Tree peonies planting and care in the open field in siberia

Tree peonies (Paeonia saffruticosa) are a group of species, natural and artificial hybrids and varieties of the genus Peony (Paeonia). It is a deciduous shrub up to 1.5 meters in height. Very decorative, thanks to the spectacular, bright green, double-dissected leaves and unusually beautiful, large (12 to 25 cm in diameter) flowers. They come in simple, double and semi-double shapes and in various colors: from snow-white to almost black, including yellow and purple.

The history of cultivation of the tree peony has more than two thousand years. In the wild, the tree peony grows in the highlands of southeastern China, therefore, the ancestors of the introduction of these plants into culture and subsequent selection are the Chinese. Around the 7th-10th centuries, the tree peony comes to Japan, and the Japanese contribute to the development of this culture. The tree peony came to Europe only at the end of the 18th century, gained popularity in the gardens of England, France, Holland and, of course, did not leave European breeders without work. As a result of this centuries-old work, more than 1000 varieties of tree peony have been created, which are subdivided into several groups:

• Sino-European - with heavy double flowers;
• Japanese - with non-double or semi-double light and airy flowers;
• hybrids of yellow peony and Delaway peony - with yellow flowers.

There is another group of tree peonies - mountain peonies - the newest group created with the participation of alpine species and has a number of advantages for growing in our rather harsh conditions. This is:

- increased winter hardiness;

- Stronger annual growth in comparison with tree peonies;

- early flowering.

Tree peonies have a number of features that must be taken into account when growing them.

The first is slow growth. Yes, the tree-like peony grows slowly, but every year it becomes more and more beautiful. So be patient and it will definitely be rewarded.

Secondly, it is a long-liver, in one place it can grow for more than 100 years. This must be taken into account when choosing a location.

Thirdly, it is very tenacious. If in the spring it seems to you that he is gone, frozen, dried up, the buds do not bloom, do not rush to say goodbye to him. After some time, new shoots and even buds may appear.

Buying a tree peony

When choosing a tree peony seedling, you should pay attention to the fact that the planting unit has 2-3 lignified shoots no more than 25 cm high, with unblown buds. In this case, the buds should be large enough and glossy. The roots should be well developed, ideally the length of the roots should be equal to the height of the crown.

Planting a tree peony

A place for planting peonies is chosen sunny or light partial shade, protected from the winds.

Tree peonies grow on almost any soil, but prefer permeable loams with a weakly alkaline reaction

The best time to plant tree peonies is from mid-August to mid-September.

A pit for planting a peony is prepared in advance, in about 2-3 weeks. It should have dimensions of 80x80 and a depth of 60-70 cm.A drainage layer of 15-25 cm is poured at the bottom of the pit, then it is covered with a soil mixture consisting of garden soil, humus and peat in equal proportions with the addition of ash, bone or dolomite flour, potassium sulfate and superphosphate (about one glass each).

When planting, gently straighten the roots of the peony over the formed surface of the fossa, and fill it with the remaining soil mixture so that the root collar is at the level of the soil, tamp and water.

But, since planting material is supplied for sale mainly in the spring, the question arises: what to do in this case? There are at least two solutions.

1. Plant the cut in a pot with a volume of 5-6 liters, with the onset of a stable positive temperature, take it out into the garden and wait for a favorable time for planting, carefully transferring the plant from the pot to the prepared hole. In this case, it is important to prevent waterlogging and stagnation of water during the period of overexposure.
2. Plant in the same way as in autumn. In this case, it is advisable to choose a planting time when the danger of recurrent frosts has already passed and a steady heat has not yet come.

In my practice, I used both of these methods: the mountain peony was planted in the spring, and the yellow-flowered peony was overexposed in the fall. Both are still growing and developing.

Tree peony care

Top dressing - if the peony is planted correctly, then in the first two years, feeding can be omitted. Starting from the third year, the first top dressing is carried out on the snow with nitrogen-potassium-phosphorus fertilizer. The second - before flowering with the same fertilizer composition. The third - after flowering - phosphorus-potassium fertilizer. I use fertilizer "Fertika" ("Kemira"), respectively, spring and summer.

Watering - plentiful, but not frequent. In dry weather, an adult bush should be watered once a week at the rate of 2-3 buckets per bush.

Pruning - held every spring until the beginning of the growing season: dried shoots are removed, old shoots are shortened by 10 cm. This gives the plant the opportunity to awaken the adventitious buds at the base of the plant. Another pruning is done after flowering. In this case, it is necessary to remove the faded bud and cut the peduncle 2 buds below. Based on my own experience, I strongly recommend this operation, as it contributes to further growth and abundant flowering next year.

Fig. 1 Pruning a tree peony after flowering

Shelter of a tree peony for the winter

In Siberia, it is necessary to cover the tree peony. I cover my peonies like this: I tie the crown, cover it with spruce branches, wrap it with covering material in several layers and tie it again. It is enough just to wrap a mountain peony with a covering material.

Tree peony transplant

A tree peony transplant is very painful. Transplanted bushes take a long time to recover, sometimes over several years. If there is a need to transplant a healthy bush, then carefully dig in it, trying not to damage the root system, and transfer it with a lump of earth to a prepared hole. If the bush has signs of illness, and you want to reanimate it, then after digging the bush, gently rinse it under running water, inspect the roots, remove the diseased, process the sections with a dark burgundy solution of potassium permanganate, sprinkle with crushed coal and plant in a prepared place.

Tree peony rejuvenation

If your peony bush has reached a mature age (20 years or more) and began to lose its decorative effect, then the bush can be rejuvenated by cutting it in the fall almost to the very surface of the soil. This will give an impetus to the awakening of the adventitious buds at the base of the shoots.

Diseases and pests of tree peonies

Tree peonies are very resistant to disease. In 10 years of caring for them, I have never noticed signs of illness or pest damage. But, nevertheless, tree peonies can be subject to gray rot and brown spot disease. In case of a disease with gray rot, it is necessary to remove damaged shoots and spray with a 6-7% solution of copper sulfate or a solution of potassium permanganate (3 g per 10 l of water). In case of a brown spot disease, it is necessary to remove and burn the diseased leaves and spray with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid.

Reproduction of tree peonies

There are 5 ways to reproduce tree peonies.

1. By dividing the bush

This is the most acceptable breeding method, carried out at the same time as planting a peony, i.e. from mid-August to mid-September. It should be a 5-6 year old, healthy bush with 7 or more shoots, with a distance of at least 3.5 cm between them.The bush is carefully dug up, washed off the ground with a stream of water with a weak pressure, the shoots are cut to a height of 10-15 cm and wither in the shade for 2-3 hours. Then the rhizome is divided in such a way as to obtain divisions with 2-3 buds and a part of the root of at least 10 cm. Places of cut and damage are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate and sprinkled with crushed coal. The divisions obtained in this way are planted in pits prepared in advance.

2. Layers

Peony propagation by layering begins in May, before flowering.To do this, take a strong shoot, bend it to the ground, and make an incision at the point of contact of the shoot with the ground. The incision is powdered with rooting stimulants, a small spacer can be inserted. After that, the shoot is pinned to the surface of the soil, covered with a layer of earth 10-15 cm high and made sure that the earth does not dry out in this place. The roots should appear in late August - early September.

3. Cuttings

From about mid-June to early August, the tree-like peony can be propagated by cuttings. Semi-lignified cuttings are cut obliquely under the bud, the leaf blades are shortened by half, treated with root formation stimulants and planted in boxes with a mixture of sand and peat in equal amounts to a depth of 1.5 cm.The boxes are covered with foil and constantly watered and sprayed. At the end of September, rooted cuttings are planted in separate pots and left in a greenhouse until spring. In the spring, when the plants start to grow, they are planted in a permanent place. Peonies bloom with this method of reproduction in the 5th year.

4. Vaccination

With this method of reproduction, the roots of a herbaceous peony are used as a stock, horses and a tree peony can also be used. In this case, you need to monitor the appearance of root growth and remove it. This can be avoided by using your own peony roots. It is advisable to keep the harvested roots for 2-3 weeks in a cool room. Cuttings with two buds are cut in early August and cut from both sides in a wedge shape. An incision of the same shape is made on the rootstock, the rootstock stalk is tightly inserted, tightly wrapped with plastic wrap and tied. The prepared material is laid horizontally in a moistened layer of sawdust and placed in a cool, shaded place. A month later, when the scion grows together with the stock, plant it in a greenhouse so that the lower peephole is 5-7 cm deep. It is planted in a permanent place after 2 years.

5. Seeds

The advantage of this method is that the plant grown in this way will have increased immunity and more easily adapt to environmental conditions. It is best to sow with freshly harvested seeds. Seeds are sown in the ground in September-October. In this case, flowering occurs in 4-5 years. If the seeds lay for several months or years, the germination rate drops sharply and the seeds require stratification and even scarification. The stratification process is quite complicated, personally I will not have the patience to follow all the recommendations exactly. I myself sowed purchased seeds in the spring in open ground. Of 10pcs. I had 2 seedlings in the 2nd year and 1 seedling in the 3rd.

Using the tree peony

The tree peony is an unconditional soloist. He shows his best qualities in single plantings, especially good against the background of the lawn. You can use it in group plantings, large bushes perfectly serve as a background in prefabricated flower beds. And, of course, it's a great cut.

Russian selection

And I would also like to say a little about the Russian selection of tree peonies. Breeding work has been carried out by the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University for over 30 years. During this time, more than 40 varieties of tree peonies have been registered, which are included in the catalog of varieties and are recommended for use in production. These are winter-hardy varieties, they feel great not only in central Russia, but also in the Urals and Siberia.

The most popular varieties of Russian selection:

• white - Lomonosov, Moscow University, Maria, Anastasia Sosnovets;
• pale pink - Dmitry Kapinos;
• yellow - Kuindzhi, Academician Sadovnichy;
• red - Vladimir Mayakovsky;
• salmon - Irina, Marianna;
• purple-pink - Nikolay Vavilov, Yulia Drunina;
• lilac-beetroot - Peter the Great.

Below is a photo of Mountain Peony and Tree Peony "Yellow Bird".

  

  

  

BOCHAROVA T.M.

Tree peonies (Paeonia saffruticosa) are a group of species, natural and artificial hybrids and varieties of the genus Peony (Paeonia).It is a deciduous shrub up to 1.5 meters in height. Very decorative, thanks to the spectacular, bright green, double-dissected leaves and unusually beautiful, large (12 to 25 cm in diameter) flowers. They come in simple, double and semi-double shapes and in various colors: from snow-white to almost black, including yellow and purple.

The history of cultivation of the tree peony has more than two thousand years. In the wild, the tree peony grows in the highlands of southeastern China, therefore the Chinese are the ancestors of the introduction of these plants into culture and subsequent selection. Around the 7th-10th centuries, the tree peony comes to Japan, and the Japanese contribute to the development of this culture. The tree peony came to Europe only at the end of the 18th century, gained popularity in the gardens of England, France, Holland and, of course, did not leave European breeders without work. As a result of this centuries-old work, more than 1000 varieties of tree peony have been created, which are subdivided into several groups:

• Sino-European - with heavy double flowers;
• Japanese - with non-double or semi-double light and airy flowers;
• hybrids of yellow peony and Delaway peony - with yellow flowers.

There is another group of tree peonies - mountain peonies - the newest group created with the participation of alpine species and has a number of advantages for growing in our rather harsh conditions. This is:

- increased winter hardiness;

- Stronger annual growth in comparison with tree peonies;

- early flowering.

Tree peonies have a number of features that must be taken into account when growing them.

The first is slow growth. Yes, the tree-like peony grows slowly, but every year it becomes more and more beautiful. So be patient and it will definitely be rewarded.

Secondly, it is a long-liver, in one place it can grow for more than 100 years. This must be taken into account when choosing a location.

Thirdly, it is very tenacious. If in the spring it seems to you that he is gone, frozen, dried up, the buds do not bloom, do not rush to say goodbye to him. After some time, new shoots may appear, and even with buds.

Buying a tree peony

When choosing a tree peony seedling, you should pay attention to the fact that the planting unit has 2-3 lignified shoots no more than 25 cm high, with unblown buds. In this case, the buds should be large enough and glossy. The roots should be well developed, ideally the length of the roots should be equal to the height of the crown.

Planting a tree peony

A place for planting peonies is chosen sunny or light partial shade, protected from the winds.

Tree peonies grow on almost any soil, but prefer permeable loams with a weakly alkaline reaction

The best time to plant tree peonies is from mid-August to mid-September.

A pit for planting a peony is prepared in advance, in about 2-3 weeks. It should have dimensions of 80x80 and a depth of 60-70 cm.A drainage layer of 15-25 cm is poured at the bottom of the pit, then it is covered with a soil mixture consisting of garden soil, humus and peat in equal proportions with the addition of ash, bone or dolomite flour, potassium sulfate and superphosphate (about one glass each).

When planting, gently straighten the roots of the peony over the formed surface of the fossa, and fill it with the remaining soil mixture so that the root collar is at the level of the soil, tamp and water.

But, since planting material is supplied for sale mainly in the spring, the question arises: what to do in this case? There are at least two solutions.

1. Plant the cut in a pot with a volume of 5-6 liters, with the onset of a stable positive temperature, take it out into the garden and wait for a favorable time for planting, carefully transferring the plant from the pot to the prepared hole.In this case, it is important to prevent waterlogging and stagnation of water during the period of overexposure.
2. Plant in the same way as in autumn. In this case, it is advisable to choose a planting time when the danger of recurrent frosts has already passed and a steady heat has not yet come.

In my practice, I used both of these methods: the mountain peony was planted in the spring, and the yellow-flowered peony was overexposed in the fall. Both are still growing and developing.

Tree peony care

Top dressing - if the peony is planted correctly, then in the first two years, feeding can be omitted. Starting from the third year, the first top dressing is carried out on the snow with nitrogen-potassium-phosphorus fertilizer. The second - before flowering with the same fertilizer composition. The third - after flowering - phosphorus-potassium fertilizer. I use fertilizer "Fertika" ("Kemira"), respectively, spring and summer.

Watering - plentiful, but not frequent. In dry weather, an adult bush should be watered once a week at the rate of 2-3 buckets per bush.

Pruning - held every spring until the beginning of the growing season: dried shoots are removed, old shoots are shortened by 10 cm. This gives the plant the opportunity to awaken the adventitious buds at the base of the plant. Another pruning is done after flowering. In this case, it is necessary to remove the faded bud and cut the peduncle 2 buds below. Based on my own experience, I strongly recommend this operation, as it contributes to further growth and abundant flowering next year.

Fig. 1 Pruning a tree peony after flowering

Shelter of a tree peony for the winter

In Siberia, it is necessary to cover the tree peony. I cover my peonies like this: I tie the crown, cover it with spruce branches, wrap it with covering material in several layers and tie it again. It is enough just to wrap a mountain peony with a covering material.

Tree peony transplant

A tree peony transplant is very painful. Transplanted bushes take a long time to recover, sometimes over several years. If there is a need to transplant a healthy bush, then carefully dig in it, trying not to damage the root system, and transfer it with a lump of earth to a prepared hole. If the bush has signs of illness, and you want to reanimate it, then after digging the bush, gently rinse it under running water, inspect the roots, remove the diseased, process the sections with a dark burgundy solution of potassium permanganate, sprinkle with crushed coal and plant in a prepared place.

Tree peony rejuvenation

If your peony bush has reached a mature age (20 years or more) and began to lose its decorative effect, then the bush can be rejuvenated by cutting it in the fall almost to the very surface of the soil. This will give an impetus to the awakening of the adventitious buds at the base of the shoots.

Diseases and pests of tree peonies

Tree peonies are very resistant to disease. In 10 years of caring for them, I have never noticed signs of illness or pest damage. But, nevertheless, tree peonies can be subject to gray rot and brown spot disease. In case of a disease with gray rot, it is necessary to remove damaged shoots and spray with a 6-7% solution of copper sulfate or a solution of potassium permanganate (3 g per 10 l of water). In case of a brown spot disease, it is necessary to remove and burn diseased leaves and spray with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid.

Reproduction of tree peonies

There are 5 ways to reproduce tree peonies.

1. By dividing the bush

This is the most acceptable breeding method, carried out at the same time as planting a peony, i.e. from mid-August to mid-September. It should be a 5-6 year old, healthy bush with 7 or more shoots, with a distance of at least 3.5 cm between them.The bush is carefully dug up, washed off the ground with a stream of water with a weak pressure, the shoots are cut to a height of 10-15 cm and wither in the shade for 2-3 hours. Then the rhizome is divided in such a way as to obtain divisions with 2-3 buds and a part of the root of at least 10 cm.Places of cut and damage are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate and sprinkled with crushed coal. The divisions obtained in this way are planted in pits prepared in advance.

2. Layers

Peony propagation by layering begins in May, before flowering. To do this, take a strong shoot, bend it to the ground, and make an incision at the point of contact of the shoot with the ground. The incision is powdered with rooting stimulants, a small spacer can be inserted. After that, the shoot is pinned to the surface of the soil, covered with a layer of earth 10-15 cm high and made sure that the earth does not dry out in this place. The roots should appear in late August - early September.

3. Cuttings

From about mid-June to early August, the tree-like peony can be propagated by cuttings. Semi-lignified cuttings are cut obliquely under the bud, the leaf blades are shortened by half, treated with root formation stimulants and planted in boxes with a mixture of sand and peat in equal amounts to a depth of 1.5 cm.The boxes are covered with foil and constantly watered and sprayed. At the end of September, rooted cuttings are planted in separate pots and left in a greenhouse until spring. In the spring, when the plants start to grow, they are planted in a permanent place. Peonies bloom with this method of reproduction in the 5th year.

4. Vaccination

With this method of reproduction, the roots of a herbaceous peony are used as a stock, horses and a tree peony can also be used. In this case, you need to monitor the appearance of root growth and remove it. This can be avoided by using your own peony roots. It is advisable to keep the harvested roots for 2-3 weeks in a cool room. Cuttings with two buds are cut in early August and cut from both sides in a wedge shape. An incision of the same shape is made on the rootstock, the rootstock stalk is tightly inserted, tightly wrapped with plastic wrap and tied. The prepared material is laid horizontally in a moistened layer of sawdust and placed in a cool, shaded place. A month later, when the scion grows together with the stock, plant it in a greenhouse so that the lower peephole is 5-7 cm deep. It is planted in a permanent place after 2 years.

