|
Plush peonies
burst into bloom in my garden after a week of
warm sun in late spring, a soft cloud of intermingled
pinks, reds and whites of various shades. Their
sweet fragrance is released as they nod in the
breeze.
Peonies were my first introduction to perennial
gardening. In spring they appeared in the yard
of the house I had recently bought and produced
beautiful, lush blossoms without any help on my
part.
Once peonies
are established, they become carefree mainstays
of the garden for years.
Herbaceous peonies are old-fashioned favorites
of Asian origin. Incredibly long-lived, peonies
may flourish for fifty years or more under the
right conditions. They grow into tidy, shrub-like
shapes up to three or four feet tall, with glossy
green foliage that’s attractive all year
long.
The foliage dies back to the ground in winter
and emerges again in early spring, looking somewhat
like asparagus spears when they emerge from the
ground.
Silky, fragrant flowers unfurl during late spring
in shades of pink, white, red, or yellow. The
blossoms sit atop long, sturdy stems that are
ideal for cutting, and each may reach up to ten
inches across.
Traditional peonies
are fully double with ruffled petals, but single
and semi-double varieties with their own simple
charm are also available. The large blossoms can
become top-heavy and may need staking to prevent
them from flopping over onto the ground.
Whether in full bloom or not, peonies remain
attractive until frost, sometimes turning gold
or orange to herald autumn’s approach.
Tips On Care
Start with tubers or divisions made in early fall.
Peonies
need deep, rich, well-drained soil with generous
amounts of organic matter added. If the soil is
highly acid, add lime to raise the pH to about
7.0, which is neutral.
A location in full sun is required for good blooming,
although in hot summer climates, late afternoon
shade is an advantage. Provide shelter if you
can from strong wind that will knock over the
top-heavy blossoms. Space plants two to three
feet apart in masses, or three to four feet apart
when used as specimen plants.
Clumps expand gradually and can be left alone
for years, although they may be divided to increase
your plantings. To divide peonies, lift plants
in early fall and separate the fleshy roots into
segments with a sharp knife. Each segment should
have three to five eyes.
Replant them with eyes facing up and from one
to two inches below the soil surface. Deeper planting
reduces or prevents blooming. This is perhaps
the only touchy thing about peonies.
Water peonies adequately during dry spells, giving
them at least one inch of water every week. Feed
annually in spring with a balanced fertilizer,
but avoid manure or other fast-acting nitrogen
fertilizers. Balanced, slow-release organic fertilizers
are ideal.
Several fungal diseases can cause problems for
peonies. With Botrytis blight, flower buds turn
brown and don’t open. Foliage and stems become
brown-spotted. A fungus called “peony wilt”
causes leaves to turn brown and unsightly, but
rarely kills the plants. To control this fungus,
cut out diseased shoots below ground level.
The best control against disease is good sanitation.
Remove diseased parts during the growing season.
Cut plants back to the ground in fall and destroy
diseased foliage. In spring, spray with a fungicide
to prevent fungus during bloom formation.
One of the most delightful things about peonies
is that you can enjoy bouquets year-round by drying
the blossoms.
Cut stems while flowers are at or just under
their peak; once petals begin recurving backwards,
it’s too late and they’ll fall apart
after drying. Rubber band the stems into small
bunches — a half dozen or so — and hang
them upside down in a dark closet.
It takes about a week in arid climates for the
blossoms to become fully dry. In humid climates
it will take longer; look for an airy, dry space,
such as an attic or dark shed, to hang the blossoms.
Petal colors fade as peonies
dry, so choose dark colors to dry and mix with
the paler ones, and perhaps add a sprig of baby’s
breath, to make an attractive dried bouquet, one
that will remind you of spring all year long.
The peony (Paeonia) is the sole genus in the
flowering plant family Paeoniaceae. Most are herbaceous
perennials 0.5-1.5m tall, but some are woody shrubs
up to 2-3m tall. They produce large, often fragrant
flowers in shades of red to white or yellow in
late spring and early summer. They are native
to Asia, southern Europe and western North America.
Species of peony include:
Herbaceous species (about 30 species)
Paeonia anomala
Paeonia broteri
Paeonia brownii (Brown's Peony)
Paeonia californica (California Peony)
Paeonia cambessedesii
Paeonia clusii
Paeonia coriacea
Paeonia emodi
Paeonia intermedia
Paeonia japonica (Japanese Peony; synonym Paeonia
obovata)
Paeonia kesrouanensis (Syrian Peony)
Paeonia lactiflora (Chinese Peony)
Paeonia macrophylla
Paeonia mairei
Paeonia mascula (Balkan Peony)
Paeonia mlokosewitschii
Paeonia obovata
Paeonia officinalis (European Peony)
Paeonia parnassica (Greek Peony)
Paeonia peregrina
Paeonia rhodia
Paeonia sterniana
Paeonia tenuifolia
Paeonia veitchii (Veitch's Peony)
Woody species (about 10 species)
Paeonia decomposita
Paeonia delavayi (Delavay's Tree Peony)
Paeonia jishanensis (Jishan Peony; syn. Paeonia
spontanea)
Paeonia ludlowii (Ludlow's Tree Peony)
Paeonia ostii (Osti's Peony)
Paeonia potaninii
Paeonia qiui (Qiu's Peony)
Paeonia rockii (Rock's Peony)
Paeonia suffruticosa (Suffruticosa Peony; probably
of hybrid origin)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Paeoniaceae
Genus: Paeonia
|
