Content
Peony Scarlet Heaven is one of the most striking representatives of intersectional hybrids. They are otherwise called Ito hybrids in honor of Toichi Ito, who was the first to come up with the idea of combining garden peonies with tree peonies. Their decorative value lies in the unusual combination of beautiful flowers with the foliage of tree peonies. Mature plants form round, dense bushes of small height, and the foliage remains green longer than other peonies. Interest in growing is fueled by their resistance to heat and humidity.
Description of peony Scarlet Haven
Scarlet Heaven translated from English means “Scarlet Heaven”. This name reflects the color of the petals - scarlet and beautiful, they surround the golden-yellow stamens. The diameter of the flowers ranges from 10-20 cm. They emit a bright, rich aroma.
Flowers grow larger and brighter as the plant ages
In general, the description of the peony Ito-hybrid Scarlet Heaven combines the best qualities of the original varieties. From tree peonies, "Scarlet Heaven" received beautiful inflorescences and large dark green leaves, iridescent with gloss, which do not fade until frost.
An adult plant reaches 70 cm in height and 90 cm in width. Strong stems are hidden from view by foliage. They are not afraid of either the winds or the weight of the inflorescences, so the flowers are always directed towards the sun. The bushes are neat, with good density of foliage, spreading. The roots of peonies develop laterally and are located more superficially than those of other forms, which is why they become lignified with age.
Peonies are light-loving, but grow well in partial shade. They grow at a moderate speed. The plant is frost-resistant and can withstand up to -27 °C. The growing zones for Scarlet Haven peonies are 5, 6 and 7, which means that Siberia and eastern Russia are not very suitable for the cultivation of Ito hybrids, peonies may require insulation. Western Russia is ideal for this species.
Features of flowering Ito-peony Scarlet Heaven
The variety belongs to the group (section) of intersectional or Ito hybrids. “Scarlet Heaven”, like other plants in this section, inherited its flowering from tree peonies. Duration – up to 3 weeks. The top flowers bloom first, then the side ones.
More than 10 scarlet flowers ripen on one bush
The “Scarlet Heaven” variety begins to bloom profusely from June to July, once in a lifetime. Scarlet petals surround a center with numerous bright yellow stamens. More than a dozen large flowers fit on one spreading bush. In the first years they are not very large and bright, but with age they increase in size and some specimens even win at exhibitions.
In Ito hybrids, there is instability in the color of the petals under the influence of age, external conditions and hereditary characteristics. Rarely, but still possible, the sudden appearance of two-tone shades due to the formation of stripes, and even less often - a complete change in color.Hybrids of garden and tree varieties appeared only 70 years ago, and their genetic material was not fully formed.
Application in design
Scarlet Haven peonies are mainly used for single and group plantings. They often decorate gardens and parks, various ceremonial places.
In landscape compositions, Scarlet Heaven is often combined with other Ito hybrids. For example, the combination with the yellow inflorescences of the related peony variety “Yellow Heaven” looks good. Flowers are often planted on flat lawns without dilution with different varieties, but any other combination of Scarlet Heaven cannot be ruled out; it is a good variety for design experiments.
The Scarlet Heaven variety gets along well with herbaceous peonies
Now varieties of Ito hybrids with red inflorescences are rapidly gaining popularity and compete with yellow intersectional hybrids, which until recently were the first choice of gardeners.
Peony "Bartzella" is one of the most popular in the world and in Russia. Its combination with Scarlet Heaven is very expressive because of its flowers: bright yellow petals with a red center. The combination also looks great with the pink-lilac inflorescences of the “First Arrival” variety or the two-color “Fairy Charm”.
The value of Ito hybrids in the landscape is that the flowers are firmly attached to the stem. Regular peonies quickly fall off and simply lie under the bushes, as they are grown more for cutting and placing in vases.
Reproduction methods
When propagated by seeds, hybrids lose their specific characteristics, so the only rational way is dividing the rhizome.
