Hi Gang, this is a group of plants that have long captured my attention. Especially the Moutan section. Jim McKenney mentioned the current rush of Chinese imports, which I would like to put into perspective. The Chinese plants usually represent different cultivars than what we call the Japanese cvs. They are increased mainly through division, which is why we receive larger, twiggier starts. They tend to grow quite a bit larger than the Japanese varieties, typically reaching 6 ft or more at maturity. The Japanese cultivars are normally a scion grafted onto a P. lactiflora root stock and they do not originate in Japan. They are a local product in just about every land which sells them. This has given rise to a relatively stable group of cvs being available for US/European markets. An important cultural point for the grafted plants, even if they were to be Chinese sorts, they MUST be planted with the scion well below soil level. The theory is that the scion should root itself over the coming seasons and the lactiflora root-stock will wither and die. This is much better for the plant, as the root stock is incapable of creating a long-term shrub, which is what the tree peonies are. There is a group of European cultivars which were bred in the previous century using the Chinese and Japanese varieties, as well as P. lutea (ludlowii) and P. delavayi. These are, also, largely offered as grafted scions on a lactiflora. They have typically European names, such as Souvenir de Maxime Cornu or Chromatella. Ironically, these names have been translated back into Japanese and one will find them offered under Kintei, Kinkaku, Kinshi, etc. These are not Japanese varieties! Funny world, huh! I have tried a few of the commercially offered Chinese cvs, which are offered in the Spring as pot plants, often budded, no name, just a colour. They have been mainly fine aquisitions, only the green sort, presumably Dou Lou, didn't make it. The white is typically Fen Dan Bai, which is thought to be a cultivar of P. ostii. As to handling warmer temps, I don't know, as I am a Zone 8. I've read references to tree peonies being traditional pot plants in China, sent down the mountains, where they were grown, to bloom in city gardens and then be discarded. They could not adapt to the heat! Mind you, southern China is a bit warmer than Los Angeles. Ciao, Jamie V. Cologne