Every gardener understands how frustrating it may be to reside in a climate zone where she can’t cultivate the plants she really wants to.
Many gardeners in Houston yearn for lilacs and peonies. In the northern U.S., those can be simple plants that are frequently passed down from one generation to the next. But the heat, humidity, and heavy gumbo soil of the Gulf Coast do not favor their growth. Flourish? They hardly ever even survive, to be honest.
Dogwoods are another, even though the understory trees with delicate appearances and spring blooms are scattered across the woodlands around 100 miles north of Houston. And lavender, which thrives in the arid caliche soil of the Hill Country.
When my husband and I purchased a home in Brenham, Texas, 70 miles to the northwest, I felt I had finally reached the gardener’s paradise. My first shovel-in-the-ground experience resulted in a joyous dance around our yard’s friable, sandy loam soil.
Unfortunately, because that soil drains so quickly, I’ve lost roses that require more water. However, there are some fatalities that I am unable to attribute to the soil or environment because of my own stubbornness. I plant roses, then trees, after which the roses progressively wither away from lack of sunlight. Without the proper amount of light and air, no plant can grow.
Of course, learning to appreciate where you are is the secret to gardening happiness. That might only entail adjusting one’s expectations about when and what flowers. For instance, what is a summer annual elsewhere may be a winter annual here: Gardeners in the Houston region can enjoy alyssum, lobelia, pansies, and nasturtiums while Northerners struggle with snow and ice.
According to Joy Columbus, the new vice president of horticulture for the 120-acre Houston Botanic Garden, microclimates and planting times can vary even by neighborhood. She is still learning to grasp the Gulf Coast gardening schedule despite being an Ohio native who has worked in New York and Chicago.
The fall season is what I’m most looking forward to seeing: How red will that sweetgum be? When some oak leaves start to turn rusty, what color will they be, and will they last until the springtime pushes out new buds? She is aware that none of that will occur until late November or December, long after the northern trees have lost their leaves for the season.
Even in the north, according to Columbus, things are not looking good for lilac enthusiasts due to climate change: “We were not observing the regular sequence of bloom time. We were experiencing extremely brief springs, and those plants are also associated with insects and other animals.
I questioned Deborah Nevins, a landscape architect whose company is revamping the grounds of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, if she missed anything that she couldn’t have in New York.
Oh, my God, she replied.
She named sensitive roses swiftly, mentioning in particular the climber “Mermaid” (a monster that eats fences here) and the colorful, sizable species shrub “Mutabilis. Southern maple.
Olive-sosmanthus tea
She claimed that when they blossom, the aroma is incredible. “Jasmine. Magnolias from the South can be grown in a protected environment, and certain types are more hardy. Where I live, vitex grows, but it frequently freezes back; the vitex tree you have here is amazing. living oaks I could continue forever.
Smart gardeners identify good—and occasionally even better—substitutions with comparable blooms and development habits in addition to accepting the growing conditions and calendar of their region.
Horticulturist Heidi Sheesley, whose wholesale nursery, Treesearch Farms, has contributed to develop and launch numerous upper Gulf Coast-friendly varieties since the early 1980s, is the most enthusiastic wholesale grower when it comes to local alternatives.
During a recent visit to Sheesley’s lush paradise, I lusted after many more plants than I have space for, including several lovely replacements for cherished northern zone flora. Many retail nurseries in the city carry her product, and any of them can also request special plants.
Here are some of her recommendations, along with some other plants that have worked well for me. And if it’s any consolation, October is ideal planting season in the Houston region, as gardeners elsewhere in the U.S. prepare to let their beds die down for the winter.
Take a look at the blousy, chubby peony poppy (Papaver paeoniflorum), often known as the pom pom poppy. The pink monster, which has stunning silver-gray pods (excellent for dry arrangements) and silver-gray foliage, reseeds so profusely in the Brenham region that seedlings must be clipped when they appear in January or February. When I sowed the delectable “Double Black” type for the first time last year, I had no luck. I’m trying again, though. Seed is accessible through various online sources.
Callicarpa longissima is one of the biggest beautyberries Sheesley has ever seen, and she adores it. If properly watered, it can withstand full sun but prefers partial to full shade. Midsummer brings gorgeous, full clusters of vibrant fuchsia blooms that bees and butterflies adore, followed by masses of huge white berries that birds love to eat. This beautyberry, which grows to a height of 15 feet, can be severely clipped to give it a shorter or shrubbier appearance.
A more popular substitute is the vitex that is native to Texas. A fragrant shrub that can develop into a small, typically multitrunked tree, vitex produces lilac bloom sprays in the summer. Although it may suffer in a strong winter, the plant is root-hardy. There are numerous kinds, one of which has white blossoms.
