Asclepias, or, as it is also called, cottonweed is a perennial herbaceous plant or subshrub with a height of 0.5 to 1.5 m, whose homeland is considered to be North and South America. The plant has a powerful horizontal rhizome and a thickened straight stem.

Large lanceolate leaves are arranged oppositely or whorled. The leaf length can reach 20 cm, the leaves have a dense vein in the middle, the lower part of the leaf is densely pubescent.

The cotton grass blooms in the second half of summer with small flowers of red, pink or white, which are collected in racemose umbrellas. After a hot summer, spindle-shaped seeds ripen, covered with fluff, similar in appearance to cotton wool, for which the plant was given the name - cotton wool.

Types of perennial decorative cotton wool

As ornamental plants The following types of cottonweed are used: meat-red, tuberose and Syrian. Let's look at each of these types in more detail.

Did you know? There are approximately 80 species of Asklepias, but only three species are used for decorative purposes.

The meat-red cottonweed grows up to 1.2 m tall. The stems are branched, with many elongated, slightly pubescent leaves. The bush of the meat-red cottonweed is dense, has a beautiful shape, and grows in width over the years.

Flowering period - July, duration - up to 35 days. The flowers are red or purple-pink, less often white, and have a delicate, slightly chocolate aroma. Flowers form umbrella-shaped inflorescences with a diameter of 5-6 cm.

Tuberous or tuberous milkweed - 0.5-0.7 m high. The stem is hard and erect. The oblong leaves are pubescent. It blooms in dense inflorescences of small fragrant orange flowers. The flowering period is quite long - from mid-summer to early autumn. Some variety mixtures of tuberose cottonweed have yellow and red flowers.

Syrian cottonweed reaches a height of 0.8-1.5 m, this species is long-lived and can grow up to 30 years. The shoots are straight, densely covered with oblong-shaped leaves, the length of which is approximately 14 cm. The leathery leaves of a dark green color resemble the foliage of rhododendron in appearance.

A peculiarity of this species is the falling of the lower leaves and exposure of the basal part of the shoot. Syrian milkweed blooms pink flowers with a diameter of 8-10 mm, which form umbrella-shaped fragrant inflorescences. The flowering period begins in July and can sometimes last until the first frost. This type of cottonweed shoots shoots at a distance of more than 1 m from the mother bush.

Did you know? The aroma of cotton wool is reminiscent of the sweet smell of confectionery.

Choosing a landing site

Vatochnik is unpretentious plant, grows in almost any soil, but for better development Slightly acidic loams are preferred. The place where the cotton grass will grow should be sunny, without nearby groundwater.

In order for the cotton grass to be lush and beautiful, it needs to be provided with sufficient space for development; when planting, it is necessary to maintain a distance of at least 2 m from the nearest plant.

The Syrian species differs from others in its aggressive colonization of the soil, so it is recommended to plant it in a pot with a thick layer of drainage. The container with the cotton wool is dug into the ground, thereby limiting the growth of its shoots.

Important! A cottonweed bush that has been growing in one place for more than 10 years needs to be replanted for more favorable growth.

Growing cottonweed through seedlings

The cottonweed reproduces quite successfully by seeds. The only difficulty that you may encounter is the lack of seeds on a growing adult plant, since the cotton plant needs a hot summer to ripen them.

In any case, cottonweed seeds can often be found on sale, and growing seedlings from them is not difficult; Let's describe this process in more detail.

When to plant seeds for seedlings

To propagate cottonweed by seeds, planting them for seedlings at home is carried out in March - April. Seeds remain viable for 3 years. Seeds are planted in soil intended for house plants or indoor flowers.

Seed sowing depth

The seed sowing depth should be approximately 10-15 mm. A layer of drainage is poured into the seedling box, then loamy soil, in which furrows are made and the seeds are sown lightly. Approximately two weeks after sowing, the first shoots of cotton grass will appear.

Optimal conditions for seedlings

After sowing the seeds, the soil is moistened and the planting container is covered with film to create a greenhouse effect. The seedlings need to be ventilated daily by opening the film for several hours.

The soil is moistened every two to three days; you can periodically spray them with warm water. When cottonweed sprouts appear, the container with seedlings is placed in a well-lit place with an air temperature no higher than +18 °C. After the seedlings have grown stronger, the film is finally removed.

Picking seedlings

Grown cottonwood seedlings should be planted in separate pots or in a large container with space for favorable development of the seedling. New containers should have a drainage layer of 2-3 cm. The top of the seedling can be pinched, thereby stimulating the growth of the plant. After picking, it is better to shade the container with seedlings for a couple of days.

Did you know? Asklepias is a good honey plant; one hectare of its plantings produces about 600 kg of light honey with a fruity aroma

Planting seedlings in open ground

Cottonweed seedlings, grown from seeds, can be planted in open ground in a prepared place from the beginning of June according to the 0.5 × 0.5 m scheme. For the first time after planting, young plants need light daily watering. After 3-4 years the plant should bloom.

Other methods of planting and propagating cottonweed

Reproduction of cottonweed is also carried out by sowing seeds directly into the ground, dividing the bush and cuttings. Each gardener chooses the most suitable option for himself.

Sowing seeds directly into open ground

Seeds are sown directly into the soil in early spring during wet soil, immediately after the snow melts. The planting area is first dug deep, weed roots are removed and loosened.

After this, furrows are made, moistened and seeds are sown to a depth of approximately 30 mm.

Then the seeds are sprinkled with soil, while small holes are left on the ground for watering in the first weeks after planting. If the seeds were planted in dry soil, it is advisable to cover the beds with film to speed up the appearance of sprouts.

Propagation by cuttings

To propagate cottonweed by cuttings, it is necessary at the very beginning of summer to cut the young shoot into 15 cm long segments, from which the lower leaves, and the cutting is placed in wet sand. This type of propagation requires efficiency, since a cutting that has lost a lot of milky sap will take root less well. The cuttings take root in about twenty days.

Dividing a cottontail bush

Reproduction of cottonweed by dividing the bush is carried out in late autumn, after the end of the flowering period. To do this, dig up a bush, divide the rhizome into parts of 10-15 cm, separate the stems of the bush and plant the divided parts of the bush on permanent place growth.

Each part of the rhizome must have new buds.

With this method of propagation, plants tend to take root well, and new bushes are able to bloom in the next summer season.

Important! Cottonweed juice causes irritation if it comes into contact with the skin.

