Description and cultivation of Red Ice bush cinquefoil, planting and care

It is difficult to imagine the complete look of a garden plot without flowering shrubs, which are not only a decorative element, but also have many properties. All this can be attributed to the Red Ice cinquefoil plant. A feature of the culture is its unpretentiousness. But in order for the plant to bloom profusely and delight gardeners with its appearance, it must be planted correctly and cared for in a timely manner.

General information about the plant

Red Ace cinquefoil (Ice) is a shrubby plant whose light green leaves look like small paws. Its characteristic feature is abundant branching.

Red Ice shrub cinquefoil of English origin. This plant is small in size. Its crown is no more than one meter in diameter. As for the height of the bush, it varies from forty to seventy centimeters.

The flowers themselves have a bright red hue. But over time, they change color to an orange-yellow tone. And their color changes depending on the temperature. The colder it gets, the more red the tint appears. The flowering period of such a shrub begins in June and continues until mid-autumn. This plant loves humid air.

It is important that Red Ice cinquefoil is resistant to smoke emissions and air pollution. Therefore, if the site is located near roads, there is no need to worry. Another distinctive feature of the shrub is its frost resistance.

Advantages and disadvantages of Red Ice cinquefoil

A shrub plant called Potentilla fruticosa Red Ace has advantages over other garden crops. Its advantages include:

• unpretentiousness of the plant to soil conditions;
• it easily tolerates a lack of moisture if we are talking about a short-term period;
• Potentilla is frost-resistant.

The disadvantages of this shrub include poor perception of dry air. Therefore, if the summer is hot and dry, this has a detrimental effect on the condition of the Red Ice cinquefoil.

Features of growing the variety

Red Ice cinquefoil should be grown taking into account the basic requirements.The plant must be planted so that it is not exposed to the scorching rays of the sun. Otherwise, the petals will burn out in the future. But you can’t choose complete shading either. Otherwise, the bush will not become lush and will bloom poorly.

Site selection and soil preparation

When choosing a suitable place for Red Ice cinquefoil, bet on a well-lit area. In this case, a slight penumbra is allowed. Avoid places where the soil can retain moisture. You should not plant shrubs where the snow takes a long time to melt. It is better to choose elevated areas.

As for the soil, its structure should be soft. Red Ice cinquefoil does not tolerate heavy clay soils. The planting pit is prepared ten days before the planting process. In this case, the soil will have time to compact.

How and when to plant?

This crop can be planted in spring and autumn. The root system of Red Ice cinquefoil takes root much more easily in early spring, as soon as the snow melts and the soil warms up. If planting is carried out in the fall, then this should be done a month before the onset of cold weather. The most suitable period is mid-September.

The depth of the holes for bushes should be fifty centimeters. A special drainage consisting of broken bricks and pebbles is laid at their bottom. This layer should not be more than twenty centimeters. The root system is located at the level of the ground itself.

If the planting is in groups, then the bushes should be planted in a trench, at a distance from each other of no less than sixty and no more than eighty centimeters. This will allow the crowns to close together, creating the effect of a luxurious hedge.

Care instructions

Caring for Red Ice cinquefoil is quite simple. All care consists of the following stages:

• implementation of proper watering;
• timely application of fertilizing;
• bush pruning;
• preparing it for winter.

And if such conditions are met, the plant will delight you with its beautiful flowering and lush crown.

Watering and feeding

Before the bush blooms, it needs to be fed. To do this, ten grams of potassium sulfate and thirty grams of superphosphate are added to the soil, which are pre-dissolved in ten liters of warm water. Then fertilizing is carried out every spring. You should choose potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

Considering that an adult plant can withstand dry weather, it needs to be watered only during a long absence of rain. You need to take about ten liters of liquid per bush. But it is recommended to irrigate young seedlings once every seven days.

Spraying with warm water has a positive effect on the condition of Red Ice cinquefoil. But such manipulations should be carried out in the evening.

Loosening, weeding and mulching

Loosening the soil is especially important when it comes to young shrubs. After this, all existing weeds are removed and the soil is mulched with peat.

Pruning cinquefoil

It is recommended to trim Red Ice cinquefoil once every three years. Pruning is carried out in spring and autumn. If such a process is carried out in September, then those shoots that have not yet become lignified are shortened by one third of their length.

If pruning takes place in April, then the shoots need to be shortened by ten centimeters. This will promote their active growth and abundant branching. At the same time, throughout the entire season, weak and broken branches, as well as shoots that have been affected by pests, should be removed.

Preparing for winter

This shrub is resistant to cold temperatures, but does not tolerate severe frosts. Therefore, before wintering, you need to build a kind of dry, high shelter over the Red Ice cinquefoil.

Also, before the onset of cold weather, the lower part of the trunk is cleared of leaves. Then the bush is sprinkled with a peat layer, the height of which is fifteen centimeters.

Diseases and pests

The greatest danger to Red Ice cinquefoil is the following diseases:

• powdery mildew;
• leaf spotting;
• rust damage.

As soon as the gardener detects the first signs, it is necessary to immediately take appropriate measures. You can treat the bush with copper sulfate or a solution of the fungicide Fundazol.

Sometimes cinquefoil is affected by aphids. This happens in the spring, when leaves begin to form. In hot weather, the plant is attacked by spider mites. Damaged areas must be removed and the remaining shoots treated with a special solution.

Plant propagation methods

Red Ice shrubby cinquefoil can be propagated in several ways. This:

1. Using seeds. Gardeners and gardeners rarely use this method, since the growing process itself is lengthy. In this case, the seeds first ripen in a greenhouse or in special containers.
2. Through layering. The developed shoot needs to be pinned into a dug groove, and next year in the spring it should be separated from the mother plant and planted in a new permanent place. Then the plant will begin to bloom in another year.
3. Dividing the bush. If the Red Ice cinquefoil has reached the age of five years, then it should be dug up in early spring. Divide the bush into several parts, but only so that each part has developed roots and buds.
4. Cuttings.If the cuttings have become lignified and have already reached ten centimeters in length, they are placed in a sand-peat mixture. They need to be deepened so that only the top two centimeters high remains on top. A year later, such seedlings are planted.

Each gardener chooses an acceptable method of propagating this shrub.

Red Ice cinquefoil in landscape design

Red Ice cinquefoil adds zest to landscape design thanks to the bright color of its flowers. It can be used to decorate alpine slides or borders.

Planted as a single plant and in group mixes, it allows you to create interesting variations.