Paintings and literature suggest that the tree peony has been associated with Chinese culture for more than 3000 years.
The tree peony is known as Mudan in China. Mu means male, and dan means red.
Mudan means a plant that can reproduce by both seed and sucker, and the better ones are the red ones.
Their large voluptuous flowers have the look of another, less-hurried era.
What is a tree peony?
It is actually not a true tree, but a shrub, producing a framework of woody stems.
Unlike the herbaceous peonies, peony trees do not die down to the ground over the dormant season.
Tree peonies also have larger flowers than herbaceous ones and are available in a wider range of colours.
Yellow, purple, maroon and green are commonly available in the trees but rarely seen in herbaceous peonies.
Plants grow slowly, eventually reaching 2m high with a spreading habit.
Long live the tree peony
Because a tree peony can live longer than the most ancient gardener, it is important to choose a good site.
There are specimens in China thought to be over 200 years old.
Peonies are not for every climate. They really need a cool climate, with some frosts.
Dunedin is perfect for them.
The usual reason for non-flowering is that you are in too warm a climate and/or the peony has been planted too deep.
The top of the bud should be no more than 4cm below ground. They prefer fertile, well-drained soils.
Costly
Today these exotic flowers are available to us all, at a price.
The cultivated forms of the tree peony cost considerably more than their herbaceous sisters and prices can range from $30 to $300.
Tree peonies in the Botanic Garden
There are tree peonies in flower in the camellia collection. My favourites are the very dark red/maroon flowering types.
Look for Paeonia 'Kronos' with deep red/maroon flowers or P. 'Boreas' with flowers of dark glossy red with violet highlights.
- Marianne Groothuis, curator of the camellia collection.
