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Peony - Perennial Flower For Your Garden © 2007Visit Our Online Store.For Perennials and Perennial Seed |
Paeonia lactiflora:hybr. Family - Paeonicaceae - Peony The peony is a hardy stalwart of the perennial flower garden. It is a native of the far east - Mongolia and Siberia. The peony was introduced into Europe in 1548 and has been hybridized into many different varieties. Peony flowers come in red, pink, or white or bi-colored. The flowers may be single or doubled. The fragrant blossoms are some of the more beautiful flowers in the perennial garden. It will grow from fifteen to thirty inches tall, the foliage remaining a deep, attractive green after bloom has finished. It flowers here in Indiana in early to mid June. The peony likes full to partial sun and does well in the clayey soils here in southern Indiana. In fact, it is the state flower of Indiana. They tend to like cold weather, and generally don’t do well in the southern states. USDA Zone 8 is about the limit for them to flower well, the chilling hours below forty degrees not usually satisfied further south. Propagation of the peony is easy. Division of the roots in the fall. Here in Indiana I like to dig them in late August to mid September. It is a fairly tough plant, and takes division well. They usually don’t need division often. Many plants in our area have been untouched in 25 years or more. Do not plant the roots deeper than about two inches. Deeper inhibits the flowering. Do not fertilize with a high nitrogen fertilizer. The state flower of Indiana should be included in just about every perennial flower garden. The peony is hardy, tough and beautiful. The long lived plants should provide trouble free bloom year after year in your garden. |
