Heuchera: planting and care in the open field, description of the best varieties and reproduction

Ornamental plants are widely used in the arrangement of garden plots. One of the most remarkable flowers with unusual leaves is the geyhera, planting and caring for which are simple and accessible to every summer resident. Compliance with growing technology and a combination of different varieties allow you to get beautiful plants that together form a multi-color palette.

Description and characteristics of geyhera

Heuchera belongs to the perennial herbs of the Saxifrage family. The plant comes from the North American continent, prefers to grow along the banks of mountain rivers.However, modern horticulture has adapted varieties for growing on plots in other ranges. The height of the bush does not exceed half a meter, while the rosette is quite sprawling and grows rapidly. Due to this property, transplantation of geyhera or its parts is used to propagate the plant.

The appearance and characteristics of the flower are remarkable:

• dense leaves close to the root;
• petioles uniformly long;
• shade of green changes as it grows;
• long peduncles exceed plant height;
• small bell-shaped flowers in dense panicles;
• fruits - seed pods;
• the seed is small, blunt, in a dark brown palette.

Varieties and varieties of culture

Currently, there are at least 70 types of geyhera, each with a unique appearance.The high species diversity, the use of modern microchannel propagation of the plant made it possible to isolate the differences and develop a huge number of varieties of this flower.

The following species are used in ornamental gardening:

• blood red;
• hairy;
• cylindrical;
• small-flowered;
• American;
• hybrid;
• gooseberry leaf.

Heuchera blood red (Heuchera sanguinea)

This type of geyhera belongs to frost-resistant, shade-loving, unpretentious crops. This species is distinguished by an increased density of rounded leaves with a serrated edge. The plant blooms from the first half of June to the end of August, releasing long peduncles with panicles of small buds of bright red, raspberry or deep pink.Sometimes there are small white and cream spots on the leaf plates. Popular Blood Red varieties:

• Monet;
• Variegata.

Heuchera hairy (Heuchera villosa)

Significantly distinguishes the species from others by the presence of a pubescent surface of leaves and villi on peduncles and petioles. Leaf shades can be bronze-orange, light green and purple. Varieties with high decorative characteristics:

• Bronze Wave.

Heuchera cylindrica

Mountain variety grows well in full light or partial shade. The main feature is large cylindrical inflorescences on tall peduncles. The palette of buds includes green, coral and red. The leaves are rounded, heart-shaped, distinguished by a green tint and the presence of contrasting lines and silver-gray patterns.Common varieties:

• Green finch.

Heuchera micrantha

Attractive plant retains its decorative effect for a long time, keeping the foliage under the snow cover until the onset of spring. The bush is resistant to frost and drought, and also unpretentious in care. Leaves look a little like maple, may be purple or silvery green. The inflorescence consists of a large number of very small pinkish-cream buds with an orange center. Attractive small-flowered varieties:

• Palace Purple;
• Bresslngham Bronze.

American Heuchera (Heuchera americana)

Mountain flower is significantly lower than other species, the growth of the plant is not more than 0.2 m. The leaves stand out among others with a double color, they are green on the outside, and brownish-purple below.Yellow-green buds are located on long peduncles, which are almost three times the height of the plant. The shade of the leaves changes during the growing season. The most popular variety among gardeners is Green Spice.

Heuchera hybrid (Heuchera hybrida)

Heuchera blood-red, American and small-flowered participated in the appearance of this species. As a result, the plant has large flowers of white, pinkish, coral-red tones. The duration of flowering is 60 days or longer. The leaves are initially green with a contrasting pattern and cream spots. It is necessary to plant this species in places protected from gusts of wind and intense rain. Common hybrid varieties:

• Cappuccino;
• Beauty Color;
• Ruby Veil;
• Can Can.

Heuchera gooseberry (Heuchera grossulariifolia)

The main advantage of this type of geyhera is not a patterned leaf, but exceptional resistance to frost and cold. The plant is able to survive even the most severe winter, completely preserving the aerial part.

The subtleties of growing a plant

Growing decorative geykhera has no special requirements, but there are a number of nuances that will help you get maximum aesthetic pleasure from the plant:

1. Peduncles of decorative leafy varieties are removed immediately after their appearance, and in flowering varieties - before the formation of fruits.
2. Young fragile leaves must be protected from physical damage.
3. Periodically, the flower needs to be transplanted into a deeper hole to prevent the bush from becoming loose.
4. You can plant a crop together with ornamental cereals, primroses, bergenia and daylilies.

Time and place for landing

The right time for planting geyhera is spring, starting from the second half of March. You can plant bushes in April, if the earth is not warm enough. As for growing from seeds, you should be guided by information on planting dates from the manufacturer. In autumn, the plant is not transplanted, but cuttings can be prepared and left indoors for the winter.

Most varieties of geyhera prefer partial shade, but there are those that become more attractive in direct sunlight. It is preferable to plant plants on the east or west side of the site.

