Carola, The Heartland Peony society has a peony search database and I searched for this Blue Lagoon and nothing comes up. So, my hunch is that who ever supplys peony to Wal-Mart had some un-named, mis-named, etc. peony that they just boxed up and re-named Blue Lagoon. I'm sure it will make a nice filler plant just don't count on it to look like the peony on the box.

Diann
IA Z5a

Here is a link that might be useful: Heartland Peony Database

I agree with Diann. Last year on ebay there was a Lavender Lady that I was assured that had been growing in the sellers yard for years. The next weekend there it was at Walmart. At the time the discussion thought that Lady was one of the renamed Chinese cultivars that have been being introduced to commerce. If you purchase the plant enjoy it for what it is. Remember not all pictures are as good or as bad as the original. Blue is generally a pinkish color not the Blue that someone will develope and market one of these days.

What I am waiting for are some of the Russian (Siberia) very cold hardy plants to be put in the market. Several of the european sites have a few but just as the west is unaware of many of the Chinese cultivars I am certain that given the size of the former USSR the variety of plants should be very large.

Yup, Walmart has them. 2 in a bag for $5.
I bought a bag. What the heck, for $5? I will wait to see what they look like. If I don't like them, not out much $$.
Mary Lu

I also did the same as Mary Lu. 2 for $5 is a minimal investment, and it will be interesting to see how they turn out. The photo on the label makes it appear that the flower is a light lavender/purple color (not blue), and if it turns out anwhere close to that I'll be pleasantly surprised. ;-)

I just got Blue Lagoon too, the price was just too good & such healthy roots. I bought the Lavendar Lady last year when it went on clearance, 3 in packet for that one, & all came up with great strong stems but too late to bloom I guess. I really am looking forward to it this year to see what it will look like. Also just bought sorbet from Walmart. After last year's purchase I had been waiting & looking for their peonies to come in & they never did. I finally realized "Hey, they just built a new big Walmart across town", well apparently that is where they sent most of their better stuff.

I am new to this site and impressed with all the helpful information. I too just bought Blue lagoon peony, 2 for $5.00 in a bag from Wally world. Nice roots. I will be anxious to see if they bloom close to the color pictured. I also can't seem to find any pictures or helpful information confirming it's identity to be true to advertisement. I belive if they are going to sell a plant they should research more carefully since they state 100% satisfaction. If mine does not bloom close to the color advertised, I will return them just to let them know this practice of selling plants that are not as advertised is not acceptable.

GOOD morning everyone,
I also run across "Blue Lagoon" and bought 2 bags,one to give to my mother-in-law.

Then I also saw and bought a Daylily "Blue Olive Bailey Langdon" which is a named DL by Munson.It is a Rebloomer,EM,Tet,5" bloomsize and 28 " tall.The picture shows a beautiful DL.Maybe it is tissuecultured ? The DL came 3 in a bag,also very healthy roots,
Brigitte

Well I just got back from Wal-Mart. I went in to buy Easter lillies cheap, and couldn't resist seeing what other plants they might have. I, too, bought two bags of "Blue Lagoon," having never heard of them before, figuring that for 5 bucks a bag, I'd rather go ahead and buy them than come home, Google "Blue Lagoon peony," and wish I'd bought them while I was there. And I, too, have found absolutely nothing on the web about this variety.

Ha Ha! Guess there are a lot of eager gardeners who are trying to force the spring :) I'll be interested to see what these things really look like when they bloom. I'm guessing that won't be until next year, but we'll see.

Keep me posted if anybody can find a picture of this type online, or comes across an explanation for its obscurity!

I was just wondering...how are you storing your Blue Lagoons until you can plant them? Mine have the red eyes already and it is winter here yet. Right now I am keeping them in our unheated bedroom (usually about 55 degrees) Will this be cool enough for them?
Mary Lu

Mine are still in the bags, in the cold garage. I haven't decided what to do yet. I'll either:

A - pot them in the next couple of weeks and grow them in pots, hoping to get a bloom, for fall planting (I'd kind of like to see what the flower REALLY looks like before I decide where to put these things). The only downside is that I've read peonies don't like to be transplanted once established. But I figure, the ones I've already planted started out in some nursery's container, so what's the difference?

B - keep them dormant until I have a bed prepared for them, which will probably be a month from now.

