Paeonia 2011

[Matt]

Hi Hans,

Beautiful plant!

It could be P. daurica ssp. velebitensis, which only grows on the Velebit Mountains (part of the Dinaric Alps) in Dalmatia - Croatia at an altitude between 900 and 1200m.

This species is described as species nova in Hong De-Yuan book.

The main feature is that all lower leaves are biternate with 9 LEAFLETS (clearly visible in your pics), obovate, rarely oblong-elliptic, rounded to acute to the apex, rather DENSELY VILLOSE beneath (less visible in your pics). Carpels are 2 or 3 in number, tomentose.

This leaf morphology is within the range of P. daurica and this is why Hong De-Yuan considers this peony a subspecies of P. daurica rather than of P. mascula.
In P. mascula complex there are MORE THAN 9 LEAFLETS (or leaf segments) on lover leaves, which are ovate or oblong-elliptic, acute at the apex, GLABROUS OR SPARSELY HISPID beneath.
None of the P. mascula complex grows in ex Jugoslavia.

No mention in the book about the colour of the flowers.

The only observation I can make from the images of your plant is that the leaves don't seem to be tomentose beneath...in this case it could be P. daurica ssp daurica which grows in the mountains near Dubrovnic and in Kosovo (which is actually Serbia).

M.

[Hans J]

Hi Matt ,

thank you for your informations -very interesting !

Yes -I have found this population in the Velebit Mts. ( between Senj and Starigrad )

....I have just looked my plant has on the backsite of the leaves little hairs ....but not very much .
Please dont forget it is only a single plant .....maybe on other plants are more hairs

Ciao
Hans

[Lesley Cox]

Surely if the two plants are so prolific, (P. ostii and 'Feng Dan Bai') we might expect to see them in the next seedlists? (A smiley here, for hopefully.)

[Lukas H]

Dear Hans,

I am agree with Matt that this is P. daurica subsp. velebitensis.

My parents were last year in Croatia and have found a flowering population of this peony.

I try to get images of these. But they were not able to bring back seeds as there were non around in May...

After posting the images we could probably say more about this plant.

Greetings

Lukas

[Lukas H]

Here are two photos of which I beleve it is Paeonia mascula subsp. bodurii

[Hans J]

Hi Lukas ,

thank you for your confirmation with P.daurica ssp. velebitensis ...I'm interestet to see the pics !

Very nice P.bodurii !!!

Hans

[Lukas H]

Dear Hans,

here are the promised pictures. Do not look exactly like yours.

But tomentose carpels and leaves would fit I think.

Just doesn't have your marvelleous blotches...

Regards

Lukas

[Leon]

We experienced several days of cool weather.  This slowed down the tree peonies from opening flowers.  Now it has warmed back up and things are moving fast.  Forecast for early next week is 90°F (32°C).

Below is Hephestos (Daphnis).  I missed taking a photo of Icarus.  I had it emasculated and ready to pollenate before I thought to take a photo.

Leon

[Leon]

Demetra (Daphnis)

[Hans J]

Hi Lukas ,

Thank you for posting those pics from Croatia - and thank you also to your parents !
Maybe not all populations have those plants with this blotches ?

Greetings
Hans

[Matt]

wowowow LUKAS!

great pics of p. velebitensis...say thanks to your parents! the 9 leaflets are a peculiar feature...relatively easy to distinguish from other species (easy to say having seen your and hans s pics!)

where does the p. bodurii come from?

matt

[johnw]

Paeonia tomentosa and P. paradoxa shoots today.

johnw

[ArnoldT]

Paeonia emodi

[astragalus]

Blooming now, two favorite peonies.
1. Paeonia tenuifolia
2. Paeonia Mlokosewitschii

[Oakwood]

1. Paeonia tenuifolia

Astragalus, it isn't P. tenuifolia at all. It is rather P. intermedia C.A. May distributed in Kazakhstan steppes.