Content
Planting and caring for perennial helenium is an easy task. Having spent a minimum of effort on caring for this cute, unpretentious plant, the gardener will undoubtedly appreciate the result soon. Bright flowers, painted in yellow, red and brown tones and their various combinations, will naturally and organically look in any corner of the garden and will help to embody any design idea.
It may seem to someone that long-term helenium is unpretentious and simple, but this is far from the case. Its flowers, which look like little suns, have long won the love and affection of gardeners and florists all over the world. They are attractive and lush, especially in large clumps, remain elegant for a long time and are wonderfully combined in compositions with other plants. As a rule, the one who once planted this flower in his garden becomes his devoted admirer for many years.
Description of gelenium
Gelenium (Latin Helenium) is a genus of the family Astrovye, or Compositae, uniting 32 species (according to other sources - 39) of annual and perennial herbaceous plants. This flower comes from North America. In nature, helenium prefers to grow on wet, swampy soils, flood meadows and roadsides. Under favorable conditions, its shoots sometimes reach 2 m in height.
The root system of perennial helenium is poorly developed. In fact, his bush is not such: these are several completely independent plants located in close proximity to each other.
The stems of the plant are straight, most often branched at the top. Their length can vary greatly in different varieties: from 40 to 160 cm.The surface of the shoots is smooth or slightly pubescent.
The leaves of different types of perennial helenium can be either petiolar or sessile. Most often they are stem, oval or lanceolate, on the shoots are located alternately. Leaf plates are lobed or pinnate, with a smooth or serrated edge.
The plant blooms from June to late September. It usually lasts about 4-6 weeks, and the exact timing depends on the species and variety.
Inflorescences of perennial helenium are complex, corymbose, formed on the tops of the shoots. Their diameter is 6-8 cm. The marginal, ligulate flowers have an elongated shape with 3 denticles along the outer edge. They are slightly bent from the central part in the form of a "cone" or hemisphere formed from tubular flowers. Outwardly, the inflorescence somewhat resembles a chamomile, but with a convex core.The palette of perennial helenium colors is rich: all kinds of shades of red, orange, yellow and brown tones, as well as their combinations. Among the varietal diversity, there are hybrids with semi-double and double inflorescences.
Double Trouble (Double Trouble) - the world's only terry perennial variety
The fruit of the plant is an elongated box. At the end of flowering, oblong pubescent seeds ripen in it.
Below are photos and descriptions of the species and varieties of perennial helenium, common in the decorative culture.
Types and varieties of helenium
Among all the richness of the species of this plant, only 5 names are currently used in gardening. The most famous among them is autumn helenium. He acts as the progenitor of a number of decorative species and forms, including the hybrid helenium. The latter often includes cultivars, the origin of which is not precisely determined.
The names of species and varieties of perennial helenium with photos and descriptions will help you get the most complete picture of this flower.
Hybrid helenium
Helenium hybrid (lat. Helenium x hybridum) usually grows tall - from 1 to 1.3 m. Flowers are of medium size (3-7 cm in diameter). As a rule, they are colored in combinations of yellow with brown or red tones. The flowering of helenium hybrid usually lasts longer than most other perennial species. Its peak is in the middle of summer.
Riverton gem
The height of the helenium hybrid Riverton Jam shoots is about 1.2 m. The diameter of its inflorescences is 5-7 cm. The color of the reed flowers is orange-ocher, with yellow "streaks", the convex center is golden with a brown center. Blooms from late summer to early autumn. Attracts many bees and other pollinating insects.
One of the most famous varieties of hybrid perennial - Riverton Jam
Wyndley
Gelenium hybrid Windley (Windley, Windley) is one of the shortest varieties, not exceeding 0.6-0.9 m in height. Its inflorescences up to 5 cm in diameter are painted in a warm copper-yellow shade with a chocolate-brown central bulge. They are revealed in June-July. This variety of gelenium looks very beautiful when cut.
Windley is considered one of the shortest growing varieties.
