Paeonia suffruticosa /piːˈoʊniːə/
Common name: Tree peony · moutan peony · moutan
Paeonia suffruticosa is a woody, deciduous shrub in the family Paeoniaceae, native to China. Unlike herbaceous peonies, it retains woody stems above ground through winter and can produce very large, often fragrant flowers, sometimes 20 cm or more across, in spring. Revered in China as the "king of flowers," it has been cultivated there for well over a thousand years and is prized in gardens for its spectacular blooms.
Care summary
Sun
Full sun to dappled shade; shelter from strong wind
Water
Moderate; deep watering in dry spells
Soil
Deep, rich, well-drained; neutral to slightly alkaline
Hardiness
Zones 4–8
Mature height
About 100–200 cm (3–6.5 ft)
Pet safe
No; toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
Difficulty
Fussy
Propagation
Most reliably propagated by grafting a scion onto a herbaceous peony rootstock in late summer or early autumn, the method used commercially. Home gardeners can also divide old, multi-stemmed plants in autumn or try layering a low branch, but both are slow, and new plants may take several years to flower.
Fun facts
- The tree peony was long regarded as China's national flower in practice, and Luoyang and Heze remain famous centers of its cultivation.
- Its root bark, called mudanpi or moutan cortex, is a traditional Chinese medicinal material used for centuries.
- Ancient tree peonies can live for centuries; some plants in Chinese temple gardens are reputed to be several hundred years old.
- Crosses between tree peonies and Paeonia lactiflora produced the "Itoh" or intersectional peonies, first bred by Japanese nurseryman Toichi Itoh.