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Summer residents who dream of having their plot covered with a lush blanket of flowers every spring without much hassle will definitely fall in love with arabis - planting and caring for it in the open ground does not require special skills and knowledge. These perennial plants not only have a decorative appearance, but also a pleasant aroma, and reproduction occurs quite quickly.

Features of the plant

Arabis is not a delicate flower. Its perennial bushes with small inflorescences collected in clusters grow luxuriantly in mountainous areas, covering the rocky slopes of Europe, Asia, and North America with a flower carpet.

Arabis alpine

The solid nature of the flower not only helps it break through stones, but also withstand negative temperatures. Arabis winters well in open ground under a layer of snow.

Reference. The word Arabis means grinding, harshness. The flower received this name for the sharp hairs that some varieties have on their leaves, which can cause injury. That’s why these perennial flowers are also called rhizomes. A more tender name that people still call this unusual plant is sunbeam.

Arabis blooms profusely, its petals have white, pink, and lilac shades. In the photo, the greenery of the low bushes is not always visible under the thick flower cap. In landscape design, Arabis is used to decorate:

• alpine slides;
• narrow flower borders;
• wide mixborders;
• rockery devices;
• flower bed frames.

The combination of arabis in flower beds in compositions with primrose, creeping tenacious, and bells has a harmonious appearance. Such neighbors get along well in open ground, and their care is similar.

Varieties and types of Arabis

Arabis belongs to the Cruciferous family. Some species are grown as honey plants. Of the more than 200 varieties, the most common decorative hybrids in landscape design are Alpine Arabis and Caucasian Arabis.

Arabis Caucasian

Let's take a closer look at those varieties whose varieties are most often used in ornamental gardening:

• Alpine Arabis is a low plant with shoots about 20-30 cm long. The color of the petals is white, pink. The flowering period is April-May, lasting about a month.
• Caucasian Arabis - shoots up to 35 cm long rise above the ground to a height of about 15 cm. The petals are bright pink and white. The leaves of the plant have an attractive decorative appearance - they have an oblong shape with a wavy edge and a white border. Flowering period is June.
• Mossy Arabis - its dense thickets are like tight pillows formed by small fleshy leaves covered with bluish felt. The flowers are white, rising above the bushes on swamp-purple peduncles.

Preparing for landing

Arabis loves light. Therefore, a site for its cultivation is chosen in a well-lit place or in diffuse partial shade, away from trees and tall shrubs.

Arabis mossy

The beds should have well-drained, loose soil that does not stagnate water. Excessive dampness harms the root system.

Reference. In landscape design, the following feature is taken into account: the brighter the area is illuminated, the faster the cultivation occurs, the bushes are lower and denser, and the flowering becomes more abundant.

In its natural habitat, the composition of the soil on which Arabis reproduces does not differ in nutrition. The soil contains a high percentage of sand and even small stones. Therefore, it is possible to create favorable conditions for rhizomes on soils poor in nutrients with the addition of sand. The optimal composition would be:

• 1 part of turf land;
• 1 part coarse river sand.

Landing

Seeds are planted immediately in open ground in April. Propagation by seeds occurs in a shady place. Planting is done to a depth of about 1 cm. Non-woven covering material is laid on top of the beds. Polyethylene film is also suitable for these purposes.

Arabis seedlings

When the seedlings sprout, the cover is removed. By the end of May, when the seedlings have become stronger, the shoots are transplanted to the area where their perennial bushes will permanently decorate the flowerbed. This procedure is performed on a cloudy day, after watering the flowers. The seedlings are transferred to a permanent place along with a lump of earth.

Important. If you purchase a plant from a nursery, you should keep in mind that, despite its high frost resistance, Arabis planting in open ground should not be done earlier than the second ten days of May. Such flowers, which were grown in greenhouse conditions, may bloom ahead of time, when the likelihood of morning frosts is still high.

Further care

Caring for Arabis consists of weeding and loosening the soil, regular watering and pruning:

1. Adult Arabis is undemanding to moisture; in prolonged dry weather, watering is done once a week. In spring, young plantings need to moisten the soil more often - every 4-5 days.
2. In order for the cultivation of rhizome to be successful, weeds that inhibit low-growing varieties should be removed from the beds in a timely manner.
3. After flowering, the arabis is pruned, leaving the bushes no more than 6 cm in height above the ground, otherwise they may not bloom next spring.

Fertilizer application

Mineral fertilizer is applied to the soil immediately after flowers have been planted in open ground. Adult Arabis are fertilized every year in the spring before flowering. Further care does not require fertilizing.

Very difficult. That is why we will discuss planting arabis, its propagation and cultivation before planting it in the open. We will figure out which arabis looks best with when it blooms, and how to prolong this process.

Planting and propagation of Arabis

Let's start the discussion with various options for flower propagation, which are used by both experienced gardeners and beginners in this difficult task.

Growing from seeds

The first breeding option for Arabis is growing from seeds.

This option is used when you do not have a mother plant and the only way to get a beautiful flower is to buy seed. It is recommended to purchase it in specialized stores, since it will not be difficult for unscrupulous sellers on the market to fake the packaging and fill it with seeds of a completely different plant.

Important! Before purchasing, check the packaging date, since the seeds have a certain expiration date, after which the germination rate drops several times.

