Calistegia terry: planting, outdoor care and cultivation

• September 14, 2018
• Flowers
• Natalia Miroshnikova

Flowering vines look very impressive, and such plants are popular with gardeners. But not all such cultures are endowed with an unpretentious character. A pleasant exception to the rule is calystegia terry, which is also called the Siberian rose. With minimal care, this climbing plant grows quickly and delights with numerous and large buds.

Description

Calistegia terry is a climbing vine belonging to the Convolvulaceae family. This herbaceous perennial, which came to us from East Asia, is distinguished by a highly developed root system. The whitish dense shoots are capable of occupying a large area and displacing other crops from it. Therefore, the growth of the vine must be limited.

The plant's smooth and flexible vines, covered with brownish skin, reach 4 meters in length. They bear heart-shaped or triangular leaves, painted in light or dark green tones. The plates with a relief pattern on the surface have pointed tips and wavy sides.

But the main value of the vine lies in its large double buds. They densely cover the plant's vines from the beginning of summer until frost. The diameter of the peduncles reaches up to 10–12 cm. The thin delicate petals of the crop are colored pink or white. After the buds, seed boxes are formed. With the arrival of cold weather, all above-ground parts of the crop die off, only the strong rhizome remains alive, which will produce new shoots next spring.

Is it necessary to prune the plant?

Pruning for Calistegia is necessary for:

• giving it an attractive appearance;
• combating excessive thickening;
• prevention of diseases associated with insufficient air supply.

During the entire growing season, the following types of pruning are performed:

Popular types

There are 25 varieties of vines, but only three are grown as ornamental crops. The rest grow like weeds. So, for the garden, choose the following types of plants:

• Calistegia fluffy. The plant is characterized by rapid growth and shoots reaching up to 4 meters in length. The strong branches of the vine are densely covered with leathery, oblong, emerald leaves. The buds are usually double. But there are varieties with simple bell-shaped peduncles. The diameter of the buds reaches 3–9 cm. The petals are painted in soft pink tones with a dark base.
• Calistegia multiplex. The shoots of the vine reach 3–4 meters in length. They are covered with dark green triangular shaped leaves. The plates are located close to each other, which gives special splendor to the branches. But the main value of the variety is its large double buds, reaching 10 cm in diameter. The petals are painted in bright pink tones. Calistegia multiplex is the most demanding of regular feeding.
• Calistegia ivy leaf. This variety is also called Japanese. The plant is characterized by rapid growth. Its shoots reach 1.5–2 meters in length. On the elastic branches there are small alternate leaves and large double buds with a diameter of up to 9 cm. The vine begins to flower in July and ends by the end of September.

Each of these varieties will decorate the site. But for this you will need to create comfortable conditions for the plants and provide the vines with minimal care.

Terry calistegia: types and varieties for open ground

Only a few varieties of the flower have been cultivated. The types of calistegia described below are most often used for cultivation.

Fluffy (pubescens)

Found wild in China. A liana with long shoots that reach 4 m. The leaves are leathery, slightly elongated. The flowers are pink-white, the core is dark. The most popular variety of the species is Flore plena, with soft pink flowers that look like pompoms. The plant begins to bloom in mid-summer.

Hairy

A perennial plant native to the Far East. Prefers to grow on rocky slopes and meadows, like a weed. It has stems up to 80 cm long, with elongated lanceolate leaves. The roots are long, cord-like. The flowers are pink, 4-6 cm in diameter, with a corolla formed by 5 fused petals.

Fence (Sepium)

A perennial with climbing thin shoots up to 3 m long. The leaf blades are triangular, the flowers are single, white or light pink. This species is found everywhere and grows like a weed.

Multiplex

Liana-shaped calistegia 3-3.5 m long. The leaves are dark green, triangular. The flowers are pink, about 10 cm in diameter. The species is highly frost-resistant.

Ivy (hederifolia) or Japanese (japonica)

A plant with strong elastic stems up to 2.5 m long. The leaves are small, arranged alternately. The flowers are about 9 cm in diameter, light pink.

Selecting a location

The plant does not tolerate transplantation well and grows in one place for up to 20 years. Select a site taking into account this feature of the vine. Calistegia is a light-loving flower. Therefore, the curly beauty requires the most illuminated open spaces. The southern or eastern side of the site is suitable, preferably on a small hill. Since in lowlands and places with close soil, the roots of the plant rot.

