Introduction to the uses of Peonies
Peonies are well-liked perennials because of their attractive display and easy maintenance. The flowers come in many hues and even after the short blooming period, the lush foliage lends beauty to the garden. Combinations of early and late blooming peonies also extend bloom time.

History of Peonies
Peonia are a genus of the family peoniaceae. There are several hybrid cultivars in each species of the peony. China and Russia have many wild peonies and China has cultivated peonies for over 2000 years. There is considerable interest in the study and development of new cultivars of peony and many originate from the same species.

Description of the Peony
Peonies are broadly of two types; garden peonies (Peonia valbiflora or Peonia officianalis) and tree peonies (Peonia Suffructicosa). Garden peonies are small herbs and grow to a height of 2 to 3 feet. Tree peonies are shrubs with woody stems. Unlike the garden peony, the tree peony retains its stems in winter.

Garden peonies are classified based on the shape and structure of their flowers into single, semi-double, Japanese, and double or anemone. The single peony has one layer of wide petals around a central cluster of stamens. The semi-double peony has more layers of wide petals around the stamens. The Japanese peony is similar to the single peony, but the cluster of stamens is modified into a mass of smaller petals. The double peony or anemone is a globular flower as the central stamens are completely transformed into petals.
Generally there are single flowers in a stem though certain species produce side buds and have more flowers. Some peonies are extremely fragrant but there are also mildly fragrant as well as malodorous species of the peony. Colors range from white to yellow, many shades of pink and deep red, though blue peonies are not known to exist.
Popular types

Some commonly cultivated varieties (cultivars) of the peony are the Sarah Bernhardt, Teresa and Mons Jules Elie (all various shades of pink), Baroness Schroeder, Festiva Maxima (white and combination), Felix Supreme & Felix Crousse (reds).
Growing tips and instructions
Peonies need both the sun and the winter coldness to grow and flower well. The plants thrive best in sunny areas, or in a light shade with rich well-drained soil. Most peonies grow well in zones 2 to 8.

Peonies are best planted in early fall, from September to October. The holes must be wide to accommodate the roots. They should be spaced 2 - 4 feet apart depending on the plant size. Each root division should have at least 3 to 5 buds or eyes and these should not be more than 2 inches below the surface when planted. The plants must be watered well and fertilized with super phosphate or bone-meal and a low nitrogen mixture in addition to organic manure. As peonies can be left undisturbed for many years, it is best to ensure availability of adequate manure at the time of planting itself. The soil may be tested every 3 years for assessing fertilizer requirements.
Once the shoots appear, they should be checked periodically and taller plants with big flowers may need support once they are fully grown. Mulching peonies with organic matter during spring checks weeds, retains moisture and keeps roots cool. The old mulch should be removed in fall.

Peonies generally bloom during May - June. Those species with side buds are disbudded leaving only the central bud to ensure flower size.
The single and some semi-double peonies produce seeds. The seeds require a cold dormancy period, where they need to be maintained in a cool environment, before they begin to germinate.

Newly established peonies may not bloom for up to 2 years. Failure to bloom may also be due to the use of immature plants, planting too small tubers or planting too deep, insufficient sun, less nutrition, or winter dormancy.
After flowering, the shoots should be left intact until the leaves wither. Then the stems of the garden peony may be cut off about 3 inches from the ground. The tree peony however, must not be pruned.

Common Pests & Diseases that Effect Peonies
Diseases such as gray mold, leaf blotch, phytophthora blight etc. are fungus infestations which affect the peony and cause the shoots to rot or wither. The infested stems must be cut and destroyed to prevent the fungus from surviving on them. Fungi thrive in damp environments and planting peonies on raised beds ensure better drainage. Fungicides can be used where necessary.

Ring spot, also known as mossaic virus results in a mottled appearance of the plant and is a viral infection. The le moine disease affects the entire plant and retards growth. The plants affected by these diseases should be destroyed.
Scales are the only pests that can damage the plant. However, ants found feeding on the nectar does not harm the plant.

If you like Peonies....These pages might also interest you:

Allium Directory, Amaryllis Directory, Begonia Directory, Crocus Directory, Daffodils Directory, Dahlia Directory, Hyacinth Directory, Iris Directory, Lily Directory, Tulip Directory