With its eye-catching flowers, the usually uncomplicated winter-hardy shrub peony is an enrichment in every garden. There are a whole range of options available for propagating this plant, which is different from the perennial peony.
How to propagate a tree peony?
The tree peony can be propagated by seeds, division of older plants, grafting methods or cuttings. When propagating seeds, seeds should be stratified to speed up germination, while division of older plants should be done carefully to ensure good root formation.
Harvest the seeds and grow young plants from them
When caring for tree peonies, it is often recommended to cut off the wilted inflorescences immediately after flowering in order to save the plants the energy needed to form the relatively large seeds. If, on the other hand, you want to harvest germinable seeds, you have to let the seeds ripen on the plants until they can finally be removed from the burst star-shaped seed capsules in autumn. Although propagation by seeds is the only way to naturally create new hybrids of flower colors, it is not necessarily common for tree peonies due to the long duration. To speed up germination, which can sometimes take up to two or three years, the seeds can be stratified by alternately soaking them in water and freezing them.
The division of older specimens
If you have planted the tree peonies in the right location in your garden, then such a plant can live up to 60 years without transplanting. Any (unreasonable) transplanting of the peonies should be avoided if possible, as it slows down the plants' growth and flower formation. However, older specimens can be dug up for propagation purposes and divided by cutting or sawing. Make sure that each section has at least 2 or 3 buds and as small a wound area as possible.
The usual methods of grafting tree peonies
Young shrub peony plants sold commercially in pots are usually grafted. The following methods are available for this:
- Wedge method
- chip finishing
- Bevel cut finishing
- Oculation
- Nurse refinement
In the nurse grafting or goat's foot method, a shrub peony scion is grafted onto a perennial peony root, usually in August or September. This root then serves as a supply root for the young plant for the first 2 or 3 years before it is finally shed. However, this can only work if the cuttings have been planted deep enough to allow root formation directly on the scions of the tree peony.
Tip
The tree peony can also be propagated without grafting by rooting cuttings. For this purpose, a special rooting hormone (€20.00 at Amazon) should be used and a time in early autumn should be chosen.
