Perennial peonies called herbaceous peonies fade back to the ground every year. The plant stems push up in the spring while the roots remain dormant beneath the dirt. Woody, deciduous shrub peonies are called tree peony. They shed their foliage in the fall, but unlike herbaceous peony, their woody branches do not die back to the ground. Itoh peonies are a hybrid cross between herbaceous and tree peonies; while they do die down to the ground in the fall like herbaceous peonies, they exhibit tree peony-like growth and flowering traits.
Before they became beloved ornamentals, tree peony, which are native to China, were prized as a therapeutic plant. A tree peony can reach a height and width of up to five feet (1.5 meters) in around ten years and is a larger, woodier relative of the ordinary herbaceous peony. They are widely coveted for their huge, prodigious blooms, which can reach a diameter of up to 10 inches (25+ cm).
These blooms occur in single or double shapes and bloom from late spring to early summer. They are great cut flowers. Tree peony do not produce the sweet honeydew sap that herbaceous peonies do, which is what draws ants to their flower buds.
What distinguishes peonies from tree peonies?
Tree peony are actually small bushes, not trees, and they bloom in May and June with stunning goblet-shaped flowers. Tree peonies are higher and maintain a constant framework throughout the year, in contrast to herbaceous peonies, which die back every year.
How to grow tree peonies
In the fall, plant tree peonies in wet, well-drained soil in a location that receives some to all of the shade. Except for those that remain quite moist over the winter or are on the acidic side, most soils are good. When buying, plant them somewhat deeper than the soil level in their container.
Cut off any suckers that you notice at the base of your tree peonies because they are growing from the rootstock and will look different from the rest of the plant.
What kinds of peony grow on trees?
Learn about the Pleasures of Paeonia Suffruticosa Tree Peonies.
- Peony tree known as “Kamata Fuji,” Paeonia suffruticosa.
- Tree peony Paeonia suffruticosa ‘Asuka’
- Peony tree known as Paeonia suffruticosa “High Noon.”
How can I identify a tree peony if I have one?
Because of their woody stalks, tree peonies get their name. The woody stems of tree peony remain intact above the ground even after the leaves fall off of them in the fall. Compared to the bush peony, they typically bloom earlier and with larger flowers. They often grow gradually.
What distinguishes an Itoh peony from a tree peony?
The Itoh hybrid peony are the newcomers to the garden. Peonies from the Itoh region are a hybrid of tree and herbaceous varieties. It took decades for these hybrid peony, which were first created by Japanese horticulturist Toichi Itoh in the 1960s, to be made widely accessible to the general public. Due to their hybridization of herbaceous and tree peony, these flowers are also known as intersectional peonies. Due to their fantastic features, Itoh peonies are more common in nurseries and online merchants.
Itoh peonies have many characteristics with herbaceous peonies, such as big, spectacular, and frequently fragrant blossoms. The leaves and stems of these Itoh hybrid peony die back to the ground over the winter months, just like herbaceous peonies do. Itoh peonies get qualities from their other parent, the tree peony, such as their robust stems, which keep flowers from drooping after a lot of rain. Itoh hybrid peonies also bloom later in the growing season and often begin blooming when the herbaceous peonies are wrapping up their season-long blooming. Itoh hybrid peonies also take a little longer to bloom than herbaceous peonies do. Itoh peonies will occupy around the same amount of space in your garden as herbaceous peonies due to their similar spread and height of 2-3′. The Itoh hybrid peonies have gorgeous, dimensional color ranges that I have noticed. Many varieties, including Hillary Itoh Hybrid Peony, feature hues of coral, peach, pink, and orange. Purple Heaven Large solitary flowers measuring 6 across are present on Itoh hybrid peony. Cora Louise The single, beautiful, pale pink blooms on the Itoh Hybrid Peony have a brilliant pink center and are fragrant. It is understandable why Itoh peonies are sweeping the gardening world by storm with their wide variety of hues and later, longer bloom time.
Where should a tree peony be planted?
The majority of tree peony are hardy in zones 4–8, although some cultivars are hardy as low as zone 3. They thrive best in regions with hot summers and cold winters for dormancy. Tree peony prefer some dappled to light shade from the sweltering afternoon sun while being typically listed as full sun plants. The lovely blossoms may fade and wither more quickly if there is too much bright sunlight.
They require sufficient drainage and love slightly alkaline soil. Additionally, tree peonies favor a location free from competing tree or shrub roots. With perennial companion plants, they thrive.
Instead of in the sweltering summer, new tree peony plants should be planted in the spring or fall. At initially, they may take up to three years to become established and begin to develop and bloom. Tree peony do not transfer well and may tolerate drought once they are established. A plant can live up to 100 years if it is placed appropriately and is happy with its surroundings.
