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D.B. Kapinos & V.M.Durbov : Pioni v sadu

Peonies in the garden

Tyumen: "Mignon" (1993) book, 190p, 32 ill.

English translation in extracts by Dr.C.Burkhardt, Cottbus, Germany

Preface

Among the perennials in the garden, the peonies are the plants with the longest duration of cultivation. They can stay on their place for decades without being transplanted and develop in time to a large bush with a profusion of 50-60 wonderful flowers. The peonies belong to the longest living ornaments of our gardens. [...] The authors are thankful for comments and predictions of readers of this book, which can be sent to the following address: 142703 Vidnoje Moskovskoj oblastija/ja 48 Kapinos D.B. It would be helpful for the next edition of this book.

History of cultivation

The cultivation of peonies began in ancient years. [...On the next pages a history of peonies in China, Europe and the USA is following.] Into Russia, the cultivars of french breeders were introduced in the first decade of the 19th century, very probably. They found their way into the gardens of Riga, St.Peterburg, Moscow and Kiev. Today it's hard to say, how much they were distributed in this time, but it is without doubt, that they must have been very popular. Indirect evidence of the interest on peonies is illustrated through russian artists, among them S.Vinogradov, Golovin, Gontcharov, Korovin and others.

In the book "The Flowergarden" of K.Epantchin, (Moscow 1891) peonies were separated into 4 groups according to their species characteristics. The author named 40 cultivars and species. On the painting "The Garden" of S.Vinogradov (1910, Museum of Arts of the Irkutsk Rayon) the rule of the peonies in landscaping of the begin of the 20th century is illustrated: decorative perennials in free arrangement in the garden around the house. The widespread cultivation of peonies in our country began in the after-war years. In many governmental institutions considerable collections of peonies were established. Cultivars suitable for the climatic conditions in our country were supervised by the plant-lovers A.A.Sosnowez and N.S.Krasnova.

Especially plant-enthusiasts of the Moscow-region took part in the widespread cultivation of the peonies. They created wonderful collections, elaborated and publicated methods for an adequate cultivation in the garden and investigated the most extraordinary and handsome cultivars.[...] Over more than 23 years the plantlovers of Moscow organised an outstanding, unique to our country, on peonies specialised yearly exhibition, which enjoys a large interest by the public. On these exhibitions the most decorative cultivars of the moskovian breeders M.I.Akimov, T.I.Fomina, A.K.Kolpakova and others were shown. [But the winners were 20x american peonies, see below.]

Botanical characteristics

The peonies belong to the family of Paeoniaceae, containing only 1 genus, Paeonia. The classification within the genus has been revised for several times and is to the present times not definitively concluded. The genus contains 40-47 species or forms (according to different authorities), which have developed through the natural evolution. In the countries of the former Soviet Union grow 14, after other authors 15-16 species of the genus. [...] The present systematic refers peonies as one of the oldest representatives of flowering or angiosperm plants. Their immature reproducing organs and long cycle of formation a mature plant (5-7 years) makes the peonies very woundable for unpleasant circumstances caused by alteration of their environmental milieu by man.

All species of the peonies are very decorative plants, but some of them are used in the popular medicine or as a raw material for the preparation of industrial medicaments. Most of the species are endemic, and restricted to a limited territory. A number of species still not belongs to the number of rare

plants, but without sufficient protection the native areas of these plants are getting intensively destroyed or become included to the sphere of economical use of mankind. Practically all species native to the territory of our country are in need of protection. We hope, dear readers, that you also become active protectors of these marvellous plants - the prides of our national flora. In the register 'Scarce and Endangered Species of the Flora of the USSR, needing protection' under redaction of academist A.L.Takhtadshjan (Leningrad: Nauka 1981) the following species native on the territory of the former USSR, are included:

P.anomala L.;

P.daurica Andr.(P.triternata Pall. ex DC, P.taurica Auct)

P.hybrida Pall.

P.kavachensis Aznav. [P.caucasica (Schipcz.) Schipcz., P.lagodechiana Kem.-Nath., P.ruprechtiana Kem.-Nath.];

P.lactiflora Pall. (P.albiflora Pall.);

P.macrophylla (Albow) Lomak.;

P.mlokosewitschii Lomak.;

P.obovata Maxim.;

P.oreogeton S.Moore [incl. P.japonica (Maxim.) Miyabe et Takeda

P.vernalis Mandl.];

P.peregrina Miller;

P.tenuifolia L. [incl. P.biebersteiniana Rupr., P.carthalinica Ketzch., P.lithophila Kotov];

P.tomentosa (Lomak.) N.Busch.;

P.wittmanniana Hartwiss ex Lindl..

Classification of the species

Botanists of our country use the classification, inaugurated by L.M.Kemularia-Nathadse, in accordance to this the genus is divided into 5 sections.

1st section -Moutan DC., shrubby 4 species, native to East Asia. From these were bred many classical peonies.