Let's talk about when to sow Arabis seedlings. Sowing is carried out either in the fall (October) or in the spring (April or May). It’s worth noting right away that autumn sowing is not very convenient, since daylight hours are very short, and the room temperature does not always allow creating the necessary conditions for weak seedlings. However, if you live in the southern regions, then you can choose any option.

As for the soil, almost any loose substrate from a flower shop will do, which can be “sweetened” with peat tablets (pre-soaked). You can also make your own mix by mixing turf soil and sand in equal parts, but it is still better to give preference to purchased soil that has already been disinfected. It is worth remembering that the soil temperature should be about 20°C for the seeds to “wake up” and germinate.

The container should be selected wide and shallow (no more than 10 cm in height) so that moisture does not linger in the soil.

Seeds should be buried 4-5 mm, which can be achieved by simply pressing on the seed scattered on the surface.

Important! To increase germination and make watering easier, cover the soil after sowing with non-woven material.

After sowing, you need to keep it moist and place the container in a bright place where there are no drafts.

Cuttings

Let's discuss growing Arabis from cuttings. This option is only available if you have a mother plant. We do not recommend buying cuttings anywhere.

Cuttings should be taken immediately after flowering. We retreat about 10-12 cm from the top and make an oblique cut. Each cutting should have at least five nodes, so adjust the length depending on the number of nodes.

Next, you can place the cut shoots in a root growth stimulator to achieve rapid germination, or immediately plant the cuttings in the ground, deepening 2/3 of its length. We plant the cuttings at an angle of 45° to achieve proper rhizome growth.

Important! The lower leaves should be broken off before planting.

After a few weeks, the young plant will take root and begin to grow. In the autumn of the same year, you can replant the arabis to a permanent place.

Dividing bushes

This is probably the easiest way to reproduce, which does not require the use of any preparations for germination, special conditions or costs.

You can divide the bush both in mid-spring and at the end of summer. Theoretically, you can get about 15 new plants from one bush, but we recommend dividing into larger parts to increase survival rate.

It is worth noting that only those bushes that are 3-4 years old can be divided. Younger ones may die during division.

The process is carried out as follows: Carefully dig up the rhizome and use a sharp knife to separate part of the aboveground and underground parts from the mother plant. The cut should be sprinkled with activated carbon to prevent the plant from being affected by fungus.

An interesting thing is that the separated part of the bush can bloom in the same season in which you transplanted it. Therefore, this method is the most popular.

Combination with other plants

As for the combination with other flowers, Arabis looks more colorful in tandem with early bulbous plants (tulip, spring flower and others). Arabis is suitable both for creating various compositions with other flowers, and for “solo” planting as a border or background in a rose garden. Most often, the mountain plant is used in the decoration of rock gardens or rockeries.

Important! When planting Arabis in tandem with other flowers, it is worth remembering that if its growth is not controlled, it quickly drowns out neighboring plants.

Features of Arabis care

We figured out which plants Arabis is “friendly” with, discussed methods of propagation and planting, now it’s worth talking about caring for the plant.

Watering, weeding and loosening the soil

Let's start with watering, since in this regard the plant differs from many flowerbed flowers. The fact is that although Arabis requires a certain soil moisture, a slight drought is not critical. But overwatering can quickly kill the plant. It is for this reason that frequent watering is carried out only during extreme heat, when the soil dries out and cracks. We recommend to prevent drying out. In this case, even on the hottest days, the plant’s root system will not overheat, and the soil will remain moist.

If you are not going to mulch the plantings, then at the initial stage you will have to constantly weed and loosen the soil to prevent rapid growth. When the arabis gets stronger in a new place, it will cope well with weeds.
We mentioned above that when Arabis grows rapidly, it drowns out the plantings of all nearby plants. For this reason, pruning is necessary to maintain the shape of the plantings and prevent the death of other flowers. Trimming is carried out in an arbitrary manner, that is, you form the shape and height that suits you. However, this must be done after the Arabis has completely taken root in the new place.

Plant nutrition

The absence is not critical for Arabis, but if you want to achieve long-term flowering with a huge number of peduncles, then you need to apply special fertilizer for flowering plants, which can be purchased at any flower shop. They begin to apply fertilizer immediately after transplanting to a new place. It must be applied throughout the entire flowering period.

Wintering

If you live in the southern regions, then you do not need to prepare the plant for winter, since Arabis can withstand frosts down to -7°C. If in winter the temperature may drop below this, the flower must be covered with agrofibre, dry leaves or some other material that does not accumulate moisture. It is worth remembering that, even if the winter is warm, before the onset of cold weather it is necessary to cut off the above-ground part, leaving no more than 4 cm above ground level. If pruning is not carried out, even minimal frosts will kill Arabis.

Control of possible pests and diseases

Finally, let's talk about possible pests that can annoy Arabis.

In general, the plant is resistant to most diseases, but there is one incurable disease that can destroy not only flowers, but also

Arabis is a perennial herbaceous plant of the cruciferous family, growing mainly in mountainous areas and on rocky slopes. A flowering carpet of picturesque arabis is found in the mountains of Europe, North America and Asian countries. What is unique about this plant, how to grow and care for it, and how best to use creeping arabis in landscape design, you can find out in this article.

