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Hosta Christmas Tree, thanks to the unusual color of its wide leaves, is an excellent decoration for any garden plot. With this variety, you can create various group landscape compositions or single plantings. In addition, “Christmas Tree” retains its decorative effect throughout the season, which is why it is popular among gardeners. However, in order for the host to feel good, you should choose the right place for planting, observe the cultivation technique and correctly combine it with other inhabitants of the site.
Description of Hosta Christmas Tree
Hosta “Christmas Tree” is a perennial herb that is a member of the Asparagus family, as well as one of the most popular and well-known varieties of the species. Although not so long ago, many scientists began to attribute it to the lily family. Its varietal name “Christmas Tree” was named after the Christmas tree, due to its bright green foliage.
The shrub prefers to grow near water bodies and rivers.
Round leaf plates are moderately corrugated, with a sharp tip and a heart-shaped base. Along the edge there is an uneven creamy-white border, in early spring a slightly yellowish tint. The leaves of the hosta are 21×16 cm in size, matte, smooth, covered with a whitish coating on the reverse side. The short petioles are dark green in color and the basal rosette has a thin white outline. The Christmas Tree bush reaches a height of 40-50 cm, and grows up to 90 cm wide.
The hosta has a green color of stable color, which practically does not change, regardless of the landing site or season. Therefore, “Christmas Tree” always retains its decorative effect throughout the season.
The hosta blooms in July-August, throwing out white, lavender-tinged, bell-shaped flowers collected in a brush on peduncles 35-45 cm long.
“Christmas Tree” is a frost-resistant variety and is able to tolerate temperatures as low as -40 degrees. Therefore, you can plant a host in the northern strip of Our Country, in the Urals and the Caucasus.
Application in landscape design
Hosta “Christmas Tree” is great for planting along curbs, alleys and garden paths. It is also often used to create a green background in flowerbeds with brightly flowering crops. Having neat rosettes and not distinguished by rapid growth, it retains its decorative effect for a long time.
The plant is used to decorate lawns and flower beds.
Hosta can be combined with a huge number of garden flowers. The only thing to consider when planting is the spreading of the bushes. Growing “Christmas Tree” can block the sunlight of its neighbors. Hosta looks good against the background of tall plants: peonies, gladioli, ferns, hibiscus and arabis. They create a slight shading for the host, which protects its foliage from sunburn.
In addition to light-loving ones, undersized ground covers cannot be planted next to Christmas Tree, since its wide leaves will prevent moisture from penetrating to their roots. It is also undesirable for the host to be placed next to crops that have an aggressive root system: phlox, lavender, primrose, bergenia.
Breeding methods
Hosta “Christmas Tree”, like many herbaceous plants, can be propagated vegetatively (i.e., with the remainder of the particles of the mother plant) and seed.
There are three main methods:
- dividing the bush;
- cuttings;
- sowing seeds.
Planting material before planting can be stored in the dark at a temperature of +10 ° C
Reproduction of the host by dividing the bush is more preferable, because, firstly, young plants fully inherit the characteristics of the variety. And secondly, this method is the simplest and least time-consuming.
Landing algorithm
Seedlings should be planted in open ground only after the threat of spring frosts has completely disappeared. Hosta is usually planted in late April or early May. It is important to choose the right site for the permanent residence of the plant. “Christmas Tree” prefers loose, well-drained and highly fertile soils. It is necessary that the soil passes moisture well and is breathable. Sandy soils with a neutral or slightly acidic pH are most suitable for this purpose.
Before planting, the bed should be dug up to the depth of a shovel bayonet, along the way introducing organic fertilizers (humus, compost).
In order for the seedlings of the “Christmas Tree” hosta to take root better and not get sick, it is necessary to choose high-quality planting material. Young plants should be healthy and have at least 3-4 buds. It is necessary that the root system be well developed with roots at least 10-12 cm long. They must also have a healthy appearance, be resilient and elastic to the touch.
If planting material is sold in pots, you should pay attention to the condition of the soil. The soil should be clean, slightly damp and free of mold.
Landing algorithm:
- On a pre-prepared site, make holes 30 cm deep at a distance of 80-100 cm from each other.
