I sent some to my sister near Oklahoma City last fall, they're doing well. One bloomed 1st spring, others probably next year. I grew up in Jefferson Texas and they'll grow there. My mother claims to have seen a 10 ft tall tree peony in Marshall Texas, I never saw that one! What part of Texas are you in?

Herbaceous peonies need a certain number of chilling hours to flower. One lady from Texas didn't see blooms for six years until this last year due to an unusual winter. I knew of a Texan who successfully grew the earlier cultivars, but couldn't grow the late doubles because of the summer heat. Texas is a huge state. Flowering will depend on the climate in your particular area. I understand tree peonies flower regardless.

I can't say for sure since I only lived in Texas for 3 years and did not try to grow peonies during that time, but growing up in South Dakota, I was always told that peonies do not flower well/survive well "down South."

On the other hand, I did live in the Texas panhandle for those 3 years, and I can tell you that those winters can get rather chilly! But there is a lot of night-time freezing and day-time thawing--day after day after day. Don't know how well that constant freeze-thaw cycle would work with peonies.

The only other thing I know about growing peonies "down South" is that years ago I read in a nursery catalog (Wayside Nursery, perhaps) that Maximus Festiva (or is it Festiva Maximus--I always forget which way) is one of the few peonies that survives and blooms regularly in southern climates. I have 4 of them--they bloom earlier than most of my other peonies. That perhaps is why they do better in warmer climates.

Don't know how much that will help you, but I have exhausted my knowledge of the topic now. LOL

Kate

Thanks for all the info.
I live just south of Houston. The weather here is hotter than most of Texas. I purchased 3 peonies this year (pillow talk, festival maxima & double princess). They all say areas 3-9 but I had heard that they all need cold winters, which we don't really have. It really only gets down into the 50's here.

I'll have to keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best!

Do report in next year and let us know how your experiment turned out. We may all learn something from it. : )

Good luck.

Kate

Call your local county extension service and ask for the average cooling hours where you live. If you have at least 400 hours you should be able to grow peonies that will bloom. You will need to plant them high enough that the top of the root, which will contain the buds for next years bloom, are exposed to air temperature, not soil temperature. Al

My husband and I been talking about our retirement lately (although we're only in our early 20s). We were talking about moving to Thailand since my grandparents left us a house and the cost of living is cheaper. Then I mentioned to him that I would miss my peonies too much. So he suggest that we have a walk-in cooler/fridge where I can put couple of potted peonies in there for couple of months. I think this will be the only way to have peonies in hot climate areas.

joopster, just think of all the tropical plants you will be able to grow in your new location. It is a good idea to think about your retirement in your twenties, especially think about having enough money to retire. Al

Regarding Oklahoma City, all of Oklahoma has several weeks of freezing temperatures in the winter. No problems growing peonies here, if you can keep the knife-happy neighbors away from them.