Characteristics of Paeonia rockii

Paeonia rockii gets its name from a distinct patch of color at the base of its petals, although wild species are found in Gansu, Shaanxi, Henan and Hubei But the cultivated varieties are mainly concentrated in Wei River, Tao River and the vast areas along the ancient Silk Road in the Daxia River valley in Gansu Province. The cultivated areas are mainly in the provinces of Sichuan, Gansu, Qinghai, Shaanxi and Ningxia (autonomous regions) Therefore also known as the Gansu Peony or northwest peony. In Gansu Province, the cultivation of Paeonia Rockii not only can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, but also has been cultivated in more than 60% of counties and cities.

Morphological characteristics
Deciduous SHRUB. Stem up to 2 m tall; branches short and thick. Leaves usually twice trifoliate, occasionally 3-foliolate near Shoot Apex; Terminal Leaflets broadly ovate, 7-8 cm long, 5.5-7 cm wide, 3-lobed to middle, lobes unlobed or 2-3-lobed, surface green, glabrous, abaxially Pale Green, sometimes white-powdery, petiolules 1.2-3 cm long, sparsely pubescent or subglabrous along veins; lateral leaflets narrowly ovate or oblong-ovate, 4.5-6.5 cm long, 2.5-4 cm wide, unequal 2-to 3-lobed or undivided, subsessile; Petiole 5-11 cm long, and Leaf axis are glabrous. Flowers Solitary; apex of branches, 10-17 cm in Diam. ; Pedicel 4-6 cm; bracts 5, Oblong, unequal in size; sepals 5, Green, broadly ovate, unequal in size; Petals 5, or double, rose, red-purple, pink-white, usually highly variable, obovate, 5-8 cm long, 4.2-6 cm wide, apex irregularly undulate; Stamens 1-1.7 cm long, filaments purplish red, pink, upper white, Ca. 1.3 cm long, anthers oblong, 4 mm long; Lathe faceplate leathery, cup-shaped, purplish red Apex with several sharp teeth or Lobes, completely enveloping carpels, dehiscing when carpels are mature; carpels 5, more sparse, densely pilose. Something something oblong, densely covered with Yellowish Brown bristles. Flowering May; fruiting June.
The difference with Peony: Petal Inside Face Base Ministry has deep Purple Patch. Leaves bipinnate to triplex, leaflets undivided, 2-4-lobed. The Flower is big, the petal is white.

Range of distribution
Distributed in northern Sichuan, southern Gansu, southern Shaanxi (Taibai mountains) . Wild species are found in undergrowth shrubs on hillsides at elevations of 1100-2800 M. In Gansu, Qinghai and other places have cultivation.
Growth Characteristics

Paeonia ROCKII is one of the best cultivars in China. It is very different from Central Plain Paeonia Rockii, such as Heze, Shandong and Luoyang.
Gansu Paeonia Rockii, named for the large Purple Patches and Purple Erythema at the base of its petals, is native to the remnant forests in the Alpine region of Gansu Province. A small number of surviving plants still grow in the mountains at altitudes of 1100-3200 meters. The lowest winter temperatures in these areas are generally-30 °C and in some areas-38 °C, so the species is naturally resistant to cold.
Gansu Paeonia Rockii almost all show the basic characteristics of PAEONIA ROCKII: Plant Tall, Shuxinqiang, long branch spacing, high growth, some varieties of the same year branches can be as long as 70 cm. The plant height is more than 1 meter (some varieties are as high as 3 meters) , the number of small leaves is more than 15, the leaves are smaller (anti-transpiration) , the leaf back is hairy, all varieties have obvious large purple spot and purple red spot at the base of the petals. Most of the anthers and ovaries are yellow-white or white, and some of the anthers are purplish red. The native species of Central Plain Peony are derived from the female parent of the native species from Anhui and other places, and the hybrids of Yangshan Peony from Mount Song County in Central Plain and Dwarf Peony from Jishan in southern Shanxi are the male parent The basic characteristics of Dwarf Tree Peony are: The plant is shorter (usually less than one meter) , the tree is weaker, the internode spacing of branches is shorter, the annual growth is smaller. The Basal number of leaflets is 9(part is 11) , the terminal leaflets are 3-lobed, the other leaflets are mostly deeply notched, the leaf blade is larger, the flower center (including stigma, disk, filament) are mostly purple-red. Because these areas are relatively low altitude, mild climate, cold climate adaptation is not strong, to resist the low temperature of minus 25 °C.

