Origin and Distribution
Sun rose (bot. Helianthemum) are a genus of dwarf and semi-shrubs comprising around 175 different species from the rockrose family (Cistaceae). The pretty, perennial to cushion-like plants are originally at home in the Mediterranean region and in Asia Minor, but are usually hardy here too.
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The genus owes its name to the ability of the flowers to align themselves with the position of the sun and to close in the dark and at cool temperatures of less than 20 ° C. The yellow color of the flowers, which is characteristic of wild species, also points to the sun, while the hybrid forms now also have numerous other colors.
use
Whether wild species or hybrid breeding, the shallow-rooted sun rose is ideal for stone and gravel gardens as well as for greening stone joints and wall crowns. In the garden bed or in the border, the low plant works best in the foreground and with taller perennials as an accompaniment, in the rock garden it harmonizes above all with summer flowers such as upholstered bluebells (Campanula poscharskyana) and summer asters (Callistephus chinensis) as well as grasses such as the blue fescue (Festuca glauca). Furthermore, sun roses are suitable for planting pots and window boxes, (€ 106.25 at Amazon *), preferably in combination with other upholstered perennials.
Appearance and stature
Sun rose are dwarf or semi-shrubs that stay low and form dense cushions, the shoots of which do not move in in winter - as is usual for perennials - but lignify over time. Depending on the variety, the plants reach heights between 15 and 30 centimeters and form richly blooming, dense upholstered carpets. On the wiry, slightly woody shoots of the delicate sun rose are numerous elongated, narrow, dark or gray or silver-green leaves, depending on the variation. Most species and varieties are at least evergreen, some even evergreen.
Blossoms and flowering period
The cupped flowers of the sun rose, arranged on panicles, appear in early summer and last until August in most varieties. The five wide-open petals are usually yellow in color, but can also be white, orange, pink or red in different tones. There are also two-tone varieties with a differently toned flower center. In this there are always many yellow stamens that protrude conspicuously. Sun roses form flowers en masse over a period of weeks: New buds appear every day, which open in the early morning and usually only bloom for one day. In addition to the typical simple shell flowers, hybrid varieties with half-filled and filled calyxes are now also available in stores.
Toxicity
The sun rose is neither poisonous for humans nor for animals. Instead, it is sometimes used in naturopathy, especially in Bach flower therapy.
Which location is suitable?
As their name suggests, sun roses feel most comfortable in a sunny and warm location. After all, the flowers only open in sunshine and temperatures above 20 ° C.
Soil / substrate
Sun roses thrive best on dry, sandy to gravelly, well-drained and moderately nutrient-rich soils. The plants also need a calcareous subsoil for healthy growth. It is best to plant Helianthemum cultivated in planters in potting soil mixed with plenty of sand, perlite (€ 32.90 at Amazon *) or similar. Give preference to varieties based on compost.
Plant sun roses properly
When planting the sun rose, mix some compost into the excavation. In addition, you should then water the plants vigorously and mulch so that the moisture remains in the soil. Mix in the mulch material as fine gravel as possible.
Planting time
Plant the young sun rose in the bed in spring. If you do not overwinter the plants, you can move them out on the windowsill from March and then place them directly in the bed. Specimens planted out between the end of May and the beginning of June also survive the coming winter better because they were able to grow vigorously in the months in between. Alternatively, autumn planting is also possible, provided the weather is still mild and frost-free. In rough locations, both freshly planted and hibernating sun roses can use light winter protection.
Plant spacing
In general, the ideal planting distance is 25 centimeters, which is why you should plan about ten plants per square meter of planting area. However, the distances may vary depending on the selected variety.
Pour the sun roses
Water the sun rose moderately but regularly - this will encourage flowering. However, while the plants are quite insensitive to dry phases, they do not tolerate waterlogging at all. If the dry periods last too long, the flowers wither. Sunflower likes calcareous water very much, which is why you like fresh tap water - but not ice cold! - May use for watering.
Fertilize sun roses properly
If you have planted the sun rose in a location with nutrient-rich soil and perhaps also incorporated compost into the plant substrate, fertilization is initially not necessary. However, you can fertilize if necessary, for example if the flowers are rather poor due to a likely lack of nutrients. However, potted plants and specimens planted on nutrient-poor subsoil should be provided with a liquid fertilizer for flowering plants approximately every four weeks between April and August.
