A Detailed Guide to Peony Propagation Techniques and Methods

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 ways to propagate peonies: seed propagation, division propagation, and grafting.

Seed Propagation

Peony seeds mature in early August and should be harvested promptly and sown immediately. If sowing is delayed too long, the seeds will not germinate 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 up an entire large peony plant that has grown for more than five years, place it in a cool, shaded spot to air-dry for 2-3 days, and once the roots have softened, divide it into small clumps of 2-3 shoots each, then plant them in the nursery bed.

Grafting Methods

Cut a soil shoot or 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; bind it tightly with hemp fiber, smear on mud, and plant it. The grafting period runs 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 so that the scion is not exposed above the soil.