Passionate About Peonies

Every year I look forward to May. Right around the time of Mother’s Day, my garden starts to burst into an explosion of pink, red, and white from the early blooms of peonies.

Ah, peonies. They just might be one of God’s perfect plants. They are tough as nails, their flowers are exquisite and often deliciously fragrant, they require little care, they are reliable annual spring bloomers, and once established, can live over 100 years. This is why I usually recommend at least one peony for both small and large landscape projects.

The genus Paeonia contains more than 30 species and hundreds of different varieties, many of which have been cultivated for thousands of years, primarily originating from China or Japan. Many of us are probably most familiar with herbaceous peony varieties (P. lactifola) as these are the traditional peonies of our parents’ and grandparents’ gardens. These plants re-surface out of the ground each spring with tender red stems, which then produce gorgeous flowers amid luscious green plants that die back to the ground (or may be pruned back to the ground) with each first frost. However, there are three more classes of peonies you should consider:

Tree peonies ( suffructicosa) are a cultivar which is not a tree but is named as such due to the plant’s woody stems. Tree peonies do not die back to the ground each fall/winter and should not be pruned as the next year’s growth is produced from the previous year’s stems.
Fern-leaf peonies ( tenuifolia), are a special class of herbaceous peonies with delicate fern-like leaves. These peonies tend to be smaller and more difficult to find.
Itoh peonies, also referred to as intersectional peonies, are hybrid crosses between herbaceous peonies and tree peonies.

There are peony species which can survive quite happily in growing zones 3-8 but be aware that these plants need a good chill during the off season to establish bud formation. Unfortunately, this means that gardens in the deep south and other tropical zones will not support these beautiful plants.

Second, it is important to plant peonies where you want them to grow. Most peonies grow to around 2-3 feet wide and tall, however, some tree peonies can reach 7 feet in height at maturity. These plants dislike being transplanted and may not bloom for a season or two if their root systems are disturbed.

Third, make sure you sow your peony bulb at the correct depth for your plant. Peonies like to be sown in relatively shallow soil (1/2 inch deep for Itohs, ½ – 2 inches deep for herbaceous, 4-6 inches deep for tree peonies). Fortunately, most peonies come with growing instructions to help you know the ideal sowing depth for your plant.

Finally, don’t forget to consider the sun and culture requirements for your peony. Peonies do not require much water or pampering but have slightly different sunlight needs for maximum flower production and growth. Herbaceous peonies love full fun but may need some protection from high winds to protect those huge, heavy flowers. On the other hand, Itos and tree peonies thrive in northern exposures or part sun/shade areas of your garden. Peonies may be planted in early spring or fall before the ground freezes.

I confess, I am a peony junkie. Every year, I budget for another purchase of peony bulbs (I always plant new peonies in the fall), and I scour the various online peony catalogues for new varieties or additional purchases of peonies I love. Also, this year I joined the American Peony Society which has links to peony cultivation, international growers and sellers, and other national peony societies. So far, I have (wait for it) over 90 peonies in my front and back yards – 30 different varieties of herbaceous cultivars, 6 different tree peony cultivars, 5 different Itoh types, and 1 fern-leaf peony. While I have some peonies positioned in the center of my flower beds, most are being used as border plants. Considering my backyard is almost 2.5 acres, it will no doubt require a few years to complete the borders. But then again, we gardeners always seem to be able to find ways “squeeze in” a few more plants, and we are notorious for creating new flower beds. So, who knows?

Here are a few of the peony varieties I have in my garden:

Herbaceous:

Bowl of Beauty
Bowl of Cream
Bridal Shower
Coral Charm
Coral Sunset
Dawn Pink
Edulis Superba
Felix Crouse
Festiva Maxima
Kansas

Karl Rosenfield
Minnie Shaylor
Pillow Talk
Polar Star
Red Charm
Sarah Bernhardt
Shirley Temple
Solange
Sorbet

Tree Peonies:

Akashi Bay
Black Dragon Holds a Special Flower
Flight of Cranes
Hanakisoi
Shiminishiki

Itoh Peonies:

Bartzella
Cora Louise

Some photos: Happy Gardening!