Visitors
are amazed at the range of foliage shapes and textures the wild peonies
display, quite different from what they are used to seeing from the garden
peonies.last update January 2009
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Prices include all taxes and handling fees. Shipping bareroot in fall costs $13 per order. Canada only! at this point.
Note: as of fall 2008, I am selling some species Peony seed (garden origin, open-pollinated). (link will open in a new window)
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Visitors
are amazed at the range of foliage shapes and textures the wild peonies
display, quite different from what they are used to seeing from the garden
peonies.
Most are quite shade tolerant and are good woodland plants, in addition to doing well in sunny areas too. They flower earlier than the garden peonies, have shorter stems and single-flower shape. The only detractors are that a few are not as easy of cultivation, few double forms exist (and none of those are growing here), and most have no fragrance at all while those that do, lack the heady perfume of the garden peonies of lactiflora origins. In addition to the information on this page, I have been posting a running commentary on these plants at my Web Log (or Blog) http://peonies-of-leo.blogspot.com/ (please use Copy and Paste into browser address box - for some reason I can't create a proper link to this page!); a look at the 2006 and 2007 entries will give an idea of their time and order of flowering as well as additional photos and comment.
Most of the peonies for selling had been growing in an open and unirrigated field where for a few years they were doing well enough (despite some weed issues!). Of late, however, some sections of the field had become home to some large colonies of ants, which resulted in some very stunted peonies due to the drying effect of the ant tunnel network. So starting in fall of 2007 I decided to move all the peonies back to the nursery (leaving the ants behind, you better believe it!!), putting them in large pots to allow several years of growth; most have been moved as of fall 2008. This has the advantage of allowing you to take a chosen peony home at any time, without having to wait for the fall dig. It also will allow me to keep a closer eye on them, and to put the species that benefit from a bit of shade someplace less exposed.
I currently have for sale:
Peonies have their own page because the species types are a passion with me (and have been for some years). So this is now starting to become a very significant portion of the website, perhaps not in volume but definitely in terms of speciality.
Peonies started from seed have been grown on in nursery beds at a couple of places, until they flower, at which time they will be dug for sale without dividing, for the most part; I am in the process of shifting over to large pot cultivation, having discovered that they are happier than clams in the pots up to a more mature size than I expected. Peony cultivars propagated from divisions in autumn are being grown on in large pots; they can be bought at the nursery in the pots throughout the spring and summer or mail ordered at any time for shipping bare root in September.
Plants for customers ordering by mail will be segregated from the main pot farms when they are ordered or when they flower, and reserved for those customers. So even though their plants will not be shipped until fall they are not getting the "leftovers" but will get the best plant available when their order comes in.
Tree Peony seedlings are being grown in large pots (> 2 gallons) rather than in the ground (we don't have a good place to grow them on), and are (perhaps) unlikely to flower in that size. Those listed have been through several winters in their unsheltered pots and can either be bought at the nursery potted or mail-ordered for bare-root shipping in early fall.
Some links of interest:
For Information on Species Peonies: this page is a segment of the Canadian Peony Society website; it features a few articles which I wrote for the CPS, and some photos. Ignore the bit about forming a species peony group "this year", and although I initially headed it I don't any more.
Canadian Peony Society homepage. Here you will find listings of, and links to, other Canadian sources for peonies, as well as general information on growing them.
2005 was the beginning of an era here, marking the first year of flowering, and hence of availability for sale, of some of the species which I've started growing more recently than anomala and veitchii. Additional selections came into flower and became available in following years, although a few of those may be temporarily unavailable in a flowering size due to fluctuations in population due to sales and coming on of new crops (but they are expected to be available again soon).
Canadian Gardener magazine carried an article in 2006 entitled "Six Weeks of Peonies", which pretty much ignored most of the species, as they were pretty much outside of the authors' and consultants' ken. In fact here the first of the peonies to flower according to that article is three weeks after the first to flower for me and there are several species which precede their 6 weeks. So if I had some of their later candidates, I could have 8 or 9 weeks of Peonies; as it is, I have 7 weeks here.
Most plants listed are available either (1) on site from spring onwards, since all are nicely potted and moveable or (2) by ordering by mail prepaid for August/September delivery. September is the best time of year to transplant bare-root peonies (August is good too for some of the species), with second choice being later in the fall. Potted plants are best held in their pots until September, at which time they can be safely depotted and planted out without risk of set-back (which may occur if the rootball falls apart during depotting earlier in the year).
My species peonies are all grown from seed and come to you as the entire root, I aren't [sic!] doing divisions of them. Seed origins can be from the wild, from plants in gardens (my own or elsewhere in the world), or in the case of seed acquired commercially of unknown provenance. Seed from plants growing in gardens may have been pollinated from other species of peonies, or different forms of the same species. The hybrids may be fairly obvious to the untrained eye, or may appear identical to the seed parent. Seed origin for each is given in the writeups.
