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Meat red wool is also called Asclepias incarnata. Also known as Asclepius. It is a perennial shrub that produces beautiful flowers with a rich pink color. It can be diluted with seeds or propagated by cuttings, dividing the bush. The plant is not demanding to leave: moderate, but regular watering and top dressing 2-3 times per season are required.
Description
It is a medium-sized perennial shrub (height up to 1-1.2 m). Leaves are lanceolate, elongated, with a pointed tip, rich green color. The flowers are white, pink, purple or deep red, meaty, which gives the plant its name. Inflorescences are formed in the form of umbrellas, densely covering the bush.
The diameter of the asclepia inflorescences is 5-6 cm
A characteristic feature of the flowers of the incarnate vatnik is that they emit a smell reminiscent of chocolate butter. Thanks to this, plants attract butterflies, bees and other insects to the garden. Flowering begins in mid-July and lasts more than a month (35-45 days).
Varieties
There are several types of asclepia. The most popular are:
- Cinderella incarnate vatnik (Cinderella) is a tall shrub (up to 120 cm high) with well leafy stems. Grows in sunny, dry places (no excess moisture). The flowers are pink, collected in umbrellas.
- Tuberous cotton wool Zolotinka - one of the most attractive representatives with orange flowers, densely dotting the entire bush. Stunted - up to 70 cm in height. Asclepia blooms until late autumn, which creates a unique atmosphere in the garden.
- Vatochnik incarnate Ice Ballet (Ice ballet) produces classic white flowers in a graceful shape. Flowering occurs in July.
- Vatochnik Soulmate (Soulmate) - bush up to 1 m in height with beautiful meat-colored flowers.
Growing incarnate wool 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 should be fertile enough, for example, you can mix garden soil with humus and compost in a 2: 1: 1 ratio, or purchase a universal seedling mixture.
They grow cotton wool at room temperature (preferably 23-24 ° C), organize good watering and daily illumination. In such conditions, the first shoots will appear in 10 days. The temperature is gradually reduced, and supplementary lighting is stopped from April.
Landing in open ground
In open ground, seedlings of incarnate cotton wool 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 medium 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 wadder must meet several requirements:
- good illumination (slight shading from large trees or shrubs is allowed);
- protection from strong drafts;
- dryness (do not plant a bush in lowlands where moisture accumulates).
Before planting the incarnate vatnik, the site is cleaned, shovels are dug into half of the bayonet, humus and complex mineral fertilizer are applied (50-60 g per 1 m2).
Planting stages
The planting algorithm for the incarnate vatnik is as follows:
- Several holes are marked at a distance of 80-100 cm. The shoots of the plant are very long, shoots may appear far from the central root.
- Drained with stone chips, pebbles.
- Asclepius is planted.
- Water abundantly.
- Mulch with peat, sawdust, straw.
It is better to plant the plant in mid-May, when the soil is warmed up and there is no threat of frost.
Care
The rules for growing incarnate cotton wool are quite simple:
- Regular watering (the soil should remain moderately moist).
- Fertilization - nitrogen in the spring, during the formation of buds and flowering - complex mineral or Nitrofoska (2 times with an interval of 3-4 weeks).
- Mulching the soil.
- Periodic loosening after each watering.
- Weeding - as needed.
Diseases and pests
Incarnate cotton wool is distinguished by its exceptional resistance to various pathologies. Only sometimes a whitefly, which resembles a small butterfly (moth), and a spider mite parasitize a plant.
If pests are found, cottonwood bushes can be treated with any insecticide or acaricide (Aktara, Fufanon, Fitoverm, Karbofos, Neoron)
Asclepius practically does not suffer from fungal infections. In extreme cases, you need to treat the bushes with fungicides (Ordan, Skor, Fitosporin, Bordeaux liquid and others).
Pruning
To prepare the incarnate wadder 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 buds of the fleece can be removed immediately, even in summer. But in any case, it is not worth carrying out full pruning more often than once a year: the bush does not like active intervention.
There is another approach: not to do an autumn haircut, but only to 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).
Preparing for winter
Incarnate wool is one of the most winter-hardy varieties. However, even he needs a little preparation for the winter. The plants are watered abundantly (a 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 cottonwood itself). In the spring (in March), the insulation materials must be removed.
In regions with unfavorable climates, the fleece is covered with fiber
Reproduction
Along with breeding by seeds, incarnate wadder can be propagated by vegetative methods:
- dividing 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 the spring or early summer, several divisions with three healthy shoots are obtained and transplanted to a new place. Then the soil is watered and mulched abundantly. With proper care, the flowering of the parcels will begin as early as 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 willow are transplanted into open ground to a permanent place. For the winter, be sure to mulch.
Photo in landscape design
Incarnate vatochnik - a herbaceous plant for open ground. It is recommended to plant it only next to large perennial shrubs, for example, macleia, wronicastrum, foxglove, chubushnik, lilac.
The plant goes well with ornamental grains - reed grass, miscanthus and others. In landscape design, cotton wool is used in different versions:
- single landings on a well-groomed lawn;
- placement along the tracks.
A green asclepia hedge 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 cotton wool in compositions with flowers (asters, tall bells, aconites, echinacea), ornamental plants and conifers.
Vatochnik incarnate is used in single plantings
A composition of different varieties and plants will help to decorate the inconspicuous facade of the building
Conclusion
Meat-red fleece is suitable for garden decoration 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 give the gardener any worries.
