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Decorating a garden is a very enjoyable and creative activity. Finding the right plant with unusual flowers, ornamental leaves, and easy care is a dream of many gardeners. Increasingly, unusual representatives of the Saxifrage family are being chosen for these purposes. One of these plants is bergenia Eroica. This is a unique hybrid of heart-leaved, which conquers with its bright flowering and useful properties.
Erotica does not require special care
Description
Eroika is a fairly compact variety (the height of the bush does not exceed 30-40 cm). The leaves are rounded, with slightly wavy edges (outwardly resembling the outline of a heart) and have a pleasant, glossy surface. They are painted in dark, saturated tones of green. The average length of each leaf is about 10 cm, and their distinguishing feature is the ability to change color with the advent of cold weather (gradual transition from green to purple).
Eroica bergenia flowers have 5 petals and are shaped like a glass. In one inflorescence there can be about 120 small buds, painted in different tones of purple, red and white. Flowering begins at the end of April. The plant feels great in moderate shade, prefers light loams with neutral acidity.
For stable growth and development of bergenia Eroica, moderate watering without stagnant moisture is required, as well as properly selected fertilizers.
Hybrid history
Badan cordifolia originally grew in Asia. Botanists became interested in this plant in the 18th century. Its scientific name, bergenia, comes from the surname of the German biologist Carl August von Bergen. Under natural conditions, badan grew in a temperate climate and consisted of 10 different species.
In modern gardening, only 5 of them are actively used. All of them were actively studied by scientists, and breeders brought out a huge number of hybrids, a special place among which is occupied by badan Eroica with its high resistance and fabulously beautiful flowers.
Badan Eroica is frost resistant
When and how to sow
The sowing of bergenia Eroica begins in the last days of February or early March. For this, high-quality planting material is prepared in advance, as well as special containers (boxes, pots) and nutrient soil. You can cook it yourself or use a purchased soil mixture.
The container is filled with a substrate and small grooves are made 5 mm deep, and a distance of 3 cm is left between the rows. The soil is moistened with warm water from a spray bottle and the grooves are filled with seeds. Next, the containers are sealed with foil and placed in a warm and bright place. They are regularly ventilated and moistened as needed. In May, the sprouts dive.
Two weeks before the transplant, Eroica begins to harden, gradually increasing the time spent outdoors to a day.
Landing in open ground and care
In regions with a mild climate, flower growers prefer to skip the dive stage and transfer seedlings to open ground as early as June. This approach will work only if the seedlings of Eroica bergenia are fully grown. Otherwise, fragile bushes may die.
Site selection and preparation
The best option is a shaded place with enough diffused light. Under the direct rays of the sun, bergenia Eroica stops growing, and its leaves become covered with ugly brown spots resembling burns.
Full shading of bergenia Eroica is also not suitable, since in this case it is very difficult for the inflorescences to form, and the petals will also have a faded color. Wetlands and heavy soils should be avoided. The soil should be sufficiently loose and fertile. Previously, all weeds are removed on the site, they dig it up and the topsoil is well loosened.
For badan choose a place with diffused light
Landing stages
This process will not take much time and effort.
Gardeners observe the following sequence of actions:
- Dig a planting hole with a diameter slightly larger than the volume of the root system.
- Good drainage is placed at the bottom (crushed brick or expanded clay).
- From above, the pit is covered with garden soil mixed in equal proportions with river sand and gravel.
- A seedling of bergenia Eroica is placed in it, carefully covered with a mixture and compacted.
- After this, the plantings are watered with clean water, which was previously settled for some time.
Watering and feeding
Badan Eroica requires periodic and not too abundant moisture. The first watering coincides with the period of bud formation, then the soil is irrigated during flowering, and also a couple of days after. This scheme is valid provided that there is no rain. If there is sufficient rainfall, additional watering is not required for Eroica. To protect the roots and retain moisture in the soil, plants are mulched.
Watering badan should not be too plentiful
Diseases and pests
The most vulnerable spot of badan Eroik is irrigation errors. At the slightest stagnation of moisture, fungi quickly develop. The lesion begins with the green mass of the plant: brown spots and a red border form on the upper leaves, and an unpleasant white coating on the underside. All infected areas are immediately removed, and the cut sites are treated with chemicals.
Putrefactive processes are no less dangerous, as a result of which slobbering pennitsa and slugs appear on different parts of the Eroik bergenia. Also dangerous is the nematode. When it appears, the plant is completely dug up, the roots are treated with potassium permanganate and transplanted to a new place. The area where Eroica grew earlier is carefully dug up and treated with chemicals.
Badana Eroica is often affected by slugs
Trimming
Before the onset of winter, the entire ground part of the plant is completely cut off. During the cold period, bergenia Eroica grows. Therefore, re-pruning is carried out in the spring. With its help, the bush is given a compact and decorative look. It is important to get rid of old and dead leaves in time, which gradually turn yellow and then turn brown.
The only condition is that the sheet must separate itself, it is not recommended to tear off the “live” foliage. The darkened dry leaves of bergenia Eroica form a kind of carpet on the soil, which slows down the evaporation of moisture and protects the roots from overheating. So the plant will be easier to endure hot days.
Preparation for winter
Badan Eroica is generally resistant to frost. However, young specimens are sensitive to cold. Before frosts, Eroica bergenia bushes should be additionally covered with spruce branches, dry leaves, sphagnum moss or non-woven materials. Strong adult plants in the middle lane do not need shelter.
Reproduction
In addition to growing from seeds, bergenia Eroica is propagated in other ways:
- Cuttings. Choose specimens that actively grow for 4-5 seasons. They should have healthy and strong shoots with an apical bud and rosette. The leaves of bergenia Eroica are almost completely disposed of. The rooting process takes only a few days. Then the cuttings can be transferred to the garden, maintaining a distance of 40 cm between them. They require standard care.
- Division. For this purpose, 4-year-old bergenia Eroica bushes, which have grown well, are suitable. New roots are usually near the surface, so their division does not require much effort. Separate only those roots that have root buds and several leaves. To do this, use a well-sharpened knife. The cut points for the purpose of disinfection must be treated with potassium permanganate or crushed activated carbon. Next, the delenki are transplanted into holes with a depth of no more than 15 cm and watered.
Most often, the plant is propagated by division
Photo in the landscape
Badan Eroika is highly decorative, therefore it is highly valued in the arrangement of the garden. It is used to decorate mixboards, rockeries and alpine slides. This plant creates a romantic atmosphere near artificial reservoirs and fountains. It fits perfectly into gardens decorated in Chinese and Japanese styles, looks beautiful with ferns, irises, astilba, geraniums and other plants.
The flower creates a romantic atmosphere
Badan Eroica planted on an alpine slide
Badan Eroika decorate Japanese-style gardens
Conclusion
Badan Eroika immediately attracts everyone’s attention. Its abundant small flowers in the form of tiny inverted goblets amaze with their generosity and pristine beauty. Compact bushes will be a real decoration for different parts of the garden. Badan Eroika is very responsive to care. A little effort is enough to create really favorable conditions for him. In gratitude, he will bestow his delicate flowers and useful properties, will become a real long-liver in his favorite garden.
