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Europe
China
Family
Distribution
Herbaceous and tree peonies
Appearance
Use
Floral uses
Companion plants
Planting
Development
Care
Diseases
Herbaceous peonies
Tree peonies
Peony cultivation in China
Peony cultivation in Japan
Peony cultivation in Europe
Peony cultivation in the USA
«Nassos Daphnis»
Itoh-hybrids / Intersectionals
The Peony collection in Wädenswil
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Few other garden plants go back in history as far as
peonies, which in China have been used and cultivated for
over 4000 years. There are hundreds of cultivars, of which
only a few can be found in gardens in Central Europe. |
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In China, the most important country of peony origins, many splendid pictures have been painted from the Tang Dynasty up to the present time. This is a painting by Chian Ting-hsi (1669 - 1732) of the Ch'ing Dynasty. |
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Europe
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In ancient times the peony was held in high esteem as a medicinal plant. Paian, the physician of the Greek gods, gave the plant its name; with peony roots he healed Hades, god of the underworld, who had been wounded by Heracles. The peony was mentioned again and again in herbals of Greek and Roman times and the Middle Ages. Benedictine monks introduced it to the monastery gardens north of the Alps in the early Middle Ages - the name "Benedictine rose" reminds us of this fact. From there it found its way into the cottage gardens. The origin of the double form of Paeonia
officinalis, nowadays flowering in many gardens, lies in
the late Middle Ages. It has been represented in many Dutch
flower pictures and is probably a hybrid of the late Middle
Ages. |
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One of the most beautiful representations of Paeonia officinalis can be found in the altar picture "Maria im Rosenhag" by Schongauer (former Dominican church, Colmar). The detail shows an open peony flower with rose and peony foliage. |
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In the 19th century, not only were numerous new peony varieties produced, but also many peony paintings, of which those by Manet, Renoir, Fantin-Latour, Gauguin and Delacroix are best known. |
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A bunch of peonies in a vase, painting by Edouard Manet, 1864 |
China
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In China the peony was the flower par excellence. It had long been used as a medicinal plant before it was cultivated in gardens. Numerous poems, paintings, and pictures on vases glorify the beauty of the peony, which according to legend even rebelled against the will of the Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang dynasty: it was the only flower which refused to bloom in winter at her command. As a punishment it was banished from the imperial gardens. The wrath of the eccentric empress was so fierce that she orderd all the peonies of the capital city to be destroyed. |
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Representation of peonies by Lang Shih-ning (Giuseppe Castiglione, 1688 - 1766) from the Ch'ing Dynasty. The Italian Jesuit, painter and architect lived and worked at the court of Emperor Ch'ien Lung. |
Family
Botanists originally ranged the peony among the family of
ranunculaceae. The common buttercup in our gardens and meadows gave
its name to this family, which contains among others clematis,
hellebores, larkspur, monkshood, anemones, winter aconite. Since 1950
the peonies form an independent family, paeoniaceae; the reason being
that their stamens develop from inside to outside, whereas the
ranunculaceae have stamens that develop from outside to inside.
Distribution
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Distribution chart of peonies in Eurasia |
The paeoniaceae grow all over the northern hemisphere. There are wild peonies in the north west of Africa, in Spain, France, Italy, the Balkans, Greece, and the Caucasus as well as in Central Asia and Japan. Even in North America, in the states of Oregon, Idaho, and California, peonies can be found which might almost be called living fossils. Wild tree peonies, however, occur exclusively in China. |
Herbaceous and tree peonies
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As can be seen in the title, there are not only herbaceous but tree peonies as well. There is a simple difference: Herbaceous peonies die back in winter and sprout again in spring from new buds that lie in the ground. Tree peonies develop a wooden stem and behave like shrubs. Both kinds of peony may reach a great age. Approximately 50 herbaceous and 15 tree peonies of various forms can be found in their natural habitat, from the small Paeonia tenuifolia with its bright red flowers and its leaves which are divided into filiform segments, a bit like artemisia, to the shrub of Paeonia lutea var. ludlowii with its lush foliage and its fragrant yellow flowers. This shrub may grow 2 metres high with a spread of 3 metres. |
The peony in the garden
Appearance
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Peonies are attractive plants from the first shoots in early spring, through the flowering period to autumn. Their vigorous growth, the attractive foliage, the various sizes, the variety of colours of their flowers - there are all the shades from white, pink, yellow and different reds - and the long flowering season from the end of April to the middle of June give the garden lover many structural possibilities. |
Use
The different forms of growth and colours allow many uses. In the
mixed border the combination with other plants and shrubs is most
important. It is best to choose the place for the peony first, since
it is a dominant plant. A minimum distance of 80 - 90 cm from other
high plants is necessary; in combination with low ground-covering
plants the distance may be accordingly smaller. Tree peonies in
particular can give wonderful accents to a garden, whether planted in
groups or singly.
