Content
Popular varieties and types of Brunnera with photos and names will help gardeners choose the right crop for growing. The decorative effect of the plant is associated with very beautiful, large leaves that attract attention with their original shape and color.
Description of runners with photos
Brunnera is a perennial flowering shrub from the Borage family with decorative large leaves. They are round or heart-shaped in shape, and can reach 15-20 cm in width. They are painted in different colors: from light to dark green, sometimes with a cream or light yellow border.
Brunnera blooms from mid-May to the second half of July, sometimes a little longer. The flowers are small in size - up to 0.5-1 cm in diameter, with five petals. Painted in rich blue and blue tones. The plant attracts attention not with its flowers, but with its leaves. The height of brunnera (depending on the variety) ranges from 20 to 60 cm. The bushes are compact in width (no more than 40-50 cm in diameter).
Under natural conditions, the flower grows in warm climatic zones - the Caucasus, Transcaucasia, Turkey, Southeast Asia. Thanks to breeding work, many cultivated varieties tolerate winter frosts well (down to -35-40 °C). Brunner is undemanding in terms of care, but when selecting a plant you must pay attention to its frost resistance.
Brunnera is decorative not only for its flowers, but also for its leaves of unusual color.
Types and varieties of brunners
The culture includes only 3 species. There are Brunnera Siberian, large-leaved and oriental. In turn, the species are represented by several varieties, many of which are used to decorate the garden.
Brunnera sibirica
This culture is often found in the forests of Altai and the foothills of the Sayan Mountains. Therefore, Brunnera received the name Siberian. Decorative thanks to beautiful lanceolate leaves of rich green color. When planted densely, it forms thickets that completely cover the soil. The photo of brunnera shows that this plant has elegant, small flowers up to 0.5 cm in diameter, sky blue in color.
Brunnera sibirica blooms from the second half of May to mid-July
Brunnera macrofolia
This type of crop (as the name suggests) is distinguished by its huge leaves, reaching 20 cm in width. At the same time, the flowers of the plant are similar to forget-me-nots, which is why sometimes Brunnera is called that way. The leaves are round in shape, with red petioles that contrast well against the background of greenery.
The most common plant varieties:
- Brunner Jack Frost - a very spectacular bush with silver leaves. They “refresh” the look: you can easily imagine that it snowed in the garden and the plant was covered with frost.
- Millennium Silber - brunnera with large light green leaves.Their surface is also covered with a white “patina”, which creates an interesting relief effect. Leaves are heart-shaped, entire. This Brunnera variety is unpretentious, but prefers abundant watering and shading.
- Hadspen Cream – Brunnera variety with large heart-shaped leaves. They are easily distinguished by their characteristic light yellow border (the rest of the surface is light green). The variety is moderately winter-hardy, so it is grown mainly in the regions of Central Russia.
- Variegata - Another interesting large-leaved brunnera with dark green leaves, along the edges of which a pale yellow border can be seen. The plant is characterized by good winter hardiness; it can withstand even severe frosts down to -40 ° C, which makes it possible to grow bushes in Siberia and the Urals.
5. Lukin glass (Brunnera macrophylla Looking Glass) is a low shrub (up to 35 cm) with silvery leaves. Looks good in the shade of large trees; lightly shaded places are also suitable for planting. It harmonizes perfectly in compositions with other plants (rockeries, rock gardens, borders).
- Sea Heart (sea heart) - brunnera with large light green leaves and a whitish coating covering the edges. The flowers are a heavenly and rich blue color. The bush is compact, no more than 50 cm in diameter, reaching 40 cm in height.
- Brunner Mr. Morse similar to the Jack Frost variety, as can be seen from the photo and description. The leaves are large, silvery, with dark green veins and edging. The flowers are bright blue, sometimes the color is closer to blue, small (up to 5 mm in diameter).
Brunner eastern
This species is found only in the wild, mainly in the Middle East. It is not decorative, therefore it is not grown in culture. In addition, it is thermophilic - the plant is not common in Russia.
Brunnera orientalis has thin, inconspicuous leaves, so it is not used in landscape design.
Brunners in landscape design
Many gardeners like Brunnera because it can be planted almost anywhere in the garden. This is an unpretentious plant that feels good even in strong shade and on waterlogged soil. Therefore, it is usually used to decorate nondescript, remote corners of the flower garden.
Along with single plantings, Brunnera is used in garden design in combination with different plants. Flowerbed neighbors can be:
- hosts;
- dwarf conifers;
- ferns;
- astilbe;
- heuchera;
- lungwort;
- delphinium;
- hellebore and others.
Brunnera looks beautiful along paths, in plantings on the coast of reservoirs, in the trunks of large trees.
Brunnera planted along garden paths can create natural borders.
The crop can be planted in the recreation area, placed next to the bench
The composition of brunnera and fern always looks impressive
The plant can be placed in the shade of conifers
How does Brunnera reproduce?
The flower is propagated in two ways:
- Seeds.
- Dividing the bush.
The first option is quite labor-intensive; moreover, the new plant may not inherit the characteristics of the mother plant, but this is not observed in the case of vegetative propagation. Seeds are sown in open ground in the fall, at the end of September or at the beginning of October. Superphosphate with potassium salt or wood ash are first added to the dug soil. The seed is sprinkled with a little soil, watered, and then mulched. In spring, the first shoots appear.They can be transplanted to a permanent location towards the end of summer.
You can also grow brunnera seedlings from seeds. To do this, use any containers and universal soil. The crop is planted in early March, placed in a warm place and covered with film. Water generously, illuminate with a lamp, then gradually reduce the temperature. Plants are transplanted into open ground in early or mid-May.
