2014 Southern Peony NC State Fair Ribbons

I was so excited to see the ribbon I won at the NC State Fair this year! In the first flower show I won 4 1st place blue ribbons, 1 2nd place red ribbon, and 2 3rd place white ribbons! I didn't enter the second flower show, and in the third flower show I won 1 1st place blue ribbon, 2 2nd place red ribbons, 4 3rd place white ribbons, a green honorable mention ribbon, and one giant orange Award of Merit ribbon! This is the first year that I entered more than one flower show. Usually I just enter the first show, and that's it. This year I decided to enter more than one, and I am really happy with the results! Winning all of these ribbons in the NC State Fair this year really makes me want to win my first peony ribbon. So I am going to try to enter at least a few flowers into the American Peony Society peony exhibition this year. I'll let you know how it goes... :-)
Southern Peony NC State Fair Ribbons

2014 Itoh Intersectional Peonies on Ebay

Intersectional Itoh Peony Roots from Ebay

I did order a few Itoh peonies from Ebay this year. They arrived this past week, and I must say they were mostly decent size roots. Three out of four of the roots I received were fairly large divisions, unlike some divisions I received from Ebay a couple years ago, in my 2012 Ebay Peony Order - American Greenhouses. However these were from a different vendor, which can make all the difference. Also I ordered these peonies in the fall, and the previous ones I ordered were purchased in the summer and were already sprouting. This was probably because these roots had been dug the previous fall and had been sitting around for almost a year. Unfortunately two out of four of the roots from that 2012 order died, and the other two that did live, suffered and are still small.

Intersectional Itoh Peonies on Ebay
Fall is definitely a much better time to order and plant peonies. Since peony roots are typically dug in the fall, this is when you'll get the freshest roots that can be planted quickly, to give the plant the most time to settle in (and hopefully sprout more roots) before spring. The roots I got this time are Peony 'Berry Garcia', Peony 'Canary Brilliants', Peony 'Love Affair', and Peony 'Yellow Heaven'. I can't wait to see how they do in the spring!

2014 Peony Experiments - Herbaceous Divisions

After dividing a few of my peonies to give away Free Peonies at Gardenweb Carolina Plant Swap, I had a few casualties - pieces of herbaceous peony crown with buds attached but not much root. With little to no root on these pieces, I didn't want to give them away at the plant swap, possibly disappointing people with very little peony experience. These pieces are mostly just a piece of the crown with some growth buds. It is possible these may not grow at all, and if they do grow, it will likely take them a while to catch up to a standard division that contains the peony's storage roots. So I decided to plant them in one of my test beds to see if they would grow. I will be adding this experiment to the Experiments page, and will add updates about these peony pieces in the spring.

Herbaceous Peony 'Scarlet O'Hara' Divisions with Very Little Root


Unknown White Double Herbaceous Peony Division with Very Little Root


Unknown White & Yellow Anemone Herbaceous Peony Division
with Very Little Root

As you can see I tried to plant these peony pieces a bit deeper than I normally Plant an Herbaceous Peony. I wanted to give these little pieces a chance to grow and stay as moist as possible since I probably won't be watering them much. I'm curious to see what they can do on their own. If any of the peony divisions are successful in the spring, these will probably be contributions to share at future plant swaps!

Plant Herbaceous Peony 'Scarlet O'Hara' Divisions
with Very Little Root


Planted Unknown White Double Herbaceous Peony Division
with Very Little Root


Planted Unknown White & Yellow Anemone Herbaceous Peony Division
with Very Little Root

2014 American Peony Society Fall Auction

The preview for the American Peony Society 2014 Fall Auction is now available on their web site. The bidding is for two days only and starts this Saturday, October 11th at 12 noon. There are several hard to find and collector varieties this year, including several intersectional Itoh peonies like Peony 'First Arrival', Peony 'Garden Treasure', and Peony 'Pastel Splendor' and tree peonies like Tree Peony 'Baron Thyssen Boremisza' and Tree Peony 'Right Royal'. There's even a red double fernleaf peony, P. Tenuifolia Rubra Flore Plena. If you're not yet an APS member, now is a great time to join. The APS Fall Auction is for APS Members only, and this is one of the exclusive member benefits! Good luck and happy bidding!
American Peony Society Fall Auction

