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The herbaceous peony is a frequent guest in domestic front gardens. Many gardeners make their choice based on the appearance and color of the buds, but there are other factors. Also, for active growth and rich flowering, crops require appropriate conditions.
General description of herbaceous peony
The culture received its name from the student of Asclepius Paean, the Greek god of medicine and healing. It is the herbaceous peony that is considered the most unpretentious in cultivation and care. It has been cultivated for centuries, so many varieties and hybrids have been created, differing in aromas, colors, and shapes.
Luxurious flowering will decorate any garden
How the herbaceous peony blooms
The flowers of the bushes are large, fragrant, and beautiful. One peduncle usually produces one bud, rare species produce more.Types of flowers - semi-double, simple, double, shades - cream, yellow, red, pink, white.
The duration of the flowering period is only 10 days. If you choose the right varieties, the garden will smell fragrant for a long time. When flowering, the plants are fully formed and do not produce new leaves and stems. In the summer months, they form buds in the base area, which retain full germination until the new season.
What is the difference between a herbaceous peony and a hybrid?
Hybrids are selection, varieties that take only the best from their parents. Herbaceous peonies are a separate group of plants with certain characteristics and flowering periods. The buds of hybrids renew themselves faster; such varieties are completely unpretentious to growing conditions - but the herbaceous type is not too demanding of care. The same can be said about decorative characteristics and use in landscape design.
The aromas are more complex in hybrid varieties. The flower sizes are also larger in the selections. Hybrids are almost not afraid of diseases and have a very strong root system.
Herbaceous varieties are slightly inferior to hybrid varieties in terms of ease of cultivation
The best varieties of herbaceous peonies
There are quite a few varieties in the herbaceous group. You can highlight the most popular ones, which have their own characteristics.
White varieties of herbaceous peony
Plants grow up to 30-150 cm, the flowers are large and fluffy, the foliage is green and elastic. The culture feels good in different soils. Popular varieties:
- White Cap – Japanese flowers with outer petals of a round shape and a crimson hue. The inner petals are curled and milky in color.The average diameter of the buds is 16 cm. Flowering is abundant, the bushes are straight and powerful.
- White Crane – globular variety, no more than 1 m high. Grows quickly, blooms in the middle of the season. The flower is white, medium size.
- Charles White – milky-flowering variety, slightly yellowish tint. The buds are large, single, double, the central petals are narrow, the outer petals are large. The height of the plant is no more than 1.2 m, the buds are large. Flowering early.
The described varieties look luxurious on any site.
Red herbaceous peonies
Red varieties immediately attract attention and are the main decoration of the flowerbed. Among them:
- Arkady Gaidar - crown-shaped flowers with lush bright inflorescences. The composition is colorful and bright. Flowering is later, the bushes are spreading, rarely growing more than 90 cm.
- BEAN – bushes with huge dark red buds, double, semi-double petals. The young plant often has a Japanese shape, the stamens are golden and contrasting. There are black petals. Height is no more than 80 cm, the diameter of the buds is large.
- Red Grace – large cherry blossom buds. The bushes grow up to 90 cm, the stems are strong and powerful. The flower has a dense middle and smooth, rounded outer petals. There are no lateral buds.
It is best to combine bright buds with lighter ones.
Purple herbaceous peonies
The group includes shrub and semi-shrub plants with different flowering periods. The most popular varieties:
- Bowl of Beauty – the bush blooms with small lilac-pink buds, yellow in the middle. Plants are low growing.
- Anastasia - a variety with luxurious double inflorescences and bright green foliage. Blooms later, bud is lilac-pink. The stem is long, the variety is optimally suited for the southern regions.
- Alexandr Duma – bomb-shaped variety, the shade of the petals is bright lilac. This is an old variety; it has existed for a couple of centuries. Flowering later.
Unfortunately, rich purple shades are almost never found.
Herbaceous peonies of Chinese selection
Peonies of Chinese selection are the main decorations of rockeries and flower beds. They are indispensable in group and flower plantings, that is, they are universal. Popular types of peony groups:
- Big blush – peony with two-color anemone-like buds of a pink hue. Some petals are cream. The buds are large, the bush is medium tall.
- Cold kiss of an exotic flower – the buds are neat, anemone-shaped, the outer petals are round. Colors – white-pink, purple-red. The buds are large, the height of the bush is up to 1 m. They acquire a white-pink hue. Flower size: 15×9 cm. Bush height: up to 100 cm.
