Paeonia delavayi |
Native Region: China
Zone Range: 5-9
Preferred Climate: Semi sun; well draining garden soil.
Harvest Date: Wednesday 28 September, 2011
Seed count: 8-10
Description:
Stunning multistemmed tree peony species with deep true red flowers. Sweetly scented. Leaves are reddish to bronze for the first month during and after unfurling then become a lovely green. Most of specimens of this species have very finely dissected leaves, clearly standing out from the other tree peonies including its yellow flowering kin, P. lutea ludlowii. Easy to grow. Root resembles a parsnip with the branches coming from the crown. Strong vigorous grower. Drough tolerant when established. Mature plants reach 2 meters in height and spread.
Notes:
Can be grown in full sun, but I find that the bloom's life is shortened by half compared to its semi sun growing siblings. Deer proof.
Cultivation:
Stratifying seed. Continue cold stratification (4C) until February/March in a resealable baggie (with moist peat/sand/perlite). Don't freeze the seed. Once cold stratification period is over place in gentle warmth (20-25C) to germinate in 2-6 weeks. We recommend deep nursery pots when you prick out and transplant the seedlings. Depth should be 3 cm, covering seed head. A touch of mulch never hurts and a screen of somesort to keep digging rodents out. Keep pot in a somewhat shady cool spot. Grow on for 2 years before planting out in permanent site. Provide supplimental water until established. NOTE: all peonies send down their seedling root in the spring with the leafy stems emerging the following.
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