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| PaeoniaPeonies are perennial favourites in the garden and few herbaceous plants can rival them for their floral display, fragrance and foliage. They have had a long and varied history in both the Eastern and Western continents and have been cultivated not only for their beauty but have also been used by people as food and medicine. The two types of peonies grown are the herbaceous peony ‘Paeonia hybrids’ and ‘Paeonia suffruticosa’ or tree peony.
Blooms last 6-8 weeks and the heads can be as large as 25cm (10”) in diameter. Herbaceous perennial plants are usually between 0.5m-1m in height whereas tree peonies are taller between 1.5m-3m high. The blooms make wonderful cut flowers for arrangements and it is thought to be a symbol of luxury and indulgence. The Chinese name for the peony is “sho yu” which means “most beautiful”.  History Peonies are native to Asia, Southern Europe and Western North America. They have been a traditional floral symbol of China for centuries and have been known there as far back as 1000 BC; featuring in their culture and many works of art. They were known to be grown as ornamental plants in China in the 7th century (Sui Dynasty) and became very highly thought of by the imperial family, the best varieties would be bought and sold for huge prices and were even used as part of a dowry settlement. During the 8th century the tree peony made its’ way to Japan and through time has developed different characteristics to the Chinese version. Japanese tree peonies tend to have less double flowers and the flowers are more open and delicate. Chinese tree peonies tend to be more vigorous and can be divided by division. The flowers on the older varieties of Chinese peonies are larger and heavier thus having a tendency to droop.
 Tree paeonia
Since the 10th Century, the famous ancient city of Luoyang became a centre for growing peonies and has a reputation for cultivating the finest peonies in China. In April Luoyang holds a festival and exhibition to celebrate the peony. As well as breeding many different types or peony it was the Chinese horticulturalists who were thought to have developed the technique of grafting to reproduce cultivars in the 12th century. During the Quing dynasty (1903) before China was a republic the peony was actually taken as the national flower. Peonies have historically been used for medicinal purposes, and have been found in most monastery gardens; in fact the name ‘Paeonia’ is thought to have originated from the Greek physician Paion. The Greeks believed the peony could cure up to 20 ailments and it is said that the root was given as a treatment for convulsions. Since 1957 the peony has also been chosen by Indiana in America as the state flower. Initially in Britain only herbaceous varieties were grown, at first for medicinal purposes and then as ornamental plants and it wasn’t until 1789 that the first tree peony came to this country when Sir Joseph Banks of Kew gardens got the British East India Company to bring one back from China. They were still quite rare and it wasn’t until the 1860’s that tree peonies became more widely available in Europe from China and then soon after from Japan. Peonies were very popular in Victorian and Edwardian times but fell out of popularity after the First World War only to resume again towards the end of the 20th Century.
Herbaceous Peonies Propagation can be achieved by taking soft wood cuttings or lifting and dividing more mature larger plants. New plants can be bought in pots or by buying ‘dry crowns’ from suppliers. Pot grown peonies can be planted most months of the year as long as the ground isn’t frozen, but ‘dry crowns’ and divided crowns are best planted in October. Older plants will often benefit from being split and will grow again with renewed vigour. The crown should be lifted in autumn once the foliage has died back, wash the soil away to expose the root system, remove any pieces of dead woody root and divide the crown so that there are at least 3-5 ‘eyes’ in any one piece. Replant the crowns. The most important thing to remember when planting any herbaceous peony is not to plant it too deep as this could result in the peony not flowering. Dig a hole 30cm (12”) deep, working in some compost or well rotted manure and a cup full of fertilizer/bone meal. Place the root ball so that the top of the crown is no more than 5cm (2”) below the soil, backfill and firm the soil around the ‘eyes’ of the peony. Allow a space of about 75cm (30”) between plants if planting more than one. The peony should then flower in its second year.
Bare root or pot grown tree peonies can be purchased from suppliers. Bare root tree peonies are best planted in winter or early spring as long as the soil is workable and not frozen. Pot grown tree peonies however can be planted at any time of year.
Unlike the herbaceous plants the tree peonies need to be planted deeper especially if a grafted species is being used. The point at which the peony is grafted onto the rootstock should be at least 15cm (6”) below the soil, which will encourage the tree peony to make its own roots and the herbaceous rootstock will eventually rot away. Even varieties that have been propagated by division (Chinese) need to be planted deeply to encourage good root growth. Usually a hole of 20”-24” and 24” deep will suffice and when digging the hole it is good practice to incorporate bone meal or fertilizer along with a peat free compost or manure to give the plant a good start.
