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Red milkweed is also called incarnata (Asclepias incarnata). Also known as asclepius. It is a perennial shrub that produces beautiful deep pink flowers. It can be propagated by seeds or propagated by cuttings or dividing the bush. The plant is not demanding in terms of care: it requires moderate but regular watering and fertilizing 2-3 times per season.
Description
This is a medium-sized perennial shrub (height up to 1-1.2 m). The leaves are lanceolate, elongated, with a pointed tip, rich green. The flowers are white, pink, purple or deep red, with a fleshy hue, which is how the plant gets its name. The inflorescences are formed in the form of umbrellas, densely covering the bush.
The diameter of the inflorescences of asclepius is 5-6 cm
A characteristic feature of incarnate cottonweed flowers is that they emit a smell reminiscent of chocolate butter. Thanks to this, plants attract butterflies, bees and other insects to the garden. Flowering begins in mid-July and lasts more than a month (35-45 days).
Varieties
There are several types of asclepius.The most popular are:
- Incarnate cottonweed Sinderella (Cinderella) is a tall bush (up to 120 cm high) with well-leafed stems. Grows in sunny, dry places (without excess moisture). The flowers are pink, collected in umbrellas.
- Tuberwort Zolotinka - one of the most attractive representatives with orange flowers densely dotting the entire bush. Low growing - up to 70 cm in height. Asklepias blooms until late autumn, thanks to which it creates a unique atmosphere in the garden.
- Vatochnik incarnate Ice Ballet (Ice ballet) produces classic white flowers with a graceful shape. Flowering occurs in July.
- Vatochnik Soulmate (Soulmate) - a bush up to 1 m in height with beautiful meat-colored flowers.
Growing incarnate cottonweed from seeds
Asclepius incarnate can be grown from seeds at home. To do this, they are planted immediately in separate containers at the end of February. The soil must be sufficiently fertile, for example, you can mix garden soil with humus and compost in a ratio of 2:1:1, or purchase a universal mixture for seedlings.
Grow cottonweed at room temperature (preferably 23-24 °C), organize good watering and daily lighting. In such conditions, the first shoots will appear in 10 days. The temperature is gradually reduced, and additional lighting is stopped in April.
Planting in open ground
Incarnate cotton grass seedlings are planted in open ground in mid-May (in the south - at the end of April).The soil should be moderately fertile, light and not waterlogged. The reaction of the environment is neutral: if the soil is alkaline or acidified, it is first neutralized (with vinegar or slaked lime).
Site selection and preparation
The place for planting the incarnate cotton wool must meet several requirements:
- good lighting (slight shading from large trees or shrubs is allowed);
- protection from strong drafts;
- dryness (do not plant the bush in lowlands where moisture accumulates).
Before planting incarnate cotton grass, the area is cleaned, dug up with half a shovel, humus and complex mineral fertilizer are added (50-60 g per 1 m2).
Planting stages
The algorithm for planting cottonweed incarnate is as follows:
- Several holes are marked at a distance of 80-100 cm. The shoots of the plant are very long, shoots may appear far from the central root.
- Drain with stone chips and pebbles.
- Asclepius is planted.
- Water generously.
- Mulch with peat, sawdust, straw.
It is better to plant the plant in mid-May, when the soil is warm and there is no threat of frost.
Care
The rules for growing incarnate cottonweed are quite simple:
- Regular watering (the soil should remain moderately moist).
- Application of fertilizers - nitrogen in the spring, during the formation of buds and flowering - complex mineral or Nitrophoska (2 times with an interval of 3-4 weeks).
- Mulching the soil.
- Periodic loosening after each watering.
- Weeding - as necessary.
Diseases and pests
Incarnate cotton wool is distinguished by its exceptional resistance to various pathologies.Only sometimes the plant is parasitized by a whitefly, which resembles a small butterfly (moth), and a spider mite.
If pests are detected, cotton grass bushes can be treated with any insecticide or acaricide (Aktara, Fufanon, Fitoverm, Karbofos, Neoron)
Asclepius practically does not suffer from fungal infections. In extreme cases, it is necessary to treat the bushes with fungicides (Ordan, Skor, Fitosporin, Bordeaux mixture and others).
Trimming
To prepare the incarnate cottonwood for the winter, pruning is carried out annually. At the end of September or early October, all shoots are removed, leaving 7-10 cm on the surface, then the plant is covered with leaf litter. Faded cottonweed buds can be removed immediately, even in the summer. But in any case, it is not worth carrying out complete pruning more often than once a year: the bush does not like active intervention.
There is another approach: do not do autumn pruning, but only remove old, damaged branches in early spring. In this case, the plant will need to be covered with burlap (especially in Siberia and the Urals).
Preparing for winter
Incarnate cottonweed is one of the most winter-hardy varieties. However, even he needs a little preparation for winter. The plants are watered abundantly (a bucket per bush), then hilled up, and at the end of September (after pruning) a layer of mulch is laid (humus, peat, sawdust, trimmed branches of the cotton grass itself). In the spring (March), insulating materials must be removed.
In regions with an unfavorable climate, the fleece is covered with fiber
Reproduction
Along with propagation by seeds, incarnate cottonweed can also be propagated by vegetative methods:
- dividing the bush;
- cuttings.
In the first case, an adult bush (over four years old) is divided with a sharp knife. It is dug up in the spring or early summer, several divisions with three healthy shoots are obtained and they are transplanted to a new place. Next, water the soil abundantly and mulch. With proper care, the trees will begin to bloom as early as next year.
To obtain cuttings, it is recommended to use young shoots. At the beginning of summer, several cuttings 15-20 cm long are cut, all the lower leaves are removed, and the upper ones are shortened by half. An oblique cut is made from below and planted in well-moistened sand, covered with a glass lid. First, they are grown in a greenhouse, and after 1-1.5 months, the cuttings of the incarnate cotton grass are transplanted into open ground to a permanent place. Be sure to mulch for the winter.
Photos in landscape design
Incarnate cottonweed is a herbaceous plant for open ground. It is recommended to plant it only next to large perennial shrubs, for example, macleia, vronikastrum, foxglove, mock orange, lilac.
The plant goes well with ornamental grasses - reed grass, miscanthus and others. In landscape design, cotton wool is used in different ways:
- single plantings on a well-groomed lawn;
- placement along the paths.
A green asclepius hedge will help divide the garden into several zones. You can create a ring flower garden from plants by planting them in a circle.Designers often include cottonweed in compositions with flowers (asters, tall bells, aconites, echinaceas), ornamental plants and conifers.
Incarnate cottonweed is used in single plantings
A composition of different varieties and plants will help decorate the inconspicuous facade of the building
Conclusion
The meat-red cottonweed is suitable for decorating the garden thanks to its lush flowers with original colors. The plant is resistant to pests, adverse weather conditions and does not require care. The bush grows for several decades in one place, so it will not cause any worries to the gardener.
