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Buddleya David Royal Red is a perennial shrub often used to decorate squares and flower beds in city parks. The plant is no less popular in private estates.
The Royal Red variety is especially valued for its extended flowering time, due to which the decorative appearance of the shrub is preserved until the first frost. In addition, the David Royal Red buddley has won favorable reviews from gardeners for its ease of shaping.
Breeding history of the variety
Buddleya David Royal Red is a fairly old variety originally from the USA. The originator of this variety is A. Lukal, who bred it in 1942. In 1997, the shrub was ranked 9th out of 57 varieties of the taxon that existed at that time.
Description of buddley Royal Red
Buddleja David Royal Red (buddleja dav royal red) is a tall shrub with a spreading crown. Plant height is on average 2-2.5 m, diameter reaches 3 m.
The leaves of the Royal Red buddleya David have an oval shape, narrowed towards the end, which can be seen in the photo. The leaf plate is dark green, the leaves are pubescent below. Shoots are rather thin, green, drooping from the weight of heavy inflorescences.
The variety blooms profusely, forming long spike-shaped inflorescences - from 25 to 40 cm.The flowers are purple-red, small. A distinctive feature of the Royal Red variety is a rich honey aroma that attracts a large number of butterflies. Flowering begins in July and lasts until late September - early October.
Frost resistance, drought resistance
Buddleya David of the Royal Red variety is a light-loving plant and sensitive to dampness, and therefore not adapted to growing in the northern regions of the country. In winter, buddlea shoots can freeze over, however, with the onset of spring, the shrub recovers if the damage was insignificant. Without shelter, the Royal Red variety winters at temperatures from -15 ° C to -17 ° C, which is possible only in the south of Russia. In the middle lane, the shrub must be insulated, paying special attention to the base of the plant.
Disease and pest resistance
Buddleya Davila Royal Red attracts practically no insects, except for butterflies, which do not harm the plant. The only exception is aphids, which occasionally infest gardens. In the event of an invasion of this pest, the buddleya is sprayed with insecticides.
Of the diseases, the greatest danger to the shrub is gray rot.
Reproduction methods
There are 2 main ways to propagate the Royal Red buddley: growing shrubs from seeds and harvesting cuttings. Most often, when breeding David's buddleys, they resort to the method of grafting.
The algorithm for preparing cuttings is as follows:
- In the middle of summer, the buddleya is examined and 3-4 young branches are cut.
- These shoots are cleaned - the leaves are removed from the lower part.
- Then the cuttings are dipped in a solution for several hours with the addition of any growth stimulant.
- When the planting material dries up a little, it is added dropwise into the previously loosened soil and watered.
- After that, the cuttings are covered with plastic wrap.
- When the seedlings form a full-fledged root system, they can be transplanted to a permanent place.
It is somewhat more difficult to grow the Royal Red buddley David from seedlings. Sowing of seeds takes place according to the following scheme:
- In March, seeds are sown in separate containers - special containers for seedlings or plastic cups. The soil must be moist. You can use a pre-moistened peat mixture for planting buddlea seeds.
- Then the containers are covered with glass or plastic wrap.
- For 2-3 weeks, the seedlings are removed to a dry, warm place for germination.
- When the first shoots appear, the containers are moved to a room with a lower temperature and regularly ventilated. To do this, they are taken out into the street for a while.
- As they grow, the seedlings are watered regularly.
- As soon as the buddlea seedlings get stronger and form a developed root system, they can be transplanted into open ground or a spacious container.
Planting and caring for David Royal Red buddleya
In order for the buddleya of David of the Royal Red variety to be able to fully reveal its decorative qualities, it is necessary to provide it with the best conditions for development. In particular, you should take a responsible approach to choosing a site for planting shrubs:
- Royal Red buddleya is a thermophilic horticultural crop that blooms intensively only with sufficient light. The lack of illumination inhibits the growth of the shrub.
- The Royal Red variety is sensitive to drafts. It is recommended to plant buddleya where the plant will be protected from strong winds: near garden buildings, residential buildings and fences, always from the illuminated side.
