How to Grow Peonies? A Guide to Common Varieties

Peony is also known as the parting grass, boneless flower, yurong, red medicine and so on. Despite its tongue-twisting names, its ornamental value is extremely high. As the Chancellor of Flowers, the peony comes in various colors, and its flowering period lasts as long as a month, making it very popular. So how do you grow peonies? What varieties are there?

I. How to Grow Peonies

Here we have summarized the common growing methods and points to note for peonies:

Growing methods:

1. Division method

As the most common propagation method for peonies, division has many advantages. It can bloom earlier than sowing; with division, peonies generally bloom in the second year, greatly saving time. Division is also simpler to carry out, making it easy for farmers investing in peony cultivation for the first time. It also preserves the original variety well and lowers the propagation coefficient.

2. Cutting method

For the cutting method, you must choose a suitable site; generally, we give priority to higher ground for planting peonies. After turning and clearing the soil, disinfect it with pesticide, then build a shed. Cuttings are usually taken in July each year, which gives better results. After cutting, water the soil, cover with a greenhouse, and wait and observe.

Points to note:

1. Sowing time

Be sure to sow peonies in time; you can sow during the annual seed-collection period. If delayed, they will not be able to take root that year, and the germination rate will also drop in spring, making both the harvest and the flowering season unfavorable for the whole year.

2. Sowing method

Before sowing, we can sort the seeds, selecting suitable, plump ones, then rinse and plant them. Generally, soaking the seeds in water increases their germination rate, so you can give it a try.

3. Flowering-season care

During the peony's flowering period, pay attention to pruning the branches and buds, removing excess flower buds. This method allows the peony to concentrate its nutrients for better growth, channeling nutrients to the main top buds.

II. What Varieties of Peony Are There

Peonies are mainly divided into two major categories: single-flower types and terrace types.

Single-flower types:

1. Chrysanthemum type. The petals of chrysanthemum-type peonies are arranged in more than six whorls, with little change in the number of stamens and pistils.

2. Single-petal type. The petals of single-petal peonies are arranged in two or three whorls; the petals are relatively large, and the stamens and pistils are normally developed.

3. Thousand-layer subclass. The petals of the thousand-layer subclass increase naturally in a centripetal pattern, and the stamens differ in that they grow only around the ovary.

Terrace types:

1. Layered terrace type. As the name suggests, this type of peony has relatively short stamen petals, with very obvious layering.

2. Ball-flower terrace type: mainly, the stamen petals tend toward a ball shape during growth, but they are quite similar to normal petals, making the difference hard to tell.

That is our introduction to peonies. The beauty of peonies needs to be observed with your own eyes; combining this article with hands-on growing practice will bring even more rewards.