It certainly has been a cool spring hasn't it....and your peonies, while the coolness does allow for them to grow slowly, and I think, more strongly, there is not much chance a first year peony will bloom.

I also suggest you not get antsy if they don't bloom next season as well. You might get a bud or two...they may open, they may not. Better to count on year three for some bloom.

Its been my experience this spring that my tulips, while they, in the past, have flowered for about 10 days...two weeks, before beginning the process of dying, this year they have already passed the three-week term of full bloom.

I attribute this to the cool weather we have had. The bulbs have come along slow.....very slow...allowing full growth potential to come on scene without the rush of growth and bloom which I think causes flowers to come all at once....and die back just as quickly.

Now I have another plot of tulips coming where they are shaded by a spruce tree---these have commonly lasted more than a month. It will interesting to see if that span of time is expanded as well.

If you mean bloom the first year planted, I would say highly unlikely. I have four which were planted about two years ago, in May. I got one bloom last year, which I consider the second year (of growth) even though it was only in the ground about a year. This year, the plant that bloomed last year has four buds and two of the other plants have a bud, can't quite tell on the fourth plant yet. So my experience jives perfectly with what Diane said. Next year should be a great year!

Aaron

It depends on the Peony. I planted Diana Parks last fall (October, I think) and it's got a nice fat bud that is going to pop any day now. I also planted Dan W. last fall (same time) and it bloomed for me yesterday. Granted, I may get one or two blooms this year from these peonies, but it can happen. I've also had other peony that sat in the ground and didn't bloom till the 2nd year, and didn't really grow much at all til the 2nd year. It does just depend on the peony.

Diann
IA Z5a

Toured a grower last week, he stated that he trys to include one bud that could bloom the next spring in his divisions. This way the customer would know the first spring if the customer received the correct plant. This would explain why you have a bloom the first year then may have to wait another few years for another bloom. The old three year cycle.

Of course he divides 3-4 year old plants. Some growers just purchase roots from a wholesale operation and many things could happen between the field and the seller. Some may even plant small divisions and then dig them that fall to sell. A very large operation that does tens thousands of orders has a greater chance of a problem than an operator growing their own and dealing with only a couple of thousand orders. Also a smaller operation has a reputation to uphold and is generally more informed on what they have available. If the mention the red, white, and pink varities run don't walk to another nursery.

The only peonies I have had bloom the first year after planting were divisions of my own plants I have shared with friends. Al

I know exactly how you feel - this happened to me about 5 years ago when I first started growing peonies. I have found that as Maifleur says...it's the old 3 year cycle. You may get a token bloom next year but they won't start really blooming until year 3. I have 6 five year peonies now and they have so many buds it's unbelievable. They are going to make a glorious show in about a week or two's time. You will just have to be patient - but it will be worth it in the long run.

Seems like this gardening business is going to teach me patience one way or another! (I bought a young lilac, too - still several years out from blooming.)

Thank you everyone for your replies.

maifleur,
what do you mean? Re: red, white and pink varieties?
Thanks.

Also a smaller operation has a reputation to uphold and is generally more informed on what they have available. If the mention the red, white, and pink varities run don't walk to another nursery.

Sally M.,

What I mean is that many of the nurseries have peonies as just red, white, & pink. I have seen several national & regional nurseries tell their customers what the customer wants to hear. Typical conversation someone comes in looking for the peony that their grandmother, aunt etc had. Rather than miss a sale of course what they have is what you want. Most of the red, white & pink types are grown by field operations which contract for a color not a variety. The nursery unless they grow their own or have a good supplier can not know what they are receiving from the supplier. Many times the supplier doen't know. The supplier is sent a crate?? box of small roots to be planted. They may or may not have a name on the box.

As you said some not all small operations do value their reputation and will admit that they don't know what the peony will be. Some offer their customers the privelage to return the peony if it is not what the customer wants and honor their statement. Many will issue the same statement and never expect to honor it. How many gardeners actually can find their receipt from three years ago? The general time for a peony to produce mature flowers.

If you are looking for a specific type,be it any of the colors,a nursery that goes to the effort to have the named cultivars rather than the generic is a better nursery to look for. With the use of computers and on line cataloges a prospective buyer can look on the web find a plant that is what they want or looks close to it, print the web page and take it to local nurseries to find what they want. Many of the older cultivars have disappeared and it may be unlikely that you will find one exactly like your memory but it is great fun looking. Who knows if someone in the family or a friend hears what you are looking for you may actually find the missing plant of your dreams.

That said I am still looking for a dark red that has white or silver edging that was on my great-great garand uncle and aunts graves before the weed killer got it. The graves were from the mid 1920's so the plant would be after that date. The white was not a faded edge because as a in retrospect a bad child I took the blooms apart while waiting for the relatives to talk. If anyone has a suggestion please tell me.

Maifleur, have you looked at the Heartland Peonies web site? They have a nice gallery of peonies.

Diann
IA Z5a

Here is a link that might be useful: Heartland Peony Society

Diann, I use the HPS website and http://paeo.de to look for different varieties but although some of the european sites do have some pink with white or silver I have been unable to find a dark red. And yes I keep looking.

Depends. I've had first year blooms (and every year after that) on the stock I've gotten from Klehm's Songsparrow Farm. Everything else has taken years (3 or more) to bloom. I'm willing to wait.

Maifleur01 I know this is an old thread but I found it while trying to solve a different problem. The peony you are looking for is called "Sinbad". Originated from Auten in 1941. I hope this helps!

Thank you. Now I will have to check for sources.

I have been looking for a dark red with white edges similar to ones that used to be on one of my great great something or others grave until the late 1960's when that section of the cemetery was sprayed to get rid of plant growth. I am not certain the form is the same but the coloration looks the same.