The peony family includes many interesting plants. The tree peony has long been appreciated by experts. This semi-shrub plant grows in a wide variety of forms, which number more than 480 varieties and hybrids. It first appeared in China, where many varieties of this plant were bred at one time. But gradually Japanese flower growers joined this business.
At the end of the 18th century, the tree peony became so popular in Europe that it was actively started cultivate for saleas well as for home use. Growing a tree peony has now become even easier. To do this, you just need to purchase a seedling. However, it is not always the right decision to buy it in garden centers, since they are not offered there so often, and if they come across, they are very expensive.
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Description of the tree peony
A photo of this shrub does not give an idea of its features, so they need to be given special attention.
Under natural conditions, peonies grow in the form of a deciduous shrub with a height of 1.5-2 meters, in which light brown erect thick shoots are formed. Over time, the shoots gain mass, due to which it becomes hemispherical... In an adult state, the peony has openwork feathery leaves. The flowers of the plant that adorn the ends of the shoots are large enough, reaching a diameter of 13-22 cm. Each variety is unique, which manifests itself in a variety of colors and shapes.
Therefore, today you can find plants of a very different shade - yellow, raspberry, white or pink. They can also differ in their structure: flowers can be double, semi-double and simple. There are also species with bicolor flowers. The older the tree peony becomes, the more flowers are formed on its shoots. It enters the flowering stage 2 weeks earlier, in contrast to the herbaceous peony, and is also frost-resistant.
Growing a tree peony
This plant does not create much hassle in its care, so you can grow it at home without even having special skills. The main thing is exactly comply with the rules of agricultural cultivation:
the best time to plant a tree peony is late summer or early autumn. First you need to decide on a site for planting. It is best to choose places located on a hill, well-lit by the sun, away from trees and other objects that can create a shadow harmful to the shrub;- the tree-like peony grows and blooms best on loamy soils. It can also be grown on sandy soil, but in this case it will be necessary to improve the quality of the soil, for which clay, sod, peat and humus soil are added to it. You can also improve the quality of clay soil by adding organic matter and sand to it;
- Choosing the right planting site as well as the quality of the soil is key to success in growing a tree peony. If you follow all the necessary recommendations, then this will ensure good growth, development and longevity of the plant. In this regard, an important fact can be mentioned: it is possible to grow a tree-like peony in one place without transplanting for 100 years;
- some preparation will have to be done if the tree peony is planted in an area with a low groundwater table. To do this, it is necessary to increase the depth and diameter of the pit to 70 cm. A drainage layer is required, for the creation of which the bottom of the pit is filled with crushed brick, gravel or coarse sand with a layer of 30 cm;
- the tree-like peony feels worst of all on acidic soil. They solve this problem by adding lime to the soil, which allows it to restore to the optimal level of acidity. Add 300 gr. To the pit. substances, and a layer of soil is poured on top, and a plant is already planted on it. During planting, it is necessary to give the roots of the tree peony a natural shape and be sure to water. When the moisture is absorbed, a layer of soil is poured on top to align the root collar with the surface. For group plantings, plants must be placed at least 2 meters apart.
Watering
In relation to this plant, the same measures are carried out as in the case of the herbaceous peony. Agricultural cultivation provides regular watering, loosening the soil and controlling weeds. It is enough to water the tree peony at least twice a month. One plant must consume at least 7-8 liters of water.
In summer, the frequency of watering is increased. In early August, the need for moisture in the tree-like peony decreases, therefore watering is carried out not so often and gradually begins to reduce them. You need to loosen the soil every one to two days after watering, when the top layer dries up. During loosening, the depth of penetration should be no more than 5 cm.After each loosening, the soil is covered with a layer of humus.
Top dressing
Proper care of a tree peony involves regular fertilization... The highest requirement of this plant for potassium and nitrogen. It is necessary to carry out fertilizing with nitrogen-containing preparations in early spring, when the tree peony begins to grow. Subsequently, fertilizers are changed to phosphorus-potassium, which the plant needs from the moment the buds are set and until the end of the growing season.
During the flowering period, it is necessary to apply fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium, as well as preparations containing nitrogen. However, you must be very careful with the last element, because if it is excessively concentrated in the soil, it willrinesset not benefit, but harm plant. This is dangerous because it can cause gray rot. In order to avoid such unpleasant phenomena, it is necessary to adhere to the rule: it is better to underfeed than overfeed. It is also important to protect the root system from burns. For this, top dressing should be carried out only after thorough watering of the soil.
