Popular types and varieties
Snow White is a perennial, reaching 80 cm in height. It blooms from early May to September, with white flowers 2–3 cm in size. The species is winter-hardy and unpretentious.
Malvoflowered - 90 - 100 cm in height, with satin petals up to 8 cm long, painted in shades from pale pink to burgundy. Varieties:
- William Smith - with yellow-pink flowers;
- Queen of Roses - with rich pink blooms;
- The red road is with scarlet flowers.
The Oregonian Sidalcea variety, Brilliant, is widely known among flower growers. A compact bush, just over half a meter, strewn with large bright red flowers. Flowering is abundant and continues throughout the summer.
Description of the plant
Sidalcea is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Malvaceae family. It was first discovered in North America, and active selection began in the 20th century. It is actively used for landscaping flower beds in garden plots and city parks.
The bush can grow up to 150 cm in height. The leaves are collected in a root rosette, have a round shape with a pronounced dissection and are arranged in a regular order. The root system is fibrous and highly branched.
The plant gained its popularity thanks to its recognizable flowers. Gramophone-shaped buds with a diameter of 5 to 8 cm are formed from 5 thin petals of simple texture. Flowers are collected in powerful spike-shaped inflorescences. A large number of colors have been bred; varieties with red, crimson and white buds are popular.
Reproduction
Every 3 years it is recommended to divide an adult Sidalcea bush. In early spring, as soon as the plants begin to wake up from hibernation, daughter basal rosettes are separated from the mother bush. Care must be taken not to damage the roots of the divisions. It is better to work with a sharp knife or pruning shears.
The rosettes, immediately after separation, are planted in a new place and watered abundantly. If you need to preserve them for some time, wrap them in damp sphagnum moss and store them in a plastic bag in a cool place.
The soil around the cuttings is mulched. It is important to monitor the soil moisture and not let it dry out. There should also not be excess water in the soil. You can expect young trees to bloom at the end of this summer.
Sidalcea seeds are rarely propagated, since varietal characteristics are often not preserved. If you decide to sow seeds, you need to purchase them only from large producers.
When to plant
The seeds are sown directly into the ground in early spring, when the air temperature reaches +10 degrees. In the Moscow region, sidaltseya is sown in April. The soil should be moist and loose. The seeds are lowered to a depth of 2 cm, with a distance of 15 cm between each one. Care consists of watering and loosening the soil.
Shoots appear in 12 – 20 days. Grown seedlings are thinned out, leaving gaps of 20–30 cm for short varieties and up to half a meter for tall ones. The excess ones can be transplanted to another place. They will bloom only next year.
Reproduction and planting of Sidalcea
It is not worth planting Sidaltsia in the shade; the flowering will be weak and not abundant. The site is chosen to be sunny, but the soil moisture is required to be high. Planting can be done both in spring and autumn.
Methods of propagation of Sidalcea:
- Seeds. Sidalcea germinates from 12 days to 8 weeks. Plants grown from seeds will bloom the next year. Sowing is done in greenhouses or directly into open ground when the soil warms up to +10 °C. In autumn, in dry weather, seeds are collected from fully ripened Sidalcea capsules. The material is stored in linen or paper bags. The soil is dug up and loosened. Make furrows no more than 3 cm deep, where the Sidalcea seeds are placed. Sprinkle with loose nutritious soil. After the emergence of shoots, the young sidalcea is thinned out for the first time, leaving a distance of 10–15 cm. With the appearance of two pairs of true leaves, a second thinning is carried out (40–45 cm).
Attention! Hybrid sidalcea propagated by seeds does not retain varietal characteristics. Material for this purpose is purchased in specialized stores.
- Radical shoots. Used much more often. Sidalcea divides in early spring, before the plants form buds. Young shoots must have their own roots and are planted in the ground immediately after division. Flowers will appear in the same season. If transportation is required, the root system is temporarily wrapped in a plastic bag.
Where to plant
Sidalcea prefers sunny areas, but can also grow in light lace shade, only in this case the flowering will not be so abundant. Does not like strong winds: delicate petals, worn out by the wind, quickly lose their decorative effect.
The soil is required to be fertile, moisture-absorbing and loose. Loams lightened by the addition of sand are suitable. Poor sandy soils are corrected by adding humus in an amount of 7–9 kg per 1 sq. m. meter. Heavy and waterlogged lands can be drained by adding expanded clay, gravel into planting holes, and large doses of sand (10 - 12 kg per 1 sq. meter) when digging.
Before planting, the area is dug up, getting rid of the roots of perennial weeds. Rotted manure or compost is applied to all types of soil, up to 10 kg per square meter.
