Content
The Yellow Crown peony is the ancestor of most modern ito-hybrid bushes. It differs from its tree-like and herbaceous relatives in beauty and rarity. For a long time, Japanese gardener Toichi Ito worked on plant breeding. And finally, in 1948, his efforts were crowned with success, and the world saw a beautiful plant.
Description of Yellow Crown peony
"Yellow Crown" combines the best qualities of two varieties of peonies - herbaceous and tree-like. He has the same sprawling bush with gracefully cut leaves of a dark green color, like a plant with a tree-like trunk. At the same time, the Yellow Crown peony has a herbaceous stem, which dies off in winter.
Some specimens of peony reach 1 m
"Yellow crown", as the name of this ito-hybrid sounds in translation, beautiful lush
bush, reaching a height of up to 60 cm in width can reach up to 80 cm.
The leaves are lacy, covered with thin longitudinal veins, saturated green with a glossy surface. Even after flowering, the Yellow Crown peony retains its attractiveness until the very frost. This plant is very fond of light, therefore it is recommended to plant it in illuminated areas, but hide from direct sunlight. This hybrid does not like places blown by the wind. And at the same time, the Yellow Crown peony is not capricious at all, calmly tolerates a lack of moisture. Another advantage of the bred variety is its frost resistance. This peony can grow in areas where the temperature in the winter period can fluctuate between -7 -29 ˚С. Thanks to one of the "parents", this peony has inherited stable flower stalks, which prevents the "Yellow Crown" from breaking. Because of this, he does not need support.
Flowering features
The new variety belongs to the group of multi-flowered with double or semi-double flowers. They, reaching 17 cm in diameter, delight with their flowering for almost 1.5 months, from the second half of May to June. The flowers of the Yellow Crown peony are very large, of an unusually attractive color from lemon-orange to yellow-burgundy. The contrast of the red middle with golden stamens and pale yellow, thinned petals creates a truly magical impression.
The first flower on a bush may have an irregular shape
The yellow-red buds are modestly hidden among the green leaves. They have a delicate and pleasant aroma. Moreover, every year the ito-peony bush "Yellow Crown" becomes more magnificent and the number of flowers is increasing all the time. The first peduncles on the bushes of this hybrid may appear as early as 2-3 years, but the flowers on them will not be very beautiful, irregular and disheveled. But already for 4-5 years they will show themselves in all their glory.
Application in design
In view of the beautiful and prolonged flowering, as well as the spectacularity of the bushes themselves, the Yellow Crown peony is used to decorate parks and flower beds of local areas. This peony prefers single plantings and, in the presence of neighbors, can suppress them. But by picking up plants of the same group, only of different colors, you can create wonderful compositions. Due to the powerfully developed root system, the Ito hybrid will not be able to feel comfortable in small flowerpots or pots, as well as grow on balconies and loggias, unlike its truly herbaceous relatives.
Reproduction methods
Common peonies propagate by seeds and vegetatively. But hybrids are inherent exclusively in the second option.It is not only the most effective, but also the only one for the propagation of a peony.
Yellow Crown buds are found both on rhizomes (a sign of a herbaceous variety) and on stiff shoots (a property of a tree variety). And the root system itself is a branched network of lateral and powerful central roots, which must be divided into parts. In most cases, it is recommended to make 2-3 fragments during reproduction, each of which should have several buds.
For vegetative propagation, the root is divided into 2-3 fragments with buds
The root of the Yellow Crown peony is very durable, so it is almost impossible to cut it with an ordinary knife. For this, a jigsaw is used, but very carefully so as not to damage the buds and leave them the right part for rooting and good development. If, when dividing the rhizome of the itopion, there are cut residues left, they must be saved. Having planted them in a nutritious soil, you can wait for new seedlings.
Reproduction of Yellow Crown peonies is recommended at 4-5 years of age in spring or autumn. Unlike the spring division, the autumn division is more favorable. This is due to the fact that the time between breeding and planting is minimal, since the fragments of the "cut" grow very quickly. Therefore, even the slightest delay in the spring when planting a part of the Yellow Crown peony can lead to its poor survival rate, or even death. But in the fall, this behavior of the offshoot will be very appropriate. Before the winter cold, he will have time to take root, get stronger and build up a root system, which will help to endure frosts well.
Landing rules
In order to comply with all the conditions and time for the correct planting of the Yellow Crown peony, it should be planted in the soil in early spring or in late summer and early autumn. It is necessary to carefully choose the location of permanent planting, since this bush has been growing in one place for many years.
The soils of Yellow Crown peonies prefer mainly loamy, lush, nutrient-rich soils.
Planting stages:
- Having picked up a well-lit area, protected from wind and direct sunlight, it is recommended to dig a hole about 20-25 cm deep and wide.
- At the bottom, it is necessary to lay drainage, consisting of sand, broken brick and earth with rotted compost. The layer must be at least 15 cm.
- Wait 10 days for the drainage layer to settle before planting the Yellow Crown.
- Next, fill in the earth up to 5 cm and lay the root fragment with the stem. It is desirable that it has at least 2-3 buds, and preferably 5 or more. Moreover, it is necessary to plant not vertically, but horizontally, so that the buds located on the roots and on the trunk of the Yellow Crown peony are next to each other, and not under each other. This technique is applicable when a root is planted with a sufficiently long section of the stem, on which the buds are located.
- Then sprinkle the planting material with 5 cm of earth, no more. This is a must. Otherwise, the blossoming of the Yellow Crown peony cannot be expected. Such a planting depth will provide the seedlings of the ito-hybrid with minimal temperature drops, air availability and protect them from drying out.
When planting, 2-3 buckets of humus are poured into the pit
It is also possible to plant in a standard way: arrange the fragments of the Yellow Crown root with the buds vertically. The rest of the landing conditions are similar to the previous one.
Follow-up care
Ito hybrid, like other varieties of peonies, unpretentious in cultivation. The most minimal care is enough for them to feel comfortable and delight with long flowering.
The list of procedures that must be carried out with the Yellow Crown peony includes:
- Moderate watering of the ito hybrid, which should be increased in dry weather.
- Periodic loosening.This process must be carried out carefully, in order to avoid damage to the root system of the bush, since the roots of this species of peonies are located not only deep in the ground, but also close to the soil surface.
- As necessary, the introduction of fertilizers and root dressing in the form of ash or dolomite flour. The main thing is not to overdo it.
To avoid breaking the integrity of the roots by loosening, it can be replaced by mulching. To do this, use various improvised material available in the same area: grass, weeds, tree leaves.
Preparing for winter
With the onset of winter cold weather, the part of the bush that is above the surface of the earth dies off, so it is recommended to cut it off in order to avoid rotting of the stems.
It is advisable to carry out the autumn feeding of the peony with the next portion of dolomite flour or wood ash.
Due to its acquired frost resistance, this ito-peony does not need shelter in winter and tolerates frost well.
If there is a possibility of very severe frosts, it is recommended to cover the soil around the bush with a thick layer of mulch at a distance slightly larger than the diameter of the hybrid's width.
Pests and diseases
Thanks to the efforts of breeders, the peony ito-hybrid "Yellow Crown", along with resistance to cold, has acquired a strong immunity against diseases and pests. The bushes of these hybrids in extremely rare cases can be damaged by them. And infection with a rust fungus is almost impossible.
Conclusion
The Yellow Crown peony blooms for the first time after 3 years. If this did not happen, then the place was chosen incorrectly and errors were made in the care. It is better to peel off the first buds, so the flower will become stronger and more durable.
Yellow Crown peony reviews
