- origin
- growth
- leaves
- blossoms
- When is flowering time?
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- What is the best planting time?
- hedge
- watering saeckel
- Fertilize Saeckelblume properly
- Properly cut Saeckelblume
- hardy
- Frozen
- Yellow leaves
- Saeckelblume in the pot
- Multiply Saeckelblume
- Is Saeckelblume poisonous?
- sorts
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No, it is not a type of lilac - even if its bushy panicle flowers look very similar. But the sac flower can enrich the garden in an equally decorative way. It also serves as a valuable insect pasture and is generally easy to care for.
The sack flower is also called Californian lilac
Table of Contents
Show all- origin
- growth
- leaves
- blossoms
- When is flowering time?
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- What is the best planting time?
- hedge
- watering saeckel
- Fertilize Saeckelblume properly
- Properly cut Saeckelblume
- hardy
- Frozen
- Yellow leaves
- Saeckelblume in the pot
- Multiply Saeckelblume
- Is Saeckelblume poisonous?
- sorts
- Area of origin of most species California
- Some species also distributed in the eastern USA and in Central and South America
- Original habitat: Rocky, calcareous-sparse forest and coastal areas
- With us only conditionally hardy
- Hempflower usually grows as an upright shrub with loose branching
- Species cultivated in this country are mostly around 1.50 m high and wide
- Some species also cover the ground in low cushions
- In most species rather small, oval, sometimes crinkled leaves
- In the case of the hybrid species mostly cultivated here, it is somewhat larger, pointed and sensitive
- Rich green colour, no autumn colouring
- Summer green or winter green depending on the weather
- Panicle flowers that are 6-10 cm long and are blue to violet, pink or white
- Terminal or lateral, loosely branched
- Slightly fragrant, valuable insect pasture
- Rather lean, sandy and calcareous soil
- Incorporate good drainage into heavy soil
- Good: High salt and mineral content
- Regular pruning in spring promotes abundance of flowers and a full-bodied shrub shape
- Cut back old shoots to a few buds
- Always cut off flowers that have faded during the flowering period
- Prune older specimens more thoroughly every 3 years for rejuvenation
- Don't give up the sacking flower you thought was frozen
- Thoroughly cut down dead shoots in spring
- Give some (!) growth fertilizer
- Observe whether the shrub still sprout by June
- Cut young, not yet blooming side shoots in early summer
- Debark and defoliate the bottom
- Dip in rooting powder and stick in potting soil
- It is best to root under foil at a good 20°C and out of direct sunlight
- Transplant after about 4 weeks
origin
The sack flower, botanically Ceanothus, is commonly also called Californian lilac. Although it is not related to the lilac, this trivial name is at least a correct reference to its natural area of origin: the buckthorn plant mainly comes from the American west coast, most of its around 60 species from sunny California. However, some species also occur in the eastern and southern parts of the USA or even across the border with Mexico to northern South America.
In its native areas, the sackcloth inhabits dry, stony, calcareous habitats, mainly rocky forests and coastal areas. There it does not have to deal with particularly severe frosts, which is why the plant is only partially hardy in our latitudes. The best-known variety in this country, 'Gloire de Versailles', of the hybrid species Ceanothus x delilianus, usually grew well in our winters.
Origin in brief:
growth
The many species of the sackflower sometimes have very different growth characteristics - some of them are far from being confused with the lilac. The hybrid form most commonly encountered in this country, the French sackcloth (Ceanothus delilianus), has a few similarities to the lilac, apart from the flowers, but also in its habit. It grows as an upright shrub with loosely branched, slightly overhanging branches and is about 1.50 m tall and wide. In very warm and sunny conditions, it can also reach up to 2 m in height.
Some Ceanothus species also grow as low cushions of only a few centimeters in height and all the more intensively spread and are also mainly used as ground cover in their home areas.
