Paeonia suffruticosa

Description:
More like a 2-3 meter woody multistemmed shrub than a tree, these glorious plants were once the exclusive property of Chinese Emperors. Large, fragrant single or heavily doubled flowers range in colours of pink, red, yellow, apricot, white, and mauve. Some may have darker contrasting blotch at the petal base. Divided leaves are a medium matt green but some have a bluish cast.

Notes:
Best grown in nursery pot first few years then seat in permanent position. Granular fertilizer burns roots; kills young plants. I use mineral fertilizers to amend soil when planting and give half strength organic nitrogen fertilizer once after flower buds have formed. Excess nitrogen gives weak tender stems that cannot hold up heavy blossoms and more winter kill if it cannot harden off in time. In autumn, remove fallen leaves and mulch well. Prune in winter if needed. The mystique behind tree peonies can intimidate many gardeners, but I've been growing many peony types (tree, hybrids, herbaceous, and species) from seed for years with great success.

Cultivation:
Stratified seed. Sow 2 cm deep in deep moist medium. Apply moisture retaining mulch keep in shade; keep moist. Complex dormancy, but half the work already done. Will put down root this spring with leafy stem appearing next spring (this time next year) remove any excess mulch and be careful not to disturb the seedlings as they are very fragile.