Peonies are among the most glamorous of perennial flowers. They are also extremely hardy to Zone 4, and are among the easiest of flowers to care for.
Although you can now buy potted peonies in the spring, fall has been the traditional season for peony planting. You can order peonies online from nurseries such as Peony’s Envy in New Jersey, Hollingsworth Peonies in Missouri and Klehm’s Songsparrow Farm in Wisconsin.
These large nurseries have an amazing array of the familiar herbaceous peonies, like white Bowl of Cream, pink Sarah Bernhardt and the aptly named Coral Charm, but they also have tree peonies, woodland peonies and the newer Itoh peonies, which are a cross between herbaceous and tree peonies.
When you buy peonies in the fall, you are really buying peony roots. The first thing you need to do is prepare the soil by digging in some compost. Slightly acidic, well-draining soil is ideal. Peonies do not tolerate wet roots well.
My Heath herbaceous peony bed did get some morning shade, but the rest of the day it was in full sun, which is just what peonies love. Because the blossoms can be quite heavy, it is wise to choose a site that is somewhat protected from the wind. Circular wire rings will also help hold the blossoms upright.
The key to planting herbaceous peonies is to not plant them too deeply. The root must be planted no more than 2 inches below the soil. If they are planted more deeply, the plant will be very happy, but it will not bloom.
If you have a non-blooming herbaceous peony, dig it up and replant it. After that first planting, give the bed a layer of mulch, straw, evergreen branches or chopped leaves. The goal is to protect the roots from heaving in below-zero weather, while allowing some air to circulate between soil and mulch.
Then, there is nothing to do but wait for spring and enjoy the unfolding of foliage and blossom.
My herbaceous peonies began to bloom in mid to late June, but there are many varieties with early, mid- and late-season bloom dates. The only problem is choosing a plant with the height, color and bloom season.
Do not worry about the tiny ants you may see crawling about on the fat buds. They do not harm the plant, and will not infest your house, even when bouquets are brought inside.
Woodland peonies are also herbaceous and will need to be cut back in the fall. But, they are tolerant of high woodland shade in the spring. Unlike other herbaceous peonies that increase through their roots, these will self-seed. In fact, the astonishing red and blue-black seed case is one reasons for their appeal.
Tree peonies have been cultivated in China for centuries, where they are considered the ideal flower. They are very long-lived — even longer than herbaceous peonies — which will live happily for 50 years or more. Tree peonies only grow about 4 feet high, but these plants are not cut down at the end of the season. They bloom on old wood; the wooden superstructure gets bigger every year. The mature plant can hold 60 or more blossoms in a good year.
Tree peonies need a sweeter soil, so you may need to add some lime here in New England. When digging the planting hole, it is a good idea to dig in some bone meal or rock phosphate to promote flower development. Unlike herbaceous peonies, tree peony roots need to be planted 4 inches below the soil level. As with any new planting, water deeply and mulch.
The Itoh peony, a cross between an herbaceous peony and tree peony, was created by Dr. Toichi Itoh, a Japanese botanist. Unfortunately, he never lived to see his successful crosses actually bloom, which happened in 1964. It is also called an intersectional peony.
The first Itoh peonies on the market were extremely expensive, but they have come down in cost. One of the first Itoh peonies to hit the market was Garden Treasure, a beautiful yellow. Then came Bartzella, another glorious yellow with scarlet markings in the center. Both have won the American Peony Society Gold Medal Award.
Like the familiar herbaceous peony, Itohs prefer slightly acidic, well drained soil, and should be planted just an inch or two below the soil level. In the fall, all foliage should be cut down to the ground.
Peonies are wonderfully carefree plants. I never had any problems with disease, which I think is due to not over watering and to cutting back all foliage and carting it away in the fall.
Botrytis is a fungal disease that can attack peonies if they are over watered, especially if the weather is very cool. Sanitation is the best preventive approach. Cut down all foliage in the fall and remove it. Mulching is fine, but do not use anything, like oak leaves, which will stay wet and mat down.
In the spring if you see any gray mold on the new shoots, the Cornell University Extension Service suggests dosing them with Neem oil or a fungicide like Serenade, which is OK to use in an organic garden.
Plant a peony — and enjoy it for the rest of your life.
Pat Leuchtman has written and gardened since 1980. She lives in Greenfield. Readers can leave comments at her Web site: www.commonweeder.com