Peony Red grace

Of the many varieties of peonies, the so-called bomb-shaped red varieties are very special. They stand out for their magical color and unusual shape of inflorescences. A striking representative of plants in this category can be called the Red Grace variety. As soon as you get to know this culture better, you will certainly allocate a place of honor for it in your flower garden.

History of appearance

Red grace is an interspecific hybrid bred in the United States in 1980. It was obtained by crossing two species: P. Lactiflora and P. Officinalis. Translated from English, the name of the flower means "the grace of red." The producer of the culture is Glasscoc / Klehm. The decorative herbaceous perennial has more than one award. So, in 1996, he was awarded a gold medal as part of a national event called the American Peony Show. And in the period from 1991 to 2003, the magnificent flower won four times at the exhibition of the Moscow Flower Growers Club.

Description of appearance and features

The main decoration of a perennial plant is large flowers of a deep dark red or dark cherry hue. They reach 18 cm in diameter, have a uniform color and the shape of an almost perfect ball, densely stuffed with silky petals. The pom-pom-shaped buds shimmer in the sun. Their outer petals are even and rounded. Gorgeous inflorescences appear in the second year of the plant's life and are formed at the tops of the shoots one by one. There are no side buds on the bush. This is an early flowering variety: it gets its first flowers in the month of May. The culture blooms profusely, emitting a faint, pleasant aroma.

Red grace forms a powerful, vigorous bush with a height of 80 to 120 cm. Its straight, thick, and therefore strong stems are decorated with strongly dissected, openwork foliage of a rich green color. Due to the strength of the shoots, the peony bush does not lose its shape during the period of lush flowering, does not require support and tying. The variety is very winter-hardy, withstands frosts down to -40 ° C. It is characterized by good resistance to diseases and insect pests. The flowers of the plant do not lose their decorative effect under prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

Growing and care

Our hero loves sun-drenched, spacious areas. It is permissible to be in partial shade. But the content of the culture in the shade should be avoided if you do not want the appearance of low-quality inflorescences. It is best to plant a perennial on a hill or on a flat surface. Placing a bush in a lowland and in areas with a shallow depth of groundwater is fraught with flooding of the peony and subsequently - rotting of its roots.

The ideal soil for a handsome hybrid is loamy soil with a neutral pH. In addition, for planting shrubs, you can use a soil mixture consisting of the following components: garden soil, vermicompost, humus and sand. A hole is dug about 70 cm wide and at least half a meter deep. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom, a complex mineral fertilizer and a little wood ash are applied. The Red Grace root system is deepened so that the buds are 3-5 cm below the soil level.

Throughout the growing season, the plant requires regular watering and feeding. The soil under the peony should be moistened only with soft, cool water. It is not worth watering Red Grace often: it is better to do it less often (once a week), but abundantly. As for fertilizing, they are needed by the culture in the spring, at the time of the entry of the perennial into the phase of active growth; at the appearance of buds and during flowering, as well as two weeks after the flowering of the shrub. For the first two years, fertilizer is not applied under the flower.The best feeding option is to dissolve the concentrate in water and combine the event with watering.

With the arrival of autumn, the shoots of the plant are greatly shortened. What remains after pruning is sprinkled with ash or dry soil. Additional cover is not required for the hybrid given its superior endurance. To reduce the risk of various diseases on the crop, including the widespread gray rot among peonies, it must be treated with a fungicide solution 2-3 times per season. Of the pests of the American handsome man, ants and aphids can disturb. In order to control these insects, insecticides are used.

Plant use

The most advantageous option for including the Red Grace variety in the design of a flower garden or garden is to make it the central figure of the site. To this end, the peony is planted all alone so that its gorgeous flowers are striking from anywhere in the recreation area. The overseas perennial looks great against the backdrop of the grassy lawn and evergreens in the background.

Terry variety is suitable for placement in group compositions. It is combined with crops such as stonecrops, phloxes, irises, foxglove, delphinium, cotton wool. The hybrid is recommended to be used for decorating hedges, mixborders, as an element of rockeries and rock gardens, for dividing the territory into zones. A perennial, which is inherent in solemnity, is appropriate at the front entrance to the dwelling, in the front garden, near the gazebo. Red grace can also be used as a cut variety, because flowers of this variety, being put in water, do not lose their attractiveness for a long time. From luxurious spherical inflorescences, fabulously beautiful bouquets are obtained, suitable for any occasion.