Paeonia x suffruticosa
Origin: Southeastern China
Improvement status: Unknown
Seeds per packet: 8
BOTANICAL SAMPLE - NOT GERMINATION TESTED
Life cycle: Perennial
While standard peonies are known in China as "the minister of flowers," tree peonies are "the king of flowers," and it's hard to argue with this nomenclature. Tree peonies are not naturally occurring, but the result of human intervention over perhaps thousands of years. Recent DNA research has found that six species contributed to the hybrid swarm that is now known as Paeonia x suffruticosa or sometimes just Paeonia suffruticosa (Paeonia cathayana is the original maternal parent, followed by introgression from P. qiui, P. ostii, P. rotundiloba, P. rockii, and P. jishanensis). Modern breeders have used even more species, like P. delavayi, in breeding new cultivars.
Tree peonies differ from standard peonies in having above-ground woody stems. They don't actually reach the heights of trees, but grow more like dainty little shrubs. Yet their architectural nature and twisted forms makes them superstars in any garden. Some botanical gardens and arboreta have entire sections dedicated to these horticultural standouts. The flowers, which come in colors from white to pink to purple to yellow, can grow to six inches in diameter or more. The plant is deciduous, dropping its leaves each fall.
Also known as "mǔdān" or "moutan" in Chinese culture, tree peonies have similar medicinal uses to common garden peonies — the root bark and root have analgesic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, fever-reducing, sedative, wound-healing, and menstuation-stimulating effects — and the flower petals can likewise be eaten (often par-boiled and sweetened or cooked into jams, jellies, soups, or other dishes).
Our China-grown seed comes from the good folks at Sheffield's Seeds in Locke, New York.
GROWING TIPS: Seeds can be a bit tricky, but this protocol should due the trick: Soak seeds 24 hours, then warm-moist stratify for 90 days (at room temperature), then cold-moist stratify for 90 more (in the fridge). Plant seeds half an inch deep and water well while getting established (but don't waterlog the soil perpetually). Choose a site that has good air circulation to prevent fungal issues. Full sun is best, with some afternoon shade in hotter climates. Hardy to USDA Zone 5.
NOTE: Photos are all public domain images of tree peonies or their depiction in art. We do not have photos of the plants in China that yielded these seeds.