Growth characteristics at a glance:
leaves
The leaves of most Ceanothus species have opposite or alternate, oval-shaped leaves about 1-5 centimeters long. Their edges are sometimes whole, sometimes slightly serrated or notched. In some species, a crumpled surface texture forms due to a strongly sunken vein.
This is not the case with the French hybrid hollyhocks, here the leaves are rather fine-textured, pointed at the front and also slightly larger at up to 8 centimeters in length. They are alternately attached to the twigs, have a rich, mid-green color and are covered with felty hairs on the underside. They don't show any autumn colors and can remain on the bush during mild winters, but they are shed when it gets colder.
Sheet properties in keywords:
blossoms
With its paniculate, bushy inflorescences, which also appear in bluish to violet, sometimes white or pink colors, the sackflower is clearly reminiscent of lilacs. The approximately 6-10 cm long panicles stand at the ends of the young, annual and lateral shoots and branch out loosely. The individual flowers are only about 5 mm in size and fivefold.
The flowers also develop a pleasant scent, but not as characteristically sweet and intense as lilac. Bees, bumblebees and butterflies fly over them in large numbers.
Flower characteristics at a glance:
When is flowering time?
The flowers of the sackflower open from July and can continue to sprout again and again until late autumn.
Which location is suitable?
According to its California homeland, the sackcloth needs a warm, sunny location that is protected from strong winds. So it should not be too exposed, but best protected on a south-facing house wall.
What soil does the plant need?
When it comes to the planting ground, you should also orientate yourself on the origin of the sackflower. It prefers a rather poor, sandy, calcareous soil with a certain proportion of clay. If the garden soil is heavy, you should definitely incorporate good drainage in the form of a layer of gravel and mix the soil thoroughly with sand. Otherwise there is a risk of too much wet, freezing cold on the root ball, especially in winter. A relatively high salt and mineral content is also good for the sackweed, which likes to grow near the coast.
Earth claims in brief:
What is the best planting time?
It is best to plant a sac flower in the spring. Because of their sensitivity to frost - which is even more pronounced in the young plant stage - it is advisable to even wait for the ice saints.
hedge
A pure hedge of hempflowers can offer you a magnificent sight in summer and autumn. At the same time, it is also an effective privacy screen. When planting hedges, you should place the individual specimens relatively close together, about half a meter apart. Work a good drainage into the soil and water the young plants well. Especially in the first winter they must be well protected from severe frost.
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watering saeckel
Sac flowers do not have a high moisture requirement - after all, their original habitat is also a dry one. As a rule, you do not need to water the shrub separately. However, newly planted specimens should be watered well and watered again and again in the first few weeks. In particularly long, hot dry periods in summer, of course, watering doesn't hurt either. However, waterlogging must be avoided as far as possible.
Fertilize Saeckelblume properly
The nutrient requirement is also not high for the sackflower. You should therefore refrain from fertilizing, and there is no need to add long-term organic fertilizers such as compost or horn shavings (€32.93).
Properly cut Saeckelblume
In order to be able to enjoy a beautifully flowering and well-tended shrub, you should cut back the sack flowers every spring. Wait for the last stronger frosts. To promote vigorous and shapely growth, cut all last year's shoots in half so that a few buds remain. You can cut back a little harder on young specimens.
During the flowering period from July to November, regularly cut off faded panicles to encourage new growth.
You can also give older specimens a somewhat more radical rejuvenation cut at intervals of about 3 years. This will prevent the bush from looking bare and unkempt from the inside. For a makeover, trim old, woody branches down to about 40cm, always keeping an outward eye.
Cutting rules at a glance:
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hardy
With the winter hardiness it is such a thing with the sackflower. In fact, she doesn't know any significant frosts from her home country. However, the French hybrid form most commonly cultivated here, a cross between the American and the Mexican sackflower, is considered to be hardy. As a precaution, however, you should cover the root base of the plant with fir branches if the temperature is very severely below zero. The following also applies to planting: Choose a wind-protected location and ensure sufficient drainage in the planting ground so that the root ball cannot freeze through.
