Aubrieta flowering period. Aubrieta is perennial: growing from seeds and planting in open ground. Planting and caring for the plant

Plant aubrieta (lat. Aubrieta), or aubration, belongs to the genus of creeping evergreen herbaceous perennial flowering plants of the Brassica family, numbering 12 species. Aubrieta is grown in rock gardens and gardens throughout Europe, and in nature it can be found in the Balkans, Italy, the south of France, Asia Minor and even in South America, where it lives on rocks and river banks. Latin name The flower was given in honor of the French artist Claude Aubrier, who worked in the genre of botanical illustration, and in our country it is called... empty talk. The blooming aubrieta is a bright continuous carpet. Characteristic feature The plant is that it retains its beautiful foliage even in winter.

Planting and caring for aubrieta (in brief)

• Landing: sowing seeds in open ground - in May or September. Sowing seeds for seedlings - at the end of February, planting seedlings in open ground - in the second half of May.
• Bloom: from mid-spring to early summer, blooms again in autumn.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• Soil: scanty, even rocky, but loose and permeable, containing peat or ash, with a pH of 6.0-7.0.
• Watering: moderate at the beginning and scanty as the plant develops. It is best to use the sprinkling method.
• Feeding: before flowering - with a solution of complete mineral fertilizer for flowering perennials, during the season the soil is mulched 2-3 times with a layer of organic matter 3-5 cm thick.
• Trimming: after the first flowering, the stems are cut off at the surface level of the site to stimulate the growth of new shoots.
• Reproduction: seeds and cuttings.
• Pests: aphid.
• Diseases: root rot, powdery mildew.

Read more about growing aubrieta below.

Aubriet flower - description

The aubrieta flower has an alternate leaf arrangement, the edges of its small, simple elliptical or obovate pubescent leaves are entire or serrated. Small four-petalled flowers of aubrieta, reaching a diameter of 1 cm, violet, purple, red-pink, blue, and sometimes white, are collected in few-flowered racemes. Aubrieta blooms profusely and for a long time - from mid-spring to early summer. In autumn, with proper care, it blooms again. The fruit of the plant is a pod with flat brown seeds.

We dedicated this article to a story about how to plant and care for aubrieta in open ground: how to plant aubrieta as seedlings, how to grow aubrieta on a windowsill, when and how to transplant aubrieta flowers to a flowerbed. You will learn all about the methods of propagation of aubrieta, as well as about diseases and pests that can threaten it.

Growing aubrieta from seeds

Sowing aubrieta

Aubrieta reproduces well by seed method- seedlings and non-seedlings, however, growing aubrieta by sowing seeds directly into the ground in May or September often leads to splitting of varieties. That is why we recommend you the seedling method as a more reliable one. Aubrieta from seeds blooms only in the second year. Aubrieta seeds can be purchased at any flower shop.

When to sow aubrieta seeds for seedlings? About two or two and a half months before the onset of heat - at the end of February. How to sow aubrieta? Sowing of aubrieta seeds is carried out in separate containers - peat tablets or peat-humus pots, in which you will then plant the seedlings in the ground. Seeds of 2-3 pieces are laid out on the surface of a damp substrate, covered with a layer of sand 3-5 mm thick on top, moistened sand cushion from a fine spray and place the crops under film or glass. Optimal temperature for seed germination 18-21 ºC.

Caring for aubrieta seedlings

Growing aubrieta from seeds is a simple process. Ventilate the crops daily, moisten the soil as needed. Shoots usually appear after 3-4 weeks, and as soon as this happens, the coating can be removed. Be careful with watering: aubrieta seedlings do not like wet soil. Two weeks before planting in open ground, if it seems to you that the seedlings are developing too slowly, feed the seedlings with a solution of complex mineral fertilizers in low concentration.

Picking aubrieta

The plant does not tolerate transplantation very well, so growing aubrieta at home from seeds does not involve picking. In order to avoid intermediate transplantation of seedlings - picking - we recommended sowing seeds for seedlings in separate containers.

Planting aubrieta in open ground

When to plant aubrieta in open ground

Aubrieta is planted in a flowerbed when the return spring frosts have passed - in the second half of May. Approach the choice of site very responsibly: the aubrieta in the garden should receive maximum sunlight - only then will you be able to see truly abundant flowering of the aubrieta. As for the soil, in this regard everything is very simple: the poorer the soil, the better for the plant. Aubrieta grows beautifully between stone steps and concrete slabs. The soil should be loose, permeable and contain a small amount of ash or peat. As for the level of acidity, soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction is preferable - pH 6.0-7.0.

How to plant aubrieta

Aubrieta is a flexible plant, so you can plant it in accordance with your idea of ​​what your flowerbed or rock garden should look like. The planting depth is determined by the length of the plant’s root system, the width of the holes is twice as large as the container in which the seedling grows. The distance between specimens is at least 5 cm. If you grew seedlings in a ceramic or plastic container, before planting, place it in water and hold it until bubbles begin to appear on the surface of the soil - after that, carefully remove the plant with an earthen lump and lower it him into the hole. After planting the aubrieta, compact the soil, mulch it with a 5 cm thick layer of sand and water it carefully.

Caring for aubrieta in the garden

How to grow aubrieta

Growing an aubriet flower is an easy and enjoyable task. An adult plant needs watering only when there is a long drought. If you frequently water the aubrieta in normal summer weather, you can provoke an abundant growth of greenery to the detriment of flowering. Young plants need more frequent watering than mature ones, but even here moderation must be observed. The best way watering the aubrieta - sprinkling. After watering or rain, the soil in the flowerbed needs to be loosened and weeded.

