The Ehrigen Splendorscharte comes from North America and, despite its unusual flower shape with inflorescences that bloom from top to bottom, belongs to the Asteraceae plant family. The perennial, which grows up to 1 meter high in suitable locations, can be cut for certain reasons, but it does not necessarily have to be cut.
When and how should you cut a charcoal?
A splendor can be cut in spring or autumn, when harvesting cut flowers or immediately after the first flowering. Remove wilted flowers and leaves, cut back plant parts close to the ground and encourage a second flowering through targeted pruning.
Removing wilted plant parts before winter
If you are visually bothered by the slowly wilting flowers after the glossy charcoal has bloomed, you can cut the plants back to the green leaves. However, you should leave these on the plants until overwintering, as they can still recharge their batteries and only wilt later. Wilted flowers and leaves should be cut off with a sharp knife in early spring at the latest so that the young shoots receive enough light and have space to develop. If the glossy char is cut regularly, this promotes a bushy appearance of older specimens in a consistent location. In addition, the withered flowers have to be cut out after the seeds have ripened and the fresh seeds collected straight away with the cutting material.
Pruning of pot-grown species
For specimens of the Prachtscharte cultivated in a pot, it is advisable to cut the plants back to a few centimeters above the ground before winter, as this makes it easier to wrap the plants in a protective cover made of garden fleece or bubble wrap. These flowering plants usually tolerate it without any problems if individual flowers are cut off as cut flowers for the vase. If a layer of mulch is not applied to the perennial bed in exposed locations, it may make sense to leave the dead plant material about a hand's width high over the winter. The withered leaves themselves serve as winter protection for the plants.
Stimulate a second flowering with targeted pruning
Actually all gardeners particularly like to plant perennials in their gardens that either bloom for a very long time or bloom several times. That's why there are a total of four possible times for a cut on the Prachtscharte:
- in early spring
- in autumn
- when harvesting cut flower bouquets
- immediately after the first flowering
Cut your garden flowers back to the green leaves immediately after the inflorescences have wilted. If you are lucky and there are good care conditions for the plants, then a second, smaller flower may occur.
Tip
If a single locust in the garden becomes too large for you, you can slow down its growth by dividing the root rhizome for propagation purposes.