Peony Candy Stripe (Candy Stripe): photo and description, reviews

One of the most beautiful flowers that can become a hallmark of the garden is the Candy Stripe peony. This is a hybrid winter-hardy variety that can withstand even the harsh winters. It is undemanding to care, although it needs regular watering and timely top dressing. Peony gives very beautiful and fragrant flowers already 3-4 years after planting.

Peony Description Candy Stripe

Candy Stripe is a hybrid variety of peony, obtained in the USA in 1992. The bush is small, compact: the peduncle reaches 80 cm in height. It belongs to the herbaceous – the shoots do not become woody, while the stems are quite strong, so they do not need a garter and supports. The leaves are bright green, with a glossy surface, very narrow and elongated. Refers to light-loving varieties – prefers brightly lit areas. Shading, even weak, is undesirable.

The Candy Stripe peony brightens up the garden with its bright colors and graceful green leaves.

The winter hardiness of the variety is quite high – there is evidence that Candy Stripe can withstand up to -35 degrees. This allows you to confidently grow it not only in Central Our Country, but also in the Urals, South Siberia and the Far East.

Features of flowering

The flower of the Candy Stripe peony is terry, European in shape, large in size (16-18 cm in diameter). The color is white with crimson, deep pink petals. Stamens are orange, rather thin, long, red buds. After blooming, the flower gives a faint but pleasant aroma. In terms of flowering, Candy Stripe belongs to the middle-late: peonies appear in the second half of summer. The first varietal qualities appear 2-3 years after planting.

Not many flowers appear on one bush, but they are all large and bright. The splendor of flowering primarily depends on the planting site, soil type and care:

• light, well-drained soils are preferred;
• the site is open, sunny, without any shade;
• watering as needed;
• top dressing 3 times per season – in early spring, during budding and after flowering.

Application in design

Peony Candy Stripe is often used in single plantings. Bushes look especially beautiful if they are planted in rows on a well-groomed lawn. They attract attention due to large and very bright flowers with an unusual color.

Along with this, they can be planted:

• near the entrance;
• on the coast of the reservoir;
• in composition with smaller flowers;
• to a composition with undersized hosts (it is necessary that they do not give shade to the peony bushes).

Candy Stripe can be planted with different flowers and plants, such as:

• blue forget-me-not;
• petunias;
• daisies;
• lilies;
• astilbe;
• hydrangeas;
• pelargonium;
• dwarf spruce and other conifers.

This bright flower is used in flowerbeds, mixborders, rock gardens. It will look beautiful and not far from a bench or gazebo.

Candy Stripe peonies are used both in single plantings and in compositions with other flowers.

Since the Candy Stripe peony needs good lighting throughout the day, growing it on balconies and loggias seems unlikely.

Methods of reproduction

This flower can be propagated in various ways:

• division of the bush;
• layering;
• cuttings.

In reviews of the herbaceous peony Candy Stripe, gardeners often say that the simplest of them is breeding by dividing the bush. It is desirable to propagate adult plants at the age of 4-5 years. It is better to divide a peony in the second half of summer or in autumn, 1-1,5 months before the onset of the first frost.

They operate like this:

1. They take a pruner and shorten the lower stems by 1/3 so that they do not break along with the buds.
2. They sharpen the shovel and cut the ground from all sides so that the bush with the lump becomes free.
3. Raise the peony for the lower, most massive shoots, trying to keep the roots.
4. Rinse the roots with water to remove the soil.
5. With a knife, cut the rhizome into several parts, so that each has 3 to 5 buds and 2 fleshy, healthy roots.
6. Delenki are planted in pre-prepared pits in the same soil and at the same depth as the mother bush.
7. Abundantly watered.
8. Mulch for the winter with humus, peat. In late autumn, you can cover with a layer of straw, hay or spruce branches.

Adult peonies Candy Stripe can be propagated at home

Rules of landing

Candy Stripe seedlings are purchased in trusted stores. It is better to plant them immediately in a permanent place, in most cases the optimal time is the end of August (in the south it is possible in mid-September). There are no special requirements for the place – it must:

• comply with the design intent;
• be open and sunny;
• if possible, be located on a hill.

The soil should be fertile, neutral to slightly acidic (pH 5,5 to 7,0). It is desirable to prepare the site in a month – it is cleaned and dug up on a shovel bayonet. Then several planting pits are formed with a depth and diameter of 40-50 cm, an interval of 50-60 cm. The following mixture is placed in each hole:

• 1 part of garden or garden land;
• 2 parts of compost or humus;
• 200 g superphosphate;
• 60 g of potassium sulfate.

A drainage layer of 5-7 cm of stones (broken brick, gravel) is laid on the bottom, then the mixture is poured and the peony is rooted. Plentifully watered and mulched with peat, humus. Mulch will not only serve as additional fertilizer, but also protect the soil from drying out too quickly on hot days.

Aftercare

Candy Stripe does not need particularly complex care, but certain rules must be followed. For example, already in the first year after planting, seedlings require regular watering, especially on hot days. In dry weather, you can pour 1 bucket per bush, and if it rains, additional moisture is not needed. The next day after watering, it is advisable to loosen the ground to provide air access to the peony roots.

In the first year, Candy Stripe does not need to be fed, since fertilizers are necessarily laid in the planting hole. Starting from the second season, top dressing should be applied regularly – at least 3 times:

1. In early April, any nitrogen fertilizer is applied – for example, ammonium nitrate. It stimulates the growth of leaves and shoots, which contributes to the rapid recovery of the peony after the winter period.
2. During the formation of buds (end of June), standard mineral fertilizer is added.
3. After the first flowers bloom, superphosphates and potassium salt are added – for example, potassium sulfate. A similar composition can also be fed after flowering, around the end of August.

Thanks to simple care, you can achieve stable flowering of the Candy Stripe peony

Preparation for winter

In autumn, it is desirable to cut off all the shoots almost under the base – this stimulates the growth of new branches and abundant flowering next year. The land around the bush can be treated with any fungicide to prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases.

It is not necessary to specially feed for the winter – the last time fertilizers (superphosphate and potassium salt) are applied in the second half of August. It is also not necessary to cover the Candy Stripe peony for the winter, but it is advisable to cover young seedlings with hay, straw and other mulch. In regions with cold winters, it is advisable to repeat this procedure annually.

Pests and diseases

Candy Stripe is quite resistant to various diseases and pests. But gray rot is often found on the bush:

• leaves at ground level suddenly wither;
• the stems also wither, become weak;
• large buds stop growing;
• flowering is rare, not abundant.

In this case, urgent measures must be taken:

1. Remove all damaged parts of the Candy Stripe peony, take them away and burn them.
2. Treat the plant with any fungicide – Bordeaux liquid, Topaz.
3. Put supports to make it easier for the peony to recover.

Sometimes a Candy Stripe peony can be affected by an invasion of pests – for example, ants, aphids, thrips, nematodes. Control measures are standard – spraying with insecticides (“Biotlin”, “Confidor”, “Karate”).

To exclude fungal infections, preventive treatment with fungicides is recommended in autumn or early spring.

Conclusion

Peony Candy Stripe is one of the most luxurious flowers that can decorate a flower garden even in simple single plantings. The bush is resistant to frost, pests, temperature changes and other adverse factors. Therefore, most gardeners can easily breed it on the site.

Peony Reviews Candy Stripe