2014 Free Peonies at Gardenweb Carolina Plant Swap

Here it is fall already. The semi annual Gardenweb plant swap took place this past weekend, and I decided to bring 8 peony roots to trade at the plant swap. You should have seen the people arguing over those peonies! I guess I didn't bring enough of them! There were quite a few people there. I'd say at least 50. So not everyone got one of my peonies, and there were several people that weren't too happy about that! I guess that's a good sign. It seems there is quite a bit of interest in peonies here. Hopefully I'll convert a few people from just garden people with a casual interest into peony lovers! It's not too hard to get addicted to them. Once you get your hands on one peony, and it starts to bloom for you, you just can't wait to get another one! :)
Free Peonies for the Gardenweb Plant Swap

2014 Peony obovata willmottiae Red & Blue Seed Pods

Wow! I said it once about this peony when it bloomed, First Bloom on Peony P. obovata var. willmottiae, and I'll say it again! If you want a peony that's going to brighten up your shade garden in spring and in fall, then Peony P. obovata var. willmottiae is definitely the peony for you! The white blooms with a burgundy and gold center really brighten up the shade garden in the spring, but the eye-popping fuchsia, red, and blue seed pods are like watching a brightly colored fireworks display in early fall! So if you were thinking you needed another reason to grow this shade loving beauty, then you've definitely got one!
Peony obovata var. willmottiae Seed Pod

2014 Questions - Brown Peony Leaves in Late Summer

I received this question from Kay in zone 7:
"My hybrid peony (I only have one so far) is looking scorched and burned. Is this typical this time of year??? I guess it could be rust. Not sure. Here is picture and it is a hybrid Keiko (adored) Itoh Peony. It has been in the ground since early spring. Please give me some guidance as to what you think. It is appreciated."
Kay's Peony 'Keiko' (Adored) with Browned Foliage
Actually late summer is just the time of year that the foliage gets a little tired and starts to die back for the winter. Some varieties do die back earlier than others. It looks like the foliage on your Peony 'Keiko' does have a little bit of blight as well as some die back on the foliage. However I wouldn't worry about it too much. It really is a personal gardening preference of how you'd like to deal with it. I try to stay as natural and organic with my peonies as possible. So I don't usually apply any chemical fungicides. As long as your plant is increasing in size and blooms each year, I wouldn't worry about it. Peonies are a special type of plant that only get one set of leaves per year. So as the year progresses, the foliage naturally tends to get more ragged, bitten, browned, and spotted. Some peony varieties are more resistant to disease than others. Also some peony varieties experience foliage die back at earlier times in the year. For example all of the foliage on my coral peonies has died back by this time of the year, while the foliage on most of my other herbaceous peonies is still alive. It is important to leave the foliage on the plant in the fall since the roots store the energy from the leaves to help the plant survive the winter. Also these storage roots generate the energy needed for the plant to grow and bloom next spring. So fall is a great time to fertilize peonies. I would recommend an organic fertilizer around the plants drip line or a thin layer of compost. I do see you have an automatic watering system. If the foliage on the peony stays wet all the time, the leaves will be more susceptible to the blight, as the wet conditions create a favorable environment for the blight to multiply. So deeper, less frequent waterings are recommended. Once the leaves are completely brown, you can remove them and throw them away in the trash. Do not compost them or leave them on the ground over winter to prevent the blight from multiplying. I hope this information helps, and good luck with your peony!

