- origin
- growth
- leaves
- blossom
- fruit
- use
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- The right planting distance
- multiply suneye
- sowing
- Sun eye in the pot
- Pour sun eye
- Fertilize sun eye properly
- Properly cut sun eye
- hardy
- pests
- fungus
- sorts
The exotic-looking sun eyes attract attention during their late flowering period. In order for the plants to develop lush flowers, they need a special location. Once the perfect place has been found, further care is easy.
The sun-loving sun-eye originally comes from Mexico
Table of Contents
Show all- origin
- growth
- leaves
- blossom
- fruit
- use
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- The right planting distance
- multiply suneye
- sowing
- Sun eye in the pot
- Pour sun eye
- Fertilize sun eye properly
- Properly cut sun eye
- hardy
- pests
- fungus
- sorts
- wild natural gardens
- species-rich cottage gardens
- colorful flower gardens
- sandy rock gardens
- Loosen the soil and remove old plant parts
- Improve heavily sandy soils with compost
- mix heavy clay soils with sand
- Pour five liters of rainwater over 750 g of fresh herbs
- Let the brew steep for 24 hours
- Boil for 30 minutes and then strain
- Mix stock with water in a ratio of 1:5
- let it rest for a few days until no more foam forms
- Dilute again with water in a ratio of 1:10 before use
- gold green heart: Yellow ray flowers, green center. Blooms from July to September. Reaches heights of growth between 100 and 120 centimetres.
- top dancer: Does not grow. Flowers double, golden yellow, sterile. Blooms from July to September. Grows between 100 and 130 centimeters high.
- Venus: Flowers simple, golden yellow. Flowering period from July to September. Between 120 and 140 centimeters high.
- Summer Nights: Leaves reddish tinged. Flowers simple, golden yellow with a dark red center. Grows up to 120 centimeters high.
origin
The sun eyes represent a genus with the scientific name Heliopsis, which includes between 14 and 18 species. The daisy family originally comes from Mexico. Their distribution area extends to the southern USA and across central America to Bolivia and Peru. In Central Europe, Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra is an important ornamental plant. The variety descends from the common suneye.
growth
Suneyes are annual to biannual or perennial. The garden forms are cultivated perennial. They reach stature heights between 30 and 170 centimeters. Their stems grow erect or slightly overhanging. The plants expand to 60 to 80 centimeters in width. They branch out at their base just above the ground and grow bushy and fluffy. With the help of an underground rhizome, perennial plants survive.
leaves
Heliopsis helianthoides develops opposite leaves with ovate-lanceolate and pointed leaf blades. Its edge is sawn. The base of the blade narrows and gradually merges into the stem. The dark green colored leaves are hairy on the top and bottom.
blossom
Between June and October sun eyes develop remarkably large and yellow to gold flower heads. They stand on long stalks that are terminal or axillary. The flower heads consist of the outer ray florets and the inner ray florets. These are light or dark in color and form an aesthetic contrast to the yellow ray flowers.
Their appearance earned the genus the scientific name Heliopsis, which translates to "sun-like." The numerous varieties can develop single, semi-double or double flower heads.
fruit
After fertilization, the flowers turn into nut-like fruits, known among botanists as achenes. They are brownish to black-brown in color and usually have a feather-like calyx. Not all varieties develop fruit. Half-filled or filled solar eyes cannot be fertilized.
use
The loosely bushy to narrow habit makes the sun eye the perfect plant for small beds. It requires little space and prefers a location in the foreground of perennial plantings. Assemble the plant in small groups to intensify the aesthetic effect. The flowering ornamental plant decorates beds, borders and flower meadows.
In addition to phlox, half-tall grasses and asters, the sun eye comes into its own. You can plant Heliopsis species to shade low-growing perennials that prefer partially shaded conditions. Due to the late flowering period, the plant is an important source of nectar and pollen in late summer and autumn. The flower stalks are suitable as cut flowers for bouquets and vases.
Sun eyes are good for:
Which location is suitable?
Sun eyes prefer a location in full sun. They thrive less resplendent in light penumbra. In its original range, the species grows on dry and warm slopes or on damp meadows.
What soil does the plant need?
A nutrient-rich substrate allows the sun eye ideal growth conditions. Although the plants naturally grow on dry soil, they prefer fresh to moist conditions. Alkaline or slightly acidic soils are tolerated by the sun eye. They grow on normal garden soil as well as on stony, sandy or loamy soil. The substrate should have a high level of permeability, because the roots do not tolerate waterlogging.
