Paeonia 2021

[Maggi Young]

A member asks about the cultivation needs of Paeonia lagodechiana - I'm sure there  are  several folks  here  who can advise  better than I!   Thanks!

[Gail]

In Hong De-Yuan's monograph Paeonia lagodechiana is considered a synonym of P. daurica subsp. mlokosewitschii (P. mlokosewitschii/Molly the Witch). Grows in deciduous forests at 960-1,060m in Georgia and Azerbaijan, which usually equates to sun to semi-shade in a reasonably well-drained but fertile soil in the garden.

[Linda]

Thanks a lot, Gail! I was the questioner. The information about the daurica/ Molly etc. l also read about. What l do not know is wether the soil should be acid - that is what l have in my garden -  or more limey. My mollies thrive enormously though over the decades  and seed happily about. But my only daurica sadly died after 2 years. So l am a bit worried as you may understand. Thanks again for your help and sunny greetings!

[Leena]

I don't have P.lagodechiana, but I would make sure the soil is well drained because they are mountain plants, and maybe if I were you I would add some lime to the soil. Some peonies get fungal diseases easier in acid soil (or I have been told that the fungus which causes diseases dislikes lime, so adding lime to the top soil will help). It can't hurt.

[Gail]

My peonies are running later than last year I think but it won't be long...

P. tenuifolia


Paeonia tenuifolia 'Rosea'  I love the contrast in foliage colour between the two colour forms.


And this one, first flowering (fingers crossed!), is the result of a moment of wild extravagance on the Tree Peony Company's website. It is meant to be a rockii/Gansu mudan 'Zi Die Ying Feng' (Purple Butterfly Flying in Wind) with an intense fragrance, we shall see...

[Maggi Young]

Oh Gail, what pictures of promise!!  Love  'em!

[Leena]

Paeony buds are always so nice, and P.tenuifolia especially.

[Gabriela]

My peonies are running later than last year I think but it won't be long...

The apparition of the peonies in the spring is always a reason for celebration Gail. How odd that the tenuifolia 'Rosea' has green foliage.
Here they are running early, due to a surge in warm temp. a week ago; yesterday I had to protect a few of the more advanced.
A youngster P. mlokosewitchii  which will flower for the first time


P. japonica, always too early.

[Gail]

Afternoon sun yesterday and the spring foliage on the peonies was aglow!

Paeonia lactiflora 'Madame Gaudichau'


Paeonia 'Early Bird'


Paeonia 'Raggedy Ann' (Itoh)

[Claire Cockcroft]

A tree peony similar to 'Joseph Rock'.

[Maggi Young]

A tree peony similar to 'Joseph Rock'.

My favourite colour combination, pale  with that stunning blackcurrant  splodge, Claire - gorgeous shape too!

[Claire Cockcroft]

Thanks, Maggi.  There's a story here:  I bought this peony close to 20 years ago.  The tag had a picture of a yellow flower.  It took a few years for the peony to finally flower and it was quite a surprise.  I'm glad, for once, the tag was wrong!

[Gail]

That is gorgeous Claire and lovely to have a plant that exceeds expectations like that.

I bought a tree peony that was supposed to be Hephestos, a really deep red, semi-double. It took two years to flower then turned out to be a creamy yellow, which was not what I wanted at all.
I was looking at the peonies in my local garden centre and they are selling a range of Itoh hybrids at £36.99, one of which was labelled 'Cora Louise' but the label pictures a yellow flower, probably Bartzella. I tried to explain to a member of staff that Cora Louise actually has blush-white flowers with wine flares but he just rolled his eyes at me and said, "We can't do anything about the labels"...
I was quite curious to know what the plant actually is; Cora Louise, a yellow cultivar or something totally different (I have bought one, supposedly the Itoh 'First Arrival' which turned out to be the very common herbaceous 'Sarah Bernhardt'!). And I'd love to know who buys the plants and why - whether they are looking at the picture and expect a nice yellow or know their peonies and buy a Cora Louise, hoping it will turn out to be Cora Louise. I was tempted to put a little survey form in each pot asking what the buyers were expecting and if they would complain if it turns out to not be what they wanted...

[GordonT]

Claire, that is exquisite! If I'd bought a yellow tree peony, only to discover your stunning plant in the garden, I would feel as if I'd won the lottery. I am happy for you!

Gail, your Cora Louise photo and story is disturbing! One would think that the plants would be set aside while under investigation. Photographic labels ought to match what is in the pot. We would pull any plants that didn't match their labels when I was working in a local nursery. The nursery owner could then take up the mix up with their supplier. Having knowledgeable salespeople on staff might help limit chances for disappointment.

Sadly Claire's lottery win peony is not the usual outcome. I don't know where the label/ID problems originate,but it seems to me that tree peony purchases are as much likely to NOT be the plant that was intended. My last purchase was supposed to be Paeonia Shimadaijin, a dark wine coloured semi double to double bloom. The following spring it opened, a fully double frilly pink. Since we already had a similar one to that, we ended up giving it away. I'm sure I am not the only soul who wants to see the end of mislabelling/misrepresentation.

[Gabriela]

A tree peony similar to 'Joseph Rock'.

This is one beautiful peony!