Characteristics and description of astilbe variety Fanal, cultivation and care

Unpretentious, shade-tolerant plants that do not require complex care, a real find for gardeners and landscape designers. Large inflorescences of a bright perennial - Fanal astilbe - will decorate any garden. How to plant and grow a flower, protect it from diseases, pests, and winter frosts, this is what today’s detailed conversation will be about.

Brief history of variety development

Astilbe is a perennial plant native to Japan and China. The history of selection goes back more than 150 years, but the flower has gained the greatest popularity in Europe since the mid-20th century.

Astilbe belongs to the Saxifraga family, it was discovered by the French breeder E. Le Moine. It was his name that was given to the first of the bred varieties. Astilbe Fanal was bred in 1930. Its creator is the German breeder Georg Arends. That is why the full name of the flower is Astilbe Arends Fanal. Fanal is translated as “beacon” or “beacon light”; the variety received this poetic name for its large scarlet inflorescences, which are difficult to miss.

Botanical description and characteristics of the culture

Medium-sized (up to 60 centimeters) herbaceous perennial, preferring shady areas and well-moistened soil.

Appearance of the bush and branching of the root system

A flower with a powerful and developed rhizome, straight stem and long (up to 40 centimeters in length) pinnately dissected leaves.

Young astilbe leaves have a reddish tint; as they grow, it changes to rich green, while the redness of the stems and petioles remains in the adult plant.

All about flowering

Bright crimson inflorescences reach a length of 20 centimeters and have the shape of a panicle. Astilbe does not bloom for a very long time - no more than 20 days. It blooms in late June-July, depending on weather conditions in the region. Flowers are used to decorate the landscape; cut astilbe bouquets look great.

Plant propagation

After the plants finish flowering in August-September, seed pods form on them. Seed germination persists for several years.

When propagating a flower, it should be taken into account that varietal plants cannot be propagated by seeds, since they lose their “maternal” characteristics, but varietal seeds are sold in gardening stores and it is quite possible to get beautiful flowers from them. The seeds are scattered over the surface of loose soil, without being embedded in the soil, and moistened with a spray bottle. For better germination, they are pre-stratified by placing them in a refrigerator at a temperature of -4...+4 °C for 20-30 days. Then they are left in a room with a temperature of +20-23 °C.

You can propagate astilbe by dividing the bush. To do this, you need to dig up a bush and use a sharp knife or shovel to divide it into several parts with a full root system in each part. They are seated in new places. The procedure is performed at the end of March, beginning of April. In this case, the plants will bloom this season.

Important: when purchasing Fanal astilbe and other types of astilbe, you should choose plants grown in your region; plants brought from afar may take root poorly and then bloom very weakly, not meeting expectations.

If you decide to propagate by renewal buds, in this case you need to take a piece of rhizome with a bud or a young shoot that has already appeared. It is placed in a container with soil, lightly sprinkled with earth (3-5 centimeters) and covered with polyethylene. Within 2 weeks the plant takes root. It is grown and placed in open ground in the fall or next spring.

Frost resistance and drought resistance

The flower does not tolerate drought well and needs frequent watering; for astilbe it is better to choose areas with close groundwater.

It tolerates even very severe frosts well, the rhizomes can withstand -40 ° C, and the above-ground part of the plant dies off every year.

Susceptibility to diseases and insects

Astilbes are highly resistant to pests and diseases, but they can still suffer from some diseases:

1. From bacterial spotting - in this case, black spots appear on the foliage. Copper preparations are used to treat plants.
2. Root rot occurs if the plant is systematically flooded with water. Despite the flower's love for moisture, the roots may begin to rot. In this case, the plant is dug up, foliage and damaged roots are removed and transferred to a less humid area.
3. Phytoplasma diseases and viruses cannot be treated; if diseases occur, plants are destroyed. When purchasing plants, you should give preference to astilbes grown in your area.
4. Of the insects that can harm a flower, nematodes are root-knot and strawberry nematodes, these are microscopic worms that feed on the juices of the flower. The infected plant withers, stops blooming, and the leaves become wrinkled. In this case, the astilbes are removed from the site and not planted during the next season.
5. Another pest is the slobbering pennies, a cicada that eats the stems and leaves of the flower. At the site where the pest appears, you can notice foam resembling saliva, hence the name of the insect. If there are few of them, you can collect the pests manually or treat the plants with Aktara, Intavir in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Proper care of the plant is the key to normal growth, development and beauty of the planting.

