Content
Hillary Peony is a beautiful hybrid flower that was bred not so long ago, but has already gained popularity. It is perfect for growing in a flower bed in front of the house or for decorating a garden plot. At the same time, it requires minimal maintenance and easily adapts to a new place.
Description of the ITO-hybrid Hillary peony
Ito peonies are a hybrid plant that was obtained by crossing different varieties of herbaceous and tree peonies. The first positive results came from the Japanese agronomist Toichi Ito, whose name the new hybrid received. Its main advantages were its unusual beautiful yellow color, lush foliage and long flowering period.
The Hillary variety was developed in the mid-90s. 20th century and combines the best qualities of parent plants.
Peony Hillary is a voluminous bush with dense foliage up to 90-100 cm high. Its stems are very strong and thick, they can bend slightly under the weight of the flowers, but do not fall to the ground and do not require additional support.
After transplantation, the plant grows very quickly, but begins to bloom no earlier than a year later.
The roots of the Hillary variety, like most peonies, are spreading and located in the upper layers of the soil. As the bush grows, the roots become woody, so the older the plant, the harder it is to replant.
Peony leaves are dense with carved edges of a rich green color. They form a so-called “cushion” around the peony, which protects the root system from sunlight and helps retain moisture in the soil.
Lush peony foliage remains green until the coldest weather
Peony "Hillary" is a sun-loving plant, so it may not bloom when planted in a shaded area.
The variety is highly frost-resistant; it can be grown in the middle zone and Siberia. It is also common in North America, Europe and Asian countries.
Features of flowering
The flowers of the "Hillary" peony are semi-double in structure, very large, reaching 16-18 cm in diameter. The petals are straight, slightly indented. Their colors can vary from dark pink to soft pinkish-yellow. At the same time, the color is heterogeneous, with color transitions and inclusions. During flowering, it can change - the outer petals turn pale, but the middle remains bright.
Ito hybrids were obtained by crossing a milky-flowering peony and a tree-like peony.
The flowering period of the Hillary peony is mid-early, duration is about a month. Flowers do not bloom simultaneously, but gradually, due to which peonies of different shades can be found on the bush at once. In total, about 50 buds bloom during the season.
For the abundant flowering of the Hillary variety, good lighting plays an important role; in the shade it blooms much weaker.
Application in design
Peony "Hillary" is great for decorating garden beds.It goes well with lilies, irises, as well as low-growing forget-me-nots and sedums. But still, peonies look best when planted separately from other flowers, when nothing distracts attention from their beauty.
Peony bushes look very beautiful in open areas
Also, the Hillary variety looks good along paths.
Peony is suitable for garden zoning
You should not plant peony near the walls of buildings or next to tall trees, as the flower does not grow well in the shade.
It is not recommended to plant Hillary peonies too close to each other or to plants with developed root systems, as they may lack nutrients.
As for growing on balconies, low-growing varieties are usually used for this. But you can still grow the Hillary peony. An important condition is that there must be enough space in the pot or flowerpot for roots to grow.
Reproduction methods
The only suitable way to propagate the Hillary peony is by dividing the bush. If you try to propagate a plant using seeds, the result will be a flower with completely different species characteristics.
When dividing a bush in the spring, you should remember that the Hillary peony will quickly grow, but the root system will not have time to reach the required size to provide a sufficient amount of moisture. In this case, it is necessary to establish regular watering and protection from direct sunlight.
Dividing in the fall allows the root system to become sufficiently strong before the onset of frost to survive the winter calmly. It is held in August or September. First, cut the isthmus with a sharp knife, and then carefully separate the roots.The parts should be approximately the same and have 3-5 buds.
When dividing, you need to act carefully so as not to damage the roots.
Immediately after separation, the roots are treated with a fungicide to avoid possible infection, and then the peonies are planted in the ground.
Landing rules
It is best to plant in late summer or early autumn so that the plant has time to adapt to the new location and gain strength before the onset of cold weather.
Since the ITO-hybrid Hillary peony grows in one place for a long time, special attention should be paid to the selection of a site for planting. This variety prefers warm places, protected from drafts. It should also be taken into account that the ground should not be too wet, so close proximity to groundwater should be avoided.