I think that as long as you keep them cool and dry, they should be OK. But if they start sending up shoots, you may want to get them into a pot, because they're gonna starting getting thirsty :)

Thanks. I think I will pot them up and keep them in pots until late summer. As you mentioned, when you buy them from a nursery they are in pots! I don't have a garage so it is either the house or outside and it is way too cold yet for outside!

I too would like to see what they "really" look like before I decide to plant them in a permanent location. (Oops...that doesn't happen often) I have moved several peonies several times and they haven't minded yet. Moved them in spring and they still bloomed that year.
Mary Lu

I bought a couple of 'blue lagoon' from Wally too! Could'nt resist and they are a steal for the price! Also loaded on a couple of 'Festiva maxima' and 'Sorbet'!

I was just outside in my yard noticing that the peony was putting up red shoots. It has been unseasonably cold here so I was surprised. However, I was wondering if the already planted peonies are coming up, why we couldn't go ahead and plant more peonies now? I of course haven't seen any peonies at Walmart but planning on looking once I get there. My peony plant needs divided. One year I dug up some stray shots that successfully grew for my mother. Can I dig right into the clump and get some shoots to plant elsewhere? Since I dug the ones for my Mother, I haven't seen any more come up. Just wondering. I love this plant and don't want to kill it but I would love to start new ones. Thanks!

Illinoisdoglover, do you really think Wal-mart is going to care if your Blue Lagoon doesn't bloom true to the color on the box? They might well give you your money back, but it won't stop them from continuing to sell mis-named, un-named products in boxes with doctored up photos on the front. If you want someone to stand behind the peony they sell and have it be true to name, then you need to buy from a real peony grower. Legitimate peony growers will stand behind their product and guarantee it to bloom true to name. There are a lot of legitimant peony growers out there. You pay for what you get. :)

That all said, if you are just looking for some cheap filler plants for your perennial beds then Wally-world, Costo, K-Mart are the places to go. The price is right and if they die you're not out a whole lot. :)

Diann
IA Z5a

sgiesler
You should only try to move/divide the peony plant in the fall. If you just try to dig into the clump it will cause a good bit of damage to roots that you dont really wish to damage but I have to admit, I have done it myself. It will be much better to divide off a bit of your plant in the fall.

Thanks all for the tip about the plants and prices, I stopped by there and got a bunch of Peonies for myself yesterday. I also got a bunch of the trumpet Lily bulbs and some cheap daylilies.
The cheap daylilies were in white bags, couldn't see them. Daylilies are mixed colors, pretty rough. Just chopped up root pieces, lump tops and partial crowns. Various sizes of roots in the bags.
The trumpet Lilies were nice sized, many with shoots coming up, visible in clear bags.

I potted everything up outside today, 45F, felt as nice as summer. I labeled plants, watered them and then put their pots in my shed to wait for warmer weather. I covered the shoots and sprouts with dirt to protect them from cold. Our ground is still frozen under the mud. Supposed to snow tonight, mid 20Fs!
I am planning to use the cheap, mixed daylilies as fillers by the roadside ditch, might take them a couple years to fill out much! Peonies were much better roots, but I did sort thru the bags to make sure they had lots of buds on big roots. This will let me spend my saved money on some other fancier Peonies that I wanted.

I got some small Tree Peonies off Ebay around the end of Feb. Seller did not pay any attention to my requested ship date of mid-April. All the plants arrived within a week of payment. I had to pot those up also, but kept them in the house, since they had sprouted a LOT. Too cold outside for them. All are growing well, 3 of 5 have put on 2 inches of stick growth since, along with leaves 10inches long. 2 slow ones are coming, just unfolding slower. Take up a lot of room in front of the East facing french doors!! I don't expect any flowers on them this year, but MAYBE next year.

I have more stuff in pots than I have ever started with in Spring. Sure hope the warmer weather shows up soon!

Aren't we suckers for pretty pictures and cheap prices! I bought one too and was lured by the picture and size of the eyes! Mine has grown an inch already in the ground, bet it will be a pink!

i believe the pic on the front of the package is one of the growers tulips if you check out the grower on the web they have a pic of a double lavender blue tulip that is identical to the pic on the package of peonies.

