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The meat-red milkweed is also called incarnate (Asclepias incarnata). Also known as Asclepius. This is a perennial shrub that produces beautiful flowers of rich pink color. It can be propagated by seeds or propagated by cuttings, dividing the bush. The plant is not demanding for care: it needs moderate but regular watering and top dressing 2-3 times per season.
Description
This is a perennial shrub of medium size (height up to 1-1,2 m). The leaves are lanceolate, elongated, with a pointed tip, saturated green. The flowers are white, pink, purple or rich red, meaty in color, which is how the plant got its name. Inflorescences are formed in the form of umbrellas, densely covering the bush.
The diameter of Asclepius inflorescences is 5-6 cm
A characteristic feature of the flowers of the incarnate milkwort is that they emit an odor reminiscent of chocolate butter. Thanks to this, the plants attract butterflies, bees and other insects to the garden. Flowering begins in mid-July and lasts more than a month (35-45 days).
Sorts
There are several varieties of Asclepius. The most popular are:
- Cinderella Incarnate Cinderella (Cinderella) – a tall bush (up to 120 cm high) with well leafy stems. Grows in sunny, dry places (without excessive moisture). The flowers are pink, collected in umbrellas.
- Tuberous tuber Zolotinka – one of the most attractive representatives with orange flowers densely dotting the entire bush. Undersized – up to 70 cm in height. Asclepius blooms until late autumn, thanks to which it creates a unique atmosphere in the garden.
- Veterinarian incarnate Ice Ballet (Ice ballet) produces classic white flowers with a graceful shape. Flowering occurs in July.
- Soulmate (Soulmate) – a bush up to 1 m in height with beautiful meat-colored flowers.
Growing an incarnate milkweed from seeds
Asclepius incarnate can be grown from seeds at home. To do this, they are planted immediately in separate containers at the end of February. The soil must be sufficiently fertile, for example, you can mix garden soil with humus and compost in a ratio of 2: 1: 1, or purchase a universal mixture for seedlings.
Grow a rattan at room temperature (preferably 23-24 ° C), organize good watering and daily illumination. Under such conditions, the first shoots will appear in 10 days. The temperature is gradually reduced, from April, additional lighting is stopped.
Landing in open ground
In the open ground, seedlings of the incarnate milkwort are planted in mid-May (in the south – at the end of April). The soil should be moderately fertile, light and not waterlogged. The reaction of the environment is neutral: if the soil is alkaline or acidic, it is preliminarily neutralized (with vinegar or slaked lime).
Site selection and preparation
The place for planting an incarnate milkweed must meet several requirements:
- good illumination (small shading from large trees or shrubs is allowed);
- protection from strong drafts;
- dryness (do not plant a bush in the lowlands where moisture accumulates).
Before planting an incarnate milkweed, the site is cleaned, dug up to half the bayonet of a shovel, humus and complex mineral fertilizer are applied (50-60 g per 1 m2).
Landing stages
The algorithm for planting an incarnate milkweed is as follows:
- Several holes are planned at a distance of 80-100 cm. The shoots of the plant are very long, seedlings may appear far from the central root.
- Drained with stone chips, pebbles.
- Asclepius is planted.
- Abundantly watered.
- Mulch with peat, sawdust, straw.
It is better to plant a plant in mid-May, when the soil is warm and there is no threat of frost.
Care
The rules for growing an incarnate milkweed are quite simple:
- Regular watering (the soil should remain moderately moist).
- Fertilization – nitrogen in the spring, during the formation of buds and flowering – a complex mineral or Nitrophoska (2 times with an interval of 3-4 weeks).
- Soil mulching.
- Periodic loosening after each watering.
- Weeding – as needed.
Diseases and pests
The incarnate milkweed is distinguished by its exceptional resistance to various pathologies. Only sometimes the plant is parasitized by the whitefly, which resembles a small butterfly (moth), and the spider mite.
If pests are found, the bushes of the milkweed can be treated with any insecticide or acaricide (Aktara, Fufanon, Fitoverm, Karbofos, Neoron)
Asclepius practically does not suffer from fungal infections. In extreme cases, it is necessary to treat the bushes with fungicides (Ordan, Skor, Fitosporin, Bordeaux liquid and others).
Trimming
To prepare the incarnate milkweed for the winter period, pruning is carried out annually. At the end of September or at the beginning of October, all shoots are removed, leaving 7-10 cm on the surface, then the plant is covered with leaf litter. Faded flower buds can be removed immediately, even in the summer. But in any case, a full pruning more often than once a year is not worth it: the bush does not like active intervention.
There is another approach: do not make an autumn haircut, but only remove old, damaged branches in early spring. In this case, the plant will need to be covered with burlap (especially in Siberia and the Urals).
Preparation for winter
The incarnate milkwort is one of the most winter-hardy varieties. However, even he needs a little preparation for the winter. Plants are watered abundantly (one bucket per bush), then spud, and at the end of September (after pruning), a layer of mulch is laid (humus, peat, sawdust, cut branches of the quilt). In the spring (in March), the insulation materials must be removed.
In regions with an unfavorable climate, the fleece is covered with fiber
Reproduction
Along with seed breeding, the incarnate milkwort can also be propagated by vegetative methods:
- division of the bush;
- cuttings.
In the first case, an adult bush (over four years old) is divided with a sharp knife. It is dug up in spring or early summer, several divisions with three healthy shoots are obtained and transplanted to a new place. Then water abundantly and mulch the soil. With proper care, delenok flowering will begin the next year.
To obtain cuttings, it is recommended to use young shoots. At the beginning of summer, several cuttings 15-20 cm long are cut, all the lower leaves are removed, and the upper ones are shortened by half. An oblique incision is made from below and planted in well-moistened sand, covered with a glass lid. First, they are grown in a greenhouse, and after 1-1,5 months, the cuttings of the incarnate milkwort are transplanted into open ground to a permanent place. Be sure to mulch for the winter.
Photo in landscape design
The incarnate vine is a herbaceous plant for open ground. It is recommended to plant it only next to large perennial shrubs, for example, Macleia, Vronikastrum, Foxglove, mock orange, lilac.
The plant goes well with ornamental grasses – reed grass, miscanthus and others. In landscape design, the vatochnik is used in different ways:
- single landings on a well-groomed lawn;
- placement along the tracks.
A green hedge of asclepius will help divide the garden into several zones. From plants, you can create a flower garden-ring by planting them in a circle. Designers often include cottonwort in compositions with flowers (asters, tall bluebells, aconites, echinaceas), ornamental plants and conifers.
The incarnate cottonwort is used in single plantings
A composition of different varieties and plants will help decorate the inconspicuous facade of the building.
Conclusion
The meat-red rattan is suitable for decorating the garden due to its lush flowers with an original color. The plant is resistant to pests, adverse weather conditions and undemanding to care. The bush has been growing for several decades in one place, so it will not cause any worries to the gardener.