Thin-leaved peony (Paeonia tenuifolia) - planting and care in the open field
Content:
- Thin-leaved peony (Paeonia tenuifolia) - what kind of plant
- Varieties that are very popular with gardeners
- Growing a flower, how to plant it in open ground
- Planting with seeds (for breeding)
- Plant care
- Preventive treatment and protection of the plant
- A period of activity and rest
- Transplanting an adult bush
- Preparing for winter
- Diseases, pests and ways to control them
Thin-leaved peony - a species from the Red Book of Russia. In the steppe and rocky regions of the North Caucasus, Krasnodar Territory, the Balkans, in the Crimea, a wild peony with double red flowers is found in its natural habitat. The view differs from the usual peony with carved thin leaves, similar to dill or pine needles.
Thin-leaved peony (Paeonia tenuifolia) - what kind of plant
This flower, rare in domestic gardens, deserves close attention and wide distribution.
Brief description and characteristics:
- Perennial.
- The height of the bush is 40-50 cm.
- Flowering is one-time.
- Flower diameter up to 7-9 cm.
In natural habitat
- The color of the outer petals is bright red, crimson, dark cherry with a satin sheen. Anthers are yellow, threads are purple. A wild species has 10-12 petals arranged in one to three rows, a double form (Rubra Plena) is found.
- The smell is subtle, pleasant.
- Very early flowering (late May-early June).
- Frost-resistant, can grow in climatic zones 2-8 (up to minus 45 degrees).
Other names
In different regions and among local residents, there are other names for this plant:
- narrow-leaved peony,
- peony holly,
- fern-leaved peony,
- black peony,
Peony fruits
- Voronet,
- Funnel (according to the color of the seeds),
- Zelenika,
- Red lazoric,
- Azure flower,
- Fringed peony.
Advantages and disadvantages of the view
The species is distinguished by very bright flowers and decorative foliage. Blooms at the same time as tulips, after flowering retains decorative effect. Unpretentious and almost never sick. Greenery can be used to decorate bouquets. In one place it grows up to 15 years.
Poisonous, attracts ants and aphids. Loses its attractiveness in the second half of summer. Blooms only for 4-5 years.
Use in landscape design
The species is used both on monocultural beds and as part of large rock gardens, among stones, against the background of talus, in mixborders. Interesting for creating steppe areas, where it can be combined with cereals, flax, saxifrage and wormwood.
Varieties that are very popular with gardeners
There are few varieties of peony of this species due to its exoticism, but besides the official ones, breeders can find different forms of a wild plant, differing in flowers and leaves from each other.
- Eaglet
Dark red flowers with 6-9 petals in one row and dissected small foliage, pleasant smell. The bush is up to 0.6 m high.
- Tiny Tim
Very early variety with semi-double flowers, regular bush.
- Rubra plena
Terry peony, small-leaved variety, one of the most decorative and popular.
Terry variety Rebra Plena
- Earley Scout (Early Scout)
Dark green small leaves, cherry flowers.
- Merry Mayshine
Simple flower 13 cm in diameter, dark red with golden stamens, petals more than 6 cm wide. Erect strong stems, dark green long-lasting foliage. Good for cutting. The aroma is weak.
- Terry thin-leaved
Basically, this description refers to Rubra Plena, but double and semi-double forms are also found in the narrow-leaved field peony.
- Others
There are descriptions of yellow, pink and white inflorescences, semi-double and double forms of a thin-leaved peony. The dwarf Little Rhyme, tall bright pink Rose Garland, dark cherry with almost black buds Chocolate Soldier and many others deserve the attention of gardeners.
Growing a flower, how to plant it in open ground
The species reproduces by seeds, dividing the bush or root cuttings, stem cuttings, layering.
Planting by root cuttings
The peony should have at least 2-3 buds on the root collar, the root length should be at least 15 cm.
Small rhizomes with 1-2 buds, if they have at least one root, can also be planted. They are quite viable and root well with a slight delay in the development of the bush.
