A favorite among gardeners, the peony is ... The Chinese queen

By Hugh Earnhart

OSU Ext. master gardener volunteer

The peony has long been a favorite among gardeners, and one of the hardest and most easily grown of the perennials. It was nicknamed the Decoration Day (Memorial Day after 1971) flower because the winds of spring brought the flower into bloom to provide finery for cemetery graves the last Monday in May.

When once established, peonies, associated with the Paeoniaceae family, will continue to flower year after year. Indeed, some of the old fashion types, such as Festiva Masium and Sarah Bernhardt, are still producing in gardens and cemeteries where they were planted a century ago.

In a small garden, peonies are often out of scale. The blooms are so large and the plants themselves require so much room that they have to be used sparsely. However, in a large planting area where quality of blooms and mass effect are desired, peonies may play an important part in the planting composition. They are lovely when planted in groups along the front of a shrubbery border or when used as an accent plant. In the 18th century, the old-fashioned red peony was the glory of a front yard.

While peonies prefer a planting in full sun, they will thrive in light shade. With the selection of early, mid-season and late blooming varieties, five to six weeks of blooms may be enjoyed. Modern varieties of every tint from white through coral, pink, ruby, salmon, yellow to deep red are as beautiful as any well-dressed bride.

The soil should be nearly neutral as possible and well drained as peonies do not grow well in an acidic soil or with wet feet. The soil must be prepared and will enrich at the time of planting. You only get one chance to supply fertilizer, compost, cow manure, kelp and iron so effectively. Peonies do not like to be disturbed once established.

Peonies should be planted in the cool days of autumn, October being the most favorable month. Depth of planting is highly important and is the prime reason for failure among growers. The division should be planted in the hole so that the tip of the buds will be 1 to 11/2 inches below the surface of the soil. Good soil should be filled in about the roots and firmed well and watered after planting. It is good horticultural procedure to give the plant room to develop by planting three feet apart.

If blooms of show quality are to be produced, two applications of fertilizer (5-10-10) are recommended. The first feeding should be made in the spring when the shoots are about 12 inches high. A hand full of kelp will provided all the trace nutrients the plant needs. The second application should be made after the blooming phase is over.

The fertilizer should be sprinkled on the surface of the soil about the plant and worked into the soil. The ground should be then watered so that the fertilizer will go into solution and made available immediately to the plant. In making the application care should be taken to see that the fertilizer does not come into the stems or leaves, causing severe burning.

Select a site carefully, plant them and enjoy the gorgeous blooms and handsome foliage for years. Some varieties do not produce stems strong enough to hold the large flower upright. For such a plant some form of support needs to be provided. A medium-sized tomato cage will allow the plant to grow more upright. If you desire flowers that are flopless, try one with a single blossom – they usually have a row or two of petals with a yellow center showing.

When cutting blooms, it is wise to leave two or three leaves on each stem in order that the foliage of the plant may not become too depleted. The leaves are the workhorse of the plant and need to manufacture food for the plant’s good health. Depleted blooms should be removed as soon as they have faded in order to conserve the vigor of the plant.

After the foliage has died in the fall, the stems should be cut off just below ground level, raked up and burned as a precautionary measure against spread of disease. Peony has a fungus disease called Anthracnose that can attack the leaves and stems. If ants are aggravating in the sweetish buds of the peony, after all they are only looking for a meal, a gentle shake and they are gone. Despite the many myths, ants do not harm the peony nor do they enrich the bloom.

Peonies are divided into eight classifications of flower forms by the American Peony Society. Gilbert H. Wild and Son in Missouri has been growing peonies since 1885. You can walk their field of peonies in the spring and see the heirloom varieties as well as the hybrid varieties that have been developed to satisfy the modern gardener. There is no real secret to growing breathtaking peonies: just purchase good divisions from reputable growers and enjoy.

For more on growing peonies and some of the newest cultivars, go to: http://go.osu.edu/peony.