Some seed batches have widely diverse foliage or flower characteristics, and some are quite uniform. So far, one of the most uniform batches is of wild origin, and the most diverse batches are anomala and veitchii from seed of my own plants; these two species flower concurrently here most years and may very well be hybridizing. The fun continues.
photos: ...flower ...plant ... seed ...carpel ...flower variant ... another ...
Available potted on site, or bareroot by mail order in fall. Common names: Anomalous Peony (but don't ask me why). Seed origin: my garden plants. A mid-height perennial, hardy to zone 3 or colder. LOW MAINTENANCE. Of Upright habit, colonizing mainly by slowly creeping rootstocks. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 2', and 3' wide. Native to Russian NW Kola peninsula/ C Asia/ the Altai/ Mongolia/ N China/ W Gobi. Should be the hardiest species! Variable in form and flower colour depending on where in its very wide range the plant or seed originated. My original plants resemble the form Halda finds "north of Baikal", but only somewhat. This is the plant written up on the Canadian Peony Society website Species pages. Plants of the current seed batch are more variable in fineness of leaf division and flower colour than I've seen before. Recommended site: sun or light shade. Soil: fertile to good, sandy loam, reliably moist but well-drained. Deep soil. Naturally occurs in coniferous woods, dry grasslands, rocky hillsides, amongst shrubs. For me, does well in some shade in a "normal" clay-based garden soil on a slight slope. Crown of the root likes to be exposed, and dormant buds form on the exposed part: probably trying to find a cold enough winter temperature. Foliage deep green; of fine texture. Fine leaves deeply divided in segments of varying width from one plant to another. Large flowers are borne as individuals for about a week in late spring. Flower single, rather flat, usually a rose pink with a silky sheen and texture which many find very attractive, but sometimes darker or lighter. Earlier blooming than garden peonies by a few weeks, but not the earliest of the species. May develop sidebuds if very happy in cultivation, but I haven't seen any on mine yet. Seed pods are not the showiest among peonies but not too bad either; green, turning brown when ripe, opening to display large shiny black oval seeds. Some uses: Accent, Borders and Beds, Focus, in Shrubbery, Specimens, Foliage, Cut Flowers, Decorative Seed Pods, Naturalizing Meadows, Naturalizing Woodlands. Link to a more detailed article I've written.
In the near future some seed batches of wild-collected anomala will be ready for sale, hopefully with some interesting variation including a white-flowered form.
photos: ...flower ...plant ... seed ...carpel ...
Pretty much the same as the above, but these are grown from seed with provenance and do not have the variability of the garden seed plants.
photos: ...flower ...plant...leaf (darker form)... plant again ...carpel... seed...
Available potted on site, or bareroot by mail order in fall. ...also goes by the name(s) Paeonia daurica; Paeonia mascula subsp. mascula... Grown from seed collected in SE Republic of Georgia (NOT the Georgia in the USA!). Common name(s): Caucasus Peony. A mid-height perennial, hardy to Zone 5, and probably colder. Clump-forming and of long lifespan. Height: to 1.5-2ft. Native and endemic to the Caucasus mountains (where Europe meets W. Asia). Stems branching, 1.5-3ft tall. Flowers rose-violet or deep-rose. Closely related to Paeonia mascula, or a subspecies thereof according to some botanists; from what I can see in my plants, any visual differences are rather minor, but caucasica seems to be easier and faster to grow from seed. Naturally occuring in forests, shrub thickets and grassy meadows at altitudes of 900-2000m. Light required: part shade to sun (vigorous in my woodland test bed). Soil: not fussy-- does well in normal garden soil for us. Said to be lime-tolerant. Environmental Wetness: moist to dryish. Plants in sandy soils tend to have more leaves and flower sparsely, whilst those growing on clay take longer to become established but produce better blooms. Strongly resents root disturbance, taking some time to recover after being divided. Good foliage, dark green above, grey-green beneath. Attractive rounded leaflets. Large sumptuous flowers rosy-red to red-pink; borne singly at the tips of the stems for about a week several weeks before the garden peonies and one of the earlier species to flower. Fat fuzzy seed pods opening green and quite showy when open. For Borders, Woodlands, Foliage. Flowers used in a red dye. Also has herbal uses.
photos: ...flower ...plant ...emerging leaf... another ...carpel... seed ...
