Peony

Choose a permanent planting site in full sun with well-drained, fertile soil, as peonies resent being moved and can thrive in the same spot for fifty years or more. Dig a generous hole eighteen inches wide and deep, and amend the soil with compost and a handful of bone meal. Plant bare-root divisions in early fall, positioning the eyes (pinkish-red buds on the crown) no more than one to two inches below the soil surface. Planting too deep is the single most common reason peonies fail to bloom.

Water newly planted peonies thoroughly and mulch lightly, pulling mulch back from the crown in spring to allow it to warm. Install peony support rings or grow-through grids in early spring before the foliage emerges, as the heavy double blooms will splay open and collapse after rain without support.

Once established, peonies are remarkably low-maintenance. Water during extended dry spells and apply a light dressing of compost and balanced fertilizer in early spring. Cut back the foliage to ground level after it dies back following the first hard frost in autumn, and remove all debris to reduce disease carryover. Herbaceous peonies require winter chill to bloom, making them unsuitable for tropical climates.

The genus Paeonia encompasses approximately 33 species distributed across temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and western North America. The centre of diversity for the genus lies in China, where the greatest number of species occur in the wild and where ornamental peony cultivation has the deepest roots. Archaeological and literary evidence indicates that the Chinese have grown peonies for medicinal purposes since at least the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), with peony root appearing in the earliest Chinese pharmacopoeias as a treatment for pain, inflammation, and disorders of the blood and liver. By the Sui Dynasty (581-618 CE), ornamental varieties were being developed and planted in imperial gardens, and during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), the tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) reached the height of its cultural status. The city of Luoyang became the peony capital of China, hosting annual festivals and competitions, and ownership of rare cultivars signalled wealth and taste among the aristocracy. In Europe, the common peony (Paeonia officinalis) was well known to the ancient Greeks and Romans primarily as a medicinal plant. Theophrastus described it in the third century BCE, and Pliny the Elder recorded its use as a remedy for nightmares and nervous conditions. Throughout the Middle Ages, peony root was carried as an amulet to ward off evil spirits and was an established component of the monastic herb garden across Europe. The herbaceous Chinese peony (Paeonia lactiflora) was introduced to European gardens in the late eighteenth century, and French, British, and American breeders rapidly developed hundreds of cultivars during the nineteenth century. The French nurseryman Victor Lemoine and his son Emile were particularly prolific, producing many varieties that remain in commerce today. In the United States, the American Peony Society was founded in 1903 and has maintained a cultivar registry ever since. Intersectional hybrids (known as Itoh peonies), created by crossing herbaceous and tree peonies, were first achieved by Japanese horticulturist Toichi Itoh in 1948 and became commercially available in the 1990s, opening an entirely new class of garden peonies with the massive flowers of tree types on the compact, herbaceous habit of lactiflora cultivars. Today, the peony remains one of the most beloved and commercially significant ornamental perennials worldwide.

Peonies prefer deep, rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.0. Amend the planting hole generously with compost and incorporate bone meal for phosphorus, which promotes strong root development and flowering. Apply a balanced granular fertilizer such as 10-10-10 in early spring as red shoots emerge, and again just after flowering. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, which encourage soft foliage growth susceptible to disease. Top-dress with compost annually in fall.

Cut peony blooms for arrangements when buds feel like soft marshmallows and are showing color but are not yet fully open. Cut in early morning with stems twelve to eighteen inches long. Remove lower foliage that would sit below the waterline. For extended enjoyment, cut buds in the tight marshmallow stage, wrap in plastic, and store in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. Deadhead spent blooms but leave the foliage intact through summer to build energy for the following year.

Fresh peonies last five to seven days in a vase with cool water and floral preservative. Peonies can be dry-stored in a refrigerator at 34 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit for three to four weeks when cut at the bud stage and wrapped in newspaper. To dry peonies, hang individual stems upside down in a dark, dry space for two to three weeks. Dried peony blooms are fragile but beautiful in arrangements. Peony petals can also be pressed flat between absorbent paper under heavy books for use in crafts and botanical art.