Evpatorium

Evpatorium is a real decoration of any garden. This plant will be able to find its place in any flower bed and in any composition. The name of this perennial herbaceous flower comes from the ancient Latin language. It was named after the famous king Yevpatorium, who often resorted to using Yevpatorium as a miracle drug that eliminates poisons.

In Russia, this flower was called a little differently. It has long bore the name Skeleton, due to the fact that it was incredibly similar to hemp, which at that time was called pasconia. However, cannabis is also sometimes called bastard. After all, at the time when these names were just beginning to spread, people could not even imagine that these are different species.

Skeleton Evpatorium: description of the plant

Evpatorium: photo of a flower

Evpatorium is a truly paradoxical culture. It has an incredibly complex root system. Usually, plants with this characteristic dominate significantly over others due to their resistance and real estate. However, next to Evpatorium, it is quite possible to plant almost any culture and you can be completely sure that they will get along with each other.

The height of one individual of Evpatorium varies considerably depending on which variety we are considering. For example, there are those whose height does not exceed a meter, and you can also find those that grow up to two meters or more.

The leaves of the Evpatorium flower have an oblong shape. At the same time, they taper both at the base and at the very tips. The edges of the sheets are slightly serrated, and they themselves are slightly rough due to their pubescence.

Evpatorium is quite easy to look after. Perhaps so simple that even the greenest beginner can easily cope with this task. The strong immunity of this plant is especially striking. Evpatorium is practically not afraid of any diseases, and many other cultures will envy its winter hardiness. However, Evpatorium is very fond of moisture, and therefore the best place to grow it would be some kind of artificial reservoir.

The most widespread Evpatorium has always been in North America, however, both in Asia and in Europe it was more than enough to develop a great popular adoration for it.

The timing of flowering Evpatorium

Evpatorium: photo of a flower

Many novice gardeners and florists are simply shivering at the thought that they have to take care of a flower most of the year just to enjoy its bloom for only one week. However, with Evpatorium you will not even have such thoughts, because it blooms for quite a long time.

The first buds begin to bloom in the summer, to be more precise, in June-July. But they will not bloom very soon: closer to October-November. So it's definitely not worth worrying about not having enough time to admire the flowering of Evpatorium.

The shade of Evpatorium inflorescences directly depends on what variety you are growing. They can be bright pink or, for example, snow-white. There are also violet and bluish-purple Eupatoriums.

Usually, the size of the inflorescence reaches from twenty to thirty centimeters in diameter. Eupatorium will delight lovers of flower aromas with an unusual scent that attracts butterflies to your garden.

How to grow a flower Evpatorium from seeds

Evpatorium: photo of a flower

Of course, when it comes to flower propagation, most gardeners immediately think of seeds. And Evpatorium, of course, can also be propagated with the help of them. In addition, the effectiveness of this method is absolutely not inferior to others. And someone will even say that propagating Evpatorium by seeds is much more preferable than any other way.

Seed stratification before planting

Reproduction of Evpatorium by seeds implies that seedlings will be grown from them, which in the future will be transplanted to a new place, where small bores will turn into adult and independent flowers.

However, before planting seeds in the soil, it is necessary to prepare them for this. Here we come to the rescue of a procedure called stratification. For a whole month before planting, we will stratify the seeds.

This procedure involves mixing the seeds with sand and keeping the whole mixture in a container in a cold room or even in the refrigerator. The optimum temperature is from zero to three degrees Celsius.

The most suitable time for planting is March. Moreover, it is advisable not to delay with this.

Growing seedlings

In order for sprouts to sprout from the seeds, which will give rise to new life in your garden, you need to choose the appropriate size containers in which the seeds will be spacious enough. It is necessary to pour the soil into the prepared containers, which must be very loose and fertile enough.

It is not necessary to strongly press the seeds into the soil, as some gardeners like to do. It is enough to deepen them only a couple of centimeters. Watering the seedlings with a watering can is highly discouraged, as you risk washing off the seeds. The best thing is to resort to using a spray gun. And in order to prevent moisture from escaping into the air, you should cover the containers with glass or foil.

