Tree Peony / Tree Paeony

Paeonia Lavender

• Position: full sun or partial shade
• Soil: fertile, moisture-retentive yet well-drained
• Rate of growth: vigorous
• Flowering period: April to May
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Tree peonies, the Chinese national flower, are enjoying a revival. Prized for their blowsy, glamourous blooms and glossy, deeply cut foliage, peonies are held in deep affection by many gardeners, despite their short flowering season and vulnerability to peony wilt in damp weather. It's easy to see why. In late spring or early summer, this tree or shrub peony has huge, frilly, lavender-pink, sometimes scented, semi-double flowers set among deeply cut, dark green leaves. The flowers, up to 15cm/6in across, make a fabulous feature in a sunny, protected border. If you are placing it in a border or a lawn, try planting early spring bulbs around the base to prolong the season of interest.
  
  
• Garden care: Protect from cold winds and early morning sun. Support the branches of young shrubs with canes to prevent the massive flowerheads from being battered by rain. Tree peonies are hungry feeders, so ensure that container-grown specimens receive a top-dressing of a slow-release fertiliser in spring. In the border apply a top-dressing of a balanced, slow-release fertiliser around the base of the plant in early spring and mulch with well-rotted garden compost or manure. If the plant shows signs of collapse or the leaves become spotty, this may be a symptom of peony botrytis. Remove affected leaves immediately. In the autumn, cut off all of the foliage and dispose of it to avoid reinfection the following spring. The older stems of tree peonies have a tendency to become brittle and snap, so cut these back to the ground in autumn every two or three years.
  
  

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