Characteristics of spirea and the etymology of its name, advice on growing a plant on the site, reproduction, difficulties and diseases in the open field, species. Spirea (Spiraea) is botanically classified as a genus of ornamental shrubs that shed their foliage for the winter, belonging to the Rosaceae family. There are up to 90 species in the genus, which can be found in many regions of our planet, which include: the mountainous areas of the subalpine belt of the Northern Hemisphere, as well as the territories of forest-steppes, woodlands and semi-desert lands. The spirea did not ignore North America, where a distinction can be made in the Mexican regions, and Asia - by capturing the Himalayas. Many varieties are winter hardiness and resistance to arid climatic conditions, while others differ in the need for the nutrient composition of the substrate.
The plant bears its scientific name thanks to the translation from the ancient Greek word "spira", meaning "spiral". So in ancient times, people imagined spirea inflorescences. It is interesting that among the people, for the abundant flowering of buds with snow-white petals, this representative of the flora was called "the bride".
The height of this shrub plant can range from 15 cm to 2.5 meters. The root system lies shallow under the surface of the soil, its shape is fibrous - that is, it appears mainly as root adventitious processes, and the main root is not available. The branches of the shrub can grow upright, or take out spread outlines or be creeping, lie on the surface of the soil. The bark that covers the shoots can take on a color from light to dark brown, and it also has the property of flaking. The color of young shoots can be light green or yellowish, but the color is often reddish or brown. Twigs are bare or have pubescence.
The foliage of the spirea is located on the shoots in the next order, the leaf plate has a petiole and is devoid of stipules. The leaf shape can be from narrow linear-lanceolate to rounded. Usually there is a division into 5 blades, along the edge there is a simple or double-serrated serration.
It is the process of flowering spirea that is highly decorative. This action falls on the spring time. During this period, the formation of sessile or practically sessile inflorescences takes place, differing in the umbrella shape or in the type of corymbose brushes, in which leaves grow at the base connected to a socket. In those varieties that bloom in the summer, on the tops of short leafy shoots or on the branches of the current year, simple or corymbose inflorescences are formed. Species that show off with flowers at a later time are distinguished by inflorescences with narrow-cylindrical contours, in the form of a wide pyramid or elliptical panicles. Such inflorescences are formed at the very tips of the elongated shoots of the current year, with a large number of leaves.
The flowers are bisexual, but their color depends on the time of flowering: spring varieties have a snow-white color, in those blooming in summer, the shade can vary from whitish to pinkish-red, but late-flowering plants have flowers with petals of various tones of purple, with a few exceptions.
After flowering, fruits ripen, which are leaflets, with a large number of seeds inside. When fully ripe, they open along the inner seam, but if the variety is late flowering, then the peculiarity of its fruits is that they will open along the outer seam. Seeds are lanceolate, flat, brown in color, 1.5–2 cm long and about 0.5 mm wide. The seeds are supplied with wings, which helps the plant in nature to spread over large areas.
Planting, pruning and caring for the spirea in the backyard
- Landing. Shrubs are planted in spring or autumn. It is necessary that there are no leaves on the seedling. The landing site can be either sunny or lightly shaded. Disembarkation is best done on a cloudy day or even in the rain. In the hole, you need to lay a drainage layer of about 15–20 cm - expanded clay, pebbles or broken brick. The planting hole should be 1/3 larger than the earthy coma of the plant. The depth is 0.5 m. The root collar of the seedling should be leveled at the level set in the nursery or before transplanting. They try to make the walls of the hole vertical and prepare the hole 2–4 days before planting. When planting, the entire aerial part of the spirea is shortened, all dried out or too long roots are cut off. The soil removed from the hole is mixed with fertilizer or, if necessary, diluted with sand or peat. Before planting the seedling, a mound is formed at the bottom of the hole. A plant is placed on it, the roots are straightened and covered with soil. When the roots are dug in half, a bucket of water is poured into the hole, and then the soil is poured to the top. Then the soil is compacted, and the spirea is pulled up a little so that the root system straightens out. An earthen rampart is formed around the bush, then the trunk circle is mulched with peat.
