2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Californian peony (lat. Paeonia californica) - one of the unusual representatives of the Peony genus, belonging to the Peony family. In nature, the species lives in California, the same US state is its homeland. The species was introduced into culture quite a long time ago - in 1838. Nowadays, it is not used very often in culture due to the popularity of double and semi-double species, varieties and hybrids of peonies.
Characteristics of culture
Californian peony is represented by perennial herbaceous medium-sized plants, not exceeding 60 cm in height. In culture and nature, you can also find low-growing specimens with a height of 30-35 cm, they, in turn, are suitable for decorating rocky gardens and flower beds, including rockeries and rock gardens β¦ The dense and smooth stems of the species under consideration are crowned with long, complex, trifoliate and double-triple foliage of a pale green color, equipped with sessile, elongated or wedge-shaped, narrow lobes with blunt or, conversely, sharp tips. The leaves have petioles.
The flowers are purple with green sepals, endowed with two bracts. Sepals have a concave shape, but the tips are sharp. The fruits are presented in the form of leaflets not exceeding 3-3.5 cm in length. The flowering of the Californian peony is observed in mid-late May - early June. Flowering, subject to all the rules of care and the correct location, is active, abundant, remarkable. The seeds ripen at the end of summer or in the first decade of September, then they are suitable for collection and subsequent sowing.
Subtleties of planting and care
Planting, as well as transplanting the Californian peony, in fact, like other representatives of the genus, is recommended in early autumn. It is impossible to delay planting, since the plants will not have time to take root before the onset of cold weather, which means they can die from severe frosts. Soil preparation is carried out at least 1 month before the intended planting. It is important to form holes at a distance of 1-1, 2 m from each other, since over time the culture grows strongly, forming large bushes. If you plant them too close, in the future they will feel flawed from a lack of sunlight and optimal air circulation.
Planting pits are formed with dimensions 60 * 60, a lush layer of compost or humus mixed with garden soil and coarse washed river sand, taken in the same proportion, must be placed on the bottom of the pit. The introduction of mineral fertilizers into the mixture is encouraged; for these purposes, superphosphate will do. An additive in the form of wood ash is not prohibited. Immediately after planting, the plants are watered, but very abundantly. In the future, it is important to ensure regular watering, avoiding waterlogging, otherwise the roots may rot. In the absence of proper watering, the plants will not have time to root normally.
By the third year, the plants will acquire 3-6 strong stems, respectively, and the flowering will be more active. In the second year, the bushes will not look very attractive - loose and flowering sparsely. It is important to provide them with proper care - watering, feeding, weeding and loosening. To simplify maintenance, it is recommended to mulch the soil of the plants. Mulch will prevent rapid evaporation of moisture and suppress weeds, which bother the crop.
It is preferable to feed young and adult plants in early spring, then 2 more feeding is required. The first top dressing involves the use of nitrogen, potash and phosphorus fertilizers. The second feeding is carried out during budding - with potash and phosphorus fertilizers, then organic matter can be added, but rotted. The third is carried out when laying the buds of renewal - only with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
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Californian Cypress
Californian cypress (Latin Cupressus goveniana) - in the wild, Californian cypress is found only on the Monterey Peninsula (western United States), where it grows in small groups. It is, as a rule, a small tree or shrub, which differs from other species of the Cypress genus (Latin Cupressus), which is a member of the Cypress family (Latin Cupressaceae), in the structure of its needles that do not have resin-producing glands.
Thin-leaved Peony
Thin-leaved peony is one of the plants of the family called peony, in Latin the name of this plant will sound like this: Paeonia tenuifolia L. As for the name of the family of the peony, in Latin it will be like this: Paeoniaceae Rudolphi. Description of thin-leaved peony The thin-leaved or narrow-leaved peony is known under the following popular names:
Polyphagous Californian Scale Insect
The Californian scale insect lives in the southwestern and southern regions of Russia. In addition to various berry and fruit crops, it also damages over two hundred varieties of ornamental and forest plants. These harmful parasites suck out juices not only from tree trunks and twigs, but also from fruits with leaves. The bark in the areas damaged by them cracks, the deforming leaves fall off, the shoots are bent, and reddish forms on the fruits in the places where the Californian scutes are sucked
Californian Blue-eyed
Californian blue-eyed (Latin Sisyrinchium californicum) - a herbaceous flowering plant of the genus Blue-eyed (Latin Sisyrinchium), belonging to the Iris family (Latin Iridaceae). It does not justify its generic name "Blue-eyed", since the color of the petals of its delicate flowers is not blue-blue, like most of its relatives, but golden-yellow.
Polyphagous Pseudo-californian Scale Insect
The Californian scale insect damages not only all berry and fruit crops, but also many decorative and forest species. And it lives almost everywhere, often forming numerous colonies, which completely cover the bark of branches and trunks from the lower sides. Despite the fact that only one generation of these parasites develops throughout the year, this is quite enough to say goodbye to a significant part of the long-awaited harvest. Tree branches as a result of sap suction
