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Peony Red Charm is a hybrid obtained in 1944 by American breeders. This large-flowered variety is still popular today for its excellent appearance and delicate aroma. The use of the plant is universal - it is used in landscape design and in the design of bouquets. A photo and description of the Red Charm peony, as well as the conditions for its cultivation and methods of combating diseases and pests, will allow you to get to know the flower better.
Description of Peony Red Charm
This variety is a perennial herb with a powerful rhizome. Peony Red Charm has thick and strong stems from 75 to 90 cm high. The leaves are light green in color, depressed veins are clearly visible on them. The spreading of the stems is moderate.
The diameter of the Red Charm peony bush can be up to 2 m
The variety grows well, due to its density, the bush is able to shade shorter grasses and plants from the sun. The frost resistance of the culture is high, corresponding to the 5th zone (without shelter it can withstand frosts up to - 29 ° C).
Given the early flowering, Red Charm peony can be grown without problems in temperate climates up to 60 ° north latitude. Cultivation in colder regions depends on the timing of the warm weather. For full flowering and seed formation, a peony needs about 2.5 months with a temperature above + 18 ° C.
The plant prefers sunny areas, although it can be grown in partial shade. The large size of Red Charm peony flowers requires the use of a stem support.
Flowering features
The plant belongs to large-flowered terry interspecific hybrids. The diameter of the flowers is from 20 to 22 cm. The color of the petals is crimson or dark red, shiny. Flowering is long, begins in late May or early June, lasts about 1.5 months. Its intensity depends on the degree of illumination. The more Red Charm peony stays in the Sun, the more buds are formed and the larger the flowers.
The number of large external sepals in a variety rarely exceeds two dozen.
The pistils are slightly pubescent, their stigmas are yellow. The stamens are elongated, dark green. The aroma of the plant is delicate, pleasant, without cloying.
Application in design
The variety is mainly used to decorate paths, sidewalks and gazebos. In flower beds and mixborders, it is used to create beautiful compositions or dilute other flowers. Any area on which the Red Charm peony appears immediately begins to attract attention.
The main purpose of the variety in design is to create bright accents
The use of a plant in flowerpots and in general in any container has some limitations: for normal growth and flowering, a peony needs a minimum soil depth of about 60 cm (excluding drainage), which puts quite serious requirements on its volume.
The variety goes well with foxglove, geranium, poppy, iris.
Reproduction methods
Like most ornamental crops, the peony can be propagated in several ways:
- seeds;
- root cuttings;
- layering;
- dividing the bush.
Of all the breeding options for the Red Sharm peony, dividing the bush is best. The effectiveness of other methods is significantly lower. Their main drawback is the too long time for the beginning of flowering of young plants (from 3 years by layering to 6-8 years with seed reproduction).By dividing the bush, you can get flowering specimens as early as next season.
The rhizome of a five-year-old peony needs to be divided
The process should begin in late summer after the plant has developed seeds. The seed pods must be cut off so that when transplanting to a new place, the peony can maximally direct its forces towards rooting.
There is nothing difficult in dividing the rhizome. The peony bush should be completely dug out of the ground and, using a knife or shovel, cut a large root into several small ones. Usually the rhizome is divided into two or three parts. Each of them is transplanted to a new location.
Landing rules
The plant prefers partial shade, but you can also plant on the sunny side. The best soils for culture are loams or fertile heavy soils.
Planting of a peony of the lactic-flowered Red Charm is carried out after the rhizome of the mother plant has been divided. This usually happens at the end of summer.
The landing procedure is as follows:
- dig a hole 60-70 cm deep and 60-80 cm in diameter;
- compost or humus is placed on the bottom of the pit;
- a drainage layer is laid on top;
- the drainage is sprinkled with soil mixed with humus (proportion 1 to 1);
- the rhizome is placed on the top layer of the soil so that it is 5 cm below ground level;
- the pit is filled up and lightly tamped;
- watering and mulching.
Follow-up care
As such, special care for the Red Charm peony is not needed. The most important thing is to maintain the required humidity level. Excessive dryness of the soil leads to drying out and wilting of the plant, too much water - to the appearance of fungal diseases. Watering in the heat is reduced to one per week. In normal weather - every 10-15 days.
It is convenient to water by making a small depression around the bush.
It is recommended either to loosen the soil after each application of moisture, or to mulch the bush with a layer of pine needles or straw at least 5 cm high.
Plant feeding is performed three times per season:
- in early April, nitrogen fertilizers are used (urea or potassium nitrate from mineral or rotted manure, if organic matter is used) to stimulate the growth of the green part of plants;
- at the beginning of the flowering period (mid or late May), phosphorus-potassium compounds are introduced, at this stage the use of superphosphate (up to 50 g for one bush) would be ideal;
- at the end of autumn, "pre-winter" dressing is used, which helps the plant to survive the cold season, in general, it practically repeats the second (phosphorus-potassium fertilizers), but the application rates are about half as low.
