Content
Planting and caring for perennial helenium is not a difficult task. Having spent a minimum of effort caring for this cute, unpretentious plant, the gardener will undoubtedly soon appreciate the result. Bright flowers, painted in yellow, red and brown tones and their various combinations, will look natural and organic in any corner of the garden and will help to embody any design idea.
It may seem to some that perennial helenium is unpretentious and rustic, but this is far from the case. Its flowers, which look like little suns, have long won the love and affection of gardeners and florists all over the world.They are attractive and lush, especially in large clumps, remain elegant for a long time and combine wonderfully in compositions with other plants. As a rule, the one who once planted this flower in his garden becomes its devoted fan for many years.
Description of Helenium
Helenium (lat. Helenium) is a genus of the Asteraceae, or Asteraceae, family, uniting 32 species (according to other sources - 39) of annual and perennial herbaceous plants. This flower is native to North America. In nature, helenium prefers to grow in moist, marshy soils, water meadows and roadsides. Under favorable conditions, its shoots sometimes reach 2 m in height.
The root system of perennial helenium is poorly developed. Its bush is actually not like that: it is several completely independent plants located in close proximity to each other.
The stems of the plant are straight, most often branched at the top. Their length can vary greatly among different varieties: from 40 to 160 cm. The surface of the shoots can be smooth or slightly pubescent.
The leaves of different types of helenium perennial can be either petiolate or sessile. Most often they are stem, oval or lanceolate in shape, located alternately on the shoots. Leaf blades are lobed or pinnate, with a smooth or jagged edge.
The plant blooms from June to the end of September.It usually lasts about 4-6 weeks, and the exact timing depends on the type and variety.
Perennial helenium inflorescences are complex, corymbose-shaped, and are formed at the tips of the shoots. Their diameter is 6-8 cm. The marginal, reed flowers have an elongated shape with 3 teeth along the outer edge. They are slightly bent from the central part in the form of a “cone” or hemisphere formed from tubular flowers. Externally, the inflorescence somewhat resembles a chamomile, but with a convex core. The color palette of perennial helenium is rich: all kinds of shades of red, orange, yellow and brown tones, as well as their combinations. Among the varietal diversity there are hybrids with semi-double and double inflorescences.
Double Trouble is the only terry perennial variety in the world
The fruit of the plant is an elongated capsule. At the end of flowering, oblong, pubescent seeds ripen in it.
Below are photos and descriptions of the types and varieties of perennial helenium, common in ornamental culture.
Types and varieties of helenium
Among all the wealth of species of this plant, only 5 names are currently used in gardening. The most famous among them is Helenium autumnale. It is the progenitor of a number of decorative species and forms, including hybrid helenium. The latter often includes cultivars whose origin is not precisely determined.
The names of species and varieties of perennial helenium with photos and descriptions will help you get the most complete picture of this flower.
Hybrid helenium
Hybrid Helenium (lat. Helenium x hybridum) usually grows tall - from 1 to 1.3 m. Its flowers are of medium size (3-7 cm in diameter). As a rule, they are painted in a combination of yellow with brown or red tones.Hybrid helenium usually blooms longer than most other perennial species. Its peak occurs in mid-summer.
Riverton Gem
The height of the shoots of hybrid helenium Riverton Gem is about 1.2 m. The diameter of its inflorescences is 5-7 cm. The color of the reed flowers is orange-ocher, with yellow “strokes”, the convex center is golden with a brown center. Blooms from late summer to early autumn. Attracts many bees and other pollinating insects.
One of the most famous varieties of hybrid perennial is Riverton Jam.
Wyndley
Gelenium hybrid Windley (Windley, Windley) is one of the shortest varieties, not exceeding 0.6-0.9 m in height. Its inflorescences are up to 5 cm in diameter and are painted in a warm copper-yellow hue with a chocolate-brown central convexity. They open in June-July. This variety of helenium looks very beautiful when cut.