- Royal Red does not have any special requirements for the composition of the soil of buddley, however, loose, moderately moist soil, low or neutral acidity, is best suited for planting shrubs.
In the open ground, the Royal Red buddleya of David is planted with the onset of stable warm weather, when the threat of return frosts has passed. Temperatures below 0 ° C are detrimental to the plant.
The landing procedure is as follows:
- In a previously prepared area, pits are dug 40 cm deep and 45-50 cm in diameter.The distance between the planting pits should be at least 1.5 m.The fact is that the Royal Red buddleya has a very spreading crown, therefore, when the plantings thicken, plant shoots will be invade the space of a neighboring shrub, thereby hindering its development.
- Drainage is placed at the bottom of the planting pit: broken brick, gravel, clay shards. The layer thickness must be at least 10 cm.
- A soil mixture is poured over the drainage from the upper fertile soil layer from the site, compost and any mineral fertilizer. Also buddleya responds well to feeding with phosphorus and potassium, which can be diluted with wood ash.
- The planting material is buried so that the first 2 buds go underground.
- Sprinkle the root system of the seedling with earth and lightly tamp the trunk circle.
- Then buddley is watered and mulched in moderation.
Follow-up care
Royal Red Buddleya David responds well to regular watering, however, the shrub cannot be poured. Excess moisture in the soil provokes root rot and the development of gray rot. The recommended water consumption per plant is 1-1.5 buckets. The buddley is watered once every 2-3 weeks, however, you should be guided by the weather conditions. If the summer is hot and dry, the frequency of watering is increased.
At the beginning of spring, Royal Red buddley David is fed primarily with nitrogen, which helps the plant to recover after winter. Shortly before the beginning of flowering, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are introduced into the soil, which are necessary for the buddley to form flowers. Also, the Royal Red variety responds well to organic fertilization: wood ash, humus, etc.
Pruning of the Royal Red Davidlei is a must.It is especially important to carry out this procedure in the first year after planting. The main branches are cut in the last days of March by almost ½ of the total length. This intensive pruning stimulates active shoots on the sides of the shrub, giving the budlea a lush appearance.
Preparing for winter
Buddleya David of the Royal Red variety does not belong to the frost-resistant species. The plant is sensitive to cold snaps and freezes at temperatures below -17 ° C. Without shelter, the shrub can only be grown in the south of Russia.
In order for the Royal Red buddleya not to freeze in winter when grown in the middle lane, the shrub must be insulated. First, the bush is pruned moderately. Then a supporting structure is installed over it, on which a waterproof fabric is pulled. Inside, around the trunk, dry grass or fallen leaves are placed, which will provide the Royal Red variety with a favorable microclimate during the winter months. In addition, such a shelter will prevent root rot.
For more information on how to properly prepare a buddley for winter, see the video below:
Disease and pest control
The buddleya of David Royal Red is extremely rare, but if it does happen, then the causative agent of the disease is usually a fungus. Among fungal diseases, the greatest danger to shrubs is gray rot, the development of which provokes stagnation of moisture in the soil. Spraying the bush with any fungicide will help restore the plant to a healthy look.
The following pests can be distinguished from insects:
- whitefly;
- spider mite;
- aphid.
It will not be difficult to get rid of them - it is enough to spray the bushes affected by pests with insecticides.
Application of buddleya in landscape design
In landscape design, the Royal Red variety is used both in group compositions and in solitary plantings. The shrub looks especially advantageous when surrounded by low-growing horticultural crops. Small groups can also be planted in the center of the lawn, placing them as close to each other as possible. So, the landscape composition will imitate a plant fountain - this effect is achieved due to the drooping branches of the buddleya.
A spectacular decoration of the site will be a hedge made of David Royal Red buddley. In cold climates, the shrub can be planted in a container to decorate a terrace or balcony. Also on private estates, the Royal Red variety is often used as a disguise for unsightly places - old pipes, poles, etc.
Conclusion
Buddleya David Royal Red is a relatively unpretentious shrub that even a novice gardener can grow. The only weakness of the variety is its low resistance to frost, which means that the plant has to be insulated for the winter. Otherwise, the Royal Red variety is easy to care for and unattractive to pests.
