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According to one version, the name of the flower "armeria" is formed from two words and translates as "growing near the sea." There is also an assumption that "armeria" has a common root with "armoires" (as some varieties of bearded carnation, similar to armeria, were called). The distribution area of ​​​​the plant in nature is unusually wide - from Mongolia and the Mediterranean countries to Siberia.

Armeria belongs to herbaceous, perennial, flowering plants of the family Svinchatkovye.

Different varieties of armeria grow in height from 15 to 60 cm. The stem is erect, may have a slight pubescence. The flower has a shortened stem rhizome and sessile linear lanceolate leaves collected in a basal rosette. During the flowering period, capitate inflorescences appear on the armeria, consisting of small flowers. The color of the petals can be various shades of purple, pink, white.

The plant produces single-seeded fruits. Flowering begins in late spring and continues throughout the summer. Most often in the gardens you can find seaside armeria. Caring for it is almost the same as caring for other varieties of the plant, with one difference - this species feels best when planted near a reservoir.

Species and varieties

About 50 species of armeria are described, growing in the wild, where it grows on rocky sea coasts and in the highlands. We list the most famous and popular varieties that are grown in culture.

Louisiana

The most large-flowered species, the flowers reach 4 cm in diameter. The bushes grow up to 20 cm in height. The plant can tolerate frosts, but does not like excess moisture. Rosettes consist of narrow dark green leaves. Armeria grows very quickly on the surface of the soil, filling all the free space. Inflorescences are spherical, on long peduncles, of different colors. Flowering continues throughout the summer.

Primorskaya

Perennial with beautiful, pale pink flowers. Flowering is plentiful. The height of the plant can be from 30 cm to 1.5 m. Narrow linear leaves are characterized by a bluish tint. Peduncles - solitary, unbranched, no leaves on them. This type of armeria is frost-resistant and does not require shelter for the winter. The color of the inflorescences is pink or white, flowering lasts three summer months. The variety does not require special care, has many subspecies.

Juniper leaf

Perennial from the mountainous regions of Spain and Portugal. Growing, the bushes form a pillow 5-15 cm high. Single flower stalks with capitate inflorescences grow from a leaf rosette. The flowers are pink or scarlet, completely hiding the green. Armeria juniper leaf begins to bloom in July. Flowering ends in the last days of August. The plant does not like stagnant water in the soil, easily tolerates wintering.

Red

This variety has a maximum height of 35 cm bushes. Graceful coral-colored inflorescences give the impression of weightless loose balls. Narrow green leaves play the role of framing, remaining below the inflorescences. The plant is very fond of sunny warm places, where it continues to bloom all summer. Often red armeria is used as a dried flower to decorate the interior in winter.

Ballerina

The variety received a gold medal at the botanical exhibition in 2009. The plant blooms in the first year after planting. Great for rock garden or container growing, as it grows in low bushes. Armeria begins to bloom in late spring, may re-bloom in late summer or early autumn. Inflorescences look like graceful snow-white balls.

Alpine

A miniature variety, ideal for planting in rock gardens. Can be used for borders, borders, creating a flower carpet. The leaf rosette grows up to 15 cm in height, the inflorescences reach a length of up to 30 cm. There are forms with pink, red and white flowers. Flowering is long - from May to September. It goes well in plantings with other undersized plants.

Anna Maria

Perennial, growing up to 30 cm in height. Inflorescences can be white, carmine, pink, capitate. Flowering begins at the end of May and lasts 2.5 months. Under certain conditions, it can re-bloom in the fall. Can reproduce by self-seeding.

Pseudo-armeria

Relatively low ornamental perennial shrub. Does not like lime in the soil, prefers abundant watering. Flowering begins in late spring and captures the beginning of summer. May re-bloom in autumn. Caps of inflorescences can be white, purple, pink, caramin, depending on the variety. "Joystick White" - a varietal variety with white spherical inflorescences. "Bees Ruby" - grows to an average of 50 cm in height, the flowers are bright pink.

broad-leaved

Compact shrub with an abundance of green mass forming dense cushions. Leaves basal, rosette. Forms multiple, erect peduncles up to 50 cm high. The flowers are large - white, or different shades of pink, collected in capitate inflorescences. Abundant flowering occurs in June-July. It overwinters well in well-drained soil.

Soddy

The most demanding species to the conditions of detention. Difficulties of care are compensated by abundant flowering. Bushes must be protected from the bright sun and covered for the winter. The flowering period lasts about 2 months, at which time red or pink inflorescences appear on the plant.