The seeds must be kept warm - low temperatures are unacceptable, as they can kill seedlings. The most optimal temperature is twenty-two degrees Celsius. However, small fluctuations and deviations are, of course, allowed.

It is also very important to ventilate the area where the seedlings are located, as lack of fresh air can lead to mold.

In about two to three weeks, the seeds will begin to sprout. Then the glass or film covering the containers must be removed to allow the plants to grow and develop normally. After some more time, most of the sprouts will have four leaves. Then we will need to plant them in our own pots and take care of them, watering them in a timely manner.

If you did everything correctly and did not make any mistakes in caring for the seedlings of Evpatorium, then in May, when the sprouts get stronger, you can plant them in open ground. Sometimes, in order to achieve results in the seed reproduction of Evpatorium, you do not need to do anything at all. After all, this plant quite often increases its population by self-seeding.

Someone will regard this as a plus, and someone - as a minus. In any case, the borings will not bloom soon: after three whole years.

How to propagate the Evpatorium flower in a vegetative way

As you probably know, vegetative propagation means propagating a plant using parts of its own body. Such methods are somewhat more complex, but they allow you to see the flowering of Evpatorium much faster.

Division method

In fact, dividing a bush is not just a procedure involving reproduction of Evpatorium. It is also a procedure that many professional gardeners recommend, regardless of the circumstances, every five years. It will serve as a kind of transplant, which Evpatorium does not need so often. However, the difference is that after this "transplant" you will receive twice as many plants as you had in the beginning.

The time to divide is not a decisive factor, so this procedure can be carried out both in summer and autumn.However, spring planting is still much more preferable. Since in the time that will remain for the plots to live before the onset of the first serious cold weather, they will have time to adapt remarkably and are much more likely to survive blizzards and frosts.

However, sometimes this operation can be complicated by the fact that Evpatorium has a very large and strong rhizome. In this case, an ordinary garden knife will not be enough for you and you will have to use a small hatchet.

It is also very important to disinfect the cut site, because a huge number of fungi can penetrate into it. For this, absolutely any fungicide is suitable.

Reproduction by shoots

This method is very widely used in the propagation of absolutely all plants. In order to implement it, you will need to cut off a small young shoot with a part of the rhizome in early spring. The most important thing is that it already has a small kidney.

Such a shoot is immediately planted in its own container, in which it will ripen until it is time to go into the open ground. And this time will come in about a month. You can be sure that small Evpatoriums are ready for transplantation if their growth begins to accelerate significantly. Then they can be placed in open ground and are not afraid that the sprouts will not take root.

Propagation by cuttings

Unlike all other breeding methods, the cuttings method begins to be put into action a little later: around June. It was then that young cuttings are cut from the mother plant, which by this time should have already grown to ten centimeters and have at least three buds with them.

This stalk, in the same way as in the previous case, is planted in a container and remains in it until it begins to feel confident and begins to grow rapidly. Then it can be sent to open ground.

How to plant Evpatorium in the garden

In order to provide its Evpatorium with good conditions so that it can take root in the ground, it is necessary to follow certain rules, which are described below.

Evpatorium is very fond of loose and clean soil. Therefore, before planting it in the soil, it is necessary to thoroughly dig up the entire area in which the plant will be grown, and take care of removing absolutely all weeds and stones from it.

In no case should it be planted in poor soil Evpatorium, because its large-sized root system requires a lot of nutrients. Therefore, if the soil on your site does not shine with fertility, you must definitely feed it with humus.

In the event that you are going to grow seedlings grown from seeds, you must also add some ash and bone meal to the soil.

Despite the fact that Evpatorium practically does not compete with other plants for food and space for growth, it is necessary to maintain a distance between plantings. Therefore, when you plant Evpatorium in a large group, at least forty centimeters should remain between each flower.