Sidalcea care
Sidalcea little princesses planting and care photo flowers
Sydalcea is quite easy to care for, you just need to take a little care of it. First prepare the soil for planting. Ordinary garden soil will suit it well, just clear it of weeds and other debris and loosen it well.
Landing place
Choose a sunny place for planting, only slight shade is acceptable. Although it will grow in the shade, don’t expect abundant foliage and flowering. It will reveal its maximum potential only in the open sun.
Watering
The plant does not tolerate drought well: water regularly and apply complex fertilizers. In order for Sidalcea to fully develop, it needs to be watered three times a week (provided there is no natural precipitation). Young plants are watered only with warm water. Mulching with humus or mowed grass will help retain moisture. Weed the plant regularly, this will help saturate the soil with air, prevent rotting and have a positive effect on growth and flowering.
Trimming
Due to the shedding of ripened seeds, wild, dense growth can form. The number of self-seedings will be reduced by pruning of wilted stems. The entire stem should be cut down to the ground, this will promote the growth of young shoots.
Preparing Sidalcea for winter
The root system of the flower is quite frost-resistant and does not require careful covering. Only in regions with cold winters (when frost is -20°C or more) is it worth covering the roots with fallen leaves or branches, protecting them from snowless frosts:
- It is good for the plant if, after trimming the above-ground part around, mulch the ground with a thick layer of leaves (up to 20 cm) and cover it with spruce branches on top.
- In the spring, after the snow melts, the mulch is removed to free the plant for growth.
Gardeners do not need to worry about protection from parasites and diseases; the plant has good resistance to them.
Role in landscape design
Gardeners love this plant for its unpretentiousness and decorativeness. With its lush and bright blooms, Sidalcea can delight the eye throughout the entire summer season.
Traditionally, it is planted in mixborders and other natural-style flower beds, framing the perennial with suitable plants. The flower goes well with phlox, evening primrose, bells, chamomile, astilbe, delphiniums, and daylilies. The delicate pink and rich red tones of Sidalcea flowers look good with white, blue and purple flowers.
It is often planted as a vertical accent in flower arrangements. Low-growing varieties are good as hedges for zoning garden space.
The flower also stands well as a cut flower. In its homeland, America, not a single wedding is complete without snow-white sidalcea. Bouquets of beautiful flowers symbolize love and family happiness.
In floral compositions, flower partners will be dahlias, asters, zinnias and gladioli.
Reproduction of Sidalcea
Seeds are sown in a permanent place in open ground when warm weather sets in. Then they will germinate faster, and the sidalcea will develop well. Before sowing, the soil must be moistened and loosened.
Young shoots can be expected after about 15 days. Areas of seedlings that are too dense are thinned out. Water the plant with warm water and gently loosen the soil. Sidalcea will bloom in 1 year. In order for flower buds to form on it, the root must overwinter in the ground.
Basal rosettes
Young shoots are separated from the adult plant. The roots are superficial and thin and can be easily damaged, so everything must be done carefully. It is better to carry out the procedure before flower buds form on the plant. It is important to immediately place the rosettes in the ground so that they do not dry out in the air. Sidalcea usually blooms in the same year.
Characteristic
This plant is from the Malvaceae family. It was found in North America, and then it was taken to different countries. There are 30 species in total. They grow in the wild. There are significantly fewer cultivated species.
The roots are powerful and branched, but are located almost at the surface of the earth. The height of the peduncle does not exceed one meter. The leaves of the plant are round. Their hue is bright green. The flowers are large, reaching eight centimeters in length. The buds, which resemble a mallow flower, have five petals. The flowers come in different shades - red, pink, and white. They bloom from mid-summer until autumn.
Types of Sidalcea
There are a large number of varieties of this plant. All are easy to care for. There are always a lot of flowers, they are bright and attractive.
The following types are considered the most famous:
- Party Girl. Their height reaches one meter and twenty centimeters. The flowers have a rich pink color.
- Candy Girl. This perennial has raspberry-colored buds. The closer to the core, the lighter they are. There are petals of reddish shades.
- Elsie Hugh. The flowers of this plant are very delicate, pink. The edges of each petal are carved, like a fringe.
- malvotsvetkovaya. Her flowers are especially large. They have a rich pink or red tint.
- Diamond. This flower also has large petals. Usually pinkish in color.
- Snow-white sidalcea. In height - no more than eighty centimeters. The flowers are small, do not exceed two centimeters in length, and have a whitish hue.
As you can see, the varieties are so different from each other that every gardener will be able to choose the Sidalcea flower that he likes best. After all, the petals differ both in color and size. The stems are different in height, and the leaves are not similar in structure.