5. Seeds

The advantage of this method is that the plant grown in this way will have increased immunity and more easily adapt to environmental conditions. It is best to sow with freshly harvested seeds. Seeds are sown in the ground in September-October. In this case, flowering occurs in 4-5 years. If the seeds lay for several months or years, the germination rate decreases sharply and the seeds require stratification and even scarification. The stratification process is quite complicated, personally I will not have the patience to follow all the recommendations exactly. I myself sowed purchased seeds in the spring in open ground. Of 10pcs. I had 2 seedlings in the 2nd year and 1 seedling in the 3rd.

Using the tree peony

The tree peony is an unconditional soloist. He shows his best qualities in single plantings, especially good against the background of the lawn. You can use it in group plantings, large bushes perfectly serve as a background in prefabricated flower beds. And, of course, it's a great cut.

Russian selection

And I would also like to say a little about the Russian selection of tree peonies. Breeding work has been carried out by the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University for over 30 years. During this time, more than 40 varieties of tree peonies have been registered, which are included in the catalog of varieties and are recommended for use in production. These are winter-hardy varieties, they feel great not only in central Russia, but also in the Urals and Siberia.

The most popular varieties of Russian selection:

• white - Lomonosov, Moscow University, Maria, Anastasia Sosnovets;
• pale pink - Dmitry Kapinos;
• yellow - Kuindzhi, Academician Sadovnichy;
• red - Vladimir Mayakovsky;
• salmon - Irina, Marianna;
• purple-pink - Nikolay Vavilov, Yulia Drunina;
• lilac-beetroot - Peter the Great.

Below is a photo of Mountain Peony and Tree Peony "Yellow Bird".

  

  

  

BOCHAROVA T.M.

The tree peony is a shrub plant with more than 480 species. Its homeland is China. It became widespread in Europe at the end of the 18th century. It is currently actively cultivated in the Moscow region. There is a list of varieties that are adapted to the climate in this area. If you provide the flower with shelter for the winter, the perennial can also grow in Siberia, where the temperature drops to -50 degrees.

1 Description

According to the description, a peony is a tree up to 2 meters high. Thick shoots spread in all directions. Growing, the peony takes the form of a deciduous shrub with feathery leaves.

Each species is characterized by individual colors, which reach 22 cm in diameter. The colors can be yellow, pink, white, crimson or combined. They also differ in their structure: there are simple, double or semi-double. The number of flowers depends on the age of the tree peony. The older the shrub, the more of them.

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2 Varieties

There are about 500 varieties and hybrids of peony in the world, most of which grow in China. The following types are common in Russia:

• Coral Altar. It has original carved leaves and a peculiar color of petals.
• Vesuvius. The petals are crimson-red, and the flowers are large, double.
• Vladimir Novikov. This variety is adapted to the climate of the Moscow region. The spreading bush reaches a height of 150 cm. Large beet-colored flowers. The edges of the petals are corrugated.
• Coral. This hybrid variety grows up to 100 cm in height. Flowers are red, non-double.
• Peter the Great. The height of the bush can vary from 130 to 150 cm. It has semi-double flowers with a diameter of 20-25 cm. The petals have a beetroot shade.

Vesuvius

Vladimir Novikov

Coral

Perth the Great

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3 Preparing for landing

Preparation for planting begins with an inspection of the seedling. The tubers should not be rotted. Small roots should extend from the trunk. The presence of several large kidneys is also required. These seedlings are removed from the root system of mature shrubs. It is better to separate from a young bush than from an old one. Even if such a seedling is small, over time it will strengthen and grow quickly. Outwardly, its root system is lighter, and the planting material, separated from the old bush, is darker. The roots are about 10 mm thick and 25 mm long.

To check the suitability, attention is drawn to the root in the cut: it must be dull. If shine appears when wetted, then there is rot inside. Use a knife to remove the affected area, leaving only healthy tissue.

Before planting, the seedlings are placed in water for 3 days. Despite the fact that the flower loves water, an excess of moisture is harmful to it. Root cracks should not be allowed. There are garden ants, which are difficult to get rid of.

After soaking, the seedling is immersed in a solution of the Fundazol suspension for 30 minutes. Next, you need to take it out, sprinkle the cut with wood ash and dip it in a clay mash.

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3.1 Site requirements

It is necessary to select and prepare a place for planting a peony in advance.

1. 1. The site should be chosen one that is located on a hill and is illuminated by the sun. There should be no trees nearby that would cast a shadow on young bushes.
2. 2. Loamy soils are considered optimal chernozem. If the soil is sandy, humus, clay and peat are added to it. If the soil is clay, then sand and organic fertilizers should be added to it.
3. 3.In the event of a groundwater leak in the area, drainage is laid at the bottom of the dug hole. This can be gravel, broken brick or coarse sand.
4. 4. Peony grows poorly on acidic soils. In this case, 300 g of lime must be added to the planting pit.

The best landing site is the east side. In the morning, the bushes receive a maximum of light.

3.2 Storage of seedlings

If the seedling was purchased at the end of winter, then it must be planted in a pot, put in a dark place and slightly moisten the soil. The seedling will remain dormant in winter.

In early spring, the pot is taken outside in a shaded place. Black soil is watered as needed. They begin to root in the open field from the beginning of autumn.

4 Planting rules

When planting a peony, a number of conditions must be observed:

1. 1. The optimal time for this is late summer or early autumn.
2. 2. The pit is dug one month before planting. Outwardly, it should have a conical shape, up to 80 cm deep, and 75 cm wide.
3. 3. Drainage from gravel or broken brick is laid at the bottom. Its thickness is 19 cm.
4. 4. Rotted manure is placed on top.
5. 5. Preparing a soil mixture of peat, superphosphate, wood ash and bone meal.
6. 6. The seedling is inserted into the hole so that the root collar is above the surface of the chernozem. The kidneys and the vaccination site should rise above the ground.
7. 7. The soil mixture is mixed and poured into a cone-shaped hole. Watered abundantly from above.

Planting a tree peony

5 Growing

If the planting process was carried out correctly, then further the peony can only provide care: water on time, take care of the soil, supplying it with fertilizers.

In the first year, care is minimal. Peonies from 2-3 years old require more attention.

5.1 Watering

In the process of growing, the tree peony is watered 2 times a month. Each plant consumes at least 8 liters of water. Throughout the entire time, it is required to carry out work on loosening the soil and controlling pests and weeds.

In hot weather, in summer, watering is increased, and in autumn the rate is reduced. 2 days after watering, the black soil is loosened.

5.2 Top dressing

Growing a peony at home involves constant fertilizing with fertilizers. The plant especially needs nitrogen and potassium. Such elements are introduced into the soil in spring, when a period of growth is observed.

Subsequently, phosphorus-potassium elements are introduced into the soil. At this time, the kidneys are tying. The plant needs the same fertilizers during the flowering period.

Excessive concentration of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers in the soil causes a disease in plants called gray rot.

5.3 Cropping

Pruning is carried out in the spring, before the beginning of the growing season. Dry and broken branches are subject to harvesting. Old shoots are cut 10 cm.

When preparing a peony for flowering the next year, pruning is carried out to the first upper bud. It is imperative to engage in annual pruning - the vital activity of the plant depends on it.

5.4 Transfer

Peonies do not tolerate a transplant and often get sick for 2-3 years. Therefore, when digging, the bushes are removed from the ground along with a lump. Then it is removed with a stream of water.

Before planting, the entire root system is examined, rotten processes are removed. The cut sites are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.

6 Bloom

Peonies bloom in late May and lasts until early June. The first to bloom are non-double peonies, after 5 days, terry peonies bloom, and the last, after 1.5 weeks, are semi-shrubs.

However, at times the shrub may not bloom. This happens for various reasons:

• Increased planting depth.
• Landing in shaded areas.
• Large age of the bushes.
• Too frequent transplants.

If the peony is disturbed in the spring, then the fragile roots will take root for a long time. This will prevent the plant from blooming in summer.

7 Reproduction

Flower reproduction can take place in several ways.

7.1 By dividing the rhizome

When digging up the bush is divided into parts. On each of them must be present kidneys.

All shoots are placed in a clay solution, kept for 30 minutes, and then planted in open ground. Planting is done at the end of August. Cultivation is carried out in the usual manner.

7.2 shanks

This type of reproduction is carried out in the summer. A stalk is cut from the shoot, on which there is a bud and a leaf. At the time of planting, half of the leaf is cut off.

As a soil mixture of peat and sand is used. Immersing the cutting is carried into the ground by 2 cm. Boxes cuttings covered with top film or glass was secured to the greenhouse effect. After 2.5 months all the containers are transferred to the greenhouse until spring.

7.3 Layers

Reproduction of this method takes up to 2 years. For this purpose the branches closer to the ground, an incision is made, place is treated with a solution growth enhancement.

Slips inclined to the ground and in places cut black soil backfilled. The plants require regular watering. As soon as the rooting of these branches can be separated from the parent bush.

7.4 Seeds

The method is rarely used because the seeds germinate poorly pions. Seed collection is carried out in immature form, when they are solid, light brown in color. At the seams they begin to diverge cracks.

Pre-seeds are kept in the refrigerator for 1.5 months to avoid their drying. It takes a period from early August to mid-September. You can put them right. For this, containers with black soil are being prepared. Planting is carried out to a depth of 5 cm. After germination, they can be planted in open ground.

8 Wintering

Preparing for winter passes in the following order:

• Tourniquet is wrapped bush, so as not to break off branches.
• On top of a bush is covered by a box, barrel or burlap. Branches that interfere with, cut off.
• If in the course of the winter freeze some branches, they have to be cut.

Such a shelter is in areas where the temperature falls to -30 degrees or lower. well tolerated in the winter in the open in other locations as peonies.

Outline of pion in Siberia, too, can grow if it for the winter perennial good cover. Winter temperatures often drop to - 48, or even lower, while the tree peony flower buds are formed on the tops of the annual increment, and if they are not maintained, then the colors will be. To shelter peonies for the winter, Siberian growers use dry leaves and roofing material or film.

In early October, cut the leaf blades at two thirds of their length, thanks to the wood matures quickly and increases resistance to frost peonies. After leaving snow spring cover can be removed, carefully loosen the upper layer of earth around the bush and pions zamulchirovat humus. The following year, this mulch is mixed with topsoil when the spring digging.

The soil for growing a tree-like peony is made up of turf, garden soil, humus and coarse sand in the proportion: 2: 3: 3: 1, the main thing is that it is not acidic, in acidic soil peonies are sick and grow poorly. The reaction of the soil should be neutral. Just do not tolerate peonies proximity of groundwater.

Multiply tree peonies division can be 4-5 years of bush, grafting, cuttings or seeds. Seeds ripen in late August, so they do not crumble prematurely, on boxes of seeds better to put gauze bags. Immediately after collecting the seeds can sow on the ridges. They germinate in Siberia after 11-12 months.

When out of the ground seem cotyledons with the remnants of the skin, they can eat a mouse or bird peck, and the bright sun can kill. That nothing happened, seedlings need zamulchirovat peat or humus mixed half with the ground. And more important is regular watering.

The root grows quickly, and the aerial part is slow, and yet by autumn the seedling forms 2-3 buds.As soon as the first frosts come, the seedling bed should be covered with a thick layer of dry leaves and on top with a film or roofing material. When enough snow falls, it is advisable to fill the bed with it on top of the shelter with a layer of at least half a meter.

Tree peony can also be grown from stratified seeds. To check the quality of freshly harvested seeds, you need to pour them into water and leave for 12 hours. Those seeds that float must be thrown away. The sunken seeds are mixed with wet sand and placed in a glass jar.

For two months the jar, closed with a plastic lid, stands in the open air, in the sun. In November, it can be moved to the cellar, where it will stand until spring. In the spring, before planting, you can hold the seeds in a thermos with warm water (30 degrees) for a day.

When the ground warms up to 10 degrees, you can sow seeds on the prepared bed, according to the scheme: 20x10 cm and to a depth of 5 cm. Shoots will appear in August. In the third year, by the fall, bushes with several stems are formed, which can already be transplanted to where they will grow constantly.

After 5 years tree peonygrown from seed will bloom. The first flowers will not be large, but each year their size will increase, in some hybrids up to 30 cm in diameter and flowering will be more abundant.

The easiest way to propagate tree peony dividing 4-5 summer bushes. Bushes that are going to be divided need to spud 10 cm for the first time 2-3 times over the summer, then 20-25 cm. Thanks to this, new shoots will appear at the base of the bush. If you start hilling in May, then by autumn roots will appear on young shoots.

In Siberia, it is better to divide tree peony bushes in early April, when they are still dormant. The bush is dug out with a large clod of earth to keep more roots and washed with warm water. The bushes can be divided into 2-6 parts, sprinkle with charcoal and cover with garden varnish.

Before planting, the roots must be dipped in a clay mash prepared in 0.03% sodium humate solution with the addition of ferrous sulfate at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 5 liters of the mixture. The divided parts of the root are planted in place at a distance of 1 m from each other.

Tree peony it is good to propagate by dividing the bushes when it is required to maintain the purity of the variety. This is especially important for the reproduction of terry forms. All these recommendations are suitable for growing conditions of tree-like peony capacity at the latitude of Novosibirsk.

Planting peonies is best done in pits, the size of which depends on the size of the planting material (50 × 50, 60 × 60, 70 × 70 cm), add humus (8-10 kg per hole) and superphosphate (200 g), mix well with the ground , pour water into the liquefied mass and plant a "cut" of peony so that its buds are not deeper than 3-5 cm from the soil level after backfilling with earth.

In the spring, as soon as the snow melts and the first shoots appear, they carry out the first feeding with a flower mixture (50-80 g / m2) and loosening to a depth of 3-5 cm. fertilizers) and the third - at the end of August only with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

Often you can see ants on the buds, they are attracted by the sweet juice. The buds are sprayed with tobacco infusion, and the nearby anthill must be moved from the bush.

To do this, you need to know that in peonies, in addition to the spring growth of roots, their increased growth occurs a second time - in the fall, from about 20-25 August. Therefore, replanting and dividing roots should be carried out as soon as the soil thaws and before the beginning of the secondary growth of roots! It should be borne in mind that the root system of peonies grows depending on age up to 80 cm in depth and up to 90 cm in width.

To obtain the maximum number of divisions, it is better to take 4-5-year-old bushes and divide them into four to six parts, with four to five buds; you can leave one or two buds on the plot, but they begin to bloom with a delay of one or two years.

There is another way to get peony seedlings without digging a bush. To do this, in the first half of August (before the onset of secondary growth), the bush is carefully unpacked, part of the renewal buds with a piece of rhizome is separated from it and planted in cold nurseries at a distance of 10 × 10 cm, covered with a film, rooting occurs on the fortieth day. Then the film is removed and covered with a sheet pillow for the winter. In the spring, plants are transplanted to school or to a permanent place. Such plants bloom in the third or fourth year of life.

Do you like time-tested varieties? Then we suggest you choose high-quality flower seeds in the Sady Rossii store. This store has been on the market for 30 years, we buy seeds here ourselves and are always confident in the quality of the planting material. Sending by mail as soon as possible.

Content

Tree peony, planting and caring for him in the garden

These flowers have always been popular due to their decorativeness: their large elegant flowers, carved leaves and straight stems look great next to any plants. So the plant is perfect for decorating both the parterre area and the background of a flower garden.

Surprisingly, this shrub is a long-lived garden. With proper care, this plant can delight you with its flowering for about fifty years. But the most important thing is to choose the right place for it. These are light-loving plants, but they do not like drafts, wind and direct sunlight. Therefore, they need to be planted where there will be light partial shade and there will be no wind. In addition, peonies do not like stagnant water in the soil.

You can plant a flower both in autumn and spring. But due to the fact that most of these plants are imported to us from China, the bulk of them enter our country in the spring. These plants are sold with an open root system, so they can be planted in a flower bed immediately after purchase.

Having prepared the hole, you can start planting: the seedling should be installed in the hole with the roots straightened out, and its neck should be at the level of the soil. After planting, the ground around the peony needs to be lightly tamped and watered well.

Preparing a hole slightly larger than the root system of the bush. Watering.

To make it more convenient, you can divide the order of fertilization into stages, but remember, this is only for bushes whose age is 3 or more years:

All fertilizers need to be applied not before watering, but after, so there will be less likelihood of burns on the roots.

Applying a large amount of nitrogen fertilizers under the bushes can provoke the appearance of gray rot, from which the plant can die. So it's best to keep them to a minimum or not use them at all.

Watering is required not too frequent but good. Once every two weeks, 7-8 liters of water is poured under the bush. In a drought, you need to water more often, and even better, after watering, mulch the soil around the bush.

Shelter of tree peonies for the winter

If you cut off sufficiently mature bushes in the spring to the first, uppermost sinus, then you can achieve a more lush and intense flowering.

Shrubs reproduce in several ways:

Grafting is the most common method and is ideal for rare varieties. The grafting is done on a herbaceous peony, more precisely, on its roots. In order for everything to work out as it should, in August, cuttings with a wedge-shaped end should be cut, which is grafted onto the root of a herbaceous peony (it is simply inserted into the incision at the root and wrapped in polyethylene). After grafting, they need to be kept in wet sawdust for about a month, and when the cuttings take root, they should be planted in a greenhouse, where they will be grown for two years. Cuttings and layering - this method is similar to the propagation of roses. You need to take the stiff part of the shoot with a bud, cut it off (it is better to do this in late spring) and plant it to a depth of about 1.5 centimeters in a box with peat and sand in a 1: 1 ratio. The stalk deepened into the soil should be sprayed with water and covered with foil.Cuttings will take root by mid-autumn, and then they can be planted in a greenhouse, where they will overwinter. Dividing a bush - this simple method allows you to make several small plants from one large plant. It is often used by amateur gardeners, dividing a five-year-old bush into several divisions, in each of which 4-5 replacement buds are left. But here you need to remember that the plant may not bloom for a couple of years after such a procedure, since it does not like transplants.

In order to transplant a peony to a new place, you need to try to remove it from the ground without damaging the roots, preferably with a large lump. Then shake off the ground a little with your hands, rinse the rest from the hose.

A solution of potassium permanganate, dark cherry color.

In such cases, it is necessary to cut off all diseased shoots and burn them, and sprinkle the bush with copper sulfate 6%.

