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Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine is a perennial from the Astrov group. It is popular due to its decorative properties and unpretentiousness. Variety Loraine Sunshine often serves as a decoration for flower beds, flower beds, and recreation areas. He is loved for the unusual color of the leaves and the bright positive color of the flowers, which gives joy and good mood even on gloomy cloudy days.
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine has variegated leaves and bright yellow flowers.
Description of Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine
Heliopsis loraine sunshine has tall erect stems that rise above the ground up to 80 cm or more. The leaves are gray-white in color, decorated with green veins. During the entire vegetative period, heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine does not change its color. The flowers are bright, yellow-saturated color. They have petals rounded at the ends. They bloom for a long time and profusely, in July-September. Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine looks like a large yellow chamomile or sunflower, and beautiful variegated leaves give it a unique charm. Pleases with its flowering and light aroma until frost.
Heliopsis is native to North and Central America but has gained popularity around the world. The variety Loraine Sunshine is named after the grower who first discovered and recorded the existence of the plant. Despite its southern origin, the flower has taken root perfectly in regions with a temperate climate, including in our country. Feels good in the north – in the Urals, in Siberia, in the Far East.
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine goes well with many plants
Application in landscape design
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine is a universal component of gardens, flower beds, flower beds. Looks great in group compositions and in single plantings. Due to the rather high length of the stem, the plant is best placed behind the rest growing in the flower bed. Otherwise, it will obscure other representatives of landscape decor.
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine looks good in plant compositions made in a rustic style. It is better to combine it with spicy herbs, ornamental shrubs (undersized conifers, lavender, barberry) or various items. For example, an old wooden cart surrounded by heliopsis thickets will look great. Perennial Lorraine Sunshine will serve as a hedge. Its high dense thickets rise 1-1,5 m above the ground, creating an impenetrable curtain.
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine is used to create bright sunny flower beds, flower beds. Pairs well with any purple plant, including:
- phloxes;
- daylilies;
- hydrangeas;
- miscanthus;
- turfs;
- vesicles.
Thanks to its long stems, the decorative perennial Lorraine Sunshine is involved in the creation of summer bouquets. It goes well with simple discreet colors, which, in their color and appearance, “sound” a tone lower. The fading autumn garden fills with bright colors, breathing cheerfulness into it. Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine looks great along with other autumn flowers and plants – asters, cereals, rudbeckia.
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine looks beautiful in group plantings
Features of reproduction
Depending on how the reproduction will be done, Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine can be planted both in autumn and in spring. Methods for growing perennials are as follows:
- from seeds;
- in open ground (before winter, with the approach of frost, plant seeds directly into the ground, but if a thaw is not expected, otherwise they may germinate, and young shoots will die with the onset of cold weather);
- through seedlings (at the end of May, strengthened seedlings are planted in the ground at a distance of 40 cm);
- dividing the bush (in spring or autumn, dig a 4-5-year-old shrub out of the ground and divide the rhizomes so that each division has at least one bud, then immediately plant it in the ground after 30-40 cm);
- cuttings (cut in the middle of summer and placed in a container with a substrate until the next season);
- self-seeding (often involuntary reproduction occurs, without human intervention).
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine is often propagated from seed. With the onset of spring, sow them using planting containers. Do it like this:
- first lay out the drainage in the container, then a loose substrate with an admixture of peat, pour the soil with potassium permanganate, plant the seeds;
- cover with film or glass, leave in a warm, bright place where the temperature does not fall below +20 degrees;
- after a week, move the container to a dark, cool room with a temperature of approximately + 3 + 4 degrees for a month;
- after this period, move again to heat (+25), under the rays of the sun and wait for the first shoots;
- continue growing at +10+15 degrees.
All this time, heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine must be watered as it dries. When warm weather becomes stable, land in open ground.
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine for 4-5 years of life can be propagated by dividing the bush
Planting and care
Growing heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine is easy, no specific operations will be required. It is only necessary to carry out the procedures that are mandatory for any perennial. First, dig a hole 30x30x30 cm in size, fill it a third with humus, ash, complex fertilizers, mix everything. If the soil is clayey, heavy, add peat and sand to the planting hole.