The right planting distance
You can plant Heliopsis helianthoides in beds between spring and autumn. Since the plants develop dense clumps over time, you should ensure sufficient spacing when planting. There is space for between four and six plants per square meter. A distance of 45 centimeters is ideal. When planting, use the expected growth width as a guide. The minimum distance should correspond to half the growth height.
Preparations for planting:
multiply suneye
If older perennials do not flower or grow too densely, the stocks can be rejuvenated and thinned out by division. The measure is also suitable for propagation and can be done every two to three years in spring.
Dig up the root ball and break up the rhizome into several pieces with a spade. Dead roots are removed before the partial plants are placed in the prepared planting hole. After transplanting, water deeply and mulch the soil. In the following two weeks the plants need a lot of water.
sowing
The seeds are brought forward six weeks before planting on nutrient-poor potting soil. You can use cactus soil or coconut fiber as a substrate. The seeds are sown from the end of March or beginning of August and lightly pressed. Ideal germination conditions prevail in the mini greenhouse (€7.95) because the temperature and humidity are high here.
When the seedlings are three to four centimeters high, they are separated into pots and gradually acclimated to the outside temperatures. The young plants can then be planted outdoors. When planted in autumn, the plants develop flowers for the first time in the second year.
Sun eye in the pot
Smaller varieties are suitable for container planting. In order to cultivate high-growing sun eyes in the planter, you need enough space. Plant sun eyes in deep clay pots that have been fitted with drainage. Drainage holes prevent water from accumulating in the bottom of the pot. Place the tub in a sunny and wind-protected place so that the tall stems bloom magnificently and do not snap off. Bamboo sticks are recommended as support.
Pour sun eye
Heliopsis species are drought tolerant. Fresh conditions ensure healthy and vigorous growth, so you should water the plant regularly during long periods of drought. As soon as the top layer of soil has dried, the next watering takes place. You can mulch the soil to protect it from excessive drying out.
Fertilize sun eye properly
The nutritional requirements of sun eyes are moderate. If the soil is humus, you only need to fertilize a little. Work compost into the soil when planting. This measure can be repeated every spring. Suneyes feed on the nutrients all summer long, eliminating the need for additional fertilizing.
If the plants grow in tubs or on poor soil, they enjoy a regular supply of organo-mineral fertilizers. Give the plants a low concentration of liquid fertilizer in spring and just before flowering. An overdose will result in the perennials developing long shoots and lots of foliage but no flowers.
Properly cut sun eye
Cut off faded stems regularly to encourage the development of new flowers. This allows you to extend the flowering period until the first night frosts appear. If necessary, a radical pruning can be done in spring before new growth occurs, when the perennial looks unsightly and grows sparsely.
Cut the stems back to within a hand's breadth of the ground. The plant then sprout again and forms denser branches. Once the sun eye has developed leaves it should not be cut back. Pruning measures in autumn mean that the plant can no longer store sufficient energy in the rhizome.
hardy
Sun eyes prove to be frost hardy plants that do not need winter protection. Container plants should be protected from ground frost accordingly. The substrate freezes faster in the pot than in the bed. Overwinter the pots in a sheltered spot near a south-facing house wall. Make sure that no rainwater or snow accumulates in the bucket.
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pests
Suneyes are resilient to disease or pests. Pest infestation rarely occurs when the plants grow in suboptimal locations or are weakened by incorrect care measures.
aphids
Diseased and weakened plants are occasionally attacked by aphids, which spread en masse in spring. Remove the pests with a cloth and spray the plant with an oily solution. Ensure good ventilation after treatment.
snails
In spring, the freshly sprouting leaves and shoots are a valuable food source for snails. Spread pebbles or coffee grounds on the substrate. The pests are particularly interested in certain varieties. The 'pointe dancer' seems to be a real treat.
fungus
In very wet years, sun eyes can be attacked by downy mildew. They leave whitish-gray or brown coatings on the undersides of the leaves. Yellow to brownish spots form on the upper side. Cut off diseased parts of the plant and spray the plant with a solution rich in silica. It promotes the cell tissue so that the spores can no longer penetrate the organism.
Instructions for a horsetail broth:
tips
Plant smaller perennials between group plantings with the sun eye. The low species form a natural support for the often tall varieties, so that the long shoots do not lean too much towards the ground.
sorts
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