Description and features of spirea wangutta gold fontaine

Peculiarities

Spirea Wangutta is an interesting hybrid belonging to the Pink family. This is a perennial shrub with a spreading, cascading or rounded crown, mainly curved shoots (there are erect subspecies). Botanical description indicates that the plant belongs to deciduous, highly decorative. The shrub shape makes it attractive for use in landscaping. A hybrid called Spiraea vanhouttei was obtained by crossing 2 other species: Spiraea cantoniensis and Spiraea trilobata. The resulting plant is also called meadowsweet by analogy with other spireas.

Interestingly, the emergence of a new species occurred naturally in nature, and such cases are not uncommon for this genus of plants. The shrub is rather large: it reaches 2 m in height and 3 m in diameter. It grows rapidly - in this the hybrid is noticeably superior to its parents.

Shoots cover non-pubescent obovate leaves with 3-5 lobes and a serrated edge. The outer surface is dark green, before falling off its hue varies from yellow to orange-red. The lower part of the leaves is darker, dull-gray. Their length reaches 3.5 cm. Inflorescences are multiple, have a hemispherical shape, evenly cover the shoots along the entire length. The flowers have white petals and a yellow center and form on branches that are more than 2 years old.

In cultural breeding of spirea, Wangutta has been used since 1868 and is deservedly popular due to its excellent decorativeness. The shrub is shade-tolerant, but does not withstand a significant drop in atmospheric temperatures. The plant does not suffer from this feature: the frozen branches recover rather quickly. Early flowering is characteristic of the Vangutta spirea, in June-July, manifestations of remontance are possible with the formation of a second wave of flowers in August.

How spirea Wangutta is propagated

Kerria Japanese photo, description, planting and care

At present, the reproduction of the ornamental shrub of the Vangutta spirea is possible in several ways: by seeds, cuttings, dividing the bush and layering. Each of them allows you to increase the beauty of your personal plot, but has its own characteristics and tricks.

Propagation by cuttings

Harvesting of cuttings from bushes blooming in spring should be carried out in June, and spirea, blooming in summer, at the end of July. The harvested cuttings take root by the middle of autumn.

For cuttings, a strong annual shoot is chosen and divided into cuttings with 5-6 buds. The lower leaves are removed from the cuttings, and the rest are cut in half. To increase the effectiveness, it is recommended to soak the resulting cutting in the Epin solution and an agent that stimulates the growth of roots. The sections remaining on the spirea bush must be treated with garden varnish.

The resulting cuttings are planted in a moist substrate, which can be vermiculite, sand, fertilized soil or perlite. In some cases, it is desirable to create greenhouse conditions by covering the container with seedlings and maintaining a uniform temperature and constant humidity in it.

It is important to periodically let them get enough fresh air, and during cold snaps to protect them from low temperatures. This can be done with foliage, branches, tops and any available material. Planting cuttings in open ground is carried out in the spring, when small shoots and root system appear

Planting cuttings in open ground is carried out in the spring, when small shoots and root systems appear.

The Vangutta spirea shrubs obtained in this way should be planted in pre-prepared planting pits, in which the soil is fertilized, and drainage is also provided.

In autumn, reproduction by layering gives a result - an additional root system is formed at the incision site, and a new seedling can be separated and planted.

Did you know?From long shoots, you can get several new layers at once by digging in the selected branch in several places.

How to plant?

Planting the Wangutta spirea in open ground does not even begin with finding a place and creating a hole. The first step is always choosing a seedling. Since the plant is hybrid, in order to obtain the exact correct varietal form, those plants that are presented in nurseries should be preferred.

When choosing a seedling in a container, you need to pay attention to the state of its root system. There should be no traces of drying out, decay on it.

It is worth paying attention to the state of the bark. The surface of the shoots should be smooth, even, without deformation and other defects

It is recommended to select seedlings directly on the eve of their placement in the ground. The optimal time for planting is autumn or spring: before the first buds appear or after the foliage falls.

The selection of a place for the Wangutta spirea is also of great importance. In general, the plant is considered unpretentious, but its flowering - abundance, duration - largely depends on the type of soil. It is optimal to use places with soil acidity not higher than 5–6 pH, well-drained, with sandy or sandy loamy composition. Sunlight is also important for spirea, especially when grown in temperate climates. It's good if you can provide her with the longest possible daylight hours.

