Content
Peony Lollipop got its name because the flowers resemble sweet candies. This culture is an ITO hybrid, that is, a variety created by crossing tree and herbaceous varieties of peony. The author of the plant is Roger Anderson, who received the first specimen in 1999 in California.
Description of Ito-Peony Lollipop
Peony Lollipop is a plant of medium height with straight, almost spreading stems 80-90 cm high. The leaves are green, glossy with clearly visible veins. The tips of the shoots are three-lobed, the lateral ones are oblong-oval with a pointed end. The Lollipop peony bush grows at a moderate pace, but the density of shoots in the rhizome area is high, so it requires regular division (every 3-4 years). The bush does not need supports.
Each Lollipop peony stem can bear several flowers.
The frost resistance of the crop corresponds to the 4th zone. Peony Lollipop tolerates frosts down to -35°C without problems. It can be grown even in northern regions, since it develops normally at low temperatures and has early flowering.Planting in partial shade is acceptable, but the crop feels best in the sun.
Features of flowering
According to the type of flowering, the peony Lollipop belongs to the terry varieties. The flower has a variegated color: the yellow petals seem to be covered with strokes of a red-violet hue. Flowering time occurs in the third decade of May. The duration is quite long, up to 1.5 months.
The diameter of the flowers is relatively small - rarely do any specimens reach 17 cm, usually their size is 14-15 cm. On one stem, in addition to the central one, there may be several side buds. The aroma is weak but pleasant.
The central part of the flower (with pistils) is greenish, surrounded by a ring of stamens about 15 mm high, their color is yellow.
All petals in the middle of the inflorescence and at the edges are double, there are practically no straight ones.
The intensity of flowering depends solely on the light. The more time the Lollipop peony is exposed to sunlight, the larger the diameter will be. In addition, the number of buds depends on this. Unfavorable weather conditions such as wind and temperature have virtually no effect on the intensity of flowering.
Application in design
The high density of the bush allows the Lollipop peony to be used to decorate various elements of the garden: paths, sidewalks, benches, gazebos, etc. In flower beds, the crop can be used as a central element or to dilute other flowers. They are best combined with plants that have a contrasting shade - bright red or green.
The abundance of relatively large flowers, which almost completely cover the upper part of the bush, always attracts the eye, so the Lollipop peony is often used as a single plant.
It grows poorly in containers of limited volume because it has an extensive root system. Therefore, cultivating it in flowerpots and flower beds with a small amount of soil is not rational. Gets along well with poppies, asters, irises and chrysanthemums.
Reproduction methods
Reproduction of the Lollipop peony is standard for this crop; usually, one of the following methods is used:
- root cuttings;
- layering of large lateral branches;
- dividing the bush;
- seeds.
Seed propagation is practically not used, since obtaining flowering bushes can take 7-8 years. The time frame for obtaining full-fledged plants using other methods is somewhat shorter, but also not fast. So, with the help of layering it is possible to obtain flowering bushes in 2-3 years, with cuttings 4-5 years.
The only method of propagation that guarantees flowering next year is dividing the bush. Moreover, the peony needs a similar procedure every 3-5 years. It is usually produced at the end of the season, after the process of seed formation is completed.
Dividing a Lollipop peony bush is best done with a knife.
It is recommended to then completely cut off all the stems of the peony and only then dig up the rhizome, leaving shoots up to half a meter long. In this case, it is advisable to save them for each of the stems. Lollipop peony is separated using a shovel or large knife. After which the separated part is planted in a new place.
Landing rules
The soil for growing can have any composition.Only on sandstones the Lollipop peony does not grow very actively, but the use of fertilizing can solve this problem. Planting is done at the end of the season, immediately after the seed is received (mainly by dividing the bush).
When planting peony Lollipop, use holes up to 50 cm deep with a diameter of 50-60 cm
It is recommended to lay a layer of drainage at the bottom of the planting hole, on top of which compost or humus 10-15 cm high is poured. The height of the soil placed on top of the fertilizer is selected so that the rhizome of the Lollipop peony fits completely in the hole. Next, it is covered with soil and compacted. Then do abundant watering.
Aftercare
Watering is done once every 1.5-2 weeks. In case of drought, the interval between them is reduced to one. If it rains, you don’t have to water the plant at all.
Feeding is carried out 4 times per season:
- In early April, nitrogen fertilizers in the form of urea are used.
- At the end of May, phosphorus-potassium mixtures are used. Superphosphate is especially popular.
- After flowering ends, feed the plant in the same way as the previous point.
- At the end of autumn, pre-winter fertilizing in the form of organic matter is allowed. It is best to use wood ash.
Pruning the Lollipop peony is done once a season in preparation for wintering.
Preparing for winter
Peony Lollipop is an exceptionally hardy crop, capable of withstanding frosts down to -35 °C without any shelter. At the same time, he is not at all afraid of cold winds. Even young specimens are able to withstand harsh winters. Preparation for cold weather involves trimming the stems of the plant almost to the very root (usually leaving the lowest bud on each shoot).
Sometimes before winter it is recommended to feed the Lollipop peony with organic matter - compost, humus or wood ash. You can also use mineral fertilizers consisting of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. Their application rates are half of those recommended in the summer.
Pests and diseases
Ornamental plants, in particular hybrid Lollipop peonies, are vulnerable to fungal and viral infections. Typically, plants are damaged by diseases due to violations of agricultural technology. The most common fungal diseases are powdery mildew and rust. Viral diseases are represented by various types of mosaics.
The symptoms of rust are very characteristic - the appearance of brown or black spots on the leaves and stems
The causative agent of the disease is a fungus of the Pucciniales family. If measures are not taken in time, the bush will completely shed its foliage and buds within a month, and the plant may die. Treatment involves removing the affected parts and destroying them. After this, the plant must be treated with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.
Powdery mildew appears as gray or white spots that quickly increase in area
In just a few days, the fungus can cover the entire foliage of the affected peony. The plant can exist in this state for quite a long time, but there will be no flowering or formation of ovaries.
The use of copper-containing drugs to treat powdery mildew is of average effectiveness: it will be possible to overcome the disease, but it will take too much time.To speed up the process, it is recommended that instead of Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate, regularly spray the Lollipop peony with a 0.5% sodium carbonate solution or use the drug Figon. The processing frequency is one week, duration is one month.
The filtering virus leads to the formation of a mosaic - the appearance of a complex yellow pattern on the leaves
Most often, the plant is affected by the disease in the second half of July. The mosaic is patchy in nature, and if noticed in time, the peony can still be saved. If the damage is global, the bush will have to be completely destroyed, since there is no treatment. Leaves with characteristic colors should be removed along with the shoot and burned.
The most dangerous pest of the Lollipop peony is the common aphid, as well as the ants that control its reproduction. Usually these two species are present on the bushes at the same time.
Aphids can cover the stems of the Lollipop peony with a continuous cover
A large number of small insects suck out the juices of the plant, inhibiting its growth, and the ants that breed it can spread fungal diseases on their paws. Aphids have a fairly high resistance to many drugs, so especially powerful insecticides should be used against them - Actellik, Akarin, Entobacterin. Less toxic drugs (for example, Fitoverm) against many varieties of this pest are practically useless.
Conclusion
Peony Lollipop is a beautiful large-flowered terry hybrid of herbaceous and woody forms. It is distinguished by a large number of flowers on the bush. The plant is widely used in landscape design due to its variegated and bright appearance.Peony Lollipop is very hardy, can withstand frosts down to -35 ° C, its stems do not break under the weight of large flowers.
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