During the growing season, it is recommended to mulch the soil in the flowerbed 2-3 times with a layer of sand 3-5 cm thick. In the spring, before flowering, and in the fall, the aubrieta is fed with a solution of complete mineral fertilizer for perennial flowering plants.

Caring for aubrieta involves pruning the plant after spring flowering almost to the level of the surface of the site - this measure promotes the growth of new shoots with fresh, bright foliage, which will be an excellent background for other flowers in the flowerbed or in the rock garden until the time comes for the aubrieta to bloom again .

Reproduction of aubrieta

As you can see, planting and caring for an aubriet flower is not difficult and does not require much effort. The plant can also be propagated simply by cuttings and seeds. ABOUT seedling method We have already told you about growing aubrieta. But experienced gardeners prefer to sow aubrieta directly into the flowerbed. Sow the seeds in well-moistened soil, dug to a depth of 15 cm, cleared of stones and weeds and seasoned complex fertilizer, wood ash and lime (chalk). Sowing is not done too thickly; the seeds are not buried, but covered on top with a layer of sand 3-5 cm thick, which is carefully moistened with a watering can. Spring shoots appear in 10-20 days, and seeds sown in September will sprout only next spring.

Another way to propagate aubrieta is by cuttings. After pruning the plant in mid-summer, you will have plenty of plant debris to use as cuttings. Cuttings (cuttings of stems without flowers) are planted in a greenhouse in a substrate consisting of equal parts of peat and sand, and at the end of August, when they form roots, they are transplanted into permanent place. Before winter, the seedlings have time to take root and grow stronger. If winters in your area are too harsh or unpredictable, keep the cuttings in a greenhouse until spring.

Propagation by dividing the bush is best tolerated by shaving in spring or autumn. This is a rather painful process for the plant. It is performed according to the usual scheme: the bush is dug up, divided into parts so that each section has well-developed shoots and roots, after which the parts are planted in prepared holes. However, no matter how hard you try, a plant suffering from any transplant is unlikely to recover from such complex procedure, as dividing a bush, therefore we strongly recommend that you use cuttings or seed propagation of aubrieta.

Pests and diseases of aubrieta

Planting and caring for aubrieta will not be a burden to anyone, especially since this plant is extremely rarely affected by diseases and pests. Sometimes aubrieta becomes infected with powdery mildew - a fungal disease, a sign of which is whitish coating on the leaves and flowers of the plant, which becomes brown as the disease progresses. As a result of damage by powdery mildew, the aubrieta loses its decorative properties, its growth slows down, the diseased areas turn black and die, and the winter hardiness of the plant decreases. You can get rid of the disease by treating the plant with colloidal sulfur in accordance with the instructions.

Among the pests, the most dangerous for aubrieta is the aphid - a sucking insect that feeds on the cell sap of plants and spreads viral diseases. The pest is destroyed by treating the aubrieta with Fufanon, Karbofos, Arrivo or Biotlin. There can be from one to four treatment sessions - it all depends on the number of insects that have settled on the aubriet.

In general, aubrieta growing between stones is extremely rarely affected by diseases and pests.

Perennial aubrieta after flowering

How and when to collect aubrieta seeds

For those who want to do seed propagation aubrieta, we remind you that this method often does not preserve seedlings varietal characteristics. But if you still want to get seeds from aubrieta, then after spring flowering, when you cut the stems, leave two or three shoots with ovaries on the bush, and when the seeds darken, cut off the pods, remove the seeds and ripen them indoors or sow them before winter in the way that we described to you.

Preparing the aubrieta for winter

If after the first flowering of aubrieta, experts recommend pruning the shoots, then after the second, in the fall, on the contrary, it is advisable to leave both the shoots and leaves for the winter and prune only in the spring. The perennial aubrieta overwinters well under the snow, but in snowless winters with sudden temperature fluctuations the plant may die, so just in case, cover it with dry leaves or spruce branches.

Types and varieties of aubrieta

There are twelve species of aubrieta in nature, some of them are also grown in culture. Species such as white aubrieta, Croatian aubrieta, graceful aubrieta, Kolumka aubrieta are not frequent guests in our gardens, but some species are more widely popular. For example:

Aubrieta deltoidea

or obrieta deltoid - a herbaceous perennial, reaching a height of 15 cm, with deltoid gray-green leaves with one or two teeth on each edge. Purple blue or purple flowers plants of this species, collected in loose racemose inflorescences, reach 1 cm in diameter. Flowering begins in May and lasts a little more than a month. This species has been in cultivation since 1710, and is popularly called the “lilac bush.” Its variety Bougainville with light purple flowers with an orange center reaches a height of 20 cm. Deltoid aubrieta served as the basis for breeding the most common species - cultural aubrieta.

Aubrieta is a pretty herbaceous perennial that can amazingly transform your summer cottage plot. He will cover a rockery or alpine slide with a colorful carpet, creating bright background for other flowers in the flowerbed, it will decorate with a cascade vertical surfaces. The obrieta is also good as a potted plant. indoor plant. It can be grown as a balcony crop and gets along without problems with all its flowering neighbors on the site. It is best to grow the plant from seeds.

The color of the flowers of this highly ornamental plant can be very diverse. There are varieties with flowers:

• light blue;
• soft pink;
• purple;
• blue;
• raspberry;
• violet;
• lilac;
• purple;
• white.

The aubrieta comes from Southern European and Central Asian countries. This ground cover is suitable for continuous vertical and horizontal decoration of gardens and has been successfully used landscape designers all over the world.

