What is special about Itoh peonies?
The Itoh Peony is a hybrid between the traditional herbaceous peony and the tree peony. This unique combination results in a plant with the best of both worlds—strong, upright stems that support enormous blooms, combined with lush, dark green foliage that remains attractive all season long. An Itoh peony is worth any price you have to pay, because these plants produce leaves and flowers that resemble tree peonies on a plant that behaves like a perennial. The plant dies back to the soil each year with the arrival of frost, and new growth emerges from soil each spring.The Itoh Peony is a hybrid between the traditional herbaceous peony and the tree peony. This unique combination results in a plant with the best of both worlds—strong, upright stems that support enormous blooms, combined with lush, dark green foliage that remains attractive all season long.Itoh is an intersectional cross between a tree and herbaceous peony. They take a little longer to grow but normally are very bushy and self supporting with large blooms.Itoh peonies are essentially a cross of bush and tree peonies with a shrubby, round habit, sturdy stems, and large, repeat blooming, exotic colored blossoms in violet, red, pink, orange, yellow, and white.In 1948, Japanese Peony grower Toichi Itoh made the first successful cross between an Herbaceous Peony and a Tree Peony, and the result, christened in his honor, are Itoh (or Intersectional) Peonies.
How to identify Itoh peony?
Itoh peonies have enormous flowers up to eight inches across, with undulating petals encircling a froth of yellow stamens. Plant peonies in the fall: in late September and October in most of the U. S. Zones 7 and 8 (Find your planting zone here). If you must move a mature plant, fall is the time to do it—specifically, when the plant has gone dormant.When planted in the correct place with suitable soil conditions, peonies are quite straightforward to grow. Most cultivars thrive in zones 3–8 in the USA, and they appreciate a sunny location with good drainage.Peonies prefer full sun, at least 6 hours a day, so make sure you choose a sunny and well-drained spot for this plant. Peonies in the warmest end of their range (Zone 8) need afternoon shade, so check the specifics of your variety before planting.The flowers themselves are beautiful but fragile. Their silky petals bruise easily, which makes harvesting and shipping a gamble. Rare or heirloom varieties are even more limited, and that drives up prices too. All of this makes peonies a flower that people are willing to splurge on when they want something special.Intersectional hybrid (Itoh) peonies are sterile and do not yield viable seeds. Unfortunately some garden favorites like the advanced herbaceous hybrids ‘Coral Charm’ and “Lois’ Choice’ are also infertile.
What is the difference between an Itoh peony and a regular peony?
Itoh peonies have a longer bloom period than herbaceous peonies at up to two and a half weeks! They also tend to bloom at a younger age than herbaceous peonies. Which type of peony blooms the longest? If you’re looking for an extended bloom season, Intersectional peonies can produce flowers for a period of 3 to 4 weeks, with as many as 30 to 50 blossoms per plant. The blooms of a tree peony, if protected from the hot afternoon sun, can last as long as 14 days.Growing Itoh peonies requires a bit of patience but is a rewarding endeavor. Because they are sterile and don’t yield viable seeds, they are propagated by planting divided bareroots of the plants. The best-performing root divisions have at least 2 -“3 -œeyes,- the nubby growing points that are potential flower stems.Growth Expectations Peonies are very resilient and hardy, but do take time to establish and become a mature flowering plant. Intersectional peonies will mature to 3-4 feet wide, with more flowers and more stems being produced each year.Weeks 7 & 8 – Intersectional Peonies (AKA Itoh) Intersectional Peonies extend the peony bloom, flowering alongside mid- to late-blooming herbaceous peonies. Not all the buds open at once. Instead, they tend to have 2 or 3 flushes of flowers, with waves of bloom that last for 2 to 3 weeks.Itoh peonies can be divided much the same as herbaceous peonies. Itoh peonies have a longer bloom period than herbaceous peonies at up to two and a half weeks! They also tend to bloom at a younger age than herbaceous peonies.
Is Itoh peony a shrub?
Itoh peonies are essentially a cross of bush and tree peonies with a shrubby, round habit, sturdy stems, and large, repeat blooming, exotic colored blossoms in violet, red, pink, orange, yellow, and white. They are excellent deer- resistant plants, too. Herbaceous peonies generally don’t flower reliably until they are about five years old and for tree peonies it can be a couple of years more. Whichever peony you choose, buy a well-established plant to ensure you get off to the best possible start.Itoh peonies have a longer bloom period than herbaceous peonies at up to two and a half weeks! They also tend to bloom at a younger age than herbaceous peonies.Like their herbaceous parents, Itoh peonies appear to be extremely cold hardy. However it is important to note, that since they are new for many gardeners, hardiness experiences are still being collected for specific Itoh cultivars.This makes them particularly striking both in the garden and as cut flowers. Fragrance: While Itoh peonies are not as fragrant as some of the traditional peony varieties, ‘All That Jazz’ may emit a light, subtle fragrance that adds an extra layer of enjoyment to its presence in the garden.The main differences between the two are the sturdiness of the stems, bloom colors, and bloom times. Herbaceous peonies bloom earlier in the season whereas the Itoh hybrids bloom a bit later in spring and tend to have a longer bloom time.
Why isn’t my Itoh peony flowering?
Planted in Too Much Shade Peonies need at least 4-6 hours of direct sun to bloom well. It’s beneficial to reevaluate the amount of light the plants receive, as it can change over time as shrubs and trees grow and become larger. This is particularly true for long-lived perennials like peonies. Peonies are not hard to grow, but they do require full sun and fertile, well-drained soil. Annual spring feeding will help assure a plethora of lovely blooms. With proper planting and a little care, your peonies will provide years of beauty and enjoyment with a minimal amount of trouble.Plant Peonies in Pots Properly Fill the pot with a potting soil mix that provides good drainage. If the soil doesn’t contain fertilizers, add a healthy mix of compost to the soil. Take care to plant your peonies at the proper depth; planting them too deep can reduce flowering.Feeding: Great soil plus just the right plant food equals a powerful care combination for your peonies. Give peonies the nutrition they need by feeding them with Miracle-Gro® Shake ‘n Feed® Rose & Bloom Plant Food for gorgeous color and more blooms vs.Itoh peonies thrive in well-drained, fertile soils and are hardy in zones 4-“8. A full sun to partial shade location is ideal for them, offering a balance between sunlight exposure and heat protection. An Itoh peony plant can range from 2-“3’ in height, while larger blooms extend up to 7 across.
Where to plant Itoh peonies?
Itoh peonies are best planted in full sun to part shade and in rich, well-drained soil. This hole is about a foot-and-a-half deep and wide. Once the whole is dug, Brian tests its size by putting the potted plant into the hole. Next, Brian sprinkles a good amount of fertilizer in the hole and on the surrounding soil. Itoh peonies can be divided much the same as herbaceous peonies. Itoh peonies have a longer bloom period than herbaceous peonies at up to two and a half weeks! They also tend to bloom at a younger age than herbaceous peonies.However, peonies take approximately three years after planting to establish and reach the size where normal flower harvests won’t affect the health of the plant. Like all things flower farming-related, there is more than one path to success.Because of their tree peony ancestry, the stems of Itoh peonies are more lignified than those of their herbaceous cousins, so Itoh peonies do not need to be staked.Itoh peonies thrive in well-drained, fertile soils and are hardy in zones 4-“8. A full sun to partial shade location is ideal for them, offering a balance between sunlight exposure and heat protection. An Itoh peony plant can range from 2-“3′ in height, while larger blooms extend up to 7 across.