Loysder wieck
This helenium hybrid is very unusual in appearance. The size of its inflorescences is small (3.5-4.5 cm), while the ligulate flowers are divided and roll up into tubes along their entire length. The seamy part of the petals is colored pink-red, the front part is orange-yellow. Gelenium perennial hybrid Loisder Vic looks very original on flower beds, forming a wide openwork cloud of inflorescences. Most decorative in August-September.
Unusually colored reed flowers of Loisder Vic appear to be rolled into tubes
Gelenium Gupesa
The height of the shoots of Helenium hoopesii (lat. Helenium hoopesii) is about 90 cm. The leaves of the plant are whole, elongated, greenish-gray in color. Inflorescences are very large (8-10 cm in diameter), solitary, on long peduncles. Reed and tubular flowers are bright yellow in color. They appear in abundance from June to July.
In nature, it is found in the western part of the North American continent, in highlands in meadows.
Gupesa has a bright golden color
Gelenium Bigelow
The perennial species of Helenium bigelovii (lat. Helenium bigelovii) is also a "guest" from the western part of the United States. It has straight shoots about 0.8 m long. Leaves are solid, dense, lanceolate. Medium-sized baskets (about 6 cm). The color of reed flowers is yellow, tubular - brown. The flowering period is June-July.
Bigelow as a cultivated plant has not yet become widespread
Spring helenium
Shoots of spring helenium (Latin Helenium vernalis) grow up to 1 m in height. The inflorescences are quite large - on average, about 7 cm in diameter.The leaf blades are elongated, whole. The color of tubular flowers is brown, reed flowers are rich orange. The peculiarity of perennial spring helenium is in the early period of flowering: from the second half of May to mid or late June. This species usually tolerates winters well and hibernates without shelter, even in gardens with a harsh climate.
Spring Gelenium is distinguished by an early flowering period in late spring or early summer.
Autumn helenium
Perennial autumn helenium (lat. Helenium autumnale) is the most famous of all its "brothers". It can reach 1.5-1.6 m in height. Its leaves are sessile, small in size, with small teeth along the edge. The inflorescences have a diameter of about 3-5 cm. Their convex centers are colored in dark gold or brown tones, and the ligulate flowers are yellow or reddish. The flowering period is from July to September.
Autumn Gelenium - the "progenitor" of many forms and varieties
Gelenium in landscape design
Delicate bright "suns" of perennial helenium can easily turn the area of the garden allotted for them into a picturesque cozy corner. The indisputable value of this plant is long flowering: it remains decorative even when many recognized beauties of the flora world lose their attractive appearance, flying around and starting to prepare for winter.
The photo below shows examples of the successful use of gelenium in landscape design.
The flowers are ideal for monoplants and do an excellent job of being a tapeworm in a neat lawn or lawn
Plus, this perennial flower looks great in tiered mixborders.
The inflorescences blazing with "flame" will become an excellent background for flowers that are more restrained in color, or will successfully perform in the central plan in a group ensemble
Low-growing varieties of this perennial will help arrange borders and garden paths
Perennial Gelenium can easily find a place even in rockeries
By combining various varieties of this plant, you can easily arrange any, even the most intricate flower bed.
If necessary, the overgrown perennial helenium will easily cover and mask the traces of communications laid to the buildings, or the existing architectural flaws of structures
The best partners for this plant are rudbeckia, delphinium, heuchera, marigold, garden yarrow.
A good example of a combination of perennial helenium and companion flowers is shown in the photo:
Gelenium perennial looks great next to many companion plants.
Breeding features
There are several ways to reproduce perennial helenium.
The most common and simplest option is dividing the bushes. Most often they resort to it in May. When mature plants are dug out of the ground, they easily fall apart into individual rosettes. It is enough to plant them in new places.
You can also root cuttings of this perennial plant. They should be cut in July, treated with a root growth stimulant and planted in the ground. This option for obtaining a young flower is the fastest.
Propagate perennial helenium and planting seeds. You can sow them directly into open ground or pre-grow seedlings. A significant drawback of the seed reproduction method is the extremely rare inheritance of varietal traits inherent in maternal specimens by the resulting plants. And yet, despite this, gardeners use this method quite often.