Tree peony

Tree peony: planting, care, growing

Landing... Preparing a pit forplanting (transplanting) a tree peony in the fall, add leaf humus to the soil. For specific tree peonies that are grown on their own root system, plant at the same level as the seedling is in the container or was grown in the nursery (on seedlings with an open root system). Varietal specimens of tree peonies are now more often grafted onto the root system of herbaceous peonies. Such grafted seedlings should be deepened into the ground so that the grafted site is at a depth of approx. 15 cm in the ground. This planting method, according to the RHS, will allow the tree peony to grow its own strong root system and reduce the number of offspring from the roots of the herbaceous peony rootstock.

It should be added that tree peonies do not like transplants and can "come to their senses" and not bloom after it until 4 years.

Frost resistance... Tree peonies are hardy plants. Peony rock frost resistance, according to some sources, is from climatic zone 2 (it can withstand temperatures down to -43 degrees). At the same time, the buds and leaves of treelike peonies can suffer from late frosts.

Top dressing and mulching... In spring, apply a general balanced fertilizer under the tree peony (avoid excessive nitrogen). Mulch on top of the fertilizer with a generous layer of organic mulch (leaf humus, garden compost, bark, etc.) around the crown, avoiding covering the base of the trunk of the tree-like peonies with mulching materials.

Pruning... Remove dead branches in spring and seed heads after flowering, shortening the branches slightly if necessary. Most varietal tree peonies do not require strong pruning (the exception is a rapidly growing peony making it, its old branches can be partially cut out in autumn if necessary).

Pests and diseases of tree peonies... Tree peonies are affected by gray peony rot. fungi, caterpillars and viral infections. Please note that honey mushrooms (honey agarics) growing at the base of the tree peony are parasites and can destroy the plant. The ants that sometimes cover the buds of treelike and herbaceous peonies, despite popular belief, do not harm the plant, they simply collect drops of nectar that stand out from the buds of the peony.

Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa). Young leaves Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa). Flowers Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa). Bud

Delavea peony (Paeonia delavayi) - differs in narrower and more strongly dissected leaves Paeonia ludlowii Shrub peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) Rock peony, Joseph Rock peony (Paeonia rockii, paeonia Joseph Rock) is a white semi-double peony with burgundy spots at the base of the petals. See photo The group suffruticosa (Paeonia? Suffruticosa) - hybrids of the peony rock with the shrub peony. See photo Gansu Mudan Chinese Hybrid Group Zhongyuan Mudan Chinese Hybrid Group

Reproduction of tree peonies presents considerable difficulties.Species plants can theoretically be propagated by seeds, but this requires double stratification (in nature - 2 winters): after the first, the root is formed, and after the second, the stem and leaves. If you have the time and desire to experiment, then immediately sow the seeds of the species tree-like peony collected in the fall in the garden in open ground, mark the sowing site and ... wait a couple of years before the first shoots, remembering to water in dry weather. You can simply leave a couple of seed heads and let the seeds crumble when they are ripe. Treelike peonies from seeds bloom in the 4th-5th year.

It is not always possible to apply air layers to a tree peony because this plant is upright growing. If you find a branch that is long and flexible enough to be pressed to the ground, then anchor it to the ground and moisten it regularly. To build up an independent root system suitable for separation, it will take 2-3 years for layering of a tree peony.

Propagation of tree peonies by cuttings gives a very small percentage of rooting. For cuttings, take semi-lignified shoots of the plant in the middle of summer.

Features of caring for peonies in Siberia

Early varieties bloom in early June, late ones - in early July. By the age of 5, the bush reaches its optimal size and has from 20 to 50 flowers and, as an exception, 150. If you select the appropriate assortment, you can have flowering peonies on the site for 40-55 days.

Steppe peony In addition, you can increase the flowering period due to agrotechnical methods: using film frames, as on strawberries, you can cause earlier flowering, and when planting on the shady side of the site and covering the bushes with sawdust (10-15 cm), it can be delayed by 10 —12 days, thereby further extending the flowering period by 15—20 days.

Peonies grow well on soil rich in organic matter with sufficient moisture, do not like transplants and develop better in one place for 10-12 years, provided good agricultural technology.

Gardeners make the mistake of planting peonies in loose soil without taking into account its precipitation. In this case, the plant turns out to be buried, does not bloom, sometimes even grows poorly. To correct the error, you have to lift the bush with a pitchfork and pour it into the hole of the earth or completely transplant, violating the root system. The distance between the bushes should be 80-100 cm.

With a lack of moisture, abundant watering of plants is necessary during budding, flowering and at the end of August with secondary root growth. Timely watering has a beneficial effect on the overwintering of plants and their development next year. After each watering, the soil is loosened or mulched.

For larger flowers, one bud should be left on the stem. For better flowering next year, in the fall, the leaves are cut off and humus mixed with wood ash and bone meal is added under each bush. Planting peonies should be carried out separately, if they are in the shade of trees, the number of buds and their size are sharply reduced.

You can get seedlings of peonies without digging up the plant completely. To this end, the bush is cut with a shovel into two parts, one part is carefully removed from the soil and divided, as described above, and the other remains in the ground.

The method of reproduction by layering is also built on the principle of preserving the bush. A wooden box 25-30 cm high is placed on a peony bush in the spring. As the bush grows, the buds are covered with loose earth or humus, gradually filling the box. Shoots grow and bloom normally (somewhat lagging in comparison with free-growing bushes). Roots are formed at their base. In the fall, the box is removed and the rooted stems are cut off, transplanted to a permanent place. Such plants begin to bloom in the fourth or fifth year.

Tree peony - planting and care

Planting and caring for a tree peony

Admirers of this remarkably beautiful flower have a natural question, how to care for a tree-like peony so that it develops well and blooms profusely?

Reproduction of a tree peony

Diseases of the tree peony

Sometimes gardeners express bewilderment about the lack of flowers in healthy-looking bushes. Most often this is due to a lack of watering, the old age of the bush, improper preparation of the planting site (there is no drainage or the roots are planted at insufficient depth) and an unsuccessful place for growing a tree peony. In the last two cases, it is required to transplant a tree-like peony. When choosing a new planting site, remember that the plant needs sunlight and space.

Luxurious peony in China has long been a personification of beauty and was called the imperial flower. Peonies adorn ancient Chinese vases, paintings and household items. Now there are more than 30 plant species. Treelike peony is a shrub 1 - 1.5 m high with large spreading leaves. The plant blooms very profusely, 30 - 50 flowers can bloom on the bush at the same time. The flowers are very large with bright varied colors: white, crimson, pink, lilac, burgundy, yellow. There are varieties that bloom with beautiful double flowers. Usually, the flowering of a peony does not exceed two weeks, but a bush with rich green large leaves in itself is a decoration of a garden or a section of a country house.

When planning to plant flowers in your own garden, keep in mind that although caring for a tree-like peony is not difficult, since the plant will grow in one place for many years, its preferences should be taken into account. Peony is a fairly light-loving plant, based on this, choose a well-lit or slightly shaded area. Take care of good drainage, as the plant does not like stagnant moisture in the root system. At the bottom of a fairly spacious hole (size approximately 70x70 cm), create a layer of soil mixed with compost or manure. To make the bush start better, and the peonies bloom well and be healthy, add a little complex fertilizer and 1 spoonful of copper sulfate. The plant does not like acidic soils, so if this type of soil is on your site, mix a glass of slaked lime into the ground.

The peony needs regular loosening and weeding. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied to the soil in May. In the spring and before the flowering of the tree peony, it is necessary to water it often and abundantly. In May, when the buds are awakening, you need to trim the stems of the treelike peony to the first living bud. At the end of autumn, the flowers are covered with burlap or spruce branches, having previously tied the shoots (you cannot bend them down - they will break!)

The plant is resistant to diseases and pests, usually only weakened bushes are affected. Sometimes the flower suffers from gray rot. To get rid of the lesion, the peony is sprayed with a 0.6% solution of copper sulfate or a 0.3% solution of potassium permanganate. Severely affected bushes are burned. If the leaves of the plant are covered with brown spots, they are cut off and destroyed. The flower is sprayed with 1% Bordeaux liquid.

If you want the plant to please you with its color for as long as possible, plant different varieties of peonies - there is a certain time interval in their flowering periods. And when some types of peony have faded, other varieties of it will be covered with color.

Tree peony. Planting and leaving

A tree peony, planting and caring for which is not very difficult, many gardeners would like to have in their garden. But how to properly plant this perennial plant so that it will delight you with its flowering for more than a dozen years? And does it need to be fertilized?

In China, tree-like peonies grow, which are 500 years old. They are protected by law as historical monuments.

This is due to the fact that in the wild they grow on mountain slopes or in deciduous forests.Therefore, if you have heavy soils on your site, be sure to organize good drainage and add bone meal, lime or superphosphate to the soil. Do you want to plant several plants nearby? Make sure that the distance between them is at least one and a half meters.

Planting a tree peony in spring

First you need to prepare a hole for planting, the depth of which should be about 70 centimeters. At the bottom of the pit, drainage should be made from sand, expanded clay or gravel (the thickness of the gravel layer should be about 30 centimeters). In acidic soil, you can add thirty grams of lime.

So, the entire landing can be divided into several stages:

1. Choosing a location that is sunny and draft-free.
2. Drainage.
3. Top dressing, in equal parts superphosphate (can be replaced with ash), dolomite flour and potassium sulfate, in a glass.
4. Composting must be mixed with the soil.
5. Planting so that the root collar is at the level of the soil surface.
6. Mulching with humus.

Proper care of a tree peony

Within two years after planting, the flower will not require any special care, but in the third year it will have to be fed at the beginning of spring with bone meal (it needs about 350 grams for each bush). You can also water the bushes a couple of times a week with ash infusion. And in the middle of autumn, after the leaves have fallen off, peat should be mulched around the bush.

• In early spring, nitrophoska is well suited for feeding, 100 grams per bush, just when young shoots begin to grow.
• The same amount of nitrophoska will be used as fertilizer, but already when the buds begin to swell.
• After flowering, it is required to add superphosphate or wood ash, a glass to the bush.
• By seeds - this method of reproduction is considered the most difficult, since they have an underdeveloped embryo. And this is the reason for the poor germination of seeds, which, after collection, must be sown in open ground. Sometimes they only emerge in the third or even fifth year. This method is used by breeders.
• Charcoal.
• In a solution of a clay chatterbox.
• Peony Souvenir de Maxime Cornu (Paeonia x lemoinei Souvenir de Maxime Cornu)
• Peony Yellow Crown (Paeonia Yellow Crown) - a hybrid of a tree and herbaceous peony
• Japanese - with light airy flowers having double or non-double forms.
• Sino-European - have terry heavy flowers.
• Semi-shrub peony - is a hybrid of Dela-vey peony and yellow peony. Poorly adapted to the Russian climate.

The peculiarity of all tree-like peonies is that they grow very slowly, and you can wait for lush flowering up to 10. But if you graft a stalk of a tree-like peony on the root of a herbaceous peony, then the process can be accelerated.

Planting and transplanting a tree peony

To the tree peony planting site it is necessary to approach with all responsibility so as not to disturb him anymore, then the plant will systematically develop and grow for decades.

This peony is planted on well-drained, alkaline and fertile soils, damp areas are not suitable.

Boarding time early spring and autumn. Complex mineral fertilizer and compost are added to the planting pit 40x40x40 in size. Heavy clay soils are diluted with small amounts of gravel and sand. All components are thoroughly mixed with the soil removed from the planting pit, and the plant is planted in it.

Planting depth determined in such a way that the vaccination site is 10-15 cm below ground level. You can plant a planted peony a little higher and sprinkle the trunk with earth high so that new roots form on the underground part of the scion, then you get a rooted plant, from which you can eventually separate the layers.

Tree peony care

In dry times, peonies are watered abundantly and often. In spring and early summer, fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers is carried out. At the end of summer, feeding is stopped so that the shoots have time to prepare for winter.

In the first year, peonies look weak and do not bloom - this is normal.If buds have formed on young peonies - do not regret - remove them to give the bush to gain strength for lush flowering in the following years.

Pruning a tree peony carried out in early April, removing dried, broken and old branches. The buds frozen over the winter wake up late, so the second pruning is carried out when all the buds are completely open.

Peony bushes, if necessary, are tied to supports so that the branches do not break under the weight of large and heavy flowers.

From gray rot, sometimes affecting the bushes, they are treated with copper-containing preparations.

As a rule, the plant is not propagated by seeds. Firstly, they germinate for 2-3 years, not everyone has so much patience. Secondly, the flowering of peonies will come only after 7-10 years.

Cutting tree peonies also does not work.

Therefore, grafting or layering and dividing the bush remains reliable breeding methods.

Grafting tree peonies is a difficult matter and only professionals can do it. Grafting is carried out on the roots of herbaceous peonies. This technology is well developed in China, so the planting material of tree peonies, as a rule, comes to us from there.

If the tree-like peony is own-rooted, then it can be propagated by dividing the bush and layering. These are the most affordable breeding methods.

In the first three to four years, purchased peonies need to be sheltered for the winter, they are not used to our frosts and can completely freeze out to the level of vaccination. Cover with several layers of spatbond, natural burlap or cardboard. Top covered with snow. The bushes are tied with twine to the shelter so that fragile wood does not break.

Tulip tree cultivation features

Litchi from the bone

Features of caring for peonies in Siberia

Maryin root Siberia and the Far East are home to many species. The most valuable of them are Maryin root, steppe peony and Far Eastern white-flowered (milky-flowered), they have non-double, but bright numerous flowers that appear against the background of beautiful foliage, different in different species. They bloom earlier than garden varieties, which is important in the design in the early period, in addition, it is a good material for breeding work.

Garden forms and varieties of peony for the most part represent a herbaceous perennial rhizomatous plant with a height of 60 to 100 cm. The bush is large, multi-stemmed, with beautiful greenery, which has a decorative appearance until mid-September. The flowers are large, showy, can be double, semi-double and simple, with different terms and duration of flowering.

On older bushes, damage from a nematode (eel) is possible, which causes nodular swelling of the roots. Such plants should be dug up and burned, and the soil should be disinfected. Peony flowers can be damaged by bronze. This golden-green beetle eats away at the core of the flowers. Beetles should be collected in the morning and burned.

Peonies reproduce by dividing the bush, renewal buds, stem and root cuttings, seeds.

The division of the bush is carried out in the first half of August before the beginning of the secondary growth of roots or in early spring, as soon as the soil thaws. This is the most common breeding method for peonies. Most gardeners use it when transplanting plants to a new place. Many people believe that when transplanted, peonies do not bloom for three to four years. Meanwhile, if this operation is carried out on time and carefully (damage the roots as little as possible), the peonies will bloom the next year.

Carefully digging in the bush with a shovel, they lift it with a garden pitchfork, trying to damage the roots as little as possible. They are washed from the ground with water from a hose and division is carried out, while you need to use a knife as little as possible, separating them in places where bridges are formed in order to inflict less wounds.

The cut part is sprinkled with crushed coal, the hole is covered with soil, watered with water - and the bush continues to bloom and develop.When transplanting old bushes to a new place, rejuvenating pruning is carried out, fleshy rhizomes are shortened, leaving roots 8-10 cm long near the buds of renewal.

Tree peonies

In China, tree peonies are considered the embodiment of beauty, and they are also called imperial flowers. The Japanese call it the flower of well-being and prosperity. There is not a single country where there is no interest in these wonderful flowers.

The tree peony is a shrub that reaches a height of 1.5-2 m, with large bright green double-feathery leaves. One bush can have from 30 to 70 flowers. The diameter of each is from 20 to 25 cm, but the peony grows very slowly, and you can get the maximum number of flowers from it only after ten years. The color of the petals is white, pink, crimson, lilac with a dark crimson spot at the base. The petals are dense, corrugated. Large numerous stamens with bright yellow anthers are clearly visible. There are forms with double and semi-double flowers. The flowering period of the bush is 12-14 days, and more in cool weather. The plant is decorative and after flowering due to the unusual shape of the leaves and fruits.

Tree peonies are divided into several groups: the Sino-European group - heavy and double flowers, the Japanese group - non-double and semi-double flowers, hybrids of yellow peony and Delaway peony. The varieties that are brought from China and Poland do not adapt well to the Russian climate and practically do not take root. But domestic gardeners are constantly working on breeding varieties of tree peonies. And today you can use varieties such as Moscow University, Stefan, Tatiana, etc.

Tree peony is a frost-resistant shrub in Siberia. However, with a caring shelter made in time since the fall, and the presence of a snow cover, its culture in the Altai Territory is possible. In critical winters without snow, the shelter must be strengthened with the addition of straw manure.

Location: Choosing the right location for the peonies is important. It should be located far from large trees, not be blown by the winds, provide shelter from direct sunlight (partial shade is considered ideal in this case). With this arrangement, the flowers last longer and do not fade. It is no coincidence that in Japan and China, peony bushes are often covered from the sun, wind and rain with a canopy.

Soil: must be permeable, fertile (rotted manure, compost, earth), with the addition of bone meal and superphosphate. Peonies prefer alkaline soils. Treelike peonies grow mostly in deciduous forests and shrubs on mountain slopes, usually on calcareous soils. Therefore, they should not be planted in clayey wetlands with a high level of groundwater. Peonies also do not tolerate excess water during floods, so plants need good drainage from sand and gravel. In China, tree peonies are often placed on raised terraces.

Planting: The best time to plant a tree peony is from mid-August to late September. For this culture, correct planting is very important, since not only the decorativeness of the bush, but also the duration of its life depends on it, because the tree peony can grow in one place for up to 100 years.

If the groundwater is below 2 m, the planting pit is prepared in the form of a cone with a depth and diameter of about 70 cm. Gravel, broken brick or sand is poured onto its bottom with a layer of 20-30 cm, 200-300 g of lime or bone meal are added on acidic soils.

Sand is added to clay soils, and clay is added to sandy soils. Soil is poured into the hole with a cone, a plant is placed on it and immediately poured with plenty of water so that all the roots are straightened out. Then, when the water is absorbed, the hole is covered with earth, while the root neck of the peony should be at the level of the soil. The grafted plants are planted so that the grafting site is 10-15 cm below the soil surface. After two or three years, the scion forms its own roots.

If the groundwater passes close, the plant is planted on a loose mound. A distance of at least 1.5 m is left between two specimens. The earth around the bush is not trampled.

