Peony Portraits

Itoh-Hybrids or Intersectionals -
a young group in the world of peonies

Walter Good

The herbaceous peony cultivars

Introduction

Characteristics
of I-Hybrids

The three sections
of the peony family

Some fundamental thoughts on
the crossbreeding of I-Hybrids

The herbaceous
peony cultivars

Cultivars by
Toichi Itoh

Looking at the forms of the
cultivation of tree peonies

Cultivars by
Don Hollingsworth

Some details of the history
of cultivation of the I-Hybrids

Cultivars by
Roger Anderson

Peony Database

The Peony in Europe until the 19th centuary
In Central and Northern Europe various forms of Paeonia officinalis had come into existence since the Middleage. In eastern Europe Paeonia tenuifolia (Fernleaved peony) is sure to have been cultivated in gardens, while in the Mediterranean region Paeonia officinalis, as well as most probably the numerous wild species that abounded in that region, were introduced into gardens. Hard to understand that in Europe the peony played only a minor part as a decorative plant, in spite of the relatively numerous wild species of the Mediterranean region. The peony was rather used as a medical plant. Because apart from other treatments also lunacy was sought to be cured by it, people probably rather stood in awe of the plant and kept their distance. On the other hand the above-mentioned Paeonia officinalis was a wellknown garden plant, as it is extremely robust and can be propagated easily; it was called «the rose of the poor».

Paeonia officinalis 'Rosea Plena'

Paeonia officinalis ' Rubra Plena', opening flower

Foto: Hermann Krupke, Sweden

Foto: Walter Good


Paeonia officinalis 'Rosea Plena'

Paeonia officinalis 'Alba Plena'

Foto: Walter Good

Foto: Walter Good

The European cultivars of Paeonia lactiflora came from China
In China Paeonia lactiflora and its subspecies had been cultivated for a long time. Thus a great number of most beautiful garden forms were created, of which the first were brought to Europe at the end of the 18th century, where they were then experimented on by cultivators and breeders especially in France. Several forms that had been imported from the Far East were simply given European names and put on the market by the nursery men as their own creations. During the 19th century the first cultivars of Paeonia lactiflora came to USA, where a lot of the finest new cultivars were breeded.

Paeonia lactiflora cultivar


Paeonia lactiflora 'Eva'

Paeonia lactiflora 'Bu Te'

Foto: R. Frank, Germany

Foto: R. Frank, Germany


Paeonia lactiflora 'Ave Maria'

Paeonia lactiflora 'Angel Cheek'

Foto: R. Frank, Germany

Foto: R. Frank, Germany


Paeonia lactiflora 'Mons. Jules Elie'

Foto: R. Frank, Germany


Paeonia lactiflora cultivars

Foto: R. Frank, Germany

Literature

     

Michel Rivière

Le Monde fabuleux des Pivoines, Floraprint France, Massy, 1992

     

F.C. Stern

A Study of the Genus Paeonia, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 1946

     

John L. Fiala

Chromosome Abnormalities in Paeonia Lutea Hybrid 'Alice Harding' and others [(Bulletin der American Peony Society, Nr. 191, Dezember 1968)] (Bulletin of the American Peony Society, No. 191, December 1968)

     

Reinhilde Frank

Päonien, Eugen Ulmer Verlag, Stuttagart, 1989

Copyright:
Walter Good
Wettsteinstrasse 6
CH-8332 Russikon
Switzerland, 2000

Tel:
Fax:

+41 (0) 1 954 12 09
+41 (0) 1 954 12 09

E-Mail:

 

helios@bluewin.ch