Do not grow the crop near buildings, high fences or in the shade of large trees. This will cause the color of the petals to fade significantly, and the flowering itself will occur two weeks later and will last less.

The vine does not have any special requirements for soil. But it develops better in areas with nutritious and loose soil. In such conditions, the plant lives up to 10 years and annually pleases with long and multi-membered flowering.

How to properly care for a plant

With proper care and choice of location, the vine will delight with lush flowering from mid-summer until the onset of frost.

Lighting

"French Rose" loves sunny places. To obtain abundant and early flowering, you must choose a well-lit place for planting. The plant is not afraid of direct sunlight, but in the shade it can greatly slow down the development of shoots and begin to bloom 2 weeks later. If a tree is chosen as a support, the crown should be openwork, creating a translucent shadow.

Top dressing

A fast-growing vine requires good fertilizer. In early spring, before the beginning of the growing season, it must be fed with organic fertilizers and humus, and the soil must be loosened well. Throughout the summer, to maintain abundant flowering, apply complex mineral fertilizer for flowering plants once every two weeks. After the end of flowering and growing season, the loach is cut off and the ground is mulched with ash.

Trimming

In the summer, to maintain a decorative appearance, it is necessary to prune faded flowers, this will promote the appearance of new buds. After the growing season, it is advisable to cut the shoots by 2/3 of their length, this will make it easier for the plant to overwinter and more young shoots will appear in the spring. You can even cut the plant down to ground level.

The soil

By regularly feeding the “French Rose” you don’t have to worry about the soil; sandy and loamy soil is suitable. By adding humus and compost every spring, you can extend the life of a plant in one place for up to twenty years. It will grow poorly on soils with close groundwater.

Watering

In temperate and southern latitudes, there is enough precipitation for calistegia. Powerful roots independently store water and can suffer from waterlogging caused by stagnation of water or the proximity of groundwater. It will only be necessary to water in the event of a very dry summer.

Landing

Start the event in early spring. Before planting, be sure to harden off the seedlings. Take them out into the fresh air for two weeks and leave them for an hour. Plant the plants in a trench 25–30 cm deep. If the groundwater in the area lies close to the soil surface, be sure to provide drainage. To do this, pour a 5-centimeter layer of broken brick or coarse sand onto the bottom of the trench.

Plant seedlings at a distance of 20 cm from each other. Make sure that the root collar is level with the ground. After planting terry calistegia, moisten the soil well and mulch the surface with peat or humus. This layer will feed the plants, also retain moisture in the soil and prevent weeds from appearing.

Please note that calistegia terry is a vine that grows strongly. And if its development is not controlled, it will quickly take over free space and displace other cultures from there. Therefore, limit its growth with pieces of slate, plastic or mesh tape 50 cm wide. Dig these materials around the crop to a depth of 40 cm.

Calistegia terry in landscape design

Since the rootstock is a vine, it is ideal for landscaping vertical surfaces. They can be used to decorate mesh gazebos, terraces, and arches. Calistegia can be grown as a hedge. With the help of this plant, you can visually increase the area of ​​the site if you make an opening of several arches along which it will weave. Bindweed is a bad neighbor for other plants in the flowerbed. It is better to plant it separately. It grows quickly, has a powerful root system and can simply choke out the growth of other crops.

Calistegia terry is a flowering vine that can decorate any landscape. This is an ideal plant for unsightly areas, walls and fences. Unlike many other decorative flowers, calistegia requires virtually no attention. But for long and abundant flowering it must be provided with sufficient light, moisture, and nutrients.

Below is a video from which you can find out more useful information for gardeners about the features of growing double Calistegia and using decorative vines for spectacular landscaping of the site:

Care

Growing terry calistegia in the garden will not cause much trouble, because the vine is unpretentious and does not require special attention. However, in order to achieve lush and numerous buds from it, you will need to carry out such agrotechnical measures as:

• periodic watering;
• regular feeding;
• pruning and crown formation;
• preparation for winter;
• prevention of diseases and pests.