Leaving: in the spring, before the beginning of the growing season, it is necessary to prune the bushes. Every spring, it is necessary to cut out dried shoots, and shorten the old ones to a height of 10 m. Every 20 years in China, the bush is pruned almost to the level of the soil. It is believed that this not only does not harm the plant, but, on the contrary, contributes to its rejuvenation. Renewal occurs due to adventitious buds located at the base of the shoots.

If seeds are not needed, it is recommended that after flowering, cut off the faded shoots to the upper axillary bud. After such an operation, the plant will bloom more abundantly the next year. The life span of a plant depends on whether the bush is properly formed. In China, there are 500-year-old specimens, they are carefully protected, but on average, a plant usually lives for 100 years or more.

It is advisable to regularly loosen the soil around the bush, and before flowering, apply a full set of fertilizers (potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus). In order not to burn the roots, the plant must first be watered. Do not get carried away with fertilizers, which contain a large percentage of nitrogen, as peonies become susceptible to gray rot. At the slightest sign of wilting of the stems, it is necessary to cut off and burn the damaged parts.

The tree peony is painful to transplant. Often lush and strong specimens wither after it and cannot recover for several years. When transplanting, the bush must be dug out together with a lump of earth.

The second option: the earth is washed away with a stream of water; diseased roots are cut out, and long ones are shortened; the sections are treated with a 0.1% solution of potassium permanganate and sprinkled with a mixture of crushed coal and colloidal sulfur. The bush is transplanted in its entirety or cut into two or three divisions, removing dry and damaged shoots until a living bud of renewal. In the second option, before planting in a new place, the plant is immersed with roots in a clay mash for 20-30 minutes.

Reproduction: dividing the bush, cuttings, layering and grafting.

Dividing a bush is the easiest way to reproduce. Plants aged five to six years are carefully dug up in August, freed from the ground and divided by stretching parts of the bush to the sides at the root collar. A delenka must necessarily have three to five replacement buds and roots. The wounds are treated with potassium permanganate and sprinkled with charcoal powder.

Semi-lignified cuttings are cut in the second half of June. Cuttings are cut like budding roses, that is, they take a bud with a leaf and a small piece of shoot wood. The leaf blade is halved to reduce evaporation. Cuttings are planted in boxes with a mixture of peat and sand (1: 1) to a depth of 1.5 cm. The boxes are covered with foil and constantly sprayed and watered. Rooted cuttings are transplanted into pots at the end of September and kept in a greenhouse until spring. In the spring, plants start to grow, they can be planted in a permanent place.

Reproduction by layering is carried out for two years. In the spring, well-developed shoots are chosen, carefully bend them to the ground. An incision is made from the lower side facing the soil, a small spacer is inserted into it and sprinkled with earth with a layer of 8-10 cm.

Tree peonies are also propagated by air layers before the flowers bloom. On the shoot, cuts are made and wrapped in moss, then with foil and bandaged. Roots are formed at the end of August. However, this method is not very effective.

When peonies are propagated by grafting, the roots of a herbaceous peony are used as a stock. In early August, cuttings with two buds are cut from a tree-like peony. The lower part of the cutting is cut from both sides in the form of a wedge. At the root of the stock, a cutout is made of the same shape, the scion stalk is tightly inserted into it and tied with plastic wrap. Then the resulting plants are laid horizontally in a layer of moistened sawdust and placed in a shaded place.

After a month, the rooted plants are planted in a greenhouse to such a depth that the lower peephole is 5-7 cm below the soil level. The plantings on top are mulched with sawdust to prevent drying out. Plants are planted in a permanent place after two years.

Seed propagation is difficult. They have an underdeveloped embryo and need stratification.

Usage: outstanding beauty shrub, recommended for amateur gardens, group and single plantings on lawns, forest edges with well-drained, nutritious soil.

Partners: especially good in combination with plantings of lilacs or horse chestnuts, against a dark background of conifers and deciduous species.

E. N. Vanyushina... Candidate of Sciences in Biology, Researcher at the Center for Ornamental Horticulture, N.I. M. A. Lisavenko

(Luck, September 2014)

Siberian gardens

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Peony tree planting and care

Home »Peonies» Tree peony planting and care

Tree peonies: maintenance and care

One of the most important conditions for success in growing tree peonies is proper planting. Not only the decorativeness of the plant depends on it, but also the duration of its life, and tree peonies can be called long-livers.

The best time to plant these plants is mid-August to late September. Peonies are planted at a distance of 1.5-2 m and immediately to a permanent place (after transplantation they get sick). The place is chosen far from large trees, protected from the wind and well-drained. Any garden soil is suitable, but alkaline is preferred over acidic (pH 6-7). The planting hole (in the form of a cone with a depth and diameter of about 70 cm) is prepared in 2-4 weeks. Gravel, broken brick, sand with a layer of 15-20 cm are poured onto the bottom, then rotted manure. The land mixture is prepared from humus, peat, the top layer of the earth with the addition of 300-400 g of bone meal. It is advisable to add granular fertilizer "Kemira-universal". Sand is added to clay soils, and clay is added to sandy soils. Having made a mound at the bottom of the pit, the roots are spread on it and immediately flooded with plenty of water. When it is absorbed, they cover it with earth. In this case, the root collar should be located at the level of the soil. They do not trample the ground.

Watering, fertilizing, pruning

The best fertilizers for peonies are bone meal, wood ash and mineral fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus and potassium and a small amount of nitrogen (its excess reduces the resistance of peonies to diseases). Fertilizers are applied two weeks before the beginning of flowering and two weeks after the end. Peonies need abundant watering in the spring if there is a lack of moisture in the soil, as well as before flowering.

For the correct formation of the bush and the extension of its life, every year in the spring, when the buds begin to awaken, you need to do anti-aging pruning, shortening the shoots to the first living bud. Weak shoots are cut at a height of 10-15 cm. In young bushes, some of the buds are removed, and dried carpels are also cut off.

Preparing for winter

Treelike peonies are sheltered for the winter. In early October, the shoots are tied (you cannot bend them to the ground - they are fragile!), The trunk circle is mulched with peat (straw, foliage, manure are undesirable, they contribute to the development of gray rot). After the onset of stable frosts, the plants are covered by constructing a "hut" from spruce branches, you can use burlap or non-woven material.In the spring, as soon as the buds appear, the shelter is removed: plants adapted to our conditions are not afraid of recurrent frosts.

Reproduction

Tree peonies are usually propagated by seeds and cuttings by breeders, these methods are rather complicated and ineffective. It is easiest for amateurs to use the division of the bush: 5-6-year-old plants are dug up, the earth is washed off from the roots, the rhizome is cut into pieces so that each of them has 2-3 shoots. Places of cuts are treated with potassium permanganate and sprinkled with crushed charcoal.

Diseases and pests

Tree peonies are relatively resistant to diseases and pests, as a rule, only weakened bushes suffer. The most dangerous is gray rot. Plants are sprayed with a solution of potassium permanganate (3 g per 10 l of water) or copper sulfate (0.6-0.7% solution), the affected stems are burned. Old bushes often suffer from root decay, and the disease spreads when they divide. It is necessary to thoroughly clean the affected areas, cover the cut sites with crushed charcoal and treat with 1% copper sulfate. To combat brown spot, diseased leaves are collected and destroyed, the plants are sprayed with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid.

Tree peony | Favorite flowers

The times when peonies were an inaccessible rarity are long gone.

Now anyone can buy a box with a beautiful picture in almost any large garden center and try to find out what it is for a thousand of their hard-earned rubles. tree peony .

In this article, we will tell you what needs to be done so that someday it will grow out of what a stunning photo on the package promises.

Tree peonies have become darlings of landscape fashion for a reason and deservedly so. These are the true aristocrats of the garden, combining the virtues of a flower and a shrub.

The tree-like peony surprisingly combines the pampered luxury of flowering with real power. It is, if you will, a "masculine" plant, very strong and reliable, which is probably why it often attracts the attention of men.

The appearance of a tree peony

Unlike herbaceous peony, the aerial part of which dies off annually, tree peony is a shrub... Its annual growth stiffens and hibernates, as it happens, for example, with a rose.

Treelike peony bushes can reach a height of 1.5-2 meters, however, this will take at least twenty years.

The foliage of the tree peony is also very decorative. and is quite different from one cultivar to another. So in plants with dark-colored flowers and leaves usually have a pronounced dark purple hue.

But, of course, the most amazing thing about this plant is its incomparable luxury of flowers... In modern varieties of tree peony, flowers reach a diameter of 25-30 cm, unlike herbaceous peony, they come in all shades of yellow, bloom somewhat earlier than early flowering varieties of herbaceous peony.

Terry varieties with an open, "golden mean", consisting of numerous stamens, pubescent with abundant pollen, are especially effective. There are forms with double and semi-double flowers, the color varies from greenish-white to purple-black, including all shades of pink, lilac, red, yellow and even blue.

Flowering lasts two to three weeks depending on the weather and usually occurs in the Moscow region for the first half of June... that is, for a while, traditionally "poor" in flowers, when the bulbous are already fading, and annuals and most perennials are only gathering strength.

Longevity and wintering of the tree peony

There is one more feature of tree peonies - their ability to longevity... A tree peony can live in one place without transplanting for tens of years.

In Moscow, for example, behind the Sklifosovsky Institute there is a small Botanical Garden, created in the times of Peter the Great as a pharmaceutical garden. This is a place with an interesting history.One of its pages - tree-like peonies one and a half meters in height, planted in the 19th century. Not every tree can boast of such a lifespan.

But, as they say, our shortcomings are a continuation of our merits.

Tree peonies are unpretentious, disease-resistant, winter-hardy, have a large margin of vitality.

However, it should be borne in mind that they grow rather slowly and perceive transplants very painfully... These features must be taken into account both when choosing a place for them in the garden, it is desirable to determine it once and for all, and when preparing a planting pit.

It is important to make your choice in relation to winter shelter... In the wild, tree peonies grow in China, in areas with cold snowy winters and dry hot summers, so our winter does not scare them too much.

In the spring, tree-like shoots that have wintered without shelter may look completely lifeless, do not rush to conclusions, wait for the onset of stable heat. A plant that was in a normal state in the fall, you will not lose practically under any winter conditions. Even if all perennial stiff shoots freeze, with the onset of steady heat new buds on the root collar will awaken and new shoots will peep out of the ground.

You have not lost the peony, but there will be no flowering, and it will not be for two years. The shoots must grow, grow stiff, lay flower buds, all this takes time. The peony has a lot of it, it lives for a hundred years.

So decide for yourself what your peony should do: bloom calmly, overwintering, wrapped in spruce branches under the reliable cover of an inverted bucket or box or grow heroically, if suddenly the next winter freezes him all that has grown in five years.

Unfortunately, it is the most spectacular modern hybrid varieties that are most vulnerable. Since the farther the path is from the wild-growing ancestors, the more beautiful the flower, but the less resistance to unfavorable factors inherent in wild species.

Let's mention our own experience. In one of the rather cold winters with early frosts, not a single peony froze in our garden, and almost all of them bloomed. When the frost hit -25 ° С, we covered them with cardboard boxes, this was enough for them, the roses froze in the same conditions.

So, you have decided to plant a tree peony in your garden.

Buying a tree peony

The ideal landing unit is dormant plant with two or three stiff shoots no more than 25 cm high... that is, with unblown buds.

The buds should be large enough, most often they are dark red, glossy. You should treat them very carefully, because if they break off or do not open, your peony may bloom a couple of years later.

If you buy a peony with an open root system, be sure to ask the seller for permission to inspect the roots of the seedling. The tree peony not only grows slowly, it also dies for a long time and a hopeless seedling with a damaged, rotted or too small root system can have a completely prosperous appearance for a long time.

If the plant you have chosen has well-developed roots, they should be approximately equal in length to the crown. Do not try to buy large bushes or bushes with long shoots (we are talking about an open root system), all tree peonies painfully take root in a new place, and the larger the transplanted plant, the longer it will take to adapt.

Usually a normally developed seedling 25-30 cm high blooms in the second or third year after planting... in the first year, he often looks somewhat depressed, do not be upset, this is quite natural.

The leaves can be medium-sized and even somewhat dry, it is important that the buds in the axils and especially the upper buds of the shoots are kept alive. The next year, your pet will settle down in a new place and quickly make up for lost time.

There is one more detail that would be good to find out when buying a tree peony - is it rooted or grafted onto the roots of a herbaceous peony .

Own-rooted plants are more resistant to adverse environmental conditions and more durable.

Planting a tree peony

For planting preferably sunny, sheltered from the wind... The latter circumstance is important, since by the beginning of June the plant already has a large leaf mass, and if the wind constantly flutters it, this can adversely affect the growth and laying of flower buds, not to mention the flowering time, when the bush is covered with huge heavy caps of flowers.

Tree peonies prefer permeable loam... but they grow on almost any soil, especially since it is imperative to prepare a planting pit for them, providing the plant with everything it needs for several decades to come.

It is best to prepare the pit in advance, at least 2-3 weeks before planting. The pit should be 60-70 cm deep, 80 × 80 cm in area... a layer of drainage sand is poured onto the bottom), with a layer of 15-20 cm, then a layer of old weathered manure.

The plant is planted in a soil mixture of the following composition: humus, peat, top layer of earth in equal parts with the addition of ash, bone meal and superphosphate 100-200 g.

After thorough mixing, you pour a part of the mixture into the pit and plant a peony on the cone obtained in the pit, carefully spreading the roots along the surface of the cone. Then pour the remaining potting mix on top. As a result, the root collar should be almost flush with the edges of the pit.

After watering and subsidence of the earth, it is possible to spud the root collar low by 3-4 cm, avoiding its contact with manure or humus.

The best time to plant tree peonies is from mid-August to mid-September... but they are usually sold in the spring.

If you bought your peony in the spring... it is best to plant it in a large pot with nutritious garden soil and put it in the garden with the onset of stable heat, when you prepare the planting hole, you can lower the pot with the peony directly into it, and in the fall, with the onset of the dormant period of the plant, gently pass it over with a lump into the prepared pit, while maintaining its orientation to the cardinal points.

With the first frosts, you should cover well the near-trunk circle of peonies with a layer of peat. Manure, shavings and straw are best avoided.

Tree peony care

Peonies do not require any special worries.

The best fertilizers for them it is ash and bone meal, manure is undesirable. It can be spread around the bushes when the snow melts.

On the snow, you can also apply mineral fertilizers - nitrogen potash and phosphorus 1: 1: 2. The second dressing can be given after flowering, preferably phosphorus-potassium fertilizers or chlorine-free Kemira fertilizer.

During the summer watered abundantly 2-3 times, this can be combined with fertilization, watering is undesirable from the beginning of August.

After flowering it is necessary not only to remove the faded bud, but also to cut it 2 buds lower, this contributes to full growth and flowering.

In our conditions, the tree peony bush is most convenient to maintain formative pruning at a height of 70-80, this allows for abundant flowering (from 30 to 50 flowers) and closes the plant in very harsh winters.

In China, they are called the flowers of emperors and are considered the embodiment of beauty. And in Japan, this plant is recognized as the flower of well-being and prosperity. It is impossible to argue with this. In all countries, these hardy miracle flowers are of great interest.

A tree peony differs from a herbaceous one in that it is a shrub. With the onset of frost, it sheds its leaves, and the stems remain overwintering above the ground. In height, tree peonies usually reach 1-1.5 m, and in the southern regions - up to 2.5 m and even higher. The flowers of these peonies are very large - up to 25-30 cm in diameter.

Simple, semi-double and double huge flowers turn the bush into an extraordinary luxurious bouquet! The color of the flowers is very different.Along with whites, pinks and reds, varieties with yellow and purple colors, as well as two- and three-colored, are often found.

The tree-like peony surprisingly combines the pampered luxury of flowering and vigorous growth.

Several dozen huge flowers of extraordinary beauty can be counted on one bush. It is a pity, but the period of lush scent of peony flowers is short-lived. However, the sight is worth seeing!

After flowering, the tree peony bush remains decorative until the end of the leaf fall, thanks to the delicate carved foliage with a slight bluish tint due to the wax coating.

Tree peony varieties

The varieties of tree peonies are divided into several groups:

Sino-European - with heavy double flowers; Japanese - with non-double or semi-double light and airy flowers; hybrids of a yellow peony and a Dela-vei peony with a semi-shrub peony.

Varieties of foreign origin supplied from China and Poland are hardly adapted to the Russian climate and rarely survive from anyone.

But it is not all that bad! In the botanical garden of Moscow State University, breeding work with tree-like peonies has been carried out for 30 years, the result of which has become domestic varieties. Marianna Sergeevna Uspenskaya obtained 17 hybrids of tree peonies, which are included in the Catalog of varieties approved for use in production in the Russian Federation. Among the most decorative varieties, Vorobyevsky, Moscow University, Hoffman, Stefan, Peter the Great, V. Tikhomirov, Tatiana, Muza, and others are widely known.

These winter-hardy Russian varieties of tree peony feel great not only in the European part of the country, but also in the Urals, and even in Siberia.

by the way... Tree peonies have a peculiarity: they grow very slowly. And it takes almost 10 years to wait for a lush flowering. You can accelerate development by grafting cuttings of a tree-like peony on the roots of a herbaceous peony.

Planting and replanting bushes

And now you have acquired this plant miracle - a tree-like peony. The tree peony culture is pretty simple. It is winter-hardy enough. Frosting of shoots of varying degrees happens often, but nevertheless, a 1 m high bush quickly recovers and blooms well. The most important thing is to immediately find the right place for it, so as not to touch it for many years. Under good conditions, bushes can grow in one place for decades. Damp areas are completely unsuitable. It is believed that the tree peony is undemanding to the soil, but loose, fertile, alkaline and well-drained are more preferable.

The best timing for planting a tree peony is early spring and autumn. The size of the planting pit is 40 x 40 x 40 cm. In addition to the garden land, compost and complex mineral fertilizers are added. If the soil on the site is heavy, clayey, then sand and gravel are added to it. All prepared components are mixed well with the top layer of soil removed during the digging of the hole, and the plant is planted. The planting depth should be such that the grafting site is 10-15 cm below the soil surface. You can huddle the planted peony higher by pouring a small mound of light, breathable earthen mixture. Over time, new roots will develop on this underground part of the scion and you will get a rooted plant. If desired, you can separate some shoots from it - layering.