What plants does cottonweed go with?

The cottonweed grows well next to almost all plants, but best combination formed with meadow grass, pearl barley and miscanthus. Tall bellflower, physostegia, echinacea and aconites will perfectly complement powerful cottonweed bushes with a decorative look and add bright colors to a summer cottage or garden.

How to care for cottonweed in open ground

Growing cottonweed in the garden or on summer cottage is not particularly difficult; even a novice gardener can master this process. In addition to watering and fertilizing, which we will discuss later, the milkweed must sometimes be pruned, forming a neat bush. If you want to rejuvenate the plant, you can cut off all above-ground parts, and soon new shoots will grow from the root. It is recommended to trim the flower stalks after flowering has ended unless you plan to collect the seeds.

What watering to provide

After planting, the plant needs regular intensive watering. The grown plant has a branched, powerful root system that is capable of independently providing the plant with moisture. However, you should monitor the condition of the soil; during dry periods, the cotton grass should be watered in the evening.

When and with what to fertilize

In early spring, after the snow has melted from the area where the cotton grass grows, it is necessary to clear the material with which the plant was covered for the winter, this will facilitate the growth of young shoots.

Very rarely in amateur gardens you can find this interesting plant, which has several names. It doesn't really stand out with its flowers or leaves. Most likely, it is attracted by the incomparable aroma spreading around the delicate inflorescences.

How to grow a flower on personal plot starting from landing? How to properly care for a plant open ground and which varieties are best? Find answers to these questions and also get good advice for growing cottonweed in own garden you can by studying the article.

Description of the cottonweed, its varieties and varieties

At home, in South America, the plant grew so much that it was classified as a weed to be destroyed. At the end of the 17th century, cotton wool came to Europe, where it was used to make ropes, as furniture stuffing, etc.

Nowadays it is not used for production purposes, but is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens. The herbaceous shrub is called differently: vatochnik, lastoven, asklepias. About 80 species of it can be found in nature. Its planting is not yet popular among residential buildings, but the cotton grass is gradually gaining its place in the garden.

The milkweed has a wonderful aroma

The fleece looks like this:

• A powerful plant whose stems can exceed the average height of a person. They are hollow inside. Milky juice appears at the fracture.
• The leaves are large, elongated, lanceolate in shape. The bottom is covered with light pile, reminiscent of felt. Along the stem they are located opposite to each other.
• The umbrella inflorescences, consisting of small flowers, have a very pleasant aroma.
• The seeds are covered with cotton wool, clearly visible in the photo. If grown in open ground in the middle zone, they do not ripen.

Attention! All parts of the plant are poisonous. Therefore, when working with cotton wool, precautions should be taken.

Only some species are used in culture.

1. Syrian cottonweed - covered with pink inflorescences in July. They do not fade for about a month. The plant does not need special care. Differs in ovoid large leaves. Its root cuttings can germinate at a distance of more than a meter from the bush, due to which the plant reproduces very quickly.
2. Meat-red milkweed - the flowers on the plant are purple. Two varieties are also popular: Ice Ballet with white flowers and Sinderella with pink flowers. The aroma is very delicate. Reminds me of the smell of chocolate.
3. Tuberous or tuberose cottonweed - short compared to its relatives (up to 60 cm). Its cultivation is possible not only in open ground, where the plant freezes slightly, but also indoors. Lush orange inflorescences open in summer and fade in late autumn. Tuberous or tuberose cottonweed
4. Kurassawa cottonweed is a species characterized by a very long flowering period. You can capture its red-orange inflorescences in a photo both in spring and autumn. In open ground, this asklepias is grown as an annual. It is also possible to plant it in a pot as an indoor crop.

Planting rules

The place where the planting will take place must be sunny. Only varieties of the meat-red variety thrive in shade.

Advice. To prevent the strong growth of cottonweed in the area, it is better to dig a container with holes for drainage into the open ground and plant the plant there. This technique will greatly simplify bush care.

The composition of the soil is not particularly important.

The cotton grass is planted in a permanent place in the spring. In swampy areas, even moisture-loving varieties of the meat-red variety grow very poorly. It is better to include uniform watering in plant care.

If the soil is fertile, then fertilizing during planting is not necessary.

Asclepias care and feeding

Caring for cotton wool is not burdensome. IN summer period The main thing is to carry out timely watering. Although there are drought-resistant varieties, for example, Syrian varieties, the soil should be well moistened on hot days.

In spring, mandatory work includes removing the remains of dried shoots and, if necessary, propagating the flower. In the fall, watering is stopped, the plant is cut off at the root and well covered with leaves for the winter.

The cotton wool plant is unpretentious in care

It is not worth pampering the cotton grass with fertilizers. It is enough to feed the plant twice per season:

• before flowering with urea and potassium sulfate;
• after flowering nitrophoska.

In early spring, to improve growth, you can add organic matter, such as rotted manure or compost, to the root zone.

How to propagate a plant and fight pests

You can propagate cottonweed in three ways:

• using seeds;
• cuttings;
• root suckers.

Among the disadvantages of the first method, we can note the poor germination of seeds and the fact that plants bloom only in the 3rd year. As an exception - the tuberose look. If you start growing its seedlings in February and extend the daylight hours by lighting, then this cottonweed can bloom this year.

The optimal way to propagate cottonweed is by planting root suckers.

Advice. In order for Asclepias to take root well, after replanting it is better to cut the trunk at a height of 10 cm.

Propagation by cuttings is also often practiced by amateurs. For this method, green pieces of shoots are harvested at the beginning of summer. Root them in the sand for several weeks. Plants bloom within a year.

The milky sap of the plant contains substances that provide the plant with protection from pests and pathogens, so the milkweed does not suffer from known diseases. Among the pests, Asclepias can be damaged by spider mites.

Keep in mind that cotton grass can grow strongly on the site

What plants does cottonweed go with?

When planning the landscape on the site, you need to take into account what type of asklepias will be planted. After all, varieties differ in height and volume of the bush. For example, the low tuberose cottonweed, thanks to its orange inflorescences, goes well with lavender, sage, and some cereals.

If we talk about the varieties of Syrian cottonweed, which have fairly tall bushes, then it would be appropriate to plant yarrow, meadowsweet, catnip, and sapling grass next to it.

Waterweed is one of those plants that not everyone decides to have on their property. First of all, gardeners are afraid of its growth. However, when proper care and timely limitation of the spreading of the rhizome, the plant is able to delight many years with interesting inflorescences and an unusually pleasant aroma.