Wangutta directly depends on the timing of planting spirea when it begins to bloom. Experienced gardeners prefer autumn planting after the leaves fall and get the first flowering of the bush in the spring. April seedlings will give inflorescences at the end of August. The planting process takes place in a specific order.

• At the chosen place, a planting pit is prepared with a diameter larger than an earthen lump with roots by 20 cm, but not less than 50 cm, including in depth. The bottom is lined with a 15 cm thick drainage layer; expanded clay, crushed brick can be used. If several holes are dug, a space of 0.7 m or more is left between them, or 0.5 m when forming hedges.
• The hole is allowed to settle for 2-3 days for the soil to settle. At this time, a planting mixture is being prepared, consisting of removed sod, half the amount of peat and fine river sand. All components are thoroughly mixed to obtain a composition with a homogeneous structure.
• The seedling is removed from the container or pot, the rhizome is lightly pruned, removing dry or decaying areas. Place in the center of the hole so that the root collar is above the level of its edges. The roots are covered with the prepared planting mixture, the top layer is carefully compacted. The plant is watered with warm, settled water. After that, the trunk circle is sprinkled with mulch abundantly.

After planting, Vangutta spirea requires regular, up to 3 times a week, watering in the dry season, weeding and mulching the soil. This will ensure good plant survival.

The subtleties of caring for Wangutta spirea

Spirea care in spring and autumn is quite simple and straightforward. Every gardener will easily master the basic preferences of this ornamental shrub. The basis of care is proper watering, feeding and timely pruning.

Watering and soil care

All spireas, without exception, can be conditionally attributed to plants that are able to grow on their own, without any human intervention. The whole process of caring for a bush can be easily reduced to moderate watering and minimal soil maintenance.

The location of the root system of this ornamental shrub is shallow, which is why there is a need to mulch the soil and water the spirea bush every 2 weeks, adding 2 buckets of water (20 liters) to the root of each plant.

Important! Spirea Wangutta categorically does not tolerate cold water, so irrigation with infused water should be organized (+ 15 ... 20 ° C).

Fertilizing and fertilizing plants

For feeding, it is best to use a complex mineral or organic fertilizer with the addition of superphosphates. Feeding should be organized at least once a season, and also always after each pruning in spring and autumn.

It is important to note that granular fertilizer has worked well as it is slowly absorbed by the root system and guarantees more active flowering and faster growth.

Spirea pruning

Sooner or later, there comes a time when the size of the shrub is simply forced to do "planned" pruning

It is extremely important that the Vangutta spirea bush, the pruning of which will be carried out, retains its original decorative appearance .. On the spirea, which blooms in spring and summer, flowers are located along the entire length of the branch, therefore only the damaged and outdated tips of the shoots need to be removed

It is recommended to completely remove shoots no earlier than after 7-8 years. This pruning involves removing the shoot at ground level. From the young branches of the bush during a major cleanup, it is advisable to leave no more than 6-8 wildly flowering shoots. Such pruning should be carried out annually, rejuvenating the entire spirea shrub.

On the spirea, which blooms in spring and summer, flowers are located along the entire length of the branch, so only the damaged and outdated tips of the shoots need to be removed. It is recommended to completely remove shoots no earlier than after 7-8 years. This pruning involves removing the shoot at ground level. From the young branches of the bush during a major cleanup, it is advisable to leave no more than 6-8 wildly flowering shoots. Such pruning should be carried out annually, rejuvenating the entire spirea shrub.

The average duration of the bush, which is regularly and, most importantly, properly rejuvenated, reaches 15-20 years with active annual flowering.
Thus, for the spirea, proper planting and care, feeding and pruning – essential ingredients for good growth and long life.

Step 1. Pruning the spirea

All spireas easily tolerate pruning, so do not be afraid to cut the bushes - they will not get worse. For work, a sharp pruner will be enough for you, because the branches of spirits rarely reach such a thickness that you have to saw them.

Removal of dry inflorescences

First of all, carefully cut off the dry clusters of the inflorescences. They are usually thin, and the branches on which the flowers are located are already dry. It will take you a lot of time, because even young spirea bushes dissolve more than a dozen brushes, many of which are located in the depths of the crown.