- Moisten each hole and lay a layer of drainage 4-5 cm high on the bottom to prevent water stagnation at the roots of the plant.
- In the case of purchasing seedlings in pots, it is necessary to fill it with water to better extract the earthen clod. If the root system of the hosta is bare, inspect it carefully and remove damaged and dry roots.
- Two-thirds of the planting hole should be filled with a substrate of peat and humus (1: 1).
- Place the seedling in the center of the hole, lay the roots, straightening them in a horizontal plane.
- Fill the hole with soil, lightly tamping with your hand so that there are no voids left.
- Water the hosta seedlings abundantly with settled water and mulch the flower bed with peat to retain moisture.
Accurate adherence to the sequence of actions when planting “Christmas Tree” has a positive effect on the survival and adaptation of young plants in a new place.
Growing rules
Caring for the host “Christmas Tree” is not difficult and does not take much time, so even novice gardeners can do it. It is enough to regularly water the bushes, loosen and rid the soil of weeds, and also adhere to the feeding schedule.
“Christmas Tree” loves that the soil in which it grows is always slightly moist. Usually flower beds are watered 3-4 times a week, as the topsoil dries out. During periods of drought, watering should be carried out almost every day. It is advisable to do this in the early morning or evening, before sunset, watering the host under the root. Getting on the leaves, moisture will drain into the center of the outlet, which will lead to decay of the bush.
If the rules for planting hostas were followed (applying organic fertilizers to flower beds and a special substrate to the planting pit), the plant does not need additional feeding for the first 3-4 years. Further, “Christmas Tree” should be fertilized 3 times per season:
- In the spring – during active growth.
- In summer – before flowering.
- Closer to the beginning of autumn, after flowering.
The plant grows best in partial shade.
At the same time, complexes with a high content of superphosphates, ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate are introduced. You need to try not to overfeed the bushes.
Since Christmas Tree Hosta loves breathable soil, flower beds need to be loosened regularly to ensure fresh air flows to the root system. Twice a season, fresh mulch should be poured under the bushes, removing the old one. This is done so that the soil does not compact and stays wet longer.
Preparation for winter
In order for the Christmas Tree hosta to winter safely, you should take care of this in the autumn. Preparation for winter consists in pruning the bush and timely shelter from frost.
Pruning is a labor-intensive process and comes down to removing flower stalks. This is necessary so that the host does not waste its energy on the formation of seeds. It is not recommended to touch the foliage, as this will be stressful for the plant. It is impossible to remove dried leaves in autumn – they will serve as a natural covering material, usually this is done in spring.
In regions with harsh winters, withered leaves are not enough to shelter from piercing frosty winds. Therefore, the bushes are mulched with a layer of dry mowed grass, rotten sawdust or peat.
Bushes “Christmas Tree” can be additionally covered with a special covering material, simply by throwing it on top and pressing the edges to the ground with the help of stones.
The plant does not need winter feeding, the last time fertilizers are applied in August. Hosta “Christmas Tree” naturally prepares for wintering.
Diseases and pests
Most often, “Christmas Tree” is affected by various diseases in the spring, being weakened after the winter. It could be:
- sclerotinia – affects the root system;
- gray rot – the leaves of the plant suffer;
- phylostricosis – appears as yellowish spots on the leaves.
All these diseases are of fungal origin and are treated by spraying with fungicides or dichloran.
For the Christmas Tree hosta, the most dangerous pest may be the slug. A sign of damage are holes in the leaf plates.
Often diseases appear due to excess moisture.
Another, no less dangerous, enemy are nematodes. Their presence can be identified by characteristic spots on the leaf. And if you can easily get rid of slugs by simply leaving an open container of beer under a hosta bush, then a plant affected by nematodes will have to be removed and burned.
Conclusion
Hosta Christmas Tree is an ornamental leafy plant, which is one of the brightest inhabitants of the backyard. Hosta is a slow-growing perennial plant that does not require special conditions and special care. A correctly chosen place and a well-organized watering regimen and a feeding schedule will allow you to easily grow a lush and variegated bush in your garden, pleasing to the eye with lavender flowers.
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