I'm getting one 'cause I think they're so beautiful and have a part shade space for it. I will greatly appreciate your tips on how you care for it. thanks
who grows peonies in houston area?
I had one, but it died. Peonies have a really difficult time here - too hot in the summers, and not cold enough in winters (they need a winter chill period longer and lower than what we can give them from what I understand).
Sorry - hate to be barer of bad news. You are correct, they are very beautiful!
Yep, I had same experience here in Austin area....great the first year....nothing after that.
oh well, that's the good thing about trading. It is a relatively inexpensive way to experiment. I planted mine today. will post here re: progress. thanks everyone.
I agree, they are very pretty but I have never had any luck with them :( ....good luck
dstartz, I got a reply from a nice man in GW that says he lives in california wine country (zone 9) dry hot summers and mild winters, who successfully grows peony Sara Bernhart and Festiva. He says bush peonies will bloom in 3 years and tree peonies in 5 years. I tell you, this gardening thing is just forcing me to learn patience and i don't like it, I tell you, just don't like it. LOL
Zone 8b, Heat Zone 9 Lake Sam Rayburn, Broaddus, TX (Piney Woods of deep East, TX)
High humidity, hot/dry summers. I may try a potted one.
I had great success in Denison, TX (near OK Border)
I love this plant!
Keep those hands dirty!
About 3 years ago when we were getting rain, I grew about12 peonies. Out of the 12, 3 bloomed and the others dwindled down and finally died. It was just too hot here.
Good luck in your attenpt as they are certainly beautiful.
Susie
I planted a Festiva in Giddings and it bloomed for about 3 years and then moved to austin and i moved it too and had to plant it right away in June and it bloomed the next year and the next and the next and it is full of blooms now..It is on the north side of the house so maybe that has something to do with it---anyway the blooms are worth the trouble.
CARTER'S COMMENTS ARE YOUR BEST ANSWER TO GROWING PEONIES IN TX
Planted my first bulb in a pot and have a little plant going. Need to move it to a shadier place I suppose. :) Wish me luck.
Carter is right. Being from Boston I grew peonies for many years. In fact, they are one of my three all time favorites flowers, the others being lily-of-the-valley and lilacs. When I moved to the Houston area I had to come to terms that I would no longer be able to grow any of these. The intense heat is too much for them and not enough chill time in the winter. I went through a period of sadness and mourning. Then I just moved on to all the wonderful plants I could grow here that I could not grow in a cold climate...like citrus and figs and pomagranates.....
Yes, but human nature always makes you want what you can't have! I remember growing up in NY and my grandfather had a ton of peonies. The smell was amazing, huge blooms. I gotta give it a shot. Have mine in a container so I can move it if it looks like it is getting too much sun. Saw somewhere on here where people in the south put ice around their peonies in the winter to make them colder so they will bloom better in the Spring. Hmm.....
You know, I was thinking of doing that ice thing too but I was told don't bother. Let us know how it works out. Good luck.
I have one in a shady spot now the second year, the bush grows but never blossomed.
fancyflea, why not grow lily of the valley indoors?
Indoors? Not sure how to do that. I had lily-of-the-valley that spread and spread to huge areas in my yard. I even had plenty to share with friends. A local florist would pay me each year to pick some of it for his bridal bouquets.
Here is a link I found.
http://www.weekendgardener.net/flower-bulbs/lily-of-the-valley-021002.htm
I am going to try them indoors. I just picked up some roots from walmart on sale for $1.
thanks for the link....