Sheesley would like more The Gordlinia grandiflora ‘Sweet Tea,’ a fast-growing hybrid with long, narrow leaves that are semi-evergreen and frequently turn red or orange in the fall, is a favorite among Houstonians. This gordlinia is a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree that grows to be about 20 feet high by 15 feet wide at maturity. During the hot months when little else in the garden is particularly showy, it sparkles with five-petaled white flowers that resemble camelia or dogwood blossoms that bloom in cooler climates. They attract butterflies. It grows best in soil that is acidic, organically rich, and well-drained, and it enjoys partial sun with afternoon shadow.
Can you grow peony in Texas?
Texas is inside zones 6 through 9 of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s plant hardiness map. Tree peony may be planted all over the state and are hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9. Garden peony will not grow in the southern lowlands or along some of the Gulf Coast, but they are hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8.
In Texas, are peony perennials?
The huge, fragrant blooms of peonies, which are perennial plants with tuberous roots, make them highly prized. Not all locations of Texas are ideal for planting peony since they need a cool winter to thrive and bloom. If you plant them in the fall and the tubers have three or more eyes, they have a better chance of blooming the first year (buds). Check your peony tubers for rot before planting. Thankfully, you can remove rotten areas with a knife rather than discarding the plant.
Pick a peony that thrives in the USDA plant hardiness zone where you live. Zones 2 through 8 are where most peony thrive, while Texas falls between zones 6 and 9. You should be able to purchase peonies in your neighborhood nursery, order some online, or get some from a catalog that will thrive in your area, unless you reside in zone 9 where your winters are too warm.
- The huge, fragrant blooms of peonies, which are perennial plants with tuberous roots, make them highly prized.
- If you plant them in the fall and the tubers have three or more eyes, they have a better chance of blooming the first year (buds).
Pick a spot in your garden that gets at least six hours of sunlight each day. The summers are scorching hot in Texas, regardless of where you live. Choose a location for your peonies where they will get the most sunlight in the morning and some light shade in the afternoon.
Build each of your peony a rich, well-draining planting hole so they can develop over time. Each hole should be 3 feet apart from the next. Each hole should be dug out to a depth of 12 to 18 inches and a width of 18 inches. Compost, peat moss, or some similar organic material should be incorporated into the soil 2 to 4 inches deep. At the bottom of each hole, dispense 1/4 to 1/2 pounds of a balanced fertilizer with the label 10-10-10.
- Pick a spot in your garden that gets at least six hours of sunlight each day.
- At the bottom of each hole, dispense 1/4 to 1/2 pounds of a balanced fertilizer with the label 10-10-10.
Refill the hole with the amended soil, being sure to leave room for the peony tubers to fit inside. The eyes should be 1 to 2 inches below the surface of the ground at the top of the hole.
Give your peony about an inch of water to soak in. In Texas, avoid covering peonies with a winter mulch.
Does Zone 9 have peonies?
Long-lived, woody bushes called tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) can reach heights of 6 feet and a width of 4 feet. They flower earlier than any other variety of peony and have gigantic, up to 10-inch-wide blooms.
Tree peony need a period of winter dormancy, although the temperature should not go below freezing. Because of this, zones 4- to 9 are ideal for growing most tree peony cultivars. If you add a tree peony to your garden or landscape, choose the planting location carefully. Tree peonies actually prefer growing in dappled shade, whilst all other varieties of peonies flower best in full sunlight.
Plant tree peonies with the crown of the plant (where the stem and roots connect) 4 to 6 inches to the ground. Snow Lotus, Pink Lotus, and Cup of Shining Night are examples of tree peony that have shown to be particularly heat tolerant.
Intersectional Peonies
Tree peony and herbaceous peonies are taller than intersectional peonies, commonly referred to as Itohs. Just after the other two, they begin to blossom. The flowers come in a variety of colors and are normally around 8 across. Compared to herbaceous hybrids, intersectional peonies are more tolerant of heat and humidity, and the majority will thrive in zones 4-9. Bartzella, Keiko, and White Emperor are a few examples.
Tips for Growing Peonies in the South
Look for microclimates where the soil stays cooler than usual while selecting a planting spot. It is best to have full morning sun and partial afternoon shade. Another approach to provide your peony with some shade from the afternoon sun is to plant it close to a big bush. Drip irrigation should be planned from late spring through early fall. After planting, add a layer or two of mulch to the soil to assist the soil retain moisture.
To ensure that your plants bloom before it gets too hot outside, use early-blooming peony cultivars when growing them in the south. Peonies with single or semi-double flowers typically perform better than doubles, according to gardeners in zones 8–9.