Unpretentious milkweed: video

Source: https://dachadizain.ru/cvety/mnogoletnie/vatochnik-raznovidnosti-uxod.html

The cottonweed is a rare guest in the garden

Incarnate or meat-red milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

This crop was brought to Europe from North America, where cottonweed (Asclepias) was considered a malicious weed back at the end of the 17th century. At different times, the plant was used for the production of fibers, essential oil, rubber, furniture stuffing, and as a medicinal plant. Nowadays the crop is used mainly for decorating household plots and garden plots.

Growing cottonweed in the garden

This perennial(some species are grown as an annual crop) with a height of 50 centimeters to 1 meter (sometimes it grows higher - up to 1.5 meters) with thick stems and large leaves always looks impressive.

But during flowering, the cotton grass is especially good. Bright orange, red, pink, white fragrant flowers (the plant is considered a good honey plant) are collected in large inflorescences (false umbrellas), and flowering lasts about a month.

After its completion, fruits appear filled with pubescent seeds, thanks to which the bush is covered with fluff (hence the appearance of Russian name culture).

In North America, pillows are still stuffed with this down. In the conditions of the middle zone (and even more so to the north), seeds rarely ripen.

In the southern regions, they not only ripen, but also often self-sow, which gardeners have to spend a lot of time and effort to combat.

The milkweed does not always overwinter well in our country. Three of its species best tolerate severe frosts: meat-red or incarnata (A. incarnata), tuberose (A. tuberose) and Syrian (A. syriaca).

Meat-red cottonweed

Choosing a place for the fleece

It should be borne in mind that some species of this culture (for example, Syrian cottonweed) are famous for their rapid growth and even aggressiveness. If it is planted next to other plants, the milkweed will not give them the slightest chance.

Its shoots appear within a radius of 1.5 meters from the bush. To limit its growth, it is even planted in buried (at least 0.5 meters deep) tanks without a bottom.

By the way, such bushes look simply magnificent - they become lush and do not interfere with the growth of their neighbors: yarrow, meadowsweet, catnip, blushing miscanthus, sapling.

The culture likes to grow on fertile loams, in open sunny places without close groundwater. In the shade, the clumps look somewhat more modest and flowering begins later.

The cottonweed looks great in single plantings; it is often planted in the background of mixborders, near outbuildings (to cover them).

Bushes can grow in one place for up to 15 years, after which they need to be replanted.

Reproduction of cottonweed

Seeds. They are planted as seedlings in April. The embedment depth is 1.5 centimeters. After the first shoots appear, containers with seedlings are transferred to a bright, cool place (temperature no higher than 18 degrees).

After the onset of real warmth, the grown plants are transplanted to a permanent place. The germination rate of seeds purchased in stores is not high. Possible planting before winter. Planted plants begin to bloom no earlier than 3 years after planting. The exception is tuberose cottonweed.

It blooms in the year the seeds are planted, if the cultivation of seedlings began in February and was carried out with lighting.

Seeds of cottonweed incarnate

Cuttings. At the beginning of June, young shoots are cut into cuttings (length approximately 15 centimeters). This needs to be done as quickly as possible; if the milky sap does not have time to dry, the cuttings will take root faster. After removing the lower leaves, the cuttings are placed in damp sand for rooting. Most often, cuttings take root within 2–3 weeks.

By dividing the rhizome. In the spring or after the end of flowering, the rhizome is cut into pieces (length - from 10 to 15 centimeters) with buds and planted. Usually the cotton grass takes root quickly. Flowering of plants planted in this way usually begins the next year.

Maintenance is not too burdensome. In the spring, remove old shoots; before flowering, it will not hurt to feed with urea and potassium sulfate, and after flowering, with nitrophoska. Watering - depending on the type.

The meat-red milkweed is considered the most moisture-loving, but you shouldn’t overfill it either. The culture tolerates heat well.

For the winter (in middle lane, in the southern regions - in the absence of snow cover), the shoots are cut off and the bushes are covered with dry leaves or spruce branches.

When carrying out work, you should be careful - if it comes into contact with the skin, the poisonous milky juice (released on the cuts) can cause irritation.

Tuberrose tuberose in the garden

Source: https://www.sazhaemsad.ru/vatochnik-redkij-gost-v-sadu.html

All about plants

Vatochnik, asklepias(Asclepias) is a herbaceous plant for open ground from the Kurtaceae family, which contains about 200 species of evergreen and deciduous shrubs and subshrubs.

The ripened seeds of this plant are covered with cotton wool-like, fibrous fluff, hence the name “cotton wool”. People also have other names for the plant: “swallow grass”, “milky grass, Aesculapian grass”. Cottonweeds are most often grown as an ornamental plant.

Gardeners love it for its wonderful, delicate aroma flowers reminiscent of hyacinths.

Vatochniks are beautiful, stately plants with showy leaves and attractive spherical inflorescences consisting of small white-purple-lilac flowers. These are excellent honey plants that attract various insects. And honey from cottonweed flowers smells pleasant and does not become sugary during storage.

It must be remembered that the whitish, milky juice of cottonweed is poisonous! Under the influence sun rays Once on the skin, it causes irritation and itching. Allergy sufferers need to be careful: when working with this plant, you need to wear long sleeves and gloves. Although it is interesting that cottonweed leaves contain a large amount of ascorbic acid.

In the Moscow region, they mainly grow cottonweed: Syrian, meat-red and annual curassava.

Syrian cottonweed

Syrian cottonweed(A.syriaca) is a perennial plant with straight, tall stems up to 1.5-2 m. An aggressor, spreading around the area, but very beautiful, it is impossible to refuse him.

Every year, strong shoots with beautiful, large (up to 10-15 cm long), dark green, leathery, elliptical leaves, very similar to ficus leaves, grow in various unexpected places.

It blooms from July for more than a month with beautiful lilac-pink fragrant flowers, which are collected in spherical inflorescences.

Vatochnik incarnate Soul Mate

Fleece meat-red or incarnate(A.incarnata) is a perennial plant with straight stems up to 1-1.2 m high. The leaves are slightly smaller than those of Syrian cottonweed, but also beautiful. It blooms from the end of June with small white-pink-purple fragrant flowers, also collected in spherical inflorescences.