2014 Peony Seeds for APS Seed Distribution Program

Peony Seeds for Donation
I finally got my peony seeds packaged up that I am donating to the American Peony Society Seed Distribution Program. I am donating peony seed from 5 different peony varieties (Peony 'Golden Frolic', Peony 'Miss America', Peony 'Pink Luau', Peony 'Pink Princess', and Peony 'Roy Pehrson's Best Yellow') of my 2014 Collected Peony Seeds. The rest of the varieties I have already planted to see what nature has created. Since I donated 5 varieties of seed, that means I can select 2 packets of peony seeds from other growers for FREE! That's cool! For every two varieties of peony seed you donate, you can select one packet of free seeds. If you'd like more information on how you can get your own free seeds, check out the American Peony Society Seed Distribution Program. All of the donated seeds go to Scott, the newly elected APS President, who runs the APS Seed Distribution Program. I can't wait to see what varieties of seed will be available from this year's harvest!
Peony Seeds Packed for Shipment

2014 How to Plant Peony Seeds

The first step in planting peony seeds is soaking them. This step is not required depending on how fresh your seeds are and whether you feel like soaking them. I usually soak purchased peony seeds just because I'm not sure exactly how they've been handled, and I really have no way of knowing how old they are. If you do decide to soak them, I would recommend soaking them overnight in individual containers separated by peony variety.

Soak Peony Seeds
Next when you're ready to plant your seeds, gather all the needed materials to do so. You'll need the seeds separated by variety, some sturdy plant markers to mark the seeds, and something to poke (pen or pencil) or dig (trowel or shovel) into the soil with. If I don't have very many of a variety, then I will just plant them by poking small holes in the soil rather than digging.

Materials Needed to Plant Peony Seeds
If you have lots of one variety (like more than 10 or 15), then you will probably want to use a trowel or small shovel to make a shallow hole where you'd like to plant your peony seeds. I usually plant my peony seeds about 1 inch deep to make sure they don't get heaved, scratched, or eroded out of the soil. I also usually plant my peony seeds about 1-2 inches apart. This is too close to grow peonies. However all of your seeds may not germinate, and you can always move them to a different location after 1 or 2 years when they start to get larger.
Dig a Shallow Hole for the Peony Seeds

Plant Peony Seeds in Soil
After you have a flat shallow hole dug for your peony seeds, you can scatter them in the bottom of the hole or arrange them neatly in rows and/or columns according to your preference. Next cover the peony seeds with the soil you removed from your shallow hole.
Cover the Peony Seeds with Soil

Poke the Soil to Make a Planting Hole for a Peony Seed
An alternate method of planting the peony seeds would be to poke a hole in the soil for each seed and plant them individually. This method is good when you only have a few seeds of each variety to plant. I usually use a pen, pencil, or marker to make a small hole in the soil. Then I drop the seed into the hole, and use the writing implement to press the seed into the bottom of the hole. Then cover the seed with the surrounding soil.
Plant Peony Seeds
After your peony seeds have all been planted, make sure to water them and keep them moist! This is a very important step! I usually use a watering can with a rain drop head to lightly sprinkle the water over the seeds. This will prevent the soil from washing away and uncovering your peony seeds. Now just keep them watered and wait for them to sprout! Fresh peony seeds may germinate the next spring if planted promptly after they are ripe. However older seeds may take another year before they germinate. (That's why it is super important to have a sturdy seedling label that won't be heaved out of the soil in the winter.) Be patient and you will be rewarded!
Water Peony Seeds

2014 Carolina Gardening Peony Tip of the Month

I noticed a peony tip in my Carolina Country magazine this month. This is a free magazine sent out by my electric cooperative. It covers a Southern region and usually has gardening tips or a gardening section in it each month. This month the peony tip caught my eye, and I thought I'd share it with all of you.
Carolina Country Tip of the Month
"Late summer is prime peony planting time. Since peonies need a proper duration of chilly weather to bloom satisfactorily in the spring, look for older varieties such as 'Teresa', 'Sarah Bernhardt', 'Felix Crousse', or 'Festiva Maxima' that require less cold for bud set, or ask your local nursery for newer peony selections specifically bred for mild Southern winters. In addition, bury the crowns only about 1½ inches below ground so they will be less insulated from the cold weather. Finally, for stronger, sooner flowering peonies buy divisions that have at least three to four "eyes"."