Windley is considered one of the shortest varieties
Loysder Wieck
This helenium hybrid is very unusual in appearance. The size of its inflorescences is small (3.5-4.5 cm), while the reed flowers are divided and rolled into tubes along their entire length. The underside of the petals is painted pink-red, the front part is orange-yellow. Helenium perennial hybrid Leusder Vic looks very original in flower beds, forming a wide openwork cloud of inflorescences. Most decorative in August-September.
The unusually colored reed flowers of the Leusder Vic variety seem to be rolled into tubes
Helenium Gupesa
The height of the shoots of Helenium hoopesii (lat. Helenium hoopesii) is about 90 cm. The leaves of the plant are whole, elongated, greenish-gray in color. The inflorescences are very large (8-10 cm in diameter), solitary, on long peduncles.Reed and tubular flowers are bright yellow. They appear in abundance between June and July.
In nature, it is found in the western part of the North American continent, in mountainous areas in meadows.
Gupes is distinguished by its bright golden color
Helenium Bigelow
The perennial species of Helenium bigelovii (lat. Helenium bigеlovii) is also a “guest” from the western part of the USA. It has straight shoots about 0.8 m long. The leaves are solid, dense, lanceolate-shaped. Medium size baskets (about 6 cm). The color of reed flowers is yellow, tubular flowers are brown. Flowering period – June-July.
Bigelow is not yet widely used as a cultivated plant.
Spring helenium
The shoots of spring helenium (lat. Helenium vernalis) grow up to 1 m in height. The inflorescences are quite large - on average about 7 cm in diameter. Leaf blades are elongated, entire. The color of the tubular flowers is brown, the reed flowers are deep orange. The peculiarity of the perennial spring helenium is in the early flowering period: from the second half of May to the middle or end of June. This species usually tolerates winters well and overwinters without shelter even in gardens with a harsh climate.
Helenium vernatum is distinguished by an early flowering period in late spring or early summer
Autumn helenium
Perennial autumn helenium (lat. Helenium autumnale) is the most famous of all its “brothers”. Can reach 1.5-1.6 m in height. Its leaves are sessile, small in size, with fine teeth along the edge. The inflorescences have a diameter of about 3-5 cm.Their convex centers are painted in dark gold or brown tones, and the reed flowers are yellow or reddish. The flowering period is from July to September.
Helenium autumnalis is the “progenitor” of many forms and varieties
Helenium in landscape design
The gentle bright “suns” of perennial helenium can easily transform the garden area allocated for them into a picturesque, cozy corner. The undeniable value of this plant is its long flowering: it remains decorative even when many recognized beauties of the world of flora lose their attractive appearance, fly around and begin to prepare for winter.
The photo below shows examples of the successful use of helenium in landscape design.
The flowers are ideal for single plantings and work well as a tapeworm on a neat lawn or lawn.
In addition, this perennial flower looks great in multi-level mixborders.
Inflorescences blazing with “flames” will become an excellent background for flowers that are more restrained in color, or will successfully perform in the center of a group ensemble
Low-growing varieties of this perennial will help decorate borders and garden paths
Perennial helenium can easily find a place even in a rock garden
By combining different varieties of this plant, you can easily design any, even the most intricate flower bed.
If necessary, an overgrown perennial helenium will easily cover and disguise traces of communications laid to buildings, or existing architectural flaws in structures
The best partners for this plant are considered to be rudbeckias, delphiniums, heucheras, marigolds, and garden yarrow.
A successful example of a combination of perennial helenium and companion flowers is shown in the photo:
Helenium perennial looks great next to many companion plants
Features of reproduction
There are several ways to propagate Helenium perennial.
The most common and simplest option is dividing the bushes. Most often they resort to it in May. When adult plants are dug out of the ground, they easily split into individual rosettes. It is enough to seat them in new places.
You can also root cuttings of this perennial plant. They should be cut in July, treated with a root growth stimulator and planted in the ground. This option for obtaining a young flower is the fastest.