Advice! Plants grown from seeds begin to bloom in May. next year. The flowering period lasts one and a half months. If you trim the shoots of aubrieta immediately after flowering, it may bloom again. Thus, it is easy to provide blooming carpet throughout the summer.

There are about 40 cultivated varieties of this plant. The most popular of them are five.

Variety	Picture	Description
		Plants 10 cm long, stems spreading to the sides. Large-flowered - flowers up to 5 cm in diameter, intensely pink in color. Can be propagated by cuttings and division
		Highly decorative variety. The shoots take root easily. May be blue in color different shades pink
		It blooms lushly and for a long time, about two months. Raspberry colored flowers. Used for vertical decoration - grows well on a frame
		Blue and bright blue flowers. Most frost-resistant variety. Blooms twice. Grows back well after pruning
		May be red, pink and turquoise color, but the most common colors are lilac and purple. Used for vertical decoration, as well as as a potted plant, in balcony boxes and on alpine slides

Earth, light, water

Aubrieta is difficult to classify as an unpretentious flower. It is demanding on three agrotechnical aspects at once:

1. Soil composition
2. Watering mode.
3. Lighting.

In addition, the plant is almost impossible to propagate by dividing the bush - it tolerates replanting very poorly and the survival rate of the divisions is low. Therefore, the seed method of sowing directly into the soil in a flower bed or alpine hill is optimal.

In order not to risk the loss of seedlings when picking and planting in the ground, when growing seedlings, aubrieta should be sown only in peat tablets. This way, the plant will not be damaged during transplantation.

When to sow

Aubrieta can be sown in the ground both in spring and autumn. In spring it is May. Autumn – October. If the seeds are sown in the spring, germination can be expected in 10-15 days. At autumn sowing the plant sprouts only next year in the spring.

The seeds are immediately sown in a permanent place at a suitable interval. Do not thicken the crops too much - the seedlings will not be able to develop normally, and the feeding area will not be sufficient for them. But there is also no need to sow ground cover too rarely. Optimal distance between bushes, depending on the variety, 15-20 cm.

Soil

It is very important to choose the site that best suitable for the plant. Aubrieta looks spectacular anywhere, but it will not grow well everywhere. She needs to be provided with easy nutrient soil with an alkaline reaction. Acidic soils are absolutely not suitable for the plant. Heavy clay soils are also contraindicated for the plant, but the plant likes sandy loam.

Advice! Aubrieta is a very light-loving plant. It makes no sense to sow it in the shade, since the leaves will stretch out, flowering will be sparse and the expected decorative effect will not work.

Before sifting, the soil needs to be prepared.

1. Clear of stones and weeds.
2. Dig to a depth of half a shovel handle (10-15 cm).
3. Add humus and wood ash if sowing occurs in the fall.
4. Add a mineral complex and wood ash during spring sowing.
5. Add chalk or lime (to the plant for successful development calcium is needed).
6. Loosen the fertilized soil so that there are no lumps and the structure is uniform.
7. Moisten the area.
8. Prepare a soil mixture of peat and sand for filling the seeds.

Sowing

Aubrieta seeds are not very large, flat, and brown in color. Before sowing, especially in open ground, they must be prepared and disinfected. Preparation can be done by soaking the seeds in a growth stimulant (epin, heteroauxin) dissolved in warm water, proportions and time - according to the instructions. Disinfection can be carried out using a dry method, dusting it with a fungicide, or traditionally keeping the seeds for one hour in a solution of potassium permanganate.

When sowing, the seeds are laid out on a prepared, moistened area at a given interval. The crops are sprinkled with a mixture of peat from the sands in equal proportions, and watered with “rain” from a watering can.

Advice! The aubrieta looks very beautiful in a rock garden. You can sprinkle the seeds between large stones (just place them there first). fertile soil). Aubriet shoots falling from the stones look fascinating .

Growing aubrieta for seedlings

Many people do not want to wait a year to get flowering plants, preferring to grow aubrieta seedlings. This can be done without loss if you do not pick the plants and plant them in the ground without removing them from the cup. Peat tablets and pots will help you grow seedlings at home. In this case, you can sow the seeds starting in February. Plants are planted in the ground in April.

Aubrieta grown from seedlings will bloom in June. A week after germination, the seedlings should be fed with a mineral complex for flower seedlings, and subsequently fertilized every 10 days.

Video - How to grow aubrieta from seeds

Plant care

The flowerbed where the aubrieta flaunts must be loosened monthly, all weeds must be weeded, and the plants must be watered by sprinkling or drip irrigation.

This ground cover is very fond of fertilizers, so it needs fertilizing at all stages of growth: from the very first - two weeks after germination, to the last - before the second autumn flowering. If you do not feed, the plants will not bloom as profusely as we would like. When feeding aubrieta, a standard complex of minerals is used (nitrogen + phosphorus + potassium).

At the stage of the beginning of growth, you need to use fertilizing with a high nitrogen content, then switch to a diet with a high content of phosphorus; at the stage of the beginning of flowering, the plant needs potassium most of all.

On fertile soils, the plant should be fed at least three times every two months. If the soils are not very nutritious, fertilizing will be needed every two weeks. Also, once every two weeks you need to fertilize plants in rock gardens and alpine slides and cascade varieties intended for vertical decoration.

Advice! Plus mineral complexes, twice a month (on different times, between main feedings), young plants can be additionally fertilized with sodium humate.

Three times during the growing season, the soil under the obrieta must be mulched with fine sand. After trimming the faded shoots, it is good to mulch the ground with a mixture of sand and peat.