There are two ways to grow armeria from seeds - sowing in open ground and growing seedlings. It reproduces well by self-sowing. Seed material is sown directly into the ground in late autumn or early spring. For seedlings, sowing is done in February or early March. Seeds have excellent germination, when planting they cannot be deeply buried - it is enough to sprinkle a layer of soil 5 mm thick on top.

1. In order for the seedlings to be friendly, it is desirable to subject the seed material to stratification. To do this, the seeds are placed in the refrigerator for 7-8 days.
2. Before planting, they are soaked in warm water with Zircon for 6-7 hours.
3. Seeds are buried no more than 2 cm.
4. After sowing, the boxes are placed in a warm, bright place.
5. Seedlings need to be moistened in a timely manner.
6. The planting is covered with a film on top, which helps to maintain the desired microclimate.
7. After the seedlings grow a few centimeters, the shelter is removed.
8. A pick is made after the appearance of the first pair of true leaves.

Grown up strong seedlings are transplanted into open ground in the second half of May, when the threat of frost disappears.

Landing in open ground

Armeria does not like alkaline soil. In such a land, the plant begins to hurt and loses its attractiveness.

Helpful advice! If there is calcareous soil on the site, it must be neutralized with a solution of vinegar before planting armeria. The problem can be solved in another way - by adding ammonium nitrate.

Determine in advance in the garden a place for planting perennials. Ideally, if there is a lot of sand and stones in the soil, armeria loves drainage. Plant it in a sunny spot near a pond. But, at the same time, the scorching rays should not burn the army.

Most types of perennials are suitable for planting on an alpine hill. The best place to land is on the east side of a hill or slope. Armeria is not planted in the shade, because in this case flowering will be very poor.

Before planting, organic fertilizers must be applied to the ground in advance. It is desirable to mark the site with lines in order to more accurately indicate the landing sites of the armeria. In order for the bushes to create a continuous carpet, the plants are planted in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other.

If it is necessary that each bush stands out, increase the gap to 40 cm. When planting plants, care must be taken not to deepen the root neck. Near each bush, the earth is compacted and watered.

Important! Until the plants have taken root (the process takes approximately 3 weeks), the ground must be regularly moistened, preventing drying out. In this case, the seedlings will take root well and form powerful roots.

In the care of armeria, in addition to watering, fertilization and timely pruning are necessary. For some species, you will have to take care of winter shelter.

• The rules for watering armeria are regularity and moderation at the same time. You can not both fill the plant and dry the soil.
• Mineral and organic fertilizers are used for top dressing. On poor soils, armeria is fed more often. The first time fertilizer is applied on the eve of flowering. It should be a complex mineral fertilizer for flowering plants. During flowering, top dressing is done twice more. This helps to prolong the flowering period. Yes, and flower stalks when fertilizing will be of better quality.
• Withered inflorescences are removed in a timely manner so that the plant does not waste its strength on them, but releases new flower stalks faster. After the plant has faded, all flower stalks are completely removed. After resting, armeria may bloom again closer to autumn.

On a note! Every 4-5 years, overgrown bushes are divided and transplanted to another place.

Plants grown from seedlings will only bloom in their second year, some varieties may give a weak bloom in the fall of the planting year. You can get accelerated flowering by propagating the bush with divisions. It is more convenient to do this in the spring, combining it with transplanting an overgrown bush. But if you wish, you can separate the child outlets throughout the season.

After that, they are rooted under the film directly on the flower bed, or in separate containers. You can divide the bush from the age of three. The surface of the earth near young plants after planting is mulched to prevent the soil from drying out and the growth of weeds. If the division of the bush was carried out in early spring, young plants may bloom in the summer.

Growing armeria from seeds: video

Diseases and pests rarely annoy armeria. It can get sick during the dormant period, especially insufficiently acidic soils weaken the plant. Aphids can attack armeria, and spotting is also possible. A measure for the prevention of diseases is a cardinal pruning of armeria. In case of pest infestation, industrial insecticides can be used.

Sometimes root rot can occur, this happens from excess moisture in the soil. If root rot is suspected, the bush is dug up, inspected, all damaged areas are removed and planted in a well-drained place. In the future, water the armeria more moderately.

If the winter in your region is snowy, you can not cover the perennial for the winter. Cold-sensitive soddy armeria is sprinkled with fallen leaves or peat before wintering and covered with non-woven material. For shelter, you can also use spruce branches.

Armeria can be safely attributed to plants with a high decorative effect. It is good both in single plantings and in combination with other plants when filling an alpine slide or rockery. Clearings look great, completely planted with armeria and resembling a flower carpet.