Cut sun roses properly
During flowering, you should regularly clean out dead branches in order to suppress the formation of the seeds and instead stimulate the sun rose to continue to flower. After the main bloom - but no later than September - you can also use scissors and cut the plants back vigorously in preparation for winter. The clippings are very suitable for composting.
Multiplication
During the summer months, sun florets can easily be propagated by cuttings or subsets, and older plants can be divided well in spring and autumn.
sowing
If you do not cut off the withered shoots, seed-bearing capsule fruits develop. You can harvest these in autumn and use them for sowing. Let the seeds dry for several days and store them in a well-sealable container, cool and dry. However, the sun rose obtained from them are not single-variety. And this is how you attract the young plants from seeds:
- From March, sow the seeds in shallow bowls.
- These are filled with growing substrate (9.05 € at Amazon *) and
- should be cool at five to ten degrees Celsius.
- Only cover the seeds very thinly with substrate.
- Keep it slightly moist continuously.
- Prick out as soon as the first cotyledons appear.
- Now care for the plants separately in small pots.
- A temperature of around 15 ° C is now ideal.
- From the end of May, the young plants can then go outdoors.
Cuttings
Sun rose can be propagated just as easily by cuttings. To do this, cut off five to six centimeters long, non-flowering and semi-lignified shoots in summer. Put them in a small pot filled with potting soil and moisten them slightly. Put a translucent plastic bag or a cut-off PET bottle over it to create a warm, humid climate for root growth. Alternatively, the cuttings can also be rooted in a water glass.
The young plants are to be overwintered in a cool but frost-free place and only put outside in the following spring.
division
In spring and autumn it is also possible to split larger sun rose cushions. Proceed as follows:
- Dig up a strong and healthy plant widely.
- Use a clean and sharp knife to cut them into several sub-plants.
- Each part must have several shoots and buds.
- Plant the sections separately in a new location.
- Water them well.
Diseases and pests
Diseases and pests rarely occur on sunflower, only aphids can become a problem. However, they can be easily expelled by spreading nettle manure.
Tips
Basically, most sunflower varieties are hardy. However, in regions with wet winters or generally more severe frosts, it is advisable to provide the plants with light winter protection. Fir or spruce branches, for example, are suitable for this.
Species and varieties
There are around 175 different types of sun rose, with hybrids - the so-called garden sun rose (bot. Helianthemum x cultorum) - being used in the garden. While the species such as the common sun rose (bot. Helianthemum nummularium) flowers mainly yellow, the cultivated forms are available in numerous colors. The most beautiful variants for the home garden include the following:
- Common sun rose (Helianthemum nummularium): yellow blooming, robust, up to 30 centimeters high
'Annabell': numerous pink, single flowers
'Rose Glory': distinctive dark pink, simple flowers
- Alpine sun rose (Helianthemum alpestre): yellow blooming, robust, up to 15 centimeters high
- Garden sunflower (Helianthemum x cultorum): different colors and shapes
'Ben Fhada': bright yellow flowers with an orange center, cushion-forming, evergreen, growth height up to 20 centimeters
'Bronze carpet': brown-orange flowers, covering the ground, forming clumps, up to 15 centimeters in height
'Cerise Queen': bright purple-red, double flowers with a yellow center, evergreen, growth height up to 20 centimeters
'Cheviot': apricot-colored flowers, filigree growth, evergreen, cushion-forming
'Cornish Cream': vanilla yellow, delicate flowers with a strong yellow center, evergreen, clump forming
'Bullfinch': deep red flowers with a pink edge and a yellow center, forming clumps, up to 15 centimeters in height
'Golden Queen': bright yellow flowers with an orange center, richly blooming, evergreen, height of growth up to 20 centimeters
'Lawrensons Pink': purple-pink, semi-double flowers with a yellow center, clump-forming, evergreen, robust, growth height up to 20 centimeters
'Raspberry Ripples': two-tone pink and white flowers, evergreen, cushion-forming, conspicuous
'Rubin': dark red, double flower, evergreen, height of growth up to 20 centimeters
'Ruth': red-brown flowers, gray-green foliage, cushion-forming, evergreen
'Snow Queen' / 'The Bride': brilliant white flowers with a yellow center, develops dense cushions, up to 25 centimeters in height
'Sterntaler': deep yellow flowers, compact, strongly clump-forming growth, growth height up to 15 centimeters
