Peony is a perennial deciduous shrub with slow growth, small plant type and plant height of 0.5 ~ 2 meters. Roots are fleshy, thick and long, with lignified center, generally 0.5 ~ 0.8 meters long, and a few roots can reach 2 meters; The color of root bark and root meat varies with varieties; The branches are erect, crisp and round, and look like shrubs from the roots. Annual branches are smooth and brown and often crack and fall off. Leaves alternate, leaves are usually three or three compound leaves, the upper branches are often simple leaves, and the leaflets are needle-shaped, oval, oval and so on. The terminal leaflets are often 2-3-lobed, with dark green or yellow-green leaves on the top and gray-green leaves on the bottom, smooth or hairy; The total petiole is 8 ~ 20 cm long with grooves on the surface; Peanut is at the top of the branch of the year, bisexual, large and colorful, with a diameter of10 ~ 30cm; The colors of flowers are white, yellow, pink, red, purple, deep purple (black), snow blue (pink blue), green and compound color. Male and female pistils are often petaled, and the natural growth of petals and the degree of petaled pistils are related to varieties, cultivation environmental conditions and growth years. Normal flowers have many stamens, strong seed setting ability and high seed maturity. Flowers with serious pistil petals, few seeds but no seeds, completely free stamens, 5 carpels, at least 8 carpels, each ovary bottle-shaped, placenta margin, most ovules pentagonal, 7- 13 per corner, and round seeds.

Peony is a famous traditional flower in China. It is beautiful and charming, graceful and elegant, with the beauty of color, fragrance and rhyme, which makes people fall in love. Many poets in history have praised it. For example, the Tang poetry praised: "A good name is called Kao Hua". In the Song Dynasty, the word "Ailian" wrote: "Peony is full of flowers", and the famous sentence was spread to famous people. "The King of Flowers" and "Rich Flowers" have also become nicknames to praise peony.

People in the Tang Dynasty loved peonies more. During the peony season, they held a peony festival, and Chang 'an people went out of the city, intoxicated. The palace also loves peony, and the poet Li Zhengfeng praised peony as "national color" and "sweet fragrance", which was greatly appreciated by Tang Gaozong. "National color and fragrance" has since become another nickname for peony.

Peony is regarded as a symbol of prosperity, happiness and peace in China's traditional consciousness because of its unique wealth, luxury and wealth.

Origin and Habit: Native to China. Hanzhong is the earliest place where peonies were artificially cultivated in China. It is a deciduous shrub. Love cool and hate hot, suitable for dry and wet. I can tolerate the low temperature of -30℃ and grow normally in areas with an annual average relative humidity of about 45%. Like light, but also a little tolerant of shade. Loose, fertile and well-drained neutral loam or sandy loam is required, and it is forbidden to stick heavy soil or plant at low temperature. The flowering period is April-May. Grafting is often used in cultivation, because Paeonia belongs to Paeonia, and Paeonia is the rootstock.

Morphological characteristics: fleshy root system is developed, with few branches and fibrous roots. Plant height 1-3m, the old stems are grayish brown and the branches are yellowish brown. Bipinnate compound leaves, alternate. Flowers are solitary at the top of stem, with flower diameter 10-30cm. The colors are white, yellow, pink, red, purple and multicolor, and there are single flowers, compound flowers, double flowers and cabinet flowers.

There are many ways to divide the tip of peony, which can be divided into upright type, flat type and semi-open type according to plant type. According to the bud type, it can be divided into round bud type, narrow bud type, olecranon type and exposed mouth type; According to the branching habit, it can be divided into single branch type and cluster branch type; According to the color, it can be divided into white, * * *, pink, red, purple, blue, black and many colors (actually there is no pure blue and black); According to the flowering period, it can be divided into early flower type, middle flower type, late flower type and autumn and winter type (some varieties have the habit of secondary flowering, which can naturally reopen after flowering in spring and autumn and winter, called autumn and winter type); According to the pattern, it can be divided into four levels: department, class and group. The four rows are peony, purple peony, yellow peony and purple peony; Two kinds, namely single flower and tiger flower; The two groups are Melaleuca and Louzi; The following groups are divided into several types according to the shape of flowers, such as single petal type, lotus type, laurel type and crown type.