Frequent watering is not required. Overmoistening of the soil will lead to the forcing of leaves to the detriment of flowering. However, in hot weather it is necessary to water the flower, at least twice a week.

Pruning can be done at the end of each mass flowering. You need to cut the stems sparingly to the very base. The plant will immediately send out shoots that will bloom again.
In order for this ground cover plant to be flowering and healthy, it must be treated with colloidal sulfur against powdery mildew, which often occurs in aubrieta. It can also be treated with insecticides against pests.

An undeniable advantage

In addition to the long, abundant, beautiful flowering this plant has one more important advantage– it is not afraid even of extreme cold. Aubrieta does not shed its leaves in winter, and freezes only when very low temperatures, below 30 degrees below zero. Therefore, the decorative effect remains all year round for many years.

Aubrieta refers to luxurious plants, caring for which causes some trouble, but the result is decorative effect The amount this flower produces in the area is well worth the effort.

Aubrieta (lat. Aubrieta) is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Brassica family. The name is given in honor of Claude Aubrier, a French artist who worked in the style of botanical illustration. The plant can also be found under the name aubretia, popularly known as windbag.

Aubrieta is very popular horticultural crops. This unpretentious ground cover grows quickly, forming a continuous living mat. The height of the cushion is only 10-20 cm. The leaves are small, elliptical in shape, pubescent, have whole or jagged edges, attached alternately on short petioles. The plant is evergreen - with the onset of cold weather, the leaf cover remains.

When does aubrieta bloom?

What is the flowering period for aubriet? Flowering is not only lush, but also occurs in 2 stages: from late May to mid-July, the second wave occurs in September (about 35 days).

During the period, the bush is complemented by a haze of inflorescences. The corollas are four-petalled, reach a diameter of 1 cm, but their number is numerous: the flowers almost completely hide the leaves. The colors are blue, violet, purple, less often – white.

The fruit is a pod with small brownish seeds.

In the natural environment, lushly blooming living mats of aubretia can be found on rocks and river banks in the south of France, the Balkans, Italy, Asia Minor, and South America.

Shaving in the garden is an interesting and uncomplicated process. A variety of species and varieties allows you to emphasize the individuality of your site.

Growing aubrieta aubretia from seeds at home

Aubrecia reproduces well by seeds. Most often, aubrieta is grown through seedlings.

• Start around the end of February.
• Seedlings do not need picking or intermediate transplantation - sow immediately in individual containers.
• Peat-humus pots or peat tablets are perfect.
• Moisten the soil, place 2-3 seeds on the surface, sprinkle with sand (layer no more than 0.5 cm), and also moisten the sand cushion with a fine spray.

• Cover the crops with glass or film, germinate in diffused light, ensure the air temperature is within 18-21 °C. Ventilate the crops daily.
• Expect the emergence of seedlings within 3-4 weeks - when they appear, the cover can be removed.
• Water the soil with caution, avoiding waterlogging.
• If the sprouts develop poorly, a couple of weeks before transplanting into open ground, feed them with complex mineral fertilizers (keep the concentration low).

Carry out shavings in open ground when the threat of return frosts has passed. Pre-harden the seedlings.

How to plant aubrieta seeds for seedlings, watch the video:

Planting aubrieta aubretia with seeds in open ground

Experienced gardeners aubrate immediately into open ground. This can be done in the spring (around April) or before winter (mid-late September).

Pre-prepare the area: dig up to a depth of about 15 cm, clear away weed, stones, apply complex mineral fertilizer, wood ash. Level the bed. Distribute the seeds over the surface of the ground, sprinkle on top with a layer of sand or garden soil (3-5 cm thick), and carefully water from a watering can.

How long does it take for aubrieta to emerge? When sown in the ground in spring, seedlings will appear in 10-20 days. The plants will need to be broken through, leaving at least 5-7 cm between them.

Propagation of aubrieta by cuttings and dividing the bush

Aubrieta is propagated vegetatively: by cuttings and dividing the bush.

Cuttings of aubretia

After spring, you will receive many cuttings. Select the strongest ones, plant them in a sand-peat mixture under a film cover, regularly water and ventilate them, and remove the film when it gets warm. By the end of summer, the seedlings will have a well-developed root system– transplant them to a permanent place of growth. Before the onset of cold weather, the seedlings will take root successfully. If the winters in your region are harsh, it is better to keep the rooted cuttings in a greenhouse until spring.

Dividing the bush

This is done extremely rarely, since the plant tolerates the procedure painfully. This is done in spring or autumn. Carefully dig up the bush, divide it into parts (each section should contain roots and well-developed shoots), and plant it in previously prepared holes.

Reproduction of aubretia by layering

Aubrecia can be easily propagated by layering: lodging shoots can be sprinkled with earth and by the end of the season you will get new independent bushes, which can be separated and planted in a permanent place in the fall.

Place for growing aubrieta

Choose your landing site carefully. The plant will be able to show its decorativeness to the maximum if there is a bright solar lighting: flowering will be abundant, the color of the inflorescences will be rich.

As for the soil: the poorer it is, the better for the plant. Oily, peaty, and clayey soils are not suitable - the aubrieta may not take root. Moderately fertile, loose garden soil is ideal. The reaction is preferably neutral or slightly alkaline. To reduce acidity, add wood ash or chalk.

Grows well on rocky soil (can be planted among concrete slabs, stone steps).

Planting and caring for aubration in open ground

When and how to plant

As soon as the spring sun warms up and the threat of night frosts recedes, you can begin transplanting aubrieta seedlings into open ground. Focus on climatic conditions your region ( best time landing - late April-early May).