Growing helenium from seeds at home
Growing perennial helenium from seeds for seedlings is a simple process. However, it still requires certain knowledge and preliminary training.
When to plant helenium seedlings
The timing of planting seeds of perennial helenium for seedlings is early; late February or early March. This allows you to get grown strong seedlings by the turn of spring and summer, when they are usually planted in open ground.
Preparation of containers and soil
Seedling containers are preferably wide, but shallow. These can be containers or boxes made of wood or plastic. It is important that there are sufficient drainage holes in the bottom of each container to avoid stagnation of water at the plant roots during irrigation.
The soil should be light, loose and nutritious. You can mix it yourself by adding a little peat and sand to the leafy ground, but the easiest way is to buy a ready-made substrate for flowering plants in the store.
Before sowing seeds of perennial helenium, the soil should be disinfected. To do this, you can spill it with a solution of fungicide or potassium permanganate (light pink), or bake it in the oven for an hour.
How to sow helenium seedlings
The algorithm for sowing this perennial plant for seedlings is extremely simple:
- A drainage layer of 1-1.5 cm is poured into the planting container.
- Fill it with prepared soil.
- Moisten the substrate abundantly with a spray bottle.
- The seeds are evenly distributed over the soil surface, without deepening them. It is advisable to leave 2-3 cm of free space between them.
- Cover the container with a transparent lid or plastic wrap.
Helenium seeds have a low germination rate, and before planting they will definitely need to be stratified.
Do gelenium seeds need to be stratified?
Seeds of perennial helenium have a low germination rate, therefore it is strongly recommended to stratify them.
To do this, immediately after the sowing procedure, the covered container should be placed on the lower shelf of the refrigerator (in the “freshness zone” for vegetables). After 6 weeks, the container with seeds must be removed and placed in a well-lit, warm place, for example, on a windowsill.
Seedling care
Further care for perennial helenium from the moment of sowing to the transfer of grown seedlings to open ground involves the following measures:
- maintaining a stable warm temperature in the room with seeds - at the level of + 18-22 ° С;
- providing seedlings with a sufficient amount of light (ideally, arranging for them to illuminate with a fluorescent lamp);
- systematic removal of the shelter for airing crops and accustoming them to open air;
- regular neat moistening of the soil with warm, settled water from a spray bottle.
With proper care, seedlings of perennial helenium should appear within 4 weeks. At this stage, the "greenhouse" can be completely removed.
After the seedlings of a perennial flower develop 2-3 true leaves, they will need to be dived into separate containers.
Planting and caring for helenium flowers in the open field
If the grower does not have the time or capacity to grow seedlings, he can sow the seeds directly in the open field, in the fall or spring. In the latter case, the seed must first be stratified. To do this, it is advisable to mix it with a small amount of wet soil or sawdust, place it in a plastic bag and keep it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for a month. The seeds will then be ready for sowing.
The seedless way of growing this plant is extremely simple. Having correctly carried out the planting and observing all the subtleties of care, you can grow a beautiful blooming helenium on your site, for example, such as in the photo:
Healthy and well-groomed helenium for a long time pleases with an abundance of bright and colorful flowers
When can I transplant helenium
When sowing perennial helenium directly into open ground, the following terms are adhered to:
- before winter - at the end of October, when no more warming is expected;
- in spring, in April-May, after the snow has completely melted, when the air temperature is above zero even at night.
The transfer of seedlings to the garden bed is carried out not earlier than the end of May or the beginning of June, when the soil has time to warm up enough.Otherwise, young plants may freeze and not take root.
Warning! The flowering of perennial helenium, which has grown from seeds, will come only next year.
Site selection and soil preparation
A suitable place on the site must meet the following parameters:
- open, well-lit (if a variety of perennial helenium with yellow flowers is chosen, a light partial shade is also suitable);
- with loose, nutritious soil with good drainage properties;
- the reaction of the soil should be neutral or slightly acidic.