Available potted on site or bareroot by mail order. Seed provenance unknown. I only have a few of these. Native to S Europe around to N Africa: around the Mediterranean; a complex comprising several subspecies formerly considered of species status. The "type" is native to S Italy, Sicily, Greece and Asia Minor. Forms large clumps with thick fleshy roots. Quite variable. USDA zone 8 in some references!! but has required no special conditions here, growing equally well in an open field and in part shade; in my experimental shade bed (to clarify, it is neither experimental shade nor an experimental bed but a plant experiment in ... oh what the heck... ) it is a bit less vigorous and not ready to flower this year. Height 1-2.5ft. Foliage attractive with lobed leaflets. Flowers purpley-red to (rarely) white. One of my display bed plants has a pale pink flower with darker veining. Quite attractive seed display in fall. For Borders, Woodlands, Foliage.
photos: ...flower ...plant ... another ...carpel... seed ...
Few only. ...also goes by the name(s) Paeonia wittmanniana var macrophylla; Paeonia corallina. var wittmanniana f macrophylla... Common name(s): Largeleaf Peony. A Tall perennial, hardy to Zone 5or colder. LOW MAINTENANCE. Of Upright habit, forming colonies primarily by forming a slowly expanding Clump from rhizomes. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 3-4ft, and to 4ft wide. Native to a small area of the Western Caucasus in Georgia. Plants grown from seed from Bakuriana Botanic Garden in Rep. of Georgia. A very striking plant, flowering a bit later than P steveniana which it resembles in some ways, and weeks before P lactiflora (the Garden peonies) Light required: Open/Dappled or Partial Shade. Soil: good, prefers a good loam. Requires reliable moisture, and good DRAINAGE esecially in winter. Naturally occurs in mountain forests and forest margins at altitudes from 800m to the subalpine belt. Foliage of average density; deep green; leaves quite large, of coarse textural effect. Wilts at the first heavy frost with no ornamentally interesting colour-change. The leaves are shiny on the upper surface and have deeply depressed veins, which gives them a distinctive and characteristic appearance. Large faintly fragrant flowers are borne as Solitary individuals for about a week in late spring. Pale yellow in bud, opening to ivory-white with the slightest hint of yellow and fading with age to near white. There is a slight tinge of magenta pigmentation at the base of the petals. This colour fades after a couple of days. The flowers, as in steveniana, remain globular in form; they don't open flat like most peonies do. The carpels are green with purple stigmas. The stamen filaments are purple, becoming white towards the top; the anthers are yellow. Its fertile seeds are blue-black in colour, the infertile ovules are vivid rose-red, for a very good seed show in late summer to early fall. Some uses are: for Accent...in the perennial Border...in amongst Shrubbery...as a Specimen plant...for the effect of its Foliage...the decorative Seed Pods are good in dried flower arrangements... in naturalizing a Woodland setting...
photos: ...flower ...plant ...developing leafs... another ... seed ...
A Low to Mid-height perennial, hardy to Zone 3. LOW MAINTENANCE. Of Upright habit, forming colonies primarily by forming a slowly expanding Clump from rhizomes. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 18inches. This is a "species" which has perhaps never been found in the wild, but is known only in gardens, from Russia via the UK in the early 1800's. Comes true from seed. Part of the "Paeonia officinalis grouping"; it is related but very distinct looking. Smallish in size, it is suitable for the compact garden. Reasonably good in my woodland area but better with a bit more sun; otherwise of easy cultivation. Foliage blue-ish green; of fine texture. Bluish sheen, soft visual texture. Large flowers are borne as Solitary individuals for a week or 2 in early spring. Flowers variously described as red or pink, it's one of those betweenish colours. Seeds are shiny black and of distinctive oval shape in a tan/ brown seed pod, not the showiest seed display of the peonies, but not bad either. Some uses are: in the perennial Border...in amongst Shrubbery...for the effect of its Foliage...in Rock Gardens...makes a good Cut Flower for arrangements...
photos: ...flower ...plant...carpel... seed ...
I have regetably found out that a formerly reliable source of wild-collected seed has in some way been compromised (whether deliberate or not); a couple of seedlings from this source flowered in 2008, but were bright fuchsia to magenta in colour rather than the yellow they were supposed to be. If this were garden seed, I would be able to shrug and say it was not unexpected, but with wild collected seed there are no polite suppositions to explain this anomaly. Unfortunately, not just a single batch involved in this way. So, I absolutely cannot sell mloko plants until they have flowered. I expect several to become available this year (09), but the plants have their ways of laughing at me...
