Paeonia 2009

[Oron Peri]

Pat

The natural habitat is a north facing Mediterranean scrub with low tree [ mainly oak].
Rich humid soil with plenty of leafmould and organic matter.
It grows only above 800m meaning that it needs at least 3 months of  night temperatures just above 0c.

Full sun or light shade and a few years to establish.

By the way these conditions are similar to all the Peonies from the Mediterranean.

[johanneshoeller]

The first Paeonia in a greenhouse

[David Nicholson]

.... and a very nice one too Hans.

[arillady]

Oron,
When some of my oak trees grow some more and create humousy soil under them I will think about Paeonies

[Oron Peri]

Pat, what are winter temperatures like in your area?

[Paul T]

Pat,

Paeonies do brilliantly here, so what is the problem with your area?  Not cold enough?  They can grow out in full blazing sun here, in poor soil, and still do very well (the tree paeonies in particular), so I am unsure why they won't do well for you?

[Lesley Cox]

Pat, Paeonia mascula var russii was growing in light shade under deciduous trees at Olinda in Victoria when I was there last year. Marcus Harvey does it well in Tasmania too.

[Maggi Young]

Oh. Lesley, what a fab flower  Such delicate shading and a great pic, thanks! I adore peonies 
please pass on Aberdeen best wishes to Roger for a grand birthday ..... Cheers, Roger! 

[Hans J]

Hi Lesley ,

I agree this is really a nice plant and a beautiful pic .....but I dont believe it is a P. mascula v. russoi ....

On my travels on the mediterranean islands I have seen a lot of this peonies ( Sardinia, Sicily,Corsica ) but they look different ...
The color of the flower looks more like a P. mascula v. hellenica - the leaves looks also not like P. russoi leaves ....
Could you maybe please make a pic of the leaves later ?

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks Hans, you may be quite right as Marcus gave me seeds from both vars and I may have got them mixed - or he may have. Either way, they are just first year seedlings so I can't do the leaves for you for some time. This picture was taken near Otto's house, in Victoria, Australia.

[Lesley Cox]

If it would be helpful Hans, I may have a bigger pic than this, showing more foliage. I think I cropped this one for the Forum. Just a minute.

[Hans J]

Lesley - yes this would be a help !

Here are some pics ( from last year ):
P. masc. ssp. hellenica
P. masc. ssp. russoi

[arillady]

Oron winter temps can go down to about -7C and summer temps to 43+C with bare paddocks in summer apart from the house garden. I grow the arils and most of the iris species up the hill further. We get plenty of frosts if it is going to be a dry year in autumn and spring.
On the alkaline side of the scale and more alkaline where the bore water has been been used over the 30+ years we have been here.
I use rainwater for potted plants but sometimes have to use some bore between waterings with rainwater. I have two paeony in the shade house that struggle through summer - some summer sun can come in during the day and the leaves burn.
Just checked both - both have new red buds on the seeming dead stems - one says osteri(?) and the other is from an old garden that was being demolished. It was growing well in the south facing garden bed nearest the house.  Yes I have seen some in full sun up in the hills more.
If anyone would like to send me any seeds to try I will never say no. It is a genus that I would like to grow more of if I can master their requirements.
Happy Easter all.

[Paul T]

Pat,

I can't see why they'd be a problem for you, particularly as you already have the alkaline soil that they seem to prefer.  I would think that either the herbaceous or the tree types should do well for you.  We used to have a collector here who grew hers out in full sun, without any problem at all.  They might toast a bit in summer, but then the extra few degrees maximum in summer might just be enough to cause more damage?  The ones of mine that do better for me to be honest are those that are out in full sun, not those in some shade.  Have you got the good old "Destiny" (white, with dark rockii flares)?  It is one of those that could be a good one to try out in the open to see how it goes?  I can probably get a piece for you off mine if you are wanting to try it?

Added a short while later : I've sent you an email to your hotmail account re the Paeonia 'Destiny' and one other that I can hopefully share during dormancy.

[Robin Callens]

Hi all,

Paeonia mairei is the first peony to flower and it seeds around abundantly in our garden.

Robin