Astilbe ~ False Spirea Plant Care Guide ~ Varieties
Astilbe /əˈstɪlbiː/[1] is a genus of 18 species of rhizomatous flowering plants, within the family Saxifragaceae, native to mountain ravines and woodland in Asia and North America.[2] Some species are commonly known as false goat’s beard, and false spirea.
These hardy herbaceous perennials are cultivated by gardeners for their large, handsome, often fern-like foliage, and dense, feathery plumes of flowers. They are widely adapted to shade and water-logged conditions, hence they are particularly associated with pond-side planting. They also tolerate clay soils well. Numerous hybrid cultivars have been raised. Flowers of at least some astilbe species have a strong and pleasant aroma.
Species of Astilbe include:
- Astilbe biternata (Vent.) Britt.
- Astilbe chinensis (Maxim.) Franch. & Sav.
- Astilbe crispa (Arends) Bergmans
- Astilbe grandis Stapf ex E. H. Wilson
- Astilbe japonica (C.Morren & Decne.) A.Gray
- Astilbe longicarpa (Hayata) Hayata
- Astilbe macroflora Hayata
- Astilbe microphylla Knoll
- Astilbe platyphylla H. Boiss.
- Astilbe rivularis Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don
- Astilbe rivularis var. angustifoliolata H. Hara
- Astilbe rivularis var. myriantha (Diels) J. T. Pan
- Astilbe rubra Hook. f. & Thomson
- Astilbe sikokumontana Koidz.
- Astilbe simplicifolia Makino
- Astilbe thunbergii (Siebold & Zucc.) Miq.
- Astilbe thunbergii var. congesta H. Boissieu
- Astilbe thunbergii var. fujisanensis (Nakai) Ohwi
- Astilbe thunbergii var. hachijoensis (Nakai) Ohwi
- Astilbe thunbergii var. kiusiana Hara
- Astilbe thunbergii var. longipedicellata Hatus.
- Astilbe thunbergii var. okuyamae (Hara) Ohwi
- Astilbe thunbergii var. shikokiana (Nakai) Ohwi
- Astilbe thunbergii var. terrestris (Nakai) Ohwi
Cultivar Groups
Commonly accepted cultivar groups are:
- Astilbe Arendsii Group
- Astilbe Crispa Group
- Astilbe Japonica Group
- Astilbe Simplicifolia Group
The following varieties and cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society‘s Award of Garden Merit:-
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Astilbe @ Old Farmer’s Almanac
Botanical name: Astilbe
Plant type: Flower
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Sun
Soil type: Loamy
Flower color: Red, Pink, White
Astilbe is a perennial with beautiful, showy flowers atop glossy, fern–like foliage. Its flower clusters vary in size from 6 inches to 2 feet and its height varies from 6 inches to 5 feet, depending on the type. Astilbes are easy to care for and will live for a long time in your garden. Their only requirement is moisture.
Planting
- You can plant astilbe seeds, but they are short–lived and difficult to germinate. It is easier to plant the divisions from other astilbe plants.
- Plant the divisions in the spring or fall about 1 to 3 feet apart, depending on the type. If you are planting bare-root plants, make sure the holes are twice as wide as the plants and 4 to 6 inches deep. Place the plants so that the crown is 1 to 2 inches below the ground level. Cover the roots with soil and press firmly.
- Make sure to plant the divisions in consistently moist, humus-rich soil. Dry soil can be fatal to your plants. If you like in the North, you can plant them in full sun as long as they have moist soil. To prolong the foliage, provide shade from hot afternoon sun. In warmer regions, you must plant astilbes in light to partial shade. Astilbes can grow in deep shade but will not flower as much.
Care
- Remember to regularly check your astilbes to make sure they are moist. Water accordingly.
- Astilbes spread quickly and form broad clumps. Their crowns often rise above the soil as they grow, so make sure to cover them with humus-rich soil or lift and replant the clumps.
- Your astilbes will benefit from a balanced organic fertilizer applied in the spring.
- Be sure to divide the overgrown clumps every 3 to 4 years in the spring. You can either replant the divisions immediately or put them in pots to be planted out in the early summer when they are re-established.
- Removing the flower heads will not promote continued flowering.
Pests
- Tarnished plant bug
- Powdery mildew
- Bacterial leaf spots
Recommended Varieties
- Fanal, for its dark green foliage and dark crimson flowers
- Irrlicht, for its dark green foliage and elegant white flowers
- Venus, for its bright green foliage and bright pink flowers
Special Features
- Attracts Butterflies
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See Also ….
