Points of Note for those who Love Peonies
I have long been in adoration of lovely peonies. They are big flowers when in full bloom, and they are beautiful to behold. The peony plays an important role in Chinese culture. Often thought of as the “queen of flowers” the Chinese call them Sho-yo which translates to “the beautiful”. The peony is the flower of prosperity and fidelity.
There are different types of peonies. According to Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials, most varieties of garden peonies are hybrids of P. lactifora and Paeonia officinalis. The flowers can be categorized by the shape of their petals. There are single peonies, Japanese peonies, semidouble peonies and double peonies.
Single peonies- This kind has a ring of five or more petals, as well as a central ring of stamens.
Japanese peonies- This type of peony has a ring of petals that surround a central cluster of flat and narrow stamens. This kind has no pollen at all.
Semidouble peonies- This kind has a number of rings of petals that are set around stamens.
Double peonies- This kind of peonies has numerous concentric rings of petals and has no obvious stamens.
Peonies blossom at different times of the year, depending on their variety, however the majority of peonies bloom in the spring, generally in May. Peonies are big plants that are easy to cultivate and come in a multitude of colors, including white, cream, pink, peach, lavender, rose, bright scarlet and yellow. The scent of a peony has been described in a number of different ways. It has been called honey, lemon, musk and rose.
These kinds of flowers should be planted near the back of the flower garden because of their size. If you plan to plant peonies near a wall, make sure that they are at least two feet away to give them room to grow to the best of their ability. Peonies can be excellent plants to accent a shrub border. If planted close together, peonies can be used to create a hedge that can separate a driveway from a yard.
Peonies have one of the longest life spans of all of the perennials. In fact many can live as long as 50 years if they are well cared for. Peonies are very hardy plants that are low maintenance, as well as drought tolerant and deer-resistant. Their bloom season has been known to last as long as six to eight weeks.
