Top row (l-r): 'Gay Paree', 'Festiva Maxima', 'Bowl of Beauty', Middle row (l-r): 'Red Charm', 'Comanche', 'Krinkled White', Bottom row (l-r): 'Kansas', 'Sarah Bernhardt', 'Illini Warrior'
Peonies are among the most beloved of all garden flowers available with its uses tracing back roughly two thousand years to China. Over four thousand varieties exist in cultivation today in a vast array of colors and forms. Many varieties are fragrant and virtually all possess attractive foliage that looks good all summer. They are exceptionally long-lived plants and their blooms make exceptional cut flowers.
The biggest challenge to growing peonies in the Pacific Northwest is keeping the plants free of Botrytis paeoniae, a devastating fungal disease that can occur when plants are not grow in optimal cultural conditions. This disease can be recognized as soft brown or brownish-red areas developing at the base of leaves and shoots which then wilt or collapse. Peonies require fertile, well-drained soil and would prefer four hours or more of direct afternoon sun. Aside from buying infected plants, you should be free of problems once you've made sure that you've sited your peonies properly.
When planting, it is also helpful to know that peonies resent being planted too deeply. Herbaceous peonies (those that die back completely each fall, stems and all) should be planted with their 'eyes' or growth buds right at the soil level. Tree peonies should be treated as shrubs, with the base of their stems kept at or above the soil level so that they don't develop root rot. Peonies also resent being overfertilized or disturbed after they've been planted. A little compost each spring is about all that they require.
When shopping, it is very important to avoid selecting varieties based solely on photographs from books or catalogs. This can be extremely disappointing. It is very helpful to observe varieties in bloom or to buy 'tried and true' varieties from reputable nurseries that are familiar with what grows well here in our region. It should be noted that peonies do vary in their bloom times by several weeks and many of the double-flowering varieties have a tendency to flop under all of our rain. Since many peonies require some staking, you may also wish to seek out some of the smaller dwarf and 'rock garden' types which are wonderfully maintenance-free. My final caveat is that young plants often do not bloom the first year and take about three years to become fully established. Your patience will be rewarded many times over.
Cheers, Tim
