Decorative features of various types of Artemisia
Artemisia is well represented on the market, but perhaps not everyone is familiar with them. It is worth dwelling on their decorative features in more detail.
Artemisia abrotanum
Semi-shrub, in Northern areas often freezes and manifests itself as a herbaceous perennial. It reaches a height of 1 m and grows in width over the years. Leaves are blue-green, feathery. Blooms in the second half of summer. It has a characteristic strong aroma with lemon notes.
Artemisia absinthium
Herbaceous perennial, woody at the base,up to 1-1. 2 m high. It has soft, strongly dissected leaves with silvery pubescence. It is more attractive in the first half of summer, since when flowering (from the end of June to September) it loses its compactness and attractiveness due to the growth of a loose apical inflorescence with nondescript brownish-yellow inflorescences. It has a pronounced characteristic aroma.
‘Lambrook Silver’ – this variety of Artemisia absinthium, obtained in England at the beginning of the XX century, differs from the species in a more compact shrub up to 75 cm in height and grows more in width. Its leaves are also dissected, but have a more pronounced silvery pubescence.
‘Powis Castle’ is a hybrid variety (Artemisia absinthium x Artemisia arborescens). Herbaceous perennial with a woody stem. Reaches a height of 75 cm. Decorative dissected leaves, silvery pubescence and compact structure of the Bush, but less winter-hardy than the original species, so it needs to be planted from the southern and windless side of the wings or structure.
Artemisia armeniaca
Its garden form, ‘Canescens’, is a herbaceous perennial with a height of no more than 30-45 cm. The leaves are exceptionally openwork, as if stretched out in a thread, sit tightly on the shoot, are strongly pubescent, which makes the entire plant appear silvery-white.
Artemisia campestris
Compact herbaceous perennial 30-50 cm high with strongly dissected leaves of a bluish-green color.
Artemisia dracunculus
Herbaceous perennial up to 1.2-1.5 m tall. The leaves are narrow, lanceolate, dark blue-green. Inflorescences-yellowish-green drooping baskets, blooms in August-September. In Western and Eastern Europe, different forms are common; the Western one is more compact and fragrant. This Artemisia is very different in its requirements in culture, it needs a nutritious and moisture-intensive loam, it can be planted in a slightly shaded place.
Artemisia lactiflora
A powerful herbaceous perennial, lignified at the base and reaching 1.5-1.8 m in height. The leaves are bluish-green, lobed, ovate-lanceolate. Inflorescences are yellowish-cream, lush panicles, much more attractive than other Artemisia. Large, spectacular plant for the background of the flower garden.
Artemisia ludoviciana
Herbaceous perennial up to 1 m high, actively growing in width. The leaves and young shoots are pubescent, usually gray-green in color, but can vary in shades. Flowering in the second half of summer.
Artemisia ludoviciana var. albula ‘Silver Queen’ is a very attractive and compact variety produced in England. Reaches a height of 60-75 cm. The leaves are strongly pubescent and differ in a silvery, almost white hue.
Artemisia pontica
Herbaceous perennial, reaching 60 cm (40-80 cm) in height and actively growing in width. The leaves are very small and strongly dissected, light gray-green in color. Fragrant.
Artemisia schmidtiana
An elegant herbaceous perennial up to 30 cm tall. The leaves are strongly dissected and pubescent, which makes them appear completely silver. During flowering in August, the Bush loses its compactness and falls apart slightly.
Artemisia schmidtiana ‘Nana’ – the variety differs from the species in a more compact, dense form and even more pronounced silvery pubescence.
Artemisia stelleriana
A squat herbaceous perennial up to 30-40 cm in height, during flowering shoots stretch to 50-60 cm and fall apart. The leaves are light grey, similar to Cineraria.
Artemisia stelleriana ‘Boughton Silver’ is a compact variety bred in Japan. It differs from the species in a more elegant structure, up to 15-20 cm in height, a flattened shape and a more pronounced silvery patina.
Artemisia vallesiana
Superficially similar to Artemisia pontica, but more compact and more branched shoots. Herbaceous perennial with a height of 30-40 cm. The leaves are small, strongly dissected, gray with white pubescence. Fragrant.
All presented Artemisia, except Artemisia dracunculus, need to be planted in an open, as much as possible illuminated place and light, low-nutrient soils without water stagnation. Violation of these Artemisia needs will lead to plant degradation. They will be greatly stretched, losing the density of the Bush and compactness, silvery pubescence will become noticeably less pronounced and eventually Artemisia may simply die.
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