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Help-Is it too late to plant peonies now?

14 years ago

Hi everyone, I'm new to peonies, and just got some bare roots from mail order. These are two tree peonies, and one herbaceous peony. In our place we already had two blizzards, but it's supposed to get warmer again(30s-50sF) in the coming two weeks. I was wondering if I should plant them in the ground, or pot them up and over winter in garage and plant next fall?

Also, I ordered one tree peony but got two tree peony looking plants... Is this commen? Should I plant two of them in one hole?

Any of your help will be so much appreciated!!!

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Comments (5)

User
14 years ago
As long as you can work your soil go ahead and plant. Plant the two tree peonies separately. Depending on where you ordered the tree peonies from at least one nursery will send extra plants. Put a light mulch on the herbaceous but you may want to mound mulch completely over the tree peonies except leaving the very top clear. As the weather warms next spring gradually remove the mulch.
deereyebrow
Original Author
14 years ago
Hi maifleur,

Thank you so much for your reply!!! And thanks for the mulching tips! I will start my digging and planting tomorrow. I ordered them from Idlewild Farm, turned out one of the tree peonies was a gift plant. I won't be able to know what it is until it blooms. What a nice surprise!

Happy gardening,
deereyebrow
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User
14 years ago
If the company did not provide a name, either as a label on the plant or on the invoice it is probably a seedling with no name.

However Fen Dan Bai, Phoenix White, P. Osti, same plant family is being sent by some nurseries. It appears that this is a species family that comes true from seeds. There are variations in the color but flower will be white with maybe a blush or streaks of pastel pink or green. The plant grows for me to about 3-4 feet tall with the flowers held above the foliage. A very nice plant and one of my favorites.

I love receiving seedlings because you never know what the plant will do. Some of the most beautiful flowers I have had came from a now deceased tree peony that were semi-double peach.
deereyebrow
Original Author
14 years ago
Wow That sounds great. I didn't know much about peony seedlings but semi-double peach sounds yummy! White with blush sounds good too. I was thinking of getting a white one because somewhere I read that they can stand more sun. I can't wait to see them bloom! And grow big for me! This is just my first try with peonies and I hope I'll make them happy. Then I can get more peonies...So many to choose from! :D
intersectionalpeony
14 years ago
Idlewild attaches a plastic ribbon to its tree peonies. This ribbon has the name. If the ribbon was tied around both plants, then he sent you two of the same variety(on purpose). This is not unusual for the better growers. If they were not tied together, it is likely a gift. However, again he labels his gifts. The ribbon may have become detached.

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