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The exquisite peony of the Festival Maxim will become a real decoration of any garden. The variety impresses with its decorative qualities. Its delicate snow-white inflorescences not only fascinate with their beauty, but also exude a fragrant aroma. The variety was bred by French breeders in 1851. Since then, the peony of the Festival Maxima has spread to many countries, gaining popularity among gardeners around the world.
Peony Festival Maxima fascinates with its large double flowers and fragrant aroma
Description of the herbaceous peony Festiva Maxima
Peony lactiflora Festava Maxima is a perennial tall herbaceous crop. A flower can grow in one place for about 20-30 years. The height of an adult plant reaches an average of 1 m, but some specimens can grow up to 1.2-1.3 m. The bush is spreading, with strong shoots covered with wide openwork leaves of dark green color. The foliage gives the plant a decorative appearance in autumn. The leaves do not turn yellow during this period, but acquire an original burgundy-red color.
Thanks to the strong stems, the plant retains its shape even during lush flowering.Because of this, the Festival Maxima peony does not need to be tied to a support, especially in the first few years after planting. But sometimes bushes need support when grown in regions with frequent gusty winds.
Spreading bushes do not need to be tied to a support
The Festival Maxima peony is adapted for cultivation in a temperate climate zone, but it can also be cultivated in northern latitudes, as it is quite frost-resistant. This culture can withstand significant temperature drops, down to -40 °C.
Features of flowering
Peony Festival Maxima is distinguished by abundant flowering, which begins in May-June. It lasts for 14-20 days. The variety belongs to the large-flowered group of herbaceous plants. One bush bears a large number of large inflorescences, the size of which reaches 20 cm. The flowers are double and consist of many tightly fitting petals.
Basically, all the inflorescences of the Festiva Maxima peony are white, sometimes with a pink tint. But at the same time, pink or red streaks can be seen on the central petals. This is a unique highlight of the Festival Maxim peony, highlighting its milky color in a special way. In addition to their mesmerizing beauty, the flowers also have a very pleasant and quite strong aroma.
A distinctive feature of the variety is the characteristic red marks on the tips of the central petals
The main flowering phase of the Festiva Maxima peony variety begins 2-3 seasons after planting. At first, the bushes bloom magnificently and smell incredibly fragrant. But every year the number of buds and the size of the flowers decrease.Regular feeding and proper crown formation will help to cope with the problem. Side stems and buds must be pinched, paying special attention to the central peduncle.
Application in design
Peony Festival Maxima is one of the most popular flowers among gardeners. It is widely used in landscape design - in solo and mixed plantings, in group compositions.
Peony Festival Maxima can occupy a central position among other garden plants, the main thing is that they are not located too close to it
Very often, peonies of the Festiva Maxima variety are planted along the perimeter of fences and fences.
Reproduction methods
The most effective way to propagate the Festiva Maxima peony is by dividing the rhizomes. Seedlings obtained in this way are called cuttings. They can be purchased at specialized nurseries or stores. You can also propagate the Festiva Maxima peony yourself by separating divisions from the mother bush. Each one should have at least 2-3 well-developed buds. It is recommended to carry out this procedure in August or early September.
It is advisable to purchase seedlings from a proven nursery
Landing rules
The best time to plant the Festival Maxima peony is considered to be autumn. It is recommended to transfer seedlings into the ground as early as possible so that they have time to take root before the onset of frost. The Festiva Maxima peony tolerates spring replanting worse. Plants take much longer to adapt and may not even bloom. The buds bloom very early, so they may fall off.
Peony Festival Maxima loves space and sunlight, which should be taken into account when planting.The bush will grow in one place for more than one year, so it is necessary to assume in advance whether it will eventually have enough space and sun. You should not place seedlings near houses and other buildings. Rainwater flowing from the roofs will destroy the young shoots breaking through the soil in the spring. The distance between them must be at least 2 m.
It is not recommended to plant peonies next to large shrubs and trees, as they can suppress flower bushes, taking micronutrients from the soil. Drafts can also be detrimental to the Maxim Maxima peony.
The peony variety Festiva Maxima prefers neutral or slightly acidic soils, with an acidity level not higher than 6.0-6.5. The soil should be sufficiently nutritious and loose. It is not recommended to plant bushes in sandy and marshy areas. The presence of excess moisture will cause root rot, which will subsequently lead to the death of the plant. You can lower the soil pH by adding wood ash or lime.
Rules for preparing the planting hole:
- First dig a hole at least 70 cm deep. The root of the plant grows up to 60 cm in length, so it needs space for subsequent development.
- Equip drainage at the bottom with expanded clay, coarse sand or gravel.
- Mix the top layer of soil with humus and peat. Add 1 tbsp. superphosphate or wood ash.
- Return the prepared soil mixture to the planting hole.
- Allow the prepared hole to sit for at least 14 days.
Each seedling must be carefully inspected before planting. They must be absolutely healthy. In this case, it is necessary to remove all dry, damaged or rotten stems, leaves and root shoots.
The Festival Maxima peony seedlings must be placed at a distance of 1 m from each other.Do not overly deepen the plant when planting. The top bud should be no more than 3-5 cm below ground level. A deeply planted bush will have weak shoots. The setting of buds will also be significantly reduced.
When planting, do not deepen the upper buds of the plant too much.
Aftercare
Peony Festival Maxima is a fairly moisture-loving crop, so immediately after planting the bushes need abundant watering. To keep moisture in the soil for as long as possible, the tree trunk circle can be mulched with peat or hay.
The first year after planting, the Festival Maxima peony is unlikely to bloom. During this period, the bush will increase its green mass. Flowers do not need fertilizers in the first years. The seedlings will have enough nutrients added to the soil during planting. The main thing is to loosen the soil and remove weeds in a timely manner.
Preparing for winter
At the end of the summer season, mineral fertilizers and humus must be applied to each flower bush. Peony Festival Maxima is a fairly frost-resistant variety, so the bushes do not need shelter for the winter. Pre-winter preparation involves pruning shoots. In this case, the height of the stumps should be 1-2 cm above the leaf buds. Pruning is carried out in the fall with the arrival of stable frosts. It is impossible to cover bushes with cut leaves, as this will provoke the development of gray rot.You can sprinkle the bushes on top with a layer of immature compost or peat.
In October, shoots of faded peonies are pruned
Pests and diseases
Peony Festival Maxima is characterized by increased resistance to diseases and pests. But sometimes ants attack flower bushes. They climb into the buds, thereby causing harm to the plant. Insecticidal preparations are used to control ants.
If there is excess moisture, flowers can rot. When the first symptoms appear, it is necessary to thoroughly loosen the soil and add dry soil.
Conclusion
Peony Festival Maxima is an unpretentious plant with large and fragrant flowers, loved by many gardeners. These beautiful bushes do not require complex care or a lot of sunlight. At the same time, the plant can decorate gardens and flower beds with its flowering for many years.
