Chinese globeflower

Chinese globeflower: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Perennial 70–90 cm tall and 40–50 cm wide, with straight, branched flower stems above a compact clump.

Leaves

Palmate and deeply cut, glossy dark green; the basal leaves have long stalks.

Flowers

Open, cup-shaped blooms 4–5 cm across in June–July, with upright nectaries in the centre.

Colour

Orange-yellow, deeper orange in some cultivars.

Roots

Thick, fibrous roots that like moist, humus-rich soil.

Flowering: June–July · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: March and July

Why grow it?

• Flowers in June and July with glowing orange-yellow blooms, when many spring bloomers have finished.
• One of the few perennials that flowers so richly in wet to moist soil.
• The deeply cut, dark green foliage looks good even without flowers.
• Bees and bumblebees visit the flowers.
• Perfect for a pond edge, a bog garden or a wet border.

Chinese globeflower: where does it grow best?

• Sun to partial shade; in full sun only if the soil stays wet all the time.
• Wet to moist, humus-rich soil: loam, clay or peat, acid to neutral. It will not thrive in dry sand.
• Ideal at a pond edge, in a bog bed or where the water table is high.
• Allow 40–50 cm between plants and avoid draughty spots.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Loam, clay or peat

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Wet

Size

0.9 m tall, 0.45 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Siberian iris: Flowers just before in blue, and wants the same moist soil.
• Meadowsweet: Frothy white plumes at the same time.
• Rodgersia: Large, elegant leaves next to the yellow flowers.
• Astilbe: Pink and white plumes in the same partial shade.

Chinese globeflower: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or in September–October, when the soil is not frozen.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in plenty of compost to keep the soil moist.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot, with the top of the root ball level with the soil.
4. Space plants 40–50 cm apart.
5. Water in generously straight away and spread a layer of leaf-compost mulch around the plant.

Care

Water

Keep the soil wet to moist at all times. In dry summers water generously every week, otherwise the leaf edges turn brown.

Feeding

A spade of compost or organic fertiliser in spring is enough.

Mulching

A thick layer of leaf compost or bark in spring keeps the soil moist and cool.

Spent flowers

Cut the stems back after flowering: it gives fresh foliage and sometimes a second, small flush of flowers.

Dividing

Divide the clump every 4–6 years when flowering declines.

Tip: Cut back after flowering and water well: you get fresh foliage and often a second, smaller flowering. Choose a spot where the soil never dries out.

Chinese globeflower: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and July.

When: After flowering in July, and a second time in late winter, in March.

How:

• After flowering, cut the spent stems back to just above the leaves; fresh foliage follows and sometimes a second flowering.
• In March, remove the old brown leaves down to the base.
• If you want seed, leave a few stems standing.

Caution: Wear gloves: the sap can irritate the skin.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

After flowering (August–September) or in early spring: cut the clump with a spade into pieces with roots and buds, and replant straight away.

Seed

Sow fresh seed in autumn in a tray outdoors; the seed needs cold and germinates slowly, sometimes only after a year.

Chinese globeflower: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Flanders.
• The leaves die back in winter; the roots survive underground.
• In a pot: put it in a sheltered place and do not let it dry out or stand in water; wrap the pot in hard frost.

Diseases and pests

• Drought: Brown, dried-out leaf edges and limp foliage in dry summers. Mulch and water generously.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves, especially in dry spells. Water, leave space and cut off affected leaves.
• Slugs: Nibbled young shoots in spring. Collect them in the evening and scatter coarse bark around the clump.
• Aphids: Small aphids on young shoots and buds. Rinse them off with water; ladybirds usually clear them up quickly.

Through the year

• March: Cut off old leaves. Add compost. Plant or divide.
• April: Plant. Apply mulch. Watch for slugs.
• May: Water in dry weather. Buds appear.
• June: Flowering begins.
• July: Full flower. Cut back after flowering.
• August: Water. Dividing is possible.
• September: Plant or divide. Sow.
• October: Plant. Foliage fades.
• November: Rest. Keep moist in dry weather.
• December: Rest.

Edible and useful

Not edible. All parts of globeflower are poisonous, especially when fresh: as in the buttercups its flowers resemble, the sap contains acrid compounds that cause a burning feeling in the mouth, vomiting and stomach ache, and redness and itching on the skin. Do not let children put the flowers in their mouths, and keep dogs and cats away from the plant. Horses, cows and sheep usually leave the fresh plant alone, but never throw trimmings or faded stems into a field or pen, and do not plant it in or beside a field. Wear gloves when cutting back, dividing and cutting flowers for a vase. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The yellow ‘petals’ are actually sepals. The narrow, upright nectaries in the centre are the true petals and carry the nectar.
• According to the usual explanation, the name Trollius goes back to an old Germanic word for ‘round’, referring to the globe-shaped flower of the European globeflower.
• The Chinese globeflower flowers later than the European species, so you can extend the flowering time of the border.