Lost a good friend

Castelnau RB Pyrenée, France(Zone 8a)

Last year my lovely tree paeony gave up the ghost. Not sure why. Just came to the end of it's natural perhaps. Anyway, just wanted to share a memory.
It was Paeonia delaveyi, which comes in varying shades of red, from farely light to almost black. Mine was a rich ruby.
The quality of scent varies too, and I was very lucky as mine filled the air with a subtle but pervasive perfume of the best kind.
Each flower oozed copious nectar, which dripped from the lowest petal. Hoverflies found it irresistable.
I'm sad it has gone.

Thumbnail by philomel
Cedar Key, FL(Zone 9a)

Oh I'm so sad,I ran out and checked the 2 I planted last year and they seem to be alive,small,but alive.I wish I knew how to propigate them.

Castelnau RB Pyrenée, France(Zone 8a)

They seem to do ok from seed, though that won't be exactly like the parent. Not certain otherwise, but i'll find one in a nursery somewhere for sure.
Mine was big and old - time for fresh blood no doubt:-)

Cedar Key, FL(Zone 9a)

Have you started them from seed?I've heard people insist that they MUST BE GRAFTED.I keep asking"grafted to what"?Was your plant very old?Did it set seed?

Castelnau RB Pyrenée, France(Zone 8a)

My tree paeony was a species one, so it wasn't grafted - grew on it's own roots. I think some of the cultivars are grafted.
think mine got to be about 10 years old. It set seed certainly in the last 5 of those, maybe more. One year i found three self seeded plantlets growing underneath. I also gathered seed which seemed to germinate easily enough, and i grew on. Gave them away though dash it!

Cedar Key, FL(Zone 9a)

Seeds of distinction has seeds for it don't they?

Castelnau RB Pyrenée, France(Zone 8a)

I don't have their catalogue, would they send to the UK?

Cedar Key, FL(Zone 9a)

I thought they were in the UK ,(edited to include this) I just looked on the back of one of their seed packets.their phone # is (01449) 721722,they are in Suffolk,not sure if they have a web site.

This message was edited Sunday, Mar 10th 6:50 PM

Castelnau RB Pyrenée, France(Zone 8a)

Thanks very much crestedchik, I'll give them a ring :o)

Troy, VA(Zone 7a)

That's a hard knock Phil!! Know how you feel - such a beautiful addition to the garden. I grew the yellow one, the display was fleeting but always waited with great anticipation for the sight every spring!! You've done it again!! Bringing back all those memories!! By now I would imagine the leaves uncurling on the apple trees - that beautiful fresh hue! Oh blow it!!! On and upwards!!! lolol!!

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