Arabis: varieties and varieties

A low ground cover plant up to 30 cm high is an ideal solution for decorating a garden plot, arboretum, rock garden and rock garden. The uniqueness of Arabis lies in the composition of bright emerald greenery and pinkish, cream, lilac or even snow-white inflorescences with which the plant is abundantly strewn. Neither climate nor temperature changes affect the evergreen color, and the snow cover reliably protects the bushes in severe frosts.

The culture owes its extraordinary name to its unique natural properties: the leaves of some varieties of Arabis are covered with stiff hairs, touching which can accidentally injure your hands. Today this mountain plant is called sunbeam. Agree, this name not only sounds more pleasant, but also fully corresponds to the fragrant flower carpet.

Breeders have bred about 200 varieties of the crop, more than 100 of which are unusually picturesque hybrid species that are very popular among gardeners. Among them, one cannot fail to note the leaders - Caucasian Arabis and Alpine.

Mountain culture Caucasian Arabis has a super-powerful root system: it is able to penetrate into crevices in the mountains and quickly take root in them. Emerald bushes reach a height of only 15 cm, but in length they can “spread” up to 30-40 cm. Arabis blooms intensively under the warm May rays of the sun, giving gardeners the most delicate aroma and a small scattering of pinkish and white flowers. It grows well both in the wild and in garden plots and greenhouses.

Arabis alpine- This is an unusually fragrant shrub, strewn with many white and pinkish tassels. The time of active flowering falls in mid-April. Modestly peeking out from under mountain cracks and between stones, the plant reaches a height of only 18-20 cm.

In addition to these varieties, there are also moss-like arabis, running (grows in the Balkans), ciliate-leaved, prolomnikov and other equally colorful mountain plants.

The bushes bloom most often in May, very profusely and for a very long time - 20-30 days. Charming racemose inflorescences unite many simple and double flowers of lemon, lilac and pinkish colors. The plant bears fruit in pods containing brown seeds.

Arabis planting

Gardeners most often stock up on seed material in flower shops and stores. When choosing seeds for planting, you need to know that the best time for growing is in autumn (mid-October) and mid-spring. By this time, you should worry about planting containers. The optimal soil temperature is 20ºС.

There is no need to plant the seeds deeply; it is enough to immerse them to a depth of 5 mm from the soil surface. A covering material that is laid over the sown area of ​​land will help to achieve high germination. This inexpensive, but very effective technique will significantly simplify the procedure for growing Arabis, including its watering, and will create optimal drainage. All this guarantees not only the best conditions for seed germination, but also rapid growth and rapid flowering of an adult plant.

Attention! Proper sowing of seeds, weeding and timely watering are the main components of the success of growing beautiful and healthy garden plants.

Arabis is transplanted into open ground after the first 2-3 leaves appear. To ensure that individual bushes grow well, without interfering with or displacing each other, follow the appropriate arrangement of seedlings - 40 x 40 cm. If you want to achieve the effect of a flower carpet, then plant 3 or even 4 plants in one hole.

Expect flowering next year. True, there are often varieties and varieties of arabis that delight with luxurious flowering by the end of the summer period.

Attention! In order for the plant to delight you with beautiful abundant color next season, the stems on which the inflorescences are located must be carefully trimmed. Leave 3-4 cm and carefully sprinkle with soil.

The culture can also be propagated by cuttings. Therefore, do not rush to get rid of cut branches!

Plant care

The plant should be watered moderately: only periodically and only during a long dry period. Arabis is very unpretentious to the soil composition, and yet it loves loose soil. That is why special attention is paid to loosening the soil and weeding. By mixing the soil with sand, you will ensure the plant rapid growth and expansion, and after a few months the Arabis will delight the gardener with vigorous expressive flowering and a breathtaking fragrance.

Since the plant grows well both in the garden and in mountain crevices, this gives us the opportunity to talk about the insensitivity of Arabis to diseases and pests.

Fertilizer and feeding of Arabis

This mountain plant is very unpretentious and does not require painstaking care. But if you use Arabis in landscape design and want to achieve lush flowering, then we recommend feeding the plant throughout the growing season with special mineral fertilizers. You can start feeding Arabis immediately after planting it in the ground.

Plant propagation

Arabis is traditionally propagated seeds, and its terry varieties - either by cuttings or dividing the bush. If seed material is used, sowing is carried out either in spring or at the end of autumn. In this case, the seedlings will begin to bloom in the second year.

Using another method ( bush divisions) from 3-4 plants you can get about 20 completely mature cuttings. It is better to plant them in the ground at the end of August, maintaining a distance between seedlings of at least 30 cm.

By cuttings It is best to practice from May to June. The top of the shoot (7-8 cm) is ideal for this. The lower 2 leaves are torn off and the cutting is placed in the prepared holes.

Attention! Don't forget about watering and shading the newly made bushes!

After 3 weeks, the cuttings will take root well in the soil. At the end of summer they can be transplanted to a permanent place.

Arabis: combination with other plants

Perennial Arabis fits perfectly into any flower arrangements and greenhouses, ideally complements terraces and modern architectural solutions made of stone. Unpretentious bushes look very impressive next to scarlet tulips, noble irises, extraordinary alyssum and other early flowering bulbous crops. Low growing varieties are commonly used to create a picturesque background in a rose garden.