When you have to plant heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine in light earth, act differently. Add some clay to keep the nutrients near the roots. Next, place the plant in the hole, deepening the growth point by no more than 2 cm. Spread everything, fill it with soil, tamp. Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine likes to grow in nutritious, fertile soils, but it doesn’t have to be. It will do well in any soil. You can choose both sunny places and light partial shade.
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine can be planted in open ground in May
Recommended dates
To grow heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine seedlings, seeds should be sown as early as February-March. In this case, planting seedlings in open ground will take place on time, in early May. If the seeds are fresh, they can be planted immediately. Those that have been stored for more than a year should be wrapped in a damp cloth, placed in a plastic bag and kept in the refrigerator for a month. In the twentieth of April, seedlings can be hardened off. Take out to the street, starting from one hour and gradually increase the time spent in the environment.
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine will take root well anywhere
Site and soil preparation
For planting, open sunny places with fertile soil are better. On heavy ground, choose elevated or well-drained sites. Since the plant has a southern origin, it is not afraid of heat and drought. Therefore, you can plant heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine in any corner of the garden – it will adapt to different conditions.
The ancestors of this flower in their homeland always grew on dry, poor soils, in which there were few nutrients. Therefore, the plant does not need enhanced feeding. Excessive amounts of mineral fertilizers, on the contrary, can damage the flower. The green part of the plant will begin to develop rapidly, while the number of buds can be sharply reduced.
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine can be propagated by seeds
Landing algorithm
Before removing the seedlings from the container, it is necessary to moisten the soil. It is better not to remove the earthen lump. So it will be possible to save the whole root system. In May, plant in the ground, taking into account the following points:
- distance between holes 30-40 cm;
- the gap between the rows is 60-70 cm;
- the first 10 days – abundant watering.
Planting with seeds should be carried out in the fall, in October-early November, or in the spring in March-April, but can be postponed to May-June. Landing features are as follows:
- furrow depth – 2-3 cm;
- the distance between them is 65-70 cm;
- the gap between the seeds is 20-30 cm.
After the emergence of seedlings, thin them out, removing every second, or transplant.
On hot days, the plant needs regular watering.
Watering and feeding schedule
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine is unpretentious in care, comes from southern countries, therefore it is resistant to drought. But to achieve decorativeness, it needs regular watering. In the absence of this condition, the flowers become smaller, become less lush and the duration of budding is reduced. On dry, hot days, it is recommended to water several times a week. The time for this is to choose evening or morning, and the water is warm.
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine is fed in the spring with complex fertilizers
Weeding, loosening, mulching
With the right choice and preparation of the soil, fertilizer is applied only in the second year of the flower’s growth. Top dressing is done about once a month. In this case, you should use a universal fertilizer (with organic matter) for horticultural crops.
If heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine is regularly mulched, you can do without spring top dressing
Preparation for wintering
In the middle of the autumn period, heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine can begin to prepare for the winter. Cut the bushes, leaving stumps 5 cm high. This is necessary to prevent chaotic reproduction of the plant. In this form, heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine endures wintering.
Perennial for the winter is enough to cut correctly
Diseases and pests
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine often suffers from black aphids. If the infection with pathogenic insects has not spread very much and there are few pests on the bush, you can try to get rid of them with folk remedies in the form of infusions of such herbs:
- wormwood;
- tomato;
- celandine;
- last night
At the same time, do not forget to add a little liquid soap. If the aphid has hit the entire plant or there are a lot of it, the most affected bushes should be removed, and the rest should be treated with insecticidal preparations.
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine can be prone to fungal diseases such as rust (brown spots on the leaves) or powdery mildew (gray-white bloom). To cure a plant, it is necessary to spray it with a solution:
- Bordeaux mixture (2%);
- copper sulphate;
- fungicidal preparations, for example, Fundazol.
Excessive watering and increased concentration of moisture in the soil also contribute to the appearance of fungal infections on the plant. To all other pests and diseases, Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine has strong immunity.
Conclusion
Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine has bright decorative properties, light aroma and unpretentiousness in cultivation. It can be distinguished from other varieties by whitish leaf plates with green veins.