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From left to right |
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Floral uses
If peonies are to be used as cut flowers it is advisable with many
sorts to nip off the side buds in order to obtain a stalk with a
bigger and better-shaped flower. They should be cut when the buds are
about to open and show their colour, early morning being the best
time. The flowers may then last 10 to 15 days in the vase. It is not
only the flowers that look splendid in summer bunches, but the deeply
cut leaves are also very decorative.
Companion plants
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Plants that prolong the flowering period of the peonies, flowering before or after the peonies, are good partners. Among these are hellebores; but shorter or taller plants are also suitable, such as alchemilla, buglossoides, campanulas, day lilies, asters, asphodelines, shrubby clematis and many tall grasses. If peonies are combined with good neighbouring plants, they mutually enhance their effects. Spring, summer and autumn-flowering plants are especially suited as an addition to the relatively short flowering period (May to June) of the peonies. Thus bulb plants placed at the foot of the peonies make a charming sight in spring. These may be leucojum, muscari, scilla or fragrant narcissi. |
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The herbaceous Paeonia wittmaniana var. macrophylla at sprouting. This wild peony from the Caucasus is already in flower in April. Its brown-red shoot harmonizes beautifully with the first spring flowers in the garden. There is an extraordinary sheen on the unfolding young leaves. |
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Planting
The following points shold be considered when planting peonies to
make the plants, usually robust, vigorous growers (with the exception
of a few wild species), feel at home in the garden.
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Planting of herbaceous peonies |
Planting of tree peonies |
Development
On the whole peonies are long-lived, undemanding garden plants, which
become more and more beautiful from year to year if they are left
undisturbed. The final position for a peony should therefore be
chosen very carefully as it doesn't like to be transplanted. As a
rule peonies flower in full splendour after three years. They are
among the most enduring herbaceous plants, and quite often live for
over fifty years.
Care
Very little care is needed in the course of the year. When working
the soil round the plant one has to be very careful so as not to
injure the roots. It is more advisable just to put a mulch layer (no
bark) round the plant to keep the soil open.
During the growth season, above all just before flowering, one must see to it that the soil doesn't dry out. Peonies that are well established in the garden profit from a light fertilizing after flowering. This is important, for in that time the new flower buds are being formed.
In autumn the leaves of the herbaceous peony are cut back about 10 cm above ground. In the first year after planting it is advisable to provide winter protection by covering the plant with fir twigs. Later on this is only necessary in extremely exposed positions. Some American herbaceous peonies may be affected by late spring frosts, so it is best to cover them with fleece in such a case.
Tying up is essential for lush, double-flowering French cultivars of herbaceous peonies. American sorts are normally self-supporting. The herbaceous peony should be tied up in sections corresponding to their natural growth, not like a sheaf of straw. Tree peonies rarely need to be staked up.
Diseases
One of the many pests is the vine weevil, which likes to eat roots
and foliage. In warm humid weather the flower buds may be affected by
fungus and turn black. The worst enemy is Botrytis paeoniae.
This fungus wilts the young shoots in damp warm weather in spring. As
a prevention the plants may be sprayed with a fungicide. Wilting
shoots must be cut back to the healthy wood and then burnt.
Herbaceous peonies
Only a few species are commercially available, as many are
difficult to cultivate. The wild peonies mentioned in the following
are, however, robust vigorous garden plants which give great pleasure
to their owners and are highly recommended for home gardens.
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Paeonia tenuifolia is also suitable for the rock garden. This small peony with its bright red flowers has the finest foliage of all peonies. Here is the double form shortly before unfurling. |
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Paeonia mlokosewitschii from the Caucasus has broad, rounded leaves, of a blue-greyish tint; its splendid, cream-coloured round flowers look a bit like a ball of butter . |
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Paeonia peregrina from the Balkans has relatively small bowl-like flowers of salmon red to bright red. Beautiful specimens can be obtained on the market under the name of 'Otto Froebel'. |
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Paeonia officinalis near Prati di Tivio in its wild habitat, in the background the Gran Sasso d'Italia in the Abruzzi mountains. The wild form of the herbaceous Paeonia officinalis has single dark crimson red flowers. ( It is the parent of the bright red double 'Crofter's peony'.) |
Tree peonies
Wild tree peonies are endemic to China; they are strictly
protected there and therefore difficult to obtain. But the
yellow-flowering Paeonia lutea var. ludlowii and the
red Paeonia delavayi can be bought on the market. Both are
large-growing shrubs that delight their owners with a multitude of
flowers.
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Paeonia delavayi produces a mass of attractive dark red flowers whose numerous stamens are much visited by bees. |
Paeonia rockii is familiar under the name of 'Rock's Variety'. The petals of its huge white fragrant flowers have wonderful dark basal blotches. It has rather finely divided leaves and is quite fast-growing. |
In the course of peony cultivation by Man, numerous cultivars were produced in four great regions of the world: China, Japan, Europe, and the USA.
