Content
Peony Coral (Coral) refers to hybrids obtained by American breeders. It has an unusual color of petals with a coral tint, for which it got its name. In addition to its beautiful appearance, the plant is resistant to adverse natural conditions.
Features of coral peonies
Coral peonies are distinguished by powerful strong peduncles
Most gardens grow common herbaceous or tree-like peonies with white, burgundy or pink flowers, but there are unique hybrid varieties with coral petals. Large buds of double, semi-double or simple structure, bright at the beginning of flowering, but eventually fade to apricot, cream and white tones. Coral peonies do not require a garter, they grow well during the growing season, forming more than a dozen stems per year. Hybrid varieties are more hardy than usual, tolerate cold and heat, and are less susceptible to all kinds of diseases.
Coral peonies have thick openwork leaves and powerful stems. They combine the characteristic features of treelike and herbaceous species. In the fall, all leaves and shoots are cut off. In areas with unfavorable and cool weather in summer, preventive treatment for fungal diseases should be carried out.
How peonies Coral bloom
Most coral peonies do not have a very pleasant faint scent, so they are rarely cut into bouquets, using more in garden decoration. For abundant and lush flowering, timely fertilizing and treatments for diseases are required.
Coral peony varieties
Coral peonies are hybrids obtained from crossing various species and varieties. The most popular are the varieties described below.
Coral Magic
Coral Magic is a herbaceous hybrid that was bred in 1998. It has semi-double bright coral flowers with a red-orange tint. The diameter of the corolla when fully opened is about 16 cm. The height of the bush with strong stems reaches 80 cm. It has an early flowering period and lush light green foliage. There is no aroma.
Coral Magic Hybrid is resistant to fading in bright sunlight
Coral Beach
Coral Beach - lush bloom and delicate color of flowers delights gardeners. This hybrid is an early-flowering semi-double peony with a cupped corolla that changes color during flowering from coral pink to light apricot. The height of a strong bush is about 90 cm. The hybrid is drought-resistant and is not affected by gray rot.
Peony Coral Beach won two awards
Coral Fairy
Coral Fay is a semi-double hybrid obtained by breeding in 1968. The peony is very bright, blooms earlier than other varieties. Glossy petals with a coral pink tint have a light spot at the core and a bright red base. Flowers do not fade in the sun for a long time, retaining the richness of color, and attracting eyes. Powerful peduncles do not need a garter.
A dense bush with carved foliage grows up to 1 m
Coral Supreme
Coral Supreme (Coral Supreme) - a hybrid combines unpretentiousness in care and high decorativeness. Blooming large double flowers have a rich pink-coral color in the early days. The height of the bush is from 90 to 110 cm.
Three days after the beginning of flowering, the peonies change, noticeably brightening in the sun
Topeka Coral
Topeka Coral is a beautiful 1975 hybrid related to Glowing Raspberry Rose. It has terry red-pink corollas with a diameter of 17 cm, which pleasantly and unobtrusively smell of musk. Bushes are strong and low - up to 70 cm.
Early flowering period at Topeka Coral
Coral & Gold
Coral'n Gold is an unusually bright and attractive hybrid peony that was bred in 1981. Large corollas of a coral-apricot shade have a cup-shaped, simple shape, in the center there are golden stamens resembling a fluffy ball. For sturdy stems about 90 cm high, no support is required. Peonies do not smell, have an early flowering period.
Peony Coral`n Gold has an Award of Landscape Merit
Pink Hawaiian Coral
Pink Hawaiian Coral - obtained in 1981 from foreign peony and lactocoral Coral. Large semi-double flowers have a diameter of up to 20 cm, they exude a delicate sweetish aroma. Corollas are semi-double, the color of the petals is creamy yellow in the center and light pink on the outside, with full dissolution, an apricot shade appears. The height of strong stems is from 60 to 95 cm, the hybrid is frost-resistant, needs good care.
Early and profuse flowering begins in May
Coral Pink
Coral Pink is a hybrid cultivar obtained in 1937 from Coral, a lactobacillus peony. Terry light pink-coral corollas have a diameter of 12 cm and are distinguished by a medium-late flowering period. The plant has strong stems up to 70 cm high, and light green leaves.
