Astilba

Description and varieties. Astilba is a beautifully flowering deciduous and decorative perennial with magnificent elegant foliage and large openwork paniculate transparent inflorescences of various colors: white, pink, lilac, red, carmine, burgundy, cherry, purple and violet-red. The growth of shoots begins in the second half of April, flowering occurs in a number of varieties at the end of June, from of late-growing varieties in mid-August. Flowering lasts from 2 weeks to a month, and during this period the plant reaches its greatest decorativeness. Flowers of most varieties of Astyl would be a delicate aroma. Depending on the height of the plant, there are tall types of astilba( height of the bush 1 -1.5 m) and dwarf species( bush height 20-30 cm), often used as ground cover plants. The bush in Astilbe is dense, the stems are very strong and do not require a garter. The leaves are decorative at any time: large, pinnately-dissected and dentate along the edge, shiny, dark green. The paniculate inflorescence consists of a number of very small flowers, light transparent-smoky.

There are several types of astilba, including Chinese and Japanese forms, interesting with a gentle tone of white and pink colors and a special smell.

Types of

Astilba Arends. Under this name are combined modern varieties and forms of astilba. They are distinguished by bright compact inflorescences of red-pink and yellowish-white tones.

Astilba hybrid is a low-to-medium plant with pink or purple-violet flowers.

Astilba Thunberg is interesting with an unusual form of yellowish-white and soft pink drooping inflorescences.

Astilba David is distinguished by an unusually pure tone of carmine-pink inflorescences.

Astilba Japanese is a short, early-maturing hybrids with white, pale and dark pink flowers.

Astilba is planted in groups on lawns, workbills, in mixborders. They are used for cutting and in dry bouquets.

Astilba feels great under the canopy of sparse trees, near water bodies, near with other shade-tolerant and hygrophilous perennials: ferns, aquilegia

and host. Since the leaves of Astilba blossom only in May, it is possible to plant it together with early-flowering sprouts and snowdrops. Very different combinations of various colors of astilba are very effective, which can be subtly changing into each other.

Cultivation and care. In one place, as-tilba can grow 4-5 years without losing decorativeness. It prefers semi-shady places, but it also grows well on open moistened areas. Astilba loves acidic loamy or peaty, loose and fertile, sufficiently moistened soils. In general, astilbum can be described as a moisture-loving plant.

The site for astilba is dug onto the bayonet of the shovel, before planting, compost, peat, well-reparted manure( bucket per 1 m2) is introduced. Feed mineral fertilizers:

for the first time during spring shoot growth( end of April) with nitrogen fertilizers( 20 G / M2);

the second - during the active growth of leaves( the first half of May) with nitrogen-potassium fertilizers( 2: 1. for 10-15 G / M2); in the third - during budding( end of June) with phosphate-potassium fertilizers( 1: 1, 10-15 g / m2 each).

Astilba multiply by dividing rhizomes with buds of renewal. The delenka should have 1-2 kidneys and a full length of rhizome. The best time for treatment in the central part of Russia - started in May and the first half of September. At the beginning, the lower parts of the rhizome are removed and the plant is immediately planted, so that the roots do not dry out. The distance at planting depends on the height of the plant and ranges from 40 to 60 cm. The plant tolerates the transplant well.

Astilba quickly grows up, almost does not get sick, it hibernates without shelter. In autumn, bushes are sprinkled( mulched) with peat or compost. There are so many leaves on the plant that weeds do not survive under them, so the flower garden with as-tilba practically does not require weeding. After the end of flowering, it is recommended to trim all the faded inflorescences to preserve the decorativeness of the plantings of the