Itoh Peony

Itoh peonies also known as intersectional hybrid peonies have the characteristics of tree and herbaceous variety; they have huge and colorful flowers like most tree peonies and the perennial growing cycle of herbaceous peonies. They have vigorous growth habits and huge colorful flowers like the tree peonies and the bush will remain green after the flowering cycle. They have woody stems which can support bigger blooms.

 

I purchased from the Spring Hill Nursery catalog several years ago and finally bloomed this spring. The label is gone so I am not really sure the name of this Itoh peony. It has huge flowers, about 7 inches in diameter with a coral color and large flare in the center. It comes back every spring but has not bloomed since I planted it then dies back in fall. It has several flowers this spring and perhaps will have more next year and the next.

The foliage stays until early fall then cut back when the stems and foliage turn brown.

Peony 2015

This year’s peony went well with the peony having not only more flowers but bigger bloom as well. The peony plant itself is much bigger and healthier. It is growing bigger and healthier every season.

The plant was trimmed late winter and started to grow shoots early spring with full leaves by middle of the spring. It started to bloom as early as mid spring which lasted for almost a month.

I deadheaded the spent flowers about late spring with the green leaves lasting early December. If the plant is situated properly with enough sunlight, it will last and bloom for decades. Peonies rarely need to be divided; the plant I have still does not need to be divided. 

Peony, May 23, 2012

I bought and planted 3 herbaceous peonies almost 8 years ago. One of them survived and grows back every spring but it never bloomed. This spring it finally bloomed. The flower is huge, almost 5 inches across when it fully opened after a few days.

The flower is off-white with a streak of pale salmon pink towards the center. It is fully double with lots of petals. Peony flower is not usually available in flower shops in Southern California. Trader Joe’s sometimes sell the flower in spring but they are rather tiny with only a few petals. Not the one that I planted.

The leaves are dark green with reddish veins and they look very healthy. The flower stem is about a foot long.

I usually keep the label of plants I plant but I have somehow misplaced the label for this peony since I bought it almost eight years ago. In fact I almost dug it out as it was bearing no flower. Tried to look it up in the internet but I couldn’t find a similar one; so I don’t know what variety is this peony.  

Peony

Peonies do not thrive very well in the Southern California climate. There are three classifications of Peony, Herbaceus, Tree and Intersectional otherwise known as Itoh Peony.

I bought a Harbaceus Peony at Armstrong Garden Center almost 8 years ago but it has not yet produced a flower until this year. It dies back every winter but grows back back year after year in early spring but has not produced any flower. It only has one eye when I planted it 8 years ago and it became bigger and healthier every year it grows back.

I still don't know what the color at this time as it is still a bud as of now.

Last February I bought one at Mt. Fuji Garden Centers. This one is already potted and a few stem are growing when I bought it. It bloomed around April and continues to have flowers as of early May. The flower is semi-double and butter-yellow in color.
 

 
Peony needs the deep cold of winter for it to bloom but they do sometime thrive in milder climates