Bergenia, Anemone, Helenium, Delphinium. Rhizomatous Perennials Overwintering in the Soil of Kyrgyzstan

Bergenia (Bergenia Moench).

The plant retains its foliage year-round. It prefers semi-shaded or shaded areas, light nutritious soil, and is moisture-loving. The most common variety in cultivation is B. crassifolia. The leaves are rosette-shaped, leathery, shiny, and decorative. In spring, the bushes are adorned with bright pink flowers gathered in corymbs, located on leafless stems. It blooms from early April for 35-40 days. It is propagated by division of rhizomes and seeds.

Division is done in August-September. When planted in spring, it takes longer to establish and appears stunted.

It is best to place Bergenia in shaded and well-watered areas, but away from large trees, in combination with other plants. It can also be used for cutting, as its flowers last up to 7 days.

Anemone (Anemone L.),

There are up to 90 species in nature. They are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The plants are undemanding and grow well in any location. Depending on the species, they bloom from spring to autumn.

In decorative horticulture, two main species are used — the forest anemone and the Japanese anemone.

The forest anemone (A. sylvestris L.) blooms in spring. The leaves are rosette-shaped, on long petioles, forming lush bushes. The flowers are snow-white, five-petaled, up to 5 cm in diameter, rising above the leaves. During the mass flowering period, it is very decorative. The leaves remain green until late autumn, making it suitable for borders. It grows well in both open and shaded areas.

The Japanese anemone (A. japonica Sieb. et Zucc.) blooms in summer. The bushes are branching, vigorous, reaching a height of 90-100 cm. The stems have 2-3 whorls of leaflets with two to three flowers on long pedicels; the terminal inflorescence bears up to 10-15 pink-lilac, cream, or white flowers with a diameter of up to 4-5 cm.

The leaves are basal, three-lobed, and hairy. The plant is low-maintenance regarding soil, light, and water conditions. It is used for group and solitary plantings and for cutting.

The forest anemone is propagated by seeds and vegetatively. Division of the bushes is done every 3-4 years in August-September or very early in spring. The Japanese anemone is not very suitable for vegetative propagation, as its roots go deep and usually break when dug up. Seeds of the forest anemone are sown in autumn, while those of the Japanese anemone, being more heat-loving, are sown in spring directly into the soil, in light nutritious soil to a depth of 0.5 cm. One-year-old seedlings of the anemone are quite suitable for planting in a permanent location.

Helenium (Helenium L.).

Its homeland is North America. In cultivation, the most commonly used species is autumnal helenium (N. autumnale L.), which reaches a height of 1.5 m. The stems are strong, upright, and branching. The leaves are alternate, sessile, lanceolate, and serrated at the edges. The flower heads are up to 4 cm in diameter, gathered in a corymb. The ray flowers are golden-yellow, and the tubular flowers are yellow. It blooms from late July to October.

Heleniums in cultivation are undemanding and can grow in any location. They are recommended for group plantings, along fences, and for cutting.

The best varieties of autumnal helenium include: Garten Sonne — bush height 120 cm, flower heads up to 4 cm in diameter, ray flowers reddish-yellow, tubular flowers brownish, blooms from late July to September; Granatstern — bush height up to 1 m, large flower heads up to 5 cm in diameter, ray flowers dark red, tubular flowers brownish, blooms from late July to mid-September; Kupfersprudel — bush height up to 1 m, flower heads up to 6 cm in diameter, ray flowers dark red with yellow stripes, blooms from late July to early September; Rotgaud — bush height 80 cm, inflorescence up to 4 cm in diameter, ray flowers brown-red with a yellow edge, blooms from early August.

Autumnal helenium is propagated by seeds and division of bushes. Division and transplanting of plants are done in spring. The distance between plants is set at 60x60 cm. The sparse planting is explained by the strong growth of the bushes — by the age of two, they reach 60-80 cm in diameter. The helenium is divided according to the number of old woody stems.

Seeds are sown in the ground in autumn or very early in spring. In the second year, in spring, the seedlings can be planted in a permanent location.

Delphinium (Delphinium L.).

In natural conditions, there are up to 200 species, distributed almost everywhere. The plant is from a temperate climate. Among perennials, it stands out for its huge inflorescences and the rare colors of its flowers — blue, azure, and purple.

Delphinium is propagated by seeds, division of the bush, and cuttings. With abundant nutrition and regular watering, it grows well, forms long branching inflorescences, and blooms profusely.

Compared to other perennials, it is quite a finicky plant. It requires open or slightly shaded areas, protected from winds, with soil kept loose and free from weeds, watered in furrows, avoiding waterlogging and crusting of the top layer.

In decorative gardening, the hybrid delphinium (D. hybridum hort.) is more commonly used, which combines cultivated varieties and forms obtained through interspecific hybridization and differs from wild types in bush habit, size and shape of inflorescences, and flower color.

Wild species have also found wide application.

D. elatum (D. elatum L.). Stem up to 2 m high, bare or slightly hairy at the bottom. Leaves are round or round-heart-shaped. The flower cluster is sparse, branching in the lower part. Flowers are blue or blue. Flowering begins in early June and lasts for 30-35 days.

D. laxiflorum (D. laxiflorum D. C). The stem is branching, up to 80 cm high. Leaves are round-heart-shaped or round-bud-shaped, deeply palmate-lobed. The inflorescence is loose, elongated, and few-flowered. Flowers are bright blue, up to 6.5 cm in diameter. Blooms from early June to mid-July.

D. grandiflorum (D. grandiflorum L.). Stems are straight, branching, covered with fine hairs, up to 50 cm high.

Leaves are deeply lobed into 5 broadly ovate lobes. Flowers are blue, azure, up to 3 cm in diameter, gathered in broad clusters. Blooms from mid-June to early August.

Aquilegia, Armeria, Astilbe, Achillea. Rhizomatous perennials wintering in the soil of Kyrgyzstan