Brief description and varieties of Sidalcea
Sidalcea is a perennial plant of the mallow family, native to the floodplain meadows of North America. It is believed that from there Sidalcea spread throughout the world.
The stems of Sidalcea are erect, about a meter high. The sheet is separate, arranged alternately. A rosette is collected from the basal rounded leaves near the ground. Due to the large “gramophone” flowers, the greenery in the upper part of the stem is almost invisible. The color of the petals ranges from white to deep purple. Each flower has five petals and a column in the center of the cup. Sidalcea blooms in mid-summer and lasts until September.
Found in the wild are Malvaeflora and Candida. The main area of their settlement is the southwest of the North. America, damp lowlands and open river banks.
Variety Loveliness
Malvoflowered sidalcea gave rise to garden varieties:
- Charming (Loveliness). Delicate pink flowers. Stem height 0.8 m.
- Croffway red. Particularly frost-resistant variety with dark red flowers.
- William Smith. Bright pink flowers with a hint of salmon. Sidalcea prefers sunny places and good soil mulching.
- Pink Queen. Large bright pink flowers.
Variety William Smith
Other varieties of Sidalcea: Party Girle, Purpetta, Elsie Heugh, Little Princess, PucK, Sussex Beauty.
Attention! It is interesting that cidalcea is considered a wedding flower in America. A snow-white bouquet is a symbol of marital happiness and love.
Planting Sidalcea and care in open ground
Propagation by seeds
The seeds of Perennial Sidalcea are collected in the fall and planted in the spring. Before collecting, you need to make sure that the box in which the seeds are stored is dry and that the seeds in it are definitely ripe.
As soon as all the seeds are collected, they need to be put in a bag and stored in this form until spring. In order for the plant to develop faster, it is recommended to plant it only when the temperature is good and sunny weather does not alternate with rain.
Earlier we talked about the landing of Iberis.
Usually sowing is done in mid-spring, as soon as the temperature reaches ten degrees.
There are some rules you need to know before you start planting:
- First, you need to moisten the soil and loosen it thoroughly.
- Then make small holes no more than 3.5 centimeters deep and put the seeds there, sprinkled with a little earth.
- After two to three weeks, shoots will gradually sprout. The only thing that needs to be done at this moment is to make sure that the distance between the perennials is at least ten to fifteen centimeters. If the sidalcea grows too close, then you need to thin out individual areas.
This procedure must be repeated again after four sheets appear. We need to get rid of weak plants. As a result, the distance between the remaining plants should range from forty to fifty-five centimeters.
If there are a lot of seedlings that had to be removed, you can transplant them to another place. The flowers take root quite quickly.
This plant will bloom only next year. Its peculiarity is that flowers appear only when the plant has survived the winter.
Dividing the bush
There is another way to propagate a plant - by dividing the bush.
- Young shoots are carefully removed from the main part. Their roots are still quite thin, so you need to be careful not to accidentally damage them. The main thing is to do this before the flower buds appear.
- The soil for young shoots should already be prepared. After all, if the plant is not replanted immediately, the roots will dry out and the plant will die.
- If you can’t plant it right away and if you need, for example, to transport the plant to another place, then you need to place the roots in a bag.
Plant care
Despite the fact that the plant does not have strict requirements for its care, there are still some rules that it is advisable to follow:
- First, you need to choose a good landing site. It is desirable that it be sunny. And if there is a shadow there, it should be small. Despite the fact that a strong shadow does not harm the perennial, it negatively affects development. In the end there won't be many flowers.
- Sidalcea also needs regular watering. It needs to be watered at least three times a week. The water must be warm.
- This plant is frost-resistant, so it does not need special shelter for the winter. Also, do not be afraid of diseases and parasites. The plant copes well with them even without drugs.
Planting Sidalcea
The method of planting Sidalcea depends on the method of cultivation. If you plan to grow the plant with seeds, then in this case, in a prepared and well-loosened bed, a groove 2.5-3.5 cm deep is made, into which the seeds are carefully placed, at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other. The furrow is sprinkled with light soil and spilled with water.
If the seeds are applied densely, then after the seedlings have germinated, as soon as they have 4 leaves, it is necessary to thin them out, leaving stronger sprouts on the bed. Removed seedlings should not be thrown away; they can be planted elsewhere in the garden.
If young shoots are planted, separated from the main bush, then in this case a planting hole is made that can accommodate the young roots of the plant, sprinkled with soil on top, and spilled with water.