I've never heard of the peony variety 'Teresa', and actually there is not one registered under this name. However I do grow all the rest of the varieties - 'Felix Crousse', 'Festiva Maxima' and 'Sarah Bernhardt', and they do grow and bloom well here in the South. There is one part of the tip I do disagree with however, and that is the planting depth. The author of this peony tip suggests planting your peony "eyes" 1½ inches below ground. However I would not plant them that deep. I usually plant my peonies even with the ground and put a tiny bit of mulch on top (½ inch or less). Even ½ inch would probably be okay, but 1½ inches would be too deep especially if you live even farther South than I do (zone 7). The depth of the peony directly affect how many chilling hours it receives, and as the author notes the more shallow they are planted the "less insulated" they are from the cold weather. Peonies need this cold weather to bloom and grow properly. It is definitely possible to plant your peony to deep and prevent it from blooming. So if you have your peony planted too deep or buried under too much mulch, dig it up and plant it much shallower or remove most of your mulch. This is a common problem in the South, and one I made myself (planted too deep) as a little girl growing my first peonies. I also visited my neighbors peony at their request this year to determine why it was not blooming. They had it buried under 4 inches of pine straw. The leaves still grew beautifully, but there were no blooms. I suggested they remove most or all of the pine straw so that it would get enough chilling hours this winter to hopefully bloom next spring!

2014 Collected Peony Seeds

Wow! I can hardly believe that a month has already gone by since Peony Seed Collection Time began. I think I have harvested about all the seeds I have this year. The especially wet weather was hard on some varieties seed production. However I was able to collect lots of seed from several different varieties. I will be planting some of my seeds, and I plan to donate the rest of them to the American Peony Society Seed Distribution Program. This year I was able to collect seeds from the following varieties: Color Magnet 24 seeds, Early White 25 seeds, Gay Paree 9 seeds, Golden Frolic 27 seeds, Miss America 90 seeds, Moonstone 5 seeds, Pink Luau 59 seeds, Pink Princess 47 seeds, Roy Pehrson's Best Yellow 77 seeds, Salmon Dream 5 seeds, Seedling - Color Lavender 12 seeds, and Soft Lemon Kisses 3 seeds. This year I am going to be sure to use my copper and steel plant labels when I plant the seeds since the seedling labels I used last year had a big Peony Seedling Plastic Label Failure this spring. The plastic plant labels held up just fine, but they did not stay in the ground through the winter. So their purpose of identifying the seeds was not accomplished. The metal plant labels stay in the ground much better since they are much longer and can go deeper into the soil.
Peony Seeds Collected, Bagged, and Labeled by Variety

2014 American Peony Society Gold Medal Winner - 'Leda'

The American Peony Society has selected Tree Peony 'Leda' as their 2014 Gold Medal Winner and 2015 Peony of the Year. Tree Peony 'Leda' was hybridized by Nassos Daphnis and registered in 1977. I personally do not grow very many tree peonies. So I'm not familiar with this peony at all. However I did get an email yesterday saying that Klehm's Song Sparrow has all of their container plants including tree peonies and itoh peonies on sale for 15% off until the end of August. So this might be just the opportunity to purchase tree peony 'Leda' if you are interested. I have ordered from Song Sparrow nursery several times in the past, and the quality of their products is excellent. So if you do decide to order Tree Peony 'Leda' from them, I know you'll be happy with your order. :-)
Tree Peony 'Leda'

2014 Silk Tree Peony Paintings from China

Tree Peony Paintings on Silk by Zhong Shi
Well, it's not quite been a year since we went to China and saw Peonies in Beijing, Shanghai, and Suzhou China. I purchased these beautiful tree peony paintings there, and I finally got them framed and put on the wall yesterday. These Chinese tree peony paintings are painted on silk. The artist Zhong Shi, was born in Suzhou, Jiangsu in 1945. This painter is a member of Jiangsu Branch of Artist Association of China and a member of Suzhou Artist Association. This artist also belongs to the Professional Painter of Creation Room of the Weun Painting Institute. We purchased these Chinese silk paintings at the Master of the Nets Garden in Suzhou, China. This garden has a very lovely gift shop with a huge selection of Chinese art, antique replicas, and souvenirs. They also have a beautiful entrance with a pictorial map of the entire garden. The peony garden is shown in full bloom on this pictorial map, which could be considered a work of art itself.
Entrance to the Master of the Nets Gardens in Suzhou, China


