2016 Species in APS Handbook of the Peony 1st Edition

It was nice to take a little time for myself this past weekend and catch up on a little reading. I purchased the Manual of the American Peony Society First Edition (aka APS Handbook of the Peony 1st Edition) almost three years ago now (before my son Maddox!). Yikes! Yes, it got put to the side even though I was almost finished. However, a hot bath with some peony soaking salts from K. Hall Design Peony Products and a little free time netted me a few more pages. I was able to finish the section on species peonies. Apparently there was much confusion and many more categories of species peonies back when this book was written in 1928. The author links many of the species classes together noting there are little difference between x and y categories. It seems this topic has been subject to many revisions over the years with each plant discoverer and Paeonia genus researcher using their own methods of peony species classifications. It will be nice when one day all of them have been DNA mapped and we are able to classify them conclusively!
Manual of the American Peony Society
Plate XXXIX. Officinalis rubra plena

2016 New Intersectional Peony 'Sugar Plum Fairy'

When I got an email from Hollingsworth Peonies this past weekend about their new peony cultivars, I was definitely curious. What a nice surprise to find out about a newly registered and currently available intersectional cultivar. The flower's name is Peony 'Sugar Plum Fairy'. The short bush and pale pink flower of this peony seem aptly named after a petite, cotton candy colored ballerina, The Sugar Plum Fairy from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. Tchaikovsky being one of my favorite composers and me being a little ballerina for almost 10 years is reason enough to buy it now, and so I did. I'm guessing this little dancer is even pretty than her picture. I've also added this newly offered Peony 'Sugar Plum Fairy' to my 2016 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List!

Hollingsworth Peonies'
Intersectional Peony 'Sugar Plum Fairy'

2016 Questions - Peony 'Bartzella' Seeds on Ebay

I received this question from Ted in zone 8:
"You may have seen the "Bartzella" seeds for sale on ebay? I wonder how they get Bartzella to produce seeds?"


Yellow "Intersectional" Paeonia Peony Seeds on Ebay
Actually I haven't seen those. I just looked them up. I believe those seeds are a hoax. My Peony 'Bartzella' has never set any seed, and I'm guessing yours hasn't either. The seller is likely playing into the fact that Itoh peonies are generally expensive (although their prices have come down quite a bit already). So they are trying to sell these "seeds" for less than the cost of an intersectional root, but highway robbery, nonetheless. I definitely would not purchase those seeds, as they are likely some seeds from an undesirable, common peony and will most likely not be yellow at all. Buyer Beware for sure!

2016 Ice Storm Peonies Iced!

I guess I was wrong about the 2016 First Snow of the Year (and Maybe Only???). Winter Storm Jonas hit us with quite a bit. It looks like snow in the pictures, but there's not really much snow. It's more like 1-2 inches of ice with a little snow mixed in. I guess that's why there's a big tree snapped in half in my back yard and our power was out for almost a day! I'm so thankful it's back on, and we can get warm again.
Intersectional Peony 'Yellow Crown' on Ice
The peonies look like they're taking whatever Jonas is dishing out. You can't really read their plant name tags anymore, but I think the ice will melt, and they will be okay. Most of my peonies are still tucked safely underground. However, there are a few intersectional and tree peonies with above ground stems. I think they're going to make it, though. With the extra layer of ice, the peonies take on a shiny sheen, making them almost jewel like.
Tree Peony on Ice
Remember that New Peony Breaking Dormancy Too Early? With our sometimes warm weather last week, it decided to peek out through the extra layer of mulch I put on top of it. Now, however, the ice has seemed to put a stop to its growth. The foliage still has not unfurled yet. If the foliage opens or the stem grows taller, it probably won't make it. Since it is still short, there's a chance this one could survive. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. We'll see...
Intersectional Peony 'Prairie Charm' on Ice

2016 K. Hall Design Peony Products

I first discovered these K. Hall Designs products almost two years ago now, on our first wedding anniversary. I was pregnant at the time and couldn't travel far. So we decided to check in to a local spa. When we went to relax in the pools at the spa, I couldn't help but notice these peony products. The candles, lotion, and bath salts really caught my eye with "PEONY" printed boldly on a minimalistic pale pink label. I loved the scent (of course!), especially since it was not overpowering or fake smelling. The fact that the lotions and bath salts had not been dyed pink with artificial colors was a big plus in my book! I really wanted the lotion (of which they had a sample you could test). However, it was sold out. So I purchased the bath salts instead, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. When you add these peony salts to your bath, the entire bathroom smells like a field of peonies! I have since gotten the lotion as well, and it is just right. It moisturizes your hands and smells sweet without being sticky, greasy, or too strong smelling. So if you are looking for some mostly natural (their web site says at least 95% natural) peony toiletries, definitely check these out...