In addition, in order for the plant to develop well, it is important to provide it with support. For this purpose, use tripods, inclined rods, and gratings. If you wish, you can even build an arch, and terry calistegia will easily wrap around it. But keep in mind that the diameter of the support should not exceed 10 cm. Otherwise, the vine will have difficulty climbing it.

Growing problems

The main problem in the process of growing calistegia is that it tends to grow, forming young stems at a great distance from the mother plant. To prevent the uncontrolled spread of the flower, you need to build a barrier. To do this, plant the plant in a container that does not have a bottom, dug into the soil. You can also take sheets of slate or plastic and bury them vertically into the soil, deepening them no less than 40 cm.

Another serious problem when cultivating calistegia is the invasion of snails and slugs, so you need to regularly inspect the plants and promptly treat the bushes with pesticides at the first sign.

Calistegia is a perennial liana that has captivated many gardeners with its ease of care and lush flowering. And its intensive growth can quickly realize any design ideas for landscaping a site.

Watering

Calistegia terry, photos of which are given in the material, is a drought-resistant plant. And it has enough groundwater and rainfall. But if the summer turns out to be hot and dry, then water the flower occasionally.

Young seedlings in the first year after planting need more frequent irrigation, because their roots are not yet strong enough and do not draw moisture from the soil. Therefore, moisten the soil as it dries. But don’t get carried away with watering, because young plants will die from stagnation of moisture.

Conditions for growth and flowering

Calistegia is not a capricious plant that grows under any conditions. But for successful growth and flowering, it is recommended to take care of sufficient lighting, optimal temperature conditions and soil fertility.

Lighting

It is better to grow Calistegia in illuminated areas. The culture thrives in partial shade, but in open areas flowering occurs 2-3 weeks earlier and is abundant.

Calistegia grows well and blooms profusely in areas that are illuminated by the sun in the morning and shaded in the afternoon.

Temperature

Temperatures ranging from 22 to 25 degrees are considered favorable for development and flowering.

If the temperature rises above 30, the leaves of the plant may wither, so when planting it is important to choose the right place, providing the flowers not only with bright, diffused lighting, but also with optimal temperature conditions.

Required soil composition

Calistegia is unpretentious to the composition of the soil. Peaty, deciduous, loamy soil is suitable for it. The proximity of groundwater can be dangerous for the plant, so it is necessary to organize high-quality drainage.

Preparing for winter

Calistegia terry is a frost-resistant plant. And in the middle zone, it calmly endures the cold season even without shelter. But if a frosty and snowless winter is expected, then it is better to prepare the crop for it. To do this, cut off all above-ground parts of the plant, because they will die from frost anyway. After this, sprinkle the vine's trunk circle with fallen leaves, peat or sawdust.

Reproduction by root shoots

Calistegia terry is a very life-loving crop. And during growth it produces a mass of root shoots. They can be used to propagate the flower. To do this, dig up the shoot and transplant it to a suitable place. During the event, do not forget to water the seedling.

The vine can be propagated from spring to late autumn. But when planting before winter, do not forget to insulate the seedlings. Otherwise they will not survive until spring. To do this, cover the tree trunk circle with a 5-centimeter layer of peat or sawdust. And cover the planting with non-woven material, for example, lutrasil.

Diseases and pests

Calistegia terry belongs to plants with strong immunity. But if the summer turns out to be rainy and cold, then the crop may suffer from fungal diseases, for example, root rot or powdery mildew. For treatment, treat the vine with the fungicide “Fitosporin” or “Topaz”. But in order to prevent the development of the disease, it is better to spray the plant in the spring for preventative purposes.

Calistegia is quite poisonous, and most pests avoid it. But the vine is loved by snails and slugs, and these insects are capable of destroying the foliage and buds of the plant in a short time. To get rid of parasites, treat the crop with Karbofos or Thunderstorm. Egg shells also help repel pests. It should be crushed and scattered near the tree trunk.

Beneficial features

Representatives of the genus Calistegia are actively used by traditional healers from China for the manufacture of medicinal potions. In their opinion, the foliage and stems of the plant have beneficial properties, and tinctures and decoctions based on them help:

• normalize body temperature;
• get rid of long-term constipation;
• quickly heal wounds on the skin;
• restore quality and healthy sleep;
• quickly remove excess fluid from the body.