Pictoral Map of the Suzhou Gardens Depicting the Peony Garden

2014 Peony Mandala Art Images

While looking at peony photos on Google, I came across these stunning works of art using flower photos to create mandalas. Several of these works of art were created using peony photos. These peony mandalas were just so mesmerizing, I just had to share it with all of you. I obtained permission from the artist, David J. Bookbinder, to use one of his peony mandalas here. David began making the mandalas ten years ago from photographs he began to take after a near death experience. He says he now uses the mandalas as "a means for healing and personal growth." If you want to see the rest of the collection, you'll have to check out his web site, the Flower Mandalas Project. I hope you enjoy his art as much as I did! Also David has a book coming out this fall called Fifty-Two Flower Mandalas detailing his journey and his art. You can email David at licensing @ flowermandalas.org to find out more. :)
Pink Peony I
© 2005, David J. Bookbinder

2014 Giant Peony Blooms on Peony 'Myra MacRae'

Isabella Holding Peony 'Myra MacRae'
No, this is not an optical illusion. Yes, this peony bloom really is bigger than her head! This is a photo I took on my phone last May, and forgot to publish. These photos are of my lovely daughter Isabella and Peony 'Myra MacRae'. Peony 'Myra MacRae' is really a stellar performer as long as you provide her ample support for her large blossoms. :-) In fact Peony 'Myra MacRae' was a Southern Peony Best Performer this year. Late in my bloom season Peony 'Myra MacRae' was one of the last peonies blooming in my garden and she put on quite a show. So she was named Peony 'Myra MacRae' Best Performer - Week 6. So if you'd like a peony that could be a true Southern Belle, give Peony 'Myra MacRae' a place in your garden.

2014 Landscaping with Peonies

Peonies are a great plant for landscaping. They provide loads of blooms and color for several weeks in the spring. They also have great long lasting foliage that stays green for 3 seasons providing a great backdrop for other plants in the landscape when they're not in bloom. And in fall, the leaves on some peony varieties begin to change into eye catching colors for yet another show before the foliage begins to fade. If you're unsure where to plant peonies in your landscape, take a look at these photos for some ideas. Peonies can be planted singly or as a group of specimen plants in wide open sunny areas. They can also be used in border plantings around foundations, decks, and patios. They can be planted in mixed perennial borders around garden benches so their blooms and fragrance can be enjoyed up close.
Peonies in the Landscape - Garden Bench
The American Peony Society has a special award that is given to peonies that are especially suited for landscape use - strong stems, long lasting foliage, and of course lovely blossoms! This is the APS Award of Landscape Merit which is awarded to peonies with "reliable performance across North America". So if you're thinking of adding a peony (or several) to your home landscaping, check out this list of great landscaping peony cultivars!
Peonies in the Landscape - Specimen and Deck Plantings

2014 Questions - Peony Blooms Decrease Over Time

I received this question from Bob in zone 5:
"I live in northern Illinois, zone 5a -20 to -15 F. I bought a Bartzella in the late 1990s directly from Roger Anderson. So it has been planted in the same location for 16 years. The plant has bloomed well except the last two years. In 2013 I had only 5 flowers. This year 2014 I had no flowers. The plant looks to be growing well, it has many stems, good green color. All the stems are strong and tall no wilt. No signs of disease either. The base of the plant is about 14 inches across. In the fall of 2012 I trimmed the stems to about 1.5 inches. Thinking that might have been too short in the fall of 2013 I trimmed the stems to 4 to 5 inches tall. I have other herbaceous peonies in the same area and they bloom well."
"Any ideas on what I should do?"
"These are my ideas"
"1. Divide the plant and replant"
"2. Don’t divide the plant and add bone meal, slow-release nitrogen (Milorganite) and Triple Super Phosphate Plant Food to the drip edge on the plant"
"3. Don’t trim the old growth until the early spring 2015 instead of late fall 2014."
"4. Some combination of 1 and 2"