Gardening for tree peonies is not any more difficult than gardening for herbaceous peonies. However, tree peonies should never be pruned back in the fall, unlike herbaceous peonies. Tree peony should never be trimmed or shaped; only dead, unhealthy, or infected wood should be removed.
They may benefit from a yearly feeding of iron sulphate and bone meal in the spring since they have high iron and phosphate requirements. A general-purpose fertilizer like 5-10-5, which is higher in phosphorus than nitrogen and potassium, should also be applied regularly to tree peony.
The best way to water tree peony is directly at the root zone because they can be vulnerable to fungus illnesses. Borers can also harm them, so be vigilant about looking for evidence of their activity in the wood.
How tall can a tree peony grow?
No garden should be without the majestic, long-lasting woody shrubs known as tree peonies. Some types have plants that can produce fragrant flowers up to 10 inches in diameter and grow to heights of 45. Tree peonies are hardy from Zones 4 to 8, do well in the Northeast and Midwest, and flourish in climates with cold winters and hot summers. Tree peonies can be forced into dormancy by gardening in Zone 9: remove all foliage in November, leaving the woody stems, and do not water or fertilize. Hopefully, this will cause the plant to develop blossom buds.
Tree peonies may take three years to develop and begin blooming, so they are not a plant for the impatient gardener. Also keep in mind that it could take several seasons for a new plant’s flowers to bloom to their full potential. Having said that, there is nothing quite like a Tree Peony in full bloom; it is a breathtaking sight.
Before they blossom, Tree Peonies require some time to acclimate; it’s not uncommon for a plant to hold off until its third spring. Additionally, the first spring following planting, Tree Peonies may take longer to emerge from dormancy. Although your plant might appear to be dead while its neighbors are coming to life, it will soon reawaken.
Light/Watering: Flowers need some light protection from the sweltering afternoon sun. In China and Japan, little parasols are used to screen the plants from the sun. Plant tree peonies where they will be shielded from the winter and summer winds that can dry them out. Once established, Tree Peonies are exceptionally drought tolerant. Avoid overwatering plants, and keep them away from automatic irrigation systems. Prior to heavily watering, allow the soil to dry to a pH of 4. The roots will be killed by excessive watering, which is a common cause of failure.
Tree peonies require fertilized soil with a pH that is somewhat above neutral or close to neutral. When planting, add a few handfuls of lime if your soil is acidic. Remove the green plastic ribbon that is wrapped around the stem’s main portion before planting the plant at the depth specified by the ribbon. In order to stimulate the scion to develop its own roots if the ribbon has become dislodged, plant the top of the graft union, which is visible as a bulge on the main stem, approximately 46 below the soil’s surface. In the spring, topdress plants with an inch of aged manure or compost. During the growing season, foliar feeding with fish emulsion is beneficial.
Pests/diseases: On rare cases, you might discover a boring insect-caused hole in the wooden stem. Using a thin wire or by just cutting out the troublesome part, you might be able to kill the larva in the tunnel. Like Herbaceous Peonies, Tree Peonies may contract fungal infections that result in leaf blackening and wilting. As soon as unhealthy foliage is seen, it should be removed. In the fall, make sure to pick up any plant pieces that have fallen. Spray with a fungicide early in the spring and repeat the treatments for a few weeks if fungal diseases start to be an issue. Deadhead flowers regularly and avoid letting dropped petals get stuck in the plant or on the ground.
Companions for Tree Peonies are Hellebores, Alchemilla, Leucojum, Epimedium, and Siberian Irises. Underplant with bulbs that bloom in the spring if your plants have a tendency to be leggy.
Pruning: Unlike their herbaceous siblings, Tree Peonies should never be cut back to the ground. After plants have flowered, remove any broken or damaged stems by pruning. Once your plant has matured and is thriving, you might wish to make a small opening in the center to promote flowering on the taller stems and improve airflow. When Tree Peonies are grafted into Herbaceous Peony roots, the rootstock will occasionally send up a shoot from the plant’s base. These need to be taken out right away.
Dividing/Transplanting: Tree Peonies do not require division, and it is impossible to do it with numerous plants. When dormant, young plants can be transplanted; when digging the plant, try to keep as much soil around the roots as you can.
End-of-Season Care: After a deadly frost, remove all leaves, including leaf petioles, and dump it elsewhere, not in the compost pile. Mulched new plants should also have burlap or another material wrapped around them to block winter winds in the coldest climates.
Topdress plants with an inch of old manure or compost in the early spring. Keep an eye out for symptoms of a fungus infection and administer treatment as necessary. Remove any shoots that appear from the rootstock.