Propagation and cultivation: propagation by branching and grafting, as well as sowing and cutting. The suitable period of transplantation is from late September of 10 to early October of 10, neither too early nor too late. If you like fertilizer, you should fertilize it at least three times a year, namely "flower fertilizer", "bud fertilizer" and "winter fertilizer". Pruning should be carried out after 2-3 years of cultivation. For varieties with vigorous growth and strong branching ability, it is only necessary to cut off the weak branches, keep all the strong branches, and remove the new buds at the base in time to maintain a beautiful plant shape. Bud removal is also an extremely important job. In order to make plants produce bright flowers and keep plants strong, the number of flowers should be controlled according to the age of trees. In the early stage of budding, a certain number of fully developed flower buds should be selected, and excessive flower buds and weak buds should be removed as soon as possible. Generally, 5-6 year-old plants keep 3-5 flower buds. For newly planted plants, all flower buds should be removed in the following spring to prevent them from blooming, so as to concentrate nutrition and promote plant development.

Common diseases are brown spot, red spot and rust. Common pests are nematodes, grubs and cutworms.

Application:

The ornamental parts of peony are mainly flowers, which are elegant and magnificent, and are known as "national color and fragrance" and "king of flowers". Peony can establish special gardens in parks and scenic spots; Build flower beds in classical gardens and residential courtyards for planting; Natural solitary planting, clumping planting or replanting in garden green space. It is also suitable for arranging flower borders, flower beds, flower belts and potted plants, and the application is more flexible. By delaying flowering, flowers can bloom all year round. The root bark is used as medicine, and the petals can make wine.

Peony morphology

After peony changed from wild to domestic, due to the change of environmental conditions and continuous artificial breeding and cultivation, not only the color, pattern and flowering period changed sooner or later, but also the shape of plants, the length and thickness of roots and the color and shape of leaves.

I. Plant types

Peony plants vary in height, cluster, vertical inclination and aggregation due to different varieties. Generally speaking, according to its shape or divided into five types;

1, vertical

Branches are erect and tall, densely distributed, with small spreading angle, and the angle between branches and vertical line is mostly 30? Inside. Internodes are long, the annual growth of new branches is 10 ~ 15 cm, and the average plant height of five-year-olds is 40 ~ 50 cm, and the highest can be above1m. Such as "Shougehong", "Purple Er Qiao" and "Yao Huang".

2. Evacuation type

Branches are scattered and bent to extend around, and the plant width is wider than the plant height, forming a low-spreading plant shape, and the angle between branches and vertical line is mostly 45? Above, the new branches are long and soft. Such as Zhao Fen, Keep Red, Mountain Flowers in Full Bloom, Qinglong in Mo Chi, etc.

3. Open type

The branches grow strong and straight, extending obliquely around, and there is an angle between them. The plant type is perfect and correct, and the height is moderate. The annual growth of new branches is 6 ~ 8 cm, and the average plant height of five-year-old branches is 30 ~ 40 cm. Such as "Zhuangyuanhong", "Silver and Red Pairs" and "Gold and Jade to Send".

4. Dwarf type

Branches grow slowly, internodes are short, leaves are dense, and branches are compact and short. The annual growth of new branches is 2 ~ 4 cm, and the average plant height of five years is about 15 cm. Such as "Beauty Red", "Luohan Red" and "Haiyunzi".

5. Go it alone

Most of them are artificial artistic shapes with obvious trunks and different heights, generally 20 ~ 80 cm. Some branches grow on the trunk to form a crown (some have no crown), which is simple and looks like a bonsai and grows slowly. It usually takes more than 8 years to form. Such as "18".

In each plant type, due to different varieties, the erect degree, height and oblique extension angle are also different; At the same time, the branches are thick, thin, hard and straight. For example, in the dwarf type, "arhat red" belongs to the stout dwarf type, while "flowing from the stem to win the green" belongs to the thin dwarf type; Another example is that the upright "Shouanhong" belongs to the coarse upright type, and the "Yao Huang" belongs to the fine and hard upright type.

