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White astilba belongs to the Saxifrage family. The homeland of the plant is considered to be Japan and North America. In total, more than 400 flower varieties are distinguished.
Benefits of growing white astilba
Astilba is one of the plants that can decorate not only a flower garden, but also a garden, lawn and even a pond.
Flower Benefits:
- most often, astilba blooms from mid-summer, but some varieties form an ovary in spring or in the last summer months, which allows you to create continuously flowering flower beds;
- varieties of astilba with white flowers can be both sun-loving and shade-loving;
- the plant is very unpretentious, grows safely in one place up to 5 years without a transplant, and with proper care remains viable for up to 10 years.
One of the main advantages of astilba is its decorative appearance and good compatibility with other flowers and conifers.
Types and varieties of white astilba
A wide variety of flower varieties allows you to choose a plant to your taste. Astilba height varies from 10 to 200 mm. If the variety is dwarf, then it grows up to 30 cm, undersized representatives of the Saxifrage family – up to 50 cm, and tall white astilbes stretch up to 2 m.
All varieties of inflorescences can be of two types: paniculate or pyramidal, as well as drooping or diamond-shaped.
bridal veil
This variety of white astilba grows up to 80 cm in height and 40–60 cm in diameter. Its stems are thin, but strong enough, branching. A large number of leaf plates of a brownish-green color are attached to them.
The flowers are simple, small, up to 1 cm in size. All of them are collected in large, up to 30 cm in length, pyramidal white inflorescences. The aroma of flowers is similar to bird cherry.
The buds open in June and continue to bloom for 2 weeks. Brautschleier prefers fertile, well-drained soil. The plant has good immunity, resistant to garden pests and various diseases.
When choosing a place on the site, it is recommended to plant a variety in partial shade; for the winter, the plant needs shelter
White gloria
The culture was obtained by the Arends breeder in the 20th century. The height of the perennial is not more than 70 cm. The root system is powerful, presented in the form of cord-like roots.
In June-July, diamond-shaped flower stalks bloom. They are 25 cm long and 12 cm in diameter.
The leaf plates of the Weisse Gloria variety are able to change color: at first they are light green in color with a shiny surface, gradually darken, acquire a brown border and brown spots. Despite the fact that the shrub is undersized, its leaves are large, grow up to 50 cm in length, so the plant visually looks sprawling.
Inflorescences die off in August, but the shrub continues to decorate the garden thanks to decorative leaves.
Vision in White
This variety of white astilbe has very strong and branched branches, covered with dark green foliage with a bronze tint. Plant height does not exceed 45 cm.
The leaf plates are complex: triple-separate, with veins on both sides, covered along the edge with small hairs of a reddish hue. The leaves are large at the roots, on smaller stems and short petioles.
The flowers are small, form dense and large inflorescences up to 30-35 cm long. Buds appear from June and remain on the branches until early August.
The Vision in White variety is used not only to decorate the garden, but also to compose bouquet compositions or applications.
Montblanc
The variety was bred by E. Lemoine. The height of the flower reaches 60 cm. The leaf plates are green with a brown tint, up to 40 cm long. The inflorescence is formed from small flowers, medium density, pyramidal in shape, up to 18 cm long. White petals. The flower has a pleasant fragrance.
Early flowering: starts in the last week of June and lasts for 20 days
bronze foliage
The height of the plant, together with the buds, reaches 60 cm. The leaf plates are complex, feather-like, dark green in color. In the spring, during blooming, they have a bronze-brown color.
The flowers are small, white with a pink tinge, form inflorescences in a rhombic shape, appear in July.
The Bronzelaub white astilba variety is recommended to be planted in a sparse shade or in an area where it can be organized on hot days. The shrub grows safely near water bodies or in places with high humidity, preferring loose and nutritious soil.
Astilba is recommended to be used as a landscaping site, planting in a monogroup or alone
Washington
This variety of white astilba grows up to 50-70 cm in height, has strong stems with fern-like leafy plates. The buds are white, with a creamy tint, appear from the end of June and continue to bloom until August.
The best place to land is a sparse shade. The variety is resistant to low temperatures, but does not tolerate dry weather.
It is preferable to plant white astilba near a reservoir in order to provide it with sufficient air humidity.
Younique White
White astilbe is an elegant plant with thin, white-colored inflorescences attached to drooping shoots. Leaf plates are small, with carved edges, have a dark green color.
The flowers are close to each other, so from the side it seems that the inflorescence is covered with frost. The duration of bud formation is July-August.
Young shoots of the Younique White variety are reddish in color, but gradually turn green. The shrub tolerates winter frosts well under cover. If you do not provide protection to the root system before the onset of cold weather, then there is a possibility of plant death.
To prolong the flowering period, it is recommended to plant white astilbe in an area where there is afternoon shade.
rock crystal
White astilbe grows up to 90-120 cm. Leaf plates are green at first, then turn brown at the edges.
