What is the difference between tree peony and herbaceous peony? In which seasons do they bloom?

Tree peony and herbaceous peony are known as the “two beauties among flowers”. The two look very similar and their flowering periods are close as well. Are many people, like the editor, unable to tell the difference between tree peony and herbaceous peony? In fact, there are differences between tree peony and herbaceous peony. Let's take a look below!

1. The difference between tree peony and herbaceous peony

Both tree peony and herbaceous peony belong to the genus Paeonia in the family Paeoniaceae. Although they are different species, they are closely related. So how can you distinguish tree peony from herbaceous peony by appearance? We can distinguish the two by four aspects: roots, stems, leaves and flowers:

1. Look at the roots

Tree peony: the root system is well developed, mostly deep-rooted fleshy main roots and lateral roots, light yellow or grayish yellow in color;

Herbaceous peony: the roots are thick and fleshy; depending on the variety, the main root is columnar or uniformly rod-shaped, yellow-brown or grayish purple in color.

2. Look at the stems

Tree peony: a perennial deciduous shrub, up to 2 m tall, with woody stems, brown in color; in winter only the leaves fall, and after leaf drop part of the plant does not wither;

Herbaceous peony: a perennial herb, no more than 1 m tall, with herbaceous stems, green in color; in winter the whole plant withers, and after leaf drop the aboveground part withers.

You can touch the stem of the plant. If it feels rough, firm and sturdy like tree bark, it is woody; if it feels smooth, soft and tender, it is herbaceous.

3. Look at the leaves

Tree peony: the leaves are broad and rather thick, with lobed tips at the front; the upper surface is green with a slight yellow tinge, hairless, and the underside has a powdery substance;

Herbaceous peony: the leaves are narrow and long and relatively thin, with narrow, pointed tips and no lobes; the leaf color is bright green and the leaves are fairly dense.

The biggest difference in the leaves is that the entire leaf of herbaceous peony is green, while the underside of tree peony leaves is light green and has some white powder.

4. Look at the flowers

Tree peony: the flowers are all borne singly at the top, with short flower stalks; the flowers often grow among the leaves; the flowers are large, with a maximum diameter of up to 30 cm; they have 5 petals or are double, obovate in shape, and come in various colors, including red-purple, rose, pink, and even white, etc.;

Herbaceous peony: one or several flowers are borne at the top; the flowers are relatively small, with long flower stalks; most herbaceous peony flowers grow above the leaf clusters, and the flower diameter does not exceed 20 cm.

2. In what seasons do tree peony and herbaceous peony bloom?

1. Tree peony: blooms in April. Generally, tree peonies grown in the Shandong and Henan areas bloom in mid-April, while tree peonies in Beijing bloom around May Day;

2. Herbaceous peony: blooms in May. Its flowering time is about half a month later than that of tree peony. Generally, after the tree peony flowering period ends, herbaceous peony flowers open one after another.

April and May are the best times to view tree peonies and herbaceous peonies, so among the people there has long been a saying: “View tree peonies at Grain Rain, view herbaceous peonies at the Start of Summer.”

The above is the difference between tree peony and herbaceous peony. Now can you tell which one is tree peony and which one is herbaceous peony?