- The soil must be permeable and medium humidity. A leaf or sod substrate is added to the garden soil. Clay and heavy soil is loosened with peat and sand.
- General care. I mulch the bush, the soil is loosened around, and weeds are removed regularly. Watering 2 times a month with 1.5 liters of water. A complex of mineral preparations or a tincture of mullein with an addition of superphosphate in a 10-liter bucket serves as top dressing. Fertilize after pruning.
- Pruning held regularly. Old branches are cut to the ground every 7-14 years, and 5-6 of the young are left. Sanitary pruning is ongoing. In spring, shoots are cut to large buds. Small branches will be completely removed, and if the shoot is 4 or more years old, then they are cut off to 30 cm from the soil.
- Wintering. It is necessary to cover the tied and laid shoots with fallen leaves. The layer must be at least 15 cm or special material.
Reproduction of spirea when grown in open ground
There are the following methods of reproduction: seed, dividing an overgrown bush, rooting cuttings and layering.
The seed method is the most ineffective and long-lasting. Such propagation is used only for non-hybrid varieties, since varietal qualities through seeds do not have the property of being transmitted. In order for sowing to be successful, it is recommended to carry out a rather laborious process of seed stratification.
Only the cuttings method justifies the propagation efforts. If the blanks for this process were cut in a timely manner and according to all the rules, then rooting gives 70% positive results even without the use of root formation stimulants. When the spirea bush blooms in the spring, with the arrival of June, they begin to harvest for cuttings. In the case of a summer flowering variety, this process can be performed at the end of June and throughout July. When the branches are lignified, then root cuttings from them in September or October.
To cut the workpiece, a healthy and strong one-year branch is selected, it is divided into parts so that each contains 5-6 buds. Those 2-3 leaf plates that are below must be removed, and all other leaves will be halved in order to reduce the area of evaporation of moisture from them. Some gardeners, before planting, recommend soaking the workpieces of branches in an epin solution for several hours at the rate of diluting 1 ml of the drug in 2 liters of water. Before planting, the lower cut of the cutting should be treated with a rooting stimulator (for example, in the root or heteroauxin).
After that, the cuttings can be planted in a moist substrate at an angle of 30–45 degrees. Perlite, simple river sand, agroperlite, vermiculite, or any nutritious soil can act as a soil mixture. Such planted cuttings are covered with a cut plastic bottle, from which the bottom is cut, so it is easier to subsequently ventilate. An imitation of greenhouse conditions is created, under which the indicators of heat and humidity are uniform.
At first, the bottle caps are tightly twisted, but over time they are unscrewed, carrying out daily ventilation, while the accumulated condensate is removed. Planting should be in a shaded place so that direct sunlight does not burn the still immature cuttings. Spraying cuttings is usually not carried out, but simply moisten the soil around them. Before constant frosts come, it will be necessary to insulate young spirits. So the cuttings, together with the bottles, are covered with insulation, which is represented by leaves, tops or spruce branches. In winter, they are still covered with snow. With the arrival of spring, such a shelter is removed and when new shoots are noticed on the cuttings, the young bushes are transferred to a permanent place of growth.
When dividing an overgrown spirea bush, this operation is carried out in the autumn. The bush is carefully dug around the perimeter, and the plant is removed from the ground. The soil is shaken off the roots to reveal the root system and it was better to see how to carry out its section. Each of the divisions should have 2-3 strong branches and a sufficient lobe of root processes. Then the delenki are planted in a new place, deepening, like the old specimen. At the same time, a drainage layer is placed in the hole, an irrigation hole is created, and mandatory soil moistening is carried out.
When reproduction takes place with the help of layering, then the one-year-old branch in the spring is bent to the substrate. It is recommended to cut the bark in a circle where it will touch the soil. Then the shoot is laid in a hole prepared in advance and attached to the ground using a stiff wire or hairpin. Sprinkle the layer on top with earth. If the branch is too long, then it is added in several places, then there will be more layers. With the arrival of autumn days, root shoots form in the damaged area, the layering is carefully separated from the parent specimen of the spirea and young plants are planted in a new place.
