Tree peonyis a very decorative shrub, blooming brilliantly from the second half of spring to the beginning of summer. The plant is valued for its beautiful, large flowers in various colors and decorative leaves. As a slow-growing shrub that grows small, it is suitable for small gardens. Despite these advantages,the cultivation of tree peoniesis not widespread in Poland. Meet the most interestingvarieties of tree peonies , recommended for planting in our climate, and if you want to increase the collection of these plants, we will tell you how toreproduce tree peoniesin your own backyard.
Tree peony - Paeonia suffruticosa
Tree peony - varieties
Tree peony(Paeonia suffruticosa), also known as shrub peony, was discovered in China and Tibet, but has not been found naturally in these areas for a long time. In its homeland, this shrub was up to 2 meters high. In Poland, the height usually does not exceed 1 meter. Japan and China over the centuries succeeded in growingnumerous varieties of tree peony , and in Europe they gained popularity in the second half of the 19th century, especially in France.
Tree peony blooms from late May to early JuneThe flowers of the species are pale pink in color, approx. 15 cm in diameter.Varieties of tree peonies can have flowerssingle, semi-double or full, in various colors: from white, pink, through salmon, red, carmine to purple and yellow.Unfortunately, there are not many of them on the market in Poland, probably due to the incomplete frost resistance of these plants.
Here is3 the most recommended and most beautiful varieties of tree peony , available in our country:
- Tree peony 'Blanche de His'- has pink flowers that turn white as they fade,
- Tree peony 'Rock's Variety'- an interesting variety with stately, white flowers whose petal base has a large purple blotch,
- Tree peony 'Reine Elisabeth'- early flowering variety, flowers are full of salmon-pink, blooms very profusely, grows up to 1.5 m in height.
Tree peony - cultivation
Tree peony can be plantedsingly or in larger groups, as it is considered a star among garden shrubs.
Growing a tree peony requiresdeeply cultivated, humus-rich, fertile, permeable, alkaline soil. The site should be sunny, but a tree peony will also tolerate partial shade. However, it may bloom less in partial shade.
Tree peony - Paeonia suffruticosa
We start the cultivation of tree peony withplanting newly bought plants in September, when the soil is still warm. Remember to choose the planting place carefully, because the tree peony does not like to be transplanted. Plants are planted in such a way that the shoots are covered with soil (about 10-12 cm deeper than they grew in the pot). After planting, cover the soil with a mound of peat or compost, or use leaves and twigs for this purpose.
In the following years, it is not necessary to cover the tree peonystrongly , and the care consists in regular watering and spring fertilization. After the flowers have faded, they should be removed quickly so that the plant does not waste too much energy producing seeds. The bush does not require special, regular pruning. Dead twigs can be removed in the spring.
Tree peony - Paeonia suffruticosa
Tree peony - reproduction
Tree peony reproduction can be done in several ways.We can use seeds that have previously been stratified. However, it is a time-consuming method because the first emergence is often obtained after 2-3 years, and the plants do not repeat the characteristics of the mother plant.
Anotherway to reproduce tree peonies is by graftingon rootstocks of a medicinal or Chinese peony. We perform the treatment from September to the end of winter. The inoculated slips are planted in pots so that the grafting site is about 5-8 cm underground. In this way, the scion will be able to form its own roots. Place the prepared plants in a bright and cool greenhouse or an inspection room.
Tree peonies can also be propagated by means of stem cuttingsShoots for cuttings are cut at the end of July from strong, semi-woody stems of the mother shrub.Remember that the taken momentum should have two nodes. Then the lower part of the shoot is dipped in the rooting agent and planted in a pot filled with a light substrate mixed with sand.
If we have a large, overgrown specimen of a tree peony in the garden, it is worthto multiply it by dividing the root ball . This is one of the easiest ways to propagate a tree peony and at the same time rejuvenate an older bush. We perform the treatment in September.
Katarzyna Marcinkowska