Removing dead and weak branches

After the bush has been cleared of brown spots, proceed with sanitary pruning. Feel free to cut off dried and broken branches - they will no longer heal, and pathogenic bacteria can get into the wound.

Thin shoots growing from the ground deep into the crown should also be removed. They thicken the center of the bush, do not affect flowering and are wasting energy. Prune them to ground level, without leaving buds on the surface, so that the spirea does not produce several even thinner branches instead of one removed.

Thinning the crown from the root

To thin out the spirea, i.e. it is possible to carry out formative pruning only starting from 4-5 years of age, before that the bush is not yet too thickened. The more sunlight hits the branches, the more abundant their flowering will be, so the center of the bush must be forcibly unloaded.

If you do not know which branches to remove and which to leave, choose for cutting those that are clearly lower than others, have many branches, almost did not bloom. As a rule, they are located in the very center and are the oldest.They can also be distinguished by their thickness at the base and the abundance of bare branches, on which leaves are only on the very last buds.

Do not spare the branches that grow parallel to the ground at the very bottom of the shrub. You can try to make layers out of them, or you can not dilute the dampness in the root zone and immediately cut them out.

Spirea care after pruning

Although spirea bushes are undemanding and grow even in urban conditions, if you want lush flowering, you should not leave them without care. However, this culture will require a minimum of care. Spirea should be watered only during prolonged (longer than 2 weeks) drought or at very high temperatures. Like other shrubs, she does not like when sunlight plays with water drops on the leaves, and therefore it is better to water in the evening or at the root.

Weeding spirea is also voluntary, but you need to cut the grass under it regularly, especially if you grow small varieties. The point is not even that in the fight for nutrients with thistle and wheatgrass, spirea can lose, but that weeds, making their way through its dense crown, become practically indestructible and badly affect the decorative effect of the entire composition.

And finally, feeding spirea, which is carried out 2-3 times a year, can consist of both complex mineral fertilizers and organic matter. The bushes respond well to watering with a 10% solution of chicken manure or manure, infusion of cut grass with bread, mulching the trunk circle with compost. The first feeding of spirea occurs at the beginning of May (before flowering), the second is carried out immediately after flowering, and the third (nitrogen-free) is at the beginning of September.

Step 2. Cutting spirea

Do not rush to throw away or burn the cut branches - they will come in handy if you plan to propagate your shrub. Spirea grows quickly, easily takes root when rooting both green and lignified cuttings, it feels great on most soils and blooms luxuriantly, and therefore it is worth decorating your garden or area in front of the fence with its plantings. In addition, by drawing a spirea, you can save a lot on planting material and become owners of plants with all maternal qualities.

Cutting spirea cuttings

Young, straight branches, with leaves growing from each internode, are best suited for rooting.

They need to be cut into a length of 10-15 cm, but at the same time there should be at least 4 pairs of buds on each cutting.

The lower cut is made oblique and placed under the kidney, the upper cut is straight and above the kidney.

After that, the lower 1-2 pairs of leaves are removed, and the upper ones are cut in half.

Cut cuttings are placed in a solution of indoleacetic or indolylbutyric acid (Heteroauxin, Kornevin, Root Super, etc.) for 6 hours.

Preparing cuttings for rooting

After the cuttings have stood for the allotted time in the solution of the rooting stimulator, they need to be taken out, shaken off and dipped into the stimulator with a lower cut. Powder or granules adhering to the cuttings do not need to be shaken off - this is how they are immersed in the ground.

We start spirea Wangutta

It is not difficult to get a beautiful ornamental shrub even for a gardener with little experience, if planting and care is carried out taking into account the advice of experts.

The best place for the Wangutta spirea is a well-lit slope or hill with light soil, without stagnation of groundwater.

Landing

In the Vangutta spirea, the planting corresponds to the flowering period of a particular variety:

• in the fall, after the leaves have completely fallen off, varieties that bloom in the spring are planted;
• in the spring, varieties are planted, the flowering of which occurs in summer-autumn.

At any time of the year, only a leafless plant is transplanted, before the foliage blooms or after it falls.