Bob's Peony 'Bartzella' that is Not Blooming
I would recommend option number one along with a few other ideas. A peony plant that is 16 years old should be divided and probably into more than two pieces. Once you have divided the plant, I would replant one piece in the current location and the other pieces in different locations, especially if you have a location that receives more sunlight than the current location. Also, I'm not sure what you have growing underneath your peony or how long it has been growing there, but it is possible that this groundcover plant could be having a negative impact on your peony, taking moisture and nutrients away from your peony plant. So I would recommend removing this groundcover and using some type of mulch instead. Peonies don't like too much fertilizer, so I would be careful with their use. Instead of constant fertilization, I would recommend amending your soil with compost and/or composted manure before replanting the divided peony pieces. If you don't have compost of your own, bagged compost and composted manure can usually be purchased at most home improvement or hardware stores. As for when to cut back the peony plants, this can be done anytime after the leaves have died back, so late fall vs. early spring should not make any difference in your peony blooms (except that removing the dead stems and foliage earlier may lessen foliar diseases the next year). I hope this information helps, and good luck with your Peony 'Bartzella'!

2014 Peony Seed Collection Time

Wow! I can hardly believe it! The first of my peony seeds pods are starting to pop open! It's already peony seed collection time. Only the earliest seed pods have opened. Most of them are still closed. Peony 'Roy Pehrson's Best Yellow' is usually one of the first seed pods to open for me. I am really excited to see which varieties will set seed for me this year, especially considering this is the first year that I saw my First Unique Herbaceous Peony Seedling Blooms! :-) Not only can you collect peony seeds to plant in your own garden, but if you're a Member of the American Peony Society you can also get free peony seeds when you donate some of your own seeds. When you donate peony seeds to the American Peony Society Seed Distribution Program, you'll get to select free seeds from other peony growers that grow different peony varieties than you. With this program you'll have access to hundreds of peony seeds varieties. Even if you don't have any seeds to donate to the program, for a low cost APS members can still Buy Seeds from the APS Seed Distribution Program. Happy Planting!
Peony 'Roy Pehrson's Best Yellow' Seed Pod

2014 Questions - Peony Soil Solarization & Weed Control

I received this question from Taherra in zone 7:
"I came across your blog in researching solarization as a method to create new planting beds. Your solarization project for your peony beds was in 2012 and I was curious as to the weed and grass control in that area. Any info/tips would be greatly appreciated."

For me this was an extremely successful project. The weed and grass control has been excellent. The only weeds that grow in this area are generally near the edges of the bed, where weed seeds have fallen from weeds growing outside the solarized bed. I have kept it weed free by mulching the soil with wood chips. I also curb any new weed growth by hand weeding the interior of the bed and spraying a weed killer around the exterior edge of the bed. The steps I took to create my solarized peony bed are outlined in the following posts:

1. 2012 Intersectional Peony Bed Preparation 2. 2012 Peony Bed Soil Solarization 3. 2012 New Dirt for New Peony Beds 4. 2012 Soil for New Peony Beds 5. 2012 Intersectional Peony Garden Planting

Soil Solariztion Tips:
1. The fewer sheets of plastic the better. Try to get your plastic sheet in one whole piece that will cover the area of your bed. This will keep the area hotter with less air escaping between the plastic sheeting.
2. The more weights the better. The bricks I used around the edge of the plastic sheeting not only keep the plastic sheet in place, but also trap the heat underneath. I actually added more bricks to the edges of my plastic sheet after a couple weeks to keep the hot air in.
3. Keep the sheet in place. Don't be tempted to remove the plastic sheeting early. Keep it in place the recommended 6 to 8 weeks to make sure the job is completely done. If you have extra time, then leave it on a little longer. It won't hurt and can only help!

Solarized Peony Bed Two Years Later

2014 Heat Tolerant Peonies for Southern Gardens

The month of July is great! Fireworks, American spirit, and don't forget the blistering heat! The peonies have long since finished here in the South. Their blooms are but a distant memory captured only by the photographs I've taken and the camera in my mind's eye. So with the heat of July, I thought an appropriate topic would be heat tolerant peonies for Southern gardens. If you were disappointed with your peony display this year and are looking for hints on how to improve your peony garden for next year or maybe you just want to add more lovely blossoms to accompany the gems you already grow, then now is the perfect time to start thinking about building a better peony garden. Fall is the perfect time to plant peonies, and if you haven't gotten your 2014 peony order in yet, now is the time to do it! So I've done a little research, and here are some great sites to check out for tips on growing peonies in the South...
PEONIES IN THE SOUTH
Flowering Perennials for Georgia Gardens
Peonies: Coming Soon to a Garden Near You
Growing Peonies in USDA Zones 8 and 9
How to grow peonies
Peonies for the Home Landscape


