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A Closer Look at Winter Damage

But first, take a look at this gorgeous rainbow that we had on Friday! The five-day stretch of warm temperatures last week really jump-started the garden. Now that plants are putting out new growth, it is easier to see what kind of damage the winter left. Back in mid-January, we experienced five straight days of below-freezing temperatures. This caused much damage in Portland and areas where frigid winds were a factor. Here, we were fortunate to not get the wind and the cold temperatures were dampened by a blanket of snow. That said, it was a tough time for the garden and there are noticeable casualties but no outright deaths that I have seen. The bottlebrush ( Callistemon 'Woodlander's Red') did not like the cold at all. It was planted six years ago, in the north-facing garden no less, and I've not experienced die-back on it until now. A local expert said to cut it all the way back so that is what I did. If it doesn't make it, I won't be too distraught. It is

Japanese Tree Peony



This is truly a stunning plant that puts on an incredible show for a brief moment and then it is gone until next year. This year the blooms were pretty for about two days. Something always happens to fade their loveliness - they are really sensitive to wind and rain. I forget where I bought mine but I have it planted in a terrible spot for viewing, right in the middle of a border with larger shrubs, but it seems to be happy where it is. I've always heard that they dislike transplanting so I've left it alone. I've had this plant for over 10 years and it is barely 2 feet tall but every year there are more blooms and they seem to be more dramatic with each passing year although this could just be the time of bloom - most plants are just waking up when the tree peony blooms appear (late March) and the bright red flowers are a sight to behold for a color deprived gardener emerging from the winter doldrums. I don't know the name of the cultivar although I wish I did. It blooms much earlier than the regular peonies, which don't start until May.

Comments

  1. Oh, I am so jealous. I would love to grow peonies, but it is just too hot here. Even though the bloom did not last long, it was beautiful.

    Jan Always Growing

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  2. Hi,
    These do not do all that well in San Francisco, but I do love them. That one looks beautiful.

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  3. Wow, they're blooming already in Alabama? Mine hasn't even yawned and stretched to wake up yet. Gives me something to look forward to. Yours is lovely!

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  4. Tree Peonies are one of my favorites! I have 6 different ones. My oldest is a yellow that's almost 3 ft tall and about 10 years old. But my favorite is a giant pale pink with blooms almost a ft across.
    Check out the pics here...http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/559072453ibzqRX?vhost=home-and-garden

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  5. Mine has never bloomed. I finally moved it to a new spot in the fall thinking that might help. We'll see.

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  6. Hi Phillip, what a gorgeous blossom. Ten years old and only two feet? Could it be a dwarf variety, my white one is at least four feet but the red one that will open fully today is about the two feet height, but is a younger plant. Yours with the double petals is a stunning specimen!

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  7. Jan and Philip, I think gardeners are always wanting to grow things that are not meant for their zone. I know I do.

    Jodi, actually it bloomed weeks ago. I'm just now getting around to posting it.

    Wayne, for some reason I couldn't get your URL to work. I'm looking forward to seeing your peonies.

    Robin, good luck and don't give up!

    Frances, it could be. I have no recollection of the name or where I got it.

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  8. Lovely & luscious! I can't wait for mine - it's got buds. I saw a photo in a book of market umbrellas used to protect Tree Peony blossoms. It seemed sort of silly, but if I lived in the South, I'd probably get one. (I have been known to put a rain umbrella over my plant temporarily to protect it from a thunderstorm.)

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  9. Georgeous, absolutely gorgeous. I tried growing some from one of those cut rate mail order nurseries but all the bare root plants were shriveled failures. I finally bought some potted white ones which I like very much but I see I should buy a red and a yellow and a purple and a.... Thanks for a preview of what will arrive soon for us northerners.

    BTW, have you tried growing them from seed? Our plants produced a lot of seed but I understand they are notoriously fickle as to growing conditions and have yet to give it a shot.

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  10. Phillip, your garden is spectacular! I've just been catching up on the two post I've missed. I've been so very busy. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! I am just enchanted by it all.
    -Randy

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  11. Phillip,
    This is my second attempt to post a comment, I think I tried yesterday when blogger was down. I love the tree peony and tried to grow it but all I got after the first year's one bloom are beautiful leaves...it's time to try to move it! That red bloom is fabulous.

    gail

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  12. Wow, that's a fabulous color, Phillip - my only IL tree peony was white and I loved it, but could sure get fond of this one!

    Before we put the Illinois house up for sale I dug up my tree peony and brought it to a friend's house. That was in early March when everything was dormant but the soil was defrosted. Two years later it had more than 20 blooms in my friend's garden.

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  13. Very nice peony tree. I have a yellow one that has been in my garden for as long as I have had the garden which is 7 years now. Mine is also about 2 feet tall and wide. Last year I only had one bloom because of the unusally late frost we had killed the rest of the buds. But this year it looks like I will have a wonderful show of blooms. I too wish they lasted longer. But the shot show is worth the wait.

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  14. I had a deep violet tree peony in my garden in Oakland, California. it was glorious! I'm in Dallas now, and I'm told they'll do well here. These need less chilling than the herbacious peonies. One peony site I found has (no joke) the parchment Japanese umbrellas traditionally used to shelter the blooms. I've seen these in gardens in korea, and the effect is really quite interesting.

    Once the blooms have faded 9still too soon for me) the umbrellas are stowed until the next year.

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  15. it looks like the japanese tree peony taiyo "the sun" i have one they are very bright red and very showy.

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  16. Gives me something to look forward to. Yours is lovely!

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