Kitchen Garden Forum

Not sure if this is the correct category for this question - I have had a tree peony for about 4 years, but it grows as a herbaceous, has never really established any growth. Could this mean the grafted peony has died, and it is only the rootstock surviving? Any advice welcome. lynda

Afternoon Lynda, i'm not sure what you are expecting from the Tree Peony but, they often only grow to about five foot tall and are multi stemmed, depending on the variety......did it have a final height on the label when you bought it?

In one garden where i work, they have three tree peonies of the same variety, but are planted in three very different sites, these are all multi stemmed but they vary in height from three foot up to five foot....this just goes to show that the position of planting has a big difference on the growth as well.

If you were growing just the rootstock you would be worrying about too much vigour rather than too little!

With Tree Paeony you can grow from seed, divide them and also layer them but to the best of my knowledge you cannot graft them.
Lynda, may I please know the variety that you are growing.
I have very recently had to deal with a Ludlowii that had been cut off right at ground level two years ago and by putting the plant under threat it has simply exploded in growth. It has thrown out all manner of growth above and below the soil. The plant and all its satellites were more than 6ft in all directions.
I have always grown them from seed and have about 100 under various stages of growth in years. They take a minimum of three years before they are ready to plant into their permanent position. They are all Ludlowii. Being that Ludlow is 10 miles from where I live there is a lively market for this variety.
JB.

I think many of the fancy Tree Peonies are grafted.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=711.
"Tree peonies grown on their own roots should be planted at the same soil level as they were in the container. If bare root, look for the nursery soil mark on at the base of the stems.
However, most tree peonies offered for sale, especially named cultivars, are grafted on herbaceous peony rootstock. Look for the graft union (visible as a slight bulge) close to the base of stem. When planting, the graft union should be about 15cm (6in) below the soil level. Deep planting encourages the grafted plant to form its own roots, which reduces suckering from the herbaceous rootstock and prevents the rootstock becoming dominant."

Thanks to all for your responses. I regret I have lost the label, so am unsure of the variety. Having disappeared over winter, new shoots appear in April, grow to about 4 inches, dying back again in the autumn. I'm sure it was a tree peony!
Cheers, Lynda

Didn't realise you weren't absolutely sure what it is - a picture might help. If it is an herbaceous rather than a tree Peony it may be that you have planted it too deep. If you scrat about a bit are there any tubers and if so how deep down are they?

Hi Geoff,
Thanks for the informaton. I've really not had that much to do with tree peonies other than Ludlowii which as I said is our locally named variety.
I really cannot find in my own literature what form of graft is used so being of an inquiring nature I will be searching in the days to come.
It somewhat amazes me because the would be basal growth, which can be very prolific in the case of Ludlowii, will be suckers which will all revert to the original rootstock variety. This make pruning out quite difficult.
To me that is not really a stable plant.
Sincerely,
JB.

Let me know if you find a link to grafting. We have a nice red tree peony and the common yellow one that seeds everywhere, quite fancy trying to graft the red onto a yellow seedling.

I'm sure that it is a tree peony in as much as the label said so when I bought it! I've had a scrat about, can't find any tubers

Perhaps your peony is one of the intersectional types, such as Kopper Kettle. Characteristically, their growth is neither shrubby nor herbaceous, but something in between.

Nevertheless, for your peony to have not made much progress in four years suggests that it's unhappy for reasons other than an identity crisis. It may be worth reviewing if it is receiving sufficient water / light / nutriment.