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Peony tulips are one of the most popular hybrids of this crop. Their main difference is lush and dense flowers with a large number of petals. External similarity with peonies gave the name to this culture.
Varieties of peony tulips
Currently, there are a large number of varieties of these tulips, bred by breeders in different parts of the globe. They are distinguished by the richness of shades and the shape of the inflorescence. Most peony tulips are double. Most often they are classified according to the timing of flowering.
Exotic Emperor
A late flowering variety with a large bud (up to 7 cm in height and 10-12 cm in diameter). The stem length of the Exotic Emperor (Tulipa Exotic Emperor) is 35 cm. The outer petals of the bud are stronger and more durable. This ensures long-term preservation of the appearance of the flower in the cut.
The variety of peony tulip Exotic Emperor has one of the most original colors: a pale white bud on the outside covers a lot of green and yellow strokes
The species is resistant to adverse conditions: wind and rain, even in cloudy weather, the plant forms buds and flowers at the usual pace. The main application is planting along the perimeter of large flower beds, border decoration, cutting.
Double Red Reading Hood
A late variety belonging to Greig’s red peony tulips (Tulipa greigii Double Red Riding Hood). The height of the stems is 35 cm.
The peony tulip of the Double Red Reading Hood variety has lush and large buds of bright red color.
The leaves are covered with small spots. The main requirement for growing is a sunny site, since the culture does not bloom in the shade. Used to create flower beds and mixborders.
Monte Carlo
Representative of yellow peony tulips. The early Monte Carlo variety has a stem height of about 40 cm.
The shape of the petals of the Monte Carlo tulip is more reminiscent of irises than peonies.
In sunny areas, the color can be bright lemon, in partial shade – rich yellow. Due to the compact root system, it is often used when grown in small containers – flowerpots and pots.
Royal Acres
This variety is a representative of early tulips that bloom in early May. Received Royal Akrs (Royal Acres) at the end of the 19th century from the Murillo variety in Holland. Stem height – up to 35 cm.
Peony tulip Royal Akrs – terry variety of light pink color, with flowers with a diameter of 11 cm
Unpretentious to weather conditions. It can grow in a wide variety of climates, from deserts to wet forests. Use as a border plant, flower bed filler or cut flower.
Dude Blossom
The early variety Peach Blossom has a stem 30-35 cm high. The height of the bud is 7 cm, the diameter is up to 12 cm. The petals are white-pink in color and large in size.
Due to the characteristic white-pink color and shape of the bush, Peach Blossom tulips are often confused with peonies.
Flowering is long, starting in mid-May and lasting up to 1 month. Used in flower beds, mixborders and cutting. May winter in the ground.
Mount Tacoma
Refers to white peony tulips. The length of the stem reaches 40 cm. The large buds of Mount Tacoma look perfect in the cut. Their height is 6 cm, and the diameter is 11-12 cm.
Mount Tacoma peony tulips have white, slightly doubled leaves with yellow stamens.
It has a long (up to 20 days), but relatively late flowering, starting in June. Pairs well with daffodils.
Sensual Touch
The stem of Sensual Touch is quite high – up to 55 cm. The shape and structure of the petals make it possible to attribute the variety to terry peony tulips. Their color is rich orange, around the perimeter – yellowish.
The peony tulip Sensual Touch has an interesting shape of petals – they have not smooth, but slightly disheveled edges.
Most often used in flowerbed design or as a border plant. Good for cutting as it stays fresh for more than a week.
Cartouche
Late terry variety Cartouche has a two-tone color of the petals. They are white, but have pink elements in the center and perimeter. The height of the stem is up to 40 cm. The root system is small, which allows, in addition to flower beds, to use the culture in pots.
The blossoming buds of the peony tulip of the Kartush variety have a slightly flattened shape, and the outer row of petals is separated from the total mass
Flowering begins in June, its duration reaches 3 weeks. Primary use is as a border plant.