Soil for plant

The morphological composition of the soil is not a significant criterion, but, like most herbs, geyhera prefers loose, fertile soil. The plant does not tolerate acidic soil, acidity is allowed in the range of 5-6 pH, which corresponds to neutral indicators.

Acid soil can be corrected by adding wood ash, dolomite flour or chalk.

Heuchera grows best in conditions of good air permeability so that oxygen can easily pass through the soil. It needs a lot of moisture, which does not stagnate at the roots, so it is necessary to provide for a drainage device. Expanded clay, clay chips and small pebbles are well suited for this.

Preparation of planting material

You can grow geyhera from seeds or seedlings, the preparation of planting material depends on this:

1. The rhizome of seedlings obtained by dividing the bush is washed, and the sections of the cuttings are sprinkled with ash and treated with a preparation for root growth.
2. Saplings purchased from the store are inspected for damage or signs of disease, they should be planted immediately after purchase.
3. Before planting, seeds are soaked for 2-3 hours in water for 2-3 hours, then allowed to dry, and mixed with river sand before sowing. Usually, growing geyhera from seeds of their own collection is not practiced at home.

Boarding process

The technology of planting geyhera in open ground is simple and includes several steps:

1. Preparation of planting holes with a diameter of 0.3 m and a depth of the same size.
2. The distance between the bushes should be about 30 cm.
3. The seedlings are lowered into the pit by transshipment from the container.
4. Fill the hole with earth, lightly tamp.
5. Each plant is abundantly watered under the root.
6. Mulch the soil around the geyhera with chopped peat, hay or sawdust.

Heuchera Care Tips

After planting, plants need to be properly cared for:

• the soil should not dry out, for this they strictly observe the irrigation regime;
• the earth is constantly loosened and freed from weeds;
• fertilizers are applied only according to the type;
• heat-loving varieties are prepared in autumn for wintering.

Feeding

During planting and the first year after the flower does not need to be additionally fed. Starting from the second year in the open field, fertilizers are applied 2 times during the growing season, dividing the dose recommended by the manufacturer in two.

For those varieties of geyhera, where leaves are a decorative part, a complex of mineral fertilizers for deciduous crops is used. Varieties with a focus on the beauty of the inflorescences are fed with universal mixtures for flowering plants.

Watering

Heuchera requires well-moistened soil for quality growth and flowering. However, the plant does not tolerate stagnant water at the roots, so the soil must be well drained. Watering is carried out regularly, at the first appearance of signs of drying, usually 1 time per day.A hot dry summer can provoke a strong evaporation of moisture, in this case, humidification is carried out twice. Water the flowers strictly under the root, avoiding contact with the leaves.

Preparing for winter

After the end of the growing season, geyhera is prepared for future cold weather. Most varieties tolerate winter well without additional action from the gardener. However, for a guarantee, it is better to prepare a worthwhile defense. Oak leaves are good for hiding. In the spring they are harvested, and last year's leaves are cut off at the roots.

An important condition for overwintering geyhera is the preservation of the above-ground part of the plant. Dry leaves help protect the root system from freezing.

Diseases and pests

Heuchera has good immunity, especially if the plants were obtained by micropropagation from he althy specimens and passed the necessary stages of culling. However, adverse weather conditions and poor agricultural practices can cause the following problems:

1. Weak roots serve as food for weevil larvae.
2. High humidity stimulates the reproduction of snails and slugs that damage the leaves of the flower.
3. From weed grass, geyhera can become infected with powdery mildew, rust or leaf spot. Fungicides and Bordeaux liquid are used for treatment.

Breeding Methods

There are several ways to propagate geyhera:

• dividing the bush;
• cuttings;
• clonal micropropagation;
• seeds;
• sheet.

The simplest and most common are division and cuttings.

Dividing the bush

The procedure for dividing a plant to obtain seedlings has the following sequence:

1. Heuchera is dug up.
2. Shake off and wash the roots.
3. Divide the plant into 2-3 parts.
4. Cut dry or damaged leaves.
5. Remove rotten roots.
6. Capacities for seedlings are equipped with drainage.
7. Plant delenki in the substrate for seedlings.
8. Water plants under the root.

Shanks

Preplant cuttings of geyhera are carried out in this way:

1. The rosette is cut from the plant along with part of the rhizome.
2. Remove dry and rotten parts.
3. Slices are treated with wood ash.
4. Capacities for seedlings are equipped with drainage and covered with soil.
5. Shallow holes are made in the ground.
6. The cuttings are lowered into the ground so that the socket remains above the ground.
7. The seedlings are watered under the root.

Landscape design

Different varieties are often used in landscape design, as they retain an attractive appearance for a long time and are perennial. The bush differs in good compactness and tolerance to other cultures. The flower is great for filling a space, camouflaging or highlighting another plant. Geichera decorates home ponds and fountains, is used in the design of alpine slides, rock gardens and road borders.

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