2014 First Signs of (Tree Peony) Life

Tree Peony 'Li Yuan Chun'
Well even though it doesn't quite feel like spring yet, and it is still February, I am starting to see the first signs of life on some of my tree peonies (including some of the very cheap sticks / Tree Peonies I Planted from China!) I can't believe how much one of the more mature and Expensive Tree Peonies from a tree peony farm here in the US, Tree Peony Garden, has already started to grow. I'm guessing this one will have at least one blossom this year (or maybe more), and I can't wait to see its lovely pink flower. Also 3 of the Tree Peonies from China via Ali Express are already showing signs of life via tiny red buds originating at their base. I planted most of these as deep as possible hoping they would develop their own roots and prevent any possible grafted roots from sprouting. So we'll see when their leaves open whether these are tree peony sprouts or herbaceous peony sprouts.
Sprouting Tree Peony from China via Ali Express


Sprouting Tree Peony from China via Ali Express


Sprouting Tree Peony from China via Ali Express

2014 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List

So. I really like intersectional peonies (also known as Itoh peonies). I've collected quite a few of them, but I definitely do not have them all (especially some of the more expensive varieties). So I've been keeping my eye on their prices, and they have been coming down in price as they become more common in the marketplace. I created a spreadsheet with all of the available varieties for 2014 from nurseries that specialize in peonies. I haven't ordered from all of these vendors, so I can't speak for their quality or reliability, but I thought this might be helpful information for other gardeners out there looking to collect intersectional peonies as well or maybe just add the first one to your garden. Also if you have your heart set on a particular variety, get your order in early, because some of these will sell out (and some of them already have)! Enjoy! (Also if you'd like your company to be listed here, please join the American Peony Society as a Commercial Member, since this is where I obtain my peony grower information.)

Price Change from Last Year Adelman - mostly same or higher Bannister - lower Birchwood - same Blossom Hill - same Brooks - mostly lower or same Buck Canyon - same or lower Cricket Hill - mostly same or lower Fina - same Hidden Springs - same Hollingsworth - mostly higher or same Peony's Envy - higher or same Solaris Farms - same or lower Song Sparrow - same or higher Swenson - mostly lower or same