Low-growing varieties of perennials are used in the border, combined with other plants. A tall perennial bush can take center stage in a flowerbed arrangement. Armeria harmoniously looks with alliums, echoing with them the shape and color of inflorescences. It can be planted in the company of saxifrage, creeping thyme, alyssum.

In favor of planting armeria, its unpretentiousness, long flowering period and charming appearance speak. Whichever variety you choose, the plant will delight you with bright colors throughout the summer. There is a place for this perennial in a garden of any style.

To decorate their backyard or cottage, each owner tries to use beautiful and preferably unpretentious flowers, perennials are especially popular. It is to such plants that Armeria belongs. This small-sized flower can often be found on plots, it rises above other greenery thanks to a tall and leafless peduncle. And how to plant and care for Armeria will be discussed in this article.

Large selection of varieties

Armeria has been cultivated for quite a long time, and during this time, breeders developed many varieties. Despite their general similarity, both in appearance and in characteristics, each variety has its own differences. We list the most popular varieties:

• Alpine is the most common type of flower. The height of the bush reaches 30 centimeters. Flowering with light pink flowers takes place from June to the end of summer;
• Velichiva is a taller flower that will give you beauty longer and more abundantly than all other varieties. But such a variety has one feature, in order for it to grow well, a large amount of calcium must be present in the soil;
• Primorskaya is also a widespread variety. The height of the bush reaches 20 centimeters. The flowers of Primorsky Armeria themselves can be lilac-pink, dark red and other shades. This plant has almost the longest flowering time. Primorskaya Armeria will delight you with its flowers for 70 days;
• Soddy is the most demanding planting and care variety. This Armeria is more sensitive to frost and direct sunlight. But at the same time, its flowers of pink and red are considered the most beautiful among specialists.

There are several dozen more varieties of Armeria, each has its own characteristics. You can land several options at once to choose the one that suits you the most.

Choose a place and time of landing

Armeria, a photo of which can often be found on the Internet, is quite easy to grow, the main thing is for sure follow recommendations from experts. First of all, such advice relates to the choice of the place and time of planting.

Armeria in the wild grows mainly near water, but does not like its stagnation. Therefore, when choosing a place, it is better to pay attention to the slopes or hills. In this case, one more feature of this plant must be taken into account - poor tolerance to direct sunlight. It is best to plant Armeria in partial shade so that there is enough sun, but without direct ultraviolet radiation.

If we talk about the quality of the soil, then here the flower is picky. The plant grows well on infertile, and even on rocky soil. That is why landscape designers often use Armeria to decorate alpine slides. It is important that the soil is slightly acidic. To find out this parameter, you can use a special kit that is sold in any store for gardeners and gardeners.

If you want to get a powerful and beautiful plant, Soil quality still needs to be taken care of.. The best option for growing Armeria would be the following composition:

• Two parts of sod land;
• Two parts of sandy soil;
• For loosening, it is worth adding sawdust, chopped straw or hay, rotted needles.

The last component, in addition to improving the physical characteristics of the soil, will add natural fertilizers to it.

reproduction

Armeria is a perennial plant. Having landed it once, you will enjoy flowers every year. But if you want to propagate a flower, then this can be done in three ways:

• With the help of seeds;
• cuttings;
• Separation of an adult plant.

All three methods are equally effective. if you follow all the rules. So, when using the first method, seeds can be sown both directly into the ground, and the seedling method can be used. In the first case, sowing is done in early spring or in winter. If you use seedlings, then you need to sow in late February or March.

Before sowing, the seeds must be kept in the refrigerator for about a week. After that, the seed is placed in water for seven to eight hours. Don't sow too often. Armeria has excellent germination, so the seeds are planted one by one in boxes or plastic cups. In this case, the depth should not exceed half a centimeter.

The container must be placed in a warm place. The ideal temperature for seed germination is 15-20 degrees. After a few days, you can see the first shoots. After the appearance of true leaves, seedlings can be planted in a permanent place, but it should be planted for some time. cover with foil or glass.

Another common method of planting Armeria is cuttings. This method can be used throughout the warm season. For reproduction, basal rosettes are taken, which are simply sprinkled with earth. Such cuttings germinate well, subject to warm weather. Therefore, in the cold period, it is better to cover the cuttings sprinkled with earth with a greenhouse or a simple glass jar.