Dividing the bush is the easiest way. An adult plant at the age of 3-4 years is dug up in the second half of summer and divided into several parts so that each has 2-3 healthy shoots. Then they are planted in a permanent place and grown in the same way as the mother bush. The first inflorescences appear the next season.
Planting brunneras
I plant Brunnera in the same way as other ornamental plants. Pre-select a location: shade or partial shade. In this case, there is no need to apply special fertilizers. The flower is unpretentious and takes root even on heavy soils.
Deadlines
Brunnera should not be planted in spring and autumn. If you plant it early, it may suffer from diseases, and if it is planted late, it will not have time to take root. Therefore, the optimal period is the whole of July and the beginning of August. This time is suitable for planting plants in any region, regardless of climatic conditions.
Site selection and soil preparation
The place for planting the flower should be:
- well shaded (partial shade is also allowed), for example, under trees, next to large bushes, not far from a house, fence and other buildings;
- well hydrated. You can even choose lowlands, in which it is usually not recommended to plant most other crops;
- decorative - brunnera is often placed not in the center of the garden, but in distant places, where it creates a good background and fills the space;
- protected from strong winds if possible.
1-2 weeks before planting, the area is cleaned and dug up.
If the soil is infertile, apply 50-60 g of complex mineral fertilizer per 1 m2 and water it abundantly. Instead, you can add 1.5-2 kg of humus or a few pinches of wood ash (also per 1 m2). If the soil is light and fertile, additional fertilizing is not necessary.
Landing algorithm
After preparing the site, it is necessary to form several holes of small depth (oriented along the rhizome) at a distance of 30-40 cm. Most brunner bushes do not grow more than 50 cm in diameter, so this interval will be sufficient. However, it can be reduced to 15-20 cm. The planting will be more dense, resulting in a pleasant green carpet with graceful flowers.
Sequence of actions when placing a plant:
- Plants are rooted one copy per hole.
- If the soil has not been fertilized beforehand, add a tablespoon of superphosphate and potassium salt to the soil.
- Fall asleep and tamp lightly.
- Water generously.
- Mulch with peat, humus, leaves, sawdust or other materials.
Features of care
Judging by the reviews of experienced gardeners, growing brunnera is very easy - this is one of the ornamental plants that does not cause much trouble. The main condition is to ensure regular watering.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
All types and varieties of brunners love regular, abundant watering.It must be organized so that the soil surface does not dry out completely and does not crack. If the rains are heavy, the plant does not need additional moisture. If precipitation is rare or drought has established, water the crop at least 1 or 2 times a week. To do this, use settled water at room temperature. In hot weather, you can also spray the leaves of Brunnera. It is advisable to do this in the evening.
The flower does not need special feeding. Experienced summer residents advise scattering several granules of complex fertilizer every spring - even on the snow. There is no need to feed the plants in the future.
Weeding
Brunnera does not like weeds in the neighborhood, and they spoil the view. Therefore, weeding should be done regularly, preferably before each watering. Then the water will quickly reach the roots and then spread throughout the plant.
A layer of mulch made from wood chips, sawdust, straw or other materials will help prevent weeds from growing.
Care after flowering
The plant stops blooming in the first half of July. Therefore, all flower stalks should be completely cut off using scissors or pruners. Damaged stems of the crop can be sprinkled with charcoal or activated carbon powder. Brunner does not require additional care after flowering.
Preparing for winter
Many Brunnera varieties are winter-hardy. But in most regions of the middle zone, and especially the Urals, Siberia, and the Far East, plants need to be prepared for winter. For this:
- At the end of September, the bushes are watered abundantly.
- After a week, cut off all the leaves, leaving stumps 2-3 cm high above the ground.
- Mulch with dry leaves, sawdust, hay, humus or other materials.
Additionally, there is no need to cover the brunner with burlap.The mulch layer will need to be removed at the end of March to prevent the plant from rotting.
Forcing flowers for the holidays
Forcing - accelerating growth and stimulating the production of flowers at the right time, for example, for the holidays. All Brunnera varieties bloom in the summer months (approximately June and July). Therefore, to obtain flowers, for example, in December, forcing begins in early October.
Sequencing:
- Prepare a nutrient mixture, for example, you can take turf soil and mix it with peat, humus and compost in equal quantities.
- Chop well, loosen and water.
- Place in any container (it’s convenient to use a flowerpot).
- Plant rhizomes and leave them outside to harden off.
- As soon as the first frost occurs (the temperature drops to 5 degrees Celsius or lower), the containers must be moved to the utility room.
- Then they are grown at a temperature no higher than 5-7 ° C, always in good lighting.
- As soon as green arrows appear, the temperature can be raised to 10-12 degrees. In such conditions, the first flowers will appear in mid-December.
Pests and diseases
Brunnera needs regular watering, so it can suffer from fungal infections such as brown spot and powdery mildew. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to treat the bushes with a fungicide in April or May, for example, Bordeaux mixture, Maxim, Topaz, Tattu (one to choose from).
In summer, the flower may suffer from an invasion of insects: whiteflies and aphids.If detected, you should immediately spray the leaves with insecticides: “Biotlin”, “Decis”, “Aktellik”, “Fufanon” and others.
To eliminate insects, you can use folk remedies - infusion of onion peels, chopped garlic, chili pepper, baking soda solution, laundry soap shavings
Conclusion
Having studied the presented varieties and types of Brunnera with photos and names, each gardener will be able to choose a suitable crop for decorating the site. Almost all varieties can be grown in Russia - both in the middle zone and in Siberia and the Urals. The flower requires virtually no care other than regular watering and loosening. But the plant perfectly fills empty spaces and makes the garden more attractive.
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