The Latest Propagation Techniques and Methods Tutorial for Peonies

The peony is a precious woody flowering plant unique to China, with thousands of years of natural growth and more than two thousand years of artificial cultivation history. There are three main propagation methods for peonies: seed propagation, division propagation and grafting.

Seed propagation

Peony seeds should be harvested promptly after they mature in early August and sown immediately. If sowing is too late, the seeds will not germinate well the following spring. Peonies grown from seed take 5-6 years to bloom, so this method is generally used only when breeding new varieties.

Division propagation

Dig out a large peony plant that has grown for more than five years together with its roots, leave it in a cool place to air for 2-3 days, and when the roots have softened, divide it into small clumps of 2-3 shoots each, then plant them in the nursery bed.

Grafting method

Cut a soil shoot or a one-year-old short branch growing from a large peony plant, whittle 2-3cm of its base into a wedge shape and fit it onto a 15-20cm long herbaceous peony root, wrap it tightly with hemp fiber, smear on mud and plant it. The grafting time is from early September to early October. Grafted seedlings should be planted in trenches, with a plant spacing of 10-15cm and a row spacing of 30-40cm; after planting, build up a soil ridge, preferably so that the scion is not exposed above the soil.