Herbaceous Vs Itoh Peonies

Not much difference with seasonal care or hardiness. Herbaceous and Itoh offer the investor many seasons of booms that soon become heirlooms in family properties.

Lets talk about Herbaceous (Garden Peonies) —The image below is that of Pastelegance a herbaceous peony —

A cross between Lemon Chiffon and Salmon Dream

With their sumptuous, romantic blooms in shades of soft pink, white and glossy red, these are traditional border stars. Take care not to plant them too deep, give them rich soil and plenty of sun, and they’ll be the belles of your border for several glorious weeks in early summer. Herbaceous Peonies may need some staking with a hoop or other mechanics to keep it up off the grounds. The reason is, as the blooms mature on the stems. those stems start to droop with the weight of its beauty.

Itoh Peony

So what is the difference, I have to admit that there are few differences in the appearance but genetically speaking there is a lot more going on. Itoh Peonies do not require the hardware to hold its own weight per se. The foliage can be different but for the most part, they grow at the same rate and different hybrids have different bloom time.

Herbaceous = Garden Peony

Itoh = Intersectional peony

Both die back COMPLETELY

each year = annually

The yellow paeonia ‘Bartzella’ is the rolls Royce of peonies. This hybrid is a Itoh which means an intersectional ( herbaceous x tree )

So remember, A Garden Peony is a Herbaceous Peony and an Intersectional Peony is a Itoh Peony. They both die back pretty close to the grounds. Itoh seems to have stalks that are harder (woody) You will notice that the stem vegetation dies back in the fall just as the Garden Peony, Herbaceous, but with the Itoh, Intersectional Peony you will see strong stems that are difficult to cut flush to the grounds. Leave those woody stalks, they are the branches for next seasons blooms. I actually leave fall clean up till spring but that’s a whole new thought for you to browse here on my blog ‘Thought’ page at a different time. So— Herbaceous die back completely, Itoh have woody stems kind of like the expensive woody tree peonies that you do not cut back to the ground even though they are dead looking, the branches produce next years growth

you will see strong stems that are difficult to cut flush to the grounds

Planting is a big deal —-

Pay attention to the depth and you will be reward–

This photo was found on the internet and it has a very good example of the zone and the depth that you need to plant your new Intersectional or Herbaceous Peony root or Potted Peony

Rosie Notes on Potted Peonies— Observations applied to my thoughts.

Here at Hartle-Gilman Gardens, there are peonies that are offered in culture containers. These peonies are potted up in the fall and transplanted into a 3 gallon container culture that has the correct soil, fertilizer and moisture and air flow for the success of returning vibrant and lush for the springs growing season. Once placed in culture containers, they are then stored in an unheated outdoors shelter that is heated to freezing if the temperatures drop below -15 F. With those kinds of temperatures, it’s just too cold for a cultured container to not be protected. Thou, peonies like the freezing temperatures as most of the perennials do, these cultured containers need to stay below freezing for a few months for optimum culture container growing. If they are in a shed that is above freezing or just at freezing, 34-38 F. success rate drops dramatically. ( THESE ARE MY FIELD NOTES FOR NORTHERN CLIMATE GROWING) The ones here at Hartle-Gilman Gardens are from Asia, particularly China, Peonia lactiflora. Southern Europe has the species of Peonia officinalis which are offered here at Hartle-Gilman Gardens as well. These make up the stunning Herbaceous Garden Peony.

P. suffruticosa woody tree x P. lactiflora creating the stunning Woody Tree Peonies that we offer at Hartle-Gilman Gardens. These originated in Japan ( keep mental note– cold climate conditions ) in 1948 Hybridizer and Doctor Toichi Itoh.

At this time I do not carry the Pp. californica or brownii which are from western US and parts of Mexico.

I do the above regime annually, as it is because of a large Mother’s Day event that I do as a fundraiser at the Minnesota Arboretum . Transporting in pots ensures stability and protection with the roots that are being delivered for recipients to take to the forever garden beds. I may have a few that are left over and a blow out sale is conducted and shipped when they go dormant the same season. They are cared for and fertilized properly, inspected by the Department of Agricultural in Minnesota for best practices and standards. They are very healthy, as well as going into the dormancy of the season when they leave for fall shipping. YOUR PEONIES ARE SAFE AND SOUND- GROWN FOR THE HEALTH OF A BARE ROOT AWAITING FUTURE CULTIVATING WITHIN HOME GARDEN REARING. Just remember, a couple of inches below the soil line making sure that the red buds are buried and tucked in for the winter. Two or three inches below the soil surface will freeze and that is ok. I do recommend to cover the with a nice hefty blanket of leaves for its first winter just incase there is little snow cover.