TREE PAEONIES
Tree Paeonies are not trees but are deciduous woody shrubs to three metres tall. However, one to two metres is the more usual. In Spring they bear large blooms of great beauty endearing them to all who see them. The flowers are larger and earlier than those produced by their close cousins the herbaceous paeony. The exquisite flowers have a very long and interesting history beginning over 1400 years ago in China (their native home). More recently Japan, Europe and America have entered into the breeding and development of these plants.
Tree Paeonia Hybrids
This group is of modern origin and uses Moutan, delaveyii and lutea to produce a wide range of colours, especially in the yellow shadings but also in the deep black reds. The flowers are usually smaller than the plain Moutan and the plants less disposed to fungal problems. While this is mainly true of the American hybrids (where the Japanese Moutan’s were used), the earlier French varieties were produced from the Chinese Moutans and have much heavier and larger flowers that tend to hide under the foliage.
We sell 2 year old paeony grafts. We find these the most suited size to shift into your garden. The preferred time is late autumn (April - May) when the new roots are most active. Unlike most tree paeonies which are offered on herbaceous root stocks ours are grafted onto tree paeony roots. We have found this method superior for both health and vigour of the plants.
When planting choose a site with good deep friable soils and good deep drainage. The area should be open and free from competition, especially from tree roots. Remember a tree paeony takes some time to reach its peak and improves for many decades. They do not appreciate being moved. Fertiliser should be kept on the lean side, especially nitrogen as this predisposes the plants to fungal problems. We suggest a good potato fertiliser every few years. We, use osmocote 8-9 month at flowering time. Space 1 - 2 metres as they hate overcrowding.
When planting place the graft union 10-15cm below the soil surface as this encourages a nice bushy plant low to the ground. Tree Paeonies grow best in areas of low humidity and cool winters. Central Otago, Canterbury, Marlborough and the Wairarapa are areas where Tree Paeonies have proven themselves. However, with careful site selection (low humidity) Tree Paeony will grow well over most of the country. Tree Paeony dormancy requirements are much less demanding than herbaceous paeony and therefore can be grown much further north into our warmer areas.