"To ride in the mountains of North China when the tree peonies are in bloom is to taste of paradise."
  -E. H. Wilson

Descendants of Paeonia suffruticosa, a native of the mountains of Bhutan, Tibet, and Northern China, these deciduous woody shrubs are almost as cold hardy as their herbaceous cousins and out perform them in areas with little winter chill (Sunset Climate Zones 14-21). Often referred to as "Tree Peonies", that appelation is misleading in that the graceful, woody branches rarely grow more than 4' to 6' high and as wide.

Cultivated in Asia for at least 1200 years, when the first dried flower specimens were received from China they were named Paeonia arborea (tree peony) because it was erroneously assumed that flowers of such size couldn't possibly be produced on bushes. The spectacular blooms can be as much as 12" in diameter (sometimes requiring staking to hold them upright), come in single, semi-double, and fully double-flowered forms, in shades of white, pink, rose, purple and red. These are impressive plants.

One collector became so after "...the first time I saw a tree peony, six feet high by six feet wide, covered with over three hundred pink blossoms, I knew I had to have not just one, but a collection." Some years ago the great horticulturist and very grand Mrs. duPont (of Longwood Gardens) was visiting venerable Hayward nurseryman Toichi Domoto when a call came from a dinner gathering where she was expected to speak. "Well, that can wait...only once in a lifetime will I get a chance like this to see so many tree peonies in bloom," a remark quite in keeping with the above E.H. Wilson quote from China, Mother of Gardens.

Moutan peonies are very long-lived and require a deep, rich, well-drained soil. Roots will rot if they get waterlogged. Prepare the soil properly before planting by incorporating lots of ground bark, leaf mold, or other organic material. Use little if any manure, and only that which has been very well-composted. Dig a hole about 2' to 3' wide and almost as deep. If you live in a very foggy area, plant in full sun, otherwise a location sheltered from wind with afternoon shade, away from the greedy roots of trees or big shrubs, is ideal. Water regularly. Prune spent flowers after the spring bloom. As with heirloom roses, the very large, very double-flowered forms may not open properly in damp, foggy coastal locations. The singles and semi-doubles will bloom almost anywhere.

Our plants are root divisions of old Chinese varieties from Shandong Province, at least four years old, that have already bloomed for at least one season. We strongly suggest that you allow these plants to grow and establish in their containers this spring and summer, then transplant them (if you wish) in the fall. Spring planting is almost universally condemned because it inevitably disturbs the early-waking roots.