- Purple lotus – peony with delicate petals of red, rich flowers. Anemone-like plant. The buds are medium, the bush does not grow larger than 90 cm.
All of them are unusually tender, aromatic, and medium in size.
Application in landscape design
Due to their excellent decorative qualities, herbaceous peonies are in high demand in landscape design. The flowers of different varieties are mostly light, the stems are strong, the bushes themselves are strong and do not require support. This makes plants universal in terms of use in landscape design - they fit harmoniously into compositions of any complexity.
When creating a decorative landscape composition, you need to take into account the flowering times of different herbaceous varieties
Features of reproduction
The main method of propagating herbaceous varieties is by dividing the bush.This is the optimal method for obtaining new healthy specimens. The procedure should be carried out carefully without damaging the roots. The plant is dug up, the soil is shaken off, and it is washed with water. This will make it easier to see exactly where the separation areas are.
For propagation, you should take healthy planting material
The root consists of four parts - small fibrous, large tuberous, connecting molar, upper ocelli (points of active growth). The root system should be divided into parts, making sure that each division has at least one strong tuber root with up to 4 buds. The smaller the division, the longer the plant will take before flowering begins.
How to plant herbaceous peony
Herbaceous peonies are long-lived; they grow and bloom in one place for up to 50 years if comfortable conditions are created. Therefore, it is important to choose the right area for planting and carry out the procedure according to the rules.
The optimal season is August-September. You need a lot of space to grow, at least 50 cm2 on the bush. The distance between seedlings is 30-50 cm. Deep planting is not done - ripening buds need to be covered with a layer of soil up to 4 cm. It is important to be careful, since deep or shallow planting will delay flowering. The culture does not tolerate transplantation well, so it is undesirable.
Before planting, the soil should be properly prepared. The acid-base balance should be close to neutral, the soil itself should have high-quality drainage and a high content of organic components. The ideal choice is fertile, loose loam.
For clay soils, good drainage is required.
The optimal depth of the holes is 50 cm. If it is less, the roots will go along the surface of the soil and suffer from a lack of moisture and nutrition. Two-thirds of the hole is filled with a mixture of compost, ash and garden soil.
Caring for herbaceous peonies
At the base of the stems after planting, it is good to make mulch from compost or pine bark, which will retain moisture in the soil. Some tall varieties require support during flowering - the smaller the plant, the stronger the stems will be.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
Herbaceous peonies grow well in a properly prepared, moderately moist substrate - the main thing is that there is no stagnation of moisture. Too frequent watering is also not recommended; spraying the leaves is prohibited. Abundant moisture is only needed during periods of severe drought.
In the spring, the first shoots will appear, and it will be possible to fertilize using complex mineral fertilizers with a high nitrogen content. Plants usually respond well to natural fertilizers - from ash, humus, compost. Care must be taken to ensure that chemicals do not get on the neck of the plants.
In order for peonies to grow well, it is recommended to treat the roots with fungicidal preparations before immersing them in the soil.
When and how to prune herbaceous peonies
Plant stems are pruned in the fall, when the leaves become less bright green, acquire a yellow tint, and lose their decorative properties. It will be enough to leave up to 15 cm above the ground. There is no need to use leaves for garden compost, since bacteria and spores do not lose their viability during its formation.
Preparing herbaceous peonies for winter
Snow itself protects the lower parts of the shoots from frost.In cold areas, young seedlings are mulched at the base with earth, then covered with spruce branches. You should not cover the bushes entirely - this accelerates the development of buds in the spring, often leading to freezing of the buds during the first frost.
How the crop will overwinter will depend on the rules for preparing for cold weather.
Diseases and pests
When caring for plantings, you need to be as careful as possible - bushes can be affected by gray mold, which first forms a plaque, then leads to withering and death of shoots, leaves, and buds. Often bushes are affected by the fungus powdery mildew - it manifests itself in the form of a whitish coating.
Another disease of herbaceous varieties is ring spot. It is viral in nature and is accompanied by the formation of irregular yellow rings. The presence of the virus does not create serious problems for growth, but it is better to cut off the affected parts with pruning shears.
Pests can completely destroy plantings, so careful care is needed
The culture is resistant to diseases, but is not 100% immune from them. The main prevention of infection is to choose well-drained soil for planting and ensure sufficient air circulation.
Conclusion
Herbaceous peony is a luxurious ornamental plant that will decorate any garden. If favorable conditions are created, the culture will live up to 50 years. Care involves fertilizing, watering, autumn pruning, and shelter for the winter. Pest prevention is important.