All care comes down to the usual weeding, top dressing, watering in dry times. In the first year, plants generally do not bloom and look weak. If the buds are still formed, then they must be removed before blooming, so as not to weaken the plants.

These peonies need good watering. As for dressings, in spring and early summer they are very important for the normal growth of young shoots, usually ending in flower buds. At the end of summer, it is better not to fertilize, especially with nitrogen fertilizers, because this leads to a decrease in winter hardiness.

Bush pruning is carried out in early April. In fact, the tree peony does not like pruning.Only broken and old dried branches are cut out. The second time you need to prune the frozen tops of the shoots, when the buds are completely open. Just take your time, the upper, slightly frozen buds wake up late.

If you do not plan to receive seeds, then regularly remove wilted flowers so as not to deplete the plant.

If necessary, so that they do not break under the weight of large flowers, the bushes are tied to supports.

In very rainy weather, it is better to treat the plant with copper-containing preparations against gray rot that affects flowers and buds.

Reproduction

Seeds varietal tree peonies form poorly, and terry, as a rule, do not produce them at all. Therefore, seed reproduction of these peonies is difficult. If the seeds are set, then interesting seedlings that differ from each other can grow from them. Freshly harvested seeds germinate for 2-3 years, and seedlings will bloom only for 5-7 years.

Cuttings tree peonies practically does not give positive results.

Graft on tree seedlings or on the roots of herbaceous peonies is the most common method of propagation of varietal forms. This is not a simple matter, only specialists can do it. In China, this breeding method is well developed and in our garden centers and shops, tree peony seedlings are often found in China.

Layering and dividing the bush you can propagate a tree peony if it is own-rooted. These methods of breeding tree peonies should be considered the simplest and most affordable.

Shelter of peonies

Purchased grafted plants in the first two to three years must be covered. Unaccustomed to our frosts, they can freeze up to the level of inoculation. You can cover the bushes with spunbond in several layers, natural burlap, cardboard, and cover it with snow on top. Before sheltering, peony branches must be tied with twine. This will protect them from breaking off with snow, since the wood of the peony is fragile and fragile.

Landscaping tips

Tree peonies, which are distinguished by their large bush size, are best planted one at a time or in small groups. It is good to place such a bush near a bench for rest in order to admire not only the flowers, but also the beauty of the cut and wonderfully colored leaves.

A beautifully formed bush can emphasize the turn of a path or path. Planted peony bushes in a row will help diversify the monotonous greenery of the ephedra used for the hedge.

Actually, the flowers of the tree peony themselves - large, double or simple, but the size of a saucer, of a wide variety of colors and shades, with and without aroma, will always surprise and delight both the owners and their guests.

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Tree peony

Description ^

The tree peony is a real giant compared to the herbaceous relative. Its branches are lignified, grow both in width and in height up to 2 m.

The trunks of the deciduous shrub are covered with light brown tender wood. Leaves are attached to them with the help of long stalks. Each leaf consists of several lobes, shaped like a flame of fire with three tongues.

Flowering begins in mid-May and lasts only 2 weeks. But what a bloom! The number of blooming flowers is amazing - sometimes a whole hundred inflorescences 20-25 cm in size open on such a shrub!

Terry and semi-double bowls of petals show off a variety of shades. There are white, pink, burgundy, lilac, red, even yellow colors.

Happy news! The tree-like relative of the peony has taken root very well in Russia. But in regions with particularly cold and snowy winters, shelter will be required. To do this, tie the shoots together, wrap them or cover them with spruce branches in the form of a hut.

The know-it-alls of flower business, breeders, have bred more than 500 varieties of lushflowers. Here are the varieties that are especially loved by true connoisseurs of peonies:

"Sisters Kiao" with flowers that look like roses, they seem to be lined into 2 halves - pink and burgundy. Lemon-yellow "Hai-Nun" is like a scoop of ice cream, and you just want to eat it! The flower head of the "Celestial Gold" variety resembles a bowl of sparkling champagne! The Jade Princess is like a terry cloud framed by a chain of cream petals. The variety "Green beans" is just something extraordinary! The white fringe of the petals is remembered for the green stains. The burgundy luxury of the Emperor's Treasures is like a natural kiss from the past of kings. The densely doubled variety “Golden Petals” is the sweetest for bees with its fluffy yellow skirt and bright orange piping.

Perhaps the photos of the tree peony varieties that we have selected will help you make your choice. Which color do you like best?

There are several peculiarities in planting a tree peony.

It will be extremely difficult to grow it from seeds. Sometimes you have to wait a couple of years for seedlings. It is best to purchase sprouts from gardening professionals.

It can be planted from mid-August to late September or in spring, as soon as the snow melts, because its roots develop well in the cold.

Prepare a deep hole with a layer of drainage. Pour a mound of fertile soil at the bottom. Place the seedling on top and spread the roots into a mound. Carefully fill the hole with water and back up. You cannot trample the soil around the plant, you can damage the fragile roots!

Another little trick!

Often purchased seedlings are obtained by grafting a treelike peony onto a herbaceous root. Then, when planting such plants, the connection point must necessarily go 10-15 cm underground. This will make it possible for the scion to develop its own root system.

The tree peony will bloom gorgeous in fertile soils.

This species is very fond of mineral fertilizers, which can be used, for example, wood ash. Complex fertilizer is also suitable! But in order not to burn the delicate roots of the plant with it, first thoroughly water the ground at the base and only then add the nutrient composition.

Anti-aging pruning is required in April. Start by taking a close look at the branches. Find the top glossy buds and cut off the ends 1 to 2 cm above this point.

It happens that in the spring only dry, lifeless branches remain in place of the bush. Don't rush to dig them up! As soon as the sun warms the soil, new shoots will appear in the place of last year's bush!

There is one more cool feature! Sometimes a new plant doesn't want to grow in any way. I beg you, give him time to get used to it! Do not transplant it or diligently fill it with fertilizers. Usually, the next spring, a lush green bush grows out of such a taciturn!

Finally, we note that the tree peony loves partial shade. This does not mean that it will not grow well in the sun. It's just that varieties with purple, burgundy and red flowers can fade and lose their attractiveness. Try to grow a tree-like miracle on your site, because it is impossible to assess its beauty from photographs.

Read also:

Peonies planting and care

Peony planting in spring

Planting peonies is best done in pits, the size of which depends on the size of the planting material (50 × 50, 60 × 60, 70 × 70 cm), add humus (8-10 kg per hole) and superphosphate (200 g), mix well with the ground , pour water into the liquefied mass and plant a "cut" of peony so that its buds are not deeper than 3-5 cm from the soil level after backfilling with earth.

In the spring, as soon as the snow melts and the first shoots appear, they carry out the first feeding with a flower mixture (50-80 g / m2) and loosening to a depth of 3-5 cm. fertilizers) and the third - at the end of August only with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

Often you can see ants on the buds, they are attracted by the sweet juice.The buds are sprayed with tobacco infusion, and the nearby anthill must be moved from the bush.

To do this, you need to know that in peonies, in addition to the spring growth of the roots, their increased growth occurs a second time - in the fall, from about August 20-25. Therefore, replanting and dividing roots should be carried out as soon as the soil thaws and before the beginning of the secondary growth of roots! It should be borne in mind that the root system of peonies grows depending on age up to 80 cm in depth and up to 90 cm in width.

To obtain the maximum number of divisions, it is better to take 4-5-year-old bushes and divide them into four to six parts, with four to five buds; you can leave one or two buds on the plot, but they begin to bloom with a delay of one or two years.

There is another way to get peony seedlings without digging a bush. To do this, in the first half of August (before the onset of secondary growth), the bush is carefully unpacked, part of the renewal buds with a piece of rhizome is separated from it and planted in cold nurseries at a distance of 10 × 10 cm, covered with a film, rooting occurs on the fortieth day. Then the film is removed and covered with a sheet pillow for the winter. In the spring, plants are transplanted to school or to a permanent place. Such plants bloom in the third or fourth year of life.

Do you like time-tested varieties? Then we suggest you choose high-quality flower seeds in the Sady Rossii store. This store has been on the market for 30 years, we buy seeds here ourselves and are always confident in the quality of the planting material. Sending by mail as soon as possible.

Content

Tree peony, planting and caring for him in the garden

These flowers have always been popular due to their decorativeness: their large ornate flowers, carved leaves and straight stems look great next to any plants. So the plant is perfect for decorating both the parterre area and the background of a flower garden.

Surprisingly, this shrub is a long-lived garden. With proper care, this plant can delight you with its flowering for about fifty years. But the most important thing is to choose the right place for it. These are light-loving plants, but they do not like drafts, wind and direct sunlight. Therefore, they need to be planted where there will be light partial shade and there will be no wind. In addition, peonies do not like stagnant water in the soil.

You can plant a flower both in autumn and spring. But due to the fact that most of these plants are imported to us from China, the bulk of them enter our country in the spring. These plants are sold with an open root system, so they can be planted in a flower bed immediately after purchase.

Having prepared the pit, you can start planting: the seedling should be installed in the hole with the roots straightened, and its neck should be at the level of the soil. After planting, the ground around the peony needs to be lightly tamped and watered well.

Preparing a hole slightly larger than the root system of the bush. Watering.

To make it more convenient, you can divide the order of fertilization into stages, but remember, this is only for bushes whose age is 3 or more years:

All fertilizers need to be applied not before watering, but after, so there will be less likelihood of burns on the roots.

Applying a large amount of nitrogen fertilizers under the bushes can provoke the appearance of gray rot, from which the plant can die. So it's best to keep them to a minimum or not use them at all.

Watering is required not too frequent but good. Once every two weeks, 7-8 liters of water are poured under the bush. In a drought, you need to water more often, and even better, after watering, mulch the soil around the bush.

Shelter of tree peonies for the winter

If you cut off sufficiently mature bushes in the spring to the first, uppermost sinus, then you can achieve a more lush and intense flowering.

Shrubs reproduce in several ways:

Grafting is the most common method and is ideal for rare varieties. The grafting is done on a herbaceous peony, more precisely, on its roots.In order for everything to work out as it should, in August, cuttings with a wedge-shaped end should be cut, which is grafted onto the root of a herbaceous peony (it is simply inserted into the incision at the root and wrapped in polyethylene). After grafting, they need to be kept in wet sawdust for about a month, and when the cuttings take root, they should be planted in a greenhouse, where they will be grown for two years. Cuttings and layering - this method is similar to the propagation of roses. You need to take the stiff part of the shoot with a bud, cut it off (it is better to do this in late spring) and plant it to a depth of about 1.5 centimeters in a box with peat and sand in a 1: 1 ratio. The stalk deepened into the soil should be sprayed with water and covered with foil. Cuttings will take root by mid-autumn, and then they can be planted in a greenhouse, where they will overwinter. Dividing a bush - this simple method allows you to make several small plants from one large plant. It is often used by amateur gardeners, dividing a five-year-old bush into several divisions, in each of which 4-5 replacement buds are left. But here you need to remember that the plant may not bloom for a couple of years after such a procedure, since it does not like transplants.

In order to transplant a peony to a new place, you need to try to remove it from the ground without damaging the roots, preferably with a large lump. Then shake off the ground a little with your hands, rinse the rest from the hose.

A solution of potassium permanganate, dark cherry color.

In such cases, it is necessary to cut off all diseased shoots and burn them, and sprinkle the bush with copper sulfate 6%.

Tree peony

Tree peony: planting, care, cultivation

Landing... Preparing a pit forplanting (transplanting) a tree peony in the fall, add leaf humus to the soil. For specific tree peonies that are grown on their own root system, plant at the same level as the seedling is in the container or was grown in the nursery (on seedlings with an open root system). Varietal specimens of tree peonies are now more often grafted onto the root system of herbaceous peonies. Such grafted seedlings should be deepened into the ground so that the grafted site is at a depth of approx. 15 cm in the ground. This planting method, according to the RHS, will allow the tree peony to grow its own strong root system and reduce the number of offspring from the roots of the herbaceous peony rootstock.

It should be added that tree peonies do not like transplants and can "come to their senses" and not bloom after it until 4 years.

Frost resistance... Tree peonies are hardy plants. Peony rock frost resistance, according to some sources, is from climatic zone 2 (it can withstand temperatures down to -43 degrees). At the same time, the buds and leaves of treelike peonies can suffer from late frosts.

Top dressing and mulching... In spring, apply a general balanced fertilizer under the tree peony (avoid excessive nitrogen). Mulch on top of the fertilizer with a generous layer of organic mulch (leaf humus, garden compost, bark, etc.) around the crown, avoiding covering the base of the trunk of the tree-like peonies with mulching materials.

Pruning... Remove dead branches in spring and seed heads after flowering, shortening the branches slightly if necessary. Most varietal tree peonies do not require strong pruning (the exception is a rapidly growing peony making it, its old branches can be partially cut out in autumn if necessary).

Pests and diseases of tree peonies... Tree peonies are affected by gray peony rot. fungi, caterpillars and viral infections. Please note that honey mushrooms (honey agarics) growing at the base of the tree peony are parasites and can destroy the plant. The ants that sometimes cover the buds of treelike and herbaceous peonies, despite popular belief, do not harm the plant, they simply collect drops of nectar that stand out from the buds of the peony.

Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa).Young leaves Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa). Flowers Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa). Bud

Delavea peony (Paeonia delavayi) - differs in narrower and more strongly dissected leaves Paeonia ludlowii Shrub peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) Rock peony, Joseph Rock peony (Paeonia rockii, paeonia Joseph Rock) is a white semi-double peony with burgundy spots at the base of the petals. See photo The group suffruticosa (Paeonia? Suffruticosa) - hybrids of the peony rock with the shrub peony. See photo Gansu Mudan Chinese Hybrid Group Zhongyuan Mudan Chinese Hybrid Group

Reproduction of tree peonies presents considerable difficulties. Species plants can theoretically be propagated by seeds, but this requires double stratification (in nature - 2 winters): after the first, the root is formed, and after the second, the stem and leaves. If you have the time and desire to experiment, then immediately sow the seeds of the species tree-like peony collected in the fall in the garden in open ground, mark the sowing site and ... wait a couple of years before the first shoots, remembering to water in dry weather. You can simply leave a couple of seed heads and let the seeds crumble when they are ripe. Treelike peonies from seeds bloom in the 4th-5th year.

It is not always possible to apply air layers to a tree peony because this plant is upright growing. If you find a branch that is long and flexible enough to be pressed to the ground, then anchor it to the ground and moisten it regularly. To build up an independent root system suitable for separation, it will take 2-3 years for layering of a tree peony.

Propagation of tree peonies by cuttings gives a very small percentage of rooting. For cuttings, take semi-lignified shoots of the plant in the middle of summer.

Features of caring for peonies in Siberia

Early varieties bloom in early June, late ones - in early July. By the age of 5, the bush reaches its optimal size and has from 20 to 50 flowers and, as an exception, 150. If you select the appropriate assortment, you can have flowering peonies on the site for 40-55 days.

Steppe peony In addition, you can increase the flowering period due to agrotechnical methods: using film frames, as on strawberries, you can cause earlier flowering, and when planting on the shady side of the site and covering the bushes with sawdust (10-15 cm), it can be delayed by 10 —12 days, thereby further extending the flowering period by 15—20 days.

Peonies grow well on soil rich in organic matter with sufficient moisture, do not like transplants and develop better in one place for 10-12 years, provided good agricultural technology.

Gardeners make the mistake of planting peonies in loose soil without taking into account its precipitation. In this case, the plant turns out to be buried, does not bloom, sometimes even grows poorly. To correct the error, you have to lift the bush with a pitchfork and pour it into the hole of the earth or completely transplant, violating the root system. The distance between the bushes should be 80-100 cm.

With a lack of moisture, abundant watering of plants is necessary during budding, flowering and at the end of August with secondary root growth. Timely watering has a beneficial effect on the overwintering of plants and their development next year. After each watering, the soil is loosened or mulched.

For larger flowers, one bud should be left on the stem. For better flowering next year, in the fall, the leaves are cut off and humus mixed with wood ash and bone meal is added under each bush. Planting peonies should be carried out separately, if they are in the shade of trees, the number of buds and their size are sharply reduced.

You can get seedlings of peonies without digging up the plant completely. To this end, the bush is cut with a shovel into two parts, one part is carefully removed from the soil and divided, as described above, and the other remains in the ground.

The method of reproduction by layering is also built on the principle of preserving the bush. A wooden box 25-30 cm high is placed on a peony bush in the spring. As the bush grows, the buds are covered with loose earth or humus, gradually filling the box. Shoots grow and bloom normally (somewhat lagging in comparison with free-growing bushes). Roots are formed at their base. In the fall, the box is removed and the rooted stems are cut off, transplanted to a permanent place.Such plants begin to bloom in the fourth or fifth year.

Tree peony - planting and care

Planting and caring for a tree peony

Admirers of this remarkably beautiful flower have a natural question, how to care for a tree-like peony so that it develops well and blooms profusely?

Reproduction of a tree peony

Diseases of the tree peony

Sometimes gardeners express bewilderment about the lack of flowers in healthy-looking bushes. Most often this is due to a lack of watering, the old age of the bush, improper preparation of the planting site (there is no drainage or the roots are planted at insufficient depth) and an unsuccessful place for growing a tree peony. In the last two cases, it is required to transplant a tree-like peony. When choosing a new planting site, remember that the plant needs sunlight and space.

Luxurious peony in China has long been a personification of beauty and was called the imperial flower. Peonies adorn ancient Chinese vases, paintings and household items. Now there are more than 30 plant species. Treelike peony is a shrub 1 - 1.5 m high with large spreading leaves. The plant blooms very profusely, 30 - 50 flowers can bloom on the bush at the same time. The flowers are very large with bright varied colors: white, crimson, pink, lilac, burgundy, yellow. There are varieties that bloom with beautiful double flowers. Usually, the flowering of a peony does not exceed two weeks, but a bush with rich green large leaves in itself is a decoration of a garden or a section of a country house.

When planning to plant flowers in your own garden, keep in mind that although caring for a tree peony is not difficult, since the plant will grow in one place for many years, its preferences should be taken into account. Peony is a fairly light-loving plant, based on this, choose a well-lit or slightly shaded area. Take care of good drainage, as the plant does not like stagnant moisture in the root system. At the bottom of a fairly spacious hole (size approximately 70x70 cm), create a layer of soil mixed with compost or manure. To make the bush start better, and the peonies bloom well and be healthy, add a little complex fertilizer and 1 spoonful of copper sulfate. The plant does not like acidic soils, so if this type of soil is on your site, mix a glass of slaked lime into the ground.