Paeonia mlokosewitschii in general:... Common name(s): Golden Peony; Caucasian Peony. A Mid-height perennial, hardy to Zone 3. Low Maintenance in a proper site. Of Upright habit, forming colonies primarily by forming a slowly expanding (or creeping) Clump from rhizomes. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 1.5-2ft (approaching 3ft in cultivation). Native to SE Caucasus originally thought to be specifically to the region of the valley of Lagodekhi but their range is turning out to be somewhat wider, into Iran and Armenia etc. Stunning for a very brief period each year and with pretty good foliage for the rest of the growing season. A garden classic. Light required: Sun to Partial Shade. Soil: good, prefers a good loam. Environmental Wetness: Requires reliable moisture, and good DRAINAGE esecially in winter. Optimal Fertility: highly fertile (top-dressed yearly). Has a few pests to watch for. Seldom bothered by diseases. Naturally occurring on sunny slopes in hornbeam/oak forest. Generally easy to grow, but seems less adaptable than lactiflora or officinalis. Does reasonably well for me in mainly bright shade except for a few hours full sun around midday, in a raised bed with light soil mix meant for Azaleas (loam to sandy loam, with lots of organic matter); in the prairies reliable irrigation is critical, since this species seems to require more moisture than most others. Mloko was desperately unhappy in the dry open field, and grows reasonably well in my woodland test bed where the flowers stand out wonderfully in the shade, although it is not as vigorous as in a sunnier locations. Foliage of average density; mid-green to blue-ish green depending on the plant; leaves quite large, of coarse textural effect. Lobing is larger and more rounded than what we are used to seeing on Paeonia. Purple highlights and a waxy surface texture. Very excellent at all times throught the growing season. Very large light yellow flowers are borne one per stalk for a week or two in late spring. Single form. The colour is variably described as lemon to butter. Golden stamens, purple sepals. Seed pods sometimes colour to red as they ripen, and all are particularly striking when they open. In it's native area it blooms in April; here it blooms in early June usually. May be susceptible to bud damage by late frosts in some areas? Some uses are: for Accent...in the perennial Border...for visual Focus...in amongst Shrubbery...as a Specimen plant...for the effect of its Foliage...makes a good Cut Flower for arrangements... in wildflower Meadows... Link to a more detailed article I've written.
photos: ...flower ...plants in the woodland nursery bed...another...emerging leaf...carpel... seed ...
Available potted on site, or bareroot by mail order in fall. This lot is from seed collected wild from a population in forests near Vladivostok, Siberia; the flower colour is consistent for all my plants of this lot. A Low to Mid-height perennial, hardy to Zone 4 or colder. Low Maintenance in a proper site. Of Upright habit, forming colonies primarily by forming a slowly expanding Clump from rhizomes. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 16"-2', and 2-3' wide. Native to Asia: Siberia/ Manchuria/ China/ Japan. Wideranging and thus quite variable. May grow to 3' in cultivation? Has ternate leaves with 9 broadly ovate leaflets, solitary and terminal flowers. Thin graceful stems, I'm not sure how they would stand up to wind, but then again, not much wind at the forest floor; actually, they are the only peonies whose stems are still upright at the end of the winter, so they are rather strong although perhaps brittle. Leaves are later to emerge than most species here, thus avoiding late frosts. They're distinctive and attractive at all stages of growth. Naturally occurs in mountain woods and scrub. Light required: Open/Dappled or Partial Shade. Ours are doing equally well in the display beds by the driveway (which is bright enough for lactiflora's to thrive) and in the woodland display bed which is quite shady; this is the only species which I haven't planted in the open field so I don't know how it would be in full sun. Soil: a well-drained woodland soil (lots of compost) works well for me here. Considered difficult by some US authors, maybe because of ignoring the natural habitat issues of shade and coolness and trying to grow them like the lactifloras and hybrids... more on this: my sister has trouble with obovata in Edmonton Alta in a clayey soil, but they do well in sandy soil at the nearby Devonian Botanical Garden, so there is clearly a cultivation issue in colder climates. Leaves continue to increase in size significantly after flowering. Range of flower colour(s) includes: white, shades of pink to rose-purple, but ours are all rose/crimson as shown in the photo, and retain a globular shape throughout their bloom. Long narrow seedpods in threes or twos, with an excellent show for several weeks when they open. The red aborted seeds can be seen at some distance in the woods. Some uses are: Borders, Woodlands.
I hope to have some of the white-flowered form of obovata in 2009...
photos: ...flower ... another ...flower ... plant ...
Common name(s): Common Peony. 1714 is from seed collected wild, in Italy; 1244 is of mixed origins. I only have a few of this species. A Low to Mid-height perennial, hardy to Zone Z4 or colder. Low Maintenance in a proper site. Of Upright habit, forming colonies primarily by forming a slowly expanding Clump from rhizomes. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 14-24in. Native to S Europe: S France/ Switzerland/ N Italy/ Hungary/ Albania. Light required: sun to light shade. Soil: normal garden soil is indicated. Soft foliage with numerous narrowly elliptic leaflets. Large flowers are borne singly for a week shortly before the garden peonies bloom. Range of flower colour(s) includes: possibly white, shades of pink, sometimes red, but ours are more of a crimson. Seed pods turning brown when ripe, not particularily showy compared to other species. Some uses are: Borders, Rock Gardens.
photos: ...flower ... another... plant ...