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Frozen
If you have neglected the measures for winter protection, the sack flower can freeze to death. If the shrub shows no signs of life in spring and you suspect winter damage, don't give up on it immediately. Often there are still life spirits in the plant, which, however, need a while to wake up.
To check the vitality of the sackcloth and revive it again, cut off the dead shoots thoroughly in spring. As soon as it gets significantly warmer and sunnier, you can give the plant a boost with a little growth fertilizer. If nothing is happening in May and June, the shrub is probably beyond saving.
To remember:
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Yellow leaves
If the leaves of the sacking flower turn yellow, this is usually an indication of too much moisture or too much nutrient supply.
Since it is very sensitive to waterlogging, insufficient drainage in the substrate can be quickly acknowledged accordingly. When planting, make sure the soil is well drained and only water, if at all, during long periods of drought. Place a sack flower in a bucket protected from the rain.
If you want to stimulate a thought-dead sackweed with fertilizer, you can do that - but do so very sparingly! The little hungry plant cannot tolerate too many nutrients.
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Saeckelblume in the pot
You can also keep a sack flower in a pot if you don't have a garden but only a balcony or a terrace. When growing in tubs, you must ensure moderate but regular watering without waterlogging. In winter, the pot must be protected against the cold, preferably by wrapping it in sackcloth and covering the substrate with fir branches.
Multiply Saeckelblume
It is best to propagate a sack flower using cuttings or layering. Seed cultivation is also possible in principle, but it is much more complex and it does not promise new plants of the same variety.
cuttings
For the cuttings method, it is best to cut a young side shoot in early summer that has not yet budded. You can briefly dip the base of the cut, freed from the bark and the leaf base, in rooting powder before you put it in planters with potting or cactus soil. It is best to keep the cuttings evenly moist under foil. The ambient temperature should be warm (a good 20°C), the light supply should be bright but not directly sunny. After about 4 weeks they should have rooted and can be transplanted into larger pots.
Cutting propagation at a glance:
lowering
In the case of the sack flower, it is also quite easy to place lowers. To do this, look for a previous year's shoot that is close to the ground and place it in the surrounding soil. Make a wound cut in the area that should root and fix it with a metal hook. The following spring the sinker should have rooted and can be separated from the mother plant.
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Is Saeckelblume poisonous?
Luckily, the sack flower is not poisonous. It therefore poses no danger to small children or pets in the garden.
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sorts
The varieties of sack flowers sold in this country are usually varieties of the hybrid form of American and Mexican sack flowers. Hybrids from other species are also occasionally available. The most famous variety is the 'Gloire de Versailles'.
Ceanothus 'Gloire de Versailles'
This variety is characterized by its loose, slightly overhanging growth and, of course, its beautiful panicle flowers, which appear in light lilac-blue from July. They delight with their delicate scent and their persistence - they can continue to sprout again and again until November. The bushy shrub reaches a height of about one to one and a half meters.
Ceanothus impressus 'Victoria'
This variety of sackflower belongs to the species C. impressus. It flowers profusely and a little earlier than the Gloire de Versailles, around the end of May to June, in a deep blue. Its dark green foliage is also evergreen, making it a good plant for low hedges. With a maximum of about one meter, it will not be as high as the Gloire de Versailles. Their habit is just as bushy branched. The C.i. Victoria is characterized by good winter hardiness and therefore does not threaten to freeze to death so quickly. A good choice for everyone who lives in regions that are not so mild.
Ceanothus pallidus 'Marie Simon'
Romantics get their money's worth with Marie Simon of the species C. Pallidus: Because this variety adorns the garden from July until October with large, delicately structured panicles of flowers in a delicate dusky pink. Its growth is loose and bushy, like the Gloire de Versailles it reaches a height of around one to one and a half meters. Like her, however, Marie Simon is also less hardy and deciduous.
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