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Hosta Halcyon is a decorative hybrid variety of a shade-tolerant perennial. Unpretentiousness, unusual color and shape of leaves, compatibility with plants in any composition - these parameters make "Halcyon" the queen of a shady garden.
Description of hosts Halcyon
In English the word "hosta" means "calmness". Halcyon is the bluest variety that does not change its color until mid-summer.
First of all, Hosta Halcyon attracts the attention of gardeners with its external parameters:
- The bush of this variety is low, dense, in an adult state it reaches 55 cm in height. Moderately spreading, the width of the bush is from 35 cm to 70 cm. The shape is almost round, the Halcyon hosta bush looks very neat. The growth rate is average.
- The rhizome is powerful, fully satisfies the plant's needs for nutrients and moisture.
- Hosta leaves are large, blue in color, one might say, green-blue. The color slightly mutes the wax bloom, but this only makes it softer and calmer. Plaque also has practical benefits - it protects the leaves from moisture loss and sunburn, so the hosta Halcyon variety tolerates planting in partial shade or in a sunny place equally well. The maximum leaf size is 16 cm x 10 cm. The texture is dense, the surface is covered with longitudinal deep grooves - veins. Lance-shaped or heart-shaped with pointed ends.
- Flowers of the "Halcyon" variety are funnel-shaped, have the color of lavender, collected in "spikelet" inflorescences. The height of the flower stalks of the hosta reaches 80 cm, the width is no more than 70 cm. They are practically not leafy. The flowers are fragrant, bloom for 15 to 28 days, usually in July – August.
- The seed pods form after flowering as small leathery formations. The seeds of the variety are small.
The plant traditionally grows in China, Japan, Korea - countries of the temperate climatic zone, also in the Kuriles, Sakhalin Island, the southwest of the Far East. On the territory of the Russian Federation, the host "Haltsion" is ideally suited to the conditions of the middle zone. Does not tolerate dry air very well.
The frost resistance of the variety is high. "Halcyon" can withstand temperatures as low as -35 ° С. In the northern regions, it is recommended for growing in tubs. In the fall, it goes into a state of rest. Dying foliage can be removed throughout the season. "Halcyon" refers to shade-tolerant varieties.
Application in landscape design
This variety is used by designers when creating shady gardens, group compositions with ferns, astilbe, sedge, irises, tiarella and daylilies. Large bushes of the hybrid look great in solo plantings. An effective contrast is provided by the combination of hostas with cereals or sedges. Avoid planting near species that prefer dry sandy or clayey soil. Gardeners often include Sunny Halcyon in their compositions. This variety is distinguished by a light green color of the leaves, which turn yellow in summer.
Breeding methods
It is very simple to propagate a perennial. For Haltsion hosts the following options are available:
- Dividing the bush... It is possible to share the host "Halcyon" not younger than 5 years old. The plant must be carefully dug up and divided into parts.
Each "section" should have 2-3 rosettes of leaves. Clean all sections, sprinkle with crushed coal, transplant to a new place. The procedure should be carried out in early spring or autumn at the end of the growing season.
- Cuttings... This method is used in the summer (June-July).Cuttings are lateral shoots, which have leaf rosettes and a "heel". Such a shoot must be carefully separated from the bush, the leaves must be cut off by 1/3 of the length. Plant in a new location, providing protection from direct sunlight. The land around the future plant must be periodically moistened, preventing stagnation of water.
- Seed reproduction. The seeds of the Halcyon variety can be harvested by yourself or purchased from a specialized store. The hosts should plant the grown seedlings in a permanent place in the garden.
The most preferred are vegetative methods. They retain the varietal characteristics of Halcyon hosts.
About the procedure for dividing a bush at the end of summer:
Landing algorithm
You can plant the hosta in open ground in autumn or spring, at the time of the first leaves blooming. The autumn planting of Haltsion hosts is carried out in late August or early September, while the weather is warm.
In order for the plant to please the owner with spectacular foliage and delicate flowering, it is necessary to choose the place correctly. Halcyon prefers shaded areas of the garden. More lush bloom and rich foliage color will be in areas with an openwork shade. The hybrid hosta Halcyon loves nutritious, slightly acidic, well-moisturized and drained soil. The seedling must be inspected for damage and deterioration. Remove all torn and dry roots, cut off damaged or broken leaves.
Planting technique of Haltsion variety hosts:
- Dig a hole 30 cm deep and about 50 cm in diameter.
- Lay drainage.
- If there are several plants, leave a distance of 30 cm between the holes.
- Prepare a soil mixture of compost, peat, sand and rotted manure in equal proportions.
- Fill the hole halfway with soil mixture, add 1 tbsp. l. complex mineral fertilizer, moisturize abundantly.
- Place the hosta seedling, spread the roots.
- Cover with soil, compact slightly.
- Pour water over the hosta.
- Mulch the root circle with a layer of 2-3 cm.
If a container plant is planted, then the size of the planting pit is adjusted to the volume of the coma. Host "Halcyon" takes root in 4 weeks.
Growing rules
The undemandingness of a hybrid does not mean at all that it does not need care. It is important for gardeners to follow the basic rules for growing the Halcyon variety:
- Watering. The first week after planting, the bush must be moistened daily. As it grows, the frequency of watering is reduced, an adult plant is watered once every 3-4 days. The host requires regular hydration, but does not tolerate stagnant water. Surface irrigation is not suitable, the soil must be moistened to a depth of 40 cm.
- Top dressing. Host enough three meals a day during the season. April is the time for the introduction of organic matter (compost, leafy soil, rotted pine bark). End of May - NPK complex mineral fertilizer (according to instructions). After the end of flowering, you need to repeat the organic feeding. Then stop feeding so that the plant does not waste energy on forcing green mass before the dormant season.
- Mulching for the Halcyon hybrid is essential. A layer of mulch retains moisture, protects the rhizome from drying out, and prevents pests from easily reaching the bush. The optimal layer of mulching material should be about 3 cm, before winter, increase to 5 cm.
- Loosening will have to be repeated throughout the growing season. The roots of the plant grow, so the procedure must be performed as carefully as possible.
As a top dressing, you can use any complex fertilizer for garden plants.
Preparing for winter
Before the onset of the cold season, you need to carry out preparatory measures. No pruning is required for the Halzion variety. It is enough to timely remove peduncles with faded inflorescences.
It is also not recommended to feed the Halzion variety. The plant will spend a lot of energy on building up green mass and will not survive frost.
Late Hosta Halcyon is considered a frost-resistant variety.In the south, additional shelter for the winter is not required. Where winter is characterized by severe frosts, the host needs to warm up a little. This will require:
- Dig in a bush in a circle.
- Spread a layer of mulch at least 5 cm.
- Sprinkle with "Fitosporin" or tobacco dust on top.
- Cover with spruce branches or agrofibre.
It is important that winter soaking does not occur, due to which the main point of growth freezes out.
Diseases and pests
If symptoms of viral diseases are found on the plant, then the only treatment is fungicide treatment. Among the frequently encountered, it should be noted:
- Phylostictosis... Appears on hosts weakened after winter. Symptoms - brown spots with a gray bloom appear on the leaves.
- Anthracnose... It develops when the rules of agricultural technology of the variety are violated - watering and fertilizing.
The main host pests that damage the leaves are slugs and weevil beetles.
Young plants are most often the target of attack. Regular inspection of the bush, mulching and insecticide treatment helps from pests.
Conclusion
Hosta Halcyon is an amazingly beautiful plant. The ability to grow in the shade adds significantly to its value. By following the simple rules for growing a bush, you can easily decorate problem areas or give an accent to your favorite area.
