As the first breath of spring scents the air, the uppermost thought in my mind and many other gardeners is to tread the beaten garden path to watch for the tiny red shoot that will produce a magnificent flower in a few short weeks the peony.
This dramatic unfolding of nature is a spring spectacle indeed and one I look forward to not only for the big globes of white, pink, and red it brings to the garden to companion the yellows and oranges of early daylilies and mauves and golds of the iris but also for the handsome cutting material peonies afford for the house.
Indeed, one of the most enjoyable things about the versatile peony is its usefulness as a cut flower.
Different Varieties of Peonies For Cutting
Certain varieties, of course, are better for cutting than others. So let’s sort out the best cutting varieties, grouping them by flower type and color.
First, we’ll consider the doubles, then the singles and Japanese, all three of which are available in early, midseason, and late varieties.
The old-time species or wild peonies (and tree peonies, too) are particularly early-flowering, preceding the earliest of all the others by 2 to 4 weeks.
Double Varieties
Topping our list of good cutting doubles, the type most familiar in the garden, is one of these native peonies, bright red Peony Officinalis Rubra, which is one of the very first varieties of all to bloom.
Used in a sparkling cut-glass vase or old-time pitcher, this favorite of grandmother’s garden lends dignity to any home.
There are many other fine red cutting doubles in various shades—from the bright red of Ruth Elizabeth to the deep black red of Mons. Martin Cahuzax.
There is perhaps nothing so magnificent as a vase of the latter alone—whether three blooms are used or three dozen.
Other double reds that cut well:
- Burma
- Cherry Hill
- Felix Crousse
- Grover
- Cleveland
- Kansas
- Karl Rosenfield
- Longfellow
- Mary Brand
- Philippe Rivoire
- Richard Carvel
- Tempest
- W. E. Blanchette
Good pink doubles are fairly numerous, too, including:
- Blanche King
- Ella Christiansen
- Martha Bulloch
- Tondeleyo
But the earliest is Edulis Superba. A deep rose that retains its color well, this peony (as well as all deep pinks, for that matter) is perfect in a blue vase or in a white container paired with the graceful blue perennial baptisia.
The deep pinks also combine strikingly with simple white daisies, which contribute a pleasing, lighthearted grace to the straight, sturdy peony stems.
In the medium pink doubles, silvery chrysanthemum-shaped Mons. Jules Elie is an early standout, bursting forth soon after Edulis Superba.
Then come the following light and medium pinks:
- Doris Cooper
- Georgiana Shaylor
- Hansina Brand
- Minuet
- Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Therese
- Walter Faxon
Almost as lovely with blue as the deeper pinks, this color class goes particularly well with the blues of spuria and Siberian iris, whose dainty blooms fill in charmingly with the stalwart peonies.
Now starting its second century, Festiva Maxima heads the list as one of the first double whites to bloom and the best as a cut flower.
Other splendid white and blush varieties are:
- Alice Harding
- Avalance
- Baroness Schroeder
- Dorothy J
- Elsa Saa
- Frances Willard
- James Kelway
- Kelways Glorious
- La Lorraine
- Mattie Lafuze
- Mrs. Edward Harding
- Victory
- Canada Ann Cousins (new introduction)
Combine some of these white peonies with bright red pyrethrum and blue iris for a brilliant Memorial Day arrangement.
Before concluding our discussion of doubles, there is one general rule I’d like to suggest for arranging them.
For the happiest effects, use all one variety (alone or combined with other spring flowers as suggested previously).
Or, if you prefer, use two varieties of contrasting colors but with the same type of bloom.
For example, you could combine two rose-type doubles or two bomb types, one variety a delicate pink perhaps, the other a lovely red.
Single And Japanese Varieties
Next, we come to the single and Japanese peonies, whose exquisite grace makes them particularly delightful subjects for arrangements.
Single peonies, you will remember, usually have one or two rows of large petals with a beautiful central cluster of yellow stamens.
The Japanese type is similar in form but has a larger cluster of modified stamens (technically called staminodes), which look like thinly shredded petals.
The best of the single whites for cutting are the following:
- Krinkled White
- Le Jour
- Pico
Last year, the latter captured top-class honors at both the Lake Mohawk and Minneapolis peony shows.
Excellent pinks include:
- Angelus
- Helen L’Etincelante
- Sea Shell
Red varieties include:
- Arcturus
- Flanders Field
- Imperial Red
- Kickapoo
- Mano’ War
- President Lincoln
- Red Warrior
White Japanese varieties your garden should include for cutting are:
- Isani Gidui
- Moon of Nippon
- Shaylor’s Sunburst
- Toro-no-maki
Pinks are:
- Amano-sode
- Nippon Gold
- Prairie Afire
- Sagoroma
- Tomate Boku
- Westener
Reds are:
- Dignity
- Charm
- Hari-ai-nin
- Nippon Brilliant
- Onahama
Japs and singles are usually most attractive in arrangements when colors and varieties are not mixed.
For a distinctive arrangement in a low bowl, take seven or so blooms, place one high in the center, and then build down on either side with the final flower relatively low.
For maximum effectiveness, use a wall or mirror as background. Another way to display these graceful peonies is to float a lone bloom in a flat bowl and use it on a coffee table or as a centerpiece on your dinner table.
Japanese and single peonies have excellent lasting qualities. With proper handling, they keep a week or more.
These peonies, incidentally, are also good for cemetery use as they are quite resistant to wind, rain, and hot sun.
Proper Way Of Cutting Peonies
Now a few tips on cutting and handling peonies to ensure maximum lasting qualities.
Here’s how to do it:
- Cut the blooms just as they begin to open, singles while they’re still in fairly tight bud and doubles in the soft bud stage.
- Sever the stems slant-wise to provide a maximum absorbing surface.
- Also, for your plant’s health, remember to leave at least two sets of leaves on each growing stem and at least ⅓ of the blooms on each hush.
- After cutting, strip off all foliage from the cut stem except the two top leaves. Excess foliage is unattractive and uses water that the bloom needs.
- Place the blooms as soon as possible in a deep container of water large enough to accommodate them easily.
If you have a cooler, you can “cold-storage” your cut peonies, if you like, for a month or so by maintaining a temperature of 36° degrees Fahrenheit.
They may be stored dry or in water, but don’t forget to cut the stems when removing them from storage.
On the other hand, if you want to speed up some partially open flowers to make them full-blown, place them in front of an electric fan. This will do the trick.
Fragrance Of Peonies
A word about fragrance seems to be necessary to many, although my reaction to the magnificent peony is not the desire to smell it but rather to stand in awe of its beauty.
Generally speaking, the peony isn’t considered a fragrant flower, but there are several doubles with a pleasing odor:
- Avalanche
- Blanche King
- Dr. J. H. Neeley
- Edulis Superba
- Martha Bulloch
- Myrtle Gentry
- Philippe Rivoire
Many of the singles have a none-too-pleasing pungent pollen odor.
Peony’s Simple Culture
The culture of the peony, one of the most popular and satisfactory garden perennials, is extremely simple.
Indeed, this flower requires so little time and care for the rich rewards it gives. It is actually in a class by itself.
The insects and diseases that bother it are few. The roots last a lifetime if purchased from a reliable dealer and planted (in fall) with the top eye no more than 2 inches deep in a well-drained sunny spot.
Remember to plant your peonies permanently if possible (mulching the first year), for they resent disturbance.
In early September, cut your plants off at the ground, and if they are old or the soil none too good, work in an organic fertilizer around them.
I do hope this article has inspired you to grow more of the flower that can bring so much pleasure and beauty into both home and garden.