Exquisite armeria: planting and caring for an open flower bed

Author: Elena N. https://floristics.info/ru/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=19 Category: Garden plants Published: February 08, 2019Last edits: January 13, 2021

Armeria is a flowering perennial with very beautiful inflorescences that form from May until the onset of frost. Armeria is decorated with ridges, it is planted as a border for flower beds and garden paths. Armeria looks good in the vicinity of low-growing and ground cover plants, for example, saxifrage or awl-shaped phlox.

Armeria is often used to make bouquets, including winter ones.

• What types and varieties of Armeria are most in demand in garden culture?
• What is the best way to sow armeria?
• How to care for a plant during the season?
• How to prepare armyia for wintering?

You will get answers to all these questions by reading our article.

Planting and caring for armeria

• Planting: sowing seeds in the ground - before winter or in early March; sowing seeds for seedlings - at the end of February or early March, planting seedlings in the ground - from the second half of May.
• Lighting: bright sunlight, for turfy armeria - partial shade or bright diffused light.
• Soil: moist and light, sandy loam, acidic.
• Watering: moderate, more frequent in dry seasons.
• Fertilizing: before flowering, complete mineral fertilizer.
• Reproduction: seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush.
• Pests: aphids.
• Diseases: spotting.

Read more about growing armeria below.

flowers (Latin: Armeria) form a genus of herbaceous flowering perennial plants of the Vinaceae family, numbering more than ninety species in nature. The name "Armeria" may come from the combination of two Celtic words: "ar", which means "near, nearby", and "mor" - "sea". The validity of this assumption is confirmed by one of the common types of Armeria, which prefers to grow in coastal dunes. But there is also an opinion that “armeria” comes from the word “armoires” - this is the name of the bearded carnation in Old French, with which some types of armeria are similar. Under natural conditions, the Armeria flower is found in Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, Mongolia, America and Siberia.

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Diseases and pests

The Armeria Primorica flower is practically unaffected by pests, but you need to look to see if aphids have appeared on it. In order to protect the plant, it is necessary to treat it with preventive drugs. It is necessary to ensure that soil moisture is not increased, as this leads to rotting of the roots.

The acidity of the soil is also important, otherwise spots may appear on the plant. This is dangerous because the flower will slow down or even stop growing. In this case, only radical pruning can save it.

Excessive watering and excess fertilizer can cause the plant to stop blooming.

Botanical description

The Armeria plant reaches a height of 15 to 60 cm. It has a short taproot, and numerous linear-lanceolate sessile entire leaves, collected in a basal rosette, form dense clumps - pillows. The stem is straight, smooth or pubescent. Small flowers of white, pink, purple and their shades are collected in capitate inflorescences. The fruit is single-seeded. Armeria flowering begins in May and ends at the end of summer.

The most popular species in culture is the seaside Armeria maritima. Growing seaside armeria is carried out in the same way as growing armeria of any other species, the only difference is that it is preferable for seaside armyia to grow near a reservoir.

Reviews

• Svetlana, 43 years old: “I’m very pleased, I decorated my flower garden with the help of armeria. This is an incredibly beautiful culture that does not require special attention, but at the same time attracts everyone with its bright and colorful flowering. Another advantage of Armeria is its long flowering. In my case it lasts from May to September. For the winter, I cover the plant with fallen leaves. This is normal for my culture, as it has been enduring the winters of our region for several years now.”
• Ksenia, 36 years old: “With the help of Armeria, I was able to create a real flowering carpet on my site. The fact is that I live in an apartment, but in the summer I often relax at the dacha. I liked this culture because it is not picky in terms of care. I water it once a week, add the necessary fertilizers, and it blooms for me all summer until autumn. When creating the flowerbed, I used several varieties of plants, thanks to which my carpet looks so luxurious and bright that it cannot but attract prying eyes.”
• Irina, 41 years old: “And, although I live in a high-rise building, I built a small flower bed near the house. I grow different plants, including Armeria. It was this culture that I loved the most. It requires minimal care, but still blooms so beautifully. Now I’m thinking about creating a flower garden entirely from one armeria. Since there are a large number of varieties, you can choose interesting shades, when combined, the flowerbed will turn out to be original.”

Armeria is in great demand among gardeners, because with its help it is possible to create incredibly beautiful and exquisite flower arrangements. At the same time, it does not require increased attention. You just need to plant it correctly, as well as follow the usual and simple care measures. If all this minimum is met, then your flowerbed will delight you with bright blooms throughout the summer.