La Belle Epoque
La Belle Epoque is a relatively young variety, obtained no more than 10 years ago in Holland. The height of the stems reaches 40 cm, the diameter of the flower is 10 cm. There are few petals (no more than 20 pieces), but they are quite large. The aroma is absent.
The peony tulip La Belle Epoque has large and heavy buds that need support.
Recommended for use in group plantings, but also good for cutting. For good growth in the next season, the removal of faded buds is required.
Planting and caring for a peony tulip
As such, there are no differences in the cultivation of ordinary and peony tulips. All the rules of agricultural technology of this ornamental culture are similar to the standard ones. Planting dates, care and disease control also do not differ.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
A seat for peony tulips should be chosen on the sunny side (in some crops – in partial shade). The site needs drainage and protection from strong winds. Planting on the south side of large buildings or trees is recommended. Drainage is made from a layer of sand or fine gravel with a height of 3 to 5 cm. It is laid on the bottom of the holes or in the furrows where the landing is carried out.
The acidity of the soil is neutral or alkaline. Peony tulips grow best on sandy loam. Heavy soils should be loosened by adding sand or compost to them. It is desirable before planting peony tulips to introduce wood ash in an amount of up to 200 g per 1 sq. m.
Rules of landing
Planting can be done both in spring and autumn. Children are best planted at the end of the season. Adult bulbs tolerate planting equally well at any time of the year. Immediately before it, it is recommended to keep the seed in the refrigerator overnight at a temperature of + 8 ° C, and then treat it with a 0.2% solution of potassium permanganate.
Planting large bulbs of peony tulips is done to a depth of no more than 15 cm. Children are planted 5-7 cm.
When planting, the bulbs are slightly pressed into the ground.
Then they just need to be sprinkled with earth, slightly compacting it. It is recommended to harrow the top layer with a small rake. Watering is carried out in the amount of 500 ml per well. To avoid cracking of the soil and its drying out, a layer of mulch 3-5 cm thick is placed on top. It is best to use peat for this purpose, but compost is also suitable.
Watering and top dressing
Timely watering of peony tulips is a guarantee of their rapid growth and abundant flowering. Usually they are produced as the topsoil dries up. The approximate frequency is 3-4 days. Irrigation rates from 10 to 40 liters of water per 1 sq. m.
Top dressing of peony tulips is carried out three times per season:
- The first fertilization is carried out in early spring, immediately after the appearance of sprouts. In this case, a mixture of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium supplements is used in a ratio of 2:2:1. Application rates – no more than 50 g per 1 sq. m.
- The second feeding of peony tulips is done during budding. The same mixture is used, but in a ratio of 1:2:2. Application rates are similar to the first.
- The last fertilizer of the season is done after flowering. Here, only potash and phosphate supplements are used in a ratio of 1 to 1. Norms – no more than 30 g per 1 sq. m.
Application is always combined with watering peony tulips and loosening the soil.
Sometimes, instead of mineral fertilizers, wood ash is used in the last top dressing.
Reproduction
Reproduction of peony tulips is common for all bulbs, you can get seed from children or seeds. In the first case, the offspring is formed from the main bulb. It is separated from the mother plant and planted in a pre-prepared place at the end of the season. The peculiarity of the culture is such that for the next season it forms only the vegetative part. Flowering may be in a year or two.
Propagation by seeds is more complex and laborious. It is rarely used, but in the case of obtaining new varieties, this is the only possible way. Seeds of peony tulips ripen about two months after flowering, but they are harvested at the end of summer.
Landing is carried out in the fall. Over the next 2-4 years, a weak vegetative part appears in the plant, and the bulb is formed and strengthened. Only in the 5th year is flowering and the formation of children possible.
Diseases and pests
Like any ornamental culture, peony tulips are subject to a large number of diseases and pests. Almost all of them are transmitted from one plant to another fairly quickly, since the planting density is usually high.
Gray rot is one of the most common fungal diseases affecting the peony tulip. The spores that cause it are located in the upper layer of the soil and easily fall on the stems, leaves and buds of the plant.