Kurassawa cottonweed

Kurassawa cottonweed(A. curassavica) is a perennial plant, but it does not winter in the Moscow region, so it is grown as an annual. Subshrub with stems up to 70-90 cm.

It blooms with bright small orange-red flowers, collected in peculiar tiered umbrellas.

Sow the seeds of the Kurassava cottonweed in May indoors, plant them in June, and plant them in open ground from June 10-12.

Location, soil

Fleece plants are planted both in the sun and in partial shade. In sunny places they grow a little lower, although they bloom better.

Soil any, although they prefer loamy or sandy loam. Fertile land or not, it doesn’t matter, the main thing is moisture, although they don’t require additional watering in the Moscow region, natural precipitation is enough. Moreover, they develop better on slightly acidic loose soils. But on heavy clay soils they still have a lot of moisture.

Landing

When planting cottonweeds, it is recommended to prepare the site: remove the roots of perennial weeds, add a little compost and a tablespoon of any complex fertilizer so that the plants take root. If the soil on the site is clayey, then it would not be a bad idea to add a little peat and sand. All components are mixed and the cotton wool is planted.

Syrian cottonweed

In one place Syrian cottonweed can grow for many years, up to 10 or more. However, he does not sit in one place, but simply walks wherever he wants. It is recommended to plant it in a bucket or barrel without a bottom, then it will more or less grow in a clump. Although, over time, it still shoots shoots at a distance of a meter or two from the mother bush.

The meat-red cottonweed is less aggressive, grows in a quite compact bush, expanding in diameter. It can grow in one place for up to 7-8 years.

Before boarding plants are soaked in a root formation stimulator: kornevin, heteroauxin, etc. If you buy cottonweed root, then it is soaked overnight in the solution. You can use natural stimulants. The cotton wool in the pots is soaked for about 30 minutes.

Plants are planted without deepening the root collar (look in the dictionary for those who don’t know what this is). Then water it thoroughly (you can use the solution in which the plant was soaked for watering).

Care, subcortex

Fleece plants grow with virtually no care: they are content with natural precipitation and do not like waterlogging. In the spring they are fed with any nutritious infusions.

In early spring or autumn, you can please the plants by scattering 20-30 g of any mineral fertilizer and incorporating it into the soil or under mulch. For winter, the stems are cut to the ground. If desired, the place where the cotton grass grows is mulched with humus for the winter.

Syrian cottonweed

Reproduction

Vatochniks can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, cuttings of rhizomes and dividing the bush.

Seeds. Seeds remain viable for about 3 years. It is better to grow through seedlings at home. Seeds are sown in April-May in distribution containers. We embed 1-1.5 cm into the soil. Shoots appear in 10-12 days. Plants are planted in open ground only when the threat of return frosts has passed (in the Moscow region this is the first ten days of June).

Cuttings. In June, grown young shoots 10-15 cm long are cut out or broken off, kept under water for some time to wash off the milky juice that is released. The lower leaves are removed, leaving only 1-2 upper ones. Root in a light mixture of peat and sand 1:1. The roots will appear in about 2-3 weeks.

Rhizome segments. After flowering, in the fall, pieces of rhizome are dug up and divided into parts with 2-3 nodes on each. Planted in light soil to a depth of 8-10 cm, covered with fallen leaves on top, and the place was marked. Young shoots will appear in the spring at the end of May-June.

Dividing the bush. The taproots of cottonweed plants can go to a depth of up to 3 m, and horizontal roots extend from them in tiers.

Many buds are formed on both the rod and horizontal ones, from which shoots develop. It is better to dig to the roots when shoots are visible (in June or August).

The soil near the shoot is dug up to the root and separated from the mother plant with a sharp shovel. The secreted milk is washed off, and the plants are planted in the right place.

Application in landscape design

Syrian cottonweed can be planted in a limited container as a tapeworm; it looks like a beautiful stately bouquet. Also, together with the hollyhock, Jerusalem artichoke and earthen pear, it can be used as a screen for decorating unsightly places: a compost heap, the walls of buildings, unsightly fences.

In flower beds, good companions for cottonweeds will be grasses (miscanthus, spartina, reed grass, pearl barley, pike grass, etc.), aconites, macaleas, speedwells, physostegia, loosestrife, veronicastrum, saplings, meadowsweet, and echinacea.

Source: http://sad-e.ru/vatochnik-posadka-uhod

What is cottonweed, how is it grown, used in gardening and medicine

Vatochnik - named for healing properties also in honor of the ancient god Asclepius - we are almost unfamiliar. It was once an indispensable technical plant. Now it is a decoration of gardens and a honey plant.

Cottonweed, a tall garden plant, was brought to Europe almost four centuries ago from America. It has powerful roots, an erect stem, covered with fluff and hollow inside. Its large oblong leaves on long petioles are felt-soft below and hairy above.

Cottonweed flowers are small and very unusual; they are shaped like swallows. The flowers are collected in dense clusters-umbrellas and appear in the second half of summer.

Depending on the variety, they are white, pink, red or orange. In autumn, seed pods filled with ovoid seeds ripen.

They are covered with long fluffy hairs, like cotton wool. Technical oil is extracted from the seeds.

Varieties and varieties with photographs

Vatochnik, asklepias or Lastovnev - all these are the names of one plant that is part of the Lastovnev family. It includes eight dozen varieties. In ornamental gardening in our conditions, only four of them are common.

Asklepias curassavian

Curassavica cottonweed (A. Curassavica) is a perennial, evergreen subshrub in natural conditions, up to a meter high. Due to the fact that it loves warmth, in our climate it is grown as an annual or at home.

The leaves of this plant are intensely green above, and appear almost gray below due to slight pubescence. The seeds germinate a couple of months after sowing, and after another couple of months this cottonweed blooms with bright orange flowers with a yellow center.

Together they form ten-centimeter umbrellas that flaunt on the tops of the stems. In mild climates they bloom for almost six months.

Kurassawa cottonweed

Syrian honeyweed

Syrian cottonweed (A. syriaca L.) is a one and a half meter tall, perennial shrub with powerful pubescent stems and large ovate leaves. A very hardy plant that overwinters without shelter. This species is called Syrian by mistake; it has nothing to do with this country and was brought from America.

Syrian is growing rapidly, occupying large areas. It blooms for about a month in July with pink, white or red-green umbels. They emit a strong aroma, reminiscent of fruit or candy. The plant is valued as an excellent honey plant.