Pruning
Pruning is also included in the list of mandatory measures that provide for the care of a tree peony. It must be carried out in the first weeks of spring before the beginning of the growing season. During this procedure, all dried and damaged branches are to be removed. Old shoots must be cut 10 cm.
In China, local florists practice anti-aging pruning with a frequency of once every 10 years. Its essence boils down to cutting off the shoots almost to the base. As a result of this operation, the process of formation of new kidneys is started. To prepare the tree-like peony for abundant flowering for the next season, it is necessary to cut the shoots to the upper bud. It is not recommended to neglect pruning, since the full development and life cycle of the plant depends on this operation.
Transfer
When caring for tree peonies, do not forget that they need regular transplantation. However, during this operation, you need to be very careful, because it is very injures plants... For many peonies, transplanting is so stressful that upon completion they get sick and cannot recover for two to three years.
- during transplantation, you need to try to do everything as carefully as possible so as not to injure the root system. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the bush together with a lump of earth, and the excess soil is removed under running water;
- before transplanting, it is imperative to inspect the root system - if rotten and damaged roots are found, they must be removed;
- the places of the cuts must be covered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, dried and applied with a small amount of coal powder.
Reproduction
To breed a tree peony, you can use one of the following methods:
- division of the rhizome;
- propagation by cuttings;
- reproduction by layering.
There are also such growers who practice the grafting method.
Rhizome division
When a tree peony is propagated in this way, it is necessary, after digging up the bush, to divide it into parts, each of which should have several buds. The resulting cuttings must be placed in a clay solution for half an hour, and only after that they can be transplanted into the soil. This method provides the best chances of survival, provided that copies aged 5 years... It is recommended to plant them at the end of August. Subsequently, the same care measures are taken as for adult plants.
Propagation by cuttings
It is recommended to breed tree peonies in this way in the middle of summer. For this, a healthy bush is selected, from which semi-lignified shoots are cut off, having one bud and leaf. Before the cutting is sent to the ground, the leaf it has must be cut in half. A composition prepared from peat and sand is used as a planting soil mixture. Cuttings are immersed in it by 2 cm.
Rooting can be accelerated if the cuttings are in a container under a film or transparent glass, which provides a greenhouse effect inside... At this stage of propagation by cuttings, it is necessary to carry out regular airing and watering. In such conditions, they are grown for 2.5 months, and then transplanted into individual containers in which they are kept in greenhouse conditions until spring. At the first signs of growth of a tree peony, you can look for a place for transplanting into open ground.
Reproduction by layering
Immediately you need to prepare for the fact that growing tree peony seedlings in this way will take a lot of time and effort. Typically, this event takes at least two years.
Layers are harvested in spring, using healthy and strong branches as planting material. Each must be cut towards the ground. Any existing growth preparation must be applied to the incision sites. Very important carefully commit a branch, for this you need to insert a peg into the cut. Further, the layering is added dropwise, filling the place with earth with a layer of 10 cm. In the future, care for the layering is reduced to regular watering. When the branches take root, in early autumn a suitable day is chosen and the seedling is separated from the mother bush, after which a permanent place is sought for it.
Experienced gardeners often practice the heel-breeding method of peonies. But when using it, the number of established seedlings is extremely small. He received the greatest distribution in those cases when it is required to reproduce many flowers. However, this method has proven its worth in home floriculture.
The essence of the method is to graft the plant on the root system of the herbaceous peony.This is done using cuttings of a tree peony, in which multiple kidneys must be present... First, you need to prepare the shoots in a special way: their lower part must be sharpened, inserted into the incision, which was previously made on the root of the herbaceous peony. Further, the area where the cuttings are connected to each other must be wrapped in polyethylene.
After finishing grafting, the plants must be placed in a container filled with sawdust and placed in partial shade. It usually takes 1 month for rooting. At this moment, the shoots are transplanted into one container, while the lower bud should be destroyed into the ground by 5-6 cm. For planting, it is imperative to ensure the greenhouse effect. When using the grafting method for reproduction of the tree peony, you have to wait about 1.5-2 years for it to start growing.
Conclusion
The tree peony is one of the most common ornamental plants. It is no coincidence that this plant is grown in gardens, because it has a pleasant appearance. However, maintaining the beauty of this plant is not so easy, since it pretty moody flowerrequiring the fulfillment of certain requirements. Therefore, you first need to get acquainted with them in order to have an idea of the difficulties the grower will have to face.