Important: when planting, you should prepare a seedling: shorten the twigs by a third, trim the roots, remove the areas affected by the fungal disease

Gorgeous spirea bush

The finished seedling must comply with the proportions of the volume of the root system and the ground part. If necessary, the overgrown root system is thinned out, if the rhizome is weak - to maintain the proportion - cut off the excess branches. If the seedling has a closed root system, it is advisable to soak the roots for several hours in water before planting or spill a clod of earth abundantly.

Planting stages

Prepare a spacious planting pit (the volume of the pit should exceed the volume of the seedling rhizomes by 20-25%);

• Single landings: pit depth and diameter - from 50 cm;
• Group planting: the distance between seedlings is from 0.7 to 1.5 m;
• Hedge: seedlings are placed at a distance of 0.5 m from each other.

Fill the hole with drainage mixture (7-20 cm) before planting. To do this, combine sand, gravel and pebbles, as well as mixed earth, sand, peat in equal parts.

• Plant the seedling by placing the root collar slightly lower than the soil level.
• Compact the hole, trampling it down so that the soil level is even with the root collar.
• Water the plant abundantly.

Pruning

Bush hedge

To rejuvenate and shape the bush, plant pruning is systematically used.

Important: pruning is done at least 2 years after planting the shrub. The shrub itself suggests that it needs pruning: the branches become bare and partially dry out, the flowers become small

The shrub itself suggests that it needs pruning: the branches become bare and partially dry out, the flowers become small.

The timing of pruning of different varieties correlates with the timing of flowering.

• pruning on a stump;
• cutting of individual branches. This removes dry, diseased, old branches.

Reproduction

You can plant a Wangutta spirea using several methods:

• layering. Reproduction is carried out in the spring, by dropping a branch at the bottom of the plant. The next spring, the shoot overwintered under dry foliage can be transplanted;
• by cuttings. Harvesting of cuttings begins in the summer; after rooting, abundant watering is required (several times a day). Cuttings are planted in spring;
• seeds. Seeds are sown in the spring in flower containers or greenhouses. Seedlings appear after 10 days. You can start picking seedlings in 2-3 months.

Important: seed propagation is rarely used. This is due to the poor germination of Wangutta spirea seeds.

If you decide to use this method, use only fresh seeds.

The shrub responds well to mulching after planting

Care

A beautiful plant attracts gardeners with undemanding special care.

Bush

• grows in any soil;
• frost-resistant and drought-resistant;
• needs feeding only on poor soils;
• requires even watering as the soil dries up.

Important: if the seedlings were planted in the fall, they must be covered for the winter, despite the frost resistance of an adult plant. The shrub responds well to mulching after planting

For this, peat is used. Optimum mulching depth - 7 cm

The shrub responds well to mulching after planting. For this, peat is used. The optimum mulching depth is 7 cm.

Top dressing

Spirea Wangutta does not require special feeding. It is produced no more than once a season (usually in spring) with a complex mineral fertilizer. For a better effect, rotted manure is added to a warm solution of mineral fertilizer.

For better flowering, you can use double superphosphate, which is laid in the soil, making it more nutritious.

Reproduction of spirea

Spirea Wangutta is propagated in the following ways:

• seeds;
• cuttings;
• taps;
• dividing the bush.

Seeds

Spirea seeds are rarely propagated, since they do not germinate well. Sow in early spring exclusively fresh seeds in a mini-greenhouse. With proper care, seedlings will appear in 10-14 days.

They dive in 2-3 months. They are planted in open ground for the next season, when the root system of the bush gets stronger.

Cuttings

2 weeks after flowering, cuttings are cut from strong semi-lignified shoots. They are stuck in containers with peat and sand for rooting.

The plantings are covered with foil to create a greenhouse effect.

The finished seedlings are transplanted into separate pots. Seedlings are transplanted into open ground after a year.

Watch the video! How to grow a spirea from a cutting

Taps

The easiest method for breeding spirea. In early spring, a powerful semi-lignified shoot near the ground is laid out in a pre-dug trench, leaving the top above the surface. The shoot is fixed with a bracket and covered with soil. All season it is watered, mulched for the winter.

In the spring, the already rooted branch is disconnected from the bush and transplanted to a permanent place.

Dividing the bush

This method is used when transplanting a plant. The bush is dug up and divided into several parts, leaving a strong root system and developed shoots on the parcels. All cuts are treated with charcoal and planted in a new place.