Mid-Spring: Due to their heavy blossoms, certain types may require assistance. To increase airflow, thin out any foliage that is too densely packed inside the plant.
Avoid overwatering in the late spring. Deadhead blooming promptly, and take out old flowers and petals from the garden.
In the summer, water plants only when the earth has dried to a depth of four inches. Fish emulsion feeding of the foliage is preferred.
Fall: Tree Peonies are woody shrubs; do not cut them back. After the first frost, remove all foliage; do not compost. Mulch newly planted vegetation and vegetation produced in colder climates, and if brisk winter winds are predicted, wrap vegetation in burlap or another windproof material.
Do tree peonies grow well?
Especially if planted in the spring or later in the season, water often during dry periods throughout the first year to aid establishment. Deep-rooted established tree peony shouldn’t require routine watering after the first year because of this.
Feeding
Apply a general-purpose fertilizer, such as Growmore, at a rate of 70gm per sq m each spring to encourage healthy growth and flowering (2oz per sq yd). Then, to maintain moisture and control weeds, mulch the area with a 10cm (4in) layer of garden compost or well-rotted manure. However, avoid piling mulch up against stems as this could cause them to rot.
Deadheading
Since the majority of tree peony are hybrids and frequently fail to produce viable seed, dead blooms can be removed with secateurs after flowering. Any seed set would in any case not reproduce accurately, and the offspring would have various bloom colors.
Caring for older plants
Tree peony have a very long lifespan and typically grow into larger clumps over time. However, the red and yellow variants of the small-flowered Paeonia delavayi are rather vigorous, and the stems might need to be thinned (see Pruning tree peonies).
Minimal pruning is necessary for tree peony. Simply clip off any flowering shoots in the summer or, if preferred, in the fall after the seeds have been collected, just above the new growth on the stem.
Over many years, stems may become lanky. In order to promote bushier growth, trim them back by a third in the fall after the leaves have fallen.
Paeonia delavayi f. lutea and P. delavayi are two tree peonies that often grow more robust, erect stems. Once the plants are established, trimming back some of the oldest stems at ground level in the fall helps to regulate their size (i.e. they are flowering freely each spring).
Growing from seed
Both hybrids and species, such as Paeonia delavayi, can be grown from seeds, but the latter will not reproduce itself. Although you might produce some intriguing new hybrids, they frequently fall short of the quality of their identified variety (cultivar) parent. However, starting from scratch can still be exciting, and every now and then, you’ll come upon a self-sown seedling that you might want to continue developing on.
- Once the seed pods start to separate in the late summer and early fall, gather the ripe seed. The seed is black and fertile. Red seed should be rejected because it hasn’t been fertilized and won’t sprout.
- As soon as the seed is collected, plant it 2.5 cm (1 in) deep in containers with John Innes seed compost.
- Place the compost in a cold frame or other protected area outside, such as at the foot of a house wall, and lightly cover with grit.
- Make sure the compost is not allowed to dry out over the summer and keep rats out.
- Two cold periods are required for peony seeds, followed by a warm phase. The seeds are doubly dormant, which means that after the first winter of cooling, the root emerges the following spring, but the stem and leaves do not sprout until the second winter.
- Up to five years may pass before the seedlings reach flowering size.
Other propagation options
If a flexible stem can be bent over, layering is rather simple. Before the stem produces a strong enough independent root system to be detached from the parent plant, it often takes two to three years.
The majority of tree peony are propagated commercially through grafting, but this method is not frequently employed by home gardeners because it requires a lot of skill to achieve good success rates.
- poorly budged Even if the plant was purchased in bloom, tree peony might take up to four years to establish itself and blossom. In a shady location, tree peony have a tendency to flower less frequently. To make the plant receive more light, trim any overhanging branches, or think about moving it. Although established plants may withstand brief episodes of dryness, extended droughts can have an impact on the following season’s flowering. When there are extended dry spells, cover the plant’s base with mulch and provide water.
- Frost injury
- Late frosts have the potential to harm flower buds and developing foliage. Buds and leaves that have been damaged may become dark and not open. Use a fleece during chilly evenings.
- Shallow planting might promote the rootstock’s suckering. The rootstock is typically P. lactiflora, which has bright reddish shoots as opposed to the drab light red color of tree peonies’ shoots. If you’re unsure, look at if the shoots are coming from below the graft union (visible as a slight bulge close to the base of stem). Use a sharp knife to remove the suckers as soon as they emerge at the point of origin.
- The only significant illness affecting peonies is peony wilt (grey mould), which causes drooping and dieback of the leaves as well as buds and blooms.
While we hope this information may be useful to you, we always advise reading the labels on your plants that provide care instructions.