also goes by the name(s) Paeonia banatica; P. peregrina var. banatica; P. foemina var. banatica; P. officinalis var. banatica... A Low to Mid-height perennial, hardy to Zone 3. LOW MAINTENANCE. Of Upright habit, forming colonies primarily by forming a slowly expanding (or "creeping") Clump from rhizomes. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 14-20inches, but taller in partial shade here, up to about 30in. Native to E Europe: Hungary/ Croatia/ Romania. My plants are grown from commercial seed originating from Romania. Has some of the characteristics of P. mascula and of P. officinalis ssp. officinalis (causing some taxonimic confusion or variability). A plant with attractive foliage and interesting flowers, in shape and colouration. Suitable for any garden soil. Best in my partially shaded display bed but does flower in the woodland bed and also in the open field. Foliage attractively segmented and cut. Large flowers are borne as Solitary individuals for a week or 2 in late spring. "Ruby coloured" flowers, dark yellow stamens. Seed pods turning brown when ripe, not particularily showy compared to other species. Some uses are: in the perennial Border...as a Specimen plant...in Rock Gardens...makes a good Cut Flower for arrangements...
photos: ...flower ... another ... plants ...
Very few only... also goes by the name(s) Paeonia humilis; P. peregrina var. humili ; P. peregrina var. leiocarpa; P. microcarpa; P. feminea c. humilis... Common name(s): Dwarf Common Peony; Dwarf Apothecaries' Peony. A Low to Mid-height perennial, hardy to Zone 3 or colder. LOW MAINTENANCE. Of Upright habit, forming colonies primarily by forming a slowly expanding (or "creeping") Clump from rhizomes. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 10-16inches, and 1ft wide. Native to SW Europe: Portugal, Spain, France. My plants are grown from garden-origin seed. Easy to grow, good garden plant, nice tidy miniature. Adaptable to a fairly wide range of conditions. I don't have any of this subsp in my woodland test bed, but it does well in the open field and also in the partly-shaded display bed; drought-tolerant but better "unfried". Foliage very fine in texture. Leaflets much divided. Good-sized flowers are borne as Solitary individuals for a week or 2 in late spring. Flower colour variably described as red or pink. Some uses are: in the perennial Border...as an Edging plant...for the effect of its Foliage...in an Alpine or Scree garden or trough...in Rock Gardens...
photos: ...flower ...plant ... another... leaf...
Also goes by the name(s) Paeonia decora; Paeonia lobata... Common name: Crimson-Flowered Peony. Low to Mid-height, hardy to Zone 4 or colder. Low Maintenance in a proper site. Of Upright habit, forming colonies primarily by forming a slowly expanding (or "creeping") clump from rhizomes. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 20-24 inches. Native to S Europe: S Italy/ Balkans/ Romania/ Bulgaria/ W Turkey. The "type" plant is the form in Greece, and in the UK was once known as the "single red peony of Constantinople". Very showy, a good garden plant and one of the latest species to bloom (here, just ahead of the Garden Peonies this year). May reach 3' tall in cultivation? Light required: Sun (to Partial Shade); my plants are most vigorous in the open field, less so in open shade, and decidedly unhappy in my woodland test bed (one of the few which are unhappy there). Soil: drained, prefers a good loam. Drought-tolerant, needing good drainage. Naturally occurs in rough fields and among limestone rocks, in scrub and oak forests. Leaves green with no hint of red while emerging, with rounded tips to the lobes. Brilliant red cup-shaped flowers borne one per stem. Range of flower colour(s) includes: scarlet to dark red, sometimes edging into pink (depending on location of origin?). Some uses are: as a Specimen plant...in the Herb Garden... Borders... Naturalizing meadows...
photos: ...flower ...plant ... another...carpel ... seed show ....
A few only. I have decided to give this species the common name "Golden Globe Peony"... let's see if it catches on (let's even see if I can remember that from one week to the next...!). From seed wild collected near Tskhratskharo, SE Rep. of Georgia. Not quite as yellow as THE Golden Peony (P. mlokosewitschii) and with different, greener foliage having broadly pointed leaflets as opposed to mloko's purple changing to blue-green rounded foliage. However steveniana is more vigorous; mloko seedlings of the same year are much smaller and probably even now more than a year from flowering by my guess. I have seen a range in flower colour in my plants: pale yellow through to white (and one pale pink which is obviously a hybrid); but those currently for sale are all pale but noticeable yellow. Foliage is quite uniform in colour and shape amongst my plants. Paeonia steveniana also goes by the name Paeonia wittmanniana nudicarpa... there is disagreement among botanists about it's status. Common name(s): Steven's Peony. Low Maintenance in a proper site. Of Upright habit, forming colonies primarily by forming a slowly expanding Clump from rhizomes. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. The species is considered by some to be superior to P mlokosewitschii, of which it may be an ancient tetraploid derivative. In the first year of flowering, I wasn't all that impressed with my plants, but in their second year they were quite excellent and I have to say I like them as much as mloko; they just have different attributes. Common in mountainous regions of it's range in forests under shrubs. Flowers pale yellows to (almost?) white. The plants are large, 50-100cm high or somewhat higher; the stem is firm, cylindrical or slightly ribbed. Some similarities with P. macrophylla and P. tomentosa. Light required: sun to part shade. Soil: good, fertile, drained. Large flowers (but smaller than most peonies) are borne one per stem and hold a globular shape throughout their flowering, whereas most peony flowers open to a flat-ish saucer or shallow bowl.