There is one more important procedure that seems not obvious at first glance. When planting Evpatorium in the ground and when compacting the soil, it is necessary to deepen the buds of renewal a little (by four to five centimeters), which will provide them with warmth. After the planting is completely completed, it is necessary to mulch the soil, which will not allow moisture to rapidly evaporate from the soil surface, and also protect the planting from weeds.

Where to grow Evpatorium

Evpatorium: photo of a flower

The Evpatorium flower is not a plant that is too demanding on the place of its cultivation. However, it will generously reward you with brighter and more lush blooms if you still decide to plant it where it will be provided with good lighting and plenty of nutrients.

A few more words about the illumination of the landing site.If you plant Evpatorium in an area that is too shaded, then there is a high risk that the plant will invest all its efforts and all the food it receives from the earth to reach the sun. And if Evpatorium does nothing but reach for the light, its flowers are unlikely to bloom. Keep this in mind.

How to care for Evpatorium

As already mentioned, Evpatorium is far from the most whimsical plant. However, he incredibly values ​​good self-care, and if you provide it, then you can definitely expect beautiful, bright and rich colors.

How to water Evpatorium

The root system of Evpatorium is especially large, and therefore it is not difficult to guess that it needs a large amount of moisture. Therefore, you should make every effort to try to provide this flower with not only regular, but also abundant watering.

Particular attention should be paid to this issue when the plant is just beginning its life path. In short, under no circumstances should the soil be allowed to dry out. However, waterlogging is also extremely dangerous.

Fertilizing Evpatorium

Fortunately, Evpatorium is not a plant that cannot live without feeding. True, we have already said that when planting it is very important to provide the flower with fertile soil. However, when the plant grows up, there will be no need for such abundant fertilization.

However, this does not mean that feeding is not good for Evpatorium. On the contrary, they are also useful, so that they can be neglected, but we strongly advise you not to do this. Therefore, at least once or twice a season feed Evpatorium with complex mineral fertilizers or humus.

It is also very important to protect Evpatorium from weeds. However, this can be achieved without weeding. It is enough just to carry out mulching during planting. Under a layer of mulch, weeds simply will not be able to receive the sunlight they need for life and will not bother your Evpatorium.

Pruning

This procedure at Evpatorium is especially simple and does not require special skills or complex calculations. There are only two procedures you need to remember.

The first is carried out at the end of flowering. Then you, obviously, cut off the faded inflorescences so that they do not lie dead weight on the "shoulders" of the flower.

And at the end of autumn, all the stems of the flower are cut to ten centimeters, which helps it survive the fall. That's the whole pruning.

Diseases and pests of Evpatorium

As already mentioned, this plant has tremendous immunity and incredible resistance to most diseases and pests. However, unfortunately, there are no invulnerable plants, and therefore Evpatorium sometimes picks up ailments that are not so difficult to deal with.

The most common misfortune that affects Eupatoriums is a small insect that devours leaves, making small holes in them. Over time, the edges of these holes turn brown and grow. Soon the leaves die off, and it is only possible to escape from this with the help of insecticides.

Additional Information

Evpatorium: photo of a flower

If you do not grow seedlings from seeds, but buy them, you need to make sure that the product that you are offered is of a sufficiently high quality.

You can verify this by paying attention to the following factors:

• If the lump of earth in the pot in which the seedlings are sold is dry, then nothing worthwhile will come of this sprout and it, most likely, has long lost all its decorative qualities. Let us remind once again that throughout life, and even more so at the initial stages, Evpatorium should be kept in a humid environment.
• If the roots of the sprout go beyond the pot, then this is also a clear sign that nothing beautiful will grow from this sprout.
• If you also find too soft and brittle leaves on the seedlings of Evpatorium, then this indicates that the sprout was grown in soil with an insufficient amount of nutrients.

The second thing you need to pay attention to when growing Evpatorium is that the first shoots of this plant can appear quite late (even in May).This is an absolutely normal phenomenon, and, having discovered it, in no case should you panic.

