I do not know what lowes is selling, I will need to check them out for that price, but peonies are not bulbs. so be careful.

Itoh peonies are usually closer to 75.00, and they can be semi-shrub forming based on some pictures I've seen and I don't think it makes sense.

It should look like a woody mass of roots, stems and reddish buds.

I have always wanted to get itoh (intersectional) peonies to add to my collection, but they are simply too expensive so I will probably try to acquire them in some plant trades.

The ones for sale are cell tissue culture plants when you find them in the $20-30 dollar range. Since intersectionals grow like rabbits expect the prices are going down. From observance if they are not divided regularly they tend to become impossible to divide.

A personal observation is that they will make excellent pot plants if planted in a large container. After a couple of years the soil level tends to shrink and repotting with division should keep the plant healthy and happy.

All peonies are nearly impossible to divide if not divided regularly, not only intersectionals.

Intersectionals are worse than regular ones. For some reason many of the new eyes appear to form under the roots. David if he is around can give a better insight on interestionals as he grows in pots.

When dividing really old herbaceous peonies as long as you have eyes the slabs of woody material can form roots successfully. I have several that were one eye and six inches of slab 19 years ago and are quite happy now.

I bought a Bartzella in a bag from Lowes to plant in the middle of a Hybrid Tea rose bed--since I can't reach the center easily I thought I'd plant a vigorous peony.

I got a large slab of woody material with stems already growing out of it. I planted it a week and a half ago--covering most of it up soil. I put a black plastic rose pot over it for a few days, to give the roots a chance to settle in, and then removed the pot on a cloudy day. It is just sitting there right now, which is actually somewhat hopeful, as we just had some really hot weather, and it hasn't wilted yet...

If thats a Bartzella, thats a really good price. I bought a Roy Pherson's Best Yellow and planted it last fall, it gave me 5 flowers this spring, I was impressed!

The peony is now leafing out!

Just got a bloom of the Bartzella from Lowes. Just one bud and bloom, but the plant is now of a decent size.

Not as much luck with a Julia rose from Lowes--it was very small last year (its first year)--this year it is up to a couple of stems.

Picture of the Bartzella

Last fall I bought Bartzella, Scarlet Heaven and Cora Louise on the internet and each was $29.95. The only one that didn't bloom this spring was Cora Louise but all three look very healthy. I don't remember who the seller was but there were several on Ebay that were selling Itohs in that price range.

The prices seem to be coming down.

Gentlemen

I just saw this thread. I had a discussion on the division of "natural" versus tissued cultured Itoh peony this morning. Refer to my post in the thread below:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/peony/msg0613183822541.html?7

The shape of a mature "natural" Itoh peony as shown in Carol Adelman's video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cgmDWpw3LQ

is quite different than a matured tissued cultured Itoh peony as shown in my picture attached below.

Planteck in Quebec claims they are "still the only lab in the world, offering large quantities of peonies from tissue culture." See:

http://www.planteck.com/ben/

I remember they were selling Itohs at about $8 a piece, but you have to buy a thousand or more to get this price.

The ones you buy for $75, they are mature plants having 5-7 eyes or more. You are paying for instant gratification. I ordered a few 2 year old peonies at $25 each for fall planting from:

http://www.lesjardinsosiris.com/pivoines_itoh.html

Other members here seemed to be happy this supplier, so I am giving them a try.

This post was edited by Moxx on Sat, Jun 7, 14 at 0:52