Tree peony bloomed today

So lovely. Sorry, no digital camera for instant photos, but it is a sight to behold! And a wonderful aroma to inhale :) It is only 3 years old, but it has 9 buds on it this year! I am so excited. Only 3 last year that opened!

My herbaceous ones should start blooming in a week or so. One of my very favorite flowers. Any one heard of whether there are others that really do blame later? Like June or July?

I'm so glad you started this thread Lupi. I have been seeing these "tree peonies" on Martha Stewart and I must say they are beautiful!! I ordered one for my Mother and hoping it gets here before Mother's Day.
Do they really stay green all winter? Seems I remember her saying that they don't die back during the winter and that they continue to grow all winter. Have you found that to be true? I really need all the info I can get on it before I give it to my Mother.
What color is your's?? How big is it?? The ones I see Martha had were hugh!! Like about 8" across!

Here's mine from last year
http://davesgarden.com/t/267647/

They are not even close to blooming this year.Just starting to show some growth......

I love them so much I bought 4 more on e-bay last fall....3 out of the 4 made it thru the winter,but I am pretty sure they wont bloom for another year or two.....

lupinelover, I have some peonies which are my favorite flowers, at least while in bloom! However, while the first blooms are gorgeous, as the weather warms up the later buds just dry up and fall off in the heat. Here they bloom around Memorial Day, but soon after the hot weather gets them every year. It is too bad, as there are always lots of new flowers coming that never make it. So, I don't know that there are any for June or July. I have never grown the tree peonies, although I'd love to get 'Joseph Rock', but just cannot pry that $140 out of my hand... John

I have a yellow and a white tree peony. Mine are about 5 years old and both are only about 3' high, but they get lots of blooms, and the blooms are huge. My yellow one this year is close to bloom, but the white (for some reason) is far behind (no leaves and just small buds). Must have been the winter as they are usually blooming in early May. That is the one unfortunate thing, they don't bloom for long and boy that first strong wind they are gone so you got to photo them quick.
What colors do you have lupine? I've been meaning to order more from a Japanese catalog as they have some real beauties, but pricey!
Here are a few pics of mine from last spring.

The yellow -
Crestedchik, yours are beautiful, wonder how you got the two colors - Uh oh, research GW!

This message was edited Monday, Apr 28th 2:56 PM

Haigr, mine looks like your white one.

Molly, no, mine isn't evergreen. The leaves come down in the fall, and new leaves appear in the spring. They do seem to be fairly slow to establish then to grow, but from ones I have seen around town, in a few years they will start to take off. A house a few blocks from me has had theirs about 15 years, and it is 6' high and maybe 8' across. Purple blooms, just incredible! There must be almost 100 on that one shrub.

From the little I have been able to find out about tree peonies, they want lots of food, regular watering, but not continually wet feet. They like very rich loam, but after they are established, like the regular peonies, can be safely ignored when not in bloom.

The blooms on mine are very sturdy to weather, Pardan; maybe because it is single? I cage my herbaceous ones so that they don't get mud-baths at the first rain, but the tree one has very sturdy stems.

I got mine at a nursery a couple years ago -- the name tags had disappeared, so they sold about 15 of them for $3 each in the fall. I didn't care what color I got -- I just wanted one! I can't imagine paying $160 for a tree peony either.

I have 2 different herbaceous ones that have some good-sized buds, but will be another week or two before they start to open. Usually they bloom around Mother's Day.

Pardan, any desire whatsoever to start tinkering with peonies to try to get some that really do bloom later? I already am working on two different kinds of plants this year, and only have a couple different peonies, not nearly enough to try to start working with them.

lupinelover, I'd love to see some later blooming peonies, but never gave that much thought, as I just put it down to hot weather marking the end of the season. Also, they do set seed pods pretty easily, but it is years until the seedlings would reach blooming size. I do recall that my 'Cincinnati' (favorite one, rose with silver edged flowers) does bloom earlier, so therefore, others bloom 'later'. And I think the fernleaf ones are earliest, but do not have any ;-(

Not sure the season could be extended into hot weather... Maybe there are some that rebloom in the fall? If so, never heard of them...

Okay, I am rambling...

Will try to post photos as my peonies bloom.

John

There's a big red one in full bloom not far from my house, I keep driving by and staring at it, it's absolutely amazing!! I have always wanted one, but the prices scare me away! I might have to buy a cheapo one and wait for a few years.

Carena, can you make friends with the people who own it and beg a cutting to root? Best way to make new friends, and find new plants :)

That is how I have made some wonderful neighborhood friends -- we live in a neighborhood where many people take walks, and whenever I am out front, people stop by to talk and ask. We trade plants and share coffee and friendship :)

John, I know that peonies do take years to bloom from seed, but I also know there have been a few people who have successfully hybridized whole new lines. Just takes the ambition (and growing space -- my shortcoming ;D

I have heard rumors of a Japanese-type peony that blooms in mid-summer, but I cannot locate any reputable source, just rumors... I do seem to hear a lot of them about various plants.

lupinelover, tree peonies are generally grafted, which is part of the reason for the high price- intensive work that is only somewhat successful. Wonder if cuttings would work in that case? I do know they advise planting the tree peonies in such a way that the grafted part eventually puts down its own roots, so why not??

I am very short on space, especially in the sun!

Intriguing, the mid-summer blooming peony rumors... Will have to do some research.

John, I think tree peonies have a reputation of being very slow to root, that could be why they graft them originally.

I have read a few history books speaking about roses originally being grafted because the variety was slow to root, and it was a way to mass-produce them for herbal use, especially the Attar of Roses.

My friend with the tree peony told me today that it is about 10 years old. She gracefully offered me cuttings. Gotta dig out some of my propagation books to tell me what is most likely to succeed -- softwood vs semi-hard. It is worth trying! And maybe I could attempt my very first grafting! Cross-genus, tho; I do not have any tree peony rootstock. Not sure what else would work. Time to hit the books!

lupinelover, it is herbaceous peony roots that are used when grafting tree peonies; not sure anything else would work.

My son & DIL gave me a Magenta one for Easter. It is 8 years old but it had already bloomed this year so I didn't get to see it. I have wanted one for a long time, but I already have so many things I felt guilty buying one. Still haven't decided just where to put it. I will find the right spot before next year, Lol!!

Azalea, I know the perfect spot for it! Right in my front yard beside my white one! LOL (had to tease you ;D

I am sure it will be outstanding wherever you put it. But it sure would be great to have several different ones!

Hmmm, grafting onto herbaceous peony roots? I do happen to have a very large clump of peonies that needs to be divided in the fall. Guess I will sharpen my knife and try it! After all, what do I have to lose? Can you tell I am trying to work up my nerve???

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction! Now to get to the library for their books on grafting. Gotta practice first! John, have you grafted before?

Kathy... hth ... http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/grafting.html

Thank you MaVie :) Have you grafted before?

lupinelover, no, never tried it. Looks deceptively easy though... Even professionals have a high failure rate with this one, which explains the hight prices, in part. If you can get the cuttings, why not try!

I tried to work out a trade with someone once who said she air layered them.........

no Kathy... i have not tried grapting. nothing to grapt LOL! did u forget, my garden is fairly new :). am just happy i have plant to play with and keep me busy.