The best varieties of herbaceous peonies, planting and care in the open field

The herbaceous peony is a unique garden plant. It is eye-catching even after flowering. Most hybrids have leaves that change color during the season. The peony is able to grow for many years in one place and not lose its abundant flowering. In order for the plant to develop normally and not get sick, it needs to provide quality care.

Description and features

It is a powerful perennial plant that can grow up to 50-100 centimeters in height. It has strong roots. They are able to penetrate almost 1 meter into the ground and grow up to 50 centimeters.

The bushes are dense and covered with many leaves. They include branched shoots. Peonies are characterized by petiole leaves, which have a regular arrangement. The leaf plates are different in shape - ternate-pinnate, trifoliate, pinnately-divided. Peony shoots can lean to the ground, so they need support.

Herbaceous plant species are distinguished by large flowers that reach 15-17 centimeters in diameter.

Kinds

Peonies of this species can have different rosettes. First of all, they differ in the shape of the inflorescences.

By form

The shape of the flowers of the plant is different - semi-double, non-double, double. Other varieties are also found.

Not terry

These peonies are also called simple peonies. The rosette forms 1-2 rows of petals. At the same time, the flower has a cupped shape with pronounced stamens and pistils.

Semi-double

Such peonies are characterized by lush and light flowers. The outlet includes 3-7 rows of petals.

Japanese

The petals of such peonies are arranged in 1-2 rows. They are characterized by numerous stamens and staminodes.

Anemoid

This variety of peonies is characterized by a single-row perianth and petalodia, which fill the center.

Spherical

Such peonies have large horizontal petals on the outside. In this case, the inner petals form a dense ball.

Rose petals

Pink peonies have compact flowers with dense doubleness. Moreover, according to the arrangement of the petals, they are similar to a rose.

By color

There are many options for shades of such peonies. This allows each grower to choose the best option.

White

These plants look very delicate. Popular representatives of white peonies include Lotus Queen, Ann Cousins.

Pink

Pink peonies are very popular among flower growers. This category includes varieties such as Corinne Wersan, Blush Queen.

Lilac

An interesting representative of such peonies is the Japanese variety Velma Atkinson. It is distinguished by early flowering.

Burgundy

Such peonies look very elegant. These include varieties such as Ruth Clay, Bandmaster, Paul M. Wild.

Red

A striking representative of this category is the dark red peony Ruth Clay. It has anemone-shaped inflorescences and is distinguished by its early onset of flowering.

Yellow

This category includes the spectacular Duchesse de Nemours. It is characterized by white-yellow inflorescences.

Coral

Peonies of this shade look very attractive. The spectacular representatives of coral varieties include Coral Supreme, Coral Sunset.

Fancy

Among the varieties of herbaceous peonies, you can find very unusual plants. So, Dutch Dwarf is characterized by unusual bluish-green leaves, and Bess Bockstoce has an original inflorescence shape.

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The best varieties

Today there are quite a few showy varieties of herbaceous peonies, each of which has certain characteristics.

Coral charm

It is a mid-early variety that has coral pink flowers. They have a pleasant aroma.

Da fu gui

It is a milky-flowered variety that originated in China. It is characterized by beautiful chrysanthemum inflorescences.

Pink hawaiian coral

It is a tall variety that reaches a height of 1 meter and has coral pink inflorescences.

Sarah bernhardt

It is a fairly old French variety, characterized by double pink flowers and a pleasant aroma.

Princess julian

It is an old Dutch variety that has a lily of the valley aroma. It is characterized by large, light pink inflorescences.

Bartzella

This culture has large semi-double flowers. They reach 15-20 centimeters in diameter and are yellow in color.

Yellow emperor

This ITO hybrid has delicate pink petals. In the center, it has a light crimson color.

Hillary

This ITO hybrid appeared relatively recently - in 1999. It is characterized by pink and creamy petals. The middle is maroon.

Morning lilac

This early variety has simple, rich crimson flowers.

Old rose dandy

This compact plant does not exceed 50 centimeters in height. It is characterized by original beige-yellow-pink petals.

Rock garden peonies

This category includes undersized varieties. Peonies are great for rocky areas.

Early scout

This plant reaches a maximum of 35 centimeters in height. It is characterized by dark scarlet flowers.

Fairy Princess

The culture grows up to 45 centimeters and is distinguished by abundant flowering. The plant has crimson red petals.

Eaglet

The bushes grow up to 55 centimeters and have simple flowers with a mild odor. At first they have a red tint, and then lighten.

Bessie

It is a rose-shaped culture that has flowers with a diameter of 16 centimeters. It is characterized by rose petals and a faint scent.

Aza Gray

This variety was obtained in France. Its bushes reach 80-100 centimeters and have pink inflorescences.

Carol

This is a terry culture that is distinguished by bright red flowers. The stems reach 80-90 centimeters.

Anatoly Skakadub

This plant grows to 100 centimeters, and its flowers grow up to 19 centimeters in diameter. They are cream colored.

Kievan Rus

The bushes grow up to 1 meter and have pink-lilac double buds. The inflorescences have a weak aroma.

Alice Kruss

This is a French variety whose bushes grow up to 110 centimeters. The petals are pale pink in color.