Intersectional Peony	Price	Vendor
Al's Choice	$75.00	Brooks
Ballarena de Saval	$70.00	Adelman
Bartzella	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Bartzella	$60.00	Fina
Bartzella	$60.00	Swenson
Bartzella	$75.00	Brooks
Bartzella	$75.00	Buck Canyon
Bartzella	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Bartzella	$79.99	Hidden Springs
Bartzella	$80.00	Adelman
Bartzella	$80.00	Hollingsworth
Bartzella	$85.00	Birchwood
Bartzella	$90.00	Song Sparrow
Bartzella	$99.00	Cricket Hill
Bartzella	C$150.00	Blossom Hill
Berry Garcia	$125.00	Brooks
Border Charm	$35.00	Swenson
Border Charm	$40.00	Adelman
Border Charm	$44.00	Hollingsworth
Border Charm	$45.00	Birchwood
Border Charm	$60.00	Song Sparrow
Callie's Memory	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Callie's Memory	$75.00	Swenson
Callie's Memory	C$130.00	Blossom Hill
Canary Brilliants	$60.00	Swenson
Canary Brilliants	$70.00	Adelman
Canary Brilliants	$70.00	Brooks
Canary Brilliants	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Canary Brilliants	$90.00	Solaris Farms
Chief Black Hawk	$225.00	Brooks
Chief Black Hawk	$350.00	Swenson
Copper Kettle	$80.00	Solaris Farms
Copper Kettle	$150.00	Swenson
Cora Louise	$60.00	Adelman
Cora Louise	$60.00	Birchwood
Cora Louise	$60.00	Brooks
Cora Louise	$60.00	Buck Canyon
Cora Louise	$60.00	Swenson
Cora Louise	$74.95	Hidden Springs
Cora Louise	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Cora Louise	$99.00	Cricket Hill
Court Jester	$60.00	Swenson
First Arrival	$45.00	Solaris Farms
First Arrival	$60.00	Adelman
First Arrival	$60.00	Brooks
First Arrival	$60.00	Swenson
First Arrival	$75.00	Buck Canyon
First Arrival	$125.00	Bannister
First Arrival	C$130.00	Blossom Hill
Garden Treasure	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Garden Treasure	$55.00	Fina
Garden Treasure	$60.00	Swenson
Garden Treasure	$65.00	Buck Canyon
Garden Treasure	$68.00	Birchwood
Garden Treasure	$69.99	Hidden Springs
Garden Treasure	$80.00	Adelman
Garden Treasure	$80.00	Bannister
Garden Treasure	$80.00	Brooks
Garden Treasure	$84.00	Hollingsworth
Garden Treasure	$89.00	Peony's Envy
Garden Treasure	$99.00	Cricket Hill
Going Bananas	$40.00	Adelman
Going Bananas	C$130.00	Blossom Hill
Hidden Treasure	$35.00	Solaris Farms
Hillary	$50.00	Adelman
Hillary	$50.00	Brooks
Hillary	$50.00	Swenson
Hillary	$60.00	Buck Canyon
Hillary	$60.00	Fina
Hillary	$64.95	Hidden Springs
Hillary	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Hillary	C$130.00	Blossom Hill
Japanese Itoh	$35.00	Swenson
Joanna Marlene	$80.00	Adelman
Joanna Marlene	$100.00	Swenson
Julia Rose	$50.00	Swenson
Julia Rose	$75.00	Adelman
Julia Rose	$75.00	Brooks
Julia Rose	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Julia Rose	C$130.00	Blossom Hill
Kaleidoscope	$75.00	Buck Canyon
Kaleidoscope	$75.00	Swenson
Kaleidoscope	$90.00	Brooks
Kaleidoscope	$125.00	Hidden Springs
Kopper Kettle	$99.00	Adelman
Lafayette Escadrille	$60.00	Song Sparrow
Lemon Dream	$44.00	Buck Canyon
Lemon Dream	$45.00	Adelman
Lemon Dream	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Lemon Dream	$50.00	Brooks
Lemon Dream	$50.00	Swenson
Lemon Dream	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Little Darlin	$60.00	Birchwood
Little Darlin	$60.00	Song Sparrow
Lollipop	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Love Affair	$156.00	Hollingsworth
Luxuriant	$175.00	Brooks
Maroon Dragon Claw	$89.00	Cricket Hill
Momo Taro (Peach Boy)	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Morning Lilac	$64.00	Buck Canyon
Morning Lilac	$70.00	Adelman
Morning Lilac	$70.00	Brooks
Morning Lilac	$100.00	Swenson
New Millennium	$120.00	Solaris Farms
New Millennium	$250.00	Swenson
Old Rose Dandy	$35.00	Swenson
Old Rose Dandy	$44.95	Hidden Springs
Old Rose Dandy	$45.00	Adelman
Old Rose Dandy	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Old Rose Dandy	$89.00	Cricket Hill
Pastel Splendor	$35.00	Solaris Farms
Pastel Splendor	$35.00	Swenson
Pastel Splendor	$45.00	Adelman
Pastel Splendor	$47.95	Hidden Springs
Pastel Splendor	$70.00	Song Sparrow
Pastel Splendor	C$80.00	Blossom Hill
Prairie Charm	$35.00	Swenson
Prairie Charm	$50.00	Birchwood
Prairie Charm	$50.00	Brooks
Prairie Charm	$54.95	Hidden Springs
Prairie Charm	$60.00	Bannister
Prairie Charm	$60.00	Hollingsworth
Prairie Charm	$65.00	Song Sparrow
Rosy Prospects	$99.00	Adelman
Rosy Prospects	$99.00	Brooks
Rosy Prospects	$200.00	Swenson
Royal Blush	$150.00	Swenson
Saffron Innocence	$200.00	Swenson
Scarlet Heaven	$35.00	Swenson
Scarlet Heaven	$40.00	Adelman
Scarlet Heaven	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Scarlet Heaven	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Scarlet Heaven	C$80.00	Blossom Hill
Scarlet Heaven	$89.00	Cricket Hill
Sequestered Sunshine	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Sequestered Sunshine	$75.00	Swenson
Shining Light	$35.00	Swenson
Singing in the Rain	$125.00	Brooks
Sonoma Amethyst	$65.00	Adelman
Sonoma Amethyst	$65.00	Buck Canyon
Sonoma Amethyst	$75.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Apricot	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma Blessing	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma Floozy	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma Halo	$350.00	Adelman
Sonoma Rosy Future	$125.00	Adelman
Sonoma Rosy Future	$150.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Sun	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma Velvet Ruby	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma Welcome	$75.00	Adelman
Sonoma Yedo	$200.00	Solaris Farms
Unique	$48.00	Buck Canyon
Unique	$50.00	Swenson
Unique	$60.00	Adelman
Viking Full Moon	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Viking Full Moon	$40.00	Swenson
Viking Full Moon	$44.95	Hidden Springs
Viking Full Moon	$45.00	Adelman
Viking Full Moon	$110.00	Song Sparrow
Watermelon Wine	$150.00	Adelman
White Emperor	$150.00	Swenson
Yellow Crown	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Yellow Dream	$100.00	Brooks
Yellow Emperor	$40.00	Swenson
Yellow Emperor	$55.00	Solaris Farms
Yellow Heaven	$90.00	Brooks

2014 Tree & Herbaceous Peonies in the Snow

Wow! This is a rare year for us. It snowed 4 days ago, and the snow is still here. We got about 3-4 inches of snow! Usually we have either no snow or only an inch that melts away by the very next day if not the same day. The weatherman was actually pretty accurate about the snow totals this time (just not the timing). The snow came about 6 hours later than they originally predicted - which caused some unnecessary school closings. My daughter was out of school Tuesday - Friday! We had lots of fun in the snow - going for a walk, sledding, and making snow angels.
Snow Forecast for NC
While I was out there I snapped a few pictures of my peonies in the snow. We got so much snow this time, the peony signs that stick up out of the ground were almost completely covered! Since the herbaceous peonies were buried, I took a few pictures of the tree and intersectional peonies in the snow since these are the only ones visible above the snow line. I know the snow is good for the herbaceous peonies since their buds are below ground and they need the chilling hours, but I'm not so sure how much the intersectional and tree peony buds appreciate the snow. I guess we'll find out in the spring. All of the tree peony buds are above ground and several of the intersectional buds are too, since I don't trim my intersectional peonies all the way back to the ground. :-)
Tree Peony 'Fragrant Jade' in Snow


Tree Peony 'Li Yuan Chun' in Snow


Intersectional Peony 'Bartzella' in Snow