If your Evpatorium does not bloom, then this is most likely due to only one reason - due to a lack of light. If Evpatorium has not bloomed in the current season, then it will have to be transplanted to a more clarified area.

How Evpatorium survive the winter

In fact, if you grow this flower in the middle lane, then it will not need shelter at all. However, in the more northern areas, you still have to take care of protection. However, you don't have to build anything. It is enough just to thoroughly cover the root collars of the plantings with mulch.

Evpatorium in landscape design

Evpatorium: photo of a flower

In fact, the eupatorium flower has long been used in landscape design, and it has a well-established and specific role in almost any composition. And this role is a colorful and vibrant backdrop for other plants.

Evpatorium is very good at emphasizing the merits of other colors, and therefore the role in the background is intended for him. However, this does not diminish its importance. However, in order for Evpatorium to be seen in the composition, and it really fulfilled its role, emphasizing the dignity of other flowers, it must be the tallest flower in it.

This condition simply needs to be met in order for Evpatorium to really attract the eye. Nevertheless, Evpatorium can be planted without tandem with other plants.

For example, it works very well if you want to decorate your garden. Among the plantings of tomatoes, cucumbers and grapes, Evpatorium looks like a very worthy addition. However, even in this situation, leaving him alone is not the most effective solution. Therefore, when planting Evpatorium in the garden, you can plant some decorative cereals next to it. So you will be able to create a real blooming field.

Evpatorium in floristry

Evpatorium has a characteristic that makes it a much more desirable and popular plant than it could be. The fact is that after cutting, the inflorescences of this flower remain fresh and fragrant for a very long time. Therefore, very good bouquets are obtained from it, especially if they are collected on a meadow or field theme.

However, Evpatorium still needs some more expressive flower, otherwise the whole bouquet will be extremely inexpressive.

The best species and varieties

Of course, such a common plant has a huge number of species and varieties, it is incredibly easy to get lost among which when choosing. Many people, seeing all this huge variety, simply give up and choose the first available variety.

However, this is fundamentally not true: the choice of Evpatorium must be approached wisely so as not to face unpleasant incidents in the future. Therefore, we have selected the best species and varieties for you, in which it will be much easier for you to navigate.

Evpatorium purple

This type of Evpatorium looks very elegant and bright. Perhaps, even by planting its flowers outside the composition, you can easily achieve an eye-catching effect. The stems of flowers of this species most often reach one and a half meters in height and they are painted in burgundy color. The leaves are rather large compared to other species. And they have a very beautiful regular shape, pointed both at the tip and at the base.

Flowers have a deep pink tint with snow-white tints. Since this species is very popular, it has quite a few varieties, of which, nevertheless, I would like to highlight only two:

Evpatorium purple Little Red. This variety is somewhat different from the standard purple Eupatorium, if only in that it is much lower. Stems rarely grow taller than one meter. The shade of colors is also slightly different. It is much richer and, as the name suggests, tends to red much stronger.

Evpatorium purple Little Red: Photo of the variety

Eupatorium purple Lttle Joe... This variety is very similar to the previous one, but its flowers are much pinker.

Evpatorium purple Lttle Joe: Photo of the variety

Eupatorium spotted

Unlike the previous species, the stems of Eupatorium spotted are colored in the same shade as its foliage. They reach a height of up to two meters. The foliage itself has slightly ribbed edges. The inflorescences are mostly white, but there are also varieties of a different color, which will now be discussed.

Evpatorium spotted Album... This variety has the same two-meter height as most of the spotted Eupatoriums. But its inflorescences have a slightly more silvery color.

Eupatorium spotted Atropurpureum. This variety is distinguished by the color of the stems, which in most spotted Eupatoriums does not differ from the color of the foliage. However, in this variety, it is reddish-burgundy. The color of the flowers is also different, which in this variety are pink with purple tints.

Eupatorium spotted Atropurpureum: Photo of the variety

Evpatorium Spotted Bartered Bride... This variety is distinguished by its unprecedented height. Almost every stem reaches two and a half meters, and the flowers they bring will amaze you with their snow-white color.

