Herbaceous Peony Charles Burgess -
Herbaceous Peony CHARLES BURGESS
An incredible single red peony, large blooms with brilliant yellow stamens. Very popular and hard to source.
- HEIGHT: 60cm+
- WIDTH: 30cm
- SUPPLIED AS: Dormant roots
- PLANT DEPTH: Yes no more than 2-3cm deep
- PLANT SPACING: 40cm (Cut flower) - 100cm (Long term garden bed)
- PLANTING WINDOW: April - August
- FLOWERING TIME: October - November
- GROWING ZONES: Vic, SA, TAS, Cold NSW, Cold QLD. Anywhere a frost is achieved each year.
- CUT FLOWER: Yes
- FRAGRANT: Yes
**(information above is based on having been established for 3 years)
Herbaceous Peonies, or Peony Rose as they are commonly called are a cool climate perennial. There natural habitat includes limestone mountains around Asia including China, Japan, Tibet and Siberia with limited species found in North America. They are a hardy plant once established, but do take some time to settle down after being shifted. Growing on a woody root system under-ground, peonies are best given ample space, and as such not overly suited to being in pots long term.
When selecting a position, think frost. They love the cold frosty mornings. A full sun to partly shaded position with free draining soil is necessary. Prepare your bed to a depth of 30cm, with the soil being nice and friable. Peonies have a PH requirement of 7.5-8 (alkaline), and most gardens will need a few kg (not kidding) of lime added to their growing area. Some well composted and broken down manure can also be added to the hole. Plant the root with the 'pink tips' (these are the growth shoots) upright, which generally means lying the root on its side. The growth shoots should be no more than 2cm under the ground. Water in after planting to eliminate any air bubbles in the soil.
Peonies take a good few years to settle after being shifted, if you happen to have a flower bud appear it is best to remove it in the first couple of years. This allows the root to establish itself adequately without the flower draining all its energy.
A queen is not made in a single year.... Peonies do not like to be disturbed, preferring to be left in ground for many years. Please select a spot for your Peonies that allows them the space to settle and develop over time to become the queen of the garden. Remember - they are slow. The old saying goes 'The first year they sleep, The second year they creep and the Third year they leap.
Happy Gardening!