Lush mountain plants are most often used to decorate rock gardens and rockeries; they decorate any rocky walls and structures. Perfect for arranging mixborders and decorating borders, strengthening slopes and creating bright accents in a personal plot.

Planting and caring for Arabis: video

Varieties of Arabis: photo

Arabis is a herbaceous perennial from the Brassica family, growing in the wild in different climatic zones of our planet: from the harsh northern regions to the tropical mountain slopes of Africa. In Russia, this plant received the name “rezuha”, associated with the hard pubescence of leaves and shoots, which can cut your hands if touched carelessly. Arabis – popular V plant in landscape design, thanks to the combination of unpretentiousness and high decorativeness.

In gardens, Arabis is grown as an annual and perennial. The height of the plant is about 30 centimeters. Shoots are creeping, easily rooting. Arabis grows quickly and covers the soil with a dense canopy. Arabis leaves are fleshy, entire or heart-shaped, sometimes with carved edges, and pubescent.

Flowers with a diameter of 1.5 centimeters, white, pink, purple or yellowish, are collected in dense racemes. During the flowering period, Arabis exudes a delicate, pleasant aroma with sweet notes. At the end of flowering, the plant forms a pod-shaped fruit filled with flat seeds.

Popular varieties and types of plants with photographs

Arabis began to be grown in gardens and summer cottages 200 years ago and since then has not lost its popularity among amateur flower growers and landscape designers. There are more than 120 varieties in the Arabis genus, and work on developing new varieties and species continues to this day.

The most common types are:

1. It grows naturally in the Far East, Scandinavia, North America, and Western Europe. Plant height 30 centimeters. Generative shoots are ascending, vegetative shoots are creeping, highly branched, and do not die off in winter. The flowers are white or pink. Flowering begins at the end of April and lasts until the end of May. Flowers are 2 centimeters in diameter.
2. Grows on the mountain slopes of Asia Minor and Crimea. Plant height 30 centimeters. The leaves are gray-green, oblong. Flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences. Blooms in June for 25-30 days. Varieties:

• Schneehaube- White flowers.
• Rosabella- pink flowers.
• pink pearl– creamy pink flowers.
• Hedy- purple flowers.
• Snowflake- snow-white variety.

1. Arabis prolomnikov. A ground cover species that forms a dense cushion of creeping shoots no more than 10 centimeters high. The flowers are white. Prefers to grow among stones, on dry and poor soil.
2. The plant's homeland is California. The height of the shoots is about 8 centimeters, the leaves are greenish-gray. Varieties:

• Fruhlingszauber– small, rounded leaves, pink flowers.
• Rote Sensation– elongated leaves, bright pink flowers.

1. Arabis mossy. Fleshy leaves form dense cushions. The flowers are white on purple stalks.
2. Arabis running out. Distributed in eastern Europe. Plant height is 15-17 centimeters. The flowers are small cream, pink or lilac. Leaves are patterned.

Growing Arabis from seeds

Seed material for growing Arabis is widely available on sale, so any gardener can decorate his summer cottage with this plant. Each gardener decides when to sow Arabis seeds independently. They can be sown directly into open ground in autumn or spring. Sowing takes place in mid-April. The bed with the planted seeds is covered with non-woven material to retain moisture and heat.

The most rational way to grow from seeds is to sow seedlings. Arabis seeds germinate at temperatures not lower than +20 degrees. For sowing, prepare wide, shallow containers and fill them with loose substrate. Seeds need light to germinate, so they are not buried deep in the soil. The surface of the soil is slightly compacted, moistened and the seeds are distributed over it. The seeds are sprinkled with a layer of earth on top, no more than 5 mm. The container with the crops is covered with film and placed in a bright place.

The first shoots appear after 3-4 weeks. The covering is removed from the container, and then the seedlings are cared for as usual. After the formation of two true leaves, the seedlings are planted in separate pots or cups.

Planting Arabis in open ground

Arabis is an unpretentious plant, planting and caring for which is not difficult, but its cultivation requires certain conditions.

Arabis is an unpretentious plant to care for and grow.

Selecting a site for planting

Arabis is light-loving, so choose the most open areas for planting it. Only diffuse partial shade is acceptable. Arabis will not be able to grow in shady corners of the garden.

The soil in the selected area should be loose and well permeable to moisture. Over-watering of the root system causes it to rot. If the soil in the illuminated area of ​​the garden is dense, coarse sand and a small amount of small stones are added to it before planting.

The ideal place for planting Arabis is slopes, hills or alpine hills. Planting in lowlands and places where melt water accumulates is absolutely contraindicated. Arabis is not picky about soil nutrition. It is quite capable of growing in poor soils and tolerates lack of moisture.

When selecting a site for Arabis, it is necessary to take into account its properties. In shaded places it quickly grows and elongates; in sunny places the bushes grow slowly, but bloom profusely.

Planting dates and technology

Before planting in open ground, Arabis seedlings are hardened

Plants are planted in a permanent growing location in mid-May or early June, depending on weather conditions. For optimal growth, seedlings are placed at a distance of 40 centimeters from each other. For rapid growth of curtains, 3-4 seedlings can be planted in one hole at once.

