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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,258
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

My peonies are weird. Need advice.

I hope that some of you familiar with peonies can help me understand what's wrong with mine.  First of all, we do live in an area suitable for the growth of peonies: they're all over the place and look just beautiful when in bloom.

 

Our bulbs were planted in the fall of 2015, came up for the first time in the spring of 2016, but did not bloom.  This didn't surprise me.  This year all 5 plants have bloomed, but the flowers are weird:  they have just 6 big petals.  That's it.  No big, multi-layered petaled flowerd with a beautiful scent.

 

Does anyone know what's going on with my peonies?  The bulbs were purchased from Breck's.

 

Thanks so much for your help.

Occasional Contributor
Posts: 18
Registered: ‎01-20-2015

Re: My peonies are weird. Need advice.

There are several different varieties of peonies.  Some have the flower that you describe. Google them and you will see them all.  I just love them and have 20 of them on my property.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,258
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: My peonies are weird. Need advice.

[ Edited ]

@hopeful3

If that's the case, then I think Breck's pulled a nasty one on me, because I ordered the beautiful multi-layered ones, but got these rather ugly ones instead.  Ugh!

 

Will wait on more replies before I contact Breck's.  Thanks for getting back to me.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,420
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: My peonies are weird. Need advice.

Our peonies do not originate from bulbs.  They were purchased as small plants that had long roots that look like they could be tubers.

 

Honestly, I have never seen a peony bulb.  That's a new one for me.

 

What I do notice is our old peonies have an intoxicating aroma and attract large ants.  While the flowers on our newer plants look like the old ones, they have very little aroma and do not attract ants.

 

Years ago I purchased a lot of bulbs from Breck's.  They were small and mostly duds.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,788
Registered: ‎08-18-2016

Re: My peonies are weird. Need advice.

I've seen singles, as you've described your peonies to be.
My 4 varieties are older than I am. Planted by my parents. Very fragrant and attract large black ants.

Peonies crowns have 'eyes' that are planted just above ground level.
Never saw a peony from a bulb, which are typically planted varying inches below ground level.

I'm going to repeat a line from @lulu2, as I've had the same experience:
Years ago I purchased a lot of bulbs from Breck's. They were small and mostly duds.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,655
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: My peonies are weird. Need advice.


@sfnative wrote:

I hope that some of you familiar with peonies can help me understand what's wrong with mine.  First of all, we do live in an area suitable for the growth of peonies: they're all over the place and look just beautiful when in bloom.

 

Our bulbs were planted in the fall of 2015, came up for the first time in the spring of 2016, but did not bloom.  This didn't surprise me.  This year all 5 plants have bloomed, but the flowers are weird:  they have just 6 big petals.  That's it.  No big, multi-layered petaled flowerd with a beautiful scent.

 

Does anyone know what's going on with my peonies?  The bulbs were purchased from Breck's.

 

Thanks so much for your help.


What was the names of the peony tubers you bought? Some are single petaled with stamens in the center.

 

Got a photo? 

 

Example of single petaled peony:

 

 

 

Example of a Japanese single petaled peony: 'Bowl of Beauty'

 

 

 

See how the center stamens are more prominent on the Japanese single petaled peony.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼
Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,620
Registered: ‎09-22-2010

Re: My peonies are weird. Need advice.

I have white single peonies in my backyard.  I think they are stunning.  

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,258
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: My peonies are weird. Need advice.


@lulu2 wrote:

Our peonies do not originate from bulbs.  They were purchased as small plants that had long roots that look like they could be tubers.

 

Honestly, I have never seen a peony bulb.  That's a new one for me.

 

What I do notice is our old peonies have an intoxicating aroma and attract large ants.  While the flowers on our newer plants look like the old ones, they have very little aroma and do not attract ants.

 

Years ago I purchased a lot of bulbs from Breck's.  They were small and mostly duds.


@lulu2

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with peonies.  I can honestly say that I've ordered a lot of bulbs from Breck's over many years and never had a dud.  I guess it might have been my turn.

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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,258
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: My peonies are weird. Need advice.

@JustJazzmom

 

Clearly, what I have is the single petal variety, but that's not what I ordered.  The 5 ordered were the type pictured in the second photo you provided.  Am sure, now, that Breck's either made an error or simply ran out of the ones I wanted and made an unapproved substitution.  If I had wanted single petal flowers, I would have planted large poppies or ranuculus (sp?), know what I mean?  And I could have had planted those in a field of different colors.

 

Oh, well, live and learn.

 

Thanks so much for the photos.  Mine are done blooming and I didn't take any photos, as my personal life is falliing apart with big changes ahead, so just not thinking as clearly as I should.

Contributor
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎06-17-2017

Re: My peonies are weird. Need advice.

 

I have pretty pink peonies in my garden (my favorite flower), but we didn't plant bulbs either. We purchased plants and they've thrived beautifully.