Second, the root

Peony has a well-developed root system and many deep-rooted fleshy main roots and lateral roots. Primary roots start from white, gradually turn yellow to brown, the meat is white, individual red, and the meat center is lignified, commonly known as "wood heart". The fleshy part stores a lot of nutrients and water for plants to grow. Generally speaking, plants with deep roots have lush foliage and tall plants, while plants with shallow roots have short branches and short plant types. Peony has different types and numbers of roots due to different varieties, but it can be generally divided into three categories:

1, straight root type

This kind of roots are deep (four-year-old peony roots can be buried more than 80 cm), but the roots are sparse, with only dozens of thick "surface roots" with uniform thickness. The root is smooth and has a hundred skins, and there are few small roots on the root. Roots (called "peony bark" after processing) have high yield and good quality. Such as Feng Dan, Zhao Fen, Er Qiao and Mo Kui. Most of these peonies are medicinal and ornamental varieties.

2. Slope root type

This kind of root varies in thickness and length, and there are many lateral roots, which grow in a cross, commonly known as "chicken claw root". Most of the soil layers are shallow and the slope angle is large. Such as "Qingshan Guan Xue", "White" and "Huanghuakui", the quality and yield of this kind of peony are lower than that of straight root type, so it is not suitable for medicinal cultivation.

3. Intermediate type

This kind of root has moderate density and no obvious main root. Most of them are "noodle roots" with uniform thickness and smooth skin, with an average burial depth of 70 ~ 80 cm, such as "planting black" and "Yao Huang", which have both ornamental and medicinal values.

Third, budding

There are 6 ~ 8 scales around peony buds, so peony buds are also called "scale buds". Peony overwinters with scale buds.

Peony bud can be divided into flower bud, leaf bud, latent bud and adventitious bud according to its function and differentiation degree.

1, bud

The flower buds of peony are mixed buds, which can branch, grow leaves and bloom. The "terminal flower bud" growing at the top of branches is called "terminal flower bud". Once the branches of flowers are opened, the stems will dry up and retract for a period of time. The flower buds inserted between the axils of the lower leaves of the stem are called "axillary flower buds" or "lateral flower buds". Flower buds are generally plump, and you can see the "flower embryo" (that is, the bud inside the scale bud) by peeling off the scales.

2. Young leaves

Leaf buds only have branches and long leaves, most of which are inserted between the axils at the lower part of flower buds, and some of them are born at the top of branches, which are thinner than flower buds and develop into branches after germination.

3. Dormant buds

The latent bud is born in the lowest part of the new branch, and its shape is small and flat, such as millet, commonly known as "dog turtle". It does not germinate at ordinary times, but can germinate only after the flower bud, leaf bud or branch is injured, and its life span is long, reaching 10 ~ 15 years.

4. Adventitious buds

Buds attached to roots are called "adventitious buds". After unearthed, it germinated into sprouting branches, commonly known as "soil buds". Adventitious buds have strong germination ability and are the main source of scions. Old branches (rootstocks) are updated and new shares are added. Adventitious buds do not bloom that year, but grow vigorously. They can develop and differentiate into top flower buds that year and bloom the next year.

Peony buds are different in shape and color due to different varieties, with different shapes and characteristics. Generally speaking, there are cone, pearl, oblate, oblong cone, olecranon, etc. The size of buds, the number and thickness of scales are different. There are also different degrees of turquoise, yellow-green, khaki, khaki, silver gray, brown and purplish red; In addition, there are colors and mixed colors, which are the main basis for distinguishing varieties in autumn. Therefore, it is difficult to identify peony varieties only by the shape and color of flower buds, and it is necessary to master the characteristics of scale flower buds of each variety through long-term patient and meticulous observation.

Fourth, the branch

Due to the different internode lengths of effective branches in that year, the number of buds inserted and germination ability of new branches are also different, and the branching habits are also obviously different, but there are generally two types of branches:

1, single branch type

In that year, the new branches had long internodes and few buds, which only germinated at the base of node 1 ~ 2 or node 1 ~ 3, and only one of these new buds germinated into the new branches of that year. This type is generally tall and sparse, such as "Yao Huang".

2. Dense branching type

The new buds of that year have short internodes and many new buds, usually 3-5. New branches are strong, and each new branch can be pulled out in that year, forming short branches, many branches are thick and clustered. This variety of plants is usually short and densely branched. Such as Ying Luo Zhu Bao, Dan Furnace Flame and Fat Red.