Heat Tolerant Peonies for the South
Also if you are looking for specific peony varieties that will grow well in the South, you will definitely want to check out our list of Southern Peony Best Performers. These are peonies that grow and blossom well here in the heat of the South. I select the best performer each week of the peony growing season here in our hot and humid weather. These peonies will definitely survive the heat and return year after year!

2014 Peony 'Paul M. Wild' Best Performer - Week 7

As I look around my garden, I find the last peony blooming its bright pink heart out, Peony 'Paul M. Wild'. He's like the last man standing in the wild west. The man, the peony that can outlast all others. Sure he's a little rough and tumble around the edges, his petals browning a little on the edges, but by this time of year whose edges aren't? Peony 'Paul M. Wild' is a dark pink, very full double peony and consistently a very late bloomer. He holds his guns until the end, and provided the weather hasn't defeated everyone by now, he lets them loose in an explosion of bright, end of the season color. So if you're looking for a peony that will not only add some additional time to your peony bloom season, but also add some bang to it, then Peony 'Paul M. Wild' is definitely your man!
Peony 'Paul M. Wild'
Southern Peony Best Performer


Peony 'Paul M. Wild'
Southern Peony Best Performer

2014 Intersectional Peony Fungal Diseases

Intersectional Peony 'Misaka'
with Phytophthora? Fungal Disease
This year I noticed the same three intersectional peonies had the same fungal diseases they did last year. I was wondering if there was anything I could do to prevent it next year or if I need to get rid of the entire plant. None of my other intersectional peonies have any diseases to speak of. However these 3 specimens were apparently sold to me with the diseases, unfortunately. The intersectional peony pictured above, Peony 'Misaka', I purchased as a potted plant from a local nursery, and it did seem a little suspect when I bought it. I'm wondering if it has Phytophthora blight because of the curled, deformed leaves. Plus I've seen plenty of Botrytis blight on my herbaceous peonies before, and this seems to be a little different. I guess I know better now than to buy anything that seems a little iffy. However the two intersectional peonies pictured below were both purchased as roots from two different reputable growers. I had never seen any incidence of Peony Blotch in my garden until I got these two intersectional peonies with the disease, Peony 'Layfayette Escadrille' and Peony 'Scarlet Heaven'. That is interesting because both of those 2 intersectionals are red in color. I wonder if they are somehow related and more susceptible to the Peony Blotch fungus.
Intersectional Peony 'Scarlet Heaven'
with Peony Blotch Fungal Disease


Intersectional Peony 'Lafayette Escadrille'
with Peony Blotch Fungal Disease
When researching these diseases on Google, I found this awesome page on Peony Problems on the Missouri Botanical Garden web site. It seems like the only thing I can try to get rid of these fungal diseases is to make sure to cut these peonies all the way back to the ground in the fall. I will try that and hope it works, since I usually don't cut my intersectional peonies all the way back. I try to cut them back only to their lowest surviving bud, which usually keeps a bit of the stem there. I hope it does work, since the MOBOT web page seems to suggest removing and discarding the plant and its soil entirely as the only other alternative. I hope it doesn't come to that... :-(

2014 Peony Bloom Color Classifications

Wow, I have collected a lot more information on peony blooms this year. I've added 8 new RHS colors including Purple Brown 183A, Light Violet 69C, Purple Pink N74C, Light Pink 54D, Orange Red 39B, Dark Pink Red 51B, Light Yellow Orange 23C, and Light Yellow 4D. The range of peony bloom colors just continues to amaze me. I have also added 43 new peony variety color classifications to my Peony Bloom Colors page! This color information can be a handy reference if you are looking for a peony of a certain color to help you coordinate or contrast bloom colors in your garden. So if you haven't seen it yet, check out our Colors page.
Peony Bloom Color RHS Classifications