photos: ...flower ...plant ... another...
These are fairly small and maybe still more than a year from flowering; the seed lot has been consistent in flower quality and colour. Also goes by the name(s) Paeonia lithophila... Common name(s): Fern Leaf Peony; Rock Loving Peony. A Low perennial, hardy to Zone 3 or colder. Low Maintenance in a proper site. Of Upright habit, forming large colonies primarily by creeping rhizomes. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 8 or maybe 12 inches. Native to Europe in the S Ukraine. The major difference between this subspecies and P tenuifolia proper is in the height, this being rather shorter; the overall impression is similar to P.tenuifolia, but in all parts smaller. Plants from seed collected in the Crimea. Excellent foliage, distinctive and deeply cut and with very narrow segments, hence the "fern leaf" name; nifty shape right out of a Dr. Seuss book while emerging; in some drier conditions foliage may go dormant in late summer. The flowers are striking blood-red, borne one per stem. One of the earliest peonies to flower. Light required: full sun (to open shade); this is one of the few species that is really unhappy in my woodland test plot, and even the plants in open shade are a bit stretched and flopp-ish compared to those in the field. Soil: loamy and well-drained, with a preference for slightly alkaline pH. Environmental Wetness: dryish to moist: this is one of the few grassland species and thus is more adapted to drier conditions. It can be set back a bit by wet maritime winters, although it will usually persevere and gradually increase. Some uses are: Rock Gardens, Borders, Foliage...
Like the above but taller, to about 2ft; also fairly small plants still; there are a few different seed lots of 1265's which have different geographic origins and thus differ in size, fineness of foliage and possibly in the shade of red of the flower. Link to a more detailed article I've written.
photos: ...flower ...plant ... another...carpel ... seed show ...
Few only; plants have not yet flowered but the seed lot has been completely uniform to date. Also goes by the name(s) Paeonia wittmanniana; Paeonia wittmanniana var. tomentosa... Common name(s): Woolly Peony; Talish Peony (after a mountain, not for any tallish height). This species was the surprise of 2006, being the earliest peony to flower, by a week, and unexpectedly as yellow as the Golden Peony mlokosewitschii; it had me rubbing my eyes in amazed disbelief and has consistently been a week ahead of all other peonies here since then. My plants are from seed collected in the Caucasus mountains, in NE Azerbaijan; an obscure plant from a limited range. Compact habit and large well-textured yellow to white flowers, with a boss of golden stamens stained red in the centre; flowers differ from those of P steveniana in opening almost flat. The seed capsules that follow are tomentose (hairy) and very showy on opening when ripe. Height 3-4 ft with lush leaves of rough dark-green, shrivelled, with distinguishably protruding veins on the grayish underside; leaflets are ovate to elliptical. Naturally occuring in the upper montane belt, in forest, upon steep slopes. So far this species is doing well in the woodland and the open field (but it is smaller there), although more vigorous in the partly sunny display bed. An excellent peony in all respects and even moreso because of its early bloom which rarely overlaps with any others here, and even then only by a day or 2.
photos: ...flower ... plant ...emerging leaf ...carpel ... seed ...
Few only. ...also goes by the name(s) Paeonia daurica; Paeonia mascula subsp. triternata; Paeonia corallina var. triternata... From seed wild-collected in the Crimea. A mid-height perennial, hardy to Zone 5 or probably colder. Low Maintenance in a proper site. Clump-froming and of long lifespan. Height: to 16-24inches. Native to the Crimea and Turkey. Distinctive, unique and lovely bright blue-green waxy foliage which is triternate (split into three, three times); green right from emergence and with convoluted margins to the leaflets, the degree of which varies between plants. Naturally occurs in montane oak and beech forests and upon open slopes. Light required: Sun to part shade (this species is, so far, vigorous in my woodland test bed). Soil: normal garden soil or woodland soil are indicated, no special requirements. Fantastic foliage form, inexplicably decried as being unimpressive by some authors; perhaps I am just fortunate in having a good strain of it-- or they have onlly seen poor ones. Large rose to pink flowers are borne singly for a short period a few weeks before the garden peonies, attractively 2-tone in almost all of my plants. Very ornamental seedpods, colourful and interesting. For Borders, Woodlands, Foliage.
photos: ...flower ...plant ...leaf (one of the finer ones)... another ...darker form ... carpel ...seed ...