Quite often, Armeria is propagated by dividing an adult plant. Three-year-old flowers are suitable for these purposes. In early spring or early autumn, the bush is simply dug up. Then it must be divided into several parts (usually 3-5). In this case, parts with intact roots are selected. Further, the divided parts are added dropwise. Armeria takes root perfectly, so the distance between dug in new bushes is no more than 20 centimeters.

Since the plant is a perennial, with any type of planting, you should not wait for flowers in the first year. As a rule, Armeria begins to bloom only in the second season. But, if the grafting or division of the bush was carried out in the spring, then by the end of the first summer you can wait for a small number of flowers.

plant care

Armeria is a picky plant and easy to care for. A flower can grow well even in infertile soil, but it will be rather weak. To get a "rich" flowering, you need to fertilize with mineral fertilizers before it starts.

Plant easily tolerates dry periods. Therefore, frequent watering is not required. It is enough to periodically slightly moisten the soil. It is worth remembering that Armeria does not tolerate stagnant moisture, and quickly dies.

If you haven't divided the bush within five years, then the plant may begin to die out. Therefore, this procedure is carried out once every two to three years. If you do not need as many new bushes, then simply cut off the parts that do not inspire confidence and dig in the rest again. Thus, you can admire the beautiful flowering every year.

The flower easily tolerates winter. If snow falls in abundance, then no additional shelter is required. If the winter turned out to be snowless, then it is better to cover the bushes with sawdust, grass or rotted needles. In the spring, such a “blanket” will serve as additional feeding.

Another nuance of caring for Armeria is periodic pruning. After the end of active flowering, flower stalks must be cut with secateurs. Firstly, this will allow the plant to quickly bloom again during the season. Secondly, dry flower stalks will not look aesthetically pleasing.

Armeria is practically not exposed to diseases and is resistant to pests. Root rot is the most common problem. This process begins with excessive moisture. In this case, you can dig out a bush that has begun to die and, cutting off the affected part, transplant it to a new place.

Of the pests for the flower, the danger is aphids. To avoid damage by these insects, it is necessary to carry out spring treatment with the help of special preparations. If aphids appeared during the summer, then the treatment is carried out again.

Conclusion

Armeria, a photo of which can be found in large numbers on the Internet, is a beautiful, perennial flower that is very popular with gardeners. The plant is not very demanding on the soil (it can be planted even on rocky soil), it easily tolerates snowy winters and dry seasons. But she also has some "requirements" for her care.

Firstly, water must not be allowed to stand otherwise the roots will rot and the plant will die. Secondly, you need to avoid direct sunlight, but at the same time plant in a sunny place (possibly in partial shade). If you fulfill such simple requirements, then Armeria will delight you with its beautiful flowers for almost the entire summer.

Armeria (Armeria) is a perennial decorative flowering plant, widespread in Europe, America, Siberia and even the highlands of the Arctic. It is a bush with a strong tap root system, long linear leaves (about 10 cm), which are collected in one dense rosette in the form of a pillow. Inflorescences with a diameter of 2 to 5 cm on thin pubescent peduncles, surrounded by membranous dry bracts. The flowers in inflorescences are small in white, pink and purple shades. It grows in natural conditions in America, Europe, Siberia and the Far East (pictured).

Origin: Europe, America, Siberia.

Flowering: every year from May to September.

Height: undersized.

Light: well lit place without direct sunlight.

Watering: required every evening in hot weather.

Top dressing: mineral fertilizers in early spring.

Transplantation: better in autumn.

Reproduction: cuttings, dividing the bush, seeds.

Kinds

There are two versions of the origin of the word "armeria". According to one of them, the name came from the Celtic language: "ar" means "about", and "mor" - "sea". According to another version, from the French name of the carnation "armoires", which is similar to armeria.
Armeria has more than 90 species. The color of the flowers is usually pink. The duration of flowering is from May to September, which is what makes it attractive to designers who use armeria to decorate alpine slides and simply for landscaping areas (pictured).

The most common types of armeria are: alpine, soddy, seaside, Anna Maria.

• Armeria alpine. Armeria alpina.

A low flower with narrow long leaves, in the form of a sword, which are collected in a dense rosette with a diameter of 20-30 cm. It blooms in June-July with light pink flowers. For more than 250 years, it has been grown in gardens and alpine hills. The most popular varieties:

• "Alba" - white flowers;
• "Rosea" - carmine-pink flowers;
• "Laucheana" - flowers are carmine red.

In nature, it grows in alpine meadows.

Armeria seaside (brilliant). Armeria maritima.