Landing algorithm

Let's take a closer look at where and how to plant astilbeso that it takes root and becomes a decoration of the garden.

Deadlines

Astilbe can be planted in open ground in spring or early autumn, but spring planting is preferable, since the plant has time to take root and get used to its new location before autumn. In autumn, the flower is planted in open ground in the first half of September. It is replanted every 4 years.

Choosing the optimal location

For planting, choose a fertile, well-moistened area; a lowland or a place with close groundwater is suitable. Astilbe is planted in shade or partial shade; with good watering, it can easily take root in a sunny area, but the flowering time in this case can be greatly reduced.

Landing technology

The selected area must first be dug up, weeds removed and rotted manure or peat applied at the rate of 1-2 buckets of fertilizer per square meter. Then you need to make several holes, 20-25 centimeters deep. Flowers are planted at a distance of 40-50 centimeters from each other.

Before planting a flower, add a handful of wood ash or complex mineral fertilizer to each hole in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. The rhizome with part of the bush is placed in a hole and sprinkled with soil to a depth of 3-5 centimeters.

How to organize proper crop care

The condition of the plantings, their decorativeness and the appearance of the area planted with astilbes greatly depend on care.

Irrigation and fertilization

Watering Fanal astilbe should be abundant and regular, the soil in the area with flowers should be loose and slightly moist, astilbe can withstand short-term drying out of the soil, but prolonged drought will kill the plant. After watering, the soil is mulched to prevent the astilbe roots located close to the surface from drying out.

Feed the plant 2 times a season.The first fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers is carried out in the spring, when young shoots appear. After flowering, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are applied. They must be diluted with water according to the recommendations on the package. Dry compounds can burn the plant.

Loosening and mulching the soil

Loosening should be done very carefully so as not to damage the roots, which in astilbe are located close to the soil surface. To prevent them from becoming bare and dry out during watering, you need to periodically rake the soil and mulch it using compost or peat.

Bush formation

The bush is lightly pruned after flowering, removing dried leaves and faded inflorescences. Full pruning is carried out in late autumn, when preparing the flower for winter.

Transfer to a new place

Astilbe Arends Fanal is replanted every 4-5 years. The plant is transferred to a new place along with a lump of earth. This is done in the fall or spring, when there is no heat.

If you need to divide the plant when replanting, you should use a sharp knife and then sprinkle the cut area with peat or wood ash.

Preventive treatments against insects and diseases

To prevent root rotting, periodically water the flower with a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate and sprinkle the soil around the plant with wood ash. To protect the above-ground part of astilbe from diseases, it is sprayed with copper or iron sulfate and Bordeaux mixture is used.

Pests are collected manually or suitable insecticides are used (Intravir, Aktara).

Important: when using insecticides, you must use a respirator, safety glasses and gloves.

The compositions are prepared strictly according to the instructions.

Shelter for the winter

The plant is very frost-resistant, but care must be taken not to expose the roots located in the top layer of soil.In late autumn, the above-ground part of the plant is removed to the root. To do this, use sharp garden pruning shears, previously soaked in an intense pink solution of potassium permanganate.

After pruning, the plantings are hilled and mulched. The protective layer of soil should be 5-10 centimeters. Work is carried out at the end of October, beginning of November, depending on the region.

Astilbe Fanal is a very unpretentious and beautiful plant, which is why it is becoming more and more popular among gardeners. After all, even a beginner can grow a bright and original flower.