Seedlings should be removed from planting containers as carefully as possible. To avoid damaging the roots. The pots are placed in water for a couple of minutes, and then the plant is removed along with a lump of earth. Arabis is placed in the hole along with a lump of earth.

Young plants that have not yet adapted to the cold are susceptible to frost, so in the event of a spring cold snap, Arabis should be covered with a non-woven covering material (Lutrasil, Spandex, Spandbond).

Plant care

Arabis needs periodic pruning and shaping

Caring for Arabis is quite simple:

• Watering– moderate and even meager. The shoots that tightly cover the soil retain moisture, so Arabis does not need frequent watering. If it rains periodically in spring and summer, watering is stopped completely.
• Loosening– after watering, the soil around the plant should be slightly loosened to allow oxygen to reach the roots.
• Top dressing– during the growing season, Arabis needs one feeding in the spring. A mineral fertilizer complex is used for flowering plants.
• Trimming– Arabis grows quickly and actively, so it is necessary to promptly limit its growth by removing excess shoots. During flowering, trim off faded buds and shoots escaping from the cushion.

Some Arabis varieties are prone to degeneration in the third year of cultivation. The center of the jacket begins to dry out, and the flowering shifts to the edges. Such plants need to be regularly rejuvenated by radical pruning.

Reproduction methods

Sowing seeds is the longest way to obtain flowering Arabis. Most often, the plant blooms only a year after sowing. For sowing, you can use seeds purchased or collected from your own Arabis specimens.

Seeds collected from double Arabis varieties will not give the desired results. When seed propagation of hybrids occurs, the characteristics of the mother plant are not preserved.

• Cuttings. Cuttings for rooting are prepared after flowering. Shoots with a heel are used, from which roots subsequently appear. Alternatively, you can use the tops of faded shoots, which also take root quickly. Cut cuttings are placed in moist soil mixed with pitch and covered with plastic or glass. The shoots initially begin to lose turgor, but as soon as roots form, the leaves become elastic. At this time, the rooted cuttings can be transplanted to a permanent growing location.
• Dividing the bush. The procedure can be carried out with plants aged 3-4 years, not earlier. Division is carried out at the end of summer or beginning of autumn, after flowering. The bush is dug up, the soil is shaken off the roots, and the rhizome is cut into several parts. One plant can be divided into 15-20 parts. The cut areas are sprinkled with wood ash and planted in prepared holes. In order for the plants to take root, after planting they are watered daily for 3-4 days.
• Rooting cuttings. To obtain a new specimen of Arabis, take the outermost shoot, tear off the top from it and, bending it down, sprinkle it with soil. The cuttings will produce roots, and it can be separated from the mother plant, dug up and planted in a prepared place.

Pests and diseases of Arabis

The plant is resistant to most common diseases, but in some cases it is affected by viral mosaic. Lightened green or white spots appear on the leaves of the infected plant.

More Arabis is quite rare

The main protection against the virus is prevention: disinfection of the tool used for pruning. Fight against insects that carry the virus. If the bushes are infected with a virus, it will no longer be possible to save them, and then the arabis is uprooted and burned, the planting site is treated or spilled with a strong solution of potassium permanganate.

When the soil becomes waterlogged, the plant develops root rot. In this case, the shoots begin to wither and dry out. Arabis needs to be dug up, rotten roots removed, and the soil in the hole replaced. The roots must be washed with a pink solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin and planted in the prepared hole.

Of the insect pests, Arabis is often attacked by the cruciferous flea beetle. Sprinkling with wood ash can protect the plant from it. The treatment is carried out early in the morning, when there is dew on the leaves, or after watering. If there are a lot of insects, Arabis is sprayed with an insecticide.

Seed collection and care after flowering

Seeds should be stored in paper bags

To preserve the decorative appearance of the Arabis plant, faded buds are removed during flowering. But if you plan to collect seeds, some of the flowers are saved to form seed pods. Without waiting for the seeds to dry, the shoots on which they formed are cut off and placed in paper bags.

All faded shoots are cut to a third of their length. Such radical pruning guarantees abundant flowering of arabis next year. After pruning, the soil around the plant is mulched with humus.

Preparing for winter

Arabis can overwinter in open ground. After the onset of cold weather, the stems are cut flush with the soil. Without shelter, the plant can tolerate frosts down to minus 5-7 degrees. To protect the Arabis rhizome from lower temperatures, the plantings are covered with dry foliage, mown grass, and then spruce branches.

Arabis in landscape design and in combination with other plants

The high decorative qualities of arabis allow it to be widely used in decorating garden plots. The plant fits perfectly into various compositions in the garden and looks impressive against the background of stones. On an alpine hill, arabis is combined with rocky, low-growing borer.

Arabis is recommended to be planted together with alyssium. Low-growing species serve as a background in the rose garden, and also cover areas between stones on alpine hills, and are used to decorate borders and rocky walls. Arabis is indispensable for decorating voids between large perennials in a flower bed.

You can get acquainted with the features of planting and care in the proposed video clip. Enjoy watching!