It is mainly found growing wild on the shores of the seas in North-Western Europe and North America. Perennial, reaching no more than 20 cm in length and 15 cm in width. It has thin, xiphoid leaves, greenish in color. The inflorescences are shaped like heads. Peduncles high reach 20 cm, lush (pictured). Flowering begins in May and lasts for 2-2.5 months, autumn flowering is rarely observed.

Armeria seaside white.

The most popular varieties among gardeners:

Cotton Tail - white flowers;

Rosea Compacta - pink flowers;

Vindictive - red flowers;

Rubrifolia with reddish leaves.

• Armeria Louisiana (beautiful)

This species has the largest flowers up to 4 cm in diameter (hence the name), flowering begins in June and lasts until the end of summer. A plant up to 20 cm high, tolerates winter well, but does not tolerate dampness and waterlogging.

• Armeria Siberian - A. Sibirica.

It originates from the mountainous regions of Siberia and Mongolia.
Herbaceous perennial shrub with small pinkish flowers, tall stems. Flowering lasts approximately 40 days from June. A distinctive feature is that this particular species bears fruit.

• Armeria soddy (armeria juniper leaf). Armeria juniperifolia.

The homeland of this type of armeria is considered to be the regions of Spain and Portugal, which are located high in the mountains. Perennial, which forms a tight cushion, reaching 5-15 cm in height and 20 cm in diameter. The elongated sheets create a rosette. Head-shaped peduncles usually have scarlet or pinkish flowers that bloom so profusely that they can completely cover the green rosettes (pictured). Peduncles are small, reach 5-6 cm tall. Flowering begins in July and lasts for 1.5-2 months. Faded inflorescences, as a rule, fall apart from the middle. It easily tolerates winter, but this requires good drainage. Like all other varieties, stagnant water harms.

Armeria soddy -Armeria juniperifolia

Armeria Anna Maria. (Armeria formosa)

Compact low plant, pink shades (pictured), flowering mainly in July, but rare flowers appear before frost.

• Armeria Velvicha - Armeria welwitschii.

It is the highest growing type of armeria. The leaves are quite large, reaching up to 10 cm in length and about 5 cm in width. The flowers are usually pink, small up to 2 cm in diameter. The stems reach 35 cm. As a rule, there are a lot of flowers, the flowering time is from the first month of summer to the first frost.

• Armeria arctic - Armeria arctica.

As a rule, it can be found in areas with rocky soil in the Arctic, Siberia and the Far East.
Herbaceous perennial with a root system growing vertically, thin sword-shaped leaves. Near the beginning of the shoots, the leaves are twisted. The small flowers create a tight, globular head that resembles an onion inflorescence. Under the inflorescence there are bracts, slightly dried. The inflorescences are small in diameter, about 2-2.5 cm. There are about a dozen flower stalks that reach about 20 cm. Flowering usually continues in the first summer months, seeds ripen in early autumn.

• Armeria prickly - Armeria pungens.

A rather high type of armeria - reaches about 30 cm in height. Up to 15 small rosettes are usually collected in one bush. The leaves are not very long with a bluish tint. The best way to propagate this species is to divide the bush.

• Armeria bulbous - Armeria alliacea.

Homeland are the highlands of Europe.
Evergreen, herbaceous perennial shrub. Sufficiently tall, about 0.5 m tall. It blooms with flowers of pink shades, starting from May and ending in July. You can find white bouquets.

• Armeria beautiful - A. formosa (Armeria pseudarmeria ‘Formosa’)

The bush is low 13-19 cm. The leaves are evergreen. The stems are straight, fairly rigid, rounded. Abundant flowering begins in June, but a small number of flowers can be observed in October. This species has inflorescences of various shades from white to scarlet. Beautiful and long flowering, frost resistance make the beautiful armeria the most suitable and in demand in the design of rocky gardens and plots.

Elegant bush of blooming armeria

Care and cultivation

Armeria is a beautiful and unpretentious flower, but you still need to take care of this plant. First of all, for the cultivation of armeria, a light composition of the soil, moderate moisture and acidity is necessary.
In too warm and dry summers, armeria should be watered, preferably in the evening, but it is important to prevent waterlogging of the soil and stagnant water. This can lead to rotting and death of the roots.

To prolong the flowering of the bush in the spring, cut off the faded flower stalks, without waiting until they dry out. To stimulate autumn flowering, the plant should be pruned after flowering.

In order to achieve long and lush flowering, armeria should be fed with mineral fertilizers. This must be done before laying the flower stalks. But you need to pay attention to the fact that even without additional feeding, the armeria will delight you with flowers.

