It’s Peony Month… YEAH!
You may ask, 'Why?' or perhaps “Do I need a Hallmark card?" No cards are required. And, ‘Why?’, Well, because peonies are about to bloom! Which peonies? – ALL the PRETTY PEONY!!
I have written a lot of articles in my life, but I do not usually jump up and say me, me, me please, pick me. But an article about PEONIES?!? – Yes, please. They have always been my favorite. The flower is massive, and the fragrance is sweet (it is also one of the few smelly plants that does not give me an instant allergy headache!). I cut them and enjoy them inside by the bucketful. I may end up with a few ants indoors – but who cares, it’s worth it for peony flowers! And, well, they are just ants.
We grow our own peonies at the nursery, and they are quite impressive! (...If I may say so myself.) The production crew pots them up in the fall and they typically root out before dormancy. In the spring, they POP! We not only grow peony, but we grow several types of peonies.
You all are used to the common herbaceous peony (Peony lactiflora). Usually about 2.5’ and they can easily get to 3’ across. The varieties we carry are typically double-flowering cultivars. However, there are a few we offer that are single. I like single ones but prefer – as will most of your customers - the double flowering cultivars. There is no doubt the doubles put on a show.
Felix Supreme Peony
Sarah Bernhardt Peony
Some of my favorite double flowering cultivars are not only old cultivars but they are still some of the best (they are also reasonably priced, they aren’t “fancy pants” peonies, you know, ones that will cost you your first child!). ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ (double pink), ‘Duchess De Nemours’ (double pink), Felix Supreme (double red). The list goes on. There are at least 6 cultivars in stock, and I know one of them is ‘Krinkled White’ (single white flower). Herbaceous peonies will go downhill by mid-summer and the leaves look quite ratty. When placing an herbaceous peony make sure it can be seen in all its glory through May and then maybe something like a rose to cover them up for the rest of the year.
Bartzella Itoh Peony
But the production crew does not stop there. No, they have added Itoh Peonies to their production list. A totally different animal than an herbaceous Peony. Itoh’s are a cross between an herbaceous peony and a “Tree Peony” (they are known as “Intersectional” Peony – in case you were wondering). Why would you ever want that – well Itoh’s form a semi-woody stem that is able to hold up the huge flower (both come from the “Tree” Peony (Peony sufferticosa), and it also has and produces herbaceous stems – so if it dies to ground no problem. I have several at home. I do not cut them back until spring and then only to the buds on the woody stems. Every year they get bigger and bigger as new herbaceous stems join the 'club'. Believe it or not, they look more and more fab every time I see them. The easiest to come by is 'Bartzella'. It has a semi-double to double yellow flower that can be 6-8” in diameter. ‘Morning Light’ has a semi-double fuchsia flower. On the upside the plant flowers for longer period as side shoots will also flower and the colors cannot be found in P. lactiflora. (there aren’t even semi vigorous yellows in herbaceous Peony.) The foliage is very clean and lasts all year and when it blooms it is covered with flowers not only on the top but also on the sides. The only thumbs down I would give the Itoh cultivars is like a “Tree” peony the flowers are not cuttable. Vase life is only hours!
I can’t let you go just yet because although I no longer have much to do with perennials and even less on production I know a secret. There are – are you ready for this – “Tree Peonies” in stock. Yeppers. True “Tree” peonies are a rare find. They are incredibly hardy with massive flowers held up by woody stems. The group we have is an “assorted” color collection. But it doesn’t really matter because they are, well, not only Peonies but they are “Tree” Peonies and……. IT IS PEONY MONTH – YEAH!
Krinkled White Peony
A couple of other quick notes about peonies… They can live 100+ years (all peonies can!). They THRIVE in the cold. If you want to see some spectacular ones, go to Alaska! There are 11 different flower types – from single to lotus, hundred proliferate, golden circle to bombs! They like well-drained soil and if you feel like it, throw some fertilizer on them after flowering and in the fall (you can do it in the summer also). Surprisingly, unlike most plants that put on such a huge, spectacular flower they need little in supplemental feeding. I do not feed mine but occasionally I dump some compost or peat around them (depending on whether I am feeling generous!).
All peonies prefer full sun. From experience, I can tell you my herbaceous peonies are not flowering as well since the tree started giving them shade – I will be moving them this year. My Itoh peony gets AM sun till about noon then they are in shade – not dark but shade from a massive Maple tree. Doesn’t bother them a bit. They always have tons of huge flowers. Tree Peony require full sun and never get cut back – Tree peonies are a woody plant.
Rachel Peony
