The Japanese lavender heather is becoming more and more popular because of the noble color nuances in the foliage and the beautiful flowers. For a full portrait of the plant, click here.
There are a few aspects that are particularly important to hobby gardeners when it comes to garden design. This is especially true for ornamental trees. The lifespan of the favored woody plants is not entirely irrelevant. After all, the he alth of the plant can be guessed from the expected lifespan. The design options are another criterion when choosing plants. Evergreen shrubs are of great importance, especially when the young shoots captivate with their striking color nuances or when the flowers unfold in style. The hardy, evergreen ornamental shrub is widely known as the shadow bell. The fiery red shoots stand out elegantly from the green and white-edged foliage. The wood is always an optical enrichment for the garden. The panicle-shaped inflorescences, which are covered with red or white bell-shaped flowers, also play a part in this.
However, there is a drop of bitterness among the properties of the Japanese heather lavender. Their plant parts are all highly toxic. Children should therefore not have access to this colorful shrub.
Sunny to semi-shady locations are favoured
Preferably place the shade bell in a sunny to semi-shady location. As a rule of thumb: the more hours of sunshine for the plant, the more expansive the flower will be. In addition, the location should be protected from the wind, so the panicle-shaped inflorescences are largely spared from strong drafts.
❏ The soil should be water-permeable and rich in humus
At home on the edge of dense forests in East Asia, the Japanese lavender heather does not find a completely dry place. This location is particularly rich in humus and offers the best conditions for the shrub to thrive. From this, the following soil conditions for the cultivation of lavender heather in this country can be derived:
- Mix a good amount of humus under your garden soil. Humus makes the soil on the one handpermeable to water and on the other hand stores enough moisture for the shadow bell. You can use fine-grain bark mulch for this.
- Heavy soil is mixed with humus, sand and coarse gravel. This makes the site permeable and prevents waterlogging after heavy rainfall.
- A moderately acidic soil with a pH value between 4.5 and 5.5 is also appreciated by the lavender heather. It is therefore recommended to mix the excavated soil with rhododendron soil when planting. By the way, you can check the pH with a simple test that you can get at any garden center.
❏ How to plant the shadow bell
- You dig a planting hole that is twice as wide and deep as the root ball of your newly acquired ornamental shrub.
- Now mix 2/3 of the excavated soil with one third of rhododendron soil. Before doing so, place the root ball of your new planting in water for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Then fill the planting hole with some of the soil you just mixed and place the plant on top. Make sure it's not too low or too high.
- Finally, fill the hole with the remaining soil mix, press down the soil around the young shrub and water the planting site.
Japanese lavender heather - tips for care
The Japanese lavender heather can reach an age of up to 70 years. Your grandchildren and great-grandchildren will surely enjoy this shrub. An essential prerequisite for this, however, is the care of the plants.
❏ Water moderately and fertilize organically
- The soil in which your exotic tree grows should always be moist. Basically, the root area must not dry out underground, that would mean the end for the shadow bell.
- Waterlogging should also be avoided, as the fine roots quickly develop root rot.
- The shrub does not tolerate mineral fertilizers at all. For the nutrient supply it is sufficient if you carefully work compost and leaf mulch into the soil in the root area.
❏ Pruning Japanese heather lavender - after flowering!
The lavender heather is cut in summer after flowering. The pruning and pruning shears can rest in autumn, as this is when the flower heads for the following year are being formed.
Please consider:
- not to prune your shrub in full sun.
- that dead and withered branches are removed. The cut is always made at the base of the branch.
- that youremove one of the crossing branches and remove the inward growing shoots.
- that you thin out the slow-growing shrubs every year, otherwise hardly any light and air will reach the root area and there is a risk that the bush will wilt.
Well-intentioned advice: Wear work gloves and safety goggles when working on Japanese heather. Due to the toxic properties of the plant, unprotected hands and eyes may become irritated.
Possible diseases and pests
The shadow bell is largely robust, so that it is hardly affected by diseases and pests. And yet there can be small problems from time to time.
- The shrub only gets sick from waterlogging, because this quickly leads to root rot.
- Heather lavender leaves are a welcome treat for the vine weevil. This nocturnal beetle cannot be controlled with a pesticide. Only a baited trap can help. This is a wooden board with grooves in which SC nematode gel is located. In addition, the trap contains an attractant for the voracious beetle. The plague is over after just 2 to 3 days.
Summary:
The Japanese lavender heather is a visual enrichment for the garden. The exotic shrub can be up to 70 years old. It prefers a sunny to half-shady location with well-drained, humus-rich soil. A moderately acidic soil is particularly appreciated by the lavender heath. It is watered moderately and only fertilized with compost or leaf mulch. Prune the exotic shrub in summer after flowering.
Caution: All plant parts of the Japanese heather lavender are highly toxic!