Peony growers love for its beautiful and lush flowers, but many consider it too demanding to care for. Therefore, in search of plants with the same luxurious buds and unpretentious in terms of content, flowers similar to peonies were bred.
Description
Today, quite a few peony-like flowers are grown with different colors and texture of petals. Peony roses are gaining more and more popularity, although they have appeared relatively recently. The bushes differ in their beautiful decorative appearance: they look like roses, and in structure and shape, which can be double or semi-double, are very similar to peonies.
The choice of varieties is quite wide, the color of the buds can vary from pale pink to purple or orange. There are variegated varieties as well. Flowers have a delicate, pleasant aroma. Florists pay tribute to this species for the minimum exactingness in care and excellent resistance to disease.
- Rose Austin was bred by the English breeder David Austin. The plant forms both a familiar rose bush and has ampelous, curly forms. The buds are round, similar to a lush, multi-layered pompom. They come with a small and deep bowl. They look more like a peony than a rose, but differ from the first in a numerous color palette and aroma. The smell is not only pink, but there are also notes of citrus, peach, clove, oriental spices.
- May rose or brown rose hips forms rather voluminous bushes with brown branches covered with thorns. The buds are bowl-shaped, small in size and similar in shape to flowers with one of the wild species of peonies "Maryin root". It blooms with a pink tint, although there are reddish-purple specimens.
- Sweet Juliet has a lush bud with many petals and an incredible aroma. It blooms all summer and early autumn.
- Eden Rose is distinguished by large double flowers with a delicate scent. Flowering lasts quite a long time.
Terry mallow is a tall perennial with a large number of fluffy peony flowers with elongated petals in a variety of tones: white, pink, yellow, different shades of red and purple.
Due to its high decorativeness, the plant is not only often planted in plots, but also used for cutting.
Terry begonia has inflorescences in the form of a volumetric bowl with a diameter of about 15 cm, which rests on a squat pedicel. Multi-layered buds bloom in white, pink, scarlet, amber or yellow.
The peony aster is the most beautiful representative of its family. It grows up to half a meter, spherical flowers with a diameter of about 10 cm, painted in different colors. The flower is appreciated for the duration of flowering and immunity to diseases.
Thanks to the unusual appearance, beautiful bouquets are made from Chinese asters that do not lose their freshness for 2 weeks.
Ranunculus or Asiatic buttercup is a perennial plant that prefers moist, swampy areas for growth. Stems can grow up to 80 cm, peony buds have different color shades. Depending on the variety, they can be snow-white, pink, scarlet, yellowish, cherry, lilac, even a light green tone. They also differ in shape, there are varieties with terry, semi-double or thick double bowls. Due to its unusually elegant appearance, the flower is often included in bridal bouquets.
Terry tulips have a somewhat peculiar glass. It can be both in the form of an open bowl, and a somewhat narrowed, bell-shaped with a large number of petals. Hybrids have a variety of colors, not only the usual pastel or reddish shades, but also blue, blue, lilac and even black.
Among the most popular varieties of double tulips, we note:
- "Abba";
- "Zizania";
- "Miranda";
- The Orange Princess;
- "Angelica".
As a result of the labors of breeders, varieties with an unusual combined color of buds have also been bred. Camellia with its flowers is also similar to peonies. Since it blooms in winter, it is grown as an indoor flower. Terry buds of white, pink or scarlet color. The flowering period is long, it can last up to 3 months. There are varieties with a variegated color.
Eustoma or, as it is also called, the Irish rose is a perennial representative of the Gentian family. She belongs to very heat-loving cultures, so she is an extremely rare guest here. In its natural environment, the plant can reach a height of 1 meter, the stems are quite branched, each forms up to 35 double buds, similar to small peonies, although the buds are bell-shaped. Flowers have a variety of shades, there are also blue. There are monochromatic, variegated or edged inflorescences. Cut buds can stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. The flowering period is quite long, starting in June and ending in September.
Sometimes eustoma is grown as a home flower, but it is worth remembering that in such conditions, the size of the rose will be much smaller.
Cloves also have peony varieties. Double flowers are formed singly and in small groups. Flowering can last 3-4 months. The most famous peony-like variety is the Shabo carnation.
Daffodils, similar to peonies, can have only one double crown or a whole flower. Peony-like narcissus varieties:
"Flower bed";
- Flyer;
- Flower Drift;
- Dick Wilden.
Chrysanthemum large-flowered, or rather, only some of its varieties, are characterized by buds that look like peonies. The flowers reach quite significant sizes, they are used mainly for cutting.
The pion poppy was specially bred by breeding to imitate a peony.
Unlike field plants, the hybrid has numerous thin double petals.
Care
There are quite a few different flowers that look very similar to peonies, but they are not. You need to be able to distinguish between them in order to decide what kind of care and necessary conditions to create, as they may differ. Peonies can grow for a long time without transplanting, especially if the place is well lit. After planting, you need to break off the buds that are forming to create a strong root system. For the growth of strong lateral stems, which will bloom in the future, wilted buds must be removed without fail.
For wintering, roses, like peonies, are well covered, leaving them in the ground. Bulbous (peony daffodils and tulips) begin to bloom in the coming spring after planting. At the end of flowering (in summer), the onions are dug up, and in the middle of autumn they are re-planted.
The location of these plants should be well lit.
Asters belong to annual crops, their life cycle begins in early spring and ends with the onset of frost. When the inflorescence dries up, the seeds are selected for further propagation. In the spring they are sown, then the cycle begins again. In general, the Chinese peony aster is a picky plant, but it needs bright light, otherwise the stems will be too thin.
Eustoma is a biennial plant. In the first year of life, it forms a rosette, and begins to bloom the next year. In winter, it needs a solid shelter or digging. In the spring, it is planted again on the site. The soil is needed light, with good drainage. The flower propagates only with the help of seeds. Chrysanthemums hibernate outdoors, but require good cover.
Carnation "Shabo" is also dug out for the winter, it does not tolerate frosts. Well-lit areas are suitable for planting. Ranunculus is planted in a shaded area after the threat of frost. In the fall, the roots are dug up and stored in cool rooms. This plant is grown as well as indoor, a lush bush of several specimens in one container looks beautiful. For plants to look healthy and strong, and the buds to be bright, they need to provide the necessary care:
regular hydration;
loosening the soil to allow air access to the roots;
mulching to retain moisture in the soil;
spring feeding with nitrogen fertilizers;
a garter of elongated plants;
cutting off faded buds to stimulate the formation of lateral stems;
at the first signs of disease or pest damage, plants are treated with special preparations.
Experienced growers are advised to cut off lateral shoots and inflorescences if the flowers will then go to cut. Then the plant will concentrate all its strength on the main stem. Flowers similar to peonies look spectacular in flower beds, in mixborders or front gardens. They can be placed in monochrome, but they also look great in compositions with other plants . No matter how peony flowers are planted, they will always be a charming decoration for any planting.
An overview of peony flowers can be seen in the following video.