From a hectare of Syrian cottonweed plantings, up to 600 kg of high-quality, light honey is obtained.

Once in the fields, the Syrian cottonweed behaves aggressively, suppressing the crops and complicating the harvest. Even weeds do not grow next to it; grain growers classify it as a malicious weed. With the dominance of this crop, almost a third of oats, about 20% of soybeans, etc. are lost in the fields.

Syrian cottonweed

Tuber milkweed

Tuberous or tuberous milkweed (A. tuberosa) is a heat-loving plant that blooms profusely in greenhouse conditions from July until almost the end of autumn. In open ground, flowering does not last as long. Bright orange flowers, collected in umbrellas, with a pleasant smell, are attractive to insects. There are varieties with yellow and red fragrant flowers.

The height of the tuberose cottonweed does not exceed 70 cm, the bush grows quickly, it has dense shoots with pubescent leaves. It loves sun and moisture; in the middle zone it does not tolerate wintering well, requiring transplantation into a greenhouse or a thorough shelter.

Tuberweed

Incarnate cottonweed

Incarnate or meat-red cottonweed (A. incarnata) also belongs to the perennial subshrubs. Its meter-long bush has correct form with a branched stem and elongated, hairy leaves.

It blooms in July for about a month with purple-pink, red, and sometimes white flowers. Six-centimeter umbrella inflorescences exude a delicate chocolate aroma. The plant loves the sun, but is not afraid of light shading.

During the wintering period it needs mulching and shelter.

Incarnate cottonweed

Since ancient times, cotton wool has been used to produce ropes, essential oils, cotton wool and medicines. The rubber produced from it due to low quality turned out to be unprofitable. An attempt to produce silky fabric was unsuccessful due to its fragility, and materials for upholstery and pillows that had been produced for a long time have now been replaced by synthetic padding and foam rubber.

Planting rules

Of all the types of cottonweed, only the Syrian one quickly takes root and bears fruit in the middle zone. It grows strongly in the area and when planting, it is better to dig a deep container with a bottom and drainage holes to limit its uncontrolled reproduction.

Choosing a landing site

Milkweed grows everywhere, but prefers loams with a slightly acidic reaction.Feels best in sunny areas with deep soil. groundwater . For all species except Syrian (it must be limited in space), a distance of 2 meters is maintained between plants.

A bush that has been in one place for ten years needs to be replanted for better growth.

Growing cottonweed through seedlings

Milkweed can be grown through home seedlings

The milkweed often reproduces by seeds, but in the middle zone they do not always have time to ripen. This requires a hot and long summer and a mild autumn. Seedlings are obtained from seeds and then planted in open ground.

When to plant seeds for seedlings? At home, seeds are planted for seedlings in March-April. Before this, they can be stored for no more than three years. The soil for indoor plants is suitable for planting.

Sowing depth

The seeds are planted in furrows to a depth of no more than 1.5 cm. But first, a large drainage layer is poured into the seedling box, then loam. The first shoots appear within a couple of weeks.

Optimal conditions for seedlings

After sowing, the soil is watered moderately and covered with film. It is removed for several hours every day for ventilation. A couple of times a week, the substrate is sprayed with warm, settled water.

After the sprouts appear, the box with seedlings needs good lighting and a temperature of no more than 18 degrees. Continue airing and spraying.

The film is removed only when the seedlings have grown a little.

Picking seedlings

When a pair of true leaves appear on the seedlings, the plants dive into separate containers with a two-centimeter drainage layer at the bottom. At the same time, for better growth and the appearance of side shoots, the tops are pinched. For better survival in a new place, seedlings are shaded for the first time.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Planting and caring for seedlings in open ground begins in June. For each of the young plants, a plot of 0.5 by 0.5 m is allocated. They are watered daily, but moderately. Flowering can be expected only in the fourth season.

Plant cottonweed seedlings in open ground in June

Other planting methods and propagation

In addition to seedling cultivation of cotton grass, cultivation from seeds sown immediately in open ground, dividing the bush and cuttings are also used. The choice of method largely depends on climatic conditions.

Sowing seeds in open ground

Seeds are planted in open ground after the snow melts, when there is enough moisture in it. Pre-prepare the site by digging it deeply, removing remaining weeds and loosening the soil.

The seeds are planted in wet grooves to a depth of 3 cm. At the same time, shallow holes are left for watering them. If there is not enough moisture in the ground, then to prevent it from drying out, the beds are covered with film for the first time. After the sprouts appear, it is removed first only during the daytime, and then completely.

Propagation by cuttings and dividing the bush

Cuttings are carried out in this way:

• At the beginning of summer, young shoots 15 cm long are cut.
• The lower leaves are removed from them and lowered into wet sand. This is done immediately after cutting, otherwise the cuttings will lose a lot of milky juice and will not take root well.
• The rooting process lasts 3 weeks.

Dividing the bush should be done in the fall

Dividing the bush is carried out in late autumn in this sequence:

• The bush is dug up and divided into 10-centimeter segments. Each of them must have at least one kidney.
• The stems are also divided and planted in a new place.
• After transplantation, the stem of the milkweed is cut off at a height of ten centimeters. This method ensures good survival rate, with flowering occurring the following summer.

Necessary plant care

Even a beginner can take care of the plant. It includes watering. Feeding, pruning for the design of the bush, its rejuvenation and at the end of flowering. Overgrown and old bushes are replanted with a ball of earth after watering. It is better to combine this with dividing the bush.

Carefully! The juice of the milkweed is poisonous; if it comes into contact with the skin, it often causes inflammation; it is best to carry out care with gloves.

Watering

After planting and replanting, the plant grower needs watering. A perennial growing in one place extracts its own moisture with the help of branched, powerful roots. During drought, evening watering is required. The meat-red milkweed is considered the most moisture-loving, but you can’t fill it either.

Feeding

Young shoots need feeding complex fertilizers. This causes the stems and leaves to grow, resulting in more luxuriant flowering. Adult plants are fed twice per season:

• Before flowering it needs urea and potassium sulfate.
• At the end of flowering - nitrophoska.

At the beginning of spring, it is good to add organic matter to the root circle - mature manure or compost.

