Description Clematis Red Star

Clematis Red Star is a perennial loach from the Ranunculaceae family. In Our Country, the variety became known in 1995 and immediately won the hearts of flower growers. His presence turns the plot into a piece of paradise. And when flowering, the air is filled with a light, sweetish aroma that attracts butterflies. The variety is rare, unpretentious, cold-resistant, so it can be grown by both experienced and novice flower growers.

Description Clematis Red Star

Large-flowered clematis Red Star is a perennial deciduous vine. Long, 2-meter shoots are covered with juicy emerald foliage. 2 times a year, large flowers up to 15 cm in size appear on the plant. Wide petals are painted in light scarlet color with a raspberry tint. The decorativeness of the flower is betrayed by a pale pink stripe running exactly in the center of each petal.

Double or semi-double flowers have irregularly shaped lanceolate sepals. Surrounded by bright purple anthers, stamens stand out, which are located on cream-colored threads.

The duration of flowering depends on climatic conditions. In warm summers, flowering occurs 2 times a year. The first buds open in the first half of summer, and the final ones – in mid-September. Clematis Red Star is a frost-resistant hybrid. In the presence of snow cover, it can withstand temperatures up to -35 ° C without shelter. Thanks to this, Red Star clematis can be built in all corners of Our Country.

Clematis pruning group Red Star

Hybrid Clematis Red Star belongs to the second pruning group. Flowering occurs twice: the first flowers bloom in early summer on last year’s shoots, the second bloom occurs in early September on young shoots. Given this factor, pruning must be taken with all responsibility. Properly trimmed clematis will bloom luxuriantly and for a long time.

Optimal growing conditions

Clematis Red Star, like many hybrids, is not demanding on the place of growth and climatic conditions. But for beautiful flowering, you need to choose a sunny area, nutrient soil and reliable support.

Clematis Red Star is planted on the south or southwest side without drafts and gusty winds. When growing, a slight dimming is allowed, but the duration of daylight hours should be at least 6-8 hours.

Clematis Red Star grows well and blooms profusely on fertile loam with a high degree of friability. The soil must be drained and aerated.

When landscaping residential walls, at least half a meter recede from brickwork. The plant cannot be planted near a reservoir, as this neighborhood can lead to flooding, which will lead to rotting of the root system and death of the plant.

Planting and caring for clematis Red Star

Planting and caring for Red Star clematis is not a difficult task, but before purchasing planting material, you need to read the description, read reviews, view photos and videos. In order for clematis to please the eye with its flowers throughout the growing season, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the recommendations of experts.

Selection and preparation of the landing site

The right place will save the grower from a lot of problems in the future. Therefore, the choice and preparation of the site must be approached responsibly.

1. The site should be bright, but not located in direct sunlight, as prolonged exposure to the open sun affects the color of the flowers.
2. You can not plant a plant in a draft, as gusty winds can damage the flexible, fragile stems.
3. Landing near buildings can damage clematis: the fence will not allow the vine to grow qualitatively, and water will flow from the roof of the house, which will lead to decay of the root system.

Seedling preparation

When buying clematis, it is better to give preference to 1-2 year old seedlings. A healthy plant should have a well-developed root system (at least 3 roots 10 cm long). The roots should be elastic, without signs of disease, swelling and thickening. The seedling should consist of 2 strong shoots and 2-3 developed buds.

If the seedling is purchased with an open root system, then before planting, the plant is kept for 2 hours in warm water with the addition of a root formation stimulator.

Rules of landing

Clematis seedlings of the Red Star variety are planted in spring and autumn. But in regions with an unstable climate, experienced flower growers recommend planting only in the spring, since before the start of frost the plant will not have time to get stronger and will not form a strong root system.

To obtain abundant and lush flowering, it is necessary to follow the recommendations of experienced flower growers:

1. In a sunny place, they dig a hole 50×50 cm in size. When planting several plants, the interval between planting holes is kept within 1,5 m.
2. A 15 cm drainage layer is poured to the bottom (broken brick, expanded clay, small pebbles).
3. Nutrient soil prepared from leaf compost, garden soil, sand and rotted manure is poured into the pit in the form of a mound.
4. At the clematis seedling, the roots are straightened and placed on a hill so that the root collar is 2-3 cm underground.
5. The voids are filled with soil, ramming each layer.
6. The top layer is spilled and mulched.
7. The planted clematis is shaded. To do this, marigolds or perennials with a superficial root system can be planted next to the plant.

Watering and top dressing

The photo and description show that Red Star clematis is an unpretentious hybrid, and even a novice grower can grow it. Clematis care is simple and consists of watering, fertilizing and regular pruning.

Watering Clematis Red Star should be regular, plentiful, but without stagnant water. During the summer drought, irrigation is carried out several times a week, spending at least 1 bucket of warm water for each plant. With a lack of moisture, the flowers become smaller, lose their bright color, and the flowering time is reduced. After irrigation, the soil is loosened, thereby creating aeration and drainage.

Without regular top dressing, Clematis Red Star will not bloom luxuriantly and profusely:

1. The first year Clematis Red Star is not fed.
2. All subsequent years, top dressing is carried out every spring (nitrogen fertilizers), during budding (potash top dressing) and in autumn (phosphorus-potassium fertilizers).

