my tree peony is being killed by the herbacious peony it is grafted to

6 years ago

Over the past couple of years, my tree peony is being starved by the herbaceous peony it is grafted to. They both are beautiful and I would like to save them but my tree peony is slowly getting smaller and dying. What can I do?

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Comments (3)

littlebin
6 years ago
Separate them in Autumn, cut the above ground herbaceous part in tree peony, then plant deeper, so the tree peony will generate its own root.
lizbest1
6 years ago
This is a bad time of the year to try to do anything to it because I'm pretty sure you're going to have to dig it up to see what's going on. You didn't say how long the tp has been in place but if it has developed some roots you might be able to save them both. I'm hoping that is the case, don't think you'd see any tp growth this year at all if the graft had failed with no roots produced. Regardless, what's done is done. I'd say your best bet is to dig it up this fall, being careful to get all of the roots. Wash them off really well so you can see what's going on in the root department! If you see the 2 different kind of roots (tp will typically be less tuberous than the herb.) carefully separate them. Might want to leave the roots in the shade for a few hours before attempting, they're pretty brittle when first out of the ground but get a bit more flexible after a bit.

If there is no tp root there examine the graft. If it still looks viable I'd probably prune anything from the herbaceous root that looks to be growing above ground and replant so that the graft is a few inches below ground. Bet this 2nd option isn't even a possibility though--either the graft is good and you're growing tp roots but the herbaceous root hasn't died off because of planting depth or you'll only have herbaceous roots when you get it out of the ground.

I'm certainly not a tree peony expert, just started seriously collecting them a few years ago myself. Hopefully someone with far more experience will chime in and give more expert advice. Good luck, hoping for the best!
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Most tree peonies are grafts. What you are seeing is the nurse root sending up foliage. They will remove food from your tree peony. If they have buds I would allow one or more to bloom to see what the flower looks like. Couple of questions to ask yourself. Is the herbaceous flower something you want to keep? Sometimes they are quite nice. Did you plant the tp deep enough that it has developed it's own roots? You have a couple of options. Cut or pull the herbaceous stems now but you need to dig down carefully to see if you have roots coming off of the upper stem. This fall you should dig the plant checking for the tp's own roots on the upper part of the stem. If the roots are there cut the nurse root from the tp. Keeping if you like, give to someone, compost. Replant tp a little deeper so it will develop stronger roots. If there are no roots from the tp you need replant deeply with much of the tree peony stem below ground. Do not remove nurse root because the only nutritian the plant is receiving is from the nurse root. The idea is to plant the grafted tree peony deep enough that the nurse root dies and the tp portion sends out its own roots.
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You might consider sinking the pots into the ground, to prevent drying out. I fill pot edge up even with dirt surface, no lip showing on pot, to prevent pot being a water puddle and not draining well. I dig in all the pots with plants when I can't get them settled into permanent locations for a while, even over the winter. The surrounding dirt keeps the pot as moist as the soil, keeps temps even, not over heated like pots will get sitting on ground in the sun. Cooks the roots. If the pot will be in the ground a while, I will also move plant to next larger size pot. Just lift out whole pot of dirt, not disturb roots, just add dirt to sides, bottom, top. A touchy plant or very sensitive one will have me cutting smaller pot off to prevent breaking his rootball, or any delicate feeder roots, then transfer into slightly larger pot. This lets plant continue growing over long time, without becoming rootbound. I usually have a great root system for planting time. Much less work over time with dug in pots, than keeping standing pots watered. Less stress on plants and loss too, as they sit in the ground. No loss of roots when you do move them, just pop the pots out of holes. Plants seem to suffer little shock or stress with removal of plastic pot, replacement in the new dirt hole, they just keep growing in their new home.
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I suppose too you might have fed the cherry tree...or the lawn that it sits on...and did likewise for the peony. Cherry trees need not to be fertilized.....and neither does your tree peony....much better bloom when not fed. Possibly where its at...in the middle of your lawn, it ..the lawn, gets plenty of high nitrogen lawn fertilizer....maybe with a ratio of 21/7/7....24/6/12...something along those lines. So much nitrogen, feeding your lawn is good.....unfortunately, it is having an effect on your peony...and will too on your cherry. Give your peony a wide berth where your lawn fertilizer is not so affecting it. And....I suppose it was your doing to put the tree peony so close...or vice versa...to that darn cherry which is maturing out and wants to hug your peony. Don't let it. Get it out of there and give it as good a sun as it deserves. Feed your lawn........starve your peony.
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dcarearuthie2 it depends on the type of tree peony. they will basically fall into 2 groups: those with one primary tap root; and those with the roots that branch out in divisions and without dirt look kind of like a bird's nest. The one's with one primary tap root are almost impossible to transplant or move after they are planted. The other with roots that branch out are easy to transplant. Like the others have said, dig the plant up along the outer edge of where the leafs grow. The root mass may be huge (see attached picture); This is a transplanted tree peony that was at least 30 years old. The root mass was about 4 feet by 6 feet and took up my entire trunk of my car. Luckily, it was the kind with multiple root systems that branch out. Take the plant out of the ground and rinse off the roots with a water hose. Any parts that break away that have a root are viable. I actually ended up getting four plants off of this one. Anyway, the plant will have the best chance at survival if you move it after Labor Day when it is dormant (or when the leaves die and fall off). Been there and done that. Good luck. What type of tree peony is it? Color and characteristics? Maybe offer to take the plant and transplant something else nice in its place?
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maifleur01
6 years ago
Not an expert but lizbest covered most of it. One stopgap thing you can do is cut the herbaceous stems off now leaving a 6 to 8 inches of the stem so that you will know which part is tree and which is herbaceous. Then mound dirt thickly over the plant. With luck the tree peony may send out small roots into the new dirt. If you can separate plant the tree peony so that 6 to 8 inches if possible is under the ground. I have had nurse roots that I have liked better than the tree peony so you might also want to plant what you cut off.

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my tree peony is being killed by the herbacious peony it is grafted to

Comments (3)

littlebin

lizbest1

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