Flowers – Growing, care and propagation of Sidalcea
Growing, care and propagation of Sidalcea – Flowers
Sidalcea, planting and care
Sidalcea from the Malvaceae family is a perennial plant with a powerful but not deep root system. The height of the shoots varies from 60 cm to 1.5 m in height, depending on the variety.
Delicate silky flowers, reminiscent of miniature hollyhocks (mallows), are collected in compact spike-shaped inflorescences of red, white, lilac or pink. The perennial blooms from July until autumn frosts. Thanks to its hardiness, caring for sidalcea in open ground is not at all difficult.
Botanical description of Sidalcea
Sidalcea is a perennial herbaceous plant from the Malvaceae family. The plant is native to North America. There are approximately 30 species of Sidalcea known, but only a few varieties are used in horticulture. The most popular varieties are Sidalcea malvotsvetkovaya, Sidalcea Cusica, Sidalcea Oregana and others.
Houttuynia cordate "Chameleon" - planting and care
Oktyabrinka flowers - planting and care
Sidalcea is a tall herbaceous plant. It reaches a height of up to 1 meter.
Although the roots of the plant are powerful and branched, they do not go deep into the soil. At the base of the straight stem, which is quite tall, a rosette of several rounded leaves is formed. Further up the stem, bright green leaves are arranged alternately. They have a carved shape, thinner shares.
Sidalcea begins to bloom in early July and lasts until the beginning of autumn. The flowers are shaped like a gramophone. They range from 5 cm to 8 cm in diameter and cover the inflorescence in the form of a spike. The flower consists of 5 petals, in appearance and shape it is very similar to hollyhock flowers; in the center are the pistil and a large number of stamens. The flowers are painted in different shades: pink, white, crimson, red, scarlet.
Varieties
Most garden varietal forms were obtained as a result of selection from the original species of S. malvaeflora.
— “Little Princess”, height up to 1 m, light pink inflorescences;
— Sidalcea “Diamond” has a rich pink color;
- "Party Girl". This variety has a color palette ranging from pink to purple-red. The stems are erect, perfect for cutting;
— “Croffway Red” 90-95 cm high, dark red inflorescences;
— “WILLIAM SMITH” with dark pink dense inflorescences;
— “Elsie Hugh” with delicate pink flowers.
Care Tips
Sidalcea has low habitat requirements. It adapts to most garden soils provided there is good water permeability. A substrate enriched with humus or manure ensures lush flowering and good growth of the perennial.
Choose a sunny place for planting sidalcea, as in full sun the inflorescences have a brighter and more saturated color. The substrate should be moderately moist, but not wet. Regular watering is required during dry periods. To prevent the soil from drying out, the plantings are mulched with grass or humus.
Caring for Sidalcea also involves trimming the stems almost to the base of the bush after flowering. The procedure stimulates re-blooming and development of peduncles for the next year.
When planting in poor soil, mineral complex fertilizer for flowering plants is applied 3-4 times over the entire season, starting in spring. Fertilize at the root and only after watering. In areas with cold winters and in the absence of snow, plantings are mulched with dry leaves, spruce branches or peat. In the middle zone, the perennial overwinters without problems.
When creating varieties, breeders were able to preserve and enhance such perennial qualities as resistance to diseases and their pathogens and ensure high compatibility with other garden plants.
Growing Sidalcea from seeds
Sidalcea seeds photo
Sowing in the ground
The seeds are collected in the fall, when the capsules become dry and fully ripe. Carefully separate them and place them in spacious bags for storage until spring. You need to sow immediately in a permanent place of growth. Wait for stable heat, when the thermometer is 10°C or more, then seedlings will quickly appear and the plant will actively develop.
- Loosen the soil well, form grooves 2-3.5 cm deep, and lightly cover the sowing with soil.
- Young shoots will appear in 15-20 days.
- Immediately check the density of the seedlings, thin out if necessary, leaving a distance between plants of about 10-15 cm.
- When four true leaves appear, repeat thinning, leaving the strongest flowers, and increase the distance between them to 40-50 cm.
The torn plants are also quite resilient; you should not destroy them; you can use these seedlings in other areas of the garden. In order for flower buds to form, the plant must overwinter; expect flowering next year.
Growing for seedlings
Sidalcea seedlings photo
Sidalcea can also be grown in seedlings: sow the seeds at the end of February, one or two at a time, in separate containers to a depth of 1 cm. Provide regular watering and good lighting. You can sow in a common container, but then pick at the stage of 3-4 true leaves.
Seedlings are planted in May, having previously been hardened off for two weeks.