K. Hall Designs Peony Lotion and Bath Salts

2016 Peony on My Wish List 'Silvia Saunders'

Peony 'Silvia Saunders'
4 Years Propagation Time Until Available in 2020
Photo Courtesy of Hidden Springs Flower Farm
When doing the research for my 2016 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List, I came across this peony I just had to have, Peony 'Silvia Saunders'. If you know a little about me, then you'll know I am a huge A.P. Saunders fan. I've been collecting Saunders peonies for quite some time and created a separate garden space, which I call my Saunders Peony Garden in 2007. If you know a little about A. P. Saunders, you'll know that Silvia was his daughter and carried on her Father's work. So when I saw this beauty, I knew I just had to have it. Unfortunately the first time I saw it, it was already sold out. I contacted the grower, Harvey Buchite at Hidden Springs Flower Farm and asked if it would be available again next year. Unfortunately it won't be available again until 2020! It is still going on my Peony List anyway... What a gorgeous flower!
Silvia Saunders, Daughter of A. P. Saunders
Also when looking up this flower, I came across this video, Paeonia 'Silvia Saunders' that David Michener at Nichols Arboretum created, which really shows just how beautiful this plant is in person! David has been doing a lot of great work with historic peony varieties, going to great lengths to catalog and preserve them in the Matthaei Botanical Gardens of Nichols Arboretum at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. From reviewing the Nichols Arboretum Peony Database, they first acquired Peony 'Silvia Saunders' in 1921! So that points to this flower having great longevity. Check out David's video. Their mature specimen of Peony 'Silvia Saunders' is just gorgeous!
David Michener with Peony 'Silvia Saunders'
Video, Paeonia 'Silvia Saunders' from MatthaeiBotanicalGardens

2016 First Snow of the Year (and Maybe Only???)

Snowing Hard During the First Snow of the Year
I can't believe it! It snowed yesterday! The temperatures the day before were almost 60°, and then the next day it was snowing like a blizzard. It snowed fast and hard for about an hour, and it did start to accumulate. However, it was gone as fast as it came. This snow event was a metaphor for our entire winter so far. Hot one day, cold the next. No wonder everything is confused, like this New Peony Breaking Dormancy Too Early. Hopefully most of my peonies will stay dormant until the proper time (at least a couple months from now), will receive enough chilling hours for bud set (since this has been kind of a warm winter so far), and spring will bring lots of brilliantly colored peony blooms!
First Snow of the Year

2016 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List

Wow! January again! The peony catalogs are coming out faster than I can add them! Well, they're not all out yet. So I'll update this information as more peony catalogs become available. If you'd like to compare this year's prices to last year's prices, here's a link to my 2015 Intersectional Peony Catalog Price Comparison List 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 lower
	Birchwood - same
	Blossom Hill - mostly same or higher
	Brooks - mostly lower, some same, some higher
	Cricket Hill - mostly higher
	Fina - same or lower
	Hidden Springs - mostly same or lower
	Hollingsworth - some lower, some higher
	Peony's Envy - same
	Solaris Farms - mostly lower
	Song Sparrow - same or higher
	Swenson - mostly higher or same