We also recommend that you read in more detail about how to plant Lavender seeds.

Growing Armeria from seeds

How to sow seeds

Seed propagation of Armeria is carried out both by seedlings and without seedlings. Armeria seeds are sown in open ground at the end of autumn (so that they undergo natural stratification over the winter) or in the spring, at the beginning of March. Armeria seeds are sown for seedlings in greenhouses at the end of February or beginning of March. In addition, Armeria reproduces well by self-sowing. Wherever you sow the Armeria seeds - directly into the ground or into a container for seedlings - plant them shallowly, sprinkling them with a half-centimeter layer of soil on top. The germination rate of Armeria seeds is high.

Seedling care

If you want to get healthy shoots, keep the Armeria seeds in the refrigerator for a week, and before sowing, soak them for 6-8 hours in warm water. Armeria seeds sown in boxes and lightly sprinkled with soil are kept in a warm, bright place. When the seedlings reach a height of several centimeters and they have a pair of true leaves, the seedlings dive into greenhouses and grow until they become stronger.

When to plant armeria for seedlings: optimal timing

It is important not only how you perform the procedure, but also when. Correctly chosen sowing dates play an important role in the success of growing good seedlings. Optimal timing for planting armeria seedlings: end of February, first half of March. That is, by this time the seeds should already be stratified.

In more southern regions you can sow earlier (the first half of February), but in colder regions (Moscow region, Siberia, the Urals) - later (the first half of March).

Planting armeria in open ground

When to plant

As soon as you are sure that the leaves of the Armeria in the greenhouse have become strong and strong, and the frosts have completely receded, you can start transplanting the seedlings into open ground. Determine the warmest and sunniest area for the armeria with light, slightly moist, acidic soil - sandy or rocky soils are most suitable. If the soil is limed, try to correct this before planting, as Armeria does not tolerate lime. To neutralize, add ammonium nitrate to the soil under digging or spill the area with a solution of acetic acid.

How to plant

Two weeks before planting, thoroughly loosen the soil on the site and apply organic fertilizers. If you decide to grow armeria as solo plants, they are planted in holes at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other and from other plants, placing the seedling in such a way that the rosette of leaves is not lowered into the ground and the root collar is shallow. The holes are filled with earth, the soil is compacted around the seedlings and the planting is watered.

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If you want Armeria to grow in a continuous carpet, then the seedlings need to be planted densely so that there is a distance of no more than 15-20 cm between the specimens, and not in holes, but in shallow trenches.

For the first three weeks, try to water the armeria often, but let the soil dry out between waterings. Armeria from seeds usually blooms the next year after planting. Armeria maritime is grown from seeds according to the same rules as any other species.

How to properly sow Armeria seeds for seedlings

Sowing seeds at home is one of the most important stages of the entire process of growing seedlings. The procedure requires a balanced approach and knowledge of all the nuances. You can plant Armeria seedlings as follows:

• Step 1: Prepare your soil mixture. The soil should be loose, drained, slightly acidic or neutral in acidity. Under no circumstances should the crop be planted as seedlings in alkaline soil (it cannot tolerate it!), so you should not add ash, chalk, lime, or dolomite flour to the soil mixture. You can use universal soil for flower seedlings or slightly acidic soil (pH 5.0-6.5) for any indoor flowers.
• Step 2: Prepare the seedling container. The most convenient option: planting in a general, wide and not very high container (8-9 cm high). For example, a wooden or plastic box, a food container or other container that is convenient for you.
• Step 3: Make a good drainage system. That is, you need to make holes (if there are none) and put a layer of drainage (about 2-2.5 cm). Such a system is necessary for the smooth removal of excess moisture; it will help prevent soil acidification, root rot, and the development of fungal diseases and mold. For drainage, you can put perlite, small expanded clay, small pebbles, and brick chips.
• Step 4: Fill the container with soil , laying the soil evenly to avoid voids and uneven surfaces.
• Step 5: Moisten the soil generously with a spray bottle (warm, settled water), wait 15 minutes until the water is absorbed.
• Step 6: Sow Armeria seeds . The optimal distance between seeds is 2-3 cm from each other.
• Step 7: Press the seeds very lightly onto the surface of the soil for better contact with the soil. It is convenient to do this with a spoon. Just don't overdo it!
• Step 8: Sprinkle the seeds with soil or sand with a layer of 3-5 mm (no more!)
• Step 9: Cover the container with a lid or film to create a mini greenhouse.