Once every 5 years, the armeria should be rejuvenated, because during this time the bush grows strongly. The rejuvenation of the bush is carried out by dividing it into several small plants.

If armeria bushes are planted in the right place, then pests and fungal diseases rarely affect them. If this still happened, then the problem is solved by cardinal pruning of the plant. After that, this issue should be resolved.

Although Armeria is thermophilic, it usually endures winter very well. If there is a lot of snow in winter, then you should not additionally cover the plant. But in case of too little snow cover, armeria should be covered with fallen leaves and needles.

It is also important not to allow the bushes to be under the ice crust, otherwise the roots may rot, which will lead to the inevitable death of your plant.

Armeria flowers are indispensable in landscape design, because they are very beautiful (as in the photo), bloom for a long time, are not picky and do not require special care.

A mixture of different types and colors of armeria looks especially good in the design of alpine slides.

Reproduction and planting

Armeria reproduces in several ways:

The division of the bush - is carried out in early spring or early autumn, and also possible immediately after flowering.

• You can divide those bushes that were planted at least three years ago. These bushes are divided into small parts, while removing rotten roots.
• Each part of the bush sits in a separate place.

Armeria is unpretentious, takes root without any problems. But still, autumn planting gives the best results, since these flowers tolerate wintering well.

Cuttings - can be carried out throughout the summer. For this, basal processes are used. In order for the rooting of the cuttings to go better, they need to be cut with a “heel”.

Growing from seed is a great way to propagate armeria.

• Seeds are sown in late February or early March.
• Before sowing, the seeds should be placed in the refrigerator for a week. After that, the seeds should be soaked in water for several hours.
• Seeds are sown to a depth of 0.5 cm. Seeds should not be sown too thickly, as the germination of seeds of armeria is usually good.
• After the leaves appear on the seedlings, the plants should be transplanted into a greenhouse, greenhouse (pictured) or into the ground, while covering with a film.

It should be noted that plants that are planted from seeds usually bloom only in the second year. It rarely blooms in the fall of the same year. You can use a mixture of seeds to get more variety.
Photo 4.
When planting armeria in a permanent place, you should choose a well-lit area, but avoid direct sunlight and stagnant moisture. Bushes should be planted at a distance of 35 cm from each other, in the case of planting in groups, this distance is reduced to 20 cm, and if carpet planting is provided, then the distance is reduced even more. Deep planting armeria bushes is not worth it.

Thrift

General characteristics

Perennial undersized plant with a strong tap root. The leaves are lanceolate, collected in a dense rosette and form tussocks-pillows at the ends of short shoots.

Flowers and fruits

The flowers are small, collected in capitate inflorescences on bare peduncles 20-40 cm long. The color of the flowers is most often pink. Blooms from May to September.

Optimal growing conditions, planting and care

Unpretentious in care, drought-resistant plants, but are afraid of snowless winters. In drought, watering is necessary, but they cannot stand soaking. Inflorescences should preferably be cut after flowering. Well-lit areas with light, well-drained soils are preferred. Drought-resistant.

Reproduction methods

Propagated by dividing the bush and seeds. Armeria bushes are divided in early spring during their germination or in August. Seeds are sown in May - June immediately into the ground. In August, they are transplanted to a permanent place. In this case, the armeria blooms in the second year. For flowering in the first year, seeds are sown in February-March in boxes in a greenhouse or in a room.

Application

They are used for planting in borders, in rockeries, on discounts and rocky areas. The compact rosettes of armeria look especially impressive in the crevices of the retaining walls and between the slabs of the paths. They coexist well with other ground cover plants.

Species, varieties, forms

(Armeria alpina)

Perennial plant forming dense cushions 20-30 cm in diameter and 8-15 cm tall. Leaves in basal rosette, linear-lanceolate. Part of the leaves overwinter. The flowers are small, light pink, collected in a capitate, axillary inflorescence up to 3 cm in diameter. Peduncles 20-30 cm tall, leafless. Blossoms in June 25-35 days.

(Armeria welwitschii)

The tallest member of the genus. The leaves are large, up to 10 cm long, 5 cm wide. The flowers are pink, up to 2 cm in diameter, collected in capitate inflorescences on peduncles up to 35 cm tall. Blooms very profusely and for a long time from June to the first snow. Calcium-rich soil is required for successful growth.

(Armeria juniperifolia)

Perennial plant forming a dense cushion 5-15 cm tall, 15-20 cm in diameter. The leaves are narrow, linear, collected in a rosette. The flowers are red or pink in capitate inflorescences surrounded by dry bracts, completely covering the green rosettes. Peduncles 5-6 cm tall. Blooms from July 40-50 days. Old pillows usually fall apart starting from the center.