Verb (short for verb) leave.

Peony leaves alternate and consist of leaves and petioles. The shape, size, color and texture of leaves vary with varieties and can be divided into the following categories:

1, large round leaf type

The whole leaf is large and round, more than 40 centimeters long and more than 25 centimeters wide. The leaflets are wide, round and pure, and they are oval or oval. Marginal loss of lateral leaflets; How flat the leaves are. Such as "Wang Hong", "Great Lake Red", "Mokui" and "First Case Red".

2, long leaf type

The size of the whole leaf is the same as before, but the leaflets are long and narrow, rectangular and thin, with few notches, sharp edges and sparse flat or drooping leaves, such as "silver powder and gold scales" and "ice-covered red stones".

3, lobular round leaf type

The whole leaf is small, about 20 ~ 30 cm long, with short and thick leaflets and short and round edges. Such as "Jin Ge Zi", "lantian jade" and "Beauty Red".

4. Small shape and long leaf type

The size of the whole leaf is the same as above, but the leaflets are narrow, with notches at the edges and rolled up. Such as "fat red" and "smoke dragon purple".

5. Medium blade type

The whole leaf is medium-sized, about 30 ~ 40 cm long, with oval lobules, concave edges, sharp rolling and inclined leaves. Such as "false kudzuvine towel purple", "Zhuangyuanhong" and "big brown purple".

There are special leaf shapes at home and abroad. For example, in the "Three Strange Sets", only three irregular circular leaves are born on each petiole, which is two-thirds less than that of ordinary varieties, and it is a compound leaf with two cycles; Another example is "Fleshy Hibiscus" and "Big Brown Purple". There are three groups of leaves on each petiole, which are divided into the top five and six * * * eleven leaflets, two more than ordinary varieties.

The color of peony leaves is mainly green and yellow-green, and some varieties have different degrees of purple halo; Some leaves are dotted with purple or yellow spots; The back of leaves is mostly grayish green and light gray, and some varieties (such as "Bai He") have a lot of fluff.

Six, petiole

The petiole of peony is also divided into thickness, hardness and length, the length can reach 40 cm, and the short one is only 10 cm; Petiole concave is mostly dark purple, purplish red, taupe, yellowish green and other different colors.

The length of petiole, especially the angle between petiole and branch, varies greatly with different varieties, which also has a great influence on the ornamental value of flowers. The angle between petiole and branches is large, the leaves are flat or drooping, and the leaves are sparse, such as "ink sunflower", which has flowers on the leaves, forming beautiful flowers and leaves, which complement each other. On the contrary, the petiole is short and the included angle between the petiole and the branch is small. Because of the close branches and leaves, flowers are often hidden in leaves, resulting in the phenomenon of "hiding flowers in leaves", and the ornamental value is greatly reduced.

Seven, flowers

Peony flowers are colorful and varied. Some varieties have intact floral organs and normal development of sepals, stamens and pistils, such as "lotus" and "phoenix white". But some varieties have petals or degenerate, forming colorful flowers.

According to the number of petals, flowers are traditionally divided into single petals (layers), double petals (layers) and thousand petals (layers). In these three categories, according to the morphological characteristics of flowers, they can be divided into six flower types: sunflower type, lotus type, rose type, hemispherical type, crown type and hydrangea type (traditionally called crown type and hydrangea type). This classification method intuitively reflects the various forms of flowers.

In recent years, peony-related experts and scholars, together with researchers in producing areas, combined with traditional classification methods, have found out the evolution law of peony flowers and flower composition after years of field observation and anatomical observation, and put forward new flower classification, that is, peony flowers are divided into single petal type, lotus type, chrysanthemum type, rose type, thousand-layer terrace type, laurel type, gold ring type, crown type, hydrangea type and Louzitai type.

1, single disc

Petals in 2-3 rounds, 10- 15, wide and flat, with 200-300 stamens and 4-6 pistils. The pistils and stamens develop normally and have strong fruiting ability. This pattern is represented by Opium Purple, Pomegranate Red, Pearl Plate and Fontaine White.

2. Lotus type

Petals in 4-5 rounds, 20-25 petals. Petals are wide, similar in shape and size, clearly arranged, pistil development is basically normal, and the fruiting ability is strong, but some varieties occasionally have stamens or pistil stigma petals. This pattern is represented by lotus, Jinyunhong, Saussurea involucrata and Jade Half White.

