In June they bloom everywhere: red, white, yellow or pink colored peonies. That's why we want to dedicate our plant portrait this month to the thornless flower princess. More than thirty species thrive in gardens and parks in Europe, Asia and North America. The large, fragrant flower balls not only decorate every perennial border, peonies also keep very well in the vase.
Peonies bring early summer flair to the garden
Plant profile:
- Botanical name: Paeonia lactiflora and Paeonia officinalis
- German names: Benedict rose, farmer's rose Freisam rose, gout rose, pound rose, horse rose
- Class: Flowering Plant
- Genus: Peonies
- Family: Peonies
- Height of growth: Up to one meter
- Main flowering period: May - June
- Leaf Color: Dark Green
- Leaf shape: Compound pinnate, leaf margin notched
- Flower color: red, white, pink, yellow
- Flower shape: Double, semi-double or single calyx
- Fruits: pods with rounded seeds
origin
Interestingly, the peony only thrives in the northern hemisphere. It occurs wild in China, Japan and India, where it grows in sparse forests. The perennial species, on the other hand, originally come from Eurasia and North America.
plant symbolism
In the early Middle Ages, Benedictine monks devoted themselves to the cultivation of this magnificent plant. Christian mythology praises the peony as a symbol of healing and the beauty of the feminine. It is found as an adornment on many altarpieces, because as a "rose without thorns" it is a symbol of the Mother of God.
The botanical genus name "Paeonia" can be traced back to the Greek doctor of the gods "Paian". According to legend, he used the peony to heal Pluton, the god of the underworld, after he was wounded by Heracles in the war for Pylos.
planting and care
Peonies love a sunny location where they find humus-rich, nutrient-rich and permeable soil. Tree peonies can also be given a semi-shady place, provided they are exposed to direct sunlight for a few hours a day.
Prevent waterlogging with a drainage layer, because the thornless flower princess quickly reacts to this with root rot. Temporary drought is better tolerated because the peony forms deep roots and can store water in the root system.
Plant peonies preferably in early autumn and give them enough space. Depending on the type and variety, the planting distance should be 1 to 1.5 meters. In the first few years, the perennials still need good winter protection, later they are very robust and frost-hardy.
Healthy growth is promoted by fertilizing with compost or composted manure. Horn shavings (32.93€) or horn meal are also suitable. Two fertilizer applications per year, once in spring and once in summer, immediately after flowering, are sufficient.
diseases and pests
Peonies are among the perennials that are hardly affected by pests and diseases. Neither lice nor caterpillars like to feast on them and snails hardly attack them either.
However, various fungal diseases can cause problems for garden beauties. If the shoots show round, reddish-brown spots or begin to wilt for no apparent reason, rapid action is required. Cut off infested parts of the plant and dispose of them in the household waste. You can then treat the peony with a commercially available fungicide.
tips
Never plant peonies too deep or they will not bloom. The thick shoot buds must be close to the ground. Don't lose patience, because the "rose without a thorn" needs some time to get started. Peonies often only start flowering after two to three years, but then become more luxuriant from year to year. Therefore, this garden beauty should be given a place where it can remain undisturbed for a long time.