Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the more frequently asked
questions and their answers. If you have any other questions, please
drop us a note
and we will be glad to answer them for you.
Tree Peonies
Why are some reasonably priced and others more expensive?
Many people see a tree peony for sale and it
seems really cheap compared to other prices.
There are several ways to propagate tree peonies. The cheapest plants are invariably seedlings.
There is no way of knowing what sort of flower the seedling plant will
produce as they may have crossed with other cultivars or species of
peony. It is possible that you may have a new and wonderful flower,
however the opposite is more likely! The complex and beautiful flowers
are generally the result of careful hybridising. These are not
available as seedlings. The 'species' plants are often single and in
common colours, and unless you are a serious collector, can be
disappointing.
Are they really trees?
No they are not. They are shrubs. This is
simply a confusion in the translation from the Chinese. Old and
robust plants are unlikely to exceed a height of 2 metres and 2 metres
in diameter.
My plant looks dead. How can I tell if it is OK?
Tree peonies are deciduous. Some have
wonderful autumn colour such as paeonia tenufolia and can be mistaken
for maples of the acer family. However, this is not always the case.
If you are concerned, you can investigate the condition of the plant
quite simply. If it is in a pot, you can carefully take the plant out
of the pot and look at the root structure and for any buds. Healthy
buds and roots will be easy to identify. If the plant is in the ground
you can scrape around the trunk of the plant, and if the plant is
healthy you are likely to see buds forming.
How can I propagate Tree Peonies?
Tree peonies can be difficult to propagate.
They can be cultivated from seed, but it is more usual to graft or
divide a mature plant. The grafting of tree peonies is a skilled
process, with variable and often frustrating results. Division of
plants is simpler but can only be done with mature plants.
What climate do they need?
Cold: climates with guaranteed frosts. Check
with your supplier. They are not for everyone.
What soil do they need?
More alkaline than acid. Check your pH.
The plant I bought did not have flowers anything like the description
I expected. Can you explain this?
You may have been sold a seedling which,
unless control has been taken between pollen and seed parents, is only
a lottery. If the parents have been chosen, you may get something
spectacular!!!!!!!!!!! The control over names of cultivars in the past
has not always been effective, as some of the foreign names have been
incomprehensible to the general public. In addition, there is some
natural change in cultivars over time and between locations, which can
GIVE rise to changes in the flowers. Also, singles become semi doubles
with age and to further complicate matters, semi doubles can become
doubles. We have photos to prove this, as initially we did not
believe this!!!!!!!
Herbaceous Peonies
Are they roses?
No they are not of the rose family. The
misnaming is due to a similarity of some of the flowers. The usage of
peony roses needs to be discouraged, even though it is popularly used
by some large retailers.
I have had my peony for over 3 years and it has not flowered? What is
wrong?
Peonies are not for every climate. They really
need a cool climate, with some frosts. The usual reason for non
flowering is that you are in too warm a climate and/or the peony has
been planted too deep. The top of the bud should be no greater than
4cms under the ground. Any deeper and it may not flower. Peonies need
frost or they will not set flower buds.
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