Space Astrance

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

To make it easier for a person to reach the stars, God lowered some of the stars to the Earth, giving them the appearance of plants. Starlight is reflected in their flowers, scattered into many small picturesque fragments. In gratitude, people give such plants cosmic names, such as "Astrantia"

Rod Astrantia

Herbaceous perennial plants of the genus Astrantia (Astrantia) thrive in the wild. Their star-shaped inflorescences attracted a person, and people moved the plants to their flower beds.

Small parasols-inflorescences of Astrantia, collected from small flowers, are surrounded by pink, purple or white wrappers, similar to parchment flower petals. Flowers retain their attractiveness in bouquets for a long time, and therefore they are often grown for cutting.

Their carved green leaves are also decorative, which in some varieties bred by people are of motley colors.

Varieties

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Astrantia carniolica (Astrantia carniolica) is a herbaceous perennial medium-sized (up to 60 cm high) plant covered with oblong leaves with a pointed end. White bracts-envelopes surround an inflorescence of small flowers with a pinkish tinge. There are other colors as well. For example, the wrappers and umbrella-shaped inflorescences of the "Red" variety have a reddish tint, and the plant bushes are more compact than the botanical species.

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Astrantia is large (Astrantia major) - grows up to a meter in height. The bushes are covered with obovate-lanceolate leaves. The bracts and flowers of the umbrella inflorescence are pink-purple and decorated with green stripes. Varieties with variegated leaves have been bred.

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Astrantia small (Astrantia minor) - small astrantia is a miniature copy of large astrantia with compact umbrella-shaped inflorescences.

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Astrantia maxim (Astrantia maxima) is a medium-sized species up to 60 cm high with tubular glossy beautiful green leaves and pink umbrella-shaped inflorescences up to 4 cm in diameter. Along with Astrantia, large is the most decorative species among relatives.

Growing

Astrantia grows equally well in the sun and in partial shade, if the climate is dry and hot.

It is unpretentious to soils, but it is better if it is loam or sandy loam soil. The final determination of the seedling in open ground is carried out in the summer, planting the plant along with a lump of earth.

When planting, the soil should be immediately fed with complex fertilizer. The bushes are planted at a distance of 40 cm from each other. One feeding during planting is not enough, continuing to feed the plant, combining once every two to three weeks watering with mineral fertilizing with complex fertilizer. The soil should be constantly kept moist, therefore, watering needs to be regular.

Astrantia is resistant to high and low temperatures, withstanding frosts down to minus 17 degrees.

Reproduction

Overgrown bushes can be divided in early spring, planting the separated parts immediately in open ground in a permanent place.

If propagated by seeds, then sowing is carried out at the end of summer, using containers or seedling boxes. In the spring, seedlings are planted in personal containers so that the strengthened bushes in early summer can be identified in open ground.

Enemies

Subject to the rules of caring for the plant, the regularity of watering is especially important, as well as with a successful choice of the planting site, astrantia on its own cope with pests and diseases, saving the gardener from the use of chemicals or other means of dealing with uninvited guests.

Note

When you look at the photographs of the Astrantia and Iberis inflorescences separately, you get the impression that they are similar. But when you look at the two photos at the same time, the differences are immediately visible. Here are some comparative pictures. To the left is Iberis, to the right is Astrantia.