Armeria care

Growing conditions

Caring for an army is not difficult. Before it blooms, add complete mineral fertilizer to the soil as a top dressing, and then repeat the top dressing once or twice. Remove faded flowers in a timely manner and cut off flower stalks that no longer bear flowers, so that the plant directs all its energy to the formation of new buds. If the summer turns out to be dry, water the armeria, but try not to overdo it with moisture.

When the plant reaches five years of age, it must be dug up, divided into parts and planted, and then do this every 2-3 years, otherwise the armeria will grow. This is how armeria is planted and cared for. It's simple.

Pests and diseases

Armeria is not afraid of diseases or pests, but if it grows in insufficiently acidic soil, problems with aphids or spotting may arise, which are best dealt with by radical pruning of the shoots.

Garden care

If the planting site for the armeria was chosen correctly and all the nuances of planting were followed, there will be no difficulties in caring for it.

How to care during growth and flowering

Caring for armeria after planting consists of observing watering conditions, regular fertilization, timely pruning and rejuvenation of bushes.

Watering

The plant needs moderate watering. During the rainy season, natural moisture is enough for him. And on hot summer days, it is recommended to irrigate the bushes using the sprinkling method.

It is important that the soil dries out between waterings.

Fertilizer and feeding

Armeria does not require mandatory regular fertilizers. But the plant will bloom much brighter, more abundantly and longer if once a month or a month and a half (immediately before flowering) the soil is enriched with mineral fertilizers intended for flowering plants. In this case, the solution must be used instead of the next watering.

Trimming

An important stage of care is pruning immediately after flowering. This technique allows you to achieve the likelihood of repeated flowering in the autumn.

Rejuvenation

The main feature of care is the need for regular rejuvenation of bushes.

It is carried out every 5–6 years (necessarily in the warm season after the plant has flowered) by digging up a bush and then dividing it into parts (divisions) ready for planting in the ground.

Care after flowering

After the active flowering phase has ended, the inflorescences that are beginning to fade must be removed as soon as possible.

This is done using pruning shears by trimming long flower stalks. These manipulations allow you to ennoble a fading plant, freeing up its lush greenery, and also stimulate re-blooming in the autumn.

Armeria is quite resistant to frost and successfully preserves most of its foliage under the snow, without needing any shelter.

The only exception is turf, which must be wrapped in dry peat and covered with spruce branches or non-woven material. If the winter is expected to have little snow with frequent periods of warming, the same should be done with all other species to protect them from frost.

Different varieties of Armeria are used to decorate borders

Possible problems when growing at home

Armeria is a plant that is quite resistant to various diseases and pests. And yet, there are two main problems that gardeners face from time to time:

• The appearance of spots on the leaves, accompanied by a slowdown in plant growth and cessation of flowering. If the disease is detected at an early stage, careful treatment of the plant with a fungicide is necessary. If the spotting has spread greatly, it is recommended to cut off all affected elements at the root.
• Attack of aphids, due to which the leaves become very dry. To avoid this, you can treat plants with special preparations (Intavir, Kinmiks) in early spring for preventive purposes, repeating the procedure if necessary.

Armeria after flowering

How and when to collect seeds

There is no point in collecting seeds if armeria is already growing on your site - it reproduces well by self-sowing. In addition, an obligatory element of plant care is dividing the rhizomes and planting cuttings, so that you will always have plenty of planting material, and the sowing material sows itself.

If you want to share your armeria with someone, you can give away part of the cuttings when transplanting or cut cuttings. But if you absolutely need to have seeds, tie the fading inflorescence with gauze so that the ripened seeds do not fall to the ground, and when the inflorescence is dry, cut it off, shake the seeds onto a newspaper, clean them from the remains of the flowers and, after drying, pour them into a paper bag.

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Perennial armeria in winter

Armeria is a frost-resistant plant and can easily survive the winter without shelter, especially if there is a lot of snow in winter. The only exception is the soddy armeria, which must be covered. Dry peat, spruce branches and non-woven materials are used for covering. If, according to forecasts, the winter is expected to be snowless, it is better to cover other types of armeria with spruce branches: they will be warm and you will be at peace.

Reproduction

The first division of Armeria flowers is carried out at the age of 3 years.

In spring, the plant is propagated by divisions. They are dug out of the ground and carefully disconnected along with a lump of soil. The plant tolerates the procedure calmly. If this is not done periodically, the bush will stop forming its characteristic flower head.