How to protect tree peonies in winter

1. Peony must be moved indoors after the beginning of winter. It is better to keep the room temperature at 0 degrees. Put the peony in a sunny place to ensure the peony can be exposed to the sun. Move Out of the house around March next year and place in a sunny leeward area, fertilize and water management.

2. If the tree peony plants are more and more dense, the potted tree peony can also be buried in the soil. The exposed branches should be protected by grass thatch to keep the tree peony warm and safe for the winter The coming of the next spring can be removed grass thatch, the peony into the sunny place, a few more times of fertilizing.

3. The flowers and seedlings will lose their leaves in autumn and winter, when you have to cut off the remaining branches, the dense branches and the branches with diseases and insect pests. This will not only ensure ventilation and light transmission between the plants It also concentrates the nutrients in the pot onto the remaining plants.

The management of Peony in winter is mainly the control of temperature. The indoor temperature can not be too high, which will affect the normal development of peony, nor can the temperature be too low. Whether the peony will blossom in the coming year will have a great influence Winter peonies do not need to be watered much during the dormant period.

After the peony enters the winter dormancy period, the nutrients begin to return to the roots. It is better to irrigate once before the soil freezes, that is, in winter. Watering the frozen water well can promote the decomposition of the Basal Fertilizer, and is beneficial to the new root occurrence and the flower bud differentiation in winter and spring.

Five techniques of winter maintenance and management of peony

If you want peonies to bloom well in the coming year, the maintenance and management in the winter should not be ignored. Peony winter maintenance management mainly includes: remove dry leaves peony, pruning peony branches, peony fertilization methods, peony pest control, remove overwintering weeds and other work to be done.

1. Defoliation. Leaves dry in winter, often on branches. Because there are many bacteria and insects on the leaves eggs, it should be cut off in time, so as not to fall to the ground, the next year to spread diseases and insects. The dead leaves should be cut off at the base of the Petiole from 1 to 1.5 cm to avoid damage to the flower buds. For the leaves that are easy to fall off after separation, pull them out by hand. Dead leaves that have been cut off or plucked should be burned.

2. Prune. Peonies are dormant in the winter, when it's time to Prune. On the premise of keeping the shape of the plant perfectly, the budding branches from the ground around the main branch and the overlapping branches, crossed branches and diseased branches on the plant should be cut off. The strong branches with flower buds should be kept completely; the branches with Leaf Buds but without flower buds should be cut off only the thin branches, while retaining part of the thicker branches. In short, the tree peony tree branches to make the appropriate length and density, easy to ventilate light.

3. Fertilize. Peony is like fat flowers and trees, winter dormancy period even if more fertilizer applied, it will not produce the phenomenon of burning roots. But in order to be safe, fertilization should be half-decomposed cake fertilizer or human excrement and urine. Each tree from 6 to 10 years old can be applied cake fertilizer 300 grams or 600 grams of human excrement and urine. The amount of fertilizer applied to big tree peony should be increased appropriately. In the case of organic fertilizer-based, each tree peony can also be mixed with 30 to 50 grams of compound fertilizer. Fertilization should be carried out in shallow holes dug 10 cm apart from the main root of the peony at 20-25 cm.

4. Pest control. The common diseases of tree peony are gray mold and brown spot. In winter, the whole plant can be controlled by spraying the mixture of Pomerol 5 and thiophanate 800 times. The most serious pests to the peony are scale blowers and GRUBS (scarabs larvae) . For the control of Hemiberlesia Rugosa, all the insect bodies on the branches can be scraped off and burned off with bamboo knife, and then the branches can be smeared with a mixture of bomay 3-5 degree lime and sulfur, which can kill most of the overwintering females and eggs. Omethoate or DDVP 500-800 solution can be used to control Grub by pouring peony root.

5. Weed out overwintering weeds. In winter, cold-resistant weeds are often found in peony garden or potted Peony Pot, which should be removed in time to avoid competing with peony for nutrients. It is better to deeply hoe the planting area of peony once or twice, which can not only clear the weeds, but also play the role of soil loosening and soil moisture preservation, which is beneficial to the over-wintering of peony.