There is this photo on eBay, so far the only photo on the web that I've been able to find that isn't from the Wally packaging.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=75662&item=4367700675&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

The auction doesn't state much, except "2 PREMIUM NUMBER 1 SIZE TUBEROUS ROOT" which implies that it is probably the same packaging as all the other Wally auctions up there. (Good for them, the other sellers, hope they are prepared for returns though if necessary. I'm all for free enterprise if they back up their product.)

The photo this seller used looks like it might be digitally modified, like the greens and shadows are too dark and uniform to each other, perhaps a blue tint was cast over a pinkish bloom? But maybe I'm wrong, maybe it is actually a Blue Lagoon photo. Haven't received a reply from the seller yet.

What do you think?

Here is a link that might be useful: A different photo of Blue Lagoon on eBay.

Marcy,

Please share the link to the tulip page you were talking about. I can't seem to pull it up on google.

Thanks!

That ebay seller says, "no returns." Think he/she stands by the product? ;)

I found this one, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1134345}}

Hi Jon (jeveritt),

That picture link is to my site. It is a scan of the Wally package which is why I'm so curious as to where Marcy found the tulip picture she was talking about. If it's true I'll have to pull that picture.

Vikk, I didn't notice that the eBay seller says "no returns". (Still no word back from that person either.) Just goes to show... ...Buyer Beware.

I am guilty of selling this mystery peony too, but I back everything I send with a 2 year No-Questions-Asked warranty. Don't like it, send it back (dead or alive) with payment slip for a full refund including shipping. It can always be resold as an unidentified peony later at the farmers markets. Seems everybody should have a chance to back out if a certain variety doesn't live up to their expectations.

Because I AM selling Blue Lagoon is why I'm trying so hard to research this mystery plant. Snatched them up on a whim and already repackaged them... might be too late to return them! We'll see what happens.

Oh yeah, Jon, keep them as dark and as cold as you can to slow their growth. Wally has already broken their dormancy for you. You can also get them in the ground as soon as you possibly can. You can always move them later. (I know, that's not what the experts say, but I've been moving peonies all over the yard at all times of the year. They are very strong willed.) If you plan on finishing your new bed before bloom season arrives down there put them in pots like you mentioned. If you can't keep them bareroot at 33F (or just above freezing) get them outside into pots. Best way to move them around and save some of the blooms. And always keep the buds at or just above the ground level... ...too deep means loss of blooms or death. Good luck!

Perrence

Hey Perrence! Thanks for all the tips - I've potted them and plan to keep them in the cold garage for the next few weeks - probably plant in the fall. Didn't want to put them in a permanent spot without seeing what they REALLY look like :)

I specifically looked for bags in which the eyes were still just starting (some already were leafing out - yikes). These are really good size tubers, too. Some have 6 or 7 eyes on 'em.

So, if I read your note right, you haven't actually seen this bloom either? When I saw the pic on your web site, I was heartened that it looked so similar in color to the package.

Also - have you ever heard of this variety before? I still can't find any background. The closest thing in appearance is a japanese tree peony that starts with a "K" - same color but with an orangey-yellow eye.

Anyway - appreciate the intro - small world!

Nope, I'm afraid I'm like everybody else, trying to track down any information what-so-ever on this mystery.

I'd like to call the supplier but haven't been able to find a website for them, have to search the old fashioned way. Another route would be to contact the peony society, see if they have done any research into the matter.

There is also the chance that if it is actually a "Blue Lagoon" peony that it was never officially registered as a variety. I have a daylily named "Bodacious Returns" from a reputable nursery. It is from their own breeding work but it was apparently never registered.

I agree with you, these were some gorgeous peony roots/eyes, whatever the blooms look like.

Perrence

I bought a bag too. I figure even if they aren't blue or lavender I'll get a peony anyway. I only have a few and the price was right!

Lenore

Right on qbirdy, price is right for populating the garden!

Whew! Glad I got outbid on the spendy Blue Lagoons on eBay. That'll teach me to read the forums first!
I'm going to check out Wally World anyway!

I checked out all the Walmarts within a reasonable distance, and they have NONE..never even heard of them....so I ended up buying a couple of Blue Lagoons on Ebay(not "cheap", but they were about what you pay from most mail order Peony sources anyway, so I figured it was my best option to try them out) I doubt Walmarts in my area of the state even got any in stock because Peonies really don't grow very well at the low elevations in the West. I am at a high altitude and we get cold winters, so they love it where I am, but I have to either buy peonies at local nurseries if they get them in, or by Mail Order....GardenLove