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Broken limp on Tree Peony

19 years ago

I just bought a new tree peony. The plant was fine at the store but a branch either broke while in my car (more than likely) or the wind broke the limb.

I noticed it while mowing the lawn. I immediately put the 18" limb (the only one with a bud on it) in some water in the hope that it would form roots and could possibly plant it in the fall.

Will a tree peony form roots like this? If so is there anything else I can do to help the limb survive? The break was about 1 inch above the root ball.

The rest of the plant still looks great, just lost about 40 % of its width.

I am new to peonies. I still am waiting for the fist bloom on the ones I do have in the ground.

Thanks,

Patrick

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Comments (6)

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
18 years ago
Sorry about your loss. I would not expect the broken branch to root. I would make a clean cut where the branch broke off. The plant will do just fine without the broken branch. Al
shrubs_n_bulbs
18 years ago
It won't root in water. Place it in a free-draining soil like a cactus mix and keep it damp but not wet. Remove most of the leaves because they will die anyway. It might root but don't get your hopes up. If it roots, it will take several years to properly establish but you will then have two identical tree peonies.
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minnesnowta
18 years ago
Don't worry about a broken branch. A major one broke out of mine due to heavy winter snows, (and I suspect my husband threw more compacted snow on top of it while shoveling the walk). I was devastated but, lo and behold, it prompted the plant to send up 3 new healthy stems from the very bottom. Tree peonies are much tougher than I was led to initially believe.

Cher
Rikk30
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks for the advice all! I was really disappointed with what happened but things do go wrong sometimes. I am sure the original plant will grow back to its former size next spring.

A deer ate some of a pink one the other day but has not bothered it since. So far they do avoid peonies. They did not touch them last year but the pink peony was new this year. But the day lilies, they are lucky to get a bulb. The wonders of sharing my land with the animals!

Thanks again!
yenny mcdaniel
3 years ago
Oh my, I received 3 tree peonies in the mail and one had a broken branch, so I put the branch into water. It is now forming buds and some little green shoots. Does your earlier discussion mean I am not going to get any roots to grow a new plant? Do I still have a chance if I put it in the cactus mixture?

Thanks !!
AlexUnder
3 years ago
I doubt it. You may try grafting one if you have herbaceous roots stock, though.

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