Winter Heaving of Peony Roots

Winter can be trying on peonies, particularly for the newly planted, less-than-ideally sited or poorly mulched. Flower buds can withstand sub-zero temperatures, but the continued freezing and thawing of more mild winters can result in what is known as heaving. This term refers to the resulting force of a layer of ice forming beneath the surface of the soil. The expansion of this ice pushes a layer of soil upwards. The cumulative effects of this process can be quite pronounced, particularly after a “winter” like the one we experienced this year with many periods of freezing and thawing. Its frost heaving which is responsible for delivering us a fresh crop of ‘Connecticut potatoes’ each spring, as rocks come up to the surface. So as you begin your spring clean up, inspect your peonies for signs of heaving.

Peony roots that are not firmly set in the ground or which are in wetter soils are particularly susceptible. This poor plant is in both wet soil and did not have its roots insulated by a layer of mulch. Mulch insulates the soil and can help to prevent heaving. Roots like these, exposed by frost heaving will not survive and will severally weaken a plant.

Exposed roots can desiccate, which can be deadly for young tree and herbaceous peonies, and all plants.

The best solution is to generously mound soil around the exposed roots and tamp it down firmly, but gently with your foot. Do this now in the early spring before any exposed roots wither.

While you are checking for frost heaving, you should also prune out any dead wood from the branches of your tree peonies.

Any dead branches should be removed. It can be a host for harmful fungal spores.

Pruned dead wood should either be burned or composted off site.

With near record breaking temperatures forecast for Connecticut this week, it is no surprise to see the tree peony buds already very far advanced. Any takers on bet that we will see blossoms by April 15th?

The difference between the bud development of an early-blooming Central Plains Chinese tree peony on the left and a later blooming P.rockii hybrid on the right. These tree peonies typically bloom about two weeks apart. But this year all bets are off... We shall see what the rest of March will bring.

 

 

 

Tree Peony Care Reference Sheet (Revised 2012)

Despite the 4” of snow we received the other day, spring is rapidly approaching here at Cricket Hill. Many of the early blooming Chinese tree peonies are quite far advanced for this early in the season. We generally do not worry about this and have been amazed in years past at the ability of the new growth to withstand very cold weather.

The buds of the Chinese tree peony 'Ancient Red' 種生紅.

The later blooming P.rockii hybrids remain very dormant despite the warm winter. These woody sheaths protect the bud.

As the spring peony planting season begins in much of the U.S., we have revised our tree peony care reference sheet. The most significant changes we have made are to emphasize the need to adequately water newly transplanted tree peonies in the first season after transplanting. Depending on how much rain you receive, and the heat of summer, this may mean watering once a week through the first spring and summer that the peony is in its new location. You can download a PDF of our newly revised Tree Peony Care Sheet. Please feel free to share it with friends, garden clubs and anyone else who might be interested.

If there is empty spot in your garden that needs a beautiful plant, consider adding a peony this spring. We have some great plants on special. Happy planting and good growing!

Healing plant: a brief etymology of the word ‘peony’

Peonies, both tree and herbaceous first attracted human interest thousands of years ago. While we today primarily think of peonies as stunning ornamentals, our ancestors viewed them as important medicinal plants.

Tree peonies are grown commercially in China for use in traditional Chinese medicine. Here a farmer in Anhui province tends his field planted with the tree peony 'Phoenix White' and rapeseed (Brassica napus).

Tree and herbaceous peonies are native to Eastern China and wild herbaceous peonies are found growing throughout the Mediterranean regions of Europe. Tree peonies were anointed the national flower of China where they were crowned the ‘king of flowers’  or hua wang over 2000 years ago. An anonymous Greek poet penned a similar sentiment around 300 CE with the epitaph: “Peony, queen of all herbs…” Indeed, it is striking and attests to the real medicinal value of peony roots that in both Greece and China written records survive from the 1st century CE which speak of their beneficial medical properties.

Sliced and dried peony roots are still used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Peony roots contain alkaloids and glucosides. In both China and Europe the roots of peonies are traditionally used for their antispasmodic qualities. It is asserted to have been successfully employed in relieving epilepsy, spasms, and various nervous afflictions. In traditional Chinese medicine, dried peony root is used to treat liver abnormalities, improve blood circulation, as well as to ease a women’s menstruation pains. One of the primary varieties of tree peonies grown for use in Chinese medicine is Phoenix White, which is also cultivated for it’s beautiful flowers.