2nd section - Flavonia Kem.-Nath.

Includes 7 species, which are found in our country from the Far East to the Caucasus. This section is characterised by the presence of the plant-pigment flavon, which gives the flowers a light-yellow (volatile) or creme coloration. The leaves are 2-times triple divided with broad entire margined terminal leaflets. The section includes the following species:

P.abchasica Misch. - abkhasian peony

Endemic, native to the mountainous regions of the western Transkavkazia. Stems 100cm high. Flowers almost white or yellow. Early flowering.

P.lactiflora Pall. - milkflowered peony

Native to the Far East, Manchuria, Mongolia, Japan, Corea, in valleys, forest margins, slopes. Stems 60-100cm, several flowers per stem. Leaves biternate, acute, green. Flowers cold white or rose, sometimes red. This species is the ancestor of thousands of cultivars.

P.macrophylla Lomak. - large leafed peony

Endemic, native to Adsharia, Guria, on slopes of mountainous forests. Stems to 100cm. Leaves large, up to 22cm long and 15cm broad, beneath with dense tomentum. Flower colored white with light yellow coloration. One of the earliest flowering species.

P.mlokosewitschii Lomak. - Mlokosewitsch's peony

Endemic, native to Kakhetia - Lagodekhi, in forests on steep slopes. Stems to 100cm, statuesque. Very decorative leaves with broad leaflets, blue-green with bluish hairs. Flowers 12cm in diameter, before opening with markable yellow coloration, later creme-coloured. One of the earliest flowering species (in Moscow in the 2nd half of May).

P.oreogeton S.Moore - Mountain peony

Native to the Primorski-Region, China and Japan, in forest slopes. Stems 75-80cm. Flowers straw-yellow with yellowish tones.

P.steveniana Kem.-Nath. - Steven's Peony

Endemic, native to Meskhetia, between Akhaltzikh and Atskur. Common in mountainous regions in forests under shrubs. Stems 50-100cm, flowers before opening lemon-yellow.

P.tomentosa Lomakin - tomentose peony

Native to the Caucasus and the northern Iran. Common in the upper woody zone. Strong stems 80-150cm high. Flowers clear-yellow.

P.wittmanniana Hartwiss ex Lindl. - Wittmann's peony

Endemic, native in forests and on mountain slopes in Abkhasia. Stems 80-100cm. Leaves dark green. Flowers open pale-yellow, later creme. One of the earliest species.

3rd section - Onaepia Lindley Native to the western part of North America.

4th section - Paeon DC

The largest section with many members, including 26 species of herbaceous peonies, native to the Caucasus, Little Asia, southern Europe, the Far East, China and Japan. The common botanical characteristic of this section are the 2- or 3-times triple divided leaves with entire margined broad segments. On the territory of our country the following species are native:

P.caucasica N.Schipcz. - caucasian peony

Endemic, native in forests and upper mountainous regions of Kolchidia [the region of Georgia between Abkhasia and Adsharia] at altitudes of 900-2000m. Stems branching, 50-100cm high. Leaves biternate, segments broad-oval, dark green above, grey-green beneath. Flowers rose-violet or deep-rose.

P.japonica (Mikino) Miyabe et Takeda - Japanese peony

Native to Primorie, on Sakhalin, the Curiles and in Japan, in valleys along riverbeds. Flowers white or rose, 9-10cm in diameter. Superficially similar to P.obovata.

P.lagodechiana Kem.-Nath. - lagodekhian peony

Endemic, native to the middle mountainous regions of Kakhetia - Lagodekhi. Stems dense leafed, 50-100cm high. Leaves 2-lobed. Flowers rose, wide opening.

P.obovata Maxim.

Native to mixed and deciduous forests in the South of the Primorski Region, China and Japan. Stems 60-90cm, one flower per stem. Flower diameter 10cm, shiny-rose or white.

P.ruprechtiana Kem.-Nath. - Ruprecht's peony

Endemic to the Charulski Rayon of Transkavkazia, in the middle and upper mountain regions on shady places. Stems 100-150cm, Leaves leathery, green, flowers large, red-rose-coloured.

P.taurica Andrews. - Krym-peony

Native on the Krym and in the Caucasus. Stems 36-62cm. Leaves with broad oval segments, dark-green. Flowers to 10cm in diameter, reddish-rose or purple-red.

P.triternata Pall. ex DC. - three-times divided peony

Native to deciduous mountainous forests on open slopes on the Krym and in the Northern Caucasus. Stems 50-100cm, smooth, partially twisted. Leaves bluish, hairless, flowers purple.

P.vernalis Mandl. - Spring peony

Native in deciduous forests and in scrub of the Ussuri-Region, China, Japan, Corea. Stems glabrous, 1 flower per stem, 35cm high. Leaves with entire margins dark-green, flowers 9cm in diameter, sometimes shiny-rose.