Flowers do not have a pronounced aroma
Coral Altar
The Coral Altar (Altar Shan Hu Tai) is a tall tree-like peony with large, beautiful flowers. The height of the shoots can reach 1.5 m, the diameter of the buds is up to 20 cm. The leaves are large, bright green, giving the plant a decorative effect even after flowering. The flowers are coral pink with scalloped petals and have a light sweetish aroma.
Altar Shan Hu Tai variety is undemanding in care, shows resistance to diseases
Coral Queen
Coral Queen is a herbaceous peony with white-pink double flowers, was bred in 1937. The buds are dense, rosy, the diameter of the corolla is about 15 cm. The flowering period is late, the aroma is pleasant, strongly pronounced. Shoot height reaches 80 cm.
Delicate pink petals have lilac strokes inside
Cameo Lalebye
Cameo Lullaby - beautiful buds open like tulips. Corollas have a simple shape, they consist of dense, pale pink petals arranged in three rows. This interspecific hybrid was produced in 2000.
The height of the Cameo Lalebay bush is about 65 cm, the flowering period is early
Cora Louis
Bark Luis (Cora Luise) - sprawling bushes with dark green leaves and strong herbaceous shoots up to 50 cm high. Semi-double inflorescences have an original color - the pale pink petals have a dark purple center. Flowering begins in late spring.
Cora Luise belongs to the group of itopions, resistant to diseases and unpretentious
Coral Charm
Coral Charm - a hybrid was bred in 1964 from a foreign peony Sunshine. Semi-double corollas of coral color with a pink tint fade over time, acquiring a peach tone. The stems are strong, reaching a height of 90 cm, the diameter of the flowers is about 18 cm, the flowering period is early.
The buds are not used for cutting because of the unpleasant aroma
Anne Berry Cousins
Ann Berry Cousins are semi-double peonies of medium early flowering period. The diameter of the corolla with coral pink petals is 16 cm, the height of dense shoots is up to 80 cm.
Ann Berry Cousins hybrid was produced in 1972
Coral Sunset
Coral Sunset - blooms very profusely, all flowers open at once, their core is double, bright yellow. Corollas have a pure salmon color at the beginning of flowering, and then they begin to brighten. Towards the end, the peonies become almost white with a pale pink tint. In addition to beautiful flowering, the variety has other advantages - it multiplies well and does not require complex care.
Coral Sunset is a magnificent 81 year old coral hybrid
Planting and care rules
To make the flower bed happy for a longer time, you can plant several coral-colored peonies with different flowering periods nearby. The further development of flowers depends on the correct location. Coral hybrids, in contrast to species, begin to bloom worse after 10 years of age. They grow rapidly, require transplantation and division every 7-8 years.
Before planting, they examine the delenki. They should not have a high hemp in the place of the cut of the stem, rotten and blackened areas. If available, the first ones are cut to the bud, the rhizome is cleaned, if there are moldy and dark spots on it, treated with a fungicide solution, the sections are rubbed with ash and dried for about a day.
Further post-landing care includes:
- watering;
- top dressing;
- weeding;
- protection from diseases and pests.
To keep the flower bed clean of weeds, use mulch.
Recommended timing
Planting the Coral peony is best done in early autumn, when there is no longer a bright sun, and there are many dormant buds on the rhizome of the flower. In spring, the plant starts growing very early, this slows down the successful growth of the root system.
Site selection and soil preparation
It is important to choose the right place for the Coral herbaceous peony, guided not only by personal taste, but also by the requirements of the plant. You cannot plant this flower near large trees and aggressive perennials, its root system does not like competition. Choose a sunny or slightly shaded flower bed. In a strong shade, the peony will not grow well and will not bloom. A lowland with stagnant moisture is not suitable for planting, the plant does not like the close occurrence of groundwater (up to 1 m from the surface).
A wide and shallow hole will encourage Coral Peony to position its roots at the top of the soil. This will make it easier to care for, because it is easier to water and fertilize the flower. Flowering will become more lush, more flower buds will form. It is recommended to make a pit for planting a delenka with a depth of 40 cm, a diameter of 50 cm. Its value depends on the size of the rhizome of the Coral peony and the composition of the soil on the site.
