A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Tree Peony Blooming

One of my tree Peonies is blooming now. The weather is supposed to be nice for a few days so I can enjoy the blooms for now. They don't last long when it rains.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e47/alankhart/DSCF1098.jpg

WTG Alan,

Do they produce seeds and if so do they breed true? I've had them on my never going to get but sure would like list for long before I even got a garden. I have 5 regular peonies plants and would love to add some of the tree peonies but could never afford one.

I believe they do produce seed, but I always cut off the old flower once it's finished blooming to prevent disease. At the nusery close to me they aren't much more than a regular peony. I paid $30 for mine, and a regular peony the same size is $20. They are rather slow to grow, however.

Wow Alan That is Gorgeous!

I was lucky and got 6 rh*****somes (I just cannot spell that word) for 5 dollars last year. And even after transplanting them. I had 5 come up this year. But they are the regular peonies not the tree variety. I'm hoping that next year I just might see a bloosom or two. I love peonies. But there is no way I could spend 20.00 on one plant. That would blow about 3 months worth of gardening budget.

The tree peonies that just blows my mind is the golden yellow one. Now that one I just might blow my hole summer budget on. What a great plant!.

Beautiful Alan!

TK...don't hate me...I have a yellow one too, but it isn't blooming yet. I'll take some pics when it does...should be soon cause the buds are quite big.

Alan that is beautiful...Do they have the same peony scent????? While looking at the photo all I could think of was the scent of peonies....Very Very pretty, do you know the name of this one?

I know with alot of plants you can also propagate them by cuttings...can you do this with tree peonies too?

tree peonies are propagated by grafting. You take a cutting (scion) of tree peony and graft it onto a root the same size or larger of an herbaceous peony.

Dear Obywan,

I have no idea what you just explained except it means that seeds won't work. I guess it's back to studying for me. But I just had my first really easy cuttings grow so I don't think I'm anywhere near ready for grafting.

Alan,

No way am I upset with you for having the yellow tree peonies. I'm thrilled that you have it. And maybe some day several years down the road I'll even discuss getting a "scion" from you and "grafting" it onto one of my "herbaceous peonies". I wish I understood what I just typed lol. I'm super excited that it's even a possibility sometime far far in the future. My regular peonies are so new they haven't even bloomed the first time yet. I'm just happy that they are green and growing.

I'm watching my neighbors peony to see when it blooms so I'll know where mine is on the 3 season bloom schedule I'm building for my garden. So far this year I'm doing pretty good. The crocuses came first and then the tulips and then the daffodils and now the columbine. I'm suprised that the snapdragons haven't done anything yet but there is still plenty of time.

Opps long post sorry.

Tammy, actually you can plant tree peony seeds, I just neglected to mention it. You plant them in a moist medium and wait for the roots to develop. When they have, you need to transplant them into pots and place them outdoors in winter for 2 1/2 months. Again, this is after the roots have developed, not before as in stratification. This overcomes shoot tip dormancy. Shoots then begin growth in spring.

Wow Terry,

That's terrific. Do you have some of the tree peonies too? How did you learn so much about them? I love peonies. All except for the ants. Those I could do without lol. I'm excited by having them in my garden and can't wait to see them bloom. I'm hoping I'll get lucky and it'll be next year rather than later on. Although I've heard sometimes it can take as long as 7 years for their first blooms.

Alan,

Are the candy striped and yellow the only tree peonies you have or do you have more colors? I am so looking forward to more pictures of them. Where in your garden are they located?

I have 3...the striped one, a yellow one and a fushia one. The yellow one isn't the golden yellow that TK likes...it's more of a soft lemon. Here are photos of the other two...they are just now starting to bloom. The yellow and fushia one are in the same bed. The striped one is in a different bed along the front side walkway next to my house.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e47/alankhart/DSCF1109.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e47/alankhart/DSCF1106.jpg

wow wow wow I love them. That yellow is so delicate. It's just wonderful. I hope you will take pictures of the entire plants when they bloom this year. They are really terrific.

Here are the entire plants of the striped one and the fushia one. I've had them both for 4 years.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e47/alankhart/DSCF0565.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e47/alankhart/DSCF1110.jpg

Alan, did you answer the ? about the scent of the tree peony?

Fantastic pictures Alan. And I am envious, you have one of the lacy red maple trees. I love those. In fact I think you have the entire garden that I have always wanted. So I'll just have to follow your lead and see if I can get close to what you have someday.

The yellow one has a scent, but the other two don't.

I have 7 Japanese Maples (2 are the same kind), but that one is my favorite.

beautiful! i bought a rhizome today, hope it grows!