The magnificent candle is only very hardy outdoors to a very limited extent in Central Europe, but can be overwintered in pots and tubs. In a carefully selected and prepared location, this perennial only needs some attention in autumn and winter.
When and how do I cut a magnificent candle?
The magnificent candle can be cut back after flowering in autumn to promote the formation of overwintering buds. Cut the stems about 10 centimeters above the ground. Alternatively, pruning can also be done in spring, with the dead plant material serving as winter protection.
Care during the flowering period
The flowering period of the magnificent candle lasts approximately from June to October. During this time, the clump-forming perennial, which grows about 1 meter high, produces numerous individual flowers, each of which fades very quickly. Single flowers that have faded can be plucked off for visual reasons, but they also fall off on their own over time. To ensure that the long, delicate shoots of the plant do not bend in locations exposed to strong winds, you can sometimes tie them to a support rod (€6.00 on Amazon).
Pruning in autumn
If you want to try to overwinter the magnificent candle in a protected location outdoors, then you should promote the formation of so-called overwintering buds by pruning it after flowering. To do this, cut the herbaceous stems of the plant about 10 centimeters high above the ground. In addition, this pruning promotes more branched shoots of the plants (even when cultivated in a container) in the next growing season.
Reasons for pruning later in spring
Some gardeners are of the opinion that pruning the magnificent candle in autumn would open the door to disease germs and therefore advocate pruning later in spring. This offers the following opportunities and disadvantages:
- the dead plant material itself serves as winter protection
- The magnificent candles are easier to locate in the perennial bed in spring
- When pruning in spring, the freshly growing greenery must be taken into account
Tip
If you don't cut the plants off too early in autumn, magnificent candles will sow themselves in suitable locations for the next season. You can also collect the ripe seeds by hand and then sow them specifically in the perennial bed in early spring. An alternative to propagating perennial plants from seeds is to grow prairie candle cuttings. These can be easily obtained when pruning by cutting off parts of the plant that are approximately 10 centimeters long. These are rooted in a lean substrate by removing all the leaves below the top two pairs of leaves and sticking two-thirds of the cuttings into the soil.