The growth flower, Tanacetum, or also often called winter aster, is an extremely popular ornamental plant for the garden that can be used anywhere due to its diverse shapes, colors and sizes. The plant is also very popular as a cut flower in floristry.
Thanks to the variety of colors available in stores, the annual or perennial miracle flower can add a colorful touch to any garden. Some species can even be used as a medicinal or tea plant. The exuberant flower grows in perennials and blooms from August to November. If you follow a few tips on proper care, you can cultivate the wild flower in your garden without any major problems. In general, the ornamental plant is considered undemanding, easy to care for and winter-hardy.
Location
The wild flower (Tanacetum) prefers sunny places. Full sunlight is desired. For taller growing perennials, a semi-shady location can be chosen if necessary. Particular attention must be paid to the right soil. This must be loose, as humic as possible and permeable. A high sand content is recommended. Under no circumstances should there be waterlogging. The soil should be kept dry. It shouldn't be too greasy either. If you take these things into account, the wild flower can be planted in beds, containers or in the greenhouse.
Cultivation
Sowing the winter aster is relatively uncomplicated:
- the right time is spring after the last frost (from March to May)
- germination time is approximately two weeks
- first press small shallow depressions into the moist soil
- The sowing depth should be approx. 1 cm
- The plants are rather sociable and should be cultivated in groups
- Approximately 4 specimens should be planted per square meter
- The distance between the individual growth flowers should be approx. 50 to 60 cm
- If you want to plant, you should do so in May or June
- the plants like to sow themselves widely and widely
- but these seeds can be easily removed
Regular watering and fertilization
The growth flower, Tanacetum, prefers soil that is always moist, but in which the moisture is never allowed to accumulate. Since the soil dries out quickly due to the sunny location, especially in hot weather in summer, it may be necessary to water lightly several times a day. The rule applies here: it is better to water more often and use less water. The wild flower is happy when it is fertilized heavily immediately after sowing or planting. It needs a lot of nutrients.
pruning
As soon as the planted flowers have reached a size of 15 to 20 cm, the shoot tips must be cut off. This suppresses further longitudinal growth and the plant expands further in width. This ultimately ensures more flower formation. Large plants must be adequately supported to prevent them from breaking or twisting in the event of wind or other environmental influences. In general, overgrown flowers can be cut back heavily and will continue to grow again. The wild flower is also very popular as a plant in a vase. Part of the stem should always be cut off here, because this way the plant will bloom for a particularly long time.
Propagate successfully
The wildflower is very easy to propagate. If you want the ornamental plant to reproduce itself, simply leave a few inflorescences until spring. The usurious flower then sows itself very successfully and widely. If the gardener would rather decide on propagation, he or she should take cuttings in early to mid-summer. The individual cuttings should be 5 to 7 cm long. These must be rooted in the bed. The cuttings can then be potted in autumn and planted outside in the garden in spring.
Pests and diseases
The exuberant flower is relatively often attacked by insect larvae, which are also called leaf miners. The larvae are attracted by the sweet nectar of the many and relatively large flowers of the wild flowers. These animals eat through the tissue of the leaves by biting tunnels. The result is ugly, eaten leaves. The damaged tissue of the leaves weakens the plant as a whole and jeopardizes the formation of flowers. Affected leaves should be removed to prevent spreading to other parts or plants. If you want, you can also use an insecticide.
The wild flower is also susceptible to leaf spot disease. This is a fungus that attacks the leaves of plants. This disease can be recognized by round dark spots a few centimeters in diameter. At first the color is rather reddish, then it becomes darker and darker until it finally becomes black. If some leaves are infected, they must be removed as quickly as possible, as in rainy weather the fungal spores can quickly be washed onto the lower leaves.
What you should know about the usury flower in brief
The usurious flower is a beautiful ornamental plant and suitable for every garden. It is particularly suitable for creating natural, colorful landscapes, as it is available commercially in countless different shapes, colors and sizes. If you want, you can cut them off in the summer and use them as a long-lasting decoration in your vase at home. Some of the plants can also be made into tea or medicinal products.
Profile
- Height 15 – 150 cm
- Planting distance 30 – 60 cm
- Flowering from late summer to autumn
- well-drained soil
- full sunny location
- hardy
Types of usurious flowers
The versatile genus Tanacetum owes its popularity not least to the enormous variety of sizes, shapes and colors. The flower heads, consisting of numerous small individual flowers, appear in a wide variety of shades of yellow, white, purple, pink, mauve or bronze.
- Simple chrysanthemums: Chrysanthemum alpinum, the alpine wildflower, grows up to 15 cm high and produces 4 cm large, white, pink or bluish-mauve colored flowers. The species is suitable for the rock garden. The variety 'Alba' flowers white.
- Chrysanthemum hosmariense, only 25 cm high, has white, golden-yellow flower heads with a yellow center and silvery, fern-like foliage. This species is suitable for rock gardens.
- Decorative chrysanthemums have dark green, lobed leaves and are usually cultivated in borders, flower beds, containers or greenhouses.
- Pompon chrysanthemums form groups of small, spherical or button-shaped, dense heads on stems up to 30 cm high. Well-known varieties are 'Brighteye' (yellow and red), 'Bronze Fairie' (bronze) and 'Cameo' (white).
- Koreanum hybrids are varieties with double flower heads about 5 cm in size. They are generally hardier than other chrysanthemums and can therefore be left in place all year round in most areas.
- The most popular varieties include 'Copper Nob' (double, bronze-red), 'Fairy' (simple, pink-red) and 'Janice Bailey' (double, pink).