Calistegia is a poisonous plant and is used only for decorative purposes; its ingestion is strictly contraindicated. It is not used in official medicine, as well as other industrial sectors.

Reviews

Calistegia terry is popular among gardeners. According to reviews, this vine is the best plant for decorating nondescript buildings, fences and any supports. After all, the plant grows quickly and reaches enormous sizes in a short time. In addition, for 3-4 months a year it is covered with attractive buds that exude a pleasant aroma.

In addition, the advantages of the crop include frost resistance, resistance to diseases and pests, as well as its unpretentious nature and minimal care requirements. Therefore, if you want to easily grow a beautiful climbing plant, hide a landscape imperfection, or decorate the wall of a building, then pay attention to terry calistegia. This vine will not disappoint you.

Assorted bindweeds

So, we, residents of Central Russia, know the bindweed family (Convolvulaceae) from only two of its representatives. Meanwhile, this family is not even small, but very, very respectable - 50 genera and 1500 species. But bindweeds prefer the tropics. It is in the tropics that the largest genus of bindweed thrives - morning glory (Ipomoea), which includes about 500 species. The genus bindweed (Covolvulus) is also not small - 250 species. By the way, bindweeds are more or less evenly represented on all continents except Antarctica.

But the genus Calystegia is very modest against this background - only 25 species. In the European part of Russia there is only one calistegia - fence - “bindweed” with large, pleasant, pale pink “gramophone” colors. In fact, the epithet urban would be equally suitable for her. Indeed, despite its natural origin, this herbaceous vine is more often found in the city than in natural communities. Although the city spreads rot and displaces most wild herbs, the urban environment, on the contrary, turned out to be more favorable for calistegia. And the point, obviously, is in those dividing structures with which people enclose and delimit the urban territory: walls, fences, fences. It is near such structures that calistegia finds comfortable conditions.

Calistegia was one of those plants that I became acquainted with in preschool age. We called her the firecracker. The ability to clap her flowers, as well as whistle with two fingers, swim like a dog, ride a two-wheeled bicycle, play hopscotch... was part of the gentleman's kit of a 6-7 year old boy. First, fold the index finger and thumb of your left hand into a ring. Then you carefully put the funnel of the flower into it and, cupping the palm of your right hand, pound it as hard as you can. If everything is done as it should be, then a shot resembling a pop of air is heard. It would seem like a simple matter, but try to ensure that the shots come out not every once in a while, but whenever you want, and are heard a hundred meters away!

It must be said that the specific epithet “fence” for calistegia is extremely accurate. If you want to make acquaintance with her, look for her at the fence. It is to fences (she especially loves mesh ones) that Calistegia owes its presence in the city. The fence gives her both support and a safe refuge. And although calistegia is not considered the same dangerous weed as bindweed, it is very difficult to lime. On the plot of our town house, for example, there has been no bindweed for a hundred years, but calistegia is thriving. No matter what we did with her, she was still alive!

The reason for such vitality lies precisely in its attachment to fences. The fence is a kind of state border. And near the borders, gardeners, as a rule, are less active than in the center of the site. And the people on different sides of the fence differ in their zeal for work - some fight weeds, while others don’t give a damn. This is all Calistegia needs. If one of the neighbors begins to oppress her, she will go beyond the cordon and wait out the “hard times” there. And when you get distracted, or get tired of fighting with her, she will return and declare herself with renewed vigor - she is not familiar with fatigue!

So we come to the main character of this article - a native of Northern China, fluffy calystegia (Calystegia pubescens), which is considered the most beautiful of the calystegia. This herbaceous vine, climbing clockwise, can climb to a height of 3 (4) m. In the shape and size of its leaves, it is more similar to field bindweed than to its fence namesake. They are relatively small, with three sharp blades - one, the longest, is directed forward, and the other two are obliquely backward. In general, it’s a typical harpoon tip. The roots of calistegia fluffy are the same as those of the fence - white, cord-like, only a little thinner. And as befits a bindweed - the rod is in all directions.

Separately about flowers. The flowers of this calistegia are whitish-pink, double, up to 7-8 cm in diameter. They are very diverse in shape, from almost regular “roses” to bizarrely crumpled “pieces of paper”. The liana blooms in May-July for at least two months in a row.