(Armeria alliacea)

Evergreen, herbaceous perennial from 20 to 50 cm tall with pink flowers, blooms from May to July. There are varieties with white flowers. Requires open sunny position and well-drained soil. Frost-resistant.

(Armeria formosa = Armeria pseudarmeria "Formosa")

The plant forms compact evergreen rosettes of green, narrowly linear leaves. Stems are rounded, rigid, erect, 12-18 cm tall. Inflorescence 4-5 cm in diameter. Blooms profusely in June, individual flowers appear until October. Inflorescences come in different shades of white, pink, red. Successful cultivation requires an open sunny position and sandy soil with good drainage.

(Armeria maritima = Armeria vulgaris)

Cushion-shaped perennial plant, 15-20 cm tall and 15 cm in diameter, with narrow, linear, flat, obtuse blue-green leaves. The flowers are purple-pink, collected in capitate inflorescences, covered with membranous bracts. Peduncles up to 20 cm tall, pubescent. It blooms from May for about 70 days, sometimes again in autumn.

It has several forms and varieties:

(Armeria pseudodarmeria)

Plant with strong stems up to 40 cm tall. Forms compact evergreen rosettes of green linear leaves. Stems are rounded, rigid, erect. Inflorescence spherical of small white or pink flowers. Mass flowering occurs in June, individual flowers appear until October.
Has several varieties:
'Joystick White' - bright white, spherical inflorescences on strong 40 cm stems. Blooms in the year of sowing and can be grown as an annual.
"Bees Ruby" - 40 - 60 cm high, blooms in June-August with bright pink flowers. "Thrift" - 15-20 cm tall.

(Armeria sibirica)

Perennial herbaceous plant. The flowers are small, pink, up to 0.4 cm in diameter, collected in capitate inflorescences up to 2 cm in diameter. Peduncles 20-30 cm tall. Blooms from June for about 40 days. Fruiting.

Armeria is a perennial herbaceous plant from the Swine family. It forms amazingly dense grassy sods, over which balls of dense bright inflorescences rise on thin peduncles. In nature, the plant most often lives on mountain slopes near the sea, in the Mediterranean, North America, Mongolia and Eastern Europe. Dense green pillows can be used for landscaping the garden and decorating the flower garden. Even in a temperate climate, the armeria feels great and tolerates wintering in the open field. Caring for her does not require much effort.

Botanical description

Armeria is a genus of perennial herbs. The height of the sod is about 15-20 cm, and during the flowering period it can reach 60 cm. The plant has a shortened taproot. Above the soil surface is a dense leaf rosette of narrow linear leaves. They are bright green or bluish in color and form a dense cushion, under which it is difficult to distinguish the ground.

Armeria begins to bloom in May and pleases gardeners with fragrant bright inflorescences until the end of summer. A long erect stem grows from the center of the leaf rosette. Its smooth bare or slightly pubescent surface is colored dark green. Flowers on short pedicels are located close to each other, so the inflorescence resembles a perfect ball. Bisexual buds are painted in purple, pink, lilac or white. Corolla bracts fuse into a small tube, and 5 stamens are located in the center. After pollination, fruits ripen - dry one-seeded boxes.

Types of armeria

Botanists have registered about 90 species of Armeria. The most popular is . It forms dense dark green sods. The height of the plant does not exceed 20 cm. The linear, slightly flattened foliage is colored blue-green. Capitate inflorescences, towering on pubescent peduncles, have a pink-purple hue. Flowering begins at the end of May and may be repeated in September. Popular varieties:

• Vindictive - blooms with large blood-red flowers;
• Louisiana - blooms with pink inflorescences;
• Alba - a variety with snow-white inflorescences;
• Solendens Perfecta – Produces miniature light lilac flowers.

Armeria maritime

The species lives on mountain slopes and is compact in size. The height of the turf does not exceed 10 cm, and the diameter reaches 30 cm. Many narrow bright green leaves persist even in frosty winters. In early June, a smooth peduncle 30 cm long grows from the center of the rosette. It carries a capitate inflorescence with a diameter of no more than 3 cm. Small bells in it are painted in light pink tones. Popular varieties:

• Rosea - the turf is covered with many bright pink inflorescences;
• Laucheana - blooms with carmine flowers;
• Alba - with snow-white buds.