For better flowering, the plant needs to be fed

Diseases, pests and possible difficulties during cultivation

The cottonweed is resistant to diseases and pests. Possible problems:

1. Sometimes a whitefly appears on the bushes; it sucks the juice from the leaves, which causes them to dry out. Treatment with Fufan, Rovikurt or Actellik is effective in controlling the pest.
2. When there is excess moisture, the plant becomes affected by mold. To save it you need drainage and reduced watering.
3. With a lack of moisture, the leaves dry out and fall off. In this case, spraying helps.
4. The reason for the dropping of buds may be drying out of the soil due to the heat. The plant requires watering.

Shelter for the winter

All cottontails, except the Syrian, need shelter for the winter. For this purpose, mulching with sawdust or dry bark is used. Before wintering, dry shoots are pruned, leaving only a 10-centimeter fragment above the ground. Cut stems along with dry leaves are used for insulation.

Use in landscape design and combination with other plants and flowers in the garden

Due to the tendency of the cotton grass to grow throughout the site and its large size, the use of perennials in landscape design difficult.

With lush green and beautiful flowering bushes enclose relaxation corners and effectively cover household and technical garden objects (irrigation devices, compost pits and other containers).

Multi-colored cottonweed looks impressive in ring beds against the backdrop of lawns.

The cottonweed looks good among other plants

Good neighbors for tall bushes are tall herbaceous plants and cereals. Echinacea, asters, speedwell, large bells and physostegia go well with cottonweed.

Medicinal properties of the plant and use in homeopathy

Milkweed has a centuries-old history of use as a medicinal plant.

Due to the presence of cardiac glycosides, similar to strophanthin, it helps with heart and vascular failure; drugs based on it are also effective for shortness of breath, arrhythmia, and tachycardia.

The plant also has expectorant, antispasmodic, and antimicrobial effects. IN medicinal purposes inflorescences, roots, seeds and milky juice are used, from which tinctures, decoctions, and powders are made.

Thanks to amino acids, cottonweed extract helps fight various skin diseases. This and other plant-based forms are used in phytocosmetics as an anti-aging agent.

Carefully! The milkweed contains the glucoside asklepiadine, which has a powerful laxative effect. An overdose of drugs based on it is fraught with serious poisoning and can be fatal.

You can get acquainted with the features of growing cottonweed in the proposed video. Enjoy watching!

Swallowweed, asclepias, milkweed or Syrian milkweed belongs to the family Kutrov from North America. The plant was brought to Russia in the nineteenth century, both for decoration and for industrial purposes.

According to the botanical description, Syrian cottonweed is represented by a bush that grows up to two meters in height. Inside the biological structure of the plant, there is a presence of white liquid, which is popularly called milky juice. The lanceolate leaves of Asclepias are green, with pronounced veins of beige and reddish tones. They are located oppositely, have an oblong appearance, a wavy edge, and a size of up to thirty centimeters in length and twelve centimeters in width. At the top of the shoots there are umbrella-shaped inflorescences, on which sit fragrant flowers of pink, red and purple tones. The flowering phase is observed in the summer and autumn seasons. After the flowering period, a seed box is formed in the form of a green shell (8-10 centimeters), as it has beautiful surface and similarity upon opening. The ripening of brown seeds, which cover the capsule in clusters and have white pubescence, can occur in warm climates. Aroma flowering bush Reminds me of the smell of a candy store, particularly chocolate. Due to the presence of white fluff on the seeds, the plant received the name - cottonweed.

Asclepias Cornuti is another name for the cottonweed, which appeared in honor of the Italian botanist. Cornuti, seeing the cotton grass, mistook it for another culture.

The root system of the plant is represented by shoots that take root vertically and horizontally in the soil. It is difficult to call them powerful, so it is better not to propagate by root division, since when digging up a bush, the roots are damaged.

The genus of cottonweed has several species that differ in botanical structure, climatic conditions of growth and care. The most adapted to our climate are Syrian milkweed and Asclepias meat - red (incarnate color).

The meat - red milkweed - is slightly smaller in size than the Syrian one, and grows up to one and a half meters in height. The shape of the bushes, leaves, stems and inflorescences is similar to the Syrian cottonweed, only the color of the umbrellas is purple, red or burgundy. The smell when flowering is not too intense.

Syrian milkweed and red meatweed are perennial plants that withstand frost well. In harsher winters, both species, like others garden plants, need shelter and mulching of the soil.

The flowering phase is observed from mid-June, as well as in July, August and September. The duration of this phase can reach more than a month. After the end of this period, the next one begins - fruit ripening, which occurs especially actively during warm autumn weather.

Properties and application

Seminal hairs are white and tender to the touch; they quite abundantly cover the ripe seeds inside the fruit. When you open the fruit, a decent wad of cotton wool is placed in your hand, which prompted the biological industry to use the plant as an analogue of cotton. Such material can be used in the manufacture of fabric by adding fibers to silk, cotton and wool. The beauty and naturalness of the resulting material created great popularity for some time. It was propagated, grown and provided with appropriate care on many land plots, both private and public. Over time, the woven fabric ceased to be in demand in the spinning industry, since the woven hairs were not strong enough, which negatively affected the quality of the resulting material.

In modern times, the cotton wool of the plant is well used in furniture industry, but emerging synthetic alternative materials are pushing the fleece into the past.

For medicinal purposes, some healers use the milky sap secreted by the plant. According to its ability to cleanse and heal the skin, it can remove some growths, warts and papillomas. When large areas of the epidermis are affected, as in psoriasis, cottonweed juice can be added to bath water. To prepare infusions and decoctions of the plant, flowers, leaves and roots are collected. IN chemical composition cottonweed contains amino acids and other organic compounds, which can strengthen the immune system, maintain cardiotonicity, that is, stabilize cardiovascular disorders. Some herbal mixtures for the treatment of arrhythmia and angina pectoris include Syrian milkweed. The cosmetology industry also uses cotton wool raw materials for the production of regenerating and anti-aging creams. Some recipes traditional medicine It is recommended to add plant leaves to salad in the spring.

In ancient times, the milky juice of Asclepias was used as rubber, since its components are elastomers. To obtain plant materials, cottonweed plantations occupied large areas of land, and workers were hired to provide care. During the processing of juice, the elastic properties of the rubber plant did not correspond to the high quality of the products, so the plant could not be compared with other rubber-bearing plants. In the process of producing latex synthetically, the need for cotton wool disappeared.

The umbrella-shaped inflorescences of cottonweed contain a large amount of essential oil. The remaining amount is accumulated in other parts of the plant. It is the aroma of this oil that spreads over long distances during the flowering period of the cotton grass. The smell has been compared to chocolate, floral, vanilla, and does not leave people with different tastes indifferent. For this reason, cotton wool is widely used in cosmetology for the manufacture of perfumes. To do this, they cultivate, collect and properly care for the inflorescences in which greatest number cavities and secretory glands of essential oil.