Perennial helenium is propagated by planting seeds. You can sow them directly in open ground or pre-grow seedlings. A significant disadvantage of the seed propagation method is the extremely rare inheritance by the resulting plants of the varietal characteristics inherent in the maternal specimens. And yet, despite this, gardeners use this method quite often.
Growing helenium from seeds at home
Growing perennial helenium from seeds to seedlings is a simple process. However, it still requires certain knowledge and preliminary preparation.
When to plant helenium seedlings
The timing of planting Helenium perennial seeds to obtain seedlings comes early; at the end of February or beginning of March. This allows you to get grown strong seedlings at the turn of spring and summer, when they are usually planted in open ground.
Preparing containers and soil
It is preferable to use wide but shallow seedling containers. These can be containers or boxes made of wood or plastic.It is important that the bottom of each container has a sufficient number of holes for drainage to avoid stagnation of water at the roots of plants when watering.
The soil should be light, loose and nutritious. You can mix it yourself by adding a little peat and sand to the leaf soil, but the easiest way would be to purchase a ready-made substrate for flowering plants in the store.
Before sowing perennial helenium seeds, the soil should be disinfected. To do this, you can pour it with a solution of fungicide or potassium permanganate (light pink), or bake it in the oven for an hour.
How to sow helenium for seedlings
The algorithm for sowing this perennial plant for seedlings is extremely simple:
- A drainage layer of 1-1.5 cm is poured into the planting container.
- Fill it with prepared soil.
- Moisten the substrate generously with a spray bottle.
- The seeds are evenly distributed over the surface of the soil without deepening them. It is advisable to leave 2-3 cm of free space between them.
- Cover the container with a transparent lid or plastic wrap.
Helenium seeds have low germination rate and will definitely need to be stratified before planting.
Is it necessary to stratify helenium seeds?
Perennial helenium seeds have low germination rate, so it is strongly recommended to stratify them.
To do this, immediately after the sowing procedure, the covered container should be placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator (in the “freshness zone” for vegetables).After 6 weeks, the container with the seeds must be removed and placed in a well-lit, warm place, for example, on a windowsill.
Seedling care
Further care of perennial helenium from the moment of sowing until the transfer of grown seedlings to open ground involves the following measures:
- maintaining a consistently warm temperature in the room with seeds - at + 18-22 ° C;
- providing the seedlings with a sufficient amount of light (ideally, providing them with a fluorescent lamp);
- systematic removal of shelter to ventilate crops and accustom them to the open air;
- regular, careful moistening of the soil with warm, settled water from a spray bottle.
With proper care, helenium perennial shoots should appear within 4 weeks. At this stage, the “greenhouse” can be finally removed.
After the seedlings of a perennial flower develop 2-3 true leaves, they will need to be planted in separate containers.
Planting and caring for helenium flowers in open ground
If a gardener does not have the time or resources to grow seedlings, he can sow the seeds directly in open ground, in the fall or spring. In the latter case, the seed material will first have to be stratified. To do this, it is advisable to mix it with a small amount of damp soil or sawdust, place it in a plastic bag and keep it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for a month. After this, the seeds will be ready for sowing.
The seedless method of growing this plant is extremely simple. By properly planting and observing all the subtleties of care, you can grow a beautiful flowering helenium on your site, for example, like the one in the photo:
A healthy and well-groomed helenium will delight you for a long time with an abundance of bright and colorful flowers.
When can helenium be replanted?
When sowing perennial helenium directly into open ground, adhere to the following timing:
- before winter - at the end of October, when warming is no longer expected;
- in the spring, in April-May, after the snow has completely melted, when even at night the air temperature remains stable above zero.
The seedlings are transferred to the garden bed no earlier than the end of May or the beginning of June, when the soil has time to warm up sufficiently. Otherwise, young plants may freeze and not take root.
Warning! Perennial helenium grown from seeds will bloom only next year.
Site selection and soil preparation
A suitable location on the site must meet the following parameters:
- open, well-lit (if a perennial helenium variety with yellow flowers is selected, light partial shade is also suitable);
- with loose, nutritious soil with good drainage properties;
- the soil reaction should be neutral or slightly acidic.