The peony needs regular loosening and weeding. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied to the soil in May. In the spring and before the flowering of the tree peony, it is necessary to water it often and abundantly. In May, when the buds are awakening, you need to trim the stems of the treelike peony to the first living bud. At the end of autumn, the flowers are covered with burlap or spruce branches, having previously tied the shoots (you cannot bend them down - they will break!)

The plant is resistant to diseases and pests, usually only weakened bushes are affected. Sometimes the flower suffers from gray rot. To get rid of the lesion, the peony is sprayed with a 0.6% solution of copper sulfate or a 0.3% solution of potassium permanganate. Severely affected bushes are burned. If the leaves of the plant are covered with brown spots, they are cut off and destroyed. The flower is sprayed with 1% Bordeaux liquid.

If you want the plant to please you with its color for as long as possible, plant different varieties of peonies - there is a certain time interval in their flowering periods. And when some types of peony have faded, other varieties of it will be covered with color.

Tree peony. Planting and leaving

A tree peony, planting and caring for which is not very difficult, many gardeners would like to have in their garden. But how to properly plant this perennial plant so that it will delight you with its flowering for more than a dozen years? And does it need to be fertilized?

In China, tree-like peonies grow, which are 500 years old. They are protected by law as historical monuments.

This is due to the fact that in the wild they grow on mountain slopes or in deciduous forests.Therefore, if you have heavy soils on your site, be sure to organize good drainage and add bone meal, lime or superphosphate to the soil. Do you want to plant several plants nearby? Make sure that the distance between them is at least one and a half meters.

Planting a tree peony in spring

First you need to prepare a hole for planting, the depth of which should be about 70 centimeters. At the bottom of the pit, drainage should be made from sand, expanded clay or gravel (the thickness of the gravel layer should be about 30 centimeters). In acidic soil, you can add thirty grams of lime.

So, the entire landing can be divided into several stages:

1. Choosing a location that is sunny and draft-free.
2. Drainage.
3. Top dressing, in equal parts superphosphate (can be replaced with ash), dolomite flour and potassium sulfate, in a glass.
4. Composting must be mixed with the soil.
5. Planting so that the root collar is at the level of the soil surface.
6. Mulching with humus.

Proper care of a tree peony

Within two years after planting, the flower will not require any special care, but in the third year it will have to be fed at the beginning of spring with bone meal (it needs about 350 grams for each bush). You can also water the bushes a couple of times a week with ash infusion. And in the middle of autumn, after the leaves have fallen off, peat should be mulched around the bush.

• In early spring, nitrophoska is well suited for feeding, 100 grams per bush, just when young shoots begin to grow.
• The same amount of nitrophoska will be used as fertilizer, but already when the buds begin to swell.
• After flowering, it is required to add superphosphate or wood ash, a glass to the bush.
• By seeds - this method of reproduction is considered the most difficult, since they have an underdeveloped embryo. And this is the reason for the poor germination of seeds, which, after collection, must be sown in open ground. Sometimes they only emerge in the third or even fifth year. This method is used by breeders.
• Charcoal.
• In a solution of a clay chatterbox.
• Peony Souvenir de Maxime Cornu (Paeonia x lemoinei Souvenir de Maxime Cornu)
• Peony Yellow Crown (Paeonia Yellow Crown) - a hybrid of a tree and herbaceous peony
• Japanese - with light airy colors having double or non-double forms.
• Sino-European - have terry heavy flowers.
• Semi-shrub peony - is a hybrid of Dela-vey peony and yellow peony. Poorly adapted to the Russian climate.

The peculiarity of all tree-like peonies is that they grow very slowly, and you can wait for lush flowering up to 10. But if you graft a stalk of a tree-like peony on the root of a herbaceous peony, then the process can be accelerated.

Planting and transplanting a tree peony

To the tree peony planting site it is necessary to approach with all responsibility so as not to disturb him anymore, then the plant will systematically develop and grow for decades.

This peony is planted on well-drained, alkaline and fertile soils, damp areas are not suitable.

Boarding time early spring and autumn. Complex mineral fertilizer and compost are added to the planting pit 40x40x40 in size. Heavy clay soils are diluted with small amounts of gravel and sand. All components are thoroughly mixed with the soil removed from the planting pit, and the plant is planted in it.

Planting depth determined in such a way that the vaccination site is 10-15 cm below ground level. You can plant the planted peony a little higher and sprinkle the trunk high with earth so that new roots form on the underground part of the scion, then you get a rooted plant, from which you can eventually separate the layers.

Tree peony care

In dry times, peonies are watered abundantly and often. In the spring and early summer, fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers is carried out. At the end of summer, feeding is stopped so that the shoots have time to prepare for winter.

In the first year, peonies look weak and do not bloom - this is normal.If buds have formed on young peonies - do not regret - remove them to give the bush to gain strength for lush flowering in the following years.

Pruning a tree peony carried out in early April, removing dried, broken and old branches. The buds frozen over the winter wake up late, so the second pruning is carried out when all the buds are completely open.

Peony bushes, if necessary, are tied to supports so that the branches do not break under the weight of large and heavy flowers.

From gray rot, sometimes affecting the bushes, they are treated with copper-containing preparations.

As a rule, the plant is not propagated by seeds. Firstly, they germinate for 2-3 years, not everyone has so much patience. Secondly, the flowering of peonies will come only after 7-10 years.

Cutting tree peonies also does not work.

Therefore, grafting or layering and dividing the bush remains reliable breeding methods.

Grafting tree peonies is a difficult matter and only professionals can do it. Grafting is carried out on the roots of herbaceous peonies. This technology is well developed in China, so the planting material of tree peonies, as a rule, comes to us from there.

If the tree-like peony is own-rooted, then it can be propagated by dividing the bush and layering. These are the most affordable breeding methods.

In the first three to four years, purchased peonies need to be sheltered for the winter, they are not used to our frosts and can completely freeze out to the level of vaccination. Cover with several layers of spatbond, natural burlap or cardboard. Top covered with snow. The bushes are tied with twine to the shelter so that fragile wood does not break.

Tulip tree cultivation features

Litchi from the bone

Features of caring for peonies in Siberia

Maryin root Siberia and the Far East are home to many species. The most valuable of them are Maryin root, steppe peony and Far Eastern white-flowered (milky-flowered), they have non-double, but bright numerous flowers that appear against the background of beautiful foliage, different in different species. They bloom earlier than garden varieties, which is important in the design in the early period, in addition, it is a good material for breeding work.

Garden forms and varieties of peony for the most part represent a herbaceous perennial rhizomatous plant with a height of 60 to 100 cm. The bush is large, multi-stemmed, with beautiful greenery, which has a decorative appearance until mid-September. The flowers are large, showy, can be double, semi-double and simple, with different terms and duration of flowering.

On older bushes, damage from a nematode (eel) is possible, which causes nodular swelling of the roots. Such plants should be dug up and burned, and the soil should be disinfected. Peony flowers can be damaged by bronze. This golden-green beetle eats away at the core of the flowers. Beetles should be collected in the morning and burned.

Peonies reproduce by dividing the bush, renewal buds, stem and root cuttings, seeds.

The division of the bush is carried out in the first half of August before the beginning of the secondary growth of roots or in early spring, as soon as the soil thaws. This is the most common breeding method for peonies. Most gardeners use it when transplanting plants to a new place. Many people believe that when transplanted, peonies do not bloom for three to four years. Meanwhile, if this operation is carried out on time and carefully (damage the roots as little as possible), the peonies will bloom the next year.

Carefully digging in the bush with a shovel, they lift it with a garden pitchfork, trying to damage the roots as little as possible. They are washed from the ground with water from a hose and division is carried out, while you need to use a knife as little as possible, separating them in places where bridges are formed in order to inflict less wounds.

The cut part is sprinkled with crushed coal, the hole is covered with soil, watered with water - and the bush continues to bloom and develop.When transplanting old bushes to a new place, rejuvenating pruning is carried out, fleshy rhizomes are shortened, leaving roots 8-10 cm long near the buds of renewal.

Tree peonies

In China, tree peonies are considered the embodiment of beauty, and they are also called imperial flowers. The Japanese call it the flower of well-being and prosperity. There is not a single country where there is no interest in these wonderful flowers.

The tree peony is a shrub reaching a height of 1.5-2 m, with large bright green double-feathery leaves. One bush can have from 30 to 70 flowers. The diameter of each is from 20 to 25 cm, but the peony grows very slowly, and you can get the maximum number of flowers from it only after ten years. The color of the petals is white, pink, crimson, lilac with a dark crimson spot at the base. The petals are dense, corrugated. Large numerous stamens with bright yellow anthers are clearly visible. There are forms with double and semi-double flowers. Duration of flowering of the bush is 12-14 days, and more in cool weather. The plant is decorative and after flowering due to the unusual shape of the leaves and fruits.

Tree peonies are divided into several groups: the Sino-European group - heavy and double flowers, the Japanese group - non-double and semi-double flowers, hybrids of yellow peony and Delaway peony. The varieties that are brought from China and Poland do not adapt well to the Russian climate and practically do not take root. But domestic gardeners are constantly working on breeding varieties of tree peonies. And today you can use varieties such as Moscow University, Stefan, Tatiana, etc.

Tree peony is a frost-resistant shrub in Siberia. However, with a caring shelter made in time since autumn, and the presence of a snow cover, its culture in the Altai Territory is possible. In critical winters without snow, the shelter must be strengthened with the addition of straw manure.

Location: Choosing the right location for the peonies is important. It should be located far from large trees, not be blown by the winds, provide shelter from direct sunlight (partial shade is considered ideal in this case). With this arrangement, the flowers last longer and do not fade. It is no coincidence that in Japan and China, peony bushes are often covered from the sun, wind and rain with a canopy.

Soil: must be permeable, fertile (rotted manure, compost, earth), with the addition of bone meal and superphosphate. Peonies prefer alkaline soils. Treelike peonies grow mostly in deciduous forests and shrubs on mountain slopes, usually on calcareous soils. Therefore, they should not be planted in clayey wetlands with a high level of groundwater. Peonies also do not tolerate excess water during floods, so plants need good drainage from sand and gravel. In China, tree peonies are often placed on raised terraces.

Planting: The best time to plant a tree peony is from mid-August to late September. For this culture, correct planting is very important, since not only the decorativeness of the bush, but also the duration of its life depends on it, because the tree peony can grow in one place for up to 100 years.

If the groundwater is below 2 m, the planting pit is prepared in the form of a cone with a depth and diameter of about 70 cm. Gravel, broken brick or sand is poured onto its bottom with a layer of 20-30 cm, 200-300 g of lime or bone meal are added on acidic soils.

Sand is added to clay soils, and clay to sandy soils. Soil is poured into the hole with a cone, a plant is placed on it and immediately poured with plenty of water so that all the roots are straightened out. Then, when the water is absorbed, the hole is covered with earth, while the root neck of the peony should be at the level of the soil. The grafted plants are planted so that the grafting site is 10-15 cm below the soil surface. After two or three years, the scion forms its own roots.

If the groundwater passes close, the plant is planted on a loose mound. A distance of at least 1.5 m is left between two specimens. The earth around the bush is not trampled.

Leaving: in the spring, before the beginning of the growing season, it is necessary to prune the bushes. Every spring, it is necessary to cut out dried shoots, and shorten the old ones to a height of 10 m. Every 20 years in China, the bush is pruned almost to the level of the soil. It is believed that this not only does not harm the plant, but, on the contrary, contributes to its rejuvenation. Renewal occurs due to adventitious buds located at the base of the shoots.

If seeds are not needed, it is recommended that after flowering, cut off the faded shoots to the upper axillary bud. After such an operation, the plant will bloom more abundantly the next year. The life span of a plant depends on whether the bush is properly formed. In China, there are 500-year-old specimens, they are carefully protected, but on average, a plant usually lives for 100 years or more.

It is advisable to regularly loosen the soil around the bush, and before flowering, apply a full set of fertilizers (potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus). In order not to burn the roots, the plant must first be watered. Do not get carried away with fertilizers, which contain a large percentage of nitrogen, as peonies become susceptible to gray rot. At the slightest sign of wilting of the stems, it is necessary to cut off and burn the damaged parts.

The tree peony is painful to transplant. Often lush and strong specimens wither after it and cannot recover for several years. When transplanting, the bush must be dug out together with a lump of earth.

The second option: the earth is washed away with a stream of water; diseased roots are cut out, and long ones are shortened; the sections are treated with a 0.1% solution of potassium permanganate and sprinkled with a mixture of crushed coal and colloidal sulfur. The bush is transplanted in its entirety or cut into two or three divisions, removing dry and damaged shoots until a living bud of renewal. In the second option, before planting in a new place, the plant is immersed with roots in a clay mash for 20-30 minutes.

Reproduction: dividing the bush, cuttings, layering and grafting.

Dividing a bush is the easiest way to reproduce. Plants aged five to six years are carefully dug up in August, freed from the ground and divided by stretching parts of the bush to the sides at the root collar. A delenka must necessarily have three to five replacement buds and roots. The wounds are treated with potassium permanganate and sprinkled with charcoal powder.

Semi-lignified cuttings are cut in the second half of June. Cuttings are cut like budding roses, that is, they take a bud with a leaf and a small piece of shoot wood. The leaf blade is halved to reduce evaporation. Cuttings are planted in boxes with a mixture of peat and sand (1: 1) to a depth of 1.5 cm. The boxes are covered with foil and constantly sprayed and watered. Rooted cuttings are transplanted into pots at the end of September and kept in a greenhouse until spring. In the spring, plants start to grow, they can be planted in a permanent place.

Reproduction by layering is carried out for two years. In the spring, well-developed shoots are chosen, carefully bend them to the ground. An incision is made from the lower side facing the soil, a small spacer is inserted into it and sprinkled with earth with a layer of 8-10 cm.

Tree peonies are also propagated by air layers before the flowers bloom. On the shoot, cuts are made and wrapped in moss, then with foil and bandaged. Roots are formed at the end of August. However, this method is not very effective.

When peonies are propagated by grafting, the roots of a herbaceous peony are used as a stock. In early August, cuttings with two buds are cut from a tree-like peony. The lower part of the cutting is cut from both sides in the form of a wedge. At the root of the stock, a cutout is made of the same shape, the scion stalk is tightly inserted into it and tied with plastic wrap. Then the resulting plants are laid horizontally in a layer of moistened sawdust and placed in a shaded place.

After a month, the rooted plants are planted in a greenhouse to such a depth that the lower peephole is 5-7 cm below the soil level. The plantings on top are mulched with sawdust to prevent drying out. Plants are planted in a permanent place after two years.

Seed propagation is difficult. They have an underdeveloped embryo and need stratification.

Usage: outstanding beauty shrub, recommended for amateur gardens, group and single plantings on lawns, forest edges with well-drained, nutritious soil.

Partners: especially good in combination with plantings of lilacs or horse chestnuts, against a dark background of conifers and deciduous species.

E. N. Vanyushina... Candidate of Sciences in Biology, Researcher at the Center for Ornamental Horticulture, N.I. M. A. Lisavenko

(Luck, September 2014)

Siberian gardens

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Peony tree planting and care

Home »Peonies» Tree peony planting and care

Tree peonies: maintenance and care

One of the most important conditions for success in growing tree peonies is proper planting. Not only the decorativeness of the plant depends on it, but also the duration of its life, and tree peonies can be called long-livers.

The best time to plant these plants is mid-August to late September. Peonies are planted at a distance of 1.5-2 m and immediately to a permanent place (after transplantation they get sick). The place is chosen far from large trees, protected from the wind and well-drained. Any garden soil is suitable, but alkaline is preferred over acidic (pH 6-7). The planting hole (in the form of a cone with a depth and diameter of about 70 cm) is prepared in 2-4 weeks. Gravel, broken brick, sand with a layer of 15-20 cm are poured onto the bottom, then rotted manure. The land mixture is prepared from humus, peat, the top layer of the earth with the addition of 300-400 g of bone meal. It is advisable to add granular fertilizer "Kemira-universal". Sand is added to clay soils, and clay is added to sandy soils. Having made a mound at the bottom of the pit, the roots are straightened on it and immediately flooded with a large amount of water. When it is absorbed, they cover it with earth. In this case, the root collar should be located at the level of the soil. They do not trample the ground.

Watering, fertilizing, pruning

The best fertilizers for peonies are bone meal, wood ash and mineral fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus and potassium and a small amount of nitrogen (its excess reduces the resistance of peonies to diseases). Fertilizers are applied two weeks before the beginning of flowering and two weeks after the end. Peonies need abundant watering in the spring if there is a lack of moisture in the soil, as well as before flowering.

For the correct formation of the bush and the extension of its life, every year in the spring, when the buds begin to awaken, you need to do anti-aging pruning, shortening the shoots to the first living bud. Weak shoots are cut at a height of 10-15 cm. In young bushes, some of the buds are removed, and dried carpels are also cut off.

Preparing for winter

Treelike peonies are sheltered for the winter. In early October, the shoots are tied (you cannot bend them to the ground - they are fragile!), The trunk circle is mulched with peat (straw, foliage, manure are undesirable, they contribute to the development of gray rot). After the onset of stable frosts, the plants are covered by constructing a "hut" from spruce branches, you can use burlap or non-woven material.In the spring, as soon as the buds appear, the shelter is removed: plants adapted to our conditions are not afraid of recurrent frosts.

Reproduction

Tree peonies are usually propagated by seeds and cuttings by breeders, these methods are rather complicated and ineffective. It is easiest for amateurs to use the division of the bush: 5-6-year-old plants are dug up, the earth is washed off from the roots, the rhizome is cut into pieces so that each of them has 2-3 shoots. Places of cuts are treated with potassium permanganate and sprinkled with crushed charcoal.

Diseases and pests

Tree peonies are relatively resistant to diseases and pests; as a rule, only weakened bushes suffer. The most dangerous is gray rot. Plants are sprayed with a solution of potassium permanganate (3 g per 10 l of water) or copper sulfate (0.6-0.7% solution), the affected stems are burned. Old bushes often suffer from root decay, and the disease spreads when they divide. It is necessary to thoroughly clean the affected areas, cover the cut sites with crushed charcoal and treat with 1% copper sulfate. To combat brown spot, diseased leaves are collected and destroyed, the plants are sprayed with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid.