Make holes according to the size of the root system, keep a distance of at least 8-10 cm between the bushes. Choose a planting scheme depending on your goal: whether you want to create a continuous carpet or scattered islands of bright colors.

The plant is unpretentious in care, but cannot be completely ignored. Care procedures come down to several points.

Watering

Water thoroughly immediately after planting in open ground. In the future, water only during periods of prolonged drought. Saturation of the soil with moisture leads to active growth of green mass to the detriment of flowering. Young plants will need a little more moisture, but stick to moderation. It is best to use sprinkling.

After watering and precipitation, loosen the soil and remove weeds. Remove weeds.

Mulching

Feeding

Frequent feeding can be harmful. It is not recommended to apply nitrogen-containing fertilizers or feed seedlings immediately after planting in open ground. The best option– application of mineral potassium fertilizer (you can limit yourself to applying wood ash) before the first flowering and after summer pruning.

Trimming

To maintain the decorative appearance of the bush, regularly remove faded inflorescences. After the end of the first wave of flowering, prune - the stems are cut off almost to the root. After repeated autumn bloom There should be no pruning; the plant should not go “naked” for the winter. In spring, trim the bushes, remove damaged shoots and leaves.

How to care for aubrieta and propagate it, look at the video:

Wintering the aubrieta

Perennial aubrieta successfully winters in open ground in the presence of snow cover. Its own green mass will not protect the plant from extreme cold. If a snowless winter with sudden temperature changes is expected, it is better to additionally cover with available materials (fallen leaves, spruce branches).

Diseases and pests of aubration

With proper care, the plant is not exposed to diseases and pests.

Excessive watering provokes rotting of the root system. At wrong choice soil, the appearance of the plant will be depressed, flowering may be absent.

Occasionally it is affected by powdery mildew (deformation of the leaf plates is observed, a whitish coating appears on them) - most often the affected plants are removed from the site and burned. The rest are treated with a solution of colloidal sulfur or a fungicidal preparation.

Pests: aphids, cruciferous flea beetle. Apply insecticide treatment.

Types and varieties of aubrieta with photos and names

Types and varieties of aubrieta differ in the structure of the plant and the color of the corollas.

Aubrieta deltoid or Aubrieta deltoidea

Aubrieta deltoidea variety Kitte Purple photo

People call it a lilac bush. The height of the bush is 15 cm. Sheet plates deltoid, with 1-2 teeth on each edge, gray-green in color. Loose racemose inflorescences consist of small flowers (corolla diameter about 1 cm) lilac or purple blue tint. Cultivated since 1710. Bougainvillea variety: plant height is 20 cm, flowers are light purple with an orange eye.

Aubrieta cultural or hybrid Aubrieta x cultorum

A group of perennial herbaceous plants no more than 20 cm high, in conditions temperate climate successfully winter under snow cover. The leaves are oblong, serrated. Flowers can be simple, double, semi-double. Some varieties can be grown as pot culture, some are suitable for cutting.

Let's look at the most popular varieties of cultivated aubrieta:

Cascade - leaves of a gray-green hue; red or blue inflorescences are decorated with a yellow eye.

Charming Morocco - has flowers largest size(about 1.5 cm in diameter), colors from blue to various shades of red and pink;

Aubrieta aubrieta Dr. Mules Aubrieta x cultorum ‘Dr. Mules' photo

Dr. Mules is a bush about 15 cm high with blue-violet inflorescences;

Borshiz White is a rare variety with snow-white inflorescences.

Côte d'Azur - shade inflorescences sea ​​wave decorate the garden throughout June-July, re-blooming starts in September and lasts until frost;

Aubrieta ‘Axcent Violet With Eye’ photo

Giant waterfall - bushes 15 cm high with flowers of purple, pink, red, lilac. It is a mixture of varieties - aubrieta violet, pink, red, lilac... On this winter-hardy perennial up to 15 cm high, flowers open with a diameter of up to 1 cm.

Aubrieta aubrieta ‘Hamburger Stadtpark’ photo

Also pay attention to the varieties Gloriosa, Don, Carnival, Queen, Blue King, Vanda, Triumph, Royal Cascade.

Aubrieta in landscape design

In landscape design, flowering aubrieta cushion bushes most often play the role of ground cover plant.

It looks spectacular on hills - plant it in rock gardens, some manage to plant aubretia in the cracks of the walls, which allows you to create a cascade of amazing beauty.

Aubrieta in facade design photo

The most best device garden - harmonious. It consists in selecting plants for decorativeness, proportions, flowering times, as well as ease of caring for pets. In order to have the opportunity not only to work, but also to enjoy your vacation, it is worth planting several complex plants and most of the unpretentious “lifesavers” on your plot.

We will talk about one such representative today. It has two names - OBRIETA And AUBRETION. Our gardeners and summer residents love it very much and generously share their knowledge on how to plant aubrieta and grow it in different ways and how easy it is to care for.

Beautiful aubrieta - time traveler

Aubrieta has attracted the attention of researchers for a very long time. Back in the mid-eighteenth century, it was described by the Frenchman Adanson and since then has been used in decorative landscaping everywhere: in the Middle East, Asia Minor, and Southern Europe.

An adult aubretia bush can cover a dense green carpet large areas. Twice a season, at the beginning of summer and from August until frost, the carpet becomes blooming. It is densely covered with many small flowers of white, reddish, pink and lilac shades. Even in winter, the aubrieta does not lose its decorative effect. Still the same dense green carpet goes under the snow and safely waits out the cold.