Annual Cycle and growth characteristics of Paeonia ROCKII

1. Basic features of the annual cycle

The annual cycle is the growth and development law of the four seasons of a year along with the change of the climatic rhythm. Peonies, like other trees with flowers, constitute the whole life cycle (life cycle) by alternating annual cycles of growth and dormancy, year after year. The annual cycle of Paeonia Rockii, like that of Central Plain peonies, is also spring germination, summer napping, autumn long roots, and winter dormancy. However, due to the high altitude, low temperature and short frost-free period, its growing period is slightly shorter than that of Central Plain peonies The dormancy period is relatively prolonged. For example, in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, Central Plain peonies generally begin to sprout from mid-february to early March, show their leaves from late March to early April, flower from mid-april to early May, and wither from late October to Mid-november However, Paeonia ROCKII generally germinates from late March to early April, blooms from late April to early June, and has a short growing period from mid October to early November.

2. Types of buds and their developmental characteristics

The buds of Paeonia Rockii are covered with several scales of buds, which belong to scale buds. In nature, there are two types of buds: Leaf Buds, which grow only to form branches and leaves, and mixed buds, which produce flowers at the same time. On the adult plant, almost all shoot tip 1-3 buds, including the Terminal Bud and the lower axillary bud, normally developed into mixed buds in the current year, after winter dormancy, the next year can bloom; Only a few of the long shoots and buds on the buds for leaf bud, only long branches and no flower bud formation. In addition to the above-mentioned active buds, a number of axillary buds at the base of the 1-year-old branch, buds on the perennial branch and a large number of sprout buds formed at the root and stem parts are dormant, belonging to the inactive leaf buds, called dormant buds. The whole process from Bud primordium to flowering and fruiting of mixed shoots of Paeonia Rockii, like that of Paeonia Suffruticosa Var. Central Plain, takes three years to complete. The first annual cycle produced axillary BUD Primordia, the second annual cycle produced leaf Primordia and flower Primordia, the third annual cycle flowering and fruiting (Wang Zongzheng et Al. 1987) . In the annual growth cycle, the process of Bud Germination, growth and flowering in early spring is actually the 3rd annual cycle of mixed bud of the mother generation, while the process of bud differentiation and formation after flowering is the 2nd annual cycle of Bud Development Meanwhile, a new bud primordium was produced in the leaf axils, and the first annual cycle of the next generation buds was completed. Therefore, in the 1-year cycle of peony, the buds of 3 generations are in different stages of their life cycle, and the buds in the 2-year cycle are the key to the formation of flower buds When the accumulation of nutrients and appropriate flowering hormone, complete from vegetative growth to reproductive growth, the formation of mixed buds.

The complete formation of leaf primordium is the critical point of peony bud from vegetative growth to reproductive growth, which is also the critical point of flower bud differentiation (Wang Zongzheng et Al. 1987) . Bud Development into the flower bud stage, including the summer and autumn flower bud differentiation (2nd Annual Cycle) and spring flower development (3rd annual Cycle) two interrelated and independent stages. The Flower Bud differentiation of Paeonia ROCKII began about 1 month after anthesis, that is, from the middle of June, the flower Primordium, bract Primordium, sepal primordium, petal primordium, stamen primordium and Pistil primordium were successively produced on the basis of axillary Bud primordium Finally, it gradually enters the dormancy period after October. The process of flower bud differentiation is also different with different varieties, especially with different flower types. Generally, single and semidouble varieties have faster flower bud differentiation, while double varieties have longer duration But can complete the flower organ's occurrence in that year, enters the dormancy state smoothly. Therefore, flower bud differentiation had been completed in the autumn of that year. After cold dormancy in winter, flower buds developed further in the following spring. The process of Stamen petalization is a very complicated one, which has a direct effect on the formation of the final flower type. The stamen primordium of Paeonia Rockii is centrifugal, but the stamen petalization can be centrifugal, centripetal or irregular in different varieties.

Eight colors introduce paeonia rockii

Gansu paeonia rockii nursery Established in 2017 belong to Gansu Huaduoduo Agricultural Science and Technology Co. , Ltd.
have selected nearly 100 varieties peony rockii through the seedling breeding and cross breeding . According to its color ,we can divide them into eight types such as white, yellow, pink, red, purple, blue, black, multi-color , the following we introduce some part of it.