... Common names: Veitch's Peony. Seed origin: my garden plants. A low perennial, hardy to zone 3 or colder. LOW MAINTENANCE. Of Upright habit, colonizing mainly by slowly creeping rootstocks. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 1-1˝', and 3˝' wide. Native to Kansu in NW China. Some of these resemble the smaller ssp woodwardii, others are in foliage like veitchii but with some darker flowers. Mostly 10 petals on the darker pinks, 5 on the paler ones. Recommended site: sun to part shade. Soil: good to rich, loamy, reliably moist but well-drained. Easily grown. Deep soil required, incorporating some clay and organic matter but NOT fresh manure. Plant with eyes no deeper than 1-2" or flowering will be drastically reduced. Some references recommend heavy (ie much clay) soil, others recommend a sandy soil (which may well be closer to the soils of its' natural range). Foliage of fine texture. Finely divided into pointed segments. Glaucous undersides. Large flowers are borne in a small panicle for a few weeks in late spring, 3 to 7 buds per stem although only 3 usually open; but the sidebuds increase the duration of flowering significantly. Flower colour: shades of pink to magenta red. Flowering is a few weeks earlier, and overlaps with, the "garden peonies". Single, flattish bowl-shaped. There is a white form. Some uses: Accent, Borders and Beds, Focus, in Shrubbery, Specimens, Foliage, Cut Flowers, Naturalizing Meadows. Link to a more detailed article I've written.
photos: ... all different
These are plants grown from seed of hybrids not involving Paeonia lactiflora, and from a batch or two of mixed herbaceous species resulting in plants which I can't readily put a name to. Since most of these are in some way different from each other, photos of them in bloom are posted here in a "Hybrid Seedling Gallery".
seedlings are being grown in large pots (> 2 gallons) rather than in the ground (I don't have a good place to grow them on), and are (perhaps) unlikely to flower in that size although each year there are a few that do anyways. Those listed have been through several winters in their unsheltered pots and can either be bought at the nursery potted or mail-ordered for bare-root shipping in early fall: shipped plants are likely to be somewhat pruned of root and stems.
photos: ...flower ...variant...plant ... leaf ...
Common names: Peony (Shrub Type). A shrub, hardy to USDA Zone 5 with winter protection. Low Maintenance in a proper site. Of Shrubby habit. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 5.5ft, and 3ft wide. Native to China (N to central Yunnan in the Lijiang mountains; parts of Szechuan and Tibet). Officially "May be reluctant to bloom colder than zone 7", but after a few years of saying this to anyone who cared to listen, a number of the plants in my pot farm put out a flower or two in the past couple of years and in '07 actually set a crop of seed! Seldom grown as the species, but much used in hybridizing because of the deep red flowers. Fairly bare branches on an upright shrub. Plants from garden seed (which these are) are often somewhat different from the wild/ true species but these so far seem true. Recommended site: sun to part shade. Soil: good, loamy, reliably moist but well-drained. Naturally occurs in scrub, thickets or open forest, and rocky to grassy open places on limestone at about 2300to 3700m altitude. Probably needs some winter protection around NS. Open, sparse foliage, of marvelous finely cut texture; can't empahsize enough how great this foliage is. Deciduous. Leaflets in clusters of 3, with those at the tips of stems standing clear from the rest. Deeply divided. Greyish-white beneath. Large flowers (but small relative to other peonies) are borne in a very small cluster for a few weeks in late spring. Single or up to 5 flowers per stem, hidden amongst the foliage, smaller than in the suffruticosa group of tp's. Generally blackish red to maroon, the darkest flowers of Paeonia; 9- 12 petals; a plant from a different seedlot, putatively wild-collected, flowered this year with a somewhat larger flower in a brighter shade of red, more like the handel-mazetti. Some uses: in Shrubbery, Specimens, Foliage, Foundation plantings, Naturalizing.
photos: ... leaf ...
formerly Paeonia lutea var. ludlowii. Common names: Peony (Shrub Type); Tibetan Peony. A shrub, hardy to USDA Zone 6. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 8ft. Native to higher elevations in a small area of SE Tibet (Xizang prov. of China) near the Tsango gorges, at elevations of 3000 to 3500m. Quite late to start growth and quite variable. Suckering growth habit making a nice, large, symmetrical bush with super foliage. Grown from garden seed. May seldom bloom in NS although it does in at least a few NS gardens; also unlikely to reach full size here. Normally fairly floriferous. Threatened in its native habitat due to limited distribution and medicinal use of root bark. This is a less hardy species than some and may tend to die back to the ground some winters but should re-grow from the roots and crown buds. Open, sparse foliage, of fine texture. Deciduous. New shoots bronzey; leaves huge, exotic-looking, worth growing for foliage alone. Large fragrant lemon yellow flowers are borne as individuals. Nodding cup-shape flowers almost hidden among the foliage. Some uses: in Shrubbery, Foliage, Foundation plantings, Naturalizing.
