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Astilba Sister Teresa is a plant that is often used to decorate the area in front of a house or garden plot. It has a long flowering period, and even when not in bloom, it looks great in landscape design.
Description of Astilba Sister Teresa
Variety “Sister Teresa” refers to perennial plants of the genus Astilba. The very name of the flower literally translates as “without shine.” It is believed that he received such a name due to the matte color of the leaves.
Astilba Arendsa blooms in July-August
Astilba Arendsa Sister Theresa has an even, straight stem, the height of which can reach 50-60 cm. Its leaves are long-petiolate with serrated edges. Their color during the season changes from dark green to a lighter shade.
Variety “Sister Teresa” is unpretentious and takes root well in a new place. If you plant a plant in the spring, in the fall it will already delight the gardener with lush flowering.
Astilba feels equally good in both open sunny and shaded areas. In the shade, “Sister Teresa” is more sprawling. On average, the width of one bush is 60-65 cm.
As for the growing regions, there are no special conditions here – astilba can be found in Europe, Asia, and North America.
The flower tolerates cold well and successfully hibernates in open ground. With the onset of frost, its ground part dies off.
Features of flowering
Astilbe “Sister Teresa” refers to medium-flowering varieties. It blooms in the first half of July and blooms for 2-3 weeks.
Her flowers are small, pale pink. They form dense diamond-shaped inflorescences-panicles up to 30 cm high and 15-20 cm wide.
Astilba inflorescence consists of small flowers
Longer and more abundant flowering is observed in specimens that are located in shaded areas sheltered from direct sunlight.
Application in design
Astilba fits perfectly into any garden plot and is combined with almost all plants.
They can be placed in groups next to shrubs to decorate hedges, paths and artificial ponds.
Astilba is great for decorating paths
Astilba “Sister Teresa” is often combined with irises, hostas and daylilies. Together they form beautiful flower beds that look attractive even between flowering due to the dense foliage.
When combined with other high colors, lush compositions are obtained.
Another method of application is the zoning of flower beds into several areas to create flower arrangements. In this design, roses, tulips or hydrangeas will be suitable neighbors for astilba.
Astilba looks beautiful among the abundance of green foliage
The combination of single astilbes with coniferous shrubs or trees also looks beautiful.
Excellent neighbors for astilba – juniper and other evergreen shrubs
Variety “Sister Teresa” is perfect for landscaping areas and is combined with almost any plant.
Methods of reproduction
There are 3 main breeding methods for Astilbe Arends Sister Teresa:
- Division of the bush – the plant is dug up, the leaves are removed and cuttings are prepared with 3-4 buds and a rhizome of about 5 cm (the dead parts are cut off). Division can be done at almost any time, but early spring will be the most optimal – under such conditions, the first flowers will appear on the astilba in the fall. Cuttings are planted at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other and watered abundantly every day for 1,5-2 weeks.
- Seeds – This is a laborious method, used mainly for breeding purposes. The difficulty lies in the fact that with such reproduction, a partial loss of the characteristics of the Sister Teresa variety occurs. Ripe seeds are collected from inflorescences in early autumn and planted in a mixture of peat and sand (3: 1) in spring. They sprout within a month, and the first leaves appear only a year after planting. Such astilbes begin to bloom in three years.
- kidneys – in late March-early April, a part of the rhizome with a new bud is cut off and planted in a greenhouse in a mixture of peat and sand (3: 1), which is poured onto ordinary soil with a layer of 5-6 cm. Astilba is transplanted into open ground next spring, and already by autumn it begins to bloom.
The easiest way to get several flowering plants at a time is the first – dividing the bush.
Landing algorithm
A suitable time for planting is April-May, when even warm weather has already been established.
Astilba seedlings should be without visible defects, have at least 2-3 buds and a rhizome about 5 cm long without rotten and dead parts.
When choosing a place to plant, it should be borne in mind that the Sister Teresa variety, although it can grow on any soil, feels best in loamy soil. A site located near a reservoir or shaded by bushes or trees is suitable.
Astilba should not be planted too deep.
Landing consists of the following steps:
- In the previously dug up soil, holes are made at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. The depth depends on the particular seedling – the rhizome should fit freely.Advice! At the bottom of the hole, you can put humus and ash with bone meal to feed the astilbe, as well as retain moisture in the soil.
- Sprinkle the seedlings with earth, preventing the growing point from falling asleep.
- Mulch the soil around the bush with sawdust or peat.
- Water every day for 1,5-2 weeks.
Subject to all the necessary conditions, the astilbe planted during this period will already bloom by autumn.
Aftercare
Variety “Sister Teresa” is very unpretentious in care. To get a beautiful flowering copy, gardeners will need to make very little effort.
Astilba care includes:
- watering – frequency and volumes depend on weather conditions. In the heat and in the absence of precipitation, daily watering is required, and accumulation of water should not be allowed;
- top dressing – in the spring it will not be superfluous to support the growth of the plant with nitrogen supplements and organic fertilizers. In autumn, potassium-phosphorus compounds will be useful;
- mulching – an important procedure, since the astilba rhizome is constantly growing and eventually ends up in the upper layers of the soil. Mulching with compost early in the season retains nutrients and moisture;
- loosening – helps to enrich the soil with oxygen, and also eliminates weeds;
- transfer – the variety “Sister Teresa” is recommended to be transplanted every 5-6 years. But with proper care, it can live in one place for up to 20-25 years.
Care consists in regular watering and timely hilling
Preparation for winter
Astilbe “Sister Teresa” is famous for its high frost resistance. But some preparation for the cold season is still necessary.
In order for only the planted plant to endure the winter well, it is better not to let it bloom in the first year – flower stalks should be removed before buds form.
In autumn, astilba is cut to the ground level and fed with potassium-phosphorus mineral supplements that will help the roots survive the winter. Then they cover with natural mulch – spruce branches or pine needles. This will help protect the rhizomes from temperature changes.
Lapnik protects rhizomes from temperature changes
Diseases and pests
Astilba “Sister Teresa” is highly resistant to various diseases and dangerous pests. However, some of them can cause considerable damage to the plant:
- strawberry nematode – a parasite that lives on leaves and flowers. External signs of its presence are the twisting of the leaves and the appearance of brown and yellow spots on them. The infected plant stops growing and gradually dries out. It is impossible to get rid of the pest, so the sick astilbe is removed and burned;
- gall nematode – affects the roots of the flower. It looks like small growths. Affected astilba ceases to bloom and develop. To prevent the spread of the parasite, the diseased plant is weeded out and burned, and the site is treated with fungicides;
- root rot or fusarium – a disease that affects the roots and leaves of astilba. The plant is covered with a white-gray bloom, begins to turn yellow and dry, the roots rot. The reason may be an excess of moisture. At the first signs of damage, treatment with “Fundazol” should be carried out;
- spotted mosaic – a virus that manifests itself as dark spots along the edges of the leaves. Astilbe “Sister Teresa” dries quickly and may die. Viruses cannot be treated with chemicals, so an infected flower should be destroyed.
Conclusion
Astilbe Sister Teresa is an unpretentious, luxuriantly growing flower. It fits perfectly into any landscape design and blends harmoniously with most garden plants. Astilbe does not require special care and tolerates winter well in the open field.
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