During the months of May and June one of the all-time favorite plants of local gardeners, the peony, is bursting into bloom. There are many excellent peonies available to utilize in our landscapes; including herbaceous cottage types in all sorts of colors (and varying fragrances) and larger growing tree peonies too. I would never scold anyone for growing either of these types (since I do as well), but I want to bring attention to another fabulous peony option… what is known as the intersectional or Itoh Peony.
The Itoh Peony originated in Japan in 1948 thanks to one man’s dedication and perseverance - Dr. Toichi Itoh, a noted Japanese plantsman and botanist. He spent decades crossing pollen from herbaceous and tree peonies, trying to find the perfect hybrid. After literally thousands of attempts, he finally achieved success and produced some 36 seedlings to trial and evaluate. This was no small feat, and frankly a task that no one thought could be done. It took decades longer for these plants to find their way into the West, and now they have become more available to gardeners in all corners of the globe.
I personally discovered the Itoh Peony about 20 years ago on a trip to British Columbia and was instantly fascinated. They were not something I had seen in the “States” at all, and please don’t tell anyone, but I decided to smuggle a small plant across the border for my own garden (an old variety called ‘Kopper Kettle’ which sports a nice coppery orange flower). Luckily, the plant police did not arrest me, and thus it is still thriving in my yard in Everett to this day. I waited some seven years to get a flower, but it has bloomed beautifully for me year after year since.
Now, in all seriousness, I bring this up not to get in the trouble with the USDA or custom officials (although I am sure the statute of limitations has passed), but rather to highlight what can be found right here, right now. The selections at local garden centers of Itoh Peonies are both impressive and varied, and are now sold as much larger specimens that bloom immediately. Most often I see large, five-gallon size Itohs covered in multiple blooms priced in the $120 neighborhood, which is not cheap, but considering I spent $35 on a one-gallon 20 years ago and waited 7 years for flowering, after adjusting for inflation I would say that is a much better deal than I received, right? I remember reading, years ago, that the first plants produced were sold for well over a thousand dollars, an astronomically large amount some 70 years ago, so we are all getting off easy!
Over the years I have added others to my own garden and simply love all of them. Itoh Peonies are absolutely stunning and combine the ideal traits from both of their parents. They are short, bushy growers, like herbaceous types ,that do not require staking, yet sport the large magnificent blooms of the tree peony. Itohs also exhibit exquisite tree peony foliage that turns lovely colors each autumn. Flowers are unique to each named cultivar of course, but one of the cool attributes is their multi-colored flowers that seem to evolve into different tones each day and will often have some fragrance. After continued modern introductions, our choices increase exponentially year after year. Once blooms are spent, they will sport interesting seeds, which I often leave on my plant over summer to add interest, or they can easily be pruned off if you like.
Now let’s get down to business and talk about a few of the cool flavors available in garden centers this spring…
‘Scrumdidleumptious’: Beautiful semi-double flower with light fragrance, color is peachy yellow with pink tip color painted on each petal.
‘Scarlet Heaven’: Bright, large, single, pure scarlet-red flowers with yellow stamens in the center and light fragrance. One of best true reds out there.
‘Gordon Simonson’: Ginormous semi-double, fuchsia-pink flowers with light lavender ring and yellow stamens in the center, very striking in bloom.
‘Yumi’: Yellow is the color to find, and this semi-double yellow stunner has light fragrance and large flowers. Name means simply “beauty”.
‘Duchesse de Lorraine’: This is pastel yellow on steroids, huge double flowers and fragrance as well. The first true double, yellow Itoh peony.
All intersectional peonies are easy to grow in a well-drained garden location with sun or partial sun (6 hours or so minimum), reach maybe 3 feet tall, and require minimal maintenance. I would recommend feeding them with a good organic rose/flower type fertilizer once in February and again in June for best performance. Not much pruning should ever be necessary - I simply check all mine coming out of winter and cut back any dead wood I find here and there. If extreme winter temps are an issue, a nice mulching in fall will help protect the root system for sure. Like all peonies the tuber can be divided, but remember that this is always a chore best done only in the late fall. Finally, I have one more radically odd tip for those brave enough to try it… if you cut yours back and deadhead it after bloom, you will often see it repeat flower in later summer and fall.
I would encourage all of you plant lovers to check these out and explore the many other cultivars that are introduced year after year from breeders all over. Itoh Peonies are gorgeous plants that are easy to grow in the landscape and the flowers will pop with color in your garden or as cut flowers in your home. Stop in your local garden to ask for them and seek further advice from a Certified Professional Horticulturist on selecting and growing the right one for you. Trust me, if you swallow the price tag and grab one (or more) for your garden, you will be mesmerized, like me, by their beauty year after year.