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Tree peonies |
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'Yao Huang', i.e. 'Yao's Yellow'. This fully double creamy flowering peony, whose inner petals shine yellow, is now available again. In the Sung Dynasty, this was by far the most sought after peony. It fulfils the Chinese ideal of beauty with its full double middle and a wreath of beautiful outer petals. The flower shown is not yet quite full-blown and so does not appear in its classic form. |
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Tree peonies |
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'Renkaku' (Flight of the cranes) is a typical Japanese tree peony. What makes it special is the light pink tint round the centre of the flower, which however cannot be seen in the photograph. |
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Herbaceous peonies |
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'Isani Gidui', also known under the name of 'Isami Jishi' ('Smiling Lion') is a Japanese herbaceous peony. It flowers with two rows of white outer petals, which surround an interesting centre formed by cream-coloured staminoids and green stigmas. Staminoids are stamens that no longer produce pollen but have not yet turned completely into petals, as is the case with double peonies. |
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'Walter Mains' is an American herbaceous peony with a flower that meets the Japanese taste in beauty. What is interesting are the pink staminoids with yellow edges, which form a striking filling. In 1974 the cultivar was awarded the gold medal of the American Peony Society. |
At the end of the 18th century the first Chinese herbaceous and tree peonies reached Europe from China. Now began the second important crossing activity outside China. Up to this time various forms of Paeonia officinalis had been produced in European gardens. "The poor man's rose", as it was also called, lived a rather modest life there. Now, with the Chinese herbaceous and tree peonies, old plants that had been in cultivation for centuries reached Europe. They were in themselves rich in genetic potential.
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Herbaceous peonies |
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'Festiva maxima' is a vigorous plant with white double, deliciously fragrant flowers, whose centre petals show small red blotches. |
Tree peonies
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Among the Japanese and Chinese tree peonies some also underwent further crossing and quite a few beautiful European varieties were produced which at the turn of the century could be seen in the gardens of the rich. Victor Lemoine ** 'Souvenir du Prof. Maxime Cornu' is a Lutea hybrid of Louis Henry |
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Before the Chinese and Japanese peonies reached the USA, it was Paeonia officinalis that the settlers came across on their way west. Only then active crossing work started there. In the first half of the 20th century a great number of magnificent varieties were produced, which for the most part were still unknown in Europe. The focus of the American peony cultivation lay on the herbaceous peonies. Breeders |
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Prof. A.P.Saunders |
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'Ballerina' is also distinguished by the splendid dark brown-red foliage when sprouting in spring. |
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'Princess' is one of the many Lutea hybrids of Prof. A.P.Saunders, which flower in many interesting colours. |
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«Nassos Daphnis» (*1914), a Greek immigrant, first trained to be a florist in New York; at the same time he taught himself to paint. In William Gratwick's nursery in Pavilion, N.Y., he has been crossing peonies for 50 years, carrying on Prof. Saunders'cultivating work. By means of backcrossing he has even succeeded in surpassing Prof. Saunders' crossings. |
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Nassos Daphnis, a successful American breeder of tree peonies, surrounded by peonies in Gratwick Nursery in Pavilion, N.Y., where he has been crossing tree peonies for over 50 years. |
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Nassos Daphnis, the second great tree peony breeder of the USA, named his creations after characters of Greek legends and after painters. The peony in the picture is 'Gauguin' and has bright colours similar to the paintings of the French painter, who himself painted a peony picture. The photo demonstrates the characteristics of a fully grown Lutea hybrid. |
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Toichi Itoh, a Japanese, succeeded after years of
effort in crossing herbaceous peonies with tree peonies. His
seedlings started flowering only after he had died. These
crosses, called Itoh-hybrids or Intersectionals, are a
combination of the qualities and beauties of the herbaceous
and tree peonies. In the flower the qualities of tree
peonies are dominant, whereas the herbaceous peony dominates
in growth and foliage. Most of them behave like herbaceous
peonies, i.e. they die back in winter and sprout again in
spring. Fully grown plants form spherical shapes with a
beautifully harmonic distribution of the flowers. |
Peony crossing is by no means over. In Europe, China, Japan, the USA, and lately also in New Zealand and Australia new peony cultivars are being produced. It will take years yet for them to be available on the market.
The Peony collection in Wädenswil
The peony collection of the Ingenieurschule Wädenswil, covering
an area of 600 square metres and open to the public, offers visitors
a representative survey of the world of peonies. Over 250 cultivars
and species are planted in groups according to geographic and
historic principles. Five sections are dedicated to the four great
peony regions of the world (China, Japan, Europe, USA) and wild
peonies. The show is at its most attractive in May/June, but for the
rest of the year companion plants in flower are well worth seeing.
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