In order for flowers to grow well, they need light and fertile soil, it is added to the planting hole. Garden black soil is mixed with sand to obtain an air-permeable soil mixture in which the roots develop well and do not turn black. The pit is prepared in advance so that the soil settles a little, and the Coral peony does not go deep into the ground over time.
Before planting, the hole is well moistened if the weather is not rainy.
A nutritious substrate is laid at the bottom of the pit, containing all the elements necessary for the development of the seedling. It includes:
- compost or humus - up to 20% or about 2/3 of the bucket;
- wood ash - 200-300 g;
- complex mineral fertilizers, for example, "Fertika" - 100-120 g, or double superphosphate - 1 tbsp;
- dolomite or limestone flour - 1 tbsp.
The bottom nutrient layer of the pit is sprinkled with a small amount of ordinary garden soil, which allows water and air to pass through well. About 10-15 cm should remain to the upper border of the planting hole. A handful of sand is poured under the cut itself, it will help prevent stagnation of water at the roots and decay of the plant.
How to plant
The peony is placed in a pit in such a way that the buds look vertically upward, and the rhizome is in a horizontal position.
To prevent an increase in soil acidity and decay of the root system, sprinkle the cut with wood ash and sand. Then fill the hole flush with the soil.
The buds of the delenka are left 5 cm below the ground level, if planted differently, in winter they freeze
Planting Coral peony high will result in poor annual flowering. Too much root deepening in the planting pit will give the same result. At the end of the work, the plant is watered.
Growing features
Coral peonies do not like abundant watering, from this spots appear on the roots, putrefactive processes begin. A little thirst is more useful for these plants than strong soil moisture. However, if there is not enough moisture, it is difficult to see from the leaves. First of all, the kidneys of the next year suffer, they grow poorly. In dry weather, plants are watered at least once a week.
The roots of peonies love air; when a crust forms on the surface of the soil, plants stop growing. If the soil is too wet, the processes of rotting of the root system begin. To keep it loose, it is covered with sawdust or other mulching material.
During flowering, peonies do not require care, they only need to be watered in dry weather. Coral hybrids do not need props, large flowers hold well on powerful stems.
The bushes are given a neat look by cutting off the upper part of the peduncles
They carry out top dressing and mulching of the soil. From the second decade of August to mid-September, the division of adult overgrown bushes is carried out. Before starting the procedure, the stems are cut off, and the bush is dug in at some distance.
Carefully remove the excess soil with your hands, wash off the rest with a stream of water. To make the division easier, the roots are laid out in air for several hours for drying, after which they become not so fragile. The plant is cut with a clean knife into several divisions, and planted in prepared planting pits.
The fragments of the roots are not thrown away, they are buried 5 cm in the ground in a horizontal position around the main bush. New buds will grow on them, and in three years there will be full-fledged bushes of Coral peonies. In the spring, they are fed with nitrogen fertilizer, after flowering, they use complex mineral preparations for flowering plants.
Preparing for winter
As long as the foliage of the Coral peonies is green, they do not touch it. In autumn, when the leaves begin to dry out, the stems are cut with pruning shears at a height of about 5 cm from the surface of the site, leaving small stumps. The soil in the flowerbed is treated with a solution of copper sulfate to prevent fungal infections.
All cut parts are removed from the site and burned so that they do not serve as a source of infection
Diseases and pests
If Coral peonies dry and wither leaves, they need help. Only a specialist can determine the exact cause; many fungal diseases have similar symptoms. Peonies are susceptible to fusarium, gray rot (botrytis). All diseases must be fought with fungicides such as Fundazol, Maxim, Fitosporin.
The preparations are diluted in water according to the instructions and watered all the peony bushes in the flower bed. For healthy plants, such a procedure will be a prophylaxis. Dried, stained leaves are cut and burned. From harmful insects, peonies are treated with insecticides.
Conclusion
Peony Coral is gaining popularity for its beauty of flowering and disease resistance. The plant does not require special care, but it needs to be transplanted more often than ordinary species of peonies. To create an attractive flower bed, you can select varieties with different flowering periods.
Coral-charm- beautiful, but fading in the sun