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kek19

peonie..woody plant?

kek19
16 years ago

My mother has a peonie bush, at least that's what we've always called it. It's old, not sure how old, but at least 20yrs. It's not the typical idea of a peonie, that is, it doesn't die back and regrow in the spring (she has those too). It is a woody plant. It's not that big, at least not to consider it a tree. probally about 3.5 ft tall and equal width. I know there are peonie trees, are there woody bushes too? Or is it considered a tree?

Comments (8)

  • jqpublic
    16 years ago

    I believe its the tree peony you're talking about. Its called a tree but is no where near the size of what most think a tree should be...I think the reason its called a tree is that its woody as opposed to herbaceous. A pic would be helping. But google "tree peony" and see if thats what you are seeing.

  • maifleur01
    16 years ago

    What your mother has is a tree peony. Most tree peonies in this country suffer from freeze damage if planted outside. In the Far East they are protected and pruned to form actual small trees. Check some of the postings in this forum from about a year ago. Pictures were posted of a peony festival in China and if you pay attention to the large pots the plants growing there are tree peonies.

    When your mothers plant blooms please post pictures.

  • kek19
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Ok, I looked at www.treepeony.com and yes, it must be a tree peony. My next question is, how can I get a second plant off of it? Will it grow from a cutting? A root cutting?

  • maifleur01
    16 years ago

    If there is a branch close to the ground, bend it and cover with dirt. Then weight the dirt down. With luck the section will have roots by this fall. If it does you then carefully dig up the rooted section and cut from main plant. With even better luck look for a stem that has roots on it this fall. Carefully dig and cut from main plant.

    If these options fail you can try your luck at doing a graft in August early September. With grafts you could do a hundred with out getting one to live.

  • birdinthepalm
    16 years ago

    I would say the comment about the tree peonies being not hardy outdoors is incorrect, and the hybrids are very cold hardy, but I'd also add perhaps that information comes from reports on some of the old species ones that are perhaps not nearly so cold hardy, and having received a yellow, which is possibly a "species" one, it has died back to the ground every winter for me, though none of the hybrid ones I've had for years now, ever die back and continue to get taller every year and with more flowers.

  • morz8 - Washington Coast
    15 years ago

    Tree peonies are cold-hardy, shrub-like, grow in Zones 4-8. But, certain varieties can handle the cold better than others in Zone 4, and there are some that grow in Zone 9.

  • kitty747
    15 years ago

    My tree peonies are grafted -- actually to herbaceous roots. I know this because one of them has grown a shoot which has a pretty coral-colored single flower. I think I cut it off, at least I intended to. Here in zone 5 they do not die back in winter and will be out in a few days. Here are some pictures from an older webshots site.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Tree Peonies

  • maifleur01
    15 years ago

    I re-read my post and have no idea where my brain was on the subject of freeze damage. The first year or so until established tree peonies can suffer from freezing but after that are generally hardy.

    Some of the tree peonies that are now being sent to this country are from areas of China that are much further south than the cultivars that have been imported to this county in the past. This does open a possible market along the gulf coast. A company turned it's tree peonies over to Auburn University. Many of them are planted in various locations in Alabama. The more southern members may want to contact them to find where the plants are located and see if they meet your taste's.

    Sorry for my poor post earlier.

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