Before planting seeds or seedlings of a perennial flower in a garden bed, the soil should be prepared: enrich it with compost and dig it to the depth of a shovel bayonet.
Landing algorithm
After the preparatory activities are completed, you can start planting a perennial plant. This procedure should be performed as follows:
- In the garden, you need to dig small holes at a distance of at least 30-35 cm from each other. Their depth should correspond to the parameters of the planting capacity, and their size should exceed the volume of the seedling root system by approximately 2 times.
- Seedlings should be transplanted with a clod of earth.
- Immediately before rooting in the ground, the roots of the seedlings, carefully removed from the containers, are soaked in clean water for 10-15 minutes.
- Having planted the plant in the hole, it should be carefully sprinkled with earth, watered and, after waiting for the moisture to be absorbed, mulch with dry peat, humus or sawdust.
Watering and feeding schedule
Perennial Gelenium is a moisture-loving plant that can quickly die in conditions of prolonged drought. In this regard, watering is carried out often and regularly (on hot summer days, in the absence of precipitation, it will not be superfluous to "water" the plants twice a day, in the morning and in the evening). It is advisable to use settled, not cold water. Ideally, if you can organize drip irrigation.
Gelenium perennial loves an abundance of moisture, but suffers in case of stagnant water at the roots
The soil under the plant should be gently loosened up every time after watering or heavy rain.
Mineral and organic dressings will help maintain the beautiful appearance and health of perennial helenium. It is recommended to introduce them in liquid form during the process of watering the plant.
Perennial helenium is fed 3 times throughout the season:
- in May - potassium sulfate, urea, mullein infusion;
- in August - a complex phosphorus-potassium mixture (Agricola-7) in combination with organic fertilizer;
- in October - ash or superphosphate.
Topping
Perennial Gelenium does not require shaping pruning. However, this procedure often helps to improve the quality of flowering. Usually for these purposes, a small number of inflorescences are removed on the youngest stems.
Pinching the tops of the shoots helps the plant to branch better
Flowering care
Care for perennial helenium at the flowering stage differs little from what was carried out immediately after planting, and is only slightly supplemented with new measures:
- unopened inflorescences of the plant for more abundant flowering can be additionally sprayed with the "Bud" preparation;
- it is advisable to remove wilted inflorescences in time, this will contribute to the formation of new heads;
- young plants do not need support, but old, overgrown bushes may need a garter, as they can begin to fall apart.
Wintering
It is necessary to prepare perennial helenium for winter as follows:
- cut off all shoots to a height of 10-15 cm above soil level;
- mulch the garden bed with a thick layer of sawdust or moss;
- if winter is expected to be too frosty or with little snow, you should additionally cover the area with plants with lutrasil.
Diseases and pests
Among the diseases and pests that can damage the health of perennial helenium, first of all, the following should be distinguished:
- Chrysanthemum nematodes... Flower buds and leaves are often damaged. As a result, they turn brown and dry quickly. If the activity of parasites is detected, the organs of the plant damaged by them should be cut off and burned. For the prevention and disposal of chrysanthemum nematodes, slaked lime or sulfur powder is introduced into the soil.
The dangerous enemy of the perennial helenium is the chrysanthemum nematode
- Fungal infections that cause rotting. Often they appear as a result of waterlogging of the soil. Observance of the correct watering regime will help to avoid this problem. In the event that the plant is already suffering from a disease, it is necessary to repeatedly loosen the soil at the roots, and also treat the plantings with fungicides.
The reason for the appearance of rot most often lies in the violation of the correct watering regime.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for perennial helenium is a task that even a beginner grower can do. In this case, the result, as a rule, always turns out to be "on top". An abundance of bright flowers painted in warm tones, reminiscent of little suns, will wonderfully decorate and complement the garden collection in the second half of the season, when the riot of colors and variety of forms begins to gradually fade away. With proper care and the creation of favorable conditions, perennial helenium will invariably "return" to the garden from year to year, growing rapidly and once again delighting with generous and lush flowering.
