Peonies have always been one of the most spectacular decorations of a garden or summer cottage. Their delicate fragrance spreads in space, creating an atmosphere of tenderness and comfort. One of the rare species is purple peony. Representatives of plants with such flowers are found among both tree-like and herbaceous varieties. Features of peonies with purple petals, care for them and features of growing will be discussed later.
general description
Purple peonies (photo below) are found among all varieties of this plant.
They can be shrubby, semi-shrubby (called treelike), as well as grassy. There are a huge number of decorative varieties that look gorgeous.
Peony bush can grow in height from 1 m and above. The rhizome is large enough. On it you can see the cone-shaped large roots. Several shoots grow from one root.
The leaves on the bush can be painted in a variety of colors of green, bluish and even dark purple. Flowers are single and always very large. The diameter of the inflorescences is from 15 to 20 cm. Moreover, they look spectacular both on the shrub itself and in a cut form. A bouquet of purple peonies is often made up for a wedding or other special occasion. In a cut form, peonies are able to bring a touch of freshness and a unique style to the interior.
The character of the peonies is absolutely unthinking. The plant does not require much attention in the growing process. Even after flowering has ended, shrubs with dense foliage of saturated color are the decoration of the site. For several decades, peonies can be grown in the same place.
To choose a plant that will best suit your preference, it is worth considering the species diversity. Today, thanks to the work of breeders, more than 5 thousand varieties of peonies have been bred. Plants were born due to the crossing of mainly two varieties - milk and medicinal. Each variety differs in size, color and structure of inflorescences. Also, plants differ in the period and duration of flowering, height, shape of the bush.
Varietal variety of grassy peonies
Purple peonies (photo below), although rare, are found almost among representatives of all varieties of this plant.
Herbaceous species are represented by the following varieties of the presented type:
- Bowl Of Beauty. The shape of the inflorescence, reaching a diameter of 20 cm, is Japanese. It blooms with lilac-pink buds. In the center, the petals are light yellow.
- Anastasia Terry variety whose inflorescences look luxurious against a background of green foliage. This peony blooms late, so it is more suitable for warm regions. The bud has a pink and purple hue. The petals are painted at the ends in a light gray shade. The length of the stem on which the bud opens reaches 90 cm.
- Alexandr Duma. This is a grassy violet peony of a bomb-like variety. Inflorescences are painted in a bright, saturated pink-lilac color. Petals reach 13 cm in length. This is an old variety that was bred in the 19th century. It was cultivated in France. Peony blossoms late and emits a strong sweet aroma during this period.
- Bellville A late flowering variety that emits a faint, pleasant aroma during buds. The shape of the inflorescences is anemic. Petals are painted in a purple-violet light tone.
- Purple Ocean. The buds have a crown shape and have a lilac hue. The variety is frost-resistant, can bloom up to 3 weeks. During flowering, inflorescences up to 16 cm in diameter emit an incredibly pleasant aroma.
- Monsieur Jules Em. This is an early variety that has more than a century of history. Inflorescences are terry type bomb-shaped. Petals are painted in lilac pink light shades. The aroma of buds reaching a diameter of 20 cm is strong and very pleasant.
- Black Crown. These are probably the most violet peonies of all herbaceous varieties. The petals of the buds, whose diameter is 17 cm, are shiny, painted in a dark purple hue. The variety is frost-resistant, well cultivated in a temperate climate. If the region is cold, you need to cover the plant for the winter.
- Sarah Bernhardt. This is an early variety known in our country. Hue ranges from lilac to pink. The petals are large, in a range of up to 16 cm. The buds stand out effectively against the background of dark leaves.
- Imperial Crown. The inflorescences are very large, reaching a diameter of 25 cm. They have a spherical shape. Bloom for about 2 weeks or even longer depending on weather conditions.
Varietal variety of tree peonies
Tree-shaped purple peony (photo below) refers to a variety of pink varieties.
These are hybrid varieties that were bred in China many centuries ago. In this country, more than 500 varieties of tree-like shrubs are now cultivated.
In Japan, new varieties are also being introduced, since in this country a similar occupation is considered almost a national tradition. In Europe, this variety of peonies was first introduced in the 18th century. Since then, tree-shaped peonies have become very popular in the Western world.
Among the varieties of the represented group popular in our country are:
- Purple lotus. A tree-like peony, whose inflorescences are very large. They reach a diameter of 25 cm. Anemoid-type buds are painted in dark purple shades. The aroma during flowering is strong. The first flowers that appear on the plant are similar in shape to a lotus and have a velvet texture. The bush grows up to 1.2 m high.
