Joint flower: location, care & varieties

The joint flower heralds late summer with densely packed spikes of flowers. But it's not just the flowers that appear in abundance: the vigorous perennial spreads quickly, so you should also know how to tame it.

In the summertime, the tall joint flower (Physostegia virginiana) in the garden, while their lush spikes of flowers not only delight people, but also insects. But be careful: the fast-growing perennial can quickly overgrow the bed, so you always want to keep it under control. In this article we show all information about the properties and care of the joint flower as well as how to keep the plant in check.

Joint flower: characteristics and origin

The joint flower (Physostegia virginiana), also known as Virginia jointflower or planterica, is the only cultivated species in the plant genus Physostegia, which belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae). Its origin is attributed to the central and eastern regions of North America, where it grows in wetlands and riparian scrub.

The perennial perennial is extremely eager to grow. Physostegia virginianas underground rhizome forms numerous runners from which upright shoots can grow up to a height of 100 to 120 cm. The clumps that develop from this have a width of 60 to 90 cm. The four-edged stalk of the joint flower has lanceolate leaves with a dark green color and a serrated to toothed edge structure. Forms between July and August Physostegia virginiana pinkish-red to purple or white tubular flowers, dense and terminal in long false spikes. Remarkable are the characteristic flower heads, which can be rotated "articulated" around themselves and thus give the joint flower its name. After its flowering period, the joint flower develops bulb-shaped stands with small nut fruits.

Due to its tall and wide growth and its late summer blooms, the joint flower is a valued garden ornament. It is planted sporadically in beds and is also used in tubs for balconies and terraces, but also as a cut flower. Thanks to its benefits for wetlands, it can even beautify pond edges and damp garden corners.

Are joint flowers bee friendly? Physostegia virginianas numerous flowers represent a rich source of nectar and pollen for various beneficial insects. Butterflies and bumblebees in particular benefit from the joint flower, but so do bees. However, since the perennial is not a native species, it is not primarily recommended for promoting native insects.

The most beautiful varieties

The palette on Physostegia virginianaVarieties is wide. All joint flowers have similarities in terms of leaf shape, bee-friendliness, location requirements and the typical spike-shaped flowers. But depending on the variety, they differ mainly in their growth height or flower color. The color spectrum of the joint flower varies from white, pink, red to violet. Here we present the most beautiful varieties:

• Physostegia virginiana ‘Summer Snow’: It has snow-white and medium-sized flowers with a long flowering period. The leaves are medium green in color with a matt surface structure. The variety reaches a height of 70 - 80 cm and a width of 30 - 40 cm. It is suitable as a bed and border plant as well as a cut flower. The white joint flower forms high-contrast combinations with differently colored flowers.

• Physostegia virginiana ‘Summer Spire’: This variety is characterized by large, panicled flowers that vary in color from white to magenta-pink. The dull leaves are colored green. The perennial has a growth height of between 70 and 80 cm and a width of 50 – 60 cm. The robust variety is well suited for gardening beginners. It can be used well in beds, perennial beds and borders. With its full bloom, it is ideal as a vase flower.
• Physostegia virginiana ‘Rosea’: This variant has large, delicate pink-colored flower spikes that are faintly scented. Its leaves are a deep green in color. The plant reaches a height of between 30 and 35 cm and a width of 60 – 80 cm. This variety is considered to be extremely bee-friendly and is particularly suitable for beds and outdoors.

• Physostegia virginiana 'Crystal Peak White': This variety is characterized by small, pure white flower spikes that bloom from June to September. Its dark green leaves are lanceolate and pointed with a serrated edge structure. The variant grows 30 to 40 cm high and wide with a particularly compact habit.

Planting tiered erika: location and procedure

The joint flower can thrive well in both the tub and in the bed and is ideal in borders, perennial beds and in combination with other perennials.

In the garden you should place the joint flower in a wind-protected location. This can be sunny, shady or full sun. However, the number of flowers decreases with less light. Due to its preference for wet areas, tiered erika should be planted in moist or at least fresh spots in the garden. The soil should be sandy-loamy, with adequate drainage and moderately nutrient-rich, so that the perennial does not grow too masty and crowd out other plants. A structurally stable substrate such as ours is suitable for pot and bed culture Plantura organic potting soil. For the sake of the environment, this soil is peat-free and, with its coordinated NPK ratio, optimally promotes the development of your Physostegia virginiana. In addition, you should thin the soil with some sand to ensure sufficient permeability.

You can plant Physostegia virginiana from spring to autumn. Due to its wide growth and the formation of runners, the joint flower should be placed in the bed at intervals of 30 cm, so that there are a maximum of 8 to 11 seedlings per square meter. Additionally, it's a good idea to cover the soil around the base of the plant with a layer of mulch to reduce evaporation.

