Heliopsis helianthoides ‘Bressingham Doubloon'
Heliopsis helianthoides, a landscape perennial in the Asteraceae family, is native to the
The best way to ensure proper nutrient levels is to test root zone pH and electrical conductivity on a regular basis. If deficiency symptoms appear, verify your diagnosis by sending foliar samples to a laboratory.
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Researchers at
Pictures related to the nutrient deficiencies series may accessed by viewing the PDF files of the pages that originally appeared in GMPRO magazine: Page 1. Page 2. Page 3. Page 4.
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Nitrogen (N)
Two weeks after excluding nitrogen, the plants are a bit smaller than the control and a lighter green.
Growth of the plants deficient of nitrogen came to a halt. After four weeks, the deficient plants are one-quarter the shoot mass of the control and did not flower.
Phosphorus (P)
Three weeks into the study, phosphorus-deficient plants develop a purplish-bronze cast to the foliage. Though shoot development is similar to the control (not pictured), prolific/excessive root growth occurs as with other phosphorus-deficient perennials.
Potassium (K)
Many of the recently mature leaves curl downward on potassium-deficient plants. Zones of interveinal chlorosis appear, as do necrotic spots/flecks along the leaf margins.
After four weeks, potassium-deficient heliopsis have nearly the shoot mass of the control, but recently mature leaves curl under and display necrotic spots. Flowers are smaller and fewer in number.
Calcium (Ca)
Strange flower morphology appears after four weeks of no calcium.
Magnesium (Mg)
Magnesium-deficiency symptoms take a while to appear. After six weeks, mature leaves show some interveinal chlorosis. Many have necrotic zones.
Sulfur (S)
Sulfur-deficient plants look much like nitrogen-deficient plants -- slightly chlorotic all over with stunted growth and limited flower production.
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Boron (B)
Two weeks into the experiment, the youngest foliage is distorted on boron-deficient plants.
Flowers that opened within the first 18 days of withholding boron have downward-cupping petals. Later, flowers cease to form ray florets.
After four weeks, leaves cease to expand. Any new foliage or flowers are malformed. Roots are severely stunted with brown nodules at the root hair tips.
Copper (Cu)
With heliopsis, withholding copper over time results in an array of stunted and deformed flowers. Recently matured leaves display severely necrotic margins. Younger foliage is twisted and distorted. Flowers are small and often asymmetrical. Some flowers have very few disc florets relative to ray florets.
Iron (Fe)
Iron-deficiency symptoms are fairly typical -- chlorosis appears on the newest foliage within one week.
After four weeks, plants have grown very little, flowers fail to develop fully, and both new and recently mature foliage is severely chlorotic.
Manganese (Mn)
Manganese-deficient heliopsis don’t differ drastically from controls, even after four weeks. Root and shoot mass is reduced and internodes are a bit shorter. No significant foliar symptoms appear.
Zinc (Zn)
Drastically shortened internodes didn’t occur as in other zinc-deficient perennials. The plants were smaller, with spindly stems, stunted root growth and small flowers.
- Holly L. Scoggins, Allison Byrd and Velva A. Groover
Holly L. Scoggins is an associate professor, Allison Byrd is a former graduate research assistant and Velva A. Groover is a senior research technician, Virginia Tech University, Department of Horticulture, (540) 231-5783; perennials@vt.edu.
The authors thank Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation for grant support, Yoder-Greenleaf for plant material and Quality Analytical Laboratories for tissue analysis. The authors thank
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