Small-petaled, or, scientifically, erigeron, belongs to the numerous family of Compositae. It grows wild in North and South America, Australia, and Europe.
The name of this plant "erigeron" comes from the Greek words "eri" - strongly, "geron" - an old man, since the faded baskets resemble the gray head of an old man. These are often perennial rhizome herbaceous plants, very similar to perennial asters.
In garden and summer cottages, a beautiful small petal is more often found, or otherwise a beautiful erigeron (Erigeron speciosus). This bushy perennial is often used to create flower arrangements. Its highly branched stems reach a height of 60–70 cm and lie slightly in the lower part, because of which the plants have to be tied to a support.
Flower baskets of a beautiful small petal, up to 5 cm in diameter, are collected in loose shields. Its flowers have a wide variety of shades - from pink to dark red and blue-violet, and the middle of the flower is always yellow.
Small petal blooms in July. But if, after the end of flowering, all the stems are cut off by a third of the length, then by the beginning of autumn many new buds will form and the flowering will be repeated.
Small flowers are frost-resistant, undemanding plants, they work well in open, illuminated places, but they prefer loose, moderately moist soils.
These plants do not require special care, except for the removal of wilted flowers. Watering is necessary when there is a shortage of rainwater and composting after the first wave of flowering, which causes the growth of new shoots and re-flowering.
If the flowering becomes less abundant, then the plants are rejuvenated by division. It is better to plant the plants in a permanent place in spring and autumn at a distance of 30–40 cm from each other.
To decorate the site, small-petal is widely used in groups, complex ridges and on rocky hills. Plants are suitable for cutting and dry bouquets.
Often used to decorate flower beds and rock gardens and undersized small-petal alpine, which goes well with alyssum and arabis.
Based on materials from the newspaper "Ural Gardener"