The flowering is plentiful, the buds are very fragrant, collected in large, up to 25 cm in length, paniculate inflorescences. In diameter, the peduncle reaches 18 cm. The color of the petals is yellowish-white.
Buds appear from mid-July, flowering continues for 2 weeks
Diamond
The shrub reaches a height of 90 cm, in diameter is 40-50 cm. The branches of the Diamond variety are strong, with complex pinnate, leaf plates, of a dark green hue.
The flowers of the white astilba are not large, up to 0,5 cm in diameter. They are collected in paniculate inflorescences. Their color is white, gardeners note a pleasant aroma.
Buds open in June and begin to wither in September. Inflorescences can be used to create flower arrangements, collect bouquets.
The variety is winter-hardy, demanding on moisture. The variety has good resistance to pests and diseases.
White astilba is suitable for growing in central Our Country, in more northern regions it needs shelter for the winter
Avalanche
This variety of white astilba is known among gardeners for its fragrant pleasant aroma.
The perennial is undersized, its height is 45-60 cm, and its width is 60-90 cm. The leaves are compound, found twice or thrice pinnate, with a glossy surface. Their edges are awl-toothed.
Inflorescences are fluffy, collected from small flowers. The rhizome is woody, very powerful. The white astilba has a long flowering period: from July to October. Large, beautiful buds form on shrubs planted in shady places.
The Avalanche variety is able to grow safely in full shade, but the buds in this case will form in small numbers and wither faster.
Professor Vander Wielen
This variety of white astilba is tall, capable of growing up to 1 m. The leaf plates are very beautiful, bright green with veins and slight pubescence, with jagged edges.
The inflorescences are large, up to 30 cm long, but thin, elongated in shape. Flowering begins in mid-summer and lasts 20 days.
The variety is very moisture-loving, so open sunlight and drought adversely affect the growth and development of the crop.
Snow Gerbede
The culture reaches 80-90 cm in height, has strong shoots and medium-sized leaf plates. The flowers are small, creamy white. They are collected in drooping inflorescences. Buds appear at the end of July and wither in August.
The variety is photophilous, undemanding to the soil, tolerates low temperatures well. White astilba has developed immunity to pests and diseases.
White astilba is preferably placed near ponds and shrubs.
The use of astilba with white flowers in design
In the first year of life, the culture does not have time to reach the final shapes and sizes. With young shrubs, it is recommended to plant crocuses and snowdrops, hazel grouse nearby.
Close to adult plants should be placed tenacity, saxifrage or clear-cut.
If it is necessary to plant a white astilbe near water bodies, then a hosta, lungwort or anemone will take root well next to it
You can also plant a crop in pots, flowerpots to create a decorative garden and avoid incompatibility between plants located nearby.
To plant a white astilbe next to a rose, you need to place the flower on the north side
If you plan to place a white astilba in the garden, it is recommended to allocate a place for it near shrubs such as spirea or barberry, hosta.
It is impossible to plant a plant under large trees: cultures will compete with each other for nutrients and moisture.
Planting and caring for white astilba
Transplantation of seedlings to the site is carried out in the spring. And although the plant is unpretentious, for its full development it is recommended to adhere to the basic principles of agricultural technology:
- to carry out planting according to the varietal characteristics of the plant;
- equip a drainage system in the pit, add complex fertilizers;
- the distance between tall white astilbes should be 50 cm, between undersized specimens – 30 cm.
The plant is very moisture-loving, so watering and mulching the soil must be done regularly. To ensure good nutrition during the development of the flower, top dressing should be applied to the soil from May to August. In total, white astilbe is fertilized 3 times during the season: during the flowering period – complex additives, organic top dressing – for a successful wintering, and the ground around the bush is sprinkled with ash for better flowering next year.
Diseases and pests
Varieties of white astilba, thanks to the efforts of breeders, have good immunity. But high disease resistance does not guarantee that the flower will not be affected by bacteria or fungus.
Most often, weakened shrubs suffer, which were not provided with good care or competent planting.
With mechanical damage to the roots, rot may appear, which often develops when the soil is waterlogged. If the root system is not completely damaged, then the use of disinfectants will help: Fundazol or Topaz.
With a spotted mosaic of leaf plates, shoots of white astilba are affected. The leaves gradually change color, curl and then deform.
There is no cure for mosaic: the affected shrub is recommended to be destroyed to prevent the spread of the disease to neighboring plants
The appearance of black spots on the leaves of white astilba is very dangerous – this is a sign of bacterial spotting. For treatment, the affected parts of the plant are removed, the bush is treated with Bordeaux mixture.
Conclusion
White astilba is a very beautiful unpretentious flower. It is used both to decorate the garden and lawns, as well as to create landscape compositions. White astilba is frost-resistant, has good immunity, is a perennial.