Intersectional Peony	Price	Vendor
Al's Choice	$85.00	Brooks
Ballarena de Saval	$70.00	Adelman
Bartzella	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Bartzella	$60.00	Swenson
Bartzella	$62.00	Fina
Bartzella	$60.00	Adelman
Bartzella	$65.00	Brooks
Bartzella	$70.00	Hollingsworth
Bartzella	$79.00	Hidden Springs
Bartzella	$85.00	Birchwood
Bartzella	$85.00	Song Sparrow
Bartzella	$89.00	Cricket Hill
Bartzella	C$135.00	Blossom Hill
Berry Garcia	$95.00	Brooks
Border Charm	$40.00	Adelman
Border Charm	$40.00	Brooks
Border Charm	$40.00	Hidden Springs
Border Charm	$40.00	Swenson
Border Charm	$45.00	Birchwood
Border Charm	$65.00	Song Sparrow
Border Charm	C$90.00	Blossom Hill
Callie's Memory	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Callie's Memory	$60.00	Swenson
Callie's Memory	$70.00	Brooks
Canary Brilliants	$55.00	Adelman
Canary Brilliants	$60.00	Swenson
Chief Black Hawk	$185.00	Brooks
Cora Louise	$60.00	Adelman
Cora Louise	$60.00	Birchwood
Cora Louise	$70.00	Brooks
Cora Louise	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Cora Louise	$85.00	Song Sparrow
Cora Louise	$89.00	Cricket Hill
Court Jester	$50.00	Swenson
First Arrival	$40.00	Solaris Farms
First Arrival	$50.00	Swenson
First Arrival	$60.00	Adelman
First Arrival	$60.00	Hollingsworth
First Arrival	$89.00	Cricket Hill
Garden Treasure	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Garden Treasure	$60.00	Adelman
Garden Treasure	$60.00	Fina
Garden Treasure	$60.00	Swenson
Garden Treasure	$64.00	Hollingsworth
Garden Treasure	$65.00	Brooks
Garden Treasure	$68.00	Birchwood
Garden Treasure	$75.00	Hidden Springs
Garden Treasure	$85.00	Song Sparrow
Garden Treasure	$89.00	Cricket Hill
Garden Treasure	$89.00	Peony's Envy
Going Bananas	$40.00	Adelman
Going Bananas	$50.00	Swenson
Going Bananas	C$90.00	Blossom Hill
Going Bananas	$100.00	Song Sparrow
Gordon E. Simonson	$300.00	Swenson
Hidden Treasure	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Hillary	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Hillary	$50.00	Adelman
Hillary	$50.00	Brooks
Hillary	$50.00	Hidden Springs
Hillary	$50.00	Swenson
Hillary	$55.00	Fina
Hillary	$85.00	Song Sparrow
Hillary	C$130.00	Blossom Hill
Joanna Marlene	$64.00	Fina
Joanna Marlene	$75.00	Swenson
Joanna Marlene	$80.00	Adelman
Julia Rose	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Julia Rose	$50.00	Swenson
Julia Rose	$62.00	Fina
Julia Rose	$75.00	Adelman
Julia Rose	$75.00	Brooks
Julia Rose	$79.00	Peony's Envy
Julia Rose	$85.00	Song Sparrow
Julia Rose	$99.00	Cricket Hill
Julia Rose	C$130.00	Blossom Hill
(Anderson's) Kaleidoscope	$60.00	Swenson
Kopper Kettle	$95.00	Brooks
Kopper Kettle	$99.00	Adelman
(Copper) Kopper Kettle	$150.00	Swenson
Lafayette Escadrille	$65.00	Song Sparrow
Lemon Dream	$45.00	Adelman
Lemon Dream	$45.00	Brooks
Lemon Dream	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Lemon Dream	$50.00	Swenson
Little Darlin	$60.00	Birchwood
Little Darlin	$65.00	Song Sparrow
Lollipop	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Lollipop	$80.00	Brooks
Lollipop	$100.00	Swenson
Love Affair	$150.00	Brooks
Love Affair	$150.00	Hidden Springs
Love Affair	$150.00	Solaris Farms
Luxuriant	$150.00	Solaris
Luxuriant	$150.00	Swenson
Luxuriant	$175.00	Brooks
Momo Taro (Peach Boy)	$48.00	Fina
Morning Lilac	$70.00	Adelman
Morning Lilac	$75.00	Swenson
New Millennium	$120.00	Solaris Farms
Norwegian Blush	$150.00	Swenson
Old Rose Dandy	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Old Rose Dandy	$40.00	Swenson
Old Rose Dandy	$45.00	Adelman
Old Rose Dandy	$45.00	Brooks
Pastel Splendor	$35.00	Solaris Farms
Pastel Splendor	$40.00	Swenson
Pastel Splendor	$45.00	Adelman
Pastel Splendor	$75.00	Song Sparrow
Prairie Charm	$40.00	Hollingsworth
Prairie Charm	$40.00	Swenson
Prairie Charm	$50.00	Birchwood
Prairie Charm	$50.00	Hidden Springs
Prairie Charm	$70.00	Song Sparrow
Rosy Prospects	$70.00	Adelman
Rosy Prospects	$75.00	Brooks
Royal Blush	$125.00	Swenson
Saffron Innocence	$200.00	Swenson
Scarlet Heaven	$40.00	Adelman
Scarlet Heaven	$50.00	Hollingsworth
Scarlet Heaven	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Scarlet Heaven	C$80.00	Blossom Hill
Scarlet Heaven	$89.00	Cricket Hill
Sequestered Sunshine	$48.00	Fina
Sequestered Sunshine	$75.00	Swenson
Sequestered Sunshine	$85.00	Brooks
Sequestered Sunshine	$100.00	Song Sparrow
Singing in the Rain	$60.00	Solaris Farms
Singing in the Rain	$75.00	Brooks
Sonoma Amethyst	$65.00	Adelman
Sonoma Amethyst	$65.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Apricot	$60.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Apricot	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma Blessing	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma Floozy	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma Halo	$250.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Halo	$350.00	Adelman
Sonoma Lavender Fancy	$50.00	Adelman
Sonoma Rosy Future	$125.00	Adelman
Sonoma Rosy Future	$150.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Sun	$80.00	Adelman
Sonoma Velvet Ruby	$60.00	Solaris Farms
Sonoma Velvet Ruby	$65.00	Adelman
Sonoma Welcome	$75.00	Adelman
Strawberry Blush	$175.00	Swenson
Sugar Plum Fairy	$75.00	Hollingsworth
Tolomeo Itoh #L61	$135.00	Solaris Farms
Unique	$60.00	Adelman
Unique	$60.00	Hidden Springs
Unique	$60.00	Solaris Farms
Unique	$60.00	Swenson
Viking Full Moon	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Viking Full Moon	$40.00	Swenson
Viking Full Moon	$45.00	Adelman
Watermelon Wine	$125.00	Swenson
Watermelon Wine	$150.00	Adelman
Watermelon Wine	$150.00	Brooks
White Emperor	$125.00	Swenson
Yellow Crown	$40.00	Solaris Farms
Yellow Dream	C$100.00	Blossom Hill
Yellow Emperor	$45.00	Solaris Farms
Yellow Emperor	$45.00	Swenson
Yellow Emperor	$85.00	Song Sparrow