Parts of the plant affected by gray rot begin to wither and curl
The fight against this disease involves the removal and destruction of the affected parts of peony tulips. Sometimes the bulbs are dug up and sent to a kind of “quarantine”, they are planted in a separate container, and if there is no recurrence, they are again transferred to the garden the next year.
In general, although fungal diseases pose a danger to peony tulips, their treatment and prevention are simple and effective. You can use Bordeaux or Burgundy mixtures, copper sulfate, Abiga-peak preparations, Oxyhom, etc. It is much worse if peony tulips infect viral diseases. As a rule, their treatment is absent, and you have to completely destroy the specimen along with the bulb. Sometimes, for guaranteed disinfection of the site, the topsoil should also be changed.
An example of such an ailment is the August disease. It affects many cultures of the Lily family, and peony tulips are no exception.
Brown streaks appear on stems and bulbs affected by August disease, spreading rapidly throughout the plant.
Another viral disease is variegation. In fact, almost all types of lilies are affected by this disease, but the plant’s immune system copes with it perfectly, but when it gets on tulips, it can lead to the most unpleasant consequences.
Tulip petals, affected by variegation, narrow and lengthen
Viral diseases can have a variety of symptoms. Sometimes their manifestations are very difficult to notice, which can lead to the most unpleasant consequences. In particular, the spread of the disease to the entire population of plants. Peony tulips often have vein necrosis. Its external manifestations look very natural and, as a rule, do not cause alarm to the gardener.
With necrosis, light areas appear on the leaves, elongated along
As noted earlier, there is no cure for viral diseases. They should be recognized as soon as possible and proceed with the destruction of the affected crops. Those specimens that are not affected by the disease, it is advisable to transplant to another place.
There are few animals that parasitize on the stems, leaves and flowers of peony tulips. This is due to the high content of alkaloids in the green part of the plant. But peony tulip bulbs can be of interest to a large number of pests. The most common of them is the onion mite, which also affects other plants – lilies, onions, garlic, etc. It is difficult to notice, but by external signs (unreasonable wilting of leaves and flowers), diseased specimens are detected quite quickly.
The onion mite is a small white pest with a diameter of up to 1 mm that lives on the surface of the bulb.
In the event of a defeat of peony tulips, they can no longer be saved. Therefore, infected specimens should be destroyed, and the rest of the planting should be treated with some effective acaricide. You can use Actellik or Aktara. In this case, it is necessary to spray both plants and the topsoil. The following year, before planting the bulbs, it is also recommended to apply the drug on them and let them dry.
Photo of peony tulips
Below are photographs and descriptions of various varieties of peony tulips.
Most often, peony tulips are used as a border plant.
Peony tulips pair well with low ground cover perennials.
Particularly impressive as a monoculture are terry peony tulips of bright colors.
Bouquets made up of peony tulips always attract attention
Landscape designers love to use peony tulips to create spectacular mixborders.
Peony tulips pair well with low ground cover perennials.
Peony tulips are one of the most interesting varieties of ornamental plants. They have a lush bloom that lasts from two to three weeks. The spectacular appearance makes it possible to use the culture as a decoration for borders, flower beds and mixborders. Many varieties can be grown in pots and vases. The efficiency of vegetative propagation of plants is quite high. But, like all ornamental crops, peony tulips have their drawbacks, in particular, they are vulnerable to viral infections.
Particularly impressive as a monoculture are terry peony tulips of bright colors.
Bouquets made up of peony tulips always attract attention
Landscape designers love to use peony tulips to create spectacular mixborders.
Conclusion
Peony tulips are one of the most interesting varieties of ornamental plants. They have a lush bloom that lasts from two to three weeks. The spectacular appearance makes it possible to use the culture as a decoration for borders, flower beds and mixborders. Many varieties can be grown in pots and vases. The efficiency of vegetative propagation of plants is quite high. But, like all ornamental crops, peony tulips have their drawbacks, in particular, they are vulnerable to viral infections.