Evpatorium spotted Bartered Bride: Photo of the variety

Eupatorium spotted carin... This variety differs exclusively in the shade of its inflorescences. He has a very pale pink color.

Evpatorium spotted Carin: Photo of the variety

Evpatorium Spotted Glutball... This spotted Eupatorium cannot boast the same stem height as other members of this species. However, instead of height, it amazes with its very large inflorescences, which, in addition, have a very rich burgundy hue.

Eupatorium spotted Purple Bush. The name of this variety speaks for itself, because Purple means purple, and Bush means bush. Its stems reach a height of only one and a half meters. However, given how lush and beautiful its one and a half meter bushes are, the disadvantages can be neglected. In addition, the stems have a very beautiful color and are similar to the skin of a tiger. Well, the inflorescences themselves, as we have already said, are purple.

Evpatorium spotted Purple Bush: Photo of the variety

Eupatorium spotted Riesenschrim. This variety cannot boast of anything special compared to the previous ones. But, nevertheless, its burgundy stems and lilac-purple inflorescences look very beautiful and harmonious.

Evpatorium spotted Riesenschrim: Photo of the variety

Eupatorium spotted Orchard Dene... It is also a giant variety, and its height also reaches from two to two and a half meters. At the same time, the diameter of the bush is somewhat smaller and does not exceed one and a half meters, which makes a single planting similar to a pole. However, the huge inflorescences of deep pink color make the bush look much more luxuriant, more powerful and more monumental.

Eupatorium spotted Big Umbrellas... The name of this variety translates as "Big Umbrellas", and it really is. The stems grow exclusively vertically upward, and the inflorescences are quite large, which makes them look like umbrellas. Otherwise, the variety is fairly common. Inflorescences are pinkish.

Evpatorium spotted Big Umbrellas: Photo of the variety

Eupatorium spotted Getaway. The bushes of this variety are not very large and do not grow more than one and a half meters. However, they have incredibly rich burgundy stems and very bright pink petals.

Evpatorium spotted Getaway: Photo of the variety

Eupatorium spotted Phantom. This variety can be called miniature at all, because its stems very rarely grow above a meter. However, it is still very beautiful and has a rich burgundy hue.

Eupatorium spotted Phantom: Photo of the variety

Evpatorium hemp

In nature, this type of Evpatorium can most often be found in swampy and river areas, which means that it needs especially abundant and frequent watering. In height, this unusual species most often reaches one and a half meters, and the leaves are slightly lowered.

Evpatorium hemp

For the first time, this species blooms most often in July, and the inflorescences themselves have a very rich pink-raspberry hue. The most common variety is Evpatorium hemp Flore pleno... Its height is only slightly higher than that of a standard bush and reaches one and seven tenths of a meter. However, the most important distinguishing feature of this Evpatorium is its incredibly rich hue.

Evpatorium wrinkled

This dwarf Evpatorium has incredibly beautiful flowering, for which many gardeners and florists fell in love with it. Most representatives of this species have lush white inflorescences, crowning stems with very large and equally lush leaf plates.

Evpatorium wrinkled

Among all the varieties of Evpatorium wrinkled, I would like to highlight only one, since most of them almost completely copy the description of the standard representative of the species. His name is Evpatorium wrinkled Rubrum. The flowers of this variety are much larger than those of the standard representative of the species. This makes them stand out from the rest of the varieties, but otherwise it does not differ in anything outstanding.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that Evpatorium is an incredibly popular and famous culture, many gardeners, florists and florists still neglect it. Perhaps the fact is that he does not stand out for anything outstanding. However, believe me, if you take good care of this flower and put it to good use in your garden, it can provide you with the incredible beauty of its flowers and a stunning addition to your landscape.

We hope our article helped you decide whether you will plant Evpatoriums on your site, and if your answer is yes, you will not have any problems. The only thing left to do is wish you good luck with all my heart.