Milk-flowered peony: description, varieties and cultivation

Herbaceous perennial - peony - today can be seen in almost every household plot. He is loved for his beauty and unpretentiousness. The flowers of the deciduous perennial are so beautiful and fragrant that in ancient times BC in China, they were allowed to grow only in the gardens of the emperor. Later, in the 18th century, the plant came to England, from where it began to spread very quickly throughout Europe and further around the world.

Today we will talk about the peony lacto-flowered. This variety of peonies got its name because the wild forms of this perennial bloomed with white or pale cream flowers. The milk-flowered peony was taken as the basis for breeding, and now we can enjoy the reds, pinks, burgundy and other combinations of color shades of these beautiful flowers.

Modern science classifies the plant as belonging to the Peony genus, but an earlier botanical description contains information about the peonies being assigned to the Buttercup family. The root system of a deciduous flowering perennial is well developed, the roots grow into the soil up to 1 meter, they have small thickenings. If the root encounters an obstacle in its path, it begins to grow in width. Stem processes are erect, each of them has leaves and a peduncle.

The leaves of the peony are pinnately-divided, the leaf lobes are wide or narrow. The flower is single, has a corolla and a calyx with sepals. The diameter of a blossoming flower is 14-22 cm. There may be 5-10 petals on one flower. Flowering begins in late May - June, seeds are formed by September.

Many excellent varieties have been bred on the basis of the milk-flowered peony. The most beautiful varieties will be discussed further.

• "The charm". It blooms in May, the bush grows up to 1 meter, during flowering flowers with semi-double petals are formed. The aroma is light, unobtrusive. The plant is resistant to subzero winter temperatures. The color of the flower can be white-pink, pink.

• "Kansas". When flowering, caps of a rich burgundy color are formed. In its beauty and aroma, this peony can compete with a rose. The bush grows up to 1 meter, the flowers have double petals, the diameter of the inflorescences is up to 20 cm. "Kansas" blooms in late May or early June. It can withstand frosts up to 28-30 degrees.

• "Duchesse de nemours". Blooms in June, white flowers with multiple double petals, inflorescences up to 16 cm in diameter. The bush grows up to 1 meter, resistant to frost up to 18-20 degrees, not susceptible to gray rot. When blooming, the smell of inflorescences resembles the scent of lily of the valley flowers.

• Sorbet. Bred in Holland, inflorescences exude a sweet aroma during flowering, bloom in June. Flowers with a diameter of 18–20 cm have several tiers of double petals with pink and yellowish cream color. They retain their decorative effect until the end of the entire flowering period. The perennial grows up to 1 meter, the leaves are bright green, by autumn the foliage acquires a bright burgundy color.

• Sarah Bernard. Recipient of an award from the Royal Horticultural Society. This variety can be pink, pearl white, light cherry, cream flowers, which reach 15–20 cm in diameter. Flowering begins in mid-July. Petals of double or semi-double type, multiple. The bush is compact - from 80 to 90 cm.

• Red Double. It blooms in May - June, the color of the flowers is saturated bright scarlet, inflorescences with a diameter of 16-18 cm. The bush is compact - no more than 75 cm. The contrast of dark green foliage and bright scarlet inflorescences makes this variety one of the most expressive among peonies.

• Primavere. His flowers have an unusual structure: in the center are collected double petals with a yellowish color, and at the edges they are bordered by petals of a larger size, of a normal structure and white color. The bush grows up to 1 meter, the plant is frost-resistant, capable of growing in one place for a long time without transplanting.

• Shirley Temple. Blooms in early May. Inflorescences up to 20 cm in diameter, snow-white in color, the structure of the petals is notched. The plant is able to withstand frost up to -40 degrees. The peony is very rarely exposed to diseases and pests. It can grow in one place for more than 10 years and does not need transplants.

• Pink Supreme. It grows up to 80–90 cm. The flowers are semi-double, up to 12 cm in diameter. The color of the petals is dark pink, the aroma is weak. The plant tolerates Russian winters well with sharp temperature changes.

• Karl Rosenfeld. Breeders bred it in China, and this plant began to be considered the property of the country. A herbaceous shrub resistant to frost, grows up to 100 cm. Inflorescences up to 18–20 cm in diameter, the color of the petals is violet-pink. The petals have a notched structure and bend in a chaotic manner in waves. The variety blooms in mid-June.

• Top breaststroke. Tall perennial, from 1 to 1.2 meters. On erect stems there are dense leathery leaves of a dark green color. The flowers are similar to a ball 15–20 cm in diameter, have a pale pink color. Blooms in late June and blooms for up to 20 days. Peony is resistant to frost down to -40 degrees and is rarely exposed to diseases.

• Moning Kiss. It grows up to 100 cm, flowers 12-15 cm in diameter can be double, semi-double or simple in structure. The color of the petals is white-pink, pink, red, yellowish-cream. The aroma is weak during flowering.

• Henry Bokstos. Hybrid variety with double inflorescences. The flowers are large - up to 22 cm in diameter, the color of the petals is rich pomegranate. The petals are wavy-curved, fit tightly to each other. Stem shoots are not prone to branching. The plant tolerates the cut of peduncles well. Even if you cut off 1/3 of the bush, this will not negatively affect its well-being.

• "Felix Kruss". A breeding variety developed in France in the 18th century. The color of the flowers is bright, cherry-red, the diameter of the inflorescences is 15–17 cm. The tips of the petals have a light border. Flowering begins in June. The bush grows up to 80–90 cm and does not need regular replanting.