One .the white flower system
Most of wild Rockii peony are white, single type,and they are still white,but less petal after hybridization. A variety of stains in petals’ base make wild rockii special. This type of peony plants have strong adaptability and high growth rate .
1、sigle type :Xue Lian
2、Semidouble type: Pan Deng
3、Double type: Yan Wei Bai

Two.Light yellow flower system
Rockii tree peony cultivars lacking in pure yellow. Pale yellow flowers generally refers to the original flower petals are yellowish, after blooming flower petals are white
1、sigle type: Hung He
2、Semidouble type: Yellow Chrysanthemum
3、Double type: Yu Ban Xiu Qiu

Three.Pink flower system
Paeonia rockii hybrids with Zhongyuan peony, most of their filial generation are pink varieties. Pink refers to the uniform light red or pale pink. This type are strong stress resistance, middle growth potential .
1、sigle type: Yi Du Chun Qiu
2、Semidouble type: Chi Lai De Ai
3、Double type: Tao Hua Zhuang Yuan

Four.Red flower system
Nature flowers are bright red Color Mainly, other color are brown, orange, blue. grow commonly
1、sigle type: Hong Lian
2、Semidouble type:Long Yuan Hong
3、Double type: He Ping Hong Xiu Qiu
Five.Purple flower system
Purple is a color between red and black. This type of plant general growth potential is weak, the part of the varieties are not resistant to sunlight
1、sigle type: Zi Die Chu Yu
2、Semidouble type:Zi Hai Yin Bo
3、Double type: Xiang No Se Yan

Six .Blue flower system
The color of blue rockii peony approximate lilac’s color. This variety growth potential is strong, easy divided plant and breeding
1、sigle type: Lan He Qi Ming
2、Semidouble type:  Lan Hai Feng Yun
3、Double type: Lan Xiu Qiu

Seven.Black flower system
Black is refers to deep purple appear black halo, in the shade this condition are more obvious. performance more fully. This type of plant growth potential is weak, hard to breeding
1、sigle type: Ye Guang Bei
2、Double type: Mo Yun

Eight .multi- color flower system
Multi-color flower is refers to a flower has two or more colors, with different form combination. This kind of flower adaptability is strong, grow stronger
1、sigle type: Ri Yue Tong Hui
2、Double type: He Ping Er Qiao

four points to be paid attention to when tree peony blooms in greenhouse

Peony beautiful color, romantic chic, magnificent, known as the “King of flowers” reputation. The peony flower is big and fragrant, therefore also has “the national color day fragrance” the name. Here is the introduction of peony planting greenhouse flower.
The Flower Buds of Paeonia Suffruticosa are formed in autumn. If the suitable temperature and light are given, the buds can sprout and blossom again. In winter, man-made measures to raise temperature and increase light in greenhouses and plastic greenhouses can be used to make peony bloom during New Year’s Day and Spring Festival. The main management techniques are described below.

1.Planting time of peony
Greenhouse forcing flower, as long as the appropriate method, temperature, sunlight and water appropriate, generally about 45 days can blossom, so potted time can be in accordance with the requirements of flowering time.
Initial management of Tree Peony planting
In spring, the peony grows and blooms in the field from low temperature to high temperature. In the greenhouse, it should be controlled from low temperature to high temperature according to its growth habit. The pre-stage temperature is usually 10 °C to 14 °C in the daytime and 6 °C to 8 °C in the evening. After 7 days, the temperature can be controlled at 14 °C to 16 °C in the daytime and 10 °C to 12 °C in the evening. Keep this temperature, pot about 10 days, Bud can germinate; 15 days can bud. Because indoor relative humidity is big, sprinkle a little water 1 to 2 times a day can satisfy the moisture content that the plant needs.

2.Mid-term management of Tree Peony planting
The temperature of peony can be raised to 16 °C to 18 °C in the daytime and 12 °C to 14 °C in the evening. During this period, the flower bud is very sensitive to the sudden change of temperature, often due to the young bud resistance is poor, and abortion, so indoor temperature to maintain relative stability.
After about 28 days, the plant enters the “leaf-unfolding stage” . Temperatures can rise to 18 °C to 20 °C during the day and 14 °C to 16 °C at night. During this period in addition to light sprinkle 2 times a day, but also depending on the degree of dry and wet basin, every 2 to 3 days once a pervious watering. At the same time, can be appropriate spraying foliar fertilizer.
After 35 days or so, bud entered the “peace bud period” . The Flower Bud resistance ability enhances, to the temperature fluctuation gradually adapts, the daytime temperature maintains in 16 °C to 22 °C or so. In order to prevent stem rot, it can be combined with foliar fertilization, spraying 600 to 800 times liquid of Ralstonia Solanacearum or 50 times liquid of 10% methyl thiophanate wettable powder.

3.Late management of tree peony planting
Forty-two days later, bud entered the “bloom phase” , opening in two to three days. The plants can be moved out of the greenhouse according to the number of flowerpots needed and the time required for flowering. At the same time, the plants which are not in use for the time being are kept in a cold chamber at 2 °C to 4 °C, and are removed after 10 to 20 days, they can still blossom normally.