photos: ... flower... another ... leaf ... plant ...
also known as (P. delavayi x lutea) Common names: Species Tree Peony. A shrub of very long lifespan. Height: to 3ft, and 3ft wide. Plants from seed wild-collected by Halda near Habashan, Yunnan, China at 3200m in mixed Abies-Rhododendron forest. Small bushes. This would seem to be a natural hybrid between the species delavayi (dark red flowers) and lutea (yellow flowers). Hardiness may be a questionmark at this point; they have been hardy for me here, but have yet to show a flower bud. Recommended site: open shade. Foliage coarse; leaf segment widths between the narrow delavayii and the broader lutea. Large solitary flowers are borne for about a week in late spring, bronze-yellow in the literature, but bright red on the plants which flowered here this year: part of the natural variation of this hybrid species?, or a hybrid of the hybridspecies? I don't know. At any rate, the red is nice and bright and maybe a better colour than was expected. Some uses: Accent, in Shrubbery, Specimens, Rock Gardens, Naturalizing.
Mid-height to tall perennials, hardy to zone 3 usually. LOW MAINTENANCE. Of Upright habit, colonizing mainly by slowly creeping rootstocks. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: variable by individual. Recommended site: sun or light shade. Soil: rich good, loam or heavy clay-loam, reliably moist but well-drained. Easily grown. Deep soil required, incorporating some clay and organic matter but NOT fresh manure. Plant with eyes no deeper than 1-2in or flowering will be drastically reduced. Some references recommend heavy (ie much clay) soil, others recommend a sandy soil (which may well be closer to the soils of the natural range of some species); the lighter, better draining soil is more necessary in the maritimes due to the warmer and wetter winters. Foliage coarse. Large flowers are borne as individuals for a few weeks in late spring, although some types have a few secondary flowers (sidebuds) per stem. Flower colours and form variable. May be fragrant. Some uses: Accent, Borders and Beds, Focus, in Shrubbery, Specimens, Cut Flowers.
One useful observation from this year: if you find your peonies grow too tall or with too flimsy a stem, try them in sun in a dry, unwatered and unfertilized site on a slope, in full sun. My plants in such a field grow somewhat shorter and, because they are always exposed to the winds, the stems are stronger than those grown in sheltered sites. But I think the main factor is reduced water and nutrition.
photos: ...flower ...plants ...
Height: to 2-3'. Unnamed seedlings which I raised from seed of my named plants, and from plants in others' gardens. All have flowered and portraits taken, so you will be able to see what the plant will be. There is only one of each!! so no-one else will have the exact same plant. Seedling Gallery All the lactifloras are potted up and can go home with a customer at any time; mail order plants will be sent bare-root in fall. Plants with photos in the Seedling Gallery in spring are the remains of last year's crop; this year's new plants will not be posted until about late July. Customers who visit while the lactifloras are in bloom (late June into July) will have first choice of the new crop and will be able to take their selections home with them at that time.
photos: ...... flower .... another ....Yes, those are the same; the intensity of the coral colouration depends on lighting, age of the bloom, and a bit on the plant's location.
(2 to 5 gal. pots; these are modest-sized roots which have, however, flowered.) Common names: Peony. A tall perennial, hardy to zone 3. LOW MAINTENANCE. Of Upright habit, increasing mainly by slowly creeping rootstocks. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 3', and 3' wide. A hybrid of P lactiflora and P peregrina. Strong-stemmed variety; does not droop at all. Eventually forms large clumps. Recommended site: sun. Soil: good to rich, loamy, reliably moist but well-drained. Easily grown. May be grown in some shade. Dense, compact foliage. Large strongly scented flowers are borne as individuals for about a week in late spring. Flowers bowl-shaped with about 3 rings of 'guard petals'; almost salmon-coloured on opening, fading to ivory over several days and then shedding the petals; many bright yellow stamens. On mature plants and in some conditions of growth and weather some stamens of the earlier flowers will be petaloid and pink, giving the flower the appearance of a full double; but later flowers will revert to the bowl-shape. Seed pods (sterile, for me) of interesting showy shape, green turning to brown by fall. Some uses: Accent, Borders and Beds, Focus, in Shrubbery, Specimens, Containers, Foundation plantings, Cut Flowers, Decorative Seed Pods, Honey Bees, Naturalizing. These are smaller divisions, probably a few years from flowering. Pick up or fall shipping bareroot only.
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