Of course, such an unassuming and hardy plant Our designers and gardeners could not ignore it, and now Aubrieta is confidently conquering Russian open spaces.

Reproduction and cultivation of aubrieta (aubretia)

In places of origin, aubrieta spreads by self-sowing. Like most perennials, it blooms in the second year and scatters seeds that can germinate in natural conditions. Gardeners are looking for the best way to grow aubrieta. Depending on the climate, soil composition and local conditions, any of the following options is possible:

1. Growing aubrieta from seeds: sowing in open ground and through seedlings.
2. Cuttings
3. Dividing the bush

Cuttings, perhaps the easiest way. The best results are obtained if you do this at the end of summer. You need to cut off the branches without flowers, soak them in root solution and plant them in cups with drainage and loose soil. When it becomes clear that the plant is viable, be sure to plant it in a permanent place in the garden so that it can adapt and prepare for wintering. A distance of 15 cm between seedlings will be quite enough.

It is extremely rare for aubrieta to bloom in the first year; it is busy developing a powerful root system. But from next year it will begin to delight with its spring blooms and lush islands of greenery sticking out from under the first snow in the fall.

Growing aubrieta from seeds

In what soil is it better to grow aubrieta?. Fat, fertile, peat soil You definitely don't need a shave; good drainage is more important for her. You can use cups, but most gardeners prefer any container, bowl, etc. with holes in the bottom, where drainage and light, slightly alkaline or neutral soil are poured. Subsequently, the container is broken or a clod of earth with seedlings is carefully taken out and the entire plant is planted in the prepared place.

Sowing seeds. Aubrecia seeds are quite small, so when sowing in a container, you only need to lightly “salt” them with soil and press them down with a spoon for a tighter fit. This way sprouts will appear faster. Do not cover with film! Aubrieta is afraid excess moisture. For watering, it is better to use a spray bottle.

Caring for seedlings. Caring for aubrieta seedlings is not particularly difficult:

• Moisten tiny sprouts in pots, tablets or containers with a spray bottle as the soil dries
• when they grow a little, apply moderate overhead watering
• plant in a permanent place when stable warm weather has established.

Planting aubrieta in the garden

Where to plant. For planting and growing aubrieta, a sunny place and poor soil with good drainage are best suited. It’s great if there is a rock garden, it will be very useful there. Stone steps or crevice in brickwork- that's all for her. The only thing is that if there are neighboring plants, the aubrieta seedlings need to be fenced off and provided with their own space, otherwise it will show compliance and become so crowded that it will disappear completely.

Timing for planting aubrieta. In areas with a humid and cool climate, planting aubretia in May with both seeds and seedlings is suitable. But where hot weather comes after May summer months, young plants are unlikely to like the scorching sun, and gardeners will not like the extra hassle of watering. In this climate, it is better to plant aubrieta in September. Any planting method can be used; during the long autumn the plant will have time to sprout and take root, and will bloom next spring, as it should.

How to care for aubrieta in the garden

In the garden, caring for young aubrieta involves watering as needed. We remember! The plant does not like excess moisture.

• The first is after emerging from the snow, and the next is after the first flowering and pruning. You can also feed in the fall. For fertilizing, complex mineral fertilizer is used. No organic matter and high nitrogen content!
• Mulching is necessary two to three times per season. river sand. This helps to ensure the desired soil structure and keep weeds out.
• After the first flowering, the aubrieta branches need to be cut off by more than half. This stimulates the emergence of new shoots, the growth of the bush and extraordinary decorativeness in the next flowering. In the fall, there is no need to do pruning, but in the spring, remove branches damaged during the winter and trim the shape of the bush.

Diseases and pests of aubrieta

Diseases

Gardeners who once planted aubrieta try not to part with it for many years. And it’s not just about its decorativeness or the ease of caring for it. Among other things, aubretia is rarely affected by pests and has excellent disease resistance.

In humid climates or improper care (overwatering), powdery mildew may appear. Then the shoots of the aubrieta become covered with a white coating, and this is the first signal for the use of antifungal drugs: Hom, Topaz, Zato, Fundazol, Forecast, etc. Most gardeners use colloidal sulfur and have good results.

Pests

Among insect pests, aubrieta has one enemy - the ubiquitous aphid. It is quite easy to detect and use drugs of your choice: Tantrek, Biotlin, Kalash, Iskra double effect, Kortlis, Mospilan, Imidor and others. It is important to follow the instructions and repeat treatments to avoid new insects emerging from the larvae.

The use of a solution of green soap, both separately and in a mixture with the selected drug, has a good effect. Soap forms an airtight film, envelops the affected plant along with aphids and larvae, thus preventing insects from breathing, and they die. And if an insecticide is also present in the working solution, then a double effect is obtained. With a film of green soap, the preparation is securely fixed to the branches of plants, is not washed off by rain and is not destroyed by the sun.

Options for using aubrieta in landscaping

• This wonderful flower appropriate everywhere. His traditional use- on the alpine slides, but how beautiful the aubrieta looks next to!
• Its white varieties are revealed early spring. They can successfully replace fading crocuses and snowdrops and serve as a frame for a flower bed with tulips.
• It is beneficial to combine aubrieta with other groundcovers, since many of these representatives bloom only once a season, but our favorite blooms profusely twice and stands out as a bright spot against the background of its neighbors.
• Aubrieta can cascade down the steps or, conversely, climb up the stonework, serve as a border and “flow out of a clay pot... This plant provides not only space for fantasies, but also the opportunity to realize these fantasies.