Diseases and pests of spirea, methods of struggle
Sometimes it happens that harmful insects attack the plant, among which there are: spider mites, aphids, blue meadow sawfly or whitefly. These pests attack spirea if the summer is dry and very hot. To combat, spray the bush mass with the following solutions:
- from spider mites, arerex preparations (solution of 0.2%), phosphamide, as well as fosalon or celtan are recommended;
- folk remedies often help from aphids, if the pest is insignificant, they can be tinctures of tobacco, from capsicum, onion husks or garlic gruel, soap solution (from grated laundry soap or dishwashing detergent);
- it is customary to poison other pests with phytoverm or deces of the pro.
Among the diseases, spiraea can be distinguished such as: gray mold and a variety of spots. In order to heal the shrub, it is recommended to spray with fungicidal preparations, like such agents as foundationol, Bordeaux liquid, colliodic sulfur, as well as phytosporin-m, ditan m-45.
Interesting facts about spirea
Spirea is appreciated by gardeners not only as an ornamental culture, but also in forestry. Since these plants have a great variety of shapes and sizes, and they are also distinguished by the duration of the flowering process, the color of the flowers and the contours that the inflorescences take, this "bride" is often used for landscaping and the formation of hedges from its crown. It is customary to cultivate only a few varieties of almost 90 names of spirits.
This plant is distinguished by its melliferous property and is used for medical purposes as raw materials. In its various parts, spirea contains tannins, various alkaloids, flavonoids and saponins, and ascorbic acid is also present. Since the shape of the root system is fibrous, such shrub plantations are used to strengthen the soil on the slopes.
Description of the types of spirea
- Spirea arguta (Spiraea arguta) has a bushy shape and reaches a height of two meters. The crown of the bush is spreading, narrow lanceolate leaves grow on the shoots, with strong serration. The color of the leaf plate is dark green, it reaches 4 cm in length. When flowering, buds with snow-white petals are formed, which, opening up, reach a diameter of 0.8 cm. Multiple flowers are collected in inflorescences in the form of an umbrella, which tightly cover the branches. Usually, flowering occurs on the shoots of the last year, as soon as the flowers dry out, it is recommended to prune the branches. The growth rate of this species per year is only 20 cm. Inside the leaflets ripening after flowering, numerous seeds are contained. However, this variety cannot be propagated by seeds, since it is hybrid.
- Spirea gray (Spiraea x cinerea Zabel). This shrub has a strong branching of shoots, which can reach 2 meters in height. The entire surface of the shoots is covered with tomentose, the branches themselves are ribbed. The foliage on the upper side is distinguished by a grayish-green color, on the back it is lighter. The sheet plate is pointed on both sides. Inflorescences are collected from snow-white flowers, represented by loose shields, which are attached along the entire length of the branch. At the top of the shoots, inflorescences, devoid of peduncles, below they are crowned with elongated branches with good foliage. In this variety, flowering is observed in May, and leaflet fruits ripen in June days. Seed propagation is impossible, since the plant is a hybrid. The shoots of this variety of spirea are used in the preparation of bouquets. Differs in winter hardiness. Known variety "Grefshein" - a shrub with small size and branches that take on an arched shape, drooping to the ground. Narrowed leaf plates. During flowering, snow-white terry flowers are formed, which are collected in inflorescences that grow along the entire shoot in the form of bunches.
- Spirea Vangutta (Spiraea x vanhouttei). This plant is quite large in size. The height and diameter of the crown are equal to two meters. An important difference from other representatives of the genus is its spreading branches, inclined to the soil, while they form a decorative "cascade". The foliage has parameters in height of 3.5 cm, the edge is with teeth, the plate is divided into 5 blades. Its shape is obovate. The color on the upper side is rich green, and the back side casts a dull-gray tint, the leaves are bare. During flowering, hemispherical inflorescences are collected from the buds, there are quite a few of them on the bush. The inflorescences, covering the entire length of the branch, are composed of pure white flowers. The flowering process can take several weeks. This variety is distinguished by a second wave of flowering, which falls on the August days, but it is no longer so abundant. But such a spirea can show off with its leaves.
The fruits of the plant usually ripen by October, in leaflets with a large number of winged seeds. Such shrubs begin to please with flowering from the age of three.
For more information on how to grow spirea, see the video below:
