Plant Journal
COMMON NAME Itoh Peony – The Series
BOTANICAL NAME Paeonia x Itoh Series – sometimes called intersectionals. These are a cross between the herbaceous P. lactiflora and the tree P. suffruticosa. Some of these tree form peonies are Lutea Hybrid peonies.
The stems are sturdier than the herbaceous, and they are a bit hardier than the tree form.
ZONE 3 – 8
SIZE 3’ HT x 4’ SP
FOLIAGE Smooth, cutleaf foliage with a strong presence thoughout the growing season. Seems to be a bit more resistant to powdery mildew. Dead head after flowering to enjoy a beautiful shrub appearance.
FLOWER Large, full flowers in the spring, and wonderfully fragrant. The stems are better able to support the weight of the blooms, but after a rain, some may bend over. Color options range from purple, pink, yellow, white.
FRUIT A 3-part capsule will develop if you fail to dead head. Nothing particularly showy.
GROWING CONDITIONS Full Sun to Part Shade. Well-drained soil. Some people plant on a mound or in a raised bed in order to improve the drainage, but I have yet to find this necessary.
Cut back to 4-6” HT in late fall or early spring. Buds that form on last year’s stems 12” or more above grade tend not to be quite as vigorous as those that form closer to the base.
Can be divided in the fall. (see DIVIDING PERENNIALS AND HERBACEOUS SHRUBS)
NOTES
Deer Resistant.
If powdery mildew appears, cut back to healthy foliage. This usually occurs quite late in the season, therefore, this will not affect the new growth the following year.