Herbaceous peonies should be planted even more shallowly in warm climates than they are in the north. The thick, tuberous roots, which are really simply modified stems, should be planted just half to one inch below the soil’s surface.
Herbaceous hybrids and intersectional peonies may require dormancy forcing in zone 9. Cut the plants back to the ground in November to accomplish this. The natural leaf fall that would take place in colder climates is mimicked by this.
In the south, it is generally accepted that if folks in your neighborhood can produce apples, you can definitely grow peonies as well. Remember that it typically takes fresh peony at least 3 years to put on a good floral display. You might also find the following articles to be of interest for general planting and care instructions:
Peonies are able to grow in warm areas.
Slideshow of 20 stunning peonies
What’s fresh: Herbaceous and tree peonies are crossed to create itoh hybrids, also known as intersectional hybrids. They can reach a height of 3 1/2 feet, produce flowers in lavender, pink, copper, yellow, or cream, and bloom for a longer period of time than typical herbaceous varieties.
Since their stems are more thicker and more sturdy than those of herbaceous species, they are effective in supporting large cups of petals.
Where to grow: Peonies do best in cooler regions (Sunset zones 111; A1A3), where the winters are particularly chilly. However, some will thrive in warmer environments (see list below). Under zones 1420, all are worthwhile attempts in dappled shade. There, give the plants plenty of water and midday shade.
When to plant: In late April in warmer climates, plant container-grown plants; in May or June in colder climates. In 5-gallon containers, 3-year-old peony should blossom more.
Spring or fall, from containers used for nurseries: Place the plant in the ground with the top of its rootball level with the dirt after loosening the soil and adding copious amounts of compost, being careful not to disturb the plant’s delicate feeder roots. Or move it into a sizable (18 to 24-inch diameter) container that is deeper on the outside than the inside.
Plant herbaceous peony roots with eyes 2 inches deep in cold climates and 1 inch deep in warmer climates in the fall. In cold climates, itoh hybrids should be planted 3 inches deep; in warmer climates, 2 inches deep.
How to feed and water: Water frequently. When the first leaves emerge in the spring, fertilize with a low-nitrogen fertilizer (such 5-10-10) and then once more when the final flower has faded.
When to pick: Cut stems just as flower buds start to open to harvest blossoms for bouquets; leave at least three leaves on the plant to feed it for the following year. Blooms will keep for up to a week in vases. Although Itoh hybrids generate more flowers per stem as the plants become older, the majority of cultivars only produce one bloom per stem.
After flowering, prune down herbaceous and Itoh hybrid peonies in the fall; fresh growth will appear in the spring.
Grab a peony.
For cold climates, pick: There are three new Itoh hybrids—crosses between tree peony and herbaceous peonies—called “Bartzella,” “Pink Double Dandy,” and “Yellow Doodle Dandy.” Bartzella has unusually enormous, bright yellow blooms.
Four herbaceous favorites for cool or warm climates include “Blaze,” a vivid red single, “Festiva Maxima,” a white double with crimson flecks in the middle, “Sarah Bernhardt,” or “Sea Shell” (satiny pink single).
Shop: Purchase plants (itoh hybrids can cost up to $100 at nurseries, while ordinary herbaceous can cost $40), beginning in late April in warm climates and May in chilly ones. Plants that are three years old and are housed in five-gallon containers will reliably blossom.
Visit and purchase: The 200 or so varieties of herbaceous and tree peonies at Chateau CharMarron Peony Gardens (5335 Sierra Rd., San Jose; 408/251-7048) begin flowering in late March and last through June. Visit Adelman Peony Gardens next month (May 1–Jun 15; 5690 Brooklake Rd. N.E., Salem, OR; 503/393-6185) to see 300 varieties spread across 10 acres.
Where can peony be found?
Now that you are aware of the distinctions between the two primary Peonies, let’s approach your choice based solely on the available information.
Location & Climate: If you reside in the extreme south or north, temperature and humidity may have a significant impact on your choice of peony.
Garden peonies will thrive if you are in a northern region with a shorter, cooler growing season. Garden Peonies are especially popular in Zones 3 through 8, where they may require a little more care.
- A tip for getting them to behave perfectly if you live in the deep south is to select an early-blooming type that will go into flower before the summer heat arrives.
- In the same way, a late-blooming Garden Peony is likely to succeed better in zone 3’s northernmost regions, where temperatures will have warmed up enough for it to flourish during their peak bloom period.
Available Sunlight: Unlike Itohs, which love dappled light and can even take part-sun, Garden Peonies require full sunlight. As a general rule, your garden will be exposed to more sun and humidity the further south you live. You should give your peony more room in hotter, brighter climates so they may receive more air circulation and perhaps a little less sun than usual.