5th section - Sternia Kem.-Nath.

Contains 12 species of herbaceous peonies with 3-lobed leaves with deeply dissected or feathery in lance-shaped or oblong segments divided leaflets. Flowers normally in red tones.

P.anomala L. - abnormal peony or Mary-root

Native to the eastern part of Russia, the Ural, Altai, Siberia, China and Mongolia, in forests, forest margins, clearings and meadows. The stems have only 1 flower, 80-100cm high. The leaves are 2-times triple divided with narrow segments. Flowers 9cm in diameter, purple, early (near Moscow in the end of may). It has a number of variants. One of the most popular species-peonies in our country.

P.biebersteiniana Ruprecht - Bieberstein's peony

Endemic, native under shrubs on steppe slopes of the northern Caucasus. Stems 20-70cm, may be branching. Leaves triternate, less divided in narrow-linear short segments. Flowers shiny bright red. Resembles to P.tenuifolia.

P.carthalinica N.Ketzch. - carthalinic peony

This species grows in oak forests an forest margins in Georgia- Kartli. Stems 80-100cm. The leaf is divided into long narrow-lineally segments Flowers 5-6cm in diameter, dark purple.

P.hybrida Pall. -Hybrid or steppe-peony

Grows on steppe-meadows and clearings of rocky slopes in western Siberia and in mountainous regions of Middle Asia. Stems 50-80cm, 1 flower per stem. Leaf segments 3-times triple divided or feathery divided. Flowers in diameter to 8cm, purple or rose-coloured.

P.lithophila Kotov - rock loving peony

Native to the eastern part of the Krym. The overall impression is similar to P.tenuifolia, but in all parts smaller. The flowers are striking-red. Early.

P.majko N.Ketzch. - Majko's peony

Endemic, native in foothills in oak forests in Georgia - Kartli. Stems covered with dense tomentum. Leaf feathery. Flowers large, rosy-red-violet.

P.officinalis L. - druggist's-peony

Native to the France, Switzerland, northern Italy, and Crete. Stems 40-90cm. Leaf segments deeply divided into narrow-oblong or elliptic leaflets. Flowers large, up to 13cm in diameter, dark-red. It’s garden forms are widely distributed. One of the parents of the most popular hybrids.

P.peregrina Mill. - Foreign peony

Native to Italy, the Balkan, Little Asia and Moldavia. Grows on half-shadow places under shrubs. Stems 30-70cm. Leaves biternate, (several segments divided to the base), glabrous-green. Flowers in diameter up to 11cm, glowing dark-red.

P.tenuifolia L. - Featherleaf or crow-peony

Grows on mountain slopes between shrubs on the Krym, in Ukraine and the Caucasus. The stems with 1 flower grow to 30-45cm. The leaves are feathery divided into narrow-linear acute segments (Fern-like). Flowers up to 8cm, dark-red with purple tones. It is early flowering, very decorative. Suitable for the rock garden. There is double garden form - P.tenuifolia L. f. plena, also called laciniata.

Cultivars

Horticultural classification

Single form, semi-double form, japanese form, anemone form, double form ....

(Abkürzungen / Abbrevations)

Description of cultivars

[In this part of the book, which takes the mean part, the authors descript in detail the well-known european, Asian and american, but also russian cultivars. Especially the russian cultivars are of interest in this topic. I've separated the cultivars into hybrids and lactifloras to make the few hybrids better visible. Hence, the origin of the hybrids is not given. Within the lactifloras, which make a large majority of the russian breedings, I made a grouping according to the breeders. It's surprising, how many female breeders (visible on the ending -a of the surname) took part in breeding, almost a third.]

(breeders:)

Soviet breeder & their plants

HYBRIDS

LACTIFLORA

(Mean Botanic Garden, Moscow)

Peonies for a long flowering season in the garden

Every plant flowers for a limited time from 1 week up to 14 days. To prolongate the flowering season, we recommend to plant several varieties. The flowering times in the region of Moscow are:

mid-end may : P.wittmanniana, P.mlokosewitschii, P.macrophylla, P.anomala.

begin of June : P.tenuifolia and its hybrids

June 7.-14. : garden forms of P.officinalis

June 10.-25. : majority of hybrids between P.lactiflora and P.officinalis

June 15.-25. : early cultivars of P.lactiflora

June 20.-30. : midseason of P.lactiflora-cultivars

June 25.-July-5. : late cultivars of P.lactiflora

By selection plants of the different groups it's possible to prolongate the flowering season in the garden up to 40 days.

Winners of the annual peony-exhibition in Moscow

valuation: Colour (petals, appearance) 25 pts.

type and form of flower, perfection 25 pts.

fragrance of flower 5 pts.

stability of stems and decorativity of leaves 10 pts.

novelty of attributes 5 pts.

overall impression and originality 30 pts.

On 23 exhibitions the following winners were prized: