DABG Peonies• “Go
Viral”
‘Prairie Moon,’ claimed by some to be the most beautiful
We always knew the DABG’s peonies were special, and soon
gardeners all over the United States will know it too.
of the hybrid peonies. Its blooms are large and creamyyellow in a semi-double flower style, with foliage that
remains glossy and green until frost.
The American Peony Society (APS) has added a DABG link to
their website [www.americanpeonysociety.org/links/peonygardens]. The APS site lists public gardens in the United States
and several foreign countries that display 20 or more different
peony cultivars. Our DABG collection more than qualifies for
this honor, with a total of 69 cultivars. Currently we are one
of only four botanical gardens in Iowa to be listed. The others
are the Iowa Arboretum in Madrid, Bickelhaupt Arboretum in
Clinton, and Reiman Gardens in Ames.
Memorial Day weekend is the time traditionally
recommended for viewing peonies. Some will bloom earlier,
and others a little later, depending on the specific plant. Also,
weather conditions in any particular year can affect bloom
time. Peonies have long been popular cut flowers as well.
In addition to the seven peony beds, peonies are grown
in other areas of the DABG grounds. Several tree peonies
Our 69 named cultivars grow in seven beds arranged in a
(Paeonia suffruticosa) can be found in the Japanese Garden.
spoke-like pattern next to the Shade Garden. This design
Their leaves drop in the fall, but the woody stems stay
allows visitors to get up close to photograph (and sniff!) the
intact over the winter. To the left of the Herb Garden is a
blooms. The cultivar names are intriguing, ranging from ‘Bridal row of intersectional peonies, which are crosses between
Icing’ and ‘Raspberry Sundae’ to ‘President Lincoln’ and ‘Mr.
herbaceous and tree peonies. Assorted individual peonies
Ed.’ Each name is displayed on a green stake next to the plant, also appear in some of the perennial beds.
so that any visitor who takes a fancy to a particular flower
The APS was founded in 1903 with the goal of improving
should be able to obtain it from a nursery or website that
peony varieties, standardizing their classification, and keeping
offers peony tubers.
a register of cultivars. The organization recognizes over 8,000
The scientific name of these cultivars is Paeonia lactiflora,
and they are “herbaceous” types, which means they die back
in the fall and send up new shoots in the spring. Most of our
peony plants were donated by Klehm Nursery in 1983-84. And
yes, the majority are the original plants, with the exception of
ten that were replaced in 1998. Peonies can live 25-50 years,
or even longer.
named cultivars, which can be categorized into five flower
types and a mind-boggling number of varieties. Peony plants
originated in China, explaining why they are sometimes called
“Chinese peonies.”
But all you really need to
know is this: Next May,
be sure to stop and smell
the peonies!
Each spring, many visitors make a special trek through our
gardens to view the peonies in bloom. Everyone has a favorite
from our collection, but some noteworthy cultivars to look for
include:
Submitted by Kennie Harris and
Charlotte Schope
• ‘Claire de Lune,’ invariably
the first peony to bloom
each year—sometimes
as early as May 5. Its
cupped flower has
pale yellow petals
surrounding a center
composed of pink
carpels and yellow
filaments with orange
tips.
• ‘Brother Chuck,’ a rare
variety that has dark
foliage and double
white flowers with a tint
of blush in the center.
It blooms mid-season
and was named Grand
Champion at the 2008
National Peony Show.
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