Since the plant has large flowers, tying the stems is an integral part of the care. It is recommended to allocate a separate peg for each shoot. However, this design does not look aesthetically pleasing, therefore, a circular garter of the entire bush is used with a rope or twine.
Preparing for winter
Peony Red Sharm is a frost-resistant crop and can winter outdoors without problems. In order for the plant to more easily endure the cold season, it is required to carry out simple preparatory measures, which amount to pruning and feeding.
Pruning Red Charm peony is sanitary in nature and consists in removing dry and damaged shoots.
It is best to prune before the onset of cold weather - in mid or late October.
Also, the unblooming buds and inflorescences remaining after the summer are removed.
Autumn dressing should consist of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. In the case of poor soils, organic substances are used, on fertile soils - minerals.
It is recommended to use wood ash as organic matter. From mineral fertilizers used: the drug Kerima-Kombi, superphosphate, potassium-phosphorus mixture.
Pests and diseases
Like most large-flowered terry hybrids, Red Charm peony is vulnerable to many fungal and viral diseases. The former most often manifest themselves in excessive humidity and low temperatures. The most common fungal diseases of peony:
- powdery mildew;
- cladosporium disease;
- verticillosis.
Powdery mildew is one of the most common fungal diseases in the garden. Almost all plants are affected by it, and Red Charm peonies are no exception. The most vulnerable of them are just large-flowered hybrids.
White bloom of powdery mildew spreads through the peonies very quickly, in 1-2 days it covers the entire foliage of the plant
Another name for cladosporium is brown spot. Most often, the manifestation of the disease is observed at the beginning of summer. In this case, the leaf blades are covered with small brown spots, which subsequently merge into one large one. Over time, they darken and become burn-like.
The disease begins to spread with the appearance of spots on the tips of the leaves.
Verticillium wilting occurs during flowering. For no apparent reason, damage to the leaves, buds and stems of plants begins. Subsequently, the culture can completely die. The most unpleasant thing about this disease is that the fungus can be in "hibernation" for a long time, manifesting itself only a few years after planting.
The defeat of verticillosis begins with peony buds
The considered fungal diseases (various types of rot and spotting) can be prevented if the plants are sprayed in early spring with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid. If, according to the experience of previous years, gardeners are more likely to deal with powdery mildew, this chemical is replaced with sodium carbonate (0.5%). In both cases, spraying is repeated after 7-10 days. The use of a 0.2% Figon solution will also be effective.
Viral diseases to which peonies are susceptible are few. Most often, the plant is affected by tobacco rattle or mosaic (caused by annular and filtering viruses, respectively). Usually the lesion occurs in the middle of summer.
The symptomatology of any viral infection is a characteristic local yellowing of the foliage, which subsequently spreads to the entire plate
In any case, there is no treatment plan for these conditions. Damaged leaves, shoots and flowers should be removed from the plant and destroyed (preferably burned). There are no preventive measures against viral diseases, the only thing that can increase the immunity of the Red Charm peony is compliance with the growing conditions and proper care.
First of all, aphids and bronzes should be attributed to pests. Their influence is most destructive. Aphids not only suck the juices from the peony, but also attract ants that bring fungal diseases.
Bronzovka is the most terrible enemy of the Red Charm peony, beetles destroy its flowers and leaves
If a plant with many diseases is able to exist throughout the season, then an invasion of bronzes can destroy a peony in literally a few days.
Aphid control involves the use of insecticides or acaricides. Spraying the affected Red Charm peonies with Akarin, Fitoverm and Entobacterin will be effective.
Aphids mainly affect the stems of the culture, on the buds and leaves it almost never occurs
To rid the Red Charm peony of bronze, you should use a set of measures:
- to loosen the soil at the end of summer during the pupation of the beetle;
- collect bronze by hand;
- during budding, spray the bushes with infusion of tomato tops or insecticides.
Preventive treatment of the soil around the Red Sharm peony with a 1% formalin solution will also be effective.
Conclusion
Peony Red Charm is a beautiful plant with large flowers of a dark purple hue. In addition to its excellent appearance, it has a delicate aroma. The plant is widely used in landscape design and in the design of bouquets. Peony variety Red Sharm tolerates cold weather and frosty winters. The disadvantage of the culture is its vulnerability to fungal and viral diseases.To reduce the risks, it is recommended to follow the plant's agricultural practices.
Reviews about peony Red Sharm
Below are the reviews of the owners about the cultivation of the Red Charm peony.
