Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
zinniabride_gw

Russian peonies in Kansas

zinniabride
18 years ago

Would be interested in more info about which varieties of peony the German-Russans brought with them to Kansas.

Or for that matter ANY info about peonies and various ethnic groups.

Thanks

Here is a link that might be useful: Kansas Peonies -- From Russia with Love

Comments (6)

  • MichaelB_MAz6
    18 years ago

    Hi.

    Thats a very interesting post. I was familiar with the German emigration to Russia and the subsequent re-emigration to the United States and Canada.

    I am sorry I don't know the peony type though. It would be interesting to know what the settler decendents called them. My mother is from Germany and she called peony's Pfingen-Rosen so called because they flowered near Whitsunday or Pentecost (Pfingen) That is really a folk or common name. I mention this becuase the Germans who settled in Russia kept their own language and customs with them and still spoke German when they went to the United States, not Russian. I it seems likely that they brought the peony with them from Germany to Russia as well, and it may not be a "Russian" peony.

    Good luck

    Michael

    PS I will try to find out what type from my gardening books at home tonight. Thxs for the post!

  • ego45
    18 years ago

    ' I it seems likely that they brought the peony with them from Germany to Russia as well, and it may not be a "Russian" peony. '

    Less likely that 'original' peonies, even if they brought them to Russia, survived 'as is'.
    Russians are very good in hybridizing peonies as this is the one of the few reliably blooming showy spring garden plants considering their winters.

  • peonyman
    18 years ago

    I live in Kansas and I saw this article in the Lawrence Journal World last week when it came out. I did think that it was interesting. I had assumed that perhaps the peony was P. Officinalis rubra plena flora. However that is one peony that I do not grow and it is nearly impossible to make an ID from a photo. About 4 or 5 years ago I purchased a group of peonies from a former USSR country, Lithuania. The person that I got them from collected some of them during his travels across northern Europe. Others were peonies that came originally from the US. European varieties included Belaja Casa, Serebrenyi Velvet, and Nadia. There is also a Nadia that is a registered variety.

  • MichaelB_MAz6
    18 years ago

    Hi again,

    I found some info. But the peony in the article looks like a double. If it was originaly from west/central Europe before 1800 it is a form of peony officinalis (sp).

    I could not find information on how far back peony cultivation went in Russia. I only made the assumption that they brought it with them from Germany because they wanted to recreate and keep their customs in Russia. It could very well be a native russian peony.

    Here is a link I found that was useful. See espcially the info that it was brought north of the alps and then found its way into cottage gardens.

    Here is a link that might be useful: brief peony history

  • zinniabride
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thank you all so much for these wonderful insights, historical sources, personal observations. And the Schongauer painting is completely glorious!!

    Seems from what you all have written that peonies make good passalong plants and could provide a really strong source for studying the migrations of many ethnic groups, in addition to the Russian Germans.
    Has anyone tried that?

    I appreciate all these kind and informative replies.

  • IrisSeitz
    11 years ago

    My German Greatgrandparents came to Kansas from Russia and my understanding is they brought what they refer to as German Peonies with them. My Grandmother gave each of her 52 grandchildren one when they purchased a home. My family settled in Paxico, Ks (about 25 miles west of Topeka on I70) and there are German Peonie bushes everywhere in Paxico. Even the cemetery is full of them planted on many graves.
    They are all deep red with beautiful fernlike leaves. Mine always blooms several weeks (2-4) earlier than my regular peonies.
    I hope this is helpful

Sponsored
Premier Home Services, Inc
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars19 Reviews
Loudoun County Complete Turn-Key Contracting Solutions