Paeonia SUFFRUTICOSA

Paeonia SUFFRUTICOSA - Tree peony, Moutan peony, Paeonia suffruticosa.

Paeonia is a genus in the peony family (Paeoniaceae), the sole family in its order. There are about three dozen species in the genus, growing in the temperate zone of Eurasia and western North America. Most peonies are herbaceous, and only a small group is woody (tree peonies), featuring lignified shoots that do not die back in winter.

Tree peonies originate from mountainous regions of China. These are deciduous shrubs 1-2 m (3.3-6.6 ft) tall with a spreading crown and bipinnate bluish-green leaves.

The flowers are very large, up to 20-25 cm (8-10 in) across, single, semi-double, or double, ranging from pure white to pink, crimson, purple, and yellow, with a dark blotch at the base of the petals in many cultivars. The fruit is an aggregate follicle bearing large rounded shiny black seeds.

The tree peony is long-lived: a bush thrives in one place for several decades, and specimens older than a hundred years are known in China. With each passing year it produces more blooms, and a mature bush can carry up to a hundred flowers simultaneously.

Flowering occurs in late May and early June, two weeks earlier than herbaceous peonies. Shoots do not die back for winter, allowing the bush to retain its form year-round, while in autumn the foliage turns bronze-purple.

Seeds of the tree peony are large, rounded, black, shiny, with a dense coat and double dormancy. Prior to sowing, they are soaked for 2-3 days in warm water with water changes or in a solution of a growth stimulant: SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon. Stratification is mandatory and consists of two stages: first 2-3 months in warmth at 20-25 °C (68-77 °F) in moist sand - during this time the radicle begins growth - then 2-3 months at 2-5 °C (36-41 °F), after which the bud awakens.

The simplest method is to sow newly collected seeds before winter directly into the ground to a depth of 4-5 cm (1.6-2 in): both phases proceed naturally. When sowing in pots, a loose permeable substrate is used.

Seedlings emerge in spring, frequently only in the second year, so sowings must not be discarded prematurely. Seedlings grow slowly, being planted in their permanent spot in the third year, with first flowering expected in 4-6 years.

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The plant requires a bright spot with shade during the hottest hours: in scorching sun, flowers fade and wither faster.

The species is cold-hardy; a mature bush withstands temperate winter frosts. More hazardous than deep frosts are late spring frosts that strike swelling buds, making it advisable to cover the bush with non-woven fabric in spring.

Watering is infrequent but generous: the tree peony is drought-tolerant and suffers more from overwatering than from dry conditions. In autumn, watering is discontinued.

A loose, well-draining, neutral or slightly alkaline substrate is required. Acidic soils are limed, sand is worked into heavy earth, and a site where snowmelt never pools is chosen.

Feeding is carried out three times per season: with nitrogen at the onset of active growth, with complete fertilizer during bud formation, and with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer after bloom.

Pruning is minimal: only dead and damaged shoots are removed in early spring. Spent flowers are trimmed off if seeds are not needed. A mature bush tolerates transplanting poorly, so a planting site should be chosen thoughtfully for the long term.