Paeonia mascula (above) and Paeonia officinalis in the herbal guide of the Greek herbalist Pedanios Dioscorides (c.500 CE).

Our word peony has its roots in ancient Greek. The plant was recognized to possess many curative properties, and was thus given an association with the gods. Paeon, was the physician to the Greek gods and is said to have discovered the uses of the peony root. According to myth, Paeon was a student of Asclepius, the god of medicine and healing. Leto, the goddess of fertility once told Paeon of a special root growing on the slopes of Mt. Olympus which would help soothe the pains of childbirth. Asclepius became jealous of his student, and in his rage threatened to kill Paeon. In order to save Paeon, Zeus turned him into a peony flower so that he could continue to alleviate the pain of women in childbirth. Some sources state that peony seeds were taken by pregnant women in ancient Greece.

The Roman Philny the Elder wrote that a tincture of peony roots "prevents the mocking illusions that the Fauns bring to us in our sleep." This illustration comes from a 16th century German herbal.

In Chinese, the characters for both ‘tree peony’ and ‘herbaceous peony’ also show that these plants were first associated with medicine and healing. In Chinese, tree peony is ‘mudan.’ This compound word consists of two characters. The first ‘mu,’ is composed of two radicals, one which means ox or bull, and the other which signifies something of the earth, or made of earth. The second character, ‘dan‘ represents a medical pill. It can also mean the color red, or the mineral cinnabar.

The chinese charater for tree peony, mudan.

The compound character for herbaceous peony, ‘shao yao‘  reveals the original medical use of the plant. The first character, ‘shao‘ is composed of the sign for plants atop the pictogram for a full spoon or ladle. The second character, ‘yao‘ means medicine, literally, “the plants which bring happiness.”

The Chinese charater for herbaceous peony, shaoyao.

Peonies Blooming for Chinese New Year

In Chinese, chun jie, the word for the traditional lunar new year, means “spring festival.” Though it is still very much winter in northern and central China, the new year heralds the slow awakening of spring. Traditionally the holiday is celebrated by families with mountains of dumplings, and large arsenals of fireworks. Another tradition is ‘forcing’ tree peonies to bloom in time for the New Year. In China, tree peonies represent prosperity and achievement as well as tokens of love. A blooming tree peony not only injects some much needed color into the winter days, but is also a wish for good fortune in the new year.

Forcing tree peonies to bloom in the winter is done by potting up plants in the fall and gradually raising the temperatures in a greenhouse over the course of about two months. There is a very large market in China for forced tree peonies. Businesses display blooming peonies at their offices, and people give potted plants as gifts to friends and family. City governments and universities also put on large public exhibitions of forced tree peonies. A grower we know in China said that his nursery alone forces more than 10,000 plants for the holiday. He estimated that overall about 1,000,000 potted tree peonies are forced to bloom in time for sale during the Spring Festival.

Budded tree peonies in a greenhouse about a week away from opening.

Unfortunately, the roots of these tree peonies have been severely trimmed to fit in these small pots. They will need to be transplanted into the ground or much larger containers for long-term survival. It will take many years before the plants are able to produce this many blossoms again.

Peonies in the winter!

In order to preserve the blossoms, they are wrapped in newspaper for transport.

This exhibition for the 2011 Spring Festival at the Institute of Botany at the Chinese Academy of Sciences feature over fifty different varieties of tree peonies.

Spring is coming!

We have successfully forced tree peonies in the past and are happy to announce that we will be doing so again this year. Look for Cricket Hill Garden tree peonies blooming at the Connecticut Horticulture Society’s display at the CT Flower and Garden show from February 23rd to 26th.

 

Peonies in Classical Chinese Poetry

In China, tree peonies have been objects of aesthetic fascination since at least the Sui Dynasty (589-618 CE). Painters and poets have worked to capture the ephemeral beauty of the blossoms. Tree peonies are also used to evoke female nature, love, prosperity and status. To help lighten the cold, dark days of winter, we find ourselves returning to some of our favorite peony poems of Chinese antiquity. Enjoy!

Spring River Flowers Moon Night

The river is smooth and calm this evening,

The peony flowers bloom.

The moon floats on the current.

The tide carries the stars.

– Qian Qi (Tang Dyanasty)

Visit to the Hermit Chui

Moss covered paths between scarlet peonies,

Pale jade mountains fill your rustic windows.

I envy you, drunk with flowers;

Butterflies swirling in your dreams.