In order for the division of the rhizome to occur easily, and the “divisions” to be strong and take root well, it is necessary to select plants for division at the age of 3-5 years. The rhizome of a younger plant will not survive the procedure well, but a very mature one will have a very lignified root system, which complicates the separation process.
Landing rules
September is best for planting, less often - warm October. Otherwise, the plant will not have time to grow stronger before the onset of cold weather. Abroad, Scarlet Haven is planted in the spring, and if they are supplied from there, they can be planted from March to May. You just need to do this almost immediately upon the arrival of the peony - it needs to take root and get stronger before the onset of summer.
Choose a place for planting that is warm and free from drafts. Dense shadow, flooding and proximity to large plants are not welcome. If the area has a hot climate, you need to plant it in partial shade, in other cases - in the sun. It is necessary to provide the plant with fertile, well-drained soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline pH. The best choice is loamy soil of medium moisture: water should flow well, but not stagnate. Peat will not work in this case.
The more buds on the “section”, the better
When purchasing, it is important to carefully inspect the “dividers”: there should be no rot, cracks or stains on them. Take at least 3 renewal buds - the more, the better. If you bought a seedling with roots, you need to make sure that they are moist and elastic.
A hole for planting a peony is dug 60 cm deep and up to a meter wide. Such dimensions are determined by the root system of the Ito-hybrid, which first of all grows in breadth, and the plant will grow in depth on its own. Drainage must be placed at the bottom, the basis of which is gravel or broken red bricks.
The “division” should be placed in the hole so that the buds are at a depth of 3-4 cm from the surface. If the buds are located vertically in relation to each other, then the “division” is laid on its side. Then the holes are filled with a prepared mixture of humus, sand and earth in equal proportions. After compaction and moderate watering, the planting sites need to be mulched. Mulch or shredded leaves will regulate soil moisture and temperature.
Aftercare
Good care will extend the life of Scarlet Heaven to 18-20 years. These plants hardly get sick and tolerate different environmental conditions well. Care is not much different than for ordinary peonies.
Elastic stems independently cope with the weight of the inflorescences and the wind, which means that the plant does not need help installing support.
The soil should not be too wet and rich in nutrients
Watering, especially for young plants, is carried out regularly. The main thing is not to over-moisten or create waterlogging of the soil. This will not benefit the plant, and may even cause rotting of the root system. Only in severe drought can the volume of watering be increased, and in normal times it is 15 liters. It is carried out as the top layer of soil dries out, best in the evenings, when the sun ceases to be active. Rainwater will ensure good growth of peonies, but tap water is not the best choice.
Loosening the soil is carried out after each watering, this will increase the access of oxygen, and this is important for peony flowering. The more oxygen the plant receives through the soil, the more magnificent the flowers will be.
Mulching in a circle will prevent rapid evaporation of moisture. In the third year, you can begin to apply fertilizers. In the spring - nitrogen bait, and at the end of flowering - potassium-phosphate mixtures.Adding ash is carried out only if the soil is not suitable for peonies in terms of acidity; in other cases, such a procedure will be unnecessary.
Preparing for winter
Preparation for winter of Ito hybrids is carried out much later than for ordinary peonies - in the second half of November. Already with the arrival of serious frosts in dry weather, the stems are cut off at ground level.
For adult plants, cutting will be enough, but young specimens need additional insulation. Spruce branches are best suited for this.
Pests and diseases
Now peonies almost never suffer from fungal diseases. Rust occasionally appears, but it is not dangerous for peonies; it only reproduces on flowers and is a parasite on pine trees. But this does not mean that peonies cannot be planted next to pine trees - fungal spores are still scattered for kilometers.
Conclusion
Peony Scarlet Heaven is not just a beautiful variety, but also an easy-to-grow and care-friendly crop. This species is easy to combine; single and group plantings are good. Sprawling bushes with scarlet flowers are always the center of attention of any gardener's composition.
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