Herbaceous Peonies
Peonies have acquired a reputation for being difficult to grow but in reality they are a very adaptable and hardy plant which will grow in most conditions. For the best results however plant peonies in sunny or partially shaded areas in a fertile heavier but well drained soil. Peonies will grow on chalky soil but prefer slightly alkaline conditions; if soil is acidic it is better to add a little lime when planting. Peonies flower best in sunny positions and will produce a large number of flowers, in shady positions there will be less flowers but they tend to last longer. Single flower varieties tend to do better in shadier positions. In exposed or windy areas it will be necessary to stake taller varieties.
Paeonia buds Tree Peonies Tree peonies are extremely hardy and once established are drought resistant. It will grow in most situations but the preference is in a fertile but well drained soil with a ph which is neutral or slightly alkaline. They will take to either a sunny or shady open position where there is plenty of air flow to help prevent the onset of the fungal disease; peony wilt. It is better to avoid a situation that is too exposed as winds can shorten the life of flowers and frosts will damage the new buds in early spring.
Most of the growth in the first season will be by the root stock and it may appear a little disconcerting that there is little happening above ground, but as long as the leaves look healthy the plant will eventually settle in, produce new basal shoots and flower. It may, however, be up to 4 years before for some varieties flower.
Care Herbaceous Peonies With a little care a peony can last up to 50 years. Cut back the dead foliage in autumn to ground level and apply a top dressing of a general granular fertiliser or bone meal. Then in spring an application of a good organic mulch or garden manure in a circle around the base of the plant will bulk up lighter soils, feed the plant and will help to retain the moisture. It is important not to put the mulch on top of the crown as peonies will not flower if planted too deep and it can also promote fungal disease.
Tree peonies need to be fed but don’t respond well to fast acting nitrogenous fertilisers, it is much better to apply good amounts of fish, blood and bone or a slow release fertiliser in autumn around the base of the plant and a little general fertiliser in spring. Pruning tree peonies that are 2 years old or more is essential to encourage renewed growth and rejuvenate the plant. Even young plants should have the ‘dead’ wood removed but shaping and pruning should be left until it is more mature. Cutting back and pruning is best done in February just as the new buds are starting to form. Cut back the dead stems to just above ground level and prune back ‘dead’ spurs to just above a live bud. Also remove any suckers that may appear from the native herbaceous root stock, these will have different foliage to the tree peony and should be cut off at ground level
Both herbaceous and smaller tree peonies can be successfully grown in containers, as long as you choose a large enough pot with good drainage. A soil based compost should be used (John Innes No. 3) or a compost which contains loam and the plant should never be allowed to get too wet or too dry.
Ants – although they will not damage the plant, ants are attracted to the sweet sticky substance that is produced from the bud as the flower emerges. Peony wilt (Botrytis paeoniae) – This fungal disease is more likely to occur in high humidity in a wet spring and can cause stems to wilt and rot either just before or after flowering. The RHS suggest that there are no chemicals available to the general gardener to treat this condition. On the other hand, the Peony Society suggest the use of a systemic fungicide so thoughts on dealing with it are divided. Good hygiene and cultivation however, are by far the best way of preventing and dealing with the disease.
Cut off and destroy any infected foliage, ensure there is good airflow around the base of the plants and use a good fertiliser/mulch to keep the plant in good health but do not overfeed particularly with nitrogen rich fertiliser as it will only encourage lush disease prone foliage. Also make sure any leaves that fall in autumn are removed and burnt, otherwise the fungus spores will survive on the debris ready to infect the plant again in spring. A badly affected plant should be totally removed along with the surrounding soil, otherwise the spores will stay in the soil and will affect any new peonies that are planted. Cladosporium – another fungal disease where brown blotches appear on leaves from July onwards, which eventually turn black. Again cut back and destroy any infected foliage to avoid the spread of the fungus and maintain a good standard of hygiene and cultivation. Balling – This is where the full double flowers fail to open properly due to cold or wet in early spring. The only thing to do is prune off the damaged bud.
Further Information : The Peony Society
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
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