– Qian Qi (Tang Dynasty)

The Blossoms of Luoyang

My lover is like the tree peony of Luoyang,

I, unworthy, like the common willows of Wu Chang.

Both places love the spring wind.

When shall we hold each others hands again?

Incessant the buzzing of insects beyond the orchard curtain

The moom flings slanting shadows from the pepper tree across the courtyard.

Pity the girl of the flowery house, who is not equal to the blossoms of Luoyang.

– Ting Liunang (Tang Dynasty)

Peonies at Jixing Temple

Springtime radiance, gradually, gradually where does it go?

Again before a wine jar, we take up a goblet.

All day we’ve questioned the flowers, but the flowers do not speak.

For whom do they shed their petals and leaves, for whom do they bloom?

–Emperor Yang (Sui Dynasty)

Tree Peonies

Embroidered garden, everywhere there, fettered with famous flowers;

My steps are blocked by the red tiers of budding crimson

I ponder on your favors, which resemble the colors of springtime-

Upon tree peony branches, indeed their glory’s profuse.

–Lu Shusheng (Ming Dynasty)

The Red Peony

Voluptuous green so leisurely and tranquil

and robe of red now light, now dark

heart of the flower sadness about to break

but how could we know this from such spring colors.

–Wang Wei (Tang Dynasty)

Drinking with Friends Amongst the Blooming Peonies

We had a drinking party to admire the peonies.

I drank cup after cup till I was drunk.

Then to my shame I heard the flowers whisper,

“What are we doing, blooming for these old alcoholics?”

–Ling Huchu (Tang Dynasty)

Matching Premier Linghu’s “Taking Leave of the Peonies”

In my official mansion, a balustrade of flowers.

But when it’s time for them to bloom, I’m always away from home!

Do not say the Twin Capitals are not far distant parted.

The springtime brilliance beyond my gate is the very abyss of Heaven.

–Liu Yushi (Tang Dynasty)

Warmest Fall Ever at Cricket Hill 2011

While we have relished the last few weeks of unseasonably warm weather here at Cricket Hill, we are also anticipating the onset of winter. Tonight the mercury will finally dip to 27 degrees, 25 degrees forecast for tomorrow night. We humans, the plants and the earth need a little rest. Still, even as everything prepares for winter dormancy, growth continues.

For a limited time, take 15% all peonies and gift certificates from Cricket Hill Garden at treepeony.com with use of code GIFT15.

We had to cut this tree peony right to ground this spring because of winter rodent damage. It is about 15 years old and has a robust root system. All of these stems are newly grown this year and the plant will have several flowers next year.

This 'Beauty Spied in the Bath' just can't wait until spring to show off. Unfortunately this bud will die off with a really hard frost. If some of your tree peony buds are also beginning to open, you can try to spray them with wilt-proof to prevent sever winter damage. In the past we have used this with some success in preserving prematurely sprouted buds.

Japanese pear tree will need some pruning later this winter.

The abundance of summer is past, but some cold tolerant baby greens (Chinese cabbage, collards and arugula) still fill our salad bowls.

It's also time to harvest our root vegetables. So sweet after the frost!

After staying away from the garden all year, the deer finally stuck our chard. In a way I'm relived, as I can now 'harvest' one with clear conscience.

Even after some deer nibbling, kale continues to provide a bountiful, delicious harvest.

October Winter Wonderland or Snowy Fever Dream at Cricket Hill?

On Sunday, we awoke to the little gifts which ‘winter’ storm Alfred deposited by our door….10” of wet snow and more downed limbs than we ever remember.

Have to get the ole' snow shovel out today before we can get to any tree peony potting...We have never seen snow in such quantities this early.

For the first morning, before it started to melt, we appreciated the snow for making it look as if all our fall clean-up work was done.

Mundy Hepburn's glass sculptures have never looked better.

These blown glass sculptures have already withstood a hurricane and a freak snow storm. We and the artist are confident that they will make it through the winter unscathed.

January 30?... No, October 30th!!

This particular grouping of Mundy's work really needed a coating of snow to showcase its beauty.

On the 'sunny' side of things, with the power out for three days we did transfer essentials from the refrigerator to the snow.

Five days later.....all our our fall clean-up work is exposed....It is amazing how quickly everything has melted away.

The ten day forcast has days in the 50s and 60s and the nights above freezing. The ground is nowhere near frozen and we are still busy digging and planting peonies.