What time is the boarding
Transplanting, planting and dividing the peony bush is done from mid-August to mid-September. At this time, the growth of overgrowing small roots occurs, due to which the bush is nourished.
Partial rooting of plantings, intensively continuing immediately after thawing of the soil in spring, contributes to a faster onset of peony flowering. At other times, it is necessary to ensure the safety not only of the roots, but also of the shoots.
Location selection
Peonies reach their maximum development at 4–5 years of age and, with good agricultural technology, bloom profusely for another 8–12 years. The plant loves lighted places and reacts to strong darkening with a decrease in the abundance of flowering and paler flowers. A place is chosen taking into account the absence of roots of shrubs, trees and nearby groundwater.
The ideal place is well-lit, with openwork partial shade during the day, away from buildings and large trees, protected from the wind.
How to prepare the soil for planting
The fleshy perennial roots of peonies with a large supply of nutrients for the normal development of plants require fertile well-cultivated soils and planting places with a depth and diameter of cultivation comparable to the size of the bush and its root system.
The groundwater level should be no higher than 1 meter. The peculiarity of the narrow-leaved peony is that rocky, moderately humid and slightly arid places are permissible.
Growing peonies requires a well-drained soil with good water and air permeability. Drainage from bricks, stones is laid at the bottom of the seats, you can add rusty iron.
On heavy clay soils, sand is added to the pit, on sandy loam and sandy clay. Rotted manure or compost is added to the mixture, per one well, depending on the volume, 100-200 grams of superphosphate, 100-150 grams of potassium sulfate and dolomite flour, lime or ash in acidic soil. Fertilizer dosage is best specified in the instructions. The soil is compacted a little.
The upper part of the pit (15-25 cm) is filled with ordinary fertile soil without fertilizers, and the plant is planted in this layer.
Preparing a seedling for planting
Delenka is examined, damaged and rotten roots are removed, cuts and broken off parts of the root are powdered with ash, charcoal, a means to stimulate growth. Large roots are cut to 1/3 of the length.
Peony planting procedure step by step:
- Choose a place.
- Prepare the planting hole by arranging a drainage layer, fill it with soil and fertilizers. Make a hole.
- Prepare peony seedlings (cuttings, young bush).
- Set the level by marking it with a stretched rope or board
- Place the seedling in the prepared hole, checking the depth of the buds. Large roots are placed in the pit without bending in order to avoid breaking them. The growth points of the seedling should be at a depth of 3-4 cm. After the soil subsides, the seedling settles by 1.5–2 centimeters.
- Cover the hole with fertile soil.
- With your hands, gently squeeze the soil, tamping it around the roots.
- Spill abundantly with water at the rate of 1-2 buckets per plant. If necessary, add more soil if it sags.
- Mulch with compost, straw, peat, chopped bark.
- For late plantings, provide shelter for the seedling.
Delenka-sapling
Planting with seeds (for breeding)
The peony fruit is a star-shaped multileaf, each of which contains several large shiny seeds of black or brown color, from which the species got its name "Voronets".
The time for collecting the planting material is when the fruit bursts and the seeds that are not yet dark are visible through the half-open valves. If you plan to grow seeds in a garden bed, you need to get them out of the boxes, mulch with wet sand, bark, light soil and refrigerate before planting, not forgetting to control the moisture of the sand all the time.
In the open field, it is enough to sow the seeds in a prepared place in shallow grooves. Sprouts appear in the second year.
For faster germination of peony seeds, three periods are needed - warm-cold-warm.
- In the first warm period, sprinkle the seeds with sand, sprinkle with warm water. Place in a mini greenhouse. It is necessary to maintain the temperature from +16 to +25 degrees, ventilate and moisten the sand until roots 1-2 cm long appear.
- In the cold phase, plants that have developed roots should be planted in peat soil. The temperature should be +6 .. + 10 degrees. Watch out for humidity (it should be about 10%) and for the absence of sudden changes in temperature. The cold phase lasts 3-4 months, daily ventilation is necessary.
- In the second warm phase, growing peony sprouts is no different from growing other plants.
