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Astilbe Straussenfeder is a bright garden plant that can be increasingly found in home gardens. Saplings are used in landscape design: they are planted in suburban areas, in city squares, on the territory of government agencies and private firms.
Description of Astilba Straussenfeder
Astilba Straussenfeder (ostrich feathers) belongs to the saxifrage family. Culture appeared in Our Country in the 120th century; East Asia, Japan and Singapore are called its homeland. According to the description, Astilba Thunberg Straussenfeder is a sprawling, profusely flowering bush, whose dimensions reach 1 cm in height and XNUMX m in diameter. It grows rapidly in one season, throwing out many shoots. Leaves with a serrated edge, smooth, carved, complex, double-pinnate, pubescent, covered with brown or pale green hairs. The stems and cuttings of Astilba Straussenfeder are painted in a brown-red or pinkish hue.
Growing conditions: sparse shade.
At noon, the bush should not be in the open sun
Astilba Straussenfeder (pictured) is frost-resistant, tolerates the climate of the middle zone well. It is recommended to be planted in the south of Our Country, but the flower also feels great in the Moscow region.
Features of flowering
Astilbe Straussenfeder blooms in the second half of summer. The flowering period is long – about 40 days. Inflorescences are bright pink or coral, drooping, collected in large panicles up to 30 cm long and about 10 cm wide, consisting of many small flowers. When exposed to the sun, the culture blooms more magnificently and more abundantly. After the panicles wither, seed pods appear.
Application in design
For its unusual appearance and bright flowers, Astilbe Thunberg Straussenfeder has gained wide popularity not only among amateur gardeners. It is planted in parks, squares, decorate the territory of hotels, inns and municipal institutions.
Straussenfeder looks great both in solo planting and in a group with other garden flowering shrubs.
Florists and designers are advised to place Straussenfeder astilbes in combination with phlox, hostas, various coniferous shrubs, boxwoods, carnations. Best of all, the plant feels in the sun near artificial reservoirs. Horsetail, marsh iris, lungwort, fern are added to the composition. Astilbe Ostrich Feather is unpretentious and will get along well with almost any neighbors in the garden, except for roses and wild roses.
The pink inflorescences of Astilba Straussenfeder create a contrast with yellow and blue flowers.
With the help of “ostrich feather” bushes and flowers of contrasting shades, they make up bright compositions
Lush coral flowers look more advantageous against the background of dark abundant greenery of trees: cypress, arborvitae, juniper, barberry, spirea, hosts.
A bright mood will be created by several types of astilba, planted together along a path or a trellised fence.
Young astilba bushes feel good in pots, tubs and flowerpots.
Potted plants can decorate the porch or decorate the veranda.
Methods of reproduction
Straussenfeder is propagated in various ways:
- Division of the bush. When the snow begins to melt, in the first weeks of March, the adult bush is dug out completely, cleared of the ground and divided into parts with garden shears.Important! Each part must have at least three fresh buds. Old roots are cut off. Parts are planted in a row at a distance of 30-40 cm.
- Cuttings. The bush, which they plan to put on cuttings, is prepared in advance. Do not prune in the spring. In June, young cuttings with a part of the root (with a heel) are carefully separated with a knife. Remove all side leaves. The bottom of the cuttings is sprinkled with fertilizer to accelerate growth and planted in covered greenhouses or seedling tubs with an interval of 10 cm. Care consists in periodic spraying and watering. After 2-3 weeks, the cuttings put out fresh roots and leaves, and are ready for planting in a permanent place of residence. After 1-2 years, the young actilba Straussenfeder will already bloom.
With proper care, Astilbe Straussenfeder will bloom in the first year of planting.
- Growing from seed. This is the most difficult and unpopular way. Seeds do not retain parental varietal characteristics.
Landing algorithm
Spring is the best time to plant Astilba Straussenfeder. During this period, there is a lot of moisture in the soil, which favorably affects the development of seedlings.
The place for planting should be lit by the sun so that during the hottest period the plant is in the shade. The soil is suitable moist, loamy, astilbe Straussenfeder loves a high level of groundwater. The optimal place for landing is the shore of an artificial reservoir.