Mulching and loosening

To facilitate work, the soil of the trunk circle is mulched. Straw, sawdust, fallen leaves or rotted humus are used as mulch. Mulch will conserve moisture, stop weed growth, and provide additional organic nutrition.

Pruning Clematis Red Star

Clematis Red Star belongs to the 2nd pruning group. This means that the plant blooms 2 times a year. To obtain abundant and long flowering, pruning is carried out regularly and moderately.

Pruning Clematis Red Star:

1. In the year of planting, cut off all the buds and pinch the top. Also cut off all the shoots at the level of 30 cm, without touching the main shoot. This pruning will allow the plant to grow side shoots.
2. Further, dry and damaged shoots are regularly cut out.
3. Last year’s shoots are shortened, but not completely removed, otherwise the plant will not bloom in summer.
4. Pruning of each branch is carried out at a level of 150 cm, so that at least 12 developed buds remain on it.
5. In an adult clematis, 14 healthy, well-developed shoots are left, this will be enough to get abundant flowering. The remaining shoots are cut at the root.

Preparation for winter

After pruning, Red Star clematis is prepared for winter. To do this, before the onset of frost, the near-stem circle is spudded with garden soil or rotted humus to a height of 15 cm. This procedure will help the plant to endure early, light frosts.

The soil is generously shed with warm water with the addition of any fungicide and sprinkled with wood ash. This will become a prevention against diseases and enrich the soil with potassium, which will help clematis to endure severe frosts.

When the temperature drops to -5 ° C, the young plant is covered. For shelter use a wooden box or agrofibre. Spruce branches, straw or fallen leaves are laid on top. Polyethylene is not used as a shelter, since under it the plant will swell and die.

Reproduction

Clematis Red Star can be propagated in 4 ways: seeds, branches, dividing the bush and cuttings.

The division of the bush. For propagation by dividing the bush, a plant aged 5-7 years is suitable. This is due to the fact that young clematis does not withstand transplantation well, and in adulthood the bush builds up a powerful root system, which can be damaged when dug up.

Reproduction is carried out in early spring, before sap flow. Before digging up a bush, all the stems are cut, leaving 2-4 buds on the stumps. The bush is dug up with a large clod of earth, in every possible way avoiding damage to the roots. The excavated bush is divided in the center with a sharp, sterile tool. Each division must have a growth bud and a developed root.

Seed reproduction. Reproduction of clematis by seeds is a laborious and long process, so this method is not suitable for beginner flower growers. Also, when propagating the Red Star clematis hybrid with seeds, it is possible not to obtain varietal similarity.

Cuttings. The easiest and most effective way to reproduce. In autumn, cuttings with 5 developed buds are cut from a 2-year-old bush. After processing the cut in the growth stimulator, the cuttings are planted at an acute angle in the nutrient soil. The container with the cuttings is cleaned in a cool room where the air temperature does not rise above 0 ° C. Before the onset of spring, it is necessary to monitor the soil moisture. At the end of winter, the container is transferred to a warm, well-lit room. At the end of March, the first leaves appear on the cutting, which means that the cutting has begun to build up the root system. After the end of spring frosts and after the soil warms up to + 15 ° C, the stalk is planted in a permanent place.

Reproduction by air outlets. A simple, efficient way. In October, a healthy, strong shoot is chosen and all leaves are removed. The shoot is placed in a previously prepared trench to a depth of 6 cm. They are covered with nutrient soil, leaving the top on the surface. The earth is compacted, shed and mulched. A year later, in the fall, the young plant is separated from the mother bush and transplanted to a prepared place.

Diseases and pests

If the agrotechnical rules are not followed, clematis Red Star can infect fungal diseases and attack insect pests. Dangerous diseases of clematis:

1. Gray mold – the leaf plate is covered with brown spots. For treatment, the drug “Fundazol” is used.
2. Ascochitosis– the foliage is covered with dark spots, which, without treatment, dry out and crumble, forming numerous holes on the foliage. Help lies in the treatment of the plant with a solution of copper sulfate.
3. Mučnistaâ rosa – a common disease. The fungus infects young leaves and stems, covering them with a white sticky coating. When the first signs appear, all damaged shoots are cut and burned, and healthy parts are treated with copper-containing preparations.
4. Rust – the outer surface of the leaf is covered with red tubercles. All infected leaves are removed, the bush is sprayed with Bordeaux mixture.

Insect pests are also dangerous for clematis. The most common:

1. Nematodes – Worms infect roots and foliage. Due to damage to the root system, the plant quickly withers and dies.
2. aphid – a pest that feeds on plant sap. Colonies settle on the inside of the leaf plate. It is destroyed by broad-spectrum insecticides, onion or garlic alkaline infusion.
3. Slugs are caterpillars rapidly destroying the entire above-ground part. For destruction, traps made of cabbage leaves or a wet rag are used, and the earth is also sprinkled with tobacco, ash or pepper.

Conclusion

Clematis Red Star is a decorative, perennial vine. Due to large bright flowers, the plant looks effective anywhere, but most often it is planted with arbors, arches, walls of residential buildings. Red Star is planted next to conifers, low perennials and ornamental shrubs. Subject to agrotechnical rules, the plant will delight in flowering throughout the season.