Peony "Hillary" does not like shade - it should not be planted near buildings and tall trees.
Planting is done as follows:
- First you need to prepare a large hole 50-60 cm deep and 90-100 cm wide. Pour gravel or sand to the bottom to about 1/3 of the depth to create drainage.
- Add organic fertilizers (ash, humus), sprinkle with soil up to the middle and leave for a week to allow the soil to settle.
- Place the peony in a hole so that the buds are at a depth of about 5 cm.
- Cover with soil or a mixture of humus, sand and earth in equal proportions.
- Compact the soil around the flower, water and mulch.
If all the conditions are met, the peony will take root well in its new location, but will begin to bloom no earlier than a year after planting.
Aftercare
Although the Hillary peony is unpretentious, it is still worth following certain rules for caring for it, especially at first.
Caring for this variety is as follows:
- watering - it is important to moisten regularly, without allowing water to accumulate.If, with a lack of moisture, the flower becomes less lush, then its excess can lead to rotting of the roots and subsequent death of the plant;Advice! During periods of heavy rain, when it is impossible to control humidity, it is recommended to add special agents to the soil that prevent rotting (for example, Alirin).
- fertilizing - in the spring it is useful to apply organic fertilizers, before flowering of the Hillary peony it is good to use nitrogen fertilizers, and closer to autumn - potassium-phosphorus mixtures;
- regular loosening - helps saturate the soil with oxygen and also helps in the fight against weeds;
- mulching – helps protect roots that are close to the surface, and also retains moisture and nutrients.
It is better to replant peonies in the fall rather than in the spring.
The first year after transplantation, the Hillary peony may look sluggish, but with proper care the plant quickly recovers.
Preparing for winter
In the autumn, plants need fertilizing that will help them survive the winter and contribute to the formation of buds for the next season. Use potassium-phosphorus mixture in dry or liquid form. When applying fertilizers, pour 25-30 g of the mixture under each bush after watering. If you take the solution, you need to make sure that it does not get on the leaves (this can lead to burns).
In late autumn, when severe frosts begin, ITO peonies are cut off, leaving stumps 2-3 cm high. The cut areas can be sprinkled with ash.
In the fall, peonies are pruned to prevent the stems from rotting.
The “Hillary” variety has good frost resistance, so it does not need shelter during the cold season. The only exceptions are planted specimens - it is recommended to cover them for the winter with spruce branches or pine needles.
Pests and diseases
Peonies are very resistant to various diseases and pests, but there are still some that pose a danger to flowers.
Main diseases of peonies:
- rust – orange or red-brown voluminous spots consisting of spores appear on the leaves. When such formations appear, diseased leaves should be torn off and burned, otherwise the spores will be carried by the wind and infect other plants. The peony itself needs to be treated with 1% Bordeaux mixture;
- gray rot - a dangerous infection that affects all parts of the Hillary peony. External manifestation is a gray coating and brown spots on the leaves and stems. The disease spreads very quickly and leads to the death of the bush. When the first symptoms appear, the infected parts must be removed and burned, and the peony treated with a fungicide;
- mosaic leafc – a virus that manifests itself by the appearance of light green spots or stripes on leaf blades. The disease cannot be treated, so peony with signs of infection must be destroyed;
- verticillium wilt – most often appears during the flowering period. At the same time, the peony looks healthy outwardly, but begins to fade. The infection penetrates inside the plant. It can be detected by darkened vessels on the cut of the stem. It is impossible to cure the disease, so the affected bush is burned and the ground is treated with bleach.
Also, the Hillary peony can suffer from some insect pests: - ants – they are attracted to the sweet syrup that forms on the buds. At the same time, they eat leaves and stems. To get rid of the invasion, it is necessary to treat the bush and the ground around it with repellents;
- root-knot nematode – affects the roots, forming growths on them in which the worms hide.It is impossible to get rid of them, so the affected peony must be pulled out and burned, and the ground treated with bleach.
Conclusion
Hillary Peony is an unusual variety with bright flowers and lush green foliage. It is very unpretentious, does not require special care, tolerates cold well and is highly resistant to diseases and pests. At the same time, it looks very impressive in the garden plot, having a long flowering period.
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