4.Light Regulation of peony planting
Peony is a long sunshine plant, flower buds in the long sunshine formation, in the long sunshine flowering. Therefore, when overcast days are more, the illumination is insufficient when should make up artificially the light source.

5 steps for tree Peony Export

1.Classification of seedlings for export irrigation.

1）. the same species, the same size of the seedlings together to prevent the seedlings in the process of washing varieties and

Mess Up. Only the same breed of seedlings together with the same specifications, even if the breed was washed away, but also to ensure the accuracy of the breed.

2） check the variety of seedlings brand is solid, for the weak to re-hang, to prevent washing process was washed off.

3）The time between the emergence of the seedlings from the ground and the soaking of the seedlings should not exceed 20 minutes, and should be carried out in a shaded field to prevent the seedlings from losing water.

2. Rinse

1） Wash one variety, one specification, and then another variety to prevent confusion.

2） the first flush of the seedlings for full immersion, to be soft after the soil bubble for flushing.

3）In the process of washing with a washing machine from the top of the plant to the roots to be completely washed clean, not a bit of soil and debris. At the same time, the flushing pressure can not be too large to prevent the peony root of the skin washed off.

4）Pay Particular attention to removing the black skin between the roots and branches. But to prevent the damage of the EPIDERMIS, damage to the XYLEM, affect the quality of seedlings. (the water pressure adjustment of the spray gun is a strong guarantee not to damage the roots. The water droplets should be dispersed, not columnar.)

5） The time between soaking and rinsing should not exceed 10 minutes.

3. Root pruning

1）Carefully Prune the washed seedlings

Dead, excess, and washed-out shoots should be removed, as should sprout buds. For the emergence of mechanical wounds, broken roots, bad roots to cut off, the wound must be flat.

2, in the trim at the same time to carefully observe the seedlings, check for pests and diseases, as soon as found to report to the company.

3）The time of pruning seedlings should not exceed 10 minutes, immediately covered after pruning to prevent seedlings from losing water.Such as air temperature Above 20 °C, spray the seedlings every 20 minutes.

4.Disinfection and cleaning

1） Mix chlorothalonil and thiophanate-methyl into 500 times solution, stir it thoroughly to make the solution even.

2） the peony seedlings into the disinfection solution for disinfection, to record the time, every 10 minutes to turn over. Soak enough

Take it out in 40 minutes. Record the withdrawal time. Every time after soaking to add drugs in the liquid medicine, the amount of addition for dispensing

1 / 10th, mix well. In order to continue the next disinfection, otherwise the concentration of liquid medicine is not enough.

3）The seedlings should be washed immediately after washing, the time between should not exceed 5 minutes.

4） after disinfection of the seedlings into clear water to wash fully, wash away the residual drugs.

5）Make a bundle of 5 plants for each of the plants that have been washed.

6） The time between washing and binding of the seedlings shall not exceed 10 minutes.

7） Store the washed seedlings in a sterile finished product warehouse and cover them immediately. So the seedlings are rinsed and disinfected

The process is complete. The next step is fumigation. 8. The time between the completion of washing and disinfection of the seedlings and the commencement of fumigation shall not exceed 2 days. The seedlings can be fumigated in batches for a long time.

5. Fumigation

1）Cover the fumigated area with a clean plastic film, 10 grams of 56% aluminum phosphide tablets per square meter (wrapped in Gauze) and 1 meter high peony seedlings (the peony seedlings should be moistened with water to prevent the seedlings from losing water during fumigation)

Then 56% aluminium phosphide tablets 10g per square metre (wrapped with gauze) and 1M peonies. And release the aluminum phosphide... until the peonies are done.

2） Cover the peony seedlings tightly with plastic film.

3）The fumigation time should be decided according to the air temperature, at 12 ~ 15 °C, Fumigate for 3 days, at 16 ~ 20 °C, fumigate for 2 days, above 20 °C, fumigate for 1 day. After fumigation and ventilation for 1 to 2 days, the gas can be completely eliminated, leaving a small amount of residue that is non-toxic, Aluminum hydroxide.

4）Be careful when using aluminum phosphide aluminum monophosphide. The key to safe use of aluminium phosphide is that people and animals must leave the site during the fumigation of peony. Only after ventilation is completed can you touch the seedlings.

5. After fumigating, the peony shoots can be packed in boxes