Tree peony | Favorite flowers

The times when peonies were an inaccessible rarity are long gone.

Now anyone who wishes in almost any large garden center can buy a box with a beautiful picture and, for a thousand of their hard-earned rubles, try to find out what it is. tree peony .

In this article, we will tell you what needs to be done so that someday it will grow out of what a stunning photo on the package promises.

Tree peonies have become darlings of landscape fashion for a reason and deservedly so. These are the true aristocrats of the garden, combining the virtues of a flower and a shrub.

The tree-like peony surprisingly combines the pampered luxury of flowering with real power. It is, if you will, a "masculine" plant, very strong and reliable, perhaps that is why it often attracts the attention of men.

The appearance of a tree peony

Unlike herbaceous peony, the aerial part of which dies off annually, tree peony is a shrub... Its annual growth stiffens and hibernates, as it happens, for example, with a rose.

Treelike peony bushes can reach a height of 1.5-2 meters, however, this will take at least twenty years.

The foliage of the tree peony is also very decorative. and is quite different from one cultivar to another. So in plants with dark colored flowers, the leaves usually have a pronounced dark purple hue.

But, of course, the most amazing thing about this plant is its incomparable luxury of flowers... In modern varieties of tree peony, flowers reach a diameter of 25-30 cm, unlike herbaceous peony, they come in all shades of yellow, bloom somewhat earlier than early flowering varieties of herbaceous peony.

Terry varieties with an open, "golden mean", consisting of numerous stamens, pubescent with abundant pollen, are especially effective. There are forms with double and semi-double flowers, the color varies from greenish-white to purple-black, including all shades of pink, lilac, red, yellow and even blue.

Flowering lasts two to three weeks depending on the weather and usually occurs in the Moscow region for the first half of June... that is, for a while, traditionally "poor" in flowers, when the bulbous are already fading, and annuals and most perennials are only gathering strength.

Longevity and wintering of the tree peony

There is one more feature of tree peonies - their ability to longevity... A tree-like peony can live in one place without transplanting for tens of years.

In Moscow, for example, behind the Sklifosovsky Institute there is a small Botanical Garden, created in the times of Peter the Great as a pharmaceutical garden. This is a place with an interesting history.One of its pages - tree-like peonies one and a half meters in height, planted in the 19th century. Not every tree can boast such a lifespan.

But, as they say, our shortcomings are a continuation of our merits.

Tree peonies are unpretentious, disease-resistant, winter-hardy, have a large margin of vitality.

However, it should be borne in mind that they grow rather slowly and perceive transplants very painfully... These features must be taken into account both when choosing a place for them in the garden, it is desirable to determine it once and for all, and when preparing a planting pit.

It is important to make your choice in relation to winter shelter... In the wild, tree peonies grow in China, in areas with cold snowy winters and dry hot summers, so our winter does not scare them too much.

In spring, tree-like shoots that have wintered without shelter may look completely lifeless, do not rush to conclusions, wait for the onset of steady heat. A plant that was in a normal state in the fall, you will not lose in almost any winter conditions. Even if all perennial stiff shoots freeze, with the onset of steady heat new buds on the root collar will awaken and new growth will peep out of the ground.

You have not lost the peony, but there will be no flowering, and it will not be for two years. The shoots must grow, grow stiff, lay flower buds, all this takes time. The peony has a lot of it, it lives for a hundred years.

So decide for yourself what your peony should do: bloom calmly, overwintering, wrapped in spruce branches under the reliable cover of an inverted bucket or box or grow heroically, if suddenly the next winter freezes him everything that has grown in five years.

Unfortunately, it is the most spectacular modern hybrid varieties that are most vulnerable. Since the farther the path is from the wild-growing ancestors, the more beautiful the flower is, but the less resistance to unfavorable factors inherent in wild species.

Let's mention our own experience. In one of the fairly cold winters with early frosts, not a single peony froze in our garden, and almost all of them bloomed. When the frost hit -25 ° C, we covered them with cardboard boxes, that was enough for them, the roses all froze under the same conditions.

So, you have decided to plant a tree peony in your garden.

Buying a tree peony

The ideal landing unit is dormant plant with two or three stiff shoots no more than 25 cm high... that is, with unblown buds.

The buds should be large enough, most often they are dark red, glossy. You should treat them very carefully, because if they break off or do not open, your peony may bloom a couple of years later.

If you buy a peony with an open root system, be sure to ask the seller for permission to inspect the roots of the seedling. The tree peony not only grows slowly, it also dies for a long time and a hopeless seedling with a damaged, rotted or too small root system can have a completely prosperous appearance for a long time.

If the plant you have chosen has well-developed roots, they should be approximately equal in length to the crown. Do not try to buy large bushes or bushes with long shoots (we are talking about an open root system), all tree peonies painfully take root in a new place, and the larger the transplanted plant, the longer it will take to adapt.

Usually a normally developed seedling 25-30 cm high blooms in the second or third year after planting... in the first year, he often looks somewhat depressed, do not be upset, this is quite natural.

The leaves can be medium-sized and even somewhat dry, it is important that the buds in the axils and especially the upper buds of the shoots are kept alive. Next year, your pet will settle down in a new place and quickly catch up.

There is one more detail that would be good to find out when buying a tree peony - is it rooted or grafted onto the roots of a herbaceous peony .

Own-rooted plants are more resistant to adverse environmental conditions and more durable.

Planting a tree peony

For planting preferably sunny, sheltered from the wind... The latter circumstance is important, since by the beginning of June the plant already has a large leaf mass, and if the wind constantly flutters it, this can adversely affect the growth and laying of flower buds, not to mention the flowering time, when the bush is covered with huge heavy caps of flowers.

Tree peonies prefer permeable loam... but they grow on almost any soil, especially since it is imperative to prepare a planting pit for them, providing the plant with everything it needs for several decades to come.

It is best to prepare the pit in advance, at least 2-3 weeks before planting. The pit should be 60-70 cm deep, 80 × 80 cm in area... a layer of drainage sand is poured onto the bottom), with a layer of 15-20 cm, then a layer of old weathered manure.

The plant is planted in a soil mixture of the following composition: humus, peat, top layer of earth in equal parts with the addition of ash, bone meal and superphosphate 100-200 g.

After thorough mixing, you pour a part of the mixture into the pit and plant a peony on the cone obtained in the pit, carefully spreading the roots along the surface of the cone. Then pour the remaining potting mix on top. As a result, the root collar should be almost flush with the edges of the pit.

After watering and subsidence of the earth, it is possible to spud the root collar low by 3-4 cm, avoiding its contact with manure or humus.

The best time to plant tree peonies is from mid-August to mid-September... but they are usually sold in the spring.

If you bought your peony in the spring... it is best to plant it in a large pot with nutritious garden soil and put it in the garden with the onset of stable heat, when you prepare the planting hole, you can lower the pot with the peony directly into it, and in the fall, with the onset of the dormant period of the plant, gently pass it over with a lump into the prepared pit, while maintaining its orientation to the cardinal points.

With the first frosts, you should cover well the near-trunk circle of peonies with a layer of peat. Manure, shavings and straw are best avoided.

Tree peony care

Peonies do not require any special worries.

The best fertilizers for them it is ash and bone meal, manure is undesirable. It can be spread around the bushes when the snow melts.

On the snow, you can also apply mineral fertilizers - nitrogen potash and phosphorus 1: 1: 2. The second dressing can be given after flowering, preferably phosphorus-potassium fertilizers or chlorine-free Kemira fertilizer.

During the summer watered abundantly 2-3 times, this can be combined with fertilization, watering is undesirable from the beginning of August.

After flowering it is necessary not only to remove the faded bud, but also to cut it 2 buds lower, this contributes to full growth and flowering.

In our conditions, the tree peony bush is most convenient to maintain formative pruning at a height of 70-80, this allows for abundant flowering (from 30 to 50 flowers) and closes the plant in very harsh winters.

In China, they are called the flowers of emperors and are considered the embodiment of beauty. And in Japan, this plant is recognized as the flower of well-being and prosperity. It is impossible to argue with this. In all countries, these hardy miracle flowers are of great interest.

A tree peony differs from a herbaceous one in that it is a shrub. With the onset of frost, it sheds its leaves, and the stems remain overwintering above the ground. In height, tree peonies usually reach 1-1.5 m, and in the southern regions - up to 2.5 m and even higher. The flowers of these peonies are very large - up to 25-30 cm in diameter.

Simple, semi-double and double huge flowers turn the bush into an extraordinary luxurious bouquet! The color of the flowers is very different.Along with whites, pinks and reds, varieties with yellow and purple colors, as well as two- and three-colored, are often found.

The tree-like peony surprisingly combines the pampered luxury of flowering and vigorous growth.

Several dozen huge flowers of extraordinary beauty can be counted on one bush. It is a pity, but the period of lush scent of peony flowers is short-lived. However, the sight is worth seeing!

After flowering, the tree peony bush remains decorative until the end of the leaf fall, thanks to the delicate carved foliage with a slight bluish tint due to the wax coating.

Tree peony varieties

The varieties of tree peonies are divided into several groups:

Sino-European - with heavy double flowers; Japanese - with non-double or semi-double light and airy flowers; hybrids of a yellow peony and a Dela-vei peony with a semi-shrub peony.

Varieties of foreign origin supplied from China and Poland are hardly adapted to the Russian climate and rarely survive from anyone.

But it is not all that bad! In the botanical garden of Moscow State University, breeding work with tree-like peonies has been carried out for 30 years, the result of which has become domestic varieties. Marianna Sergeevna Uspenskaya obtained 17 hybrids of tree peonies, which are included in the Catalog of varieties approved for use in production in the Russian Federation. Among the most decorative varieties, Vorobyevsky, Moscow University, Hoffman, Stefan, Peter the Great, V. Tikhomirov, Tatiana, Muza, and others are widely known.

These winter-hardy Russian varieties of tree peony feel great not only in the European part of the country, but also in the Urals, and even in Siberia.

by the way... Tree peonies have a peculiarity: they grow very slowly. And it takes almost 10 years to wait for a lush flowering. You can accelerate development by grafting cuttings of a tree-like peony on the roots of a herbaceous peony.

Planting and replanting bushes

And now you have acquired this plant miracle - a tree-like peony. The tree peony culture is pretty simple. It is winter-hardy enough. Frosting of shoots of varying degrees happens often, but nevertheless, a 1 m high bush quickly recovers and blooms well. The most important thing is to immediately find the right place for it, so as not to touch it for many years. Under good conditions, bushes can grow in one place for decades. Damp areas are completely unsuitable. It is believed that the tree peony is undemanding to the soil, but loose, fertile, alkaline and well-drained are more preferable.

The best timing for planting a tree peony is early spring and autumn. The size of the planting pit is 40 x 40 x 40 cm. In addition to the garden land, compost and complex mineral fertilizers are added. If the soil on the site is heavy, clayey, then sand and gravel are added to it. All prepared components are mixed well with the top layer of soil removed during the digging of the hole, and the plant is planted. The planting depth should be such that the grafting site is 10-15 cm below the soil surface. You can huddle the planted peony higher by pouring a small mound of light, breathable earthen mixture. Over time, new roots will develop on this underground part of the scion and you will get a rooted plant. If desired, you can separate some shoots from it - layering.

All care comes down to the usual weeding, top dressing, watering in dry times. In the first year, plants generally do not bloom and look weak. If the buds are still formed, then they must be removed before blooming, so as not to weaken the plants.

These peonies need good watering. As for dressings, in spring and early summer they are very important for the normal growth of young shoots, usually ending in flower buds. At the end of summer, it is better not to fertilize, especially with nitrogen fertilizers, because this leads to a decrease in winter hardiness.

Bush pruning is carried out in early April. In fact, the tree peony does not like pruning.Only broken and old dried branches are cut out. The second time you need to prune the frozen tops of the shoots, when the buds are completely open. Just take your time, the upper, slightly frozen buds wake up late.

If you do not plan to get seeds, then remove wilted flowers regularly so as not to deplete the plant.

If necessary, so that they do not break under the weight of large flowers, the bushes are tied to supports.

In very rainy weather, it is better to treat the plant with copper-containing preparations against gray rot that affects flowers and buds.

Reproduction

Seeds varietal tree peonies form poorly, and terry, as a rule, do not produce them at all. Therefore, seed reproduction of these peonies is difficult. If the seeds are set, then interesting seedlings that differ from each other can grow from them. Freshly harvested seeds germinate for 2-3 years, and seedlings will bloom only for 5-7 years.

Cuttings tree peonies practically does not give positive results.

Graft on tree seedlings or on the roots of herbaceous peonies is the most common method of propagation of varietal forms. This is not a simple matter, only specialists can do it. In China, this breeding method is well developed and in our garden centers and shops, tree peony seedlings are often found in China.

Layering and dividing the bush you can propagate a tree peony if it is own-rooted. These methods of breeding tree peonies should be considered the simplest and most affordable.

Shelter of peonies

Purchased grafted plants must be covered in the first two to three years. Unaccustomed to our frosts, they can freeze up to the level of inoculation. You can cover the bushes with spunbond in several layers, natural burlap, cardboard, and cover it with snow on top. Before sheltering, peony branches must be tied with twine. This will protect them from breaking off with snow, since the wood of the peony is fragile and fragile.

Landscaping tips

Tree peonies, which are distinguished by their large bush size, are best planted one at a time or in small groups. It is good to place such a bush near a bench for rest in order to admire not only the flowers, but also the beauty of the cut and wonderfully colored leaves.

A beautifully formed bush can emphasize the turn of a path or path. Planted peony bushes in a row will help diversify the monotonous greenery of the ephedra used for the hedge.

Actually, the flowers of the tree peony themselves - large, double or simple, but the size of a saucer, of a wide variety of colors and shades, with and without aroma, will always surprise and delight both the owners and their guests.

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Tree peony

Description ^

The tree peony is a real giant compared to the herbaceous relative. Its branches are lignified, grow both in width and in height up to 2 m.

The trunks of the deciduous shrub are covered with light brown tender wood. Leaves are attached to them with the help of long stalks. Each leaf consists of several lobes, shaped like a flame of fire with three tongues.

Flowering begins in mid-May and lasts only 2 weeks. But what a bloom! The number of blooming flowers is amazing - sometimes a whole hundred inflorescences 20-25 cm in size open on such a shrub!

Terry and semi-double bowls of petals show off a variety of shades. There are white, pink, burgundy, lilac, red, even yellow colors.

Happy news! The tree-like relative of the peony has taken root well in Russia. But in regions with particularly cold and snowy winters, shelter will be required. To do this, tie the shoots together, wrap them or cover them with spruce branches in the form of a hut.

The know-it-alls of flower business, breeders, have bred more than 500 varieties of lushflowers. Here are the varieties that are especially loved by true connoisseurs of peonies:

"Sisters Kiao" with flowers that look like roses, they seem to be lined into 2 halves - pink and burgundy. Lemon yellow "Hai-Nun" is like a scoop of ice cream, and you just want to eat it! The flower head of the "Celestial Gold" variety resembles a bowl of sparkling champagne! The Jade Princess is like a terry cloud framed by a chain of cream petals. The variety "Green beans" is just something extraordinary! The white fringe of the petals is remembered for the green stains. The burgundy luxury of the Emperor's Treasures is like a natural kiss from the past of kings. The densely doubled variety “Golden Petals” is the sweetest for bees with its fluffy yellow skirt and bright orange piping.

Perhaps the photographs of the tree peony varieties that we have selected will help you make your choice. Which color do you like best?

There are several peculiarities in planting a tree peony.

It will be extremely difficult to grow it from seeds. Sometimes you have to wait a couple of years for seedlings. It is best to purchase sprouts from gardening professionals.

It can be planted from mid-August to late September or in spring, as soon as the snow melts, because its roots develop well in the cold.

Prepare a deep hole with a layer of drainage. Pour a mound of fertile soil at the bottom. Place the seedling on top and spread the roots into a mound. Carefully fill the hole with water and fill it up. You cannot trample the soil around the plant, you can damage the fragile roots!

Another little trick!

Often purchased seedlings are obtained by grafting a tree peony onto a herbaceous root. Then, when planting such plants, the connection point must necessarily go 10-15 cm underground. This will make it possible for the scion to develop its own root system.

The tree peony will bloom gorgeous in fertile soils.

This species is very fond of mineral fertilizers, which can be used, for example, wood ash. Complex fertilizer is also suitable! But in order not to burn the delicate roots of the plant with it, first thoroughly water the ground at the base and only then add the nutrient composition.

Anti-aging pruning is required in April. Start by taking a close look at the branches. Find the top glossy buds and cut off the ends 1-2 cm above this point.

It happens that in the spring only dry, lifeless branches remain in place of the bush. Don't rush to dig them up! As soon as the sun warms the soil, new shoots will appear in the place of last year's bush!

There is one more cool feature! Sometimes a new plant doesn't want to grow in any way. I beg you, give him time to get used to it! Do not transplant it or diligently fill it with fertilizers. Usually, the next spring, a lush green bush grows out of such a taciturn!

Finally, we note that the tree peony loves partial shade. This does not mean that it will not grow well in the sun. It's just that varieties with purple, burgundy and red flowers can fade and lose their attractiveness. Try to grow a tree-like miracle on your site, because it is impossible to assess its beauty from photographs.

Read also:

Peonies planting and care

Peony planting in spring

We present the rules for planting and caring for a tree peony in the open field: location, soil, distance, depth and planting hole. We consider leaving in spring, summer and autumn: flowering, feeding, watering and pruning. We will separately dwell on the preparation for winter and shelter of the peony.

Own-rooted and grafted tree peonies: is there a difference?

Own-rooted peonies

Dignity. Long life expectancy from several decades to several centuries (usually bloom profusely for at least 25-30 years). High resilience and resistance to frost and disease. Free reproduction by dividing the rhizome.

Inconvenience. Conventionally, disadvantages can be called: slow growth and development of the plant in the first five years, therefore it blooms later - in the 4th-6th year. At this age, the bushes are usually 60-70 cm in height.

Grafted peonies

Advantages. Fast growth (20-40 cm per season) and flowering (1-3rd year).

