Late Chrysanthemum

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One day in late autumn, I saw a tall bush near a house with flowers that looked like huge daisies. But, as it turned out, the autumn chrysanthemum at this time still continues to bloom.

What kind of plant is this?

This flower is sometimes called a large perennial daisy. Its correct name is late or autumn chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum serotinum). There is another name - late levcanthemella (Leucanthemella serotinum). In nature, later chrysanthemum settled on the nutrient soils of meadows and river valleys in the territory of Southeastern Europe.

The height of this perennial plant is 130-160 cm. It grows rapidly and turns into a strong upright bush that can withstand even strong winds. This quality allows flower growers not to tie the late chrysanthemum to the support, although in the open, it is worth playing safe and do it. Long stems are very brittle, so the appearance of the bush largely depends on the location on the site. It is better to plant it away from busy tracks and playgrounds so that no one accidentally touches the plant.

The contrast and expressiveness of the color of the inflorescences (white petals and yellow “middle”) are emphasized by the calm-green background of numerous leaves. The variety is especially decorative Herbststerncharacterized by an abundance of large inflorescences. Nearly chrysanthemum flowers, almost all flowers are on the same level, so the bush looks like a huge bouquet, decorating the garden very much. It blooms from the second half of August to severe frosts. If weather permits, then flowering lasts a long time and ends only by the end of October. Often, late chrysanthemum is the last decoration of the site at the end of the summer season.

A bit of agricultural technology of late chrysanthemums

A place under late chrysanthemum is best chosen sunny or slightly shaded. Any soil containing loam and humus is suitable, since good nutrition is necessary for the growth of this giant. It is worthwhile to provide for drainage in those places where water stagnates for a long time: a prolonged excess of moisture can lead to a deterioration in the condition and subsequent death of chrysanthemum.

It needs regular watering, as slightly moist soil is the most suitable for this flower. Without water, the plant loses turgor: the tops of the stems droop, leaves hang. Prolonged drought leads to stunting, deterioration of flowering and subsequent dying of shoots.

In late autumn, the stems are cut almost to the base. You can leave only low stumps as a guide. For winter, chrysanthemum is mulched with compost, which helps to avoid troubles in the frosty period.

It happens that a fairly “prosperous” bush by the end of spring is in a very poor state. There may be several reasons, because winter is a difficult test for most perennials, even frost-resistant. At this time, the danger is not only freezing, but also aging. And rodents do not sleep. In addition, an overgrown old bush is prone to degeneration.

It also happens that the plant is depressed and is constantly uncomfortable with too close proximity of such serious competitors as trees and shrubs. But usually there are no problems with growing late chrysanthemum. It is worth warning that in early spring young shoots are in no hurry to appear from the ground. Sometimes the grower needs exposure to calmly wait for their appearance, and not dig up the ground and see if the plant is alive.

Very often, late chrysanthemum is grown from planting material taken from neighbors or acquaintances, since the easiest and fastest way to propagate it is to divide the bushes in the spring.

This is a plant that blooms "under the curtain." For him, you can choose a worthy environment from the late annuals and perennial asters, Korean chrysanthemums and other flowers. Planting against the background of decorative trees and shrubs looks good, but the most advantageous location is a separately growing bush on the lawn or aside from other plants. Another advantage of these chrysanthemums is their suitability for cutting, because “daisies” look great in a vase and do not fade for a very long time.