The most famous varieties of aubrieta (aubretia)

Absolutely all varieties of aubrieta are delicious and differ little from each other in terms of growing conditions and care needs.

However, some of them are short, up to a maximum of 10 - 12 cm in height, for example, Kolumka, Ariadne. Others are so tall that their shoots are used for cutting (Bougainville and Raspberry Sea aubrieta - more than 20 cm).

Individual plants form beautiful clumps (Charming Morocco, Kittie Blue), and the Giant Falls and Cascade varieties are able to fall in waves from hills and retaining walls.

The shade, shape and size of flowers are also for every taste and need:

Speakers Guss

Pink and soft purple flowers Guss Columcas are large, 4.5 cm in diameter,

Red Cascade

Red Cascade surprises with its unusual bright scarlet color...

Even in the period between flowering, the aubrieta is unusually decorative: the rich greenery of Red Cascade goes well with the pale green specimens of Doctor Mules and the grayish shoots of the Cascade aubrieta, and together with other inhabitants of the garden they create a luxurious pattern and a festive atmosphere.

Collect your own collection of varieties of this beautiful plant Anyone can do it, even a novice gardener, because aubrieta is easy to grow, hassle-free care and is harmonious in combination with a wide variety of neighbors.

Aubrieta

The aubrieta plant is one of the most attractive in the Brassica family - it is frost-resistant and remains decorative for several years. One of its features is the green leaves that overwinter under the snow. But above all, it is famous for the abundance and duration of flowering.

Wild representatives of the genus Aubrieta are widespread on the Eurasian continent, including eastern Central Asia. The plant received its name in honor of the French florist artist Claude Aubrier, who specialized in botanical images. Currently, there are 20 types of aubrieta. By their nature, they are all close to field rape.

Thanks to the work of breeders, the flower has found its place in gardens and flower beds in Europe and around the world. Most often they contain Aubrieta deltoid (A. deltoidea) and its varieties, as well as hybrids obtained with its participation. Such plants are usually called Aubrieta cultivated (A. x cultorum). However, in the scientific community, all aubriet hybrids are distinguished as separate species Hybrid aubrieta (A. x hybrida) is one of 20 species of aubrieta.

Using aubrieta in landscaping

All wild-growing aubrietas have low-growing bushes that form clumps, covered with small greenish-silver pubescent leaves, oblong-oval, sometimes jagged. Their flowers are four-petaled, small (up to a centimeter), but bright and numerous. They are collected in small inflorescences and during flowering almost completely cover the leaves.

Among the cultural obriets there are both simple and terry forms the following colors:
purple;
raspberry;
pink;
blue;
white.

In garden design, growing aubrieta is advisable, first of all, as a ground cover plant, because each of its bushes is average height 10-15 cm can grow horizontally up to half a meter. As they grow, the shoots easily take root and give birth to new individuals. Particularly relevant is the design of alpine slides, rockeries, rocky gardens. This plant is used to decorate various architectural forms, vertical slopes and walls - it seems that the aubrieta descends along them in a continuous cascade. Aubrieta is planted along garden paths. If the path is paved, then you can leave a window in it and plant aubrieta in it, or sow its seeds in the seams between the slabs. The plant looks good in flowerpots and hanging containers. Varieties with tall (up to 20 cm) shoots are suitable for cutting. It is noteworthy that in winter, under the snow, the leaves of the aubriet remain green. They begin to please the eye immediately after the snow melts.
Thanks to the new varieties and hybrids that have been developed, each site owner can choose a plant according to their taste and desire.

Varieties of aubrieta

Selection work on the plant has been going on for about two hundred years. The deltoid aubrieta variety “Taurikola”, obtained at the end of the 19th century, is still preserved. It has low, up to 5-6 cm, bushes and lavender-colored flowers 1.0-1.5 cm in diameter.
Now there are varieties with larger semi-double and double flowers, as well as with variegated foliage ( variegated ).
Wanda – variety with purple double flowers;
Doctor Mules - four-petal flowers with a diameter of up to 2.5 cm have a violet-blue color, the height of the bushes is 10 cm, the variety was awarded an award by the Krolevsky Horticultural Society of Great Britain.
Doctor Mules Variegated - differs from the previous one in variegated foliage (silver green leaves have a whitish-cream edge)
Alba - this variety of deltoid aubrieta has snow-white flowers, the height of the curtains is 10 cm;
Red Carpet is a hybrid of Aubrieta deltoid and Aubrieta pinardii, low 10-centimeter bushes cover red-burgundy large 1.5-centimeter bushes simple flowers;
Campbell - forms 10-centimeter curtains, covered with large, up to one and a half centimeters in diameter, light blue flowers;
Whitevel Jam - large-flowered aubrieta, bush height up to 15 cm;
Double Pink - variety with large flowers pale pink, arranged in two rows.

Of interest to gardeners is the hybrid Aubrieta variety from the “ Alpine slide", it includes:
Cascade blue - low-growing variety 10 - 11 cm high, the bushes are dotted with small leaves, the flowering period begins at the end of spring and continues in the first weeks of summer. Upon registration vertical walls the plant looks like a blue waterfall.
Cascade red - differs from the previous type in dark red flowers, looks great on the front line of landscaping in front of taller plants. When landscaping horizontal areas, red flowers look like a continuous bright carpet.
This series also includes “Cascade Violet” and “Cascade Mix”, which includes plants with blue, pink, and purple flowers.
Looks attractive variety Golden Emperor, which has purple flowers and leaves with a golden edge.
Recently, heterotic hybrids of the F1 aubriet series Audrey (Audrey) have appeared on sale. They are represented by varieties with different petal colors - red, pink, blue, bright blue, dark blue. All plants are distinguished by abundant and friendly flowering, a uniform shape of erect bushes, the height of which can reach 17 cm. Suitable not only for open ground, but also for potting.
After choosing a variety, all that remains is to learn how to grow aubrieta from seeds or cuttings, about planting it in the garden and caring for the plant.