- Duck Black Ash. The variety is quite ancient. The scope of the petals of chic buds reaches 14 cm. The inflorescences have a crown shape. Their color is purple-pink. Early flowering, which allows you to grow a variety in a temperate climate.
- Sapphire. Blooms in June. This is a tree-like shrub, the diameter of the inflorescences of which reaches 18 cm. The plant is medium-sized, reaches a height of 120 cm. Up to 50 buds of a simple form bloom on one bush. Their petals are silky-lilac, toward the center they turn scarlet.
- Blue sapphire. Chinese group of shrubs. The hue of the petals of the buds is blue-pink. May have a violet color. The diameter of the buds reaches 16 cm. They appear on the bush in mid-June.
Varieties of purple peonies practically do not differ in the requirements for care and cultivation. Therefore, the rules applicable to other varieties of this plant will be relevant for purple and lilac varieties.
Peony care features reviews
According to reviews, varieties of purple peonies are as unpretentious in care as their counterparts in other shades. To grow a healthy, beautiful plant, you need to pay very little attention to this plant.
In the autumn period, planting is most often carried out, as well as a plant transplant. If such a procedure is not required, the usual pruning of dry, yellow leaves, shoots is carried out. All trimmed parts of the plant need to be burned, this will reduce the risk of spreading pests and pathogens on the site.
After pruning, the bushes are sprinkled with wood ash in the fall. On one plant you need to spend 2-3 handfuls.
To grow purple peonies in your garden for a bridal bouquet or other special occasion, you will need to perform several simple procedures. If the plant was sheltered for the winter, you need to remove the flooring. Next, you must adhere to the established recommendations.
In general, peonies are not watered very often. However, during the period of intensive growth that occurs in early spring, the plant needs a lot of moisture. In addition, more water is needed for peonies during the setting of buds, as well as their flowering. In August and September, new kidneys are laid. Therefore, during this period, the number of irrigations is also increased.
On average, one bush will require from 20 to 30 liters of water. Moisture penetrates the soil and must go to the depth that the roots reach. After watering, the soil is loosened and weeds must be removed, if any. Water is poured under the very root. It should not fall on the leaves. Otherwise, they can rot, increasing the likelihood of various infections.
Top dressing
Light or dark purple peonies can be planted nearby. This creates an interesting decorative effect. In bouquets they are also combined. Sometimes white buds are added to such buds.
In order for the flowers to be large and look spectacular on the bushes, a wedding bouquet, purple peonies need to be properly fed. In early spring, when the snow melts, near the bushes, the soil must be watered with a disinfectant. To prepare it, take a bucket of water. 2 g of potassium permanganate is poured into it. One bucket is enough to disinfect around two bushes.
When the period of intensive growth begins, peonies will need to be fed with ammonium nitrate. In a bucket of water you will need to dissolve 15 g of the product. From mid-May, peonies need to be watered with mineral fertilizer. The dosage is selected in accordance with the instructions of the manufacturer of the composition. Such top dressing will need to be done once a month.
The nutrient solution can be supplemented with ordinary washing powder, which will require a tablespoon per bucket. Watering such a composition of leaves, you can ensure that the bait will remain partially on them, and not drain completely into the ground. The procedure is performed in the evening or on a day when the sun does not shine brightly. Otherwise, the plant will get burns.
During flowering and bud formation, it will be necessary to add a solution of ammonium nitrate (seven and a half grams), potassium salt (five grams) and superphosphate (ten grams). The listed substances are added to a bucket of water. Also during this period, you can alternately feed peonies with organic and mineral fertilizers. They are introduced into a previously prepared furrow around the bush. After this, the fertilizer is watered with water. Burrow the furrow again.
When the flowering is over, peonies need only timely watering. Once the flowering process is over, the soil will need to be loosened and fertilized on time. Weeds need to be removed.
Bush separation
A bouquet of purple peonies looks impressive. To grow these flowers does not require much effort. If for some reason the bush does not want to develop correctly, bloom, you can transplant it to a more suitable place. In other cases, this is not required. Peony usually feels good in one place.
If the transplant is carried out in order to propagate the plant, you need to dig a bush, divide it into several separate parts. Then they are transplanted to the appropriate place. Only those peonies that are at least 4 years old are suitable for propagation in this way. The plant must bloom at least 2 times.
