait for rooting;
The plant reproduces worse by cuttings, but the method is popular
- layering, In the spring, the lower shoot of the plant is bent and fixed with a slight penetration into the ground; in the fall, the layering takes root.
Layering is a very simple method of propagation.
The most effective are division and propagation by layering, since paniculate phlox demonstrate better survival rate than when propagated by cuttings.
Growing paniculate phlox from seeds
Paniculate phlox is often sprouted by seeds; the plant responds well to this method of propagation. For seedlings, both purchased and collected seeds from garden phlox are used:
- First of all, the seeds need to be germinated. To do this, at the beginning of spring, they are slightly buried in damp sand, sprayed generously and kept at a temperature of about 20 ° C under a film. After 2-3 weeks, the first seedlings appear from the seeds.
- After this, the germinated material is transplanted into nutritious soil made of peat, sand and humus mixed in equal parts, watered and covered with film. From time to time, the film is removed for ventilation, and the soil is regularly moistened.
- After about 2 weeks, the first phlox shoots appear. When they get stronger, you will need to dive and then keep the seedlings in a warm place with diffused light.
At home, phlox is grown from seeds until May
Seedlings are planted in open ground in early May. First, the phloxes need to be hardened, taken out into fresh air for a short time, gradually increasing the duration.
Planting and caring for perennial paniculate phlox
Successfully planting and growing paniculate phlox is not difficult. It is important to provide the plants with light shading and good watering; otherwise, perennials have low growing requirements.
Recommended timing
Both seedlings purchased at the nursery and strengthened home seedlings are transferred to the ground at the end of April or beginning of May. Return frosts have already passed by this time, the soil has time to warm up well. Plants with early flowering can also be planted in August and early September, but such dates are usually chosen in warm regions.
Site selection and soil preparation
Perennial phlox prefers areas with diffused light and light shade in the afternoon. The plant loves moist and nutritious soils. If the soil is poor, then 2 weeks before planting the site needs to be dug up and humus, river sand, peat and lime added to the soil.
Perennials should be planted in a bright place with light shade.
A few days before planting phlox, you need to dig a hole about 30 cm deep. Drainage is installed at the bottom of the pit, then it is half filled with soil with the addition of peat, sand and humus, and complex fertilizers are also applied.
Landing algorithm
After the soil in the hole has settled a little and the fertilizing has had time to dissolve in the soil, begin planting the plant. The seedling is soaked in water for a couple of hours to nourish its roots, and then it is lowered into the hole and the root system is carefully straightened.
The roots are sprinkled with the remaining soil; there is no need to deepen the root collar.The seedling is watered abundantly and the soil around the trunk is compacted, the trunk circle is mulched with 5 cm of peat.
The hole needs to be shallow - the roots of the plant are not too long
Aftercare
The plant does not respond well to dry soil, so it needs to be watered regularly. In spring, watering is carried out weekly, during the flowering period - once every 2 weeks in the absence of drought. On hot days, it is recommended to spray perennials. The plant needs to be watered, including in the fall, until October, if there is almost no rain.
Feed paniculate bushes several times a season. At the beginning of May, you need to add ammonium nitrate, ash and superphosphate under the bushes, and at the end of May - mullein infusion. Next, the plant is fed again with ash, saltpeter and superphosphate during the formation of buds, and after flowering, complex fertilizers in granules are applied.
It is extremely important for the plant to provide frequent watering.
Pruning for paniculate phlox is carried out in the spring before flowering begins. Usually only the 7 strongest and healthiest shoots are left; in this case, the plant directs all resources to lush flowering and does not waste energy on maintaining excess green mass.
Preparing paniculate phlox for winter
For winter, paniculate phlox is usually cut off completely, flush with the ground. This is done at the end of September or beginning of October, with the onset of the first frosts, and after the phlox has shed its leaves.
The trimmed plant is carefully covered with mulching material, for example, peat, and the top is insulated with spruce branches or straw. In such conditions, the perennial will be able to survive even a very harsh winter and will produce new strong shoots in the spring.
Trim the bushes flush with the ground in autumn
Pests and diseases
Most often, paniculate phlox suffers from several ailments:
- Powdery mildew. A white coating similar to mold appears on the leaves of the plant, the leaves dry out and die.
Powdery mildew leaves recognizable white spots
- Variegation. The viral disease disturbs the color of the petals, the flowers become covered with light, uneven stripes, and the phlox begins to grow worse.
The variegation virus impairs decorativeness and interferes with the development of the bush
- Rust. The fungal disease manifests itself as dark rusty spots and dots on the leaves, leading to wilting.
Rust affects the leaves of paniculate phlox
Fungi are controlled using Bordeaux mixture or fungicides - Topaz and Ridomila Gold. It is important to first remove all affected parts of the bush.
Among the pests that are dangerous for paniculate phlox are:
- slugs, they feed on the juices of leaves and stems and oppress the plant;
Slugs are collected manually or repelled with chemicals
- nematodes, microscopic worms imperceptibly infect the perennial and lead to its deformation, curling of the foliage and wilting;
Nematodes are the most difficult to combat; usually the plant is simply eliminated
- slobbering penny — the pest feeds on leaves and shoots, as a result of which the decorative appearance of the plant suffers and growth slows down.
The pennitsa leaves behind a characteristic foam trail
When infected with nematodes, it is recommended to remove the diseased plant from the site and burn it. In other cases, spraying with garlic and soap solution, as well as treatment with insecticidal preparations, for example, Komandor, help well.
Conclusion
Phlox paniculata is a beautiful and undemanding plant that can decorate any garden. White, red and multi-colored varieties of perennials provide very wide possibilities for landscaping.