Varietal variety

The selective breeding of Wangutta spirea has presented the world with more than a dozen beautiful varieties with snow-white or pale pink flowers. The most popular are the most spreading forms that look especially decorative. Modern breeding offers the opportunity to admire semi-double flowering or wait for the second wave of inflorescence formation. However, all varieties of this amazing plant deserve attention. And the most popular ones should be considered in more detail.

The White Bride. A luxurious, beautifully blooming variety that looks elegant and solemn thanks to the lush clusters of inflorescences. This plant is one of the most popular among landscape designers. The bush has a classic crown shape: umbrella-shaped with elegantly curved branches. The height of an adult plant reaches 2 m.

Snow white. The name can be translated as "snow white". This variety of Canadian selection, has an average size: it reaches a height of 150 cm with a wide spreading crown with a diameter of up to 180 cm. The plant is distinguished by large expressive inflorescences of pure white color. A luxurious variety for planting as a decoration for a view from a window or an entrance group.

"Renaissance". A variety bred to create spectacular "weeping" hedges. Belongs to the Wangutta group of spirits of American selection. In addition to lush flowering, it is also famous for its high resistance to the development of various diseases.

Pink Ice. An unusual variety of Vangutta spirea with a lush, rounded crown, strewn with pale pink inflorescences in season. The originality is also added by the fact that the plant has a mosaic leaf color from nature. A bizarre pattern on them is formed by 2 tones: beige-brown and olive. The bush is very decorative, it lends itself well to cutting.

Gold Fontaine. "Golden Fountain" is a variety of Wangutta spirea of ​​Polish selection. He is one of the youngest and has not yet gained wide popularity, belongs to the slowly growing. The adult plant reaches 120 cm in height and 50 cm in diameter, compact. Weeping branches, hanging to one side, are covered with lush corymbose inflorescences in summer. This variety has unusual creamy leaves that look very unusual against the background of the surrounding greenery.

Growing conditions

to light: shade-tolerant

to moisture: drought-resistant

to the soil: demanding

to temperature: frost-resistant

Homeland: France.

Planting and Care Most spirales are light-requiring and grow best in full sun.

Soil mixture: Sod land, peat, sand - 2: 1: 1. If the groundwater is close, drainage is necessary, consisting of crushed stone with a layer of 10-20 cm. The optimum soil acidity is pH 6-7.

Top dressing: In the early spring, 100-120 g of Kemira-wagon fertilizer are applied.

Watering: Moderate. In dry season and after pruning, 2 times a month, 1 bucket per plant. Young plants in dry season require more frequent and abundant watering.

Loosening: Young plantings are loosened when the soil is compacted from irrigation and simultaneously with weeding.

Mulching: After planting, a layer of peat 7 cm Pruning: Well tolerates clipping, used for hedges and curbs. After pruning, quickly restores the crown. After flowering, it is recommended to cut off the faded shoots 1/2 of their length.

Pests:

Haplitsa

Aphid

Beet aphid

Sawfly

Preparation for winter: In harsh winters, the ends of the shoots can freeze in Spirea Nipponskaya and sharp-toothed. These bushes should be covered at the roots with dry leaves or peat in a layer of up to 10 cm.

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Spirea Wangutta: photo and description

The plant belongs to the fast-growing ornamental shrubs of the Pink family. A deciduous hybrid was obtained by crossing between two spireas - three-lobed and Cantonese. This variety has been known since 1868. If in the 19th century botanists managed to obtain plants with only white five-petal flowers and dark green leaves, today there are various forms of spirea with pink double flowers and variegated decorative foliage.

According to the description, the Wangutta spirea grows up to 2 meters in height, the diameter is exactly the same size, it has a spreading, cascading crown. The branches of the shrub are curved downward. Spirea leaves 3- or 5-lobed, obovate, serrated at the edges. Most often, their length is about 3.5 cm. The upper side is painted in a dark green saturated color, and the bottom is a dull bluish hue. Huge hemispherical inflorescences, consisting of white flowers, cover the shoots along their entire length. The blooming Wangutta spirea (pictured below) blooms in mid-June, and sometimes in early July, flowering continues for several weeks. In the second half of July or in August, the spirea blooms again, but the inflorescences are slightly less than in the first flowering. Wangutta fruits ripen by mid-autumn.