Tip: Larger planting distances also prevent diseases such as powdery mildew from spreading.

For the balcony culture, a bucket with a diameter of at least 20 cm and a barrel volume of at least 5 l should be chosen so that the joint flower has enough space to grow. It is important that an additional drainage layer of gravel, pumice or expanded clay is set up at the base of the pot.

If you prefer to grow the young plants yourself, you can use seeds. Since the Physostegia virginiana belongs to the cool germs, its seeds need temperatures below +5 °C to germinate. Therefore, the joint flower seeds are already sown in autumn. In order to be able to adapt the site conditions well, seed containers are best suited. Since the perennial seeds germinate unevenly and over a longer period of time, it is important that they are kept evenly moist and cool. In addition, the seed should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Tip: Colorful plant neighbors like that Indian nettle (Monarda spec.), the scabious (Knautia macedonica) and also lavender (Lavandula spec.) do well next to the joint flower.

Do snails eat joint flowers? Despite the lack of thorns or poisonous ingredients, the joint flower is not on the menu of snails. Thanks to their disinterest, leaves and flowers remain intact.

Care

The robust perennial is considered to be quite undemanding, so that the joint flower requires little care. There Physostegia virginiana However, it usually grows very tall, so it is advisable to stabilize its stem with a plant stake so that it does not snap off.

Water and fertilize

Regular fertilizing should be avoided so that the joint flower does not grow too much. So that the shallow root system does not dry out in summer, the tiered erika should be watered more frequently, especially in the hot season, but with less water. In the event of a longer period of drought, care must be taken to keep the substrate moist at all times. Watering may be reduced in the winter months. It is important to avoid excessive watering and thus waterlogging to prevent root rot.

If you provide the flower with a little compost once a year in spring, the nutrient supply is completely sufficient so that the plant can start its growth phase stronger.

Cut joint flower

After the flowering period, the ears of the joint flower should be cut down to the top leaves. This measure prevents the perennial from investing too much energy in the formation of seeds and investing more energy in the formation of new shoots. In addition, unwanted sowing of the plant is thus curbed. Faded flowers can also be removed for aesthetic reasons.

In late autumn, the joint flower is severely cut back to the base of the stem. Diseased parts should definitely be removed. This prevents the spread of disease and can Physostegia virginianas Encourage growth next spring.

Tip: Incidentally, articulated flowers are extremely beautiful and durable cut flowers that bloom from the top down. For the vase, it is best to cut the spikes when the lower flowers are beginning to open.

Taper joint flower: In addition, should Physostegia virginiana every third year - do the following:

• After the autumn cut, lift the rhizome with the roots out of the ground with a digging fork
• Divide full rhizome into pieces with intact roots
• Then plant young rhizome parts again in the same place
• Water rhizomes thoroughly

More rhizome pieces can be discarded or planted elsewhere.

This allows the joint flower to be rejuvenated, which promotes flowering and development. This method will also increase the Physostegia virginiana applied.

Joint flower proliferates: what to do?

It is not uncommon for the vigorous joint flower to grow rampant. Fortunately, roots Physostegia virginiana shallow so roots and rhizome can be easily removed with a garden hoe. In order to keep their wild growth in check, a radical pruning close to the ground in autumn is recommended. Additional removal of faded flowers prevents the plant from seeding.

Alternatively, proliferation can be curbed by prophylactically introducing a rhizome barrier into the soil when planting the joint flower.

Are joint flowers hardy?

As joint flowers, they are quite hardy and tolerate temperatures as low as -28 °C. In our latitudes and especially during the frosty season, the plant should still be protected from the cold. For this it is enough to turn the floor Physostegia virginiana to cover with brushwood. Alternatively, you can plant the plant next to wintergreen neighbors like cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) plants whose foliage provides shelter from frosty winds. It helps against the cold wind and buckling of the stems to put the tiered erika on a southern house wall. Pots should be placed on insulating material such as wood or coconut mats. It is advisable to wrap the bucket with fleece.

propagation

There are a few methods by which you can multiply the joint flower. As already described, it is possible, among other things, to cultivate your own joint flower seeds.

However, the easiest way to propagate is by cuttings:

• In spring approx. Cut off 15 cm long, terminal and young shoots just below a leaf node
• Remove lower leaves
• Put the cuttings in a pot with potting soil
• Always keep the shoot piece moist for rooting
• After the first formation of new leaves, plant the young plant in a bed or container between spring and autumn

Are artichokes poisonous?

Since there is no knowledge of toxic ingredients, joint flowers are considered non-toxic. They can therefore be touched by people, cats and dogs without hesitation. But they are not edible crops.

Not only the joint flower is considered to be extremely vigorous. Fast growing plants there is in nature en masse. These can always fascinate us anew with their numerous dimensions.