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Tree Peony Can't Support it's Own Blossoms

I've become the owner of a tree peony that has long skinny stalks. The first year it bloomed I noticed it was really un able to support its flowers. I wasn't able to find any info on pruning it so over the winter it tied up the branches to support stakes. This year however I noticed that all the new growth is developing at the end of the long leggy branches making them even more long and skinny. The flower buds are developing and I'm imagining these soccer ball sized flowers at the end of the pencil necked branches.

Should this thing be cut back to the ground next fall or what?
Thanks

Jim asked in Trees & Shrubs about 1 year ago | Report

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2 Answers

  • Dsc_0339_small
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    Master Gardener Andrea

    You are lucky to have a tree peony, which is actually a deciduous shrub, in your garden. While thinking about your execellent question, I found advice from three sources:

    1: Washington State University Extension (December 17, 2007):
    Regular peonies are herbaceous perennials, which means they die back to the ground each year and are not pruned. Tree peonies have woody stems that remain year round. Japanese peony trees are naturally leggy. If you just cut back the branches, it may take several years for it to re-flower, and then it will be leggy again.

    You can prune tree peonies where the stem remains alive after going through the winter. Pruning the tree is not recommended the first several years because it needs to grow many branches. After that you may prune out the extra growth in the interior of the shrub.”

    2. Nursery Supplier DeGroot, Inc:
    No pruning is required, except to cut out dead wood or suckers in early spring. If plants become leggy, a moderate pruning in early fall can be done to shape plant and encourage additional growth on the lower part of the plant. Remove spent flowers after bloom. These long-lived plants usually take several years to establish, and are best left undisturbed once planted.. After the plant has blossomed, remove the seeds to promote size of blooms for the following year

    3. Big Dipper Farm’s peony care sheet for tips about tree and herbaceous peonies: http://www.bigdipperfarm.com/CareSheet-Peonies.pdf

    The Bellevue Demonstration Garden has a gorgeous tree peony. You may want to check out the tree peony at the garden and talk with the Master Gardeners who maintain this beautiful specimen. For more information: www.kingcountyMG.org

    Master Gardener Andrea answered in Trees & Shrubs about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Poppies_small
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    I'm glad to say that I have not encountered this problem, Jim, so I tried to find the answer to your question in a couple of my gardening books but had no luck. Then I discovered a site on the internet: www.treepeonygarden.com, that has a wealth of information. According to them, remove unwanted shoots from the ground in the spring and limit the number of lateral buds per twig so as not to crowd the blossoms. Thin out flower buds so that only one or two buds remain per twig. If the plant growth appears to be weak the first year after planting, remove all flower buds when they get to marble size. This will promote vigorous vegetative growth and produce a stronger plant.

    Excellent question!

    Good luck.

    Nita-Jo

    Nita-Jo answered in Trees & Shrubs about 1 year ago | Report
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