Inconvenience. Shorter lifespan. They cannot be propagated by dividing the bush and must be immediately planted in a permanent place - they do not tolerate transplanting well.

At the same time, the grafted peonies often form shoots near the bush, which can be dug up and planted. Otherwise, it must be removed in order for the flower to develop better.

How to tell?

A seedling of a self-rooted peony has many long and thin roots (thickness - 6-9 mm), they are lighter. The grafted flower has roots from a herbaceous peony (cylindrical succulent rhizome) of greater thickness (3-5 cm) and darker.

Japanese grafted tree peony seedlings

Advice

Some growers, in order not to wait for the flowering of their own rooted tree-like peony, plant two types of seedlings. It turns out that the grafted specimen blooms quickly and brings joy, and the self-rooted one gradually grows and becomes a symbol of the family for many years.

Planting a tree peony: location, soil, distance and depth

LANDING AREA

Experts advise to immediately choose a permanent place with optimal factors for the development and flowering of a tree peony. It should be well lit in the morning and evening, and during the day it is better to have a little shade, since the midday heat reduces the flowering time.

• Therefore, it is better to plant on the east side so that there is maximum amount of light in the morning. Protection from strong winds and drafts is also necessary, frequent gusts of wind worsen the laying of flower buds.

Cannot be planted in low-lying areas, in an area with high groundwater levels or prone to waterlogging. Even 1-2 days of water with melting snow or heavy rain lead to negative consequences. If this is likely to happen, plant on high ridges and make gutters.

LANDING DISTANCE

The distance between the peonies is 1.3-1.8 m, other small plants can grow between them. The distance to the nearest large bushes and buildings is at least 2 meters, and to trees - 3 meters. The roots of shrubs and trees will deplete the soil, and the walls of buildings will heat up in summer.

GROUND FOR LANDING

Tree peonies are not selective, but they prefer loamy soil with high moisture and air permeability.

Heavy soils should be diluted with sand and humus, fresh manure should be avoided. Sandy loam soils need to be improved by adding clay and compost, but still the flowers are less decorative and age faster.

The worst is peaty soil due to its high acidity, therefore more wood ash and additionally slaked lime are added.

The optimum acidity level is pH 6.1-6.8. Excessive acidity must be reduced.

We recommend reading: «SOIL ACIDITY: HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND REDUCE?».

How to plant a tree peony correctly? Instructions

1. Landing pit. It is cone-shaped, width - 70-75, and depth - 65-81 cm. It is better to dig a hole 18-35 days before planting.
2. Drainage. It is recommended to make a 16-19 cm drainage layer of gravel, broken brick or sand at the bottom of the planting pit.
3. Soil mix. Put rotted manure on top of the drain. The soil mixture is prepared in equal parts from earth (top layer), peat and humus + add 140-210 g of superphosphate and 310-390 g of bone meal or wood ash. If the soil is clay, then you also need to add 7-9 kg of river sand, and 1-1.5 buckets of clay into the sandy soil.
4. Planting depth. The root collar is placed in the soil so that the renewal buds are at the level of the soil surface. The grafted specimens are planted so that the grafting site is 9-14 cm below the soil surface.

   Adjusting the planting depth of the peony

5. Landing. The components are mixed and poured into the pit. The roots are spread on the seedling for maximum contact with the soil, and they are planted on the resulting cone. The root collar should not touch humus to prevent fungal diseases. After planting, pour water over the hole, and then fill up with ordinary earth, no more than 3-4 cm on top of the renewal buds.

• If the pH is below 6.5, add 100 grams of hydrated lime to the top dressing layer, and if it is below 6.0, add 200 grams per bush.

Planting a tree peony in spring or autumn: when is it necessary?

According to scientific experts, the most favorable time for planting a tree peony is from August 20 to September 30 (Middle lane, Moscow region). Moreover, September 15-25 is considered the best period, according to Chinese masters - the autumn solstice + - 1 day.

Seedlings with closed root system (closed root system) can be planted in spring and even summer. Still, it is better to dig a peony in a pot bought in spring in partial shade until August - September, so that it adapts better. Then you transfer (always with a lump of earth) to a permanent place and make a shelter for the winter.

Peony transshipment into the ground

But seedlings without a pot (OCS) are best planted only at the indicated favorable time or, in extreme cases, in early spring.

Why is it better to plant tree peonies in the fall than in the spring?

It is better to store seedlings from spring to autumn dug in on the site not because of fears of their death.

But because planting in the spring will take away from them the nutrients intended for the growth of shoots and flowering, which are accumulated in the storage rhizome. Because of this, the flower will not develop suction roots and will not make up for losses.

As a result, a lot of time will be spent on recuperation for the next flowering. And planting a seedling in a container creates favorable conditions for it. Low temperature prolongs the dormant period, it is easier to protect it from drying out and waterlogging, as well as from frost and drafts.

How to save a seedling before planting in August or September?

Often seedlings with an open root system are brought in massively from China at the end of winter. In this case, plant a cut in a 3-4 liter pot, put it in a cool and dark place (cellar, basement) and slightly moisten the soil (without waterlogging (!)) So that the flower remains at rest for as long as possible.

After the start of the growth of the shoots, transfer the pot to the windowsill and water as little as possible. In May - June, place in the garden in a quiet and shady place. And in August or September, plant it in a permanent place.

Tree peony care after planting

The first spring is a key time in the life of a flower. From May to mid-June is the most favorable period for feeding.

1. Pour a solution with a complex mineral fertilizer (for example, "Kemira Spring - Summer") + nitrogen (ammonium nitrate 40-50 g) into a circular hole to accelerate the formation of the root system and intensive vegetation.
2. In the first growing season, foliar feeding is more effective. Sprinkle the bush three times: 1. After the shoots start growing - 30-40 grams of urea / 5 liters of water. 2. After 14-19 days, 30-40 grams of urea (carbamide) and a tablet with microelements / 5 liters of water. 3. After 2-3 weeks, two tablets / 5 liters of water.
3. If there is no rain, then water every 2-3 days for the first 15-19 days after planting. In the future, water the bush during drought is better less often, but abundantly: 11-16 liters per bush. Loosen the soil the next day to provide oxygen to the roots.
4. Preparing for winter 1-2. In mid-October, the seedlings must be covered with a 11-14 cm layer of peat and covered with a bucket. Using straw, foliage or manure is not recommended. In the spring, the mulch is harvested, and the next fall, they are covered again.

What year will the tree peony bloom after planting?

A grafted seedling with normal development usually blooms in the 2-3rd year, and self-rooted in the 4th-6th year.

First bloom

In a tree peony, there is no need to rush to pick the first flower (not like in herbaceous species). If he was able to form a flower bud and bloomed, it means that he developed the root system sufficiently.

It is necessary to cut the first flower after full flowering, i.e. as soon as it is fully revealed.

If the bush has two sprouts and buds, then wait until the stage of the colored bud. Then gently remove (pinch) the top bud or pierce its base with a needle. Then it will dry out, and the plant will not waste nutrients.

If the bud is cut off before this stage, the growth point located at the top of the shoot will be damaged, which is fraught with stopping its growth.

• At the first flowering, the flower often does not coincide with the declared characteristics of the variety. All varietal features usually appear during the third flowering, especially in densely double flowers and with an unusual petal shape.

Tree peony: care in spring, summer and autumn (feeding, watering)

WHEN TO OPEN A TREE PEONY IN SPRING?

You can remove the winter shelter after the snow has completely melted, at a time when crocuses begin to bloom. Approximate terms for the Moscow region: late March - early April.

Spring pruning of peony

Before the beginning of the growing season (March - April), it is recommended to prune for a beautiful formation and extension of the life of the bush. To do this, cut the shoots at the level of the first growth bud from the top, and shorten the weak ones by 9-12 cm above the ground.

Attention! If found, do not cut off the frozen shoots and wait until the end of May. If the flower does not recover, then cut them to the first living bud, then it will begin to grow again.

Pruning a tree peony in spring

Top dressing and fertilizers: subtleties and order

The best food for tree peony: wood ash, bone meal and mineral fertilizers with a high concentration of potassium and phosphorus, and a low concentration of nitrogen. It is convenient to fertilize together with watering.

Autumn is the best time for organic fertilization. The bush can be overlaid with compost (rotted manure) - 3-5 kg, and then dig up the soil 11-14 cm deep. Fresh manure is categorically not advised to use; from contact with it, the roots are affected by rot.

1. Preventive. After the snow melts, water the soil around the peony with potassium permanganate (2-3 grams per five liters of water - one bush) to prevent diseases.
2. Nitrogen-potassium for growth. As soon as the snow has melted, it is better to apply nitrogen and potash fertilizers - 1: 1. Spread 16-21 grams of nitrogen (ammonium nitrate - 40-60 grams) and potassium (potassium salt - 16-21 grams) on the ground at a distance of 16-21 cm from the rhizome.
   You can replace 40-60 grams of nitrophoska or take something like Kemir Spring / Summer. Then dig 9-11 cm deep and cover with a thin layer of compost. Together with water after rain or watering, substances will get to the roots.
3. Potash phosphoric for powerful flowering. At the beginning of budding (12-16 days before flowering), liquid feeding is carried out with potash (40-50 g) and phosphorus fertilizers (20-30 g) - 2: 1.
   Potassium and phosphorus will provide abundant flowering. Additionally, you can water 10 liters of mullein infusion (only bushes over five years old) or dissolve mineral fertilizers in it.
4. Bloom. During the flowering of the peony or after it, after 3-5 days, repeat the potassium-phosphorus feeding.

• An overabundance of nutrients should be avoided and the measure of feeding should be observed.
• To improve nitrogen metabolism, it is advisable to carry out foliar feeding (spraying) with boric acid - 1 gram per 500 g of water every 15-20 days until flowering.

Watering a tree peony

Obligatory watering: 13-16 days before flowering (15-25 liters) and 13-16 days after flowering. Do not allow the soil to dry out in July - August (it is often dry and hot), and the plant starts buds of renewal and needs water. Watering is stopped at the end of August.

In general, it is best to water sparingly but abundantly. Usually, 2-4 waterings per summer are obtained with sufficient rainfall. Be sure to loosen the soil after watering (rain) so that there is no crust and maximum oxygen flows to the roots.

Hole around the bush for watering and fertilizing

Summer: flowering, post-flowering peony care and pruning

Bloom

Treelike peonies bloom in late May - early June (Middle lane, Moscow region). First non-double, after 3-5 days - terry, and later for 1-2 weeks yellow-flowered semi-shrubs. Medium varieties bloom in mid-June, and late varieties from the end of the month to early July.

The flowering period is 11-16 days, a little less in hot weather, and more in cool weather.

BOUQUET CUTTING RULES

• Cut no more than half of the flowers to make it easier for the peony to recover.
• When cutting a flower, at least 2-3 leaves should remain on the remaining shoot on the bush.
• Advice. For fuller flowers, cut off 25-30% of the resulting buds at the "pea" stage.

SUPPORT

For varieties with large flowers, support the flower with reinforcement or stakes with a wire ring. Now there are special bush holders on sale, for example:

Ready support for peonies

Post-flowering care: pruning

After flowering, the stem is trimmed two buds below the faded bud. And also weeds are regularly pulled out. Watering and fertilizing according to the recommendations in these sections.

Pruning a tree peony after flowering

Tree peony: care in the fall and preparation for winter

Autumn care of a tree peony is reduced to digging a trunk circle (60-80 cm in diameter) at a depth of 10-13 cm.On top, you can remove the top layer and pour sand into which small-bulbous flowers (anemone, kandyk, crocus, muscari, scrub, scilla). They bloom in early spring and decorate the wintering site with their flowers.

Transplant and reproduction

Read about transplanting a tree peony in the fall and reproduction in a separate material at the end of the page.

Preparation for winter: is it necessary or not?

In the Moscow region and throughout the European part of the CIS, tree peonies normally hibernate without shelter in a quiet and wind-protected place. Although in winter the earth can freeze over a meter in depth, and the temperature can drop below -30 degrees.

• In the open area: Middle lane, Moscow region, North-West, Ural and Siberia better cover them for the winter "just in case of fire."
• But young (1-2 years old) tree peonies must be covered for the winter. To do this, it is enough to pour an 11-14 cm layer of peat around the bush and cover with a bucket.

Do I need to prune a tree peony in the fall for the winter?

Experts do not recommend pruning tree varieties in the fall. It is better to spend it in the spring. More details in the chapter - "Cropping".

Shelter for the winter tree peony

1. It is imperative to tie the bush with a ribbon, tourniquet or rope in mid to late October, but not tightly and neatly so that the branches do not freeze to the snow and break off in the spring.
2. After the onset of stable subzero temperatures (November), cover the bush with spruce branches, white (!) Burlap, agrofibre or lutrasil (leave gaps for air at the bottom).
   Instead of a spruce tree hut, a tree-like peony is often covered with a cardboard box, plastic boxes or a barrel for the winter. If the branches rest against the bottom, it is better to cut them off a little, since they will freeze and still have to be cut in the spring.
   Shelter with burlap allows you to preserve peonies in winter and often more often serves as protection not from frost, but from hares and birds - so as not to damage the kidneys.

• To increase the frost resistance of the flower due to better ripening of the shoots, you can cut off the leaves by 2/3 of the length at the end of September.
• Even if the buds of the bush, which had bloomed for 2-3 years before that, are frozen, do not worry. At the end of May, cut off such shoots to the first living bud, and then they will easily grow back.

Pruning tree peonies: bush formation and rejuvenation

In general, the flowers are distinguished by good pruning tolerance and rapid growth of new shoots. When pruning a bush, you need to understand that it will bloom on last year's shoots.

Bush formation

To form a bush, it is advised to cut woody shoots at a height of 70-90 cm. It is this height that contributes to the excellent development and flowering of the tree peony in our climate, and also makes it easier to shelter for the winter. Although the shrub itself can grow up to 2-2.5 meters in the European part of the CIS.

Rejuvenation

To rejuvenate the flower and awaken the adventitious buds, it is recommended to cut the stems of the treelike peony every 10-20 years to the upper axillary point (3-4 cm from ground level).This procedure promotes more lush flowering and prolongs the life of the plant, up to a hundred years or more.

Diseases and pests

Tree peonies are very resistant plants, including pests and diseases. The greatest danger is gray rot, and the best remedy is prevention.

If damaged, treat the plants with a fungicide. For example, potassium permanganate - 3 grams per 10 liters of water or copper sulfate - 60-70 grams per 10 liters of water.

For prophylaxis, be sure to spray the flowers in the spring (mass regrowth of shoots), before and after flowering with a fungicide.

For example, copper sulfate (40 g per 10 liters of water or 4 g per m2), iodine solution (1 ml per 400 ml), potassium permanganate (1 g per 4 l) or onion husk infusion (pour 100 g of 5 liters of water and leave for 24 hours ).

Read more in the article: HOW TO FIGHT MEALY DEW? Section - funds and preparations.

What is the best seedling to choose?

It is best if the tree peony seedling has 2-3 lignified shoots with unblown, rather large dark red glossy buds (dormant state) 18-25 cm in height.

• The high cost of seedlings is explained by the fact that when dividing a bush, few divisions are obtained (2-5).

Most of them are brought from nurseries in China, Japan and Poland. Many experts believe that foreign planting material is less prepared for our climate and recommend buying seedlings of Russian varieties.

Russian tree peonies are highly winter-hardy and thrive in the Moscow region, the North-West, the Urals and Siberia.

However, there are more chances to buy them from residents of Moscow and the Moscow region, since many of them are grown in the Botanical Garden at Moscow University. Much credit for this belongs to Marianna Sergeevna Uspenskaya.

• Be sure to study the characteristics of the variety: winter hardiness, survival in your climate and external signs (height, flowering time, flower features - terry, shade and diameter).

TIPS

1. If the buds of a delenka with an open root system (without a pot) have already blossomed, then its quality is much reduced.
2. When buying a seedling without a pot, be sure to inspect the root system so that there are as few rotted or broken roots as possible. And their length should ideally be equal to the height of the seedling.
3. The larger the seedling, the longer it will take root in a new place.
4. If at the base of the lignified shoot is a cylindrical succulent rhizome, then it is a scion of a tree-like peony on a herbaceous rootstock. (See reproduction by vaccinations).

Important! Damage to the buds during transport or planting results in a 1-2 year delay in flowering.

An interesting fact for residents and guests of Moscow

In the capital of Russia, the oldest botanical garden, founded in 1706 by Peter I, is known as the Pharmaceutical Garden. So tree peonies were planted in it back in the 19th century, and they still bloom there. They are now about 140-160 cm tall.

Near the botanical garden (metro station Prospekt Mira) there are many greenhouses with exotic and rare plants open to the public. There is also a website and an Instagram profile, where you can find out the time and cost of excursions. In addition, a plant shop is open from mid-April until late autumn.

ADDITIONS TO THE ARTICLE:

1. TRANSPORTATION AND REPRODUCTION OF THE TREE PION - WHAT IS BETTER?

2. CORRECT LANDING OF PIONES IN SPRING AND AUTUMN - OVERVIEW!

3. TRANSFERRING THE PIONE TO ANOTHER PLACE - SUBSTANCE AND TILT!

4. CARE AND GROWING OF PIONES TO FLOWER!

5. REPRODUCTION OF HERBAL PIONES - ALL WAYS!

6. SPECIES AND BEST VARIETIES OF PIONE - PHOTOS AND NAMES!

7. ARE BLUE AND BLUE PIONES ALSO AVAILABLE?

Afterword

In this guide to planting and caring for tree-like peonies, many of the recommendations are consistent with the article from the Appendix "Household economy" from the magazine "Selskaya Nov". The author of the article is M.S.Uspenskaya, the issue was signed for publication on 23.10.1991. And also the book "Peonies" from Marianna Sergeevna.

Marianna Sergeevna Uspenskaya is familiar to every person who is interested in peonies. This is a real guru and a man-legend, candidate of biological sciences (1982), senior researcher (1967) of the Botanical Garden at Moscow State University and the author of many varieties.

By the way, on the Internet, 95% of the information about the agricultural technology of tree peonies is the processing of the works of Marianna Sergeevna. However, most of them resemble the game "broken phone" and contain conflicting information. Our editorial office keeps the original of this issue of the journal and the book, i.e. we studied the original source.

Finally, a video with the participation of the legendary Marianna Sergeevna and her live advice.

We wish your flowers to be healthy and bloom profusely every year!