Content
Anthony Vaterer's low lush bush of spirea is used for landscaping parks and gardens. The bright green foliage and the lush color of the carmine inflorescences make the spirea of this species a true decoration of the landscape. The shrub has become widespread not only because of its bright colors, but also due to its unpretentiousness.
Characteristic
The beauty of the spirea Anthony Vaterer can be judged by the photo and not go into a detailed description. For the layman, it is just a very beautiful bush that looks like a lilac from a distance. But each type of spirea has its own characteristics.
Japanese spirea is a compact, globular shrub. The height and diameter of the crown of Antoni Vaterer's spirea does not exceed 80 cm. The shrub grows slowly and for a long time - no more than 5 cm per year.
The leaves of the plant are dark green, rich in color, pointed with notches, oblong in shape. In the spring they can become reddish, at the end of autumn - bright scarlet.
The flowers are small, bright pink or crimson, sometimes with a lilac tint. Many small flowers form a large inflorescence, about 15 cm in diameter. They densely cover the entire plant, forming a lush purple cap.
The bloom of Antoni Vaterer's spirea begins in early June. The bush blooms at the end of September. The entire period is approximately 3 months.
The shrub grows well in illuminated glades and in partial shade. The composition of the soil does not affect growth and flowering.
Spirea of this species is unpretentious, tolerates winters and sultry summers well. It is resistant to pests and diseases.
The plant is used in landscape design to create decorative hedges. Spirea is included in living flower arrangements, used as a fence in flower beds. It goes well with all types of conifers.
Planting and caring for spirea Anthony Vaterer
It is necessary to place Antoni's spirea in sunny, well-lit areas. Young plants are planted in warm autumn - in September. Before planting, the soil must be fertilized with peat and sand. So the plant will take root faster, grow and give a lush color.
Preparation of planting material
For the transfer of Antoni Vaterer's spirea, a permanent place is chosen on a cloudy or rainy day in September. For planting, cuttings of a plant that are well rooted, or shoots with the same qualities, are suitable. They are carefully removed from the soil, trying to preserve all the branches of the root system as much as possible. All broken and dried out processes must be carefully cut off. Seedlings with a well-developed rhizome are soaked for half an hour in a solution of a growth stimulator with water. Succinic acid is suitable for these purposes.
Spirea planting rules Anthony Vaterer
For planting, choose a site without groundwater. On the bed where the spirea will be placed, it is necessary to loosen and fertilize the soil. For this, sand and peat are introduced into it. You can mix the soil with humus. Then they dig a hole 50 cm deep. Its diameter should be 30% larger than the earthen clod of the seedling.
Drainage is placed at the bottom: expanded clay, broken brick, pebbles. The plant is placed in the center of the hole so that the root collar is at or above the soil level. The root should fit freely in the hole, all bends must be straightened.
The seedling is covered with loose soil mixed with peat and pitch in a ratio of 2: 1: 1, respectively. Then they trample her down. Then the plant is watered, a bucket of water will be enough. At the end of the work, the soil around the trunk is mulched, sprinkled with peat.
Watering and feeding
Spirea Anthony Veterer needs watering in the first year after planting and dry summer. During this period, the shrub is watered 2 times a month. A bucket of water will be sufficient to moisten the soil. Before watering, the soil is loosened to avoid stagnant water. After - mulch, sprinkling the moistened soil with a layer of peat or sawdust. This will prevent the soil from drying out.
In order for the plants to grow and develop quickly, they feed it 2 times a year. In early spring, before the formation of buds, potash, nitrogen, phosphate or complex fertilizers are applied to the soil. In June, the procedure should be repeated.
Pruning
This is an important factor in the process of caring for Antoni Vaterer's spirea. Timely pruning will avoid premature wilting of the plant, and will stimulate the formation of new peduncles. Spirea pruning by Antonio Vatteri is carried out in the fall after the shrub has faded. You can do this in the spring before bud formation begins.
Important steps and rules for pruning:
- Old woody branches are shortened to the level of growth of the first buds. Thin and dry branches must be completely removed.
- Spireas older than 5 years are pruned after the end of the flowering period. For proper development, it is enough to leave a bush half a meter high.
- Spirea Antoni Vaterer over 6 years old is cut off after flowering. Only a small stump is left.
- In sufficiently formed bushes, older than 3-4 years, the lower shoots are removed to form a dense lush crown. It is also necessary to remove old woody branches to form young growth.
Thus, you can extend the flowering time of the bush and promote the formation of new buds.
Preparing for winter
Japanese spirea Antoni Vaterer tolerates temperature changes and Russian winters well. Only young shoots and green shoots need shelter and protection. In late autumn, before the onset of frost, they are covered with spruce trees, fallen leaves, and dried bark. In a later period, the bush can be covered with a layer of snow, under which the spirea successfully overwinters.
Diseases and pests
The main pest of Antoni Vaterer's spirea is the spider mite. He is able to overwinter in the leaves of a bush, and in the spring to begin to devour young greens. In this case, the foliage curls, turns yellow and falls off.
To combat this pest, various insecticidal preparations and agrotechnical methods are used, such as:
- timely pruning;
- regular deletion weeds;
- loosening and mulching the soil.
If you apply all the control measures in combination, there will be no problems with the growth and flowering of Antoni Vaterer's spirea.
Aphids are the second most common pest of spirits of any kind. The peak of its invasion occurs in the summer months. This insect is able to completely destroy the bush in a matter of days. Also, leaf rollers and miners may appear on the spiraea. The methods of dealing with them are similar: spraying with insecticides, loosening and mulching.
The most common, but rare disease of spirea Anthony Vaterer is considered fungal infections. They arise with improper care and stagnation of moisture in the soil.
Reproduction
Spirea Anthony Vaterer is a hybrid plant, therefore it does not propagate by seeds. It can only be rooted with cuttings and shoots.
Cuttings are harvested in mid-June, when the intensive growth of shoots ends.Thick woody branches are cut and divided into smaller ones, 10 cm each. Small twigs are dipped at one end into a solution of water with a growth stimulator for 12 hours. Then they are rooted in a mixture of peat and sand (1: 1 ratio). In order for the cuttings to take root quickly, frequent watering is necessary, at least once every 2 days.
In the spring, grown plants with a formed rhizome are transferred to a flower bed and planted in a permanent place, observing all the rules.
Spirea Anthony Vaterer can be propagated by shoots in the spring. For this, strong young, well-developed layers are chosen. They are carefully bent over and fixed approximately in the middle with metal brackets. This must be done so that the shoot is in contact with the soil. Along its entire length, it is covered with fluffed earth.
Watering is carried out regularly, about 2-3 times a month. For the winter, the plant is insulated with peat or fallen leaves. Next spring, the spirea will finally take root, it can be separated from the mother bush and transferred to the right place.
Most spirits, including the hybrid Anthony Vaterer, take root well, and their survival rate is high. Therefore, it is not difficult to propagate the mother plant. The main thing is to follow the rules of watering and protect young seedlings from winter frosts.
Reviews of spirea Antoni Vaterer
Conclusion
A beautiful, unpretentious plant with a beautiful and exuberant color - this is Antoni Vaterer's spirea. It is quite common in our latitudes due to its frost resistance and good survival rate. In landscape design, it is used to create hedges and low curbs. The shrub goes well with conifers, it is used for tamping tall plants.
