This luxurious perennial flower owes its name to the ancient Greek healer Peon, a disciple of the god Aesculapius. According to the myth, the student surpassed the teacher in healing, in retaliation, God poisoned him, but left him to live in the world in the form of a beautiful flower. Such is the ancient Greek legend, meanwhile, China is considered the birthplace of the peony. There he was considered the most exquisite of flowers and landed near palaces and temples.
There is even evidence that this plant could only be bought with gold. And all because its healing properties were valued more than decorative qualities: peony cured dozens of diseases. Planting it was allowed only for the nobility, and commoners did not have the right to grow this exquisite crop.
Peony has about six thousand varieties today. It is of two types - herbaceous and tree-like, with lignified stems. The second species is most common in China itself, the Mediterranean countries and North America. Among Russian flower growers, the most common herbaceous peony. Planting and breeding it is popular both in large flower farms and in summer cottages.
Variety of shades, luxurious large flowers, delicate aroma - everything attracts in it. In his homeland, in China, the beauty of the peony was appreciated much later, and at first, Chinese medicine widely used its rhizomes to prepare miraculous potions. Our pharmacists and traditional healers also appreciated the power of this plant. Peony root tincture with propolis is recommended for the treatment and prevention of cancer, diabetes, gynecological problems, diseases of the kidneys and biliary tract. In addition, peony-based preparations are famous for their calming effect. It is known that this flower is able to raise the tone and improve mood. It is enough to approach the bush and inhale deeply the aroma that the peony exudes. Planting this ornamental culture is carried out once for many years. If the place is chosen well, the peony will grow in one place for up to seven to ten years.
He likes well-drained soil, moderately dry and lit places. Where storm drains pass, there is no place for a peony. Abundant watering is required for him only after transplantation, until he takes root.
The bush is beautiful even on its own thanks to the abundant carved foliage. But sometimes it has to be tied up when large heavy peonies bloom. Planting and care (photo on the left) consists in the good location and cleanliness of the area around the flowers, whether it be whole plantations or single bushes, which also looks very impressive.
And yet this flower has its own whimsthere is. The most important of them is a certain depth of the hole for tubers. If you want your peony to bloom in a new place, planting should be at such a depth that the buds are closed by one or two centimeters, no more. Otherwise, the root will go deep, and you can not wait for flowering. And you need to replant the bushes if the flowering has become scarce or stopped, or the flowers have become smaller - which means it's time to renew the bush. Carefully dug out rhizome should be divided into several parts and planted in pre-prepared holes. The optimal transplant time is the end of August-mid-October, when the ground part is cut off. But it is also possible to plant peonies in the spring in the ground. As already mentioned, the hole should be shallow, some flower growers even put rubble or a flat stone on the bottom so that the roots do not rush down. Very long rhizomes can be pruned, but you must be very careful when touching the tender sprouts - they are very brittle.