What could be more pleasing to the eye than a beautiful and well-groomed area with a lot of flowers. That is why every gardener strives to make his spring garden unique. Every year, flower beds and slides require a lot of work and a constant search for new plants, but you always want to admire the bright colors from early spring. A beautiful and lush carpet of small Arabis flowers will help create a spring mood and help realize the most incredible garden compositions.

At first glance, a delicate and fragile flower, but in fact a rather strong and hardy Arabis plant is simply an ideal ground cover crop that can be used to form a unique landscape design, create interesting alpine hills and rocky gardens.

In this article, we will look at the features of growing Arabis, provide a description of the most popular types and varieties of this crop, and note the most important points of planting and caring for the plant.

Botanical description of Arabis and its features

Arabis is a herbaceous flowering plant, which is most often classified as a perennial, although among the variety of species and varieties there are also annual representatives. This wonderful plant belongs to the large Brassica or Cruciferous family. Arabis is considered a ground cover plant that can grow and cover large areas of the ground in a short time. For this feature, this crop is used to create bright and unusual garden compositions, alpine slides and rocky gardens, which are the optimal habitat for arabis. The natural growth habitat of this evergreen plant is considered to be the mountainous territory of tropical Africa, temperate regions of Europe and Asia, as well as the territory of North America. Arabis is a mountain plant, so in nature it is found on the slopes of mountains and cliffs high above sea level.

The origin of the scientific Latin name of this creeping shrub is not known for certain. However, besides this, this plant has several more names that characterize the appearance of the small bush. In Russia, Arabis is most often called reznik. This is due to the fact that the stems and leaves of many plant varieties are covered with hard fibers, which seriously injure your hands when trying to pick a flower. Translated from Greek, the word Arabis means “grinding,” which may also be due to the presence of villi on the shoots of the flower. Today, many gardeners call this plant a sunbeam, which very accurately conveys the brightness and freshness of the flowers against the backdrop of lush green foliage.

Arabis has been known in culture for many years. It first began to be grown in gardens and backyards about 200 years ago, and since then this delicate flower has not lost its popularity among gardeners. It can still be found in the design of rock gardens, mixborders, rockeries and rocky gardens. On the Internet you can find simply a huge number of photos of perennial Arabis in a variety of garden compositions, which once again prove that this is a unique plant, ideal for creating carpet landscapes.

Description of Arabis:

• Arabis is a perennial herbaceous plant that withstands winter frosts and does not lose its foliage. Therefore, many varieties of this crop are considered evergreen and can withstand temperature changes, differences in lighting and severe, prolonged cold.
• It is a low-growing ground cover plant that grows and takes root very quickly, which allows it to create beautiful flowering and fragrant carpets.
• The bushes are formed by creeping stems, which take root independently as the plant grows.
• The height of the bush can be a maximum of 15-30 cm, but in the horizontal direction the stems grow by 35-40 cm.
• The stems are covered with small fibers that are quite hard to the touch and can easily injure you.
• Arabis leaves can be small to medium in size, whole heart-shaped, with a smooth or jagged edge.
• Evergreen foliage can vary in color. There are varieties with bright green foliage, with variegated coloring, which is expressed by silver spots or stripes.
• The leaf blade may be smooth or slightly pubescent.
• Arabis flowering begins around the end of April or early May and lasts for quite a long time, approximately 4-5 weeks. If the weather is cool, the plant will delight you with longer flowering, which can last up to 8 weeks.
• Arabis bushes look impressive during abundant flowering. The entire cushion of green foliage is strewn with small and delicate flowers, which can be 1.5 cm in diameter.
• Flowers can be simple, consisting of several petals, or double, collected in small racemose loose inflorescences.
• The color range of Arabis inflorescences is also striking, represented by pink, purple, yellow and white shades.
• Another feature of this creeping plant is the presence of a wonderful sweetish aroma that the flowers emit during the flowering period.
• After the inflorescences fade, fruits appear on the stems in the form of oblong pods with flat seeds.
• This plant has good resistance to cold and drought, as well as undemanding growing conditions.
• Widely used in wild cultivation and for decorating garden plots, greenhouses, flower beds and alpine slides.

Variety of types and varieties of Arabis

Arabis is a herbaceous plant for open ground, which has been pleasing gardeners with its beauty for more than two hundred years. Breeders are doing a lot of work to develop new species and varieties of crops that would complement those already successfully cultivated. There are approximately 120 varieties in the genus of this plant, which differ in foliage, shade of inflorescences and height of the bush. Not all of them are popular; only a few types of arabis stand out, which are actively used in landscape design.

Arabis alpine

• This is one of the most common types of Arabis, which is widely used in Russia.
• The natural habitat of this plant is considered to be the high mountain areas of Europe and North America; specimens are also found in Eastern Siberia and the Urals.
• This is a natural species of Arabis, which has been cultivated for more than 200 years and has long been used to breed new ornamental varieties and varieties.
• It is a perennial herbaceous plant that can reach a height of approximately 30-35 cm.
• The bush is formed by erect and branched shoots, which are attached to the surface of the earth with the help of a large number of thin roots.
• The shoots grow quickly and create lush and dense clumps, strewn with small foliage.
• Arabis shoots do not die off during the winter and are perfectly preserved under a layer of snow.
• This type of Arabis has basal and stem leaves, which differ in shape and parameters. At the roots, the foliage is oval-shaped and emerald green; the stem leaves are arrow-shaped and heart-shaped with a gray leaf blade.
• In early spring, all the curtains are abundantly covered with small flowers. Flowering usually begins in late April or early May. It lasts for about a month, but if the weather is cool and cloudy, the flowering will be longer and will be about a month and a half.
• The flowers are small, can be about 1 cm in diameter. There can be a large number of them on one bush, which sometimes makes it difficult to even see the foliage.
• All flowers are collected in loose racemes.
• The flowers of the plant can be white or pink.
• In gardening there are different varieties: Schneeshaube - with white flowers, Meeting - with pink flowers, Pink - with light pink flowers, Lapland - with white flowers.

