What's Blooming in the Patch: Tree Peonies

Tree Peonies hail from the dry mountains of western Asia over 1,00 years ago, made their way from China to Japan in the seventh century as medicinal plants, then again in the 17th century, this time as ornamental plants. The tree peony is synonymous with the phrase "spring flower". They represent good fortune, love and prosperity and are considered the essence of the Yin (female) element in nature. The plant itself is considered male, thus it has supreme unity in both the male and female elements.

Japanese breeders developed tree peonies that were quicker growing and in the last hundred years, American and European breeders got into the act, so now there are hundreds of varieties, many of them available from specialty nurseries such as Cricket Hill Garden (www.treepeony.com) or locally at Sickles Market.

Tree peonies are not trees. They are woody, have one or more stems at the base, but branch out like a small shrub, often no more than three feet high and wide. They are sometimes propagated by being grafted upon roots of herbaceous peonies, and 50 percent success in grafting is considered acceptable. No matter how the plant is propagated, it takes three or four years before it's large enough to sell, so they are expensive but they can last for years and continually improve.

When they bloom, the size, colors and fragrance will take your breath away. Spectacular is too common a word to describe them. The blooms are wider (I have had 10” blossoms!), flatter, and more multi-petaled than the herbaceous peonies that bloom later. The heads are often so heavy that they should be staked, or cut and brought into the house to enjoy.

Although tree peonies like to bask in abundant sunlight, the blossoms last longer if shaded. In China, individual plants in bloom are temporarily shaded beneath paper umbrellas. They abhor "wet feet" and dislike being buffeted by wind. I grow them in east, south and west facing gardens equally well, where they have at least one half day of shade and are protected at the back of the plant. I feed them with organic fish fertilizer in the early spring and later in the summer to help prepare them for the fall. The leaves and branches fall off in October and the bush will sustain some “die-off” from a harsh winter, but make up for this in the following season. The foliage is attractive most of the summer and I have added it to my cut flower arrangements with great success