If you plant a milkweed and it grows over an area of ​​a hectare, you can collect a considerable amount of honey. Bees and other insects love to collect nectar during the flowering period of cottonweed. Under conditions of proper care when growing the plant, its flower will be large and honey-bearing. The resulting bee product is considered especially beneficial for the human body if it contains cotton wool. It acquires a certain color, taste, smell and usefulness.

Growing and care

You can plant cotton wool in the garden near the fence, as well as on an empty plot of land, which is located on the personal territory. It is not worth planting close to garden and annual ornamental crops, as it can survive neighboring plants. Some perennials combine well and create a decorative picture, of which we can highlight: bells, meadows, pearl barley, reed grass, pikeweed, miscanthus, physostegia, echinocea and aconites.

In order to root system did not shoot over long distances, the planting of the cottontail is carried out with spatial restrictions. This technique is done to prevent the growth of horizontal roots and the formation of a bush. You can use a large container, tire or other material that will provide walls in the ground. In this case, the cotton grass grows into a large, lush and fragrant bush that does not affect neighboring plants. To grow cottonweed, you need to know that it propagates by seeds and cuttings. You can also divide the root, but this is difficult since it is quite fragile. Like many plants, cottonweed loves light, loose and fertilized soil, but if such qualities are not top level, then the survival of the culture does not suffer. Cottonweed seeds are collected in September or October and, provided they are sufficiently ripe, planted in the substrate. At the same time, you can cut off the shoots and propagate the milkweed by cuttings. Planting of cuttings is also carried out in the spring. In this propagation practice, it is difficult to remember a case when the milkweed did not grow. The bush blooms after three years.

The main thing for a cotton wool grower is sun, water and fresh air. Sunlight participates in plant photosynthesis and even scorching rays do not cause burns on the leaves and do not dry out the soil. Planting shrubs in open sunny areas will not violate the rules of plant care.

Watering for cotton wool is needed not abundantly and not too often. According to observations, heavy rains and groundwater sufficiently moisten the bush, and it can survive drought for a long time in beautiful blooming form. You can water the milkweed once a week, or even every ten days, it depends on the type of crop.

It tolerates cotton wool and pruning well. This procedure is carried out in the fall, while cutting off internal branches and overgrown shoots to form the crown of the plant, add decorativeness and ensure breathability.

The climate of our region is quite suitable for the milkweed, both sultry summers and frosty winters. The plant can withstand all weather conditions for several years. Some gardeners remain unchanged in their schedule for caring for the plants of their garden, so they mulch the soil of all crops, and also protect them from frost and heat, which does not interfere with the milkweed plant.

Of the eighty species of Asclepias, which are recorded in both Africa and South America, we can distinguish:

• Tuberose;
• Kurasavsky;
• Fruticose;
• Tuberous.

These species can sometimes be grown in our latitudes, but the plants may not be as unpretentious as their relatives and cannot withstand winter. Such species require certain care in planting, providing temperature conditions, watering, pruning, fertilizing and other techniques. By external signs, varieties have different bush sizes, shapes of branches, leaves, flowers, as well as their color. Orange, yellow and pink cottonweed inflorescences are observed.

Vatochnik, or asklepias (lat. Asclepias)- a genus of the Kutrovaceae family, which includes more than 200 species of shrubs, subshrubs and herbaceous perennials from South and North America. Members of the genus include both deciduous and evergreen species, and some of them have gained popularity as cultivated ornamental plants. The genus received its Latin name in honor of Aesculapius (Asclepius) for medicinal properties some of their representatives. The famous missionary, linguist, historian and explorer of Mexico, Bernardino de Sahagún, in his work “General History of the Affairs of New Spain,” cited evidence from the Aztecs that they used cotton wool to treat tumors arising from bone displacement.

Cottonweed came to Europe in the 18th century as an industrial crop and spread very quickly: rope and stuffing for furniture and soft toys were made from the fibers of its stems. Later, film and all kinds of life-saving equipment were made from it. With the advent of rubber, interest in cotton wool as a raw material was lost, but this plant can still be found in gardens and parks.

Planting and caring for cottonweed (in brief)

• Landing: sowing seeds in open ground - in early spring, immediately after the snow melts, sowing seeds for seedlings - in late March or early April, planting seedlings in the garden - in early June.
• Bloom: summer or autumn.
• Lighting: bright light.
• Soil: fertile loam of slightly acidic reaction.
• Watering: in the evenings: after planting - often, and when the seedlings take root - only during the drought period.
• Feeding: in poor soil: in the spring - potassium sulfate, urea or compost, before flowering - a complete mineral complex, after flowering Nitrophoska is added. When grown in fertile soil, fertilizing is not needed.
• Reproduction: seeds, cuttings, division of rhizomes.
• Diseases: stable
• Pests: whiteflies and spider mites.

Read more about growing cottonweed below.

Cottonweed flower - description

The asclepias plant can reach a height of 1 m. It has a horizontal, thickened, far-spreading rhizome, thick stems with opposite or whorled, less often alternate large leaves that have an ovoid, oblong or elliptical shape, and multi-flowered umbels of large brown or red flowers . Cottonweed blooms in summer or autumn. After flowering has completed, fruits filled with pubescent seeds ripen on the plant, which is why representatives of the genus are called cottonweeds.

In America, they even stuff pillows with this down. In the middle zone and in places with cooler climates, seeds rarely ripen, but in areas with warm winters they not only have time to ripen, but also produce abundant self-sowing. The milky sap of all plants of the genus is poisonous and causes irritation and redness of the skin, especially when exposed to sunlight. Asclepias juice, like celandine juice, is used to remove warts. The cotton plant honey plant attracts not only bees, but also butterflies for pollination: monarch butterflies especially like it.

Planting cottonweed in open ground

When to plant cottonweed in the ground

Growing cottonweed from seeds in our climate is carried out both by seedlings and without seedlings. Seed material for this plant remains viable for three years, but you can’t collect the seeds every year: they require a very hot summer to ripen. However, you can purchase seeds at the store.