Arabis Caucasian

• This type of Arabis has another name - whitish.
• It is a perennial herbaceous plant whose natural habitat is considered to be the territory of Asia Minor and Central Asia, the Mediterranean, the Caucasus and Crimea.
• Many scientists put forward the opinion that Caucasian Arabis is a subspecies of Alpine Arabis.
• The bush is formed by creeping shoots, the thin roots of which are able to penetrate deep into crevices.
• The plant can reach a maximum height of 25-30 cm, and a width of 30-35 cm.
• The stems of the plant are covered with oblong-shaped leaves with a serrated edge. The color of the foliage is gray-green, which is associated with the whitish dense pubescence of the leaf blade.
• The species is distinguished by rather large flowers, which reach approximately 1.5 cm in diameter.
• The color of the flowers is white.
• Caucasian Arabis blooms very profusely and grows quickly.
• Popular varieties: Flore Pleno - double white flowers, Arabis Variegata - leaves with a yellowish border along the edge, Rosabella - with pink flowers.

Arabis bruovide

• This is a low-growing plant that can reach a maximum height of about 10-13 cm.
• The natural habitat of the Arabis bruidae is considered to be the territory of Albania, Bulgaria, and Greece.
• The creeping stems are densely covered with small oval leaves, which are covered with whitish hairs.
• The white flowers are collected in loose corymbose inflorescences, which consist of approximately 3-6 pieces.

Arabis running out

• The natural habitat of this Arabis species is considered to be the territory of the countries of the Balkan Peninsula.
• Arabis running in height reaches approximately 10-12 cm and is an excellent ground cover plant.
• The leaves are small, oval-shaped, collected in small rosettes.
• Due to its excellent growing qualities, Arabis of this species is often used to strengthen various slopes.
• The flowers are purple in color, gradually becoming faded.
• The plant is frost-resistant and unpretentious under growing conditions.

Arabis of Ferdinand of Coburg

• Coburg Arabis is a semi-evergreen groundcover that can reach a height of approximately 4-5 cm.
• It grows strongly, the bushes can reach approximately 30 cm in diameter.
• The leaves of the plant are green and white. pink or yellow border.
• During flowering, a lush cushion of leaf rosette is abundantly covered with white flowers. Flowering is very long.

Arabis propagation: the most common methods

Arabis can be propagated in various ways, it all depends on the specific variety and decorativeness of the plant. The most common methods of obtaining young plants are the following: seed propagation, propagation by cuttings and dividing the bush. Each option is characterized by its own characteristics and rules, which must be taken into account to obtain healthy and abundantly flowering plants.

Arabis seed propagation

• This method is used to propagate species plants. If you want to grow seedlings of decorative varieties, for example, with double flowers, then using seeds you will not get the desired plant. During seed propagation, maternal characteristics are not transmitted.
• Arabis seeds can be purchased without any problems at various garden centers or flower shops. If a beautiful Arabis plant is already growing on your site, then you can try collecting the seeds yourself.
• On the Internet you can find a huge number of photos of planting Arabis using seeds. There is nothing complicated here, and the sequence of actions is the same as for many other flowering herbaceous plants.
• Seeds must be sown directly into the ground in the fall before winter, while with the seedling method, the seeds are sown in containers in early spring, around April.
• The seeds are buried about half a centimeter in the soil, after which it is worth waiting for them to sprout.
• After the appearance of strong seedlings with a pair of leaves, young Arabis plants dive at a distance of approximately 35-40 cm from each other.
• When using the seedling method, it is necessary to prepare containers with a soil mixture, which should consist of garden soil and sand.
• Before sowing, be sure to warm the soil, after which the seeds are buried and covered with a film on top to increase germination.
• The temperature for germination should be approximately 20 degrees.
• After about 20-25 days, the seedlings will germinate and the cover can be removed. When the first leaves appear, the seedlings can begin to harden off. If you are going to use Arabis as a ground cover plant, there is no need to pick the seedlings.
• Seedlings after planting will begin to bloom in the second year.

Arabis propagation by dividing the bush

• Only double and other decorative Arabis varieties are propagated in this way. This allows you to preserve all the maternal characteristics of the plant.
• It is necessary to divide the Arabis bush only after they reach 3 or 4 years of age. It is not recommended to divide young bushes.
• This process should be carried out at the end of summer or early autumn after the end of the flowering period.
• To do this, it is important to carefully remove the bush from the soil and lightly shake off the soil from the roots.
• From one adult bush you can get up to 20 young plants.
• Using a sharp knife or pruning shears, the Arabis bush needs to be cut into the required number of sections.
• In this case, it is important to immediately treat all cut areas with crushed charcoal so that they heal faster.
• In the prepared area, planting holes are made at a distance of approximately 35-40 cm from each other and the cuttings are planted, after which they are watered abundantly.

