Is it possible to grow peonies here? I’ve heard that it is difficult if not impossible.

Karen Root has had success growing peonies in Wilmington. Here are her tips:

Growing peonies in the south requires a few rules for success

  • Provide shade in the afternoon (Itoh peonies can take more sun)
  • 5-6 hours of morning sun
  • Loose well drained soil- no wet feet in winter
  • Ph requirement is 6.5 to 7.0
  • Do not plant near walls that will hold heat
  • When planting, the eye of the peony needs to be slightly to ½’ maximum below the soil at planting. Do not heap mulch on top as that will put the eye too deep and will not allow enough winter chill for good flowering
  • Pick cultivars that are early flowering, mid to late blooming cultivars need more chill time then we usually get in Zone 8
  • Good herbaceous cultivars are: Festiva Maxima, Sarah Bernhardt, Karl Rosenfeld, Felix Crouse, Bowl of Beauty, Red Charm, Kansas, Shirley Temple, Paula Fay, Mons. Jules Elie, America, Blaze, Coral Charm, Miss America, Bride’s Dream, Krinkled White
  • Good tree peony cultivars (check bloom time and zone recommendations)
  • Good Itoh (intersectional cultivars) All will do well in Wilmington

Karen grows the following peonies with great success:

  • Itoh Bartzella
  • Itoh Cora Louise
  • Krinkled White
  • Festivea Maxima
  • Sarah Bernhardt

There are 4 different kinds of peonies with sub-groups under each of them.

    • Woodland Peony –Zone 3-8
    • Tree Peonies- Zone 4-9
    • Herbacesous Peonies 3-8
    • Intersectional Peonies (Itoh) – Zone 3-8 (hybrid cross between tree peony and herbaceous peony. They produce tree peony flowers and leaves that behave like herbaceous peonies and die back to the ground. Itoh peonies can be grown in full sun and have primary and secondary buds which yields 50 or more blooms on a 3 ‘ plant)

There are many good sites for peony information.   One of the best is Peony’s Envy  which describes each peony type with good care tips.   They have a section on peonies for the south- http://peonysenvy.com/peonycare.html#plantherb

Clemson Extension – http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/landscape/flowers/hgic1170.html

Plant Delights Nursery – http://www.plantdelights.com/index/page/static/subpage/search-results/?search=peony#/?keywords=peony&search_return=all&Activeproduct=y

Hillary McNeir adds a tip she received from the staff at Airlie: Fertilize with a 13-24-6 mix.