Plants grown from seedlings usually bloom only in the second year. And if you divide in early spring, you can see beautiful buds already in the same year.

The culture can be propagated by cuttings. They are carefully cut off and buried somewhere nearby. In good soil, the cuttings take root quickly. Just don’t plant it too close; 20 cm will be enough.

Types and varieties

About ten types of Armeria have become widespread in culture. They are used in group plantings, ridges, rock gardens, rock gardens, and also as colored borders.

Alpine Armeria (Armeria alpina)

A perennial plant that forms dense cushions up to 30 cm in diameter and about 15 cm in height. Many of the linear-lanceolate leaves survive winter. The flowers are light pink, collected in axillary capitate inflorescences up to three centimeters in diameter. Peduncles up to 30 cm tall. It blooms for three to four weeks from June. Varieties:

• Alba - white armeria;
• Laucheana – armeria with carmine-red flowers;
• Rosea is a variety with bright pink flowers.

Pseudoarmeria, or beautiful armeria (Armeria pseudarmeria)

A plant reaching a height of 40 cm with rosettes of evergreen leaves and inflorescences of white or pink flowers. Blooms from early to late summer. Varieties:

• Joystick White - a variety with white spherical inflorescences, can be grown as an annual;
• Thrift is a low-growing variety with a height of only 20 cm;
• Red Planet is a perennial with red balls of inflorescences on peduncles up to 35 cm tall;
• Bees Ruby is a bright pink armeria up to 60 cm tall.

Armeria maritima

Grows naturally on sea coasts. Its height is no more than 20 cm, the diameter of the rosette is the same. The leaves are narrow, linear, flat, blue-green in color. Flowers in capitate inflorescences are pink-purple, covered with filmy bracts. It blooms in May and fades in about seventy days. Sometimes it blooms again in the fall. Varieties:

• Armeria louisiana is a variety of Armeria maritime with pink flowers;
• Dusseldorf Stolz - variety with dark red flowers;
• Vindictive – red armeria;
• Bloodstone - Armeria dark red.

Soddy Armeria, or juniper-leaved Armeria (Armeria juniperifolia = Armeria cespitosa)

Originating from the highlands of Spain and Portugal, it is a perennial up to 15 cm high with narrow linear leaves collected in a rosette up to 20 cm in diameter. Red or pink flowers in capitate inflorescences are framed by membranous bracts, peduncles up to 6 cm tall. The flowering is so abundant that sometimes the leaves of the Armeria are not visible because of the flowers with bracts. It blooms for forty to fifty days from July. Does not tolerate stagnation of moisture in the roots. A popular hybrid is Armeria turf and Armeria seaside called Armeria Zundermann. Varieties of Armeria turf:

• Brno - a low-growing variety with purple double flowers;
• Bevan's Variety - double flowers, pale pink.

Armeria welwitschii (Armeria welwitschii)

One of the tallest types of Armeria - up to 35 cm in height. The leaves are large, reaching a length of 10 and a width of 5 cm. Pink flowers up to 2 cm in diameter form a capitate inflorescence. Flowering is abundant and long from June until the beginning of winter. This species requires calcium-enriched soil.

Common Armeria, garden (Armeria vulgaris)

Grows in height up to 60 cm, linear, entire leaves reach 12.5 cm in length and 1 cm in width. The bare peduncles are crowned with capitate inflorescences of carmine-pink fragrant flowers, of which there can be up to 40 on one plant.

Beautiful Armeria (Armeria formosa)

Forms compact rosettes of narrow-linear evergreen leaves. Stems are rigid, rounded, erect. Inflorescences up to 5 cm in diameter, white, red or pink, bloom profusely until October.

In addition to the listed types of Armeria, Japanese, Siberian, spiny, bulbous, Arctic and others are also known.

Using flowers in landscape design

Thanks to its dense and bright vegetation, Armeria is widely used to decorate garden plots. It is used to create ridges, rocky compositions, mix-borders, and rock gardens.

The elongated leaves of the crop retain their beauty all year round, thereby forming a continuous green carpet.

In flower beds they are planted next to low-growing representatives of the flora (thyme, bells, phlox). In addition, they create original bouquets from different varieties of armeria.

The inflorescences retain their beautiful appearance even after drying, so they are used to form dry compositions. For these purposes, they are cut off during flowering and hung in the sun with their heads down.

Armeria is undemanding to care, so gardeners, with a minimum amount of effort, can enjoy the healthy appearance of the plant for a long time.