Propagating tree peonies is commercially done using what is known as a triangular cleft graft. The method is not too difficult to learn, but the degree of success varies enormously from cultivar to cultivar (High Noon, a yellow cultivar has a notorious rep for poor take, less than 30%, hence the usually high price asked for it.). Basically a piece of herbaceous peony root approximately two adult fingers in thickness virtually any cultivar will do, although the most common in order of preference is Felix Crousse, Crinkled White and recently, Sarah Bernhart. I tend to think the reason the latter has been adopted for the process in the last six years, is the glut of this cultivar available in Holland. The soil is washed off and the roots dipped in fungicide and allowed to dry for two to three days. The top of the root is then cut so it has a flat top then in one side of the root a triangular wedge is cut out of the root 3/16" wide at the top tapering down to a point with the overall length of the wound being approximately 3/4" and 3/16" deep overall. The cultivar to be propagated, from know on referred to as the scion, will have short branchlets approximately 21/2" long removed and the opposite end to the bud will be cut to a taper that corresponds with the cut made in the understock and the two will be mated together. Provided they fit the scion and understock will be either wrapped in grafting latex(common today), or grafting wax is poured over the union(less common today), this is done toprevent the union from prematurely drying out. The grafts are then potted up into 6" square pots in a warm greenhouse(60F), and if the graft takes, the bud on the scion will break into growth and the understock should root out as normal. The plants are then grown out for the remainder of the year and allowed to become dormant in the autumn.The process is normally carried out in mid-winter. The following year they are offered for sale, or, if you're not selling them, offered to grateful friends who will automatically elevate you to legendary status in your local gardening community!!!! Phew, it takes longer to type the method than it actually does to perform it. Hope this information helps,good luck. By the way Chinese peonies are typically easier to propagate than Japanese, but the flowers are nowhere near as large. David Ryle ----- Original Message ----- From: "Marie-Paule" <marie-paule.opdenakker@pandora.be> Cc: "pbs" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Monday, May 21, 2007 4:03 AM Subject: [pbs] tree peony > Hello > > My neighbour has a beautiful tree peony (big white flowers with a red > troat and very fragrant) dos anyone know how I can multiply the peony, is > it by taking a bit branch? Or can it from his seed? If it is with the seed > of the peony, do you have then the same white flowers? > > kindly Regards, > > Marie-Paule > > Belgium > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/