Before planting seeds or seedlings of a perennial flower in a garden bed, the soil should be prepared: enriched with compost and dug it to the depth of a spade bayonet.
Landing algorithm
After the preparatory activities are completed, you can begin planting the perennial plant. This procedure should be performed like this:
- In the garden bed you need to dig small holes at a distance of at least 30-35 cm from each other. Their depth should correspond to the parameters of the planting container, and their size should exceed the volume of the root system of the seedling by approximately 2 times.
- Seedlings should be replanted together with a lump of earth.
- Immediately before rooting in the ground, the roots of the seedlings, carefully removed from the containers, are soaked in clean water for 10-15 minutes.
- Having planted the plant in a hole, it should be carefully sprinkled with soil, watered and, after waiting for the moisture to be absorbed, mulch with dry peat, humus or sawdust.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
Helenium perennial is a moisture-loving plant that can quickly die in conditions of prolonged drought. In this regard, watering is carried out frequently and regularly (on hot summer days in the absence of precipitation, it would be a good idea to “water” the plants twice a day, in the morning and in the evening). It is advisable to use settled, not cold water. Ideal if you can organize drip irrigation.
Perennial Helenium loves plenty of moisture, but suffers if water stagnates at the roots.
The soil under the plant should be carefully loosened every time after watering or heavy rain.
Mineral and organic fertilizers will help maintain the beautiful appearance and health of perennial helenium. It is recommended to apply them in liquid form during the process of watering the plant.
Feed perennial helenium 3 times during the season:
- in May - potassium sulfate, urea, mullein infusion;
- in August - a complex phosphorus-potassium mixture (Agricola-7) in combination with organic fertilizer;
- in October - ash or superphosphate.
Topping
Perennial Helenium does not require formative pruning. However, this procedure often helps improve the quality of flowering. Usually, for these purposes, a small number of inflorescences on the youngest stems are removed.
Pinching the tips of the shoots helps the plant branch better.
Care during the flowering period
Caring for perennial helenium during the flowering stage differs little from what was carried out immediately after planting, and is only slightly supplemented with new measures:
- unopened inflorescences of the plant can be additionally sprayed with the preparation “Bud” for more abundant flowering;
- it is advisable to remove faded inflorescences in time, this will contribute to the formation of new heads;
- young plants do not need support, but old, overgrown bushes may need a garter, as they may begin to fall apart.
Wintering
It is necessary to prepare perennial helenium for winter as follows:
- cut all shoots to a height of 10-15 cm above the soil level;
- mulch the bed with a thick layer of sawdust or moss;
- If a very frosty or little snowy winter is expected, you should additionally cover the area with the plants with lutrasil.
Diseases and pests
Among the diseases and pests that can damage the health of perennial helenium, first of all, the following should be highlighted:
- Chrysanthemum nematodes. Flower buds and leaves are often damaged. As a result, they turn brown and dry out quickly. If parasite activity is detected, plant organs damaged by them should be pruned and burned. To prevent and get rid of chrysanthemum nematodes, slaked lime or sulfur powder is added to the soil.
A dangerous enemy of perennial helenium is the chrysanthemum nematode.
- Fungal infections that cause rotting. Often appear as a result of waterlogging of the soil. Following the correct watering regime will help you avoid this problem.If the plant is already suffering from a disease, it is necessary to repeatedly loosen the soil at the roots, and also treat the plantings with fungicides.
The reason for the appearance of rot most often lies in violation of the correct watering regime.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for perennial helenium is a task that even a novice gardener can do. In this case, the result, as a rule, always turns out to be “on top”. An abundance of bright flowers painted in warm colors, reminiscent of small suns, will wonderfully decorate and complement the garden collection in the second half of the season, when the riot of colors and variety of shapes begins to gradually fade away. With proper care and creation of favorable conditions, the perennial helenium will invariably “return” to the garden from year to year, growing rapidly and once again delighting with generous and lush flowering.
