Garden Peonies
(lactiflora) are old-fashioned favorites for late
spring display. Be cautious about planting too
deep, or mulching too heavily as plants will not
set bloom. An easy plant for sunny areas.
Tree Peonies (suffruticosa) have stunning large
flowers on a shrub base. They should not be pruned
(at least until they are very large) unless
cutting off winter kill. Care should be given to
not overcrowd the plants, and protective mulch for
winter would be a good plan. While plants will
tolerate full sun, partial shade is better.
Fernleaf Peonies (tenuifolia) are unique specimens
for the dedicated collector. The flower seem to
float above the very finely cut foliage. Plants
may go dormant in hot areas so mark location
carefully.
Itoh Peonies are a cross of lactifolia with
suffruticosa. Like all peonies they prefer well
drained soil. In clay soils they will take longer
to reach full size.
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