Reproduction
All cultivated forms of Sidalcea are propagated by dividing basal rosettes, since the seed method does not guarantee the varietal characteristics of the parent plant. In this case, you need to purchase ready-made seeds in specialized stores. The division of the bush is carried out every 2-3 years in early spring until the growth points awaken or in the fall.
Carry out the procedure with caution so that when separating young children from the mother bush, you do not damage the short rhizome located in the center. For successful rooting, the cuttings must be immediately planted in moist soil to prevent the thin roots from drying out.
Seeds are sown at the end of April in open ground to a depth of 3 mm and watered with water at room temperature. At an air temperature of 10 °C, the first shoots appear in 2-3 weeks. Grown seedlings are thinned out, leaving a distance of 25 cm from each other for short varieties, and 50 cm for taller and larger varieties.
The perennial looks beautiful in group compositions, in border landscaping, in company with delphiniums, bells, molucella, phlox, evening primrose, astilbe, and penstemon.
This plant is an ideal combination of minimal financial costs and high decorative qualities.
Methods of propagation and planting
The place for planting sidalcea should be bright, sheltered from strong gusts of wind. It is important to consider that this is a moisture-loving plant, so it is not recommended to plant a flower bed in sandy and dry areas. Planting in open ground can be done in autumn or spring. The optimal time is the second half of May or the beginning of September.
Seeds
Sidalcea planting material is quite large and has good germination. Before planting, stratification and pre-treatment with growth stimulants are not required. Sowing is carried out directly into open ground with an interval of 5-7 cm. The first shoots appear after 2 weeks, after which it is necessary to spend time increasing the distance between seedlings to 10 cm.
Throughout the growth of young plants, regular loosening should be carried out and the planting should be covered at night - this protects the crops from hypothermia. The first fertilizing can be applied when 2-3 true leaves appear.
Radical shoots
This method is usually used in the spring before the buds begin to swell on the plant. When choosing shoots, you need to take into account that they must be healthy and strong. It is desirable that several roots be formed on them. After pruning, seedlings can be immediately planted in holes up to 12 cm deep. The advantage of this method of propagation is that flowering is possible already during the first season.
Sidalcea plant: photos, types, cultivation, planting and care
Herbaceous annuals or perennials with rounded, lobed leaves and tall, spike-shaped inflorescences of silky flowers that bloom in spring or summer. The funnel-shaped flowers are white, pink or purple. Early in the season, rosettes of medium green leaves form at the base of the plants, effectively suppressing weed growth.
Sidalydea
If the plants are pruned after flowering, at the end of the season, in the fall, they will bloom again. Sidalceas prefer to grow in cool, humid climates, but do not tolerate harsh winters. Both species described below are native to North America.
Care and cultivation of Sidalcea
Sidalcea is planted in a well-lit area with fertile garden soil. The plant will tolerate light partial shade, but the flowering will not be as lush as in the sun. The soil around the plantings must be regularly loosened and weeds removed.
The perennial needs good watering if there is no rainfall. It does not tolerate drought well, so it is important to prevent the soil from drying out seriously. It is advisable to mulch the soil in the near-root space with mowed dry grass, which will help retain moisture. Feed before flowering and in autumn with complex mineral fertilizers.
After the seeds ripen, abundant self-seeding occurs, therefore, to prevent this, fading inflorescences are cut off in a timely manner.
The perennial overwinters without shelter; only in the northern regions, during particularly snowless winters, the plant is covered with fallen leaves or spruce branches to prevent freezing.
Recommended species and varieties
S. Candida (S. white)
The pure white flowers of this species reach a diameter of 2.5 cm, the width of the leaves is 20 cm. The height and diameter of the plant is 75 x 50 cm.
Pure white flowers
S. malviflora
The diameter of the pink flowers is 5 cm, the width of the leaves is 6 cm. The height and diameter of the plant is 100x50 cm.
Pink flowers
- Garden varieties
The most commonly grown garden varieties of Sidalsa have flowers with a diameter of 5 cm and leaves about 6 m wide. Most of these plants are 1 m in height and 50 cm in diameter.
"Croftway Red"
Flowers bloom in early summer.
"Croftway Red"
"Elsie Heugh"
The variety reaches a height of 60 cm and has pale pink flowers.
Pale pink flowers
"Loveliness"
The variety is compact and has pastel pink flowers.
"Loveliness"
"Party Girl"
The variety has richer, pink flowers.
"Party Girl"
The variety reaches a height of 60 cm and has dark pink flowers.
Dark pink flowers
"Rose Queen"
The flowers are also dark pink; plants of this variety have the appearance of spreading bushes.
"Rose Queen"
"Sussex Beauty"
"Sussex Beauty"