Planting and growing aubrieta

To plant aubrieta on a plot, it is most convenient to grow it from seeds by choosing a bag you like in the store with its image and a description of its characteristics and agricultural technology. It is not worth harvesting seed material yourself, since seedlings obtained from seeds do not retain the characteristics of the mother plant. If aubrieta bushes are already growing on the site, you can propagate it by cuttings or daughter rosettes.

You can grow aubrieta from seeds either by direct sowing in a garden bed or by seedlings.

Seedless growing method

One of the ways to grow without seedlings is to sow aubrieta in open ground. late autumn. A site with good lighting and with soil, which has a fairly light structure and an alkaline reaction. If the soil is acidic, then you need to add lime or chalk to it. Sand is added to clay soil. Do not use peat under any circumstances. The site is dug up, the ground is loosened and watered. Planting aubrieta in partial shade, and even more so in the shade, is not permissible. In these cases, flowering may not wait. It is also prohibited for growing shavings in places with high humidity soil and spring flooding. Aubrieta reacts sharply to excess moisture and gets warm, so the plant is planted in places with good drainage, and elevations are encouraged. A painful reaction to excess soil moisture is the most acute problem when growing aubrieta.

The seeds are scattered over the surface, without burying them in the ground, covered with a layer of sand, its thickness should be about three centimeters. It is advisable to lay spruce branches and spunbond on top (remove the cover in the spring). Once installed warm weather, then the seeds will sprout. Since in the first days after germination the seedlings are thin, they need to be watered carefully, and it is better to fence the place itself with wooden sides so as not to lose the crops.

You can sow in the spring, after the soil has thawed and warmed up (seeds germinate at + 16 degrees). Otherwise, growing from seeds is the same. After about 15 - 20 days, shoots should appear from the seeds. It is important to regularly water young plants in the first year and feed them two or three times during the summer with a full range of mineral fertilizers. After overwintering, the young aubriet flowers will bloom for the first time.

Growing aubrieta from seeds in seedlings

In this case, sowing is carried out in late March - early April. The good thing about this method is that it is possible to grow a flowering plant from almost every seed, since in apartment conditions the seeds are not afraid of open ground weeds, as well as winter damping off or freezing.

Growing aubrieta seedlings is carried out similarly to growing most flower and vegetable crops from seeds. Suitable for this seedling boxes, bowls, any containers filled with soil for cabbage crops. The seeds are laid out on top and sprinkled with sand. Everything is moistened, covered with film, placed in a warm place with a temperature of at least + 15 degrees. When sowing into cells, place 4 seeds in each cell.

After the shoots emerge, the box with the aubrieta is placed in a well-lit, not too hot place - the aubrieta does not like it very much. high temperatures. When three true leaves appear on the plants, you can plant the seedlings in individual cups. At the end of May - beginning of July, holes are made in the prepared bed and seedlings are transferred there. A distance of 15-20 cm is left between plants. More dense planting is carried out in containers. After planting, the seedlings are well watered and the soil around is mulched with coarse sand or small stones.

Reproduction by cuttings

Cuttings are harvested in June; this can be done when pruning after flowering. They are rooted in a greenhouse. This process requires a soil mixture consisting of equal parts peat and sand. The greenhouse needs to maintain humidity levels. By August, roots appear on the cuttings; they can be transplanted to a permanent place, but it is safer to keep them under cover until the next season. It should be noted that many varietal aubriet plants are quite capricious, so in order to preserve their qualities, plants should be taken from cuttings annually. If you leave the plant without such care, in two to three years it may simply disappear.
Among all the methods of vegetative propagation of aubrieta, daughter rosettes take root best.

Caring for aubrieta in the garden

Aubrieta blooms for up to one and a half months from May to June. To ensure that the plant remains decorative for as long as possible, faded flowers are removed.

In dry summers with no precipitation, the plant, especially young ones, needs additional watering. It is important not to overdo it with water.

It is necessary to apply three times per season mineral mixtures, Aubrieta especially needs calcium. It is advisable to do this in the spring before flowering, in the summer after it ends, in the fall before the onset of cold weather.

After flowering ends, you need to prune the shoots. This will prevent the plant from growing and will keep it compact. After this procedure, the aubrieta will bloom a second time in the fall. If you do not remove the faded inflorescences, fruits are formed - pods up to 2 cm long. The ripening of seeds will require the plant's strength, which will deteriorate its appearance, and will not always contribute to reproduction, because we often choose hybrid aubrieta for planting in the garden.

Weeding, weed removal, loosening and mulching of the soil are also important for obrieta. And although the plant is considered a winter-hardy ground cover and is recommended for frost resistance zones from the fourth to the ninth, in the winter it is still better to sprinkle it with dry leaves, and remove the cover early in the spring. This is especially important for hybrid varieties.

Among the “enemies” of shaving cabbage flea beetles and aphid , which can gnaw out its castings, shoots, flowers. If not maintained correctly, bushes can be affected by a fungal disease - leaf spot. In all cases apply standard circuits control and prevention.

If the gardener finds a “common language” with the obrieta and organizes for her proper care, then it will decorate the area for many years and delight with a scattering of its bright flowers.