Fantastic, traffic stopping flowers at least 12 ” across are a wonderful feature of some Tree Peonies.

Tree Peonies

• These slow growing shrubs reach around 4 foot high and wide.
• They are drought tolerant but should not be made to compete with larger trees for water.
• They are reasonably easy to grow in deep loamy soil.
• In China they are mountain plants so survive our winters quite well.
• Grafted shrubs are available in garden centres. They may send up suckers of herbaceous peonies that need cutting out (the leaves are greener and are not as finely cut as tree peony leaves).

Varieties of Tree Peony

• I bought some varieties 2 years ago ‘Yu Lou Dian Cui’, above, looks white with pink overtones and ‘Shan Hu Tai’ is a strong pink really a red.
• P Delavayi bears scented crimson flowers on 5′ stems whilst P lutea ludlowii has yellow flowers.
• A good selection of Tree Peonies and Peony lactifolia are available from Peonies Thompson & Morgan

Old Comments on Tree Peonies

Tree peonies These shrubs grow to about 4 foot square and are drought tolerant. Do not provide extra water or allow the roots to suffer from too much competition from other trees. P Delavayi bear crimson flowers on 5′ stems whils P lutea ludlowii has yellow flowers. They are reasonably easy to grow in deep loamy soil. In China they are mountain plants so survive our winters quite well. Grafted shrubs are now freely available in garden centres. I bought two varieties this weekend ‘Yu Lou Dian Cui’ what looks like a white with pink overtones and ‘Shan Hu Tai’ a strong pink. I have nipped out the flower buds that were showing and will wait until next year to see what colours I get.

Other Peony Comments
I am fond of the double peonies that flower so extravagantly in June. Over the years the plants give a great deal of pleasure lots of colour and a light and welcome spring perfume. That is not to say the single and specie Peonies are not also worth a place in the garden.

• As plants mature they bulk up well and produce ever larger numbers of stalks and flowers.
• Peonies dislike root disturbance and take a while to settle down
• Provide a rich deeply dug soil well manured before planting and you will be rewarded for years
• Water in dry summers and top dress in Autumn this well rotted compost
• The single varieties include a yellow type Peony Mlokosewitchii
• 6″ White flowers with yellow stamen P. Lactiflora varieties are readily available
• The pink P. Sarah Bernhardt has an AGM award for the large scented blooms
• The strong reds of the common Peony are very good for a cottage garden
• Blooms make good cut flowers
• Float one flower head in a bowl of water for an interesting table centre piece

Peonies and special fertilizer from Thompson & Morgan