2016 Registered for American Peony Society Convention

I did it! I finally got my registration in for the 2016 American Peony Society Convention. I am already excited! I can't wait to see all of my peony friends again, meet some new ones, and of course see all of those gorgeous flowers! The convention is going to be in Wisconsin this year. This will be the second peony convention I've attended in Wisconsin. The first one I went to was in Janesville, WI, and it was nice. So I am looking forward to this one in Green Bay, especially since I've never been to Green Bay before. Plus, we are going to be touring the gardens of Nate Bremer of Solaris Farms and of Bill Seidl. It will be nice to meet both of them and see all of their peonies. I can't wait! Also don't forget about the tour of Klehm's Song Sparrow - a rare opportunity to buy their normally mail order only plants in person! Plus, there's always the exhibit, lectures, and of course the banquet and peony auction! So what are you waiting for? Sign up now!!! :-) I hope to see you all there!
2016 American Peony Society Convention

2016 New Peony Breaking Dormancy Too Early

Intersectional Peony 'Prairie Charm' Breaking Dormancy Too Early
This happens on occasion, new peony foliage breaking dormancy too early. It's happened before like this 2012 Newly Planted Peony Sprouting in Fall. That peony lived, but those early sprouts of foliage did not, which is not ideal since the newly divided root is wasting its limited energy reserves on foliage that does not live. Usually the new peony will live, but it will just take longer for it to become established and bloom. This situation usually occurs in peonies that are newly planted, especially here in the South since the weather is warmer here than the climate they were previously growing in. As is the case with this Intersectional Peony 'Prairie Charm' from Moscow, PA - which appears to be in growing zone 5b/6a. I am in growing zone 7b. So that is at least 1.5 growing zones to about 2 full growing zones colder than where I am.
Intersectional Peony 'Prairie Charm' With Extra Mulch
This time, I noticed the dormancy break early, and tried throwing some much over it to block the sun and hopefully keep the foliage from freezing. I am hoping that by blocking the sun, the sprout will not continue to grow, and I'm also hoping that by covering the sprout with mulch, the newly emerging foliage will be protected from the freezing cold temperatures. Our winter has been very weird this year so far. We were warm for most of December, then it finally got cold for a week or so. Then it got hot again, and now cold again. I'm guessing this is how the rest of winter will play out too. I hope this little plant will figure out that it's not time to sprout yet and stay under this new layer of mulch!

2016 Southern Peony Joins Facebook!

Well, finally! Southern Peony finally joins Facebook! It's about time, it's only 2016! Happy New Year to all of my fellow peony lovers and growers out there! You now have a new way to keep up with all of the latest news here at Southern Peony through your favorite social media site - Facebook. So check out our new Southern Peony Facebook page and give us a like! All of our posts here will get posted to Facebook as well. That way you can see lots of gorgeous peony pics while you're catching up on all the family gossip and friend's photos! ;-) Also please tell all your peony friends about us too!
Southern Peony on Facebook