The heavenly flower not only has a heavenly name, but also a heavenly appearance. You can find out here where the best place to plant the flowering plant and how to care for it.
"Small but nice", this is how the flower of heaven can be described in three words. Even the name "flower of the gods" (Dodecatheon meadina) has a heavenly ring to it. The attractive primrose plant is also called shooting star or winged star. Basically, the shape of the graceful spring bloomer resembles the wild cyclamen.
The creative garden lover places this small perennial in the bright area of shady gardens or on the bank of a pond. It is also suitable for underplanting late-growing deciduous trees.
The flower of the gods and its characters
The small perennial originally comes from North America. Forests and wet meadows are essentially their habitat. The breeds that are widespread in Central Europe also do well in gardens.
The perennial primrose plant unfolds its gorgeous flowers in May/June in the colors white, pink, red or violet. The small perennial can produce up to 20 flower stalks that rise between 30 and 50 centimeters. Inflorescences formed in umbels develop on these. The individual blossoms are similar to those of the alpine violet.
The leaf is tongue-shaped, smooth-edged and soft - typical of a primrose plant. After flowering, the perennial retreats completely into the ground, but sprout vigorously again the following spring.
Our tip: Before the small perennial takes root, mark the planting spot so that you don't damage the subterranean plant parts when gardening.
The location should be partially shaded and sheltered from the wind
The spring plant tolerates a light, semi-shady location best. The buds just last longer if the sun doesn't beat down on them all day.
A nutrient-rich soil is ideal
Plant your hollyhock in permeable, nutrient-rich, humus-rich soil. It can be moderately moist and not too dry. Slightly acidic garden soil is also tolerated. However, if the location is calcareous, then it is advisable to use the soilwork up some peat. On the other hand, you can adapt heavy and very moist soil to the conditions for the sunflowers with sand and compost.
The magnificent primrose plant really comes into its own when you plant several plants at short intervals in your shade garden or under deciduous trees. The rule of thumb is a planting distance of 25 centimeters or 12 plants per square metre.
Watering and fertilizing divine flower
- During the growth and flowering period, water your hollyhocks moderately so that the soil does not dry out. However, it should not be permanently wet. The surface of the soil is allowed to dry before you reach for the watering can.
As soon as the primrose growth has taken root, mulch the planting site with compost or leaf mulch. This keeps the moisture in the soil. From this point on, stop watering the plants. - "Feed" the perennial with organic fertilizer in spring, for example horn shavings or cattle pellets. This means that the crop is sufficiently supplied for the coming weeks.
Pruning and overwintering the divine flower
- Pruning primula plants is basically unnecessary. If you want to visually correct the plant in your border, you can remove the withered inflorescences.
- Although the plant is hardy, you should still protect it from frost and too wet weather in winter. It is sufficient if you cover the planting site with needle brushwood.
Plant diseases and pests
Care mistakes can contribute to the fact that the heavenly flower can suffer from root rot. This is mainly caused by being too wet.
Excessive wetness can also be the reason for root lice to colonize the root area. These are downright attracted to the root rot. Gall-like growths on the root collar show up as damage. Loosen the soil regularly so that the soil surface can always dry slightly, this prevents the pests from slipping deeper into the ground.
Needleworms, which can hardly be seen with the naked eye, are also considered dangerous pathogens. Affected plants do not develop further because the roots cannot absorb moisture and nutrients. There is no salvation for the plant. This must be disposed of together with the soil around the root area.
In the spring, snails can cause problems for the sunflower. Their gluttony is immeasurable. They can even destroy the whole plant. You can put snail rings around the plants as a preventive measure.
Summary: The asteroid is a perennial primrose with flowers shaped like wild cyclamen. It likes a spot in the light semi-shade with nutrient-rich, well-drained soil. The plant is watered moderately and fertilized organically in spring. Wetness is unbearable for the hollyhock, because it makes it more susceptible to diseases and pests.