3. Chrysanthemum type

Petals have more than 6 rounds, which are similar in shape, neatly arranged and well-defined, and gradually become smaller from outside to inside. Stamens are normal or degenerate, with occasional petalization. Pistil is 5~ 1 1, which grows or degenerates normally and becomes smaller. Some varieties have petal-shaped stigma and poor knot strength. This kind of flower pattern is represented by varieties such as "Rose Red", "Laughter in the Bush", "Silver Red Clever Pair" and "Jinhong".

4. Rose-shaped

Petals are round, gradually getting smaller from outside to inside, stamens partially petaled into normal petals, pistils degenerated into smaller or petaled petals, and the fruiting strength was poor. This flower pattern is represented by "Purple Er Qiao", "Wuhua Yao Hui" and "Xia Hong Zheng Hui".

5. laurel support type

The outer petals are 2-5 rounds, wide and tidy, some stamen petals become slender petals, and there are often anthers or anther traces in the petals. Normal stamens are mixed between petals, arranged irregularly and sparsely, and the pistil is normal or slightly petaloid, which has bearing capacity. This flower pattern is represented by "Shu Women's Dress", "Jiao Hong", "Xian 'e" and "Trilateral Saiyu".

6, gold ring type

Outer petals in 2-3 whorls, broad and flat. Some stamens in the center of flowers become long and narrow vertical petals. There is a circle of normal stamens between the central petal and the outer petal, and the pistil is normal or slightly petaloid, with poor fruiting strength. There are few such designs, such as White Swan and Hong Junyan.

7. Crown type

The outer petals are 2-5 rounds, wide and flat, arranged regularly, and most or all of the stamens are divided into finely divided or wrinkled petals, which are densely raised and shaped like a crown. The inner petals are irregularly arranged, and there are often normal stamens or staminodes between petals, and anthers are often left at the ends of petals; Pistil degenerated or petaloid, occasionally bearing fruit. This flower pattern is represented by lantian jade, Hu Hong, Yao Huang and Shou Anhong.

8, hydrangea type

Stamens are fully petalled, the inner and outer petals are similar in shape and size, and the crowded protrusions are spherical or oval; The pistil is basically or completely degenerated or valved, and there is no fruiting ability. This flower pattern is like "bean green", "green fragrant ball" and "snow reflecting the morning glow"

9. Thousand-story terrace style

The lower petals have more than 4 rounds, the petals are arranged neatly and similar in shape, and there are no stamens and staminodes between petals. Stamens are normally small, or occasionally petaloid, and pistils degenerate and become smaller or petaloid; The upper petals are small, spreading or erect, the stamens are getting smaller and smaller, and the pistil degenerates and becomes smaller or petal-shaped. This flower pattern is represented by Ling Hua Zhan Lu, Zhihong and Shouxinghong.

10, tower

The stamens of the lower flowers are completely petalized, which is similar to the shape of normal petals, and the pistil petals are transformed into normal petals or colored petals; The petals of the upper flowers are slightly larger and more numerous, and the stamens are basically petaloid or degenerate; The pistil petals become normal petals or colored petals, and some varieties degenerate and disappear. This flower pattern is represented by varieties such as "Chilong Huancai", "Shengdan Furnace", "Jade House Diancui" and "Purple Paris".

In the process of peony flower pattern development, some varieties often have 2-3 or more flowers on the same plant and branch. Such as "Zhao Fen", "Innocent fragrance", "White crane lying in the snow" and "blooming mountain flowers", the same plant can produce flowers such as "crown", "laurel" and "single petal". Therefore, when determining the flower pattern of a certain variety, the standard should be the flower pattern with the highest degree of evolution.

Eight, fruit seeds

A flower has five horns, each horn bears 7- 13 seeds, and the seeds are round. The exocarp is green and hairy at first, crab yellow when mature, yellow-green seeds, cracked fruit horns when over-ripe, and dark brown seeds, which can be called 2400-3000 dry seeds per kilogram. Double flowers generally bear 1-5 horns, but the seeds are only partially or completely fruitless; A thousand petals will not bear fruit and seeds.