PAEONIA SUFFRUTICOSA 'SHIMADAIJIN

I bought my first ever tree peony today, Paeonia suffruticosa 'Shimadaijim', at the Royal Horticultural Society garden nursery in Harlow Carr.  Although I have not yet seen the actual flower, the images on the internet and the photograph on the label is promising.  I had always thought that tree peonies were somewhat tender but apparently they are hardy.  We'll see, won't we?  How many hardy plants have I bought that have never survived the winter here high on the Pennine Mountains of West (wet) Yorkshire?   Answer: a lot!  I chose 'Shimadaijin', which means Island Minister (hardly a romantic translation), because of the depth of its colour with that golden centre.

Paeonia suffruticosa Shimadaijin 27042016

Many 'named' tree peonies that we find in garden nurseries have been grafted onto a rootstock.  There were only a few Shimadaijin peonies to chose from and I chose the one where I liked the growth most, except that I could see that there were some shoots coming from the rootstock which I have now removed and planted separately to see what comes from them.


Grafting tree peonies (RHS external link)

 

Paeonia suffruticosa 'Shimadaijin' - green leaves from rootstock
are different to the pinkish leaves from the grafted 'Shimadaijin'.

The label says: Paeonia suffruticosa 'Shimadaijin' is a scented, slow growing, upright deciduous shrub with large semi-double magenta, yellow-centred flowers appearing in spring and summer.  It will grow in any moist or well-drained soil in full sun or part shade, achieving a height and spread of 150cm (5ft).


RHS tree peony planting instructions (external link).


When planting a tree peony it is necessary to plant with the rootstock below the soil's surface.  This is a YouTube video on planting peonies from Thompson & Morgan.   Information on planting tree peonies begins at 2:10.