Plant care
The species is unpretentious, the plants will grow almost without care. But adherence to simple rules will allow them to be more lush, bloom earlier and more abundantly.
Young plant
Watering and feeding
In the first two to three years after planting, additional feeding is not needed, the plants receive a sufficient amount of nutrition from the planting mixture.
Young plants actively consume moisture at the end of June - July, when growth buds are formed and formed. It is better to water the plants only under the roots.
Watering frequency in the absence of rain - once a week, consumption per plant 10-15 liters of water. Watering, if desired, continues to be decorative until the end of August. The raven belongs to a species with a pronounced period of summer dormancy, therefore, with a lack of moisture, the bush will quickly lose its color after flowering.
In the following years, the plants are fed with organic and mineral fertilizers immediately after the awakening of the plants. After feeding, the plants are watered abundantly, when the soil dries up, they loosen and mulch.
Mulching and loosening
The peony develops well on light, loose soils, therefore, after watering, you need to loosen the soil around the bush. The ground can also be mulched with straw, hay, chopped bark, you can use cut paper or cardboard.
Preventive treatment and protection of the plant
In the planting pit and at the base of the stems, the soil is sprinkled with ash, the plant, if necessary, is treated with fungicides.
Protection from aphids and ants is necessary, and in the period before flowering - from the May beetle.
A period of activity and rest
The growing season of peony is from May to October. The presence of powerful rhizomes with food reserves allows the species to be used for forcing, but in this case it is necessary to provide a large space for the bush and active supplementary lighting.
Peonies during flowering
The peony blooms in mid-May - early June, after which the color of the foliage deteriorates, the plant leaves during the summer dormancy, but with continued watering, the bush retains its beauty.
Care during and after flowering
It is not recommended to cut off all flowering shoots, as this will greatly weaken the peony, and it will bloom much weaker next summer. After flowering, you can remove the inflorescences along with part of the stem. Removing the entire stem is not recommended.
If you cut off too many stems, they will have time to regrow and even discard the buds.
Peony does not bloom - possible reasons what to do
The main problems due to which the peony does not bloom:
- the seedling is planted too deep;
- the buds are frozen due to a harsh winter or insufficient plant cover;
- the seedling is weak, planted in poor condition or transplanted several times;
- the bush has aged - in this case, it is required to divide the bush;
- unfortunate place, full shade or a bush is flooded with water;
- the plant is sick or damaged by pests.
Transplanting an adult bush
It is advisable not to do a transplant of a healthy bush without visible problems at all. But if necessary, the bush is transplanted in the spring or in August-September with a lump of earth or the transplant is combined with the division and reproduction of the bush.
For a non-traumatic plant transplant, an annular ditch of the largest possible diameter is dug (at least 10-15 centimeters from the projection of the crown), the bush is gently lifted from several sides onto shovels or a sheet of metal is started up under it with the help of a tunnel and an annular ditch (a snow shovel is suitable), which the plant is transported to a new location. Planting is done according to the same rules as an ordinary seedling.
Preparing for winter
After wilting, shoots are cut at ground level as low as possible. Do not tighten with pruning, in this case, rotting of the root system is possible.
Bushes mulch for the winter, the thickness of the layer depends on the climate and the state of the bush. Young bushes planted this year are best protected with additional covering material or spruce branches. For shelter, it is best to use humus, bark. In the spring, the mulch is removed.
Diseases, pests and ways to control them
The wild peony of this species is almost not affected by diseases and pests. But some owners have reported problems like this:
- Rust. Spots appear on leaves and shoots. They need to be collected and burned, spray the plant with 1% Bordeaux liquid.
- Because of their attractiveness to ants, they are susceptible to aphid attacks. In this case, insecticides are used.
- In May, shoots and buds can be damaged by the May beetle and return frosts.
The peony of this species is decorative, unpretentious and is able to decorate the collection of a professional breeder and a flower garden of a novice gardener. The once popular, forgotten and newly returned to nursery plant with exquisite flowers and unusual foliage deserves close attention.