The plant is found in the highlands. It forms a dense curtain less than 15 cm in height. But the width of the bush can be 20 cm. Narrow dark green foliage is collected in dense rosettes. Inflorescences rise above it on short (about 6 cm) stems. This species blooms in July and pleases with flowers for up to 50 days. Flowering is so abundant that under the many inflorescences it is difficult to distinguish the leaves. The variety is distinguished by the most capricious character. For normal development, she needs partial shade and shelter for the winter, as severe frosts can destroy this plant. Varieties:

• Bivenz Veraeti - white-pink terry flowers;
• Brno - terry flowers of a lilac shade.

Growing from seeds

Armeria from seeds can be grown through seedlings or sown directly into the ground. The latter is possible only in the southern regions, since the seeds germinate with the first warm days, but may later suffer from return frosts. Sowing in open ground is carried out in November, so the seeds will undergo natural stratification and seedlings will appear in March.

Growing seedlings begin in mid-February. The seeds must first be stratified at a temperature of +2…+8°C during the week. Then they are soaked for a day in warm water and sown in a container with a sand-peat mixture to a depth of 5 mm. Sprouted at a temperature of +16…+20°C. Shoots appear within 2-3 weeks. In greenhouses, seedlings continue to be grown until mid-May, when the plants are strong enough and the likelihood of frost disappears.

Vegetative propagation

Shrubs form many basal shoots every year. Dense turf can be divided into several parts and seated in different parts of the garden. The first division is made at the age of 3 years. The procedure is carried out at the end of summer, at the end of flowering. The bush is completely dug up and divided into several parts. All delenki should consist of plants with a strong root system. The distance between new landings should be at least 20 cm.

Throughout the summer, you can propagate armeria by cuttings. This implies the separation from the sod of a young rosette without roots, or with an underdeveloped rhizome. Rooting is done in open ground. Having planted the stalk in loose, well-drained soil, it is covered with a cap for 1-2 weeks, but aired and watered daily as needed. Rooting is pretty fast.

Landing in open ground

Armeria is a photophilous plant, therefore, open, well-lit areas of the garden are selected for its planting. It is recommended to immediately take care of protection from drafts and strong gusts of wind. The soil for armeria should have a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. The presence of lime in the soil is undesirable. To prepare alkaline soil, ammonium nitrate and acetic acid are added to it. Sandy rocky soils are most suitable for growing armeria. If there are none on the site, a layer about 20 cm thick can be created independently from a mixture of river sand, turf and greenhouse land.

A few days before planting, the soil is well loosened and a complex of organic fertilizers (crushed sawdust, hay, needles and humus) is applied. To get isolated sods of armeria, the distance between seedlings should be about 40 cm. To form a continuous carpet, it is cut in half. Planting holes are made shallow so that the root neck is located above the soil surface. The soil is compacted and moderately watered. You can scatter pebbles on the surface or make masonry.

plant care

If the place for the armeria is chosen correctly and the planting conditions are met, it will be easy to take care of the armeria in the garden. She needs moderate watering. In rainy weather, natural precipitation is enough, but in summer heat and drought it is recommended to irrigate the bushes by sprinkling. The soil should dry out between waterings.

Every 1-1.5 months, the armeria is fertilized with mineral fertilizers for flowering plants. The fertilizer solution is poured into the soil instead of watering. Thanks to this, the leaves will be especially bright, and flowering will be plentiful. On peaty and loamy soils, the need for top dressing is not so great, because the plants get everything they need from the nutrient soil.

After flowering is completed, fading inflorescences should be cut off immediately. This can not only increase the attractiveness of the green cover in the garden, but also achieve the reappearance of flowers in the armeria in August or early September.

Armeria winters in central Russia and more southern regions under snow, without additional shelter. For soddy armeria, cover with spruce branches or non-woven material is provided. They will also save other varieties in severe frosts. It is desirable to prevent the accumulation of moisture near the plants, since during the dormant period the armeria does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil.

Armeria in the garden

Armeria is beautiful with its dense bright vegetation. It is used in mixborders, discounts, rocky gardens and rock gardens. Plants also look good on rocky masonry or natural mountain slopes. Dense foliage retains beauty all year round, forming a continuous green carpet. In summer, a pattern of bright, fragrant inflorescences of an unusual shape blooms on it.

In the flower garden, armeria goes well with undersized flora (phlox, thyme, saxifrage, bluebells). You can also create a composition exclusively from armeria of various types and varieties. Inflorescences are well preserved after drying, so they are used in dry compositions. To do this, they are cut at the peak of flowering and dried, hanging upside down.