Landing technology:
- for seedlings dig holes with dimensions of 25x30x30. If you need to plant several plants, pits are made at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other;
- a mixture of fertilizers is introduced into the hole: complex top dressing for garden flowers, ash, humus or compost, bone meal. Everything is mixed with each other. The share of nitrogen fertilizers should not exceed 10%;
- pour 5-7 liters of water into the hole;
- before planting, the roots of the Straussenfeder astilba seedling are straightened, the plant is placed in a hole, sprinkled with soil and rammed. A layer of mulch from sawdust, dry leaves or grass is distributed on top.
Astilba Straussenfeder does not like dryness, in such conditions it will grow slowly
Aftercare
Astilbe thunberg straussenfeder is unpretentious, but requires simple and regular care. Favorable conditions will help the bush to bloom profusely and for a long time.
The soil for Straussenfeder should be moist all the time. Watering once a day is required; during hot periods, the procedure is carried out in the morning and evening. Do not allow acidification and waterlogging of the soil.
So that a crust does not appear, after watering the soil is loosened shallowly.
The astilba bush is mulched once a month, replacing the old mulch with fresh. This will keep the soil from overheating, weeds and limit the access of pests to the shoots.
In the spring in March, astilba Straussenfeder is fed with nitrogen fertilizers. Each flower will require 30-40 g of the substance.
Dried inflorescences and leaves are cut with secateurs, this will keep the appearance of the Straussenfeder neat.
Preparation for winter
Astilba Straussenfeder tolerates frost well (even in the middle lane) and does not need additional shelter. If the bush is young, it will be enough to sprinkle it with a thick layer of mulch in the fall so that the buds and roots close to the surface do not freeze. In regions with difficult weather conditions, seedlings can be covered with spruce branches, cut cardboard, garden film, and dry foliage.
In autumn, by the first frosts, astilba Straussenfeder is cut at the root, leaving the aerial parts no more than 3 cm in height. They are spudded, this is necessary for additional protection of the kidneys from frost and wind.
Autumn timely pruning will help Astilbe Straussenfeder release more shoots in the spring.
Also, before wintering, Straussenfeder is fed with potash and phosphorus fertilizers, 20-30 g per bush.
Diseases and pests
According to the description, astilbe ostrich feathers are not very resistant to the following diseases:
- bacterial spotting manifests itself as blackening of the leaves, weakness and dryness of new shoots. A dangerous infection can lead to the death of the entire shrub. Pathology is very difficult to cure, so they get rid of infected astilba bushes;
- Root rot appears from excessive soil moisture or as a result of mechanical damage to the root system. Method of struggle: watering astilba Straussenfeder with water with the addition of manganese, and removing rotten roots;
- spotted mosaic appears as spots that can affect both the edges and the entire sheet. It curls, dries and deforms. Spraying the leaves with copper-based preparations will help to cope with a dangerous viral disease.
No less harm is caused by insects that parasitize on the leaves and stems of Astilbe Straussenfeder:
- salivary pennitsa resembles a grasshopper. She surrounds herself and her offspring with sticky foam. Lays eggs on the underside of the Astilbe Straussenfeder leaf. The larvae suck the juices from the shoots and gnaw the young leaves. Spraying is ineffective. Proven method of control: collection of insects by hand and destruction off site;
- nematodes (strawberry, gall). They move to Astilbe Straussenfeder from other plants and parasitize on its roots and lower stems. A sure sign of defeat is dry twisted leaves at the base of the bush. If the worms have not yet had time to breed, then the soil is watered with a solution of manganese. In other cases, you will have to dig up and burn the plant outside the site. Worms and other pests start up due to excessive soil moisture, it is enough to follow this and they will never disturb Straussenfeder astilba;
- aphid colonies in one season can kill astilba. As a rule, along with aphids, garden ants settle on flowers. Tobacco fumigation saves from such uninvited guests. Astilba Straussenfeder tolerates such procedures well. The flower is processed in the early morning in calm and dry weather.
Aphids are the scourge of garden plants; without treatment, pests breed very quickly
Conclusion
Astilba Straussenfeder has long been loved by domestic gardeners. With proper care, the plant will become an adornment of any site. It can be used in single and group planting.
Astilba reviews Straussenfeder