• Gold Mine. A light yellow, red, pink or white flower, with a bright pronounced aroma, terry. The bush is compact - from 70 to 80 cm, flowering begins in the second half of summer. The plant propagates well by cuttings.

• "Nippon Beauty". It grows up to 90 cm, blooms in the second or third decade of June, the inflorescences consist of large dark purple petals, and inside the flower are collected staminodes - petal-like formations of a yellow-pink hue. The variety tolerates rainy weather well and is disease resistant.

• Guy wager. Perennial up to 1 meter high with erect peduncles and large inflorescences, consisting of dark pink outer petals and cream petals-petalodia. The size of the flower is 15–20 cm, the flowering is abundant and begins at the end of May.

• "Big Ben". The bush reaches a height of 1 meter, the stems are erect, the flowers are single, large. By structure, flowers can be simple, double, semi-double with pink, creamy white, red color. Blooms in early summer, abundant flowering, long-lasting.

• Doo tell. A perennial with a pleasant aroma of flowers, the structure of the inflorescences resembles an anemone shape, the color is from pale pink to rich cherry.In the process of flowering, the petals turn pale, but do not crumble for up to 2 weeks. There are very few side buds of this variety - no more than 3-5 pieces.

• Salmon Glory. It grows up to 85 cm, the flower resembles a hemisphere, consists of wavy white-pink petals. The diameter of the inflorescences is 18–20 cm. Early flowering, at the end of May, abundant and long. The variety has increased frost resistance.

Over the past century, breeders have managed to breed amazingly beautiful peony varieties that are adapted to temperature extremes and resistant to diseases.

Planting peony tubers in open ground is carried out in the first months of autumn. Theoretically, the plant can be planted in the spring, but the autumn season contributes to better adaptation of the plant to a new place. The place for this perennial should be well lit. For planting, it is necessary to prepare a hole 70x70 cm, where the drainage from broken brick, turf and river sand is first laid, and then a nutritious soil substrate is poured, consisting of peat, humus and a mixture of universal complex fertilizer.

Before planting, the hole is spilled with water and the soil is allowed to shrink for two weeks. Peony rhizomes are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate before planting. The tubers are buried in the soil so that the dormant buds are covered with soil by 4–6 cm. After planting, the hole is watered.

Growing peonies is fun and easy. There are even flower growers who grow peonies at home. Caring for these perennials consists of proper watering, feeding and pruning old or damaged shoots.

If the weather is rainy and cloudy, then watering the peony is not required. In the heat, the bushes are watered once every 8-10 days. It is important to observe the watering regime in May and June, when the flower-bearing buds are being laid. By the end of July and in August, the plant forms new buds - at this time, watering is also important.

An adult peony needs 20-30 liters of water. It should be poured not under the bush itself, but along the periphery, since the plant has a well-developed peripheral root system. Evening watering is most favorable when moisture does not evaporate, but is completely absorbed by the roots in the soil. After each watering or rain, the peony needs to loosen the soil so that the roots are enriched with oxygen.

The first 2 years after planting, peonies do not need feeding. In the third year, fertilization must be applied 4 times during the warm season.

The first feeding is applied with the appearance of sprouts from dormant buds in the spring. In 10 liters, dissolve 1 spoon of ammonium nitrate and add 10 liters of such a solution under each bush.

The second feeding is carried out when the buds appear. To do this, mix half a spoonful of ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and a slightly smaller amount of potassium salt. Dry fertilizers are scattered under each bush.

The third dressing is the same as the second, but it is applied with flowering inflorescences.

The fourth dressing is applied when the plant has completely finished flowering. Pour half a spoonful of superphosphate and a little less potassium salt under the bush.

The lactic-flowered peony can be grown not only from tubers, but also from seeds - they are harvested at maturity by September. Immediately after harvesting, while the seed coat has not hardened, you need to start planting them. For this, a place is prepared: the earth is dug up, fertilized and spilled with water. The seeds are buried 3-5 cm, and the distance between plantings is 20 cm. In the fall, the planting site is covered with mulch so that the seeds do not freeze. The layer of mulch should be at least 10 cm, and if you have a region with severe winters, then the crops can also be covered with spruce branches.

Peonies rarely get sick, and this happens due to improper care.

• Rust - due to the defeat of fungal spores, rusty spots appear on the leaves. The disease can be transmitted to other plants by spores carried by the wind.The diseased parts of the plant are cut off and burned, the bush is treated with a solution of Bordeaux liquid.

• Gray rot - the trunk and leaves of the bush are affected by gray mold. The disease progresses in cool and damp weather. The affected areas are removed, the bush is treated with a solution of any fungicide.

• Powdery mildew - white bloom is visible on the leaves. The disease is not dangerous, treatment of the bush with a solution of laundry soap and soda ash will help to cope. Treatment with Figon helps very well.

• Mosaic - the leaves have lightened areas, turning into a necrotic state. The disease is not treated, the plant is removed from the flower garden.

• Lemoine's disease - flowering stops, the shoots become smaller, swellings are found on the roots. There is no treatment, the plant is removed from the flower garden.

• Leaf spot - the bush is affected by a fungus, as a result of which brown-brown spots are visible on the leaves. The plant is not cured.

Besides diseases, peonies can suffer from insect pests. Most often these are ants, aphids, nematodes, thrips, fine worms. To combat these insects, the damaged parts of the plant are removed and repeatedly treated with an insecticide solution. As preventive measures, regular weeding is used, timely watering and thinning of the bush.

See below for more details.