Arabis propagation by cuttings

• This method of propagating Arabis is also used for breeding ornamental varieties of the crop.
• It is recommended to harvest planting material after the end of Arabis flowering.
• As cuttings, you can use the leaves along with the heel, from which the roots will appear. To obtain such planting material, the leaf should not be cut off, but rather torn off, slightly pulling it towards you. This way you will get a leaf with a piece of bark, which is called a “heel”.
• The apical shoots can also be used as cuttings. To obtain them at the end of flowering, it is necessary to cut off the top of the shoot about 10 cm long. After this, all the lower leaves are removed.
• All cuttings are planted in a greenhouse or greenhouse at an angle, after which the beds are watered and loosened.
• It is recommended to cover the cuttings with film or separate plastic bottles for each seedling.
• Daily care consists of maintaining substrate moisture, ventilating cuttings, and removing condensation.
• When the leaves become elastic again, the cuttings can be planted in a permanent place.

Preparation before planting Arabis in open ground

Arabis is an unpretentious and not capricious plant that can grow in any conditions. However, decorative garden forms still require proper attention, and therefore careful preparation before planting, especially if you are planting Arabis for the first time.

Selection of Arabis variety and planting material

• For planting in Russia, it is recommended to use the most popular and widespread forms of the plant - Alpine Arabis and Caucasian Arabis. Today there are many varieties of these species, which are zoned and adapted to climatic conditions.
• The choice of a specific variety should also be based on the future garden composition. For alpine hills or rocky gardens, you can choose low-growing plants, the height of which is approximately 10-13 cm. For single planting, you can buy medium-sized varieties.
• You can grow planting material yourself, or you can buy ready-made seedlings in containers at any garden center or agricultural company that professionally breeds plants.
• It is recommended to carefully inspect the seedlings before purchasing. There should be no damage, yellow or rotten leaves, signs of disease or pests.

Choosing a place to plant Arabis

• Choosing a location is an important condition for the growth of a beautiful and profusely flowering plant.
• Arabis prefers to grow in open and well-lit areas, but without direct sunlight.
• The selected area should be well blown by the wind.
• If desired, you can plant an Arabis seedling in a shady place, but the color of its leaves and flowering will be more sparse.
• For planting this ground cover plant, you can select small slopes and hills; artificially created alpine hills are suitable.
• Arabis should not be placed in lowlands, as these plants cannot withstand stagnant water at the roots.

Planting Arabis in open ground - instructions

• It is recommended to plant Arabis seedlings in open ground in the spring, but not earlier than May.
• First, the soil in the selected area must be carefully dug up and all weeds removed. For the full growth of this plant, almost any soil is suitable, for example, turf soil with sand.
• It is important to ensure good drainage, as the plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture at the roots. To do this, you can add coarse river sand or small stones to each hole.
• Next, you need to prepare planting holes at a distance of approximately 30 cm from each other.
• If you want to end up with a beautiful flowering carpet, then you can place 2-3 seedlings in one hole.
• Gently compact the soil around the seedlings and add a little complete mineral fertilizer.
• At the end of planting, young plants need to be watered abundantly.

How to properly care for Arabis in open ground

Caring for Arabis is not particularly difficult, because it is not for nothing that this plant is known among gardeners for its unpretentiousness. Having properly planted good and healthy seedlings, in the future this plant will require virtually no effort and time on your part.

• Watering. Arabis is considered a drought-resistant plant, so it does not tolerate excessive moisture. This is due to the fact that the root system of the bush is quite large and is capable of obtaining its own moisture. It is recommended to water this plant during the hottest periods, while observing the measure. The watering regime should be approximately as follows - once a week with a small amount of water. If there is excess moisture, the root system may begin to rot.
• Loosening and mulching. Arabis prefers to grow on loose and light soil, so it must be loosened regularly after watering to ensure oxygen access to the roots. Weeds really hinder the development of this plant, so they must be removed until the arabis has fully grown.
• Trimming. An important step in caring for a creeping plant is pruning fast-growing shoots. This will help maintain the decorative appearance of the bush. It is also recommended to regularly prune spent blooms to encourage the growth of others.
• Feeding Arabis. This plant is a resident of mountain slopes, so its unpretentiousness is inherent in nature. However, to obtain a beautiful plant with abundant flowering, you can apply fertilizer once a season. This can be done before flowering begins. Complex mineral fertilizers and humus can be used as fertilizing.
• Preparing for winter. Before preparing for winter, you can collect the seeds of this plant. To do this, immediately after the first frost on a sunny day, you need to cut a couple of inflorescences and dry them. Remove the seeds and store in a paper bag. Before the onset of cold weather, all shoots of the bush are cut off, leaving only small stumps, after which they are covered with foliage and spruce branches.

Photo of Arabis

If you want to create beautiful garden compositions on your site in the form of flowering carpets or unique rivers of flowers, then you should definitely turn your attention to Arabis, planting and caring for which in the open ground can be done even by a novice gardener.