Monsieur Jules Elie

The culture has double flowers of a lilac-pink hue. They reach 18 centimeters in diameter.

Landing in open ground

In order for the bushes to grow normally and develop fully, they need to provide quality care.

Timing

First of all, it is recommended to choose the right timing for planting. This is best done in the fall. However, spring planting is also possible.

Autumn sowing

Peonies are best planted from late August to mid-September. But later plantings can give good results.

Features of spring sowing

If necessary, peonies are planted in the spring - immediately after the snow melts. However, plants tolerate this procedure very painfully and may lag behind in development.

Seat selection

It is recommended to plant peonies in open sunny areas. It is also permissible to place them in a small partial shade after lunch. In this case, the bushes should be illuminated by the sun until noon.

Soil preparation

The culture requires a loamy soil. It must have good air flow and good drainage. It is recommended to lime acidic soil.

Landing scheme

Planting indentations should be placed at intervals of 70-100 centimeters. Their depth should be 60-70 centimeters. It is worth adding 15-20 kilograms of manure mixed with peat and compost to the holes. You will also need 200 grams of superphosphate and potassium sulfate.

On top it is worth placing fertile soil, and you can start planting. It is recommended to securely strengthen the roots in the hole and sprinkle with the remaining soil. Tamp the soil and water well.

Renewal buds are not recommended to be buried more than 5 centimeters, otherwise the bushes will bloom uncommonly.

When and how you can transplant

It is best to replant peonies in late August or early September. It is recommended to carry out the procedure after flowering is complete. To do this, you should carefully dig out the rhizome, clean it from the soil and cut off the ground part. Dry the rhizome and cut to 15 centimeters. If the bush is old, the root should be divided into several fragments and transplanted to a new place.

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Trimming and garter

Herbaceous peonies can become too thick. Therefore, it is recommended to separate them with an interval of 5-8 years. Plant varieties with unstable shoots should be tied up. It is better to remove flowers after dropping the petals. To get better quality inflorescences, it is worth trimming the side buds.

Everything you need to know about feeding

For normal development and lush flowering, peonies are fed several times:

1. At the beginning of active development, it is worth using nitrogen agents.
2. At the stage of bud formation, mineral preparations are used.
3. In the midst of flowering, phosphorus and potassium are shown.

Care and cultivation

In order for peonies to grow and develop normally, caring for them should be carried out taking into account the seasonal factor.

Fall

It is recommended to cut off dry stems and leaves in autumn. The remains of shoots should be sprinkled with ash. For 1 bush, 2-3 handfuls of the product are enough.

Spring

In the spring, watering the bushes is recommended rarely, but abundantly. For an adult plant, you should use 2-3 buckets of water. After watering, it is important to loosen the soil and remove the weeds.

Summer

In the summer, it is important to water the peonies abundantly. Plants often suffer from drought and moisture deficit. It is recommended to moisten the soil every 2-3 weeks, depending on precipitation. 10-30 liters of water are used for 1 bush.

Reproduction

Peonies can be propagated in a variety of ways. Vegetative methods are most often used, but seeds are sometimes used.

Seeds

Hybrid varieties are rarely propagated in this manner. Seedlings do not retain the characteristics of parent crops. At the same time, it will be possible to wait for flowering only after 5-7 years. This method is most often used by breeders.

Cuttings

This is one of the more difficult breeding options. To do this, a few days before the beginning of flowering, it is worth cutting off the flowering shoot and dividing it into fragments. Then soak in a growth stimulator and plant in a greenhouse.

Layers

In the spring, bend the shoots at the selected bush to the ground, fix it with a metal bracket and sprinkle it with soil. Water and add soil periodically. By the end of September, the cuttings will have roots. They need to be separated and transplanted to a new location.

Rhizome division

This is the most common and available method. In this case, the bushes are recommended to be divided into several fragments during transplantation. After which they can be dropped off at a new location.

What to do when bloomed

Peony blooms ends in late May or early June. In this case, it is necessary to remove all inflorescences, and after 2 weeks add phosphorus and potassium agents. Then you should systematically water the bushes.

Diseases

Sometimes peonies face dangerous diseases. To avoid the death of the bush, it is worth taking action in time.

Gray rot

At the same time, a gray bloom appears at the base of the stem, which gradually darkens. To prevent the disease, it is recommended to follow the rules of care and avoid high humidity.

Powdery mildew

At the end of summer, a peony can become infected with powdery mildew. In this case, the bush is covered with a white bloom. At the first symptoms of pathology, it is worth using a solution of soda ash.

Pests

Sometimes herbaceous peonies suffer from pest attacks. In such a situation, it is worth taking action in time.

Aphid

These small parasites consume plant juices. When they appear, it is worth sprinkling the bush with Karbofos.

Mites

Infection with ticks is accompanied by the formation of cobwebs on the bushes. In this case, it is worth using acaricides.

Thrips

These parasites lead to wilting of bushes. Insecticidal preparations help to cope with them.

Application in landscape design

These plants have excellent decorative properties. Therefore, they are often used to decorate garden plots. Such crops can be used to decorate flower beds, mixborders and other compositions.

Herbaceous peonies are popular garden plants that serve to decorate the site. In order to succeed in growing flowers, they are advised to provide quality care.