In the photo: Flowering cottontail in a flowerbed

Cottonweed seeds should be sown for seedlings at the end of March or beginning of April in a box with drainage holes and a loamy substrate. Seed the seeds to a depth of 10-15 mm, after which the crops are moistened with a spray bottle, covered with film or glass and placed in a warm place. Every day, condensation is removed from the film, the crops are ventilated, and the substrate is sprayed with a spray bottle once every 2-3 days. The seedlings emerge amicably after 10-15 days, and subsequently they are kept at a temperature no higher than 18 ºC, and when the seedlings become stronger, the covering is removed from the box.

There should be no problems with growing seedlings. At the stage of development of seedlings with two pairs of true leaves, they are planted in separate cups with a drainage layer 2-3 cm thick and a substrate of the same composition in which you sowed the seeds. The first two days after transplantation, seedlings require protection from sunlight. As soon as they take root, they are pinched. After two weeks of hardening, asklepias seedlings are planted in the flower garden in early June according to a 0.5x0.5 m pattern. The first flowering of cottonweed from seeds occurs in the third or fourth year.

You can sow the cottonweed flower directly into the flower bed. Sowing seeds in the ground is carried out in early spring, immediately after the snow melts. Choose a site that is well-lit and has cultivated soil. The optimal soil composition for asklepias is fertile, slightly acidic loam.

How to plant cottonweed

The area is first dug up to the depth of a spade bayonet, removing weed roots, after which the surface is leveled and furrows are made in it. Cottonweed seeds are sown to a depth of 3 cm and watered abundantly after planting. When sowing in dry soil, it is advisable to cover the beds with film to speed up the emergence of seedlings.

Some types of cottonweed require limited space, since their shoots can sprout almost a meter from the mother plant. If you want to control the growth of cottonweed, use a limiter or grow the plant in a container dug into the ground with drainage holes. In one place, with good care, Asclepias can grow for up to 15 years.

Caring for cottonweed in the garden

Planting a cotton grass and caring for this plant in the open ground comes down to the usual procedures for any gardener: watering, loosening the soil, weeding, fertilizing, forming and rejuvenating the bush, and if necessary, you will also have to treat the cotton grass from diseases and pests.

Do not forget to remove faded inflorescences, to prolong the flowering of asklepias, and trim the flower stalks after flowering, unless you plan to harvest seed.

Watering and fertilizing cottonweed

Immediately after planting, both Asclepias seeds and seedlings need frequent watering. Later, when the bushes get stronger, their powerful and branched root system will be able to independently provide them with moisture, but in dry times you will still have to water the cotton grass in the evenings. For irrigation, rain or sun-heated and settled tap water is used.

In the photo: How the cotton grass blooms

There is no need to particularly pamper the plant with fertilizing. Fertilizers in the form of potassium sulfate and urea, rotted manure or compost are applied to the poor soil in the area with cotton grass in the spring, as soon as young green shoots appear. You can feed asklepias with complex mineral fertilizer before flowering begins, and after flowering, add Nitrophoska to the soil. If you grow cottonweed in fertile soil, it will not need additional nutrition.

Replanting the cottontail

In one place, cotton grass can grow for more than 10 years. If there is a need to replant the plant, then it is advisable to combine this procedure with dividing the bush in the spring or in the second half of summer. The cotton grass plant tolerates transplantation well, you just need to prepare it in advance new site and water the plant before digging, so that soil remains on the roots. Planting and caring for asklepias in a new place is carried out according to the scheme already described in the article.

Reproduction of cottonweed

Propagate cottonweed division of the rhizome, Just like replanting the plant, it is also better in the spring or after the asklepias has faded. The bush is dug up, divided into parts, each of which should contain a piece of rhizome with a bud, then the sections are planted in pre-prepared holes. Parts of the cotton grass take root very easily, and they will be able to bloom within a year. The cuttings need intensive watering for the first time, and it will be possible to return to a moderate regime of soil moisture as soon as the young plants have formed a strong root system.

They propagate the milkweed and cuttings which is carried out at the beginning of summer: young shoots are cut into pieces 15 cm long, the lower leaves are removed from the pieces, and the upper pair of leaf blades is shortened by half. The cuttings with the lower cut are placed in damp sand, after which the cuttings are covered with a transparent cap to create greenhouse conditions. Cuttings need to be planted quickly so that they do not lose milky juice. Cottonweed cuttings usually root within three weeks.

Votochnik after flowering

With the onset of autumn, the cotton grass needs to be prepared for wintering, that is, to provide it with shelter, for which dry fallen leaves, sawdust, crushed tree bark and other organic materials are useful. However, before mulching the area, you need to cut off dry shoots of cotton grass at a height of 10 cm from the ground. They can also be used as mulch for the winter.

Pests and diseases of cottonweed

Asclepias is extremely resistant to pests and diseases. Of the harmful insects, the whitefly, a small insect that resembles a moth and feeds on the cell sap of plants, can annoy the milkweed. They destroy the whitefly with the preparations Actellik, Fufanon or Rovikurt, preparing an aqueous solution from them in accordance with the instructions and spraying them on the plant leaves.

Sometimes the plant experiences discomfort due to too dry air. To increase the humidity level during severe drought, you should spray the cotton wool with warm water in the evenings.

During dry seasons, the cottonweed can be occupied by spider mites, also sucking arachnid pests. It is difficult to see them on the plant due to their small size, but a sign of their presence - the finest cobwebs - will help you determine the cause of wilting leaves and deformation of Asclepias shoots. Against spider mites Acaricide treatments are used: Actellik, Aktara, Fitoverm and other drugs of similar action.

Types and varieties of cottonweed

Three types of asklepias are grown in perennial culture, and one cottonweed is grown in gardens as an annual ornamental plant.

Or red cotton wool, or meat-red milkweed - a perennial plant native to the central and eastern regions of North America with branched leafy stems reaching a height of 120 cm. Elongated or broadly lanceolate, slightly pubescent leaves are located opposite on the stems. Fragrant pink-purple or red flowers, collected in umbels up to 6 cm in diameter, open in July-August. Flowering lasts a little more than a month. This species has been in culture since 1635. Best variety:

• Ice Belly– a plant up to 1 m high with white flowers.

In the photo: Asclepias incarnata

Tuberwort (Asclepias tuberosa)

Or asklepias tuberose, or tuberous milkweed reaches a height of 50 to 70 cm. This is orange cottonweed: its large inflorescences of bright yellow-red color decorate the plant from mid-summer and almost all autumn. The plant is frost-resistant, although it needs shelter during severe frosts.