The older the peony bush, the thicker the root is, the harder it will be to divide into several parts. The transplant is carried out in September. This is true for both the tree-shaped purple peony and the grassy one.
The bush is neatly dug. From the rhizome it is necessary to retreat 25 cm. After that, you need to gently loosen the bush. To do this, use a pitchfork. The bush is pulled out of the ground. The earth is removed from the roots. To do this, wash them in water under a not very strong stream of water. Otherwise, you can injure the kidneys. Almost to the root, the green part is cut off. The root is left in the open to dry out.
If the shoots are very long and thick, you need to cut them. Their length should be 10-15 cm. The cut is done at an angle of 45º. A stake is driven into the middle of the bush with a hammer. So it turns out to divide the rhizome into several parts. Often, old bushes in the center of the root system have cavities and voids. They need to be cleaned, treated with a disinfectant solution (potassium permanganate).
Slicing sites are treated with fungicides. Each separated part should have 3-4 separate eyes and a part of the root neck. There should be several roots. Each part of the old bush should be approximately the same size. Too large rhizomes are sick for a long time, and small ones can die quickly.
Transfer
Purple peony flowers can be transplanted with a whole bush or divided into parts rhizomes. When the plants are planted in the wells prepared for them, the bushes are sprinkled with earth. The soil surface is mulched with a layer of at least 7 cm. This layer will need to be removed in the spring. At this time, young sprouts of red color will appear on the surface.
Within 2 years, the transplanted plant will tirelessly form roots. Therefore, blooming should not be allowed at this time. All buds tied to the bush will need to be removed immediately. Flowering takes a lot of power from the bush, because of which it can die. In the second year, only 1 bud is left on the branches. When it blooms, it is cut as short as possible.
This procedure will allow you to evaluate the appearance of the flower, how much it corresponds to the variety. If the buds do not have characteristic features, in the third year they are also completely cut. This is done until the plant can produce inflorescences of the corresponding shape and color.
Violet peony sometimes takes a long time until after transplanting it will be possible to produce buds of the corresponding color. This can happen in the third or sixth year.
Landing Recommendations
Peony purple tree or grassy need to be properly planted in the ground. When choosing the site where the flower will grow, you need to take into account that the length of the roots reaches at least 70 cm. Therefore, after the plant is more than 5 years old, replanting it to a new place will be extremely problematic.
Peonies grow well in well-lit areas. The bush grows well if during the day it receives direct sunlight for at least 5 hours, and preferably before lunch. The plant categorically does not tolerate drafts. Therefore, you need to choose protected areas for planting.
Do not plant bushes in the lowlands. Here the moisture may stagnate. Because of this, the roots can rot. It is best to choose loamy soil for planting peonies. It should have an acidity of 6-6.5 pH. Sand and humus are added to too clayey, dense soil. Sand, wood ash and organic fertilizers are added to peat soil.
Seed propagation
Purple peony can be propagated not only by dividing the bush, but also by seeds. It is worth noting that often this method does not allow you to save species features. This method is most often used by breeders.
The disadvantage of propagating peonies by seeds is the long period that passes from the moment of the appearance of the first seedlings to the formation of buds. It can be about 4 years or even more.
If the gardener wants to experiment, he must sow the seeds on the site in August. The soil is previously loosened. The first shoots will appear next spring. Bushes are developing rapidly. They will bloom at the end of May or in June. Although there are late varieties. They can bloom in July.
Preparing for the winter
Preparation for the wintering of the purple peony begins as soon as the foliage turns yellow. In order for the bush to be able to accumulate strength for this process, it is necessary to remove all faded buds even after flowering. Half a month after that, you need to feed the bush with fertilizers from potassium and phosphorus. It is necessary to systematically water the plant. So it can develop correctly, prepare for winter.
When the yellowing of shoots and leaves begins, watering is reduced. But this must be done gradually. When freezing begins, the part of the peony that is on the surface of the soil is cut off. There will be practically no stems.
If this year the peony was transplanted, you need to mulch the soil. Under a layer of peat or other suitable material, trimmed shoots should not be visible.
If the plant is young, shelter is created for it. So frost can not damage the fragile roots. For adult peonies, this is not required. Such simple steps will help prepare the plant for wintering. The varieties that are cultivated in our country are well tolerated by fairly severe frosts.
By following these recommendations, you can independently grow a beautiful plant. A bouquet of purple peonies will look charming. Also, a bush planted on the site will be able to decorate the landscape design, giving it comfort. , , . - -.