Native Plant Database
Astilbe @ National Gardening Assoc.
Astilbe Planting Guide @ Easy to Grow Bulbs
Papaver orientale ~ Oriental Poppy Plant Care Guide ~ Varieties
Papaver orientale
Papaver orientale (Oriental poppy) is a perennial flowering plant[2] native to the Caucasus, northeastern Turkey, and northern Iran.[3]
Oriental poppies throw up a mound of finely cut, hairy foliage in spring. After flowering the foliage dies away entirely, a property that allows their survival in the summer drought of Central Asia. Late-developing plants can be placed nearby to fill the developing gap. Fresh leaves appear with autumn rains.
Papaver orientale has a hardiness zone of 3-8 average. It usually thrives in light calcareous soil and in full sun or part shade. Seeds are sown after the potential of frost has passed, the average temperature is approximately 21 °C and when soil has thoroughly warmed. The seeds are sown at a depth of about one centimeter, or less as light may stimulate germination. Oriental Poppies do not handle transplanting or over-watering well. Germination period is 10–20 days. Mulch can be used to protect the plant over the winter and cutting off the stem will produce a second flower.
Cultivars
Aside from its natural brilliant orange-scarlet, since the later 19th century selective breeding for gardens has created a range of colors from clean white with eggplant-black blotches (Barr’s White is the standard against which other whites are measured), through clear true pinks and salmon pinks to deep maroons and plum. In addition petals may be creased or fringed, such as Türkenlouis.
Cultivars (those marked agm have gained the Royal Horticultural Society‘s Award of Garden Merit):-
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Related species
Oriental poppies are closely related to the Great scarlet poppy Papaver bracteatum, which can be grown for the commercial extraction of thebaine, a main source for the legal synthesis of opiates. This species, however, does not produce any narcotic alkaloids such as morphine or codeine. Many garden Oriental poppies are actually hybrids between P. bracteatum and P. pseudo-orientale.
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Growing Oriental Poppies: Tips On How To Grow Oriental Poppy
Image by Daryl Mitchell
By Jackie Rhoades
Three thousand years ago, gardeners were growing oriental poppies and their Papaver cousins around the world. Oriental poppy plants (Papaver orientale) have remained a garden favorite ever since. Once planted, they require no special care and will last for many years. Their original vibrant red-orange color is still the most popular for growing, though oriental poppies come in a variety of colors that will match or blend any garden’s color scheme.
How to Care for Oriental Poppies
When asked how to care for oriental poppies, the rules are few. Careful placement is essential. Once planted, these beauties don’t like to move.
Don’t plant them in soggy ground. They hate wet feet.
Do fertilize them, but only once a year.
Do plant them with favorites whose growth habits will cover the garden bald spots when your poppies go dormant in the heat. Oriental poppies relish the cool temperatures of early spring and fall. Their bright blossoms open just as most spring bulbs are finished and before the summer flowers begin.
How to care for oriental poppies includes allowing them to die back. So many novice gardeners have killed their oriental poppy plants through misdirected concern. In the heat of summer, they water, water, water, in an effort to save their dying plant. In the end, the excess water is what kills them.
When Is the Best Time to Plant Oriental Poppies
Before we talk about when is the best time to plant oriental poppies, let’s talk a bit about their life cycle. New growth begins in the fall when temperatures are cool and getting colder; new shoots sprout from the sleeping roots. Foliage unfurls until it forms a mound. This mound of green will stay there through the winter. It won’t grow much, but it won’t die, either.
In spring, the growth begins again and the clump sends up long stems of bright flowers. By July and August, the heat is too much for the delicate foliage. Oriental poppies are supposed to go dormant in midsummer. In fall, when the weather cools, they come back stronger than before. The clumps will become larger each year, but will never be invasive.
So, based on their growth habits, spring and fall answers the question of when is the best time to plant oriental poppies and the rule of green-thumb is spring where the winters are cold and fall where the winters are warm.
Growing Oriental Poppies
When talking about how to grow oriental poppy, we should begin with propagation. Nurseries rarely carry potted oriental poppy plants because they are difficult to transplant. Once sown, they do not like to be disturbed. Therefore, the easiest method for how to grow oriental poppies is to sow the seeds directly into the ground.
