Peony Hybridizers: Otto-Zagorska Ilga

Ilga Otto-Zagorska

Country:

Latvia

Short biography:

I have been retired since three years, I have three adult daughters. My husband Andris helps me a lot in growing peonies.

More information:

https://www.facebook.com/ilga.otto/

Latvian peonies facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/peonijaslatvija

Peony hybridizers series

Andris and Ilga

How did you first get involved in peony hybridizing?

I got involved in hybridization by accident. I had never done it with other plants before. It happened 14 years ago. We had 3 peony bushes with large flowers in our garden: white, red, pink. I had bought the variety ‘Bu-Te’. In the fall, I noticed there were pods with brown seeds. I planted them right next to the bush and forgot about them. After two years, leaves appeared. I remembered about the seeds and started taking care of the seedlings. After a few years, when each seedling bloomed with flowers of a different color and shape, it was a big surprise and joy! From that moment on, peony seeds have been sown every autumn and new seedlings are expected to bloom every spring.

I have read all the available materials about hybridization, but I think that some advice from an experienced hybridizer would be useful for me to avoid possible beginner’s mistakes.

What was the starting material for your hybridizing?

90 varieties of peonies grow in the garden, but not the expensive and exclusive ones. Among them are some species peonies, commercial and foreign varieties. There are 15 tree peonies.

What are your goals in hybridizing peonies?

I am thinking about extending the flowering time of peonies, so I am interested in getting very early and very late peonies with large flowers.

Abundant flowering.

I like stately, medium-high or tall peonies.

I also sowed all the seeds of narrow-leaved peonies. I like them too.

Do you mostly depend on open pollination or do you mostly make controlled crosses? 

How large is your hybridizing program?

Planted in a permanent place, but still for observation, 150 self-grown and blooming peonies. Some 200 seedlings will bloom for the first time in spring. This year 250 flowering seedlings were rejected and ended up in the compost pile. About 1,000 seeds were sown the second time. There are many hundreds of new, small seedlings.

Do you have any plants in the market?

I have shared and sold some of the new peonies to friends, acquaintances and on Facebook. I do it myself, I have not collaborated with other nurseries.

Do you know the American Peony Society (APS)? Are your plants registered there?

My peonies are not registered there, because I think that in order to register a peony, it must have something unique that distinguishes it from others.

Can you describe a few of your plants that you consider the best or most beautiful and which are available now?

Zenta. Seedling ‘Zenta’. One of the first seedlings, therefore cute. Blooms in early June with simple pink flowers. Flower diameter 13 cm, height: 100cm. Blooms for at least 2 weeks in favorable weather conditions.

Sigita. Seedling, Sigita’. Double, pink peony. The edges of the petals remain lighter. The flowers sometimes resemble lace. The side buds open like simple flowers. Tall, needs supports. Grows well. Has been divided several times.

Laura. Seedling ‘Laura’ has Japanese-type flowers. At first, the flowers are cup-shaped. Soft pink petals with an orange-pink center. Gradually, the flower fades to a very light pink tone. Height 1m. Blooms at the end of June for almost 2 weeks. Grows well, has been divided several times.

Sākums. Peony ‘Sākums’ is also one of the very first seedlings. Blooms profusely from mid-June for almost 2 weeks. Has side buds. Bushy, pink tones. Outer petals darker. Gradually becomes lighter as it blooms. It seems that the color of the flowers is affected by air temperature and weather conditions. Tall, needs supports.

Andris. Seedling, ‘Andris’ has a Japanese-type flower. Dark pink petals with a yellow staminode center. Medium height, holds the stems. Blooms in mid-June for 1 week.

Seedling #25. Simple flowers with 2 rows of petals. When blooming, soft pink, when blooming – white. Abundantly blooming, many side buds. Height-120 cm, flower diameter 13 cm. Begins to bloom in mid-June. We ourselves like it very much, we are happy every year.

Jānis. Seedling ‘Jānis’. Dark pink, simple, cup-shaped flowers 17 cm in diameter. Tall, stately, strong stems. Begins to bloom in mid-June, blooms for 10 days, has lateral buds. When blooming, attracts attention, looks very good. People like it.

Ilga. Seedling ‘Ilga’ has Japanese-type flowers. Tall, needs supports. Blooms in mid-June for almost 2 weeks. Dark purple-pink petals with a center of the same color. At the beginning of flowering, interesting yellow pieces appear in the center for a few days. The peony looks like it is gilded. We don’t have any other peony with such a phenomenon in our garden yet.

Within your current seedlings, what are the most promising ones?

I don’t know if they will be promising varieties, but the following seedlings have caught my attention.

• 27-25:  a peculiar-looking flower
• 37: forms a beautiful bush
• 38: different shades, gentle
• 44-24: attracted all the attention
• 48: really liked the flowers, petals have a different red flame in the middle
• 50: interesting light edge
• 66: beautiful shade and flower shape
• 69-25: First flower. We have to wait to see what will happen in spring.
• Seedling #114: different flower shape: anemone type flower.
• ‘Panks’:the first flower this year.
• Seedling #74: Large flowers, dark stems, stately, tall. It attracts attention from a distance. I really enjoyed watching it.

I don’t know the parent plants.

Click on the images to see the seedling number below the image.

Are you in contact or working together with other peony hybridizers? 

I would be happy to collaborate with others peony growers with seeds, pollen, excess seedlings. I tried to get this process going in Latvia, but I didn’t really succeed. I have seeds given to me by collectors of 3 large peony gardens in Latvia. The owners of these peony seeds are: Sandra Medne, Inta Doniņa, Inese Karule. Michele Moore from New Zealand visited us to have a look at our plants as well.

Michele Moore (center) and Ilga (right), with neighbour girl Ilva interpreting.

Name a few peony varieties from other hybridizers which you especially like?

I really like the following peonies:

Nosegay (Saunders) – early, cheerful;

Etched Salmon (Klehm,RG) – unusually precise, delicate;

Festiva Maxima (Mielez) – fragrant, abundantly flowering;

Miss America (Mann/van Steen) – bright, firm;

The Mackinac Grand (Reath,DL) – unusual red, strong;

Old Faithful (Glasscock-Falk) – beautiful color, flower shape.

Final question. Any remarks or suggestions you may have…

I found a lot of interesting things at this address:

https://www.peonysociety.org/groups/hybridizers-corner/

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