Select a site that gets plenty of sun – at least six hours a day – and turn over the top inch or two of soil. Poppies aren’t particular about their soil, but they are fussy about drainage. If the drainage is poor, amend the soil with a couple of inches of compost before you plant.
Sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil. Do not cover them. Oriental poppies need light to germinate. Water the area regularly, keeping it moist but not soggy until the seeds germinate, which should take about two weeks. When the seedlings are about one inch tall, thin them to six inches apart.
Tips on How to Grow Oriental Poppy Indoors
How to grow oriental poppy indoors is much the same with a few slight alterations. As stated before, these plants do not transplant well. Therefore, to successfully sow your seeds indoors, you must use biodegradable pots that will go into the ground along with the plant.
Fill your pots with planting medium to about a half inch below the rim. Water the pots well before you plant. Sprinkle only a few seeds in each pot to leave the new seedling roots plenty of room for growing. Oriental poppies have tiny seeds. To make sowing easier, try sprinkling your seed on a sheet of white paper and use a damp finger to pick up a few at a time.
Once seeded, cover the pots with plastic to retain moisture and place them in a sunny window. Your seedlings should germinate in 7 to 14 days. Reduce the number of seedlings to one per pot when they are about one inch tall. Do this by pinching off the unwanted plants so the roots of your new oriental poppy plants remain undisturbed.
When is the best time to plant oriental poppies grown indoors? A cloudy, windless day is ideal for transplanting. Remove the top half inch of each pot before setting it in the ground. The plant’s crown should be at ground level.
Growing oriental poppies in your home garden is a decision you’ll never regret. Their easy care, long life, and beautiful flowers make them a gardener’s delight.
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See Also …
Growing Guide Papaver orientale (Oriental Poppy)
Papaver orientale L. ~ Oriental poppy
Sage ~ Salvia officinalis Plant Care Guide
Sage ~ Salvia o. Plant Care Guide
Botanical name: Salvia officinalis
Plant type: Herb
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Sun exposure: Full Sun
Sage is a hardy perennial with soft, grayish green leaves. Its flower colors vary; they can be purple, pink, blue, or white. Common sage is used most commonly for cooking; it’s a classic in stuffing.
Planting
- Sage can grow from seeds, but the best way to grow high-quality sage is from cuttings from an established plant.
- You can start the seeds/cuttings indoors 6 to 10 weeks before the last spring frost.
- Plant the seeds/cuttings in well-drained soil 1 to 2 weeks before the last spring frost.
- Plant the seeds/cuttings 24 to 30 inches apart. For best growth, the soil should be between 60º and 70ºF. Plants should grow to be between 12 and 30 inches in height.
- In the garden, plant near rosemary, cabbage, and carrots, but keep sage away from cucumbers.
Care
- Be sure to water the young plants regularly until they are fully grown so that they don’t dry out.
- Prune the heavier, woody stems every spring.
- It’s best to replace the plants every 4 to 5 years to ensure the best quality.
Pests
- Rust
- Powdery mildew
- Stem rot
- Fungal leaf spots
- Whiteflies
- Aphids
- Spider mites
Harvest/Storage
- During the first year, harvest lightly to ensure that the plant grows fully.
- After the first year. be sure to leave a few stalks so that the plant can rejuvenate. If fully established, one plant can be harvested up to three times in one season.
- Sage’s flavor is best when fresh, but it can be stored frozen or dried. To dry, leave the branches in the sun; once dried, remove the leaves and store them in an airtight container.
Recommended Varieties
- Tricolor sage, for a bit of color in the garden (yellow, mauve, and sage green)
Recipes
- Bagged Roast Turkey With Cornbread, Chestnut, and Sage Stuffing
- Ravioli in a Sage and Brown-Butter Sauce
- Cheese Crackers with Sage
Wit & Wisdom
Anyone who has sage planted in their garden is reputed to do well in business.
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- ‘Alba’, a white-flowered cultivar
- ‘Aurea’, golden sage
- ‘Berggarten’, a cultivar with large leaves, which rarely blooms, extending the useful life of the leaves
- ‘Extrakta’, has leaves with higher oil concentrations
- ‘Icterina’, a cultivar with yellow-green variegated leaves
- ‘Lavandulaefolia’, a small leaved cultivar
- ‘Purpurascens’ (‘Purpurea’), a purple-leafed cultivar
- ‘Tricolor’, a cultivar with white, yellow and green variegated leaves
‘Icterinaand ‘Purpurascens have gained the Royal Horticultural Society‘s Award of Garden Merit.
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