Wandering (peregrinating ?) peonies
James Waddick (Wed, 14 May 2008 10:13:47 PDT)

Dear Jane and all,
The ability of some peonies to develop new plants from
adventitious roots was a secret long protected by some growers.
'Coral Charm' and most of the other corals have this ability to some
degree.
I think this trait comes from P. peregrina a bright red
species from Italy east to the Balkans and Turkey. This species is
one of the easiest and best of the wild peonies for home gardens.
Also easy from seed. The flowers in a range of clear bright
red/scarlet never open fully, but form a brilliant bowl or cup. I
think the species name suggests the 'wandering 'quality of its roots
and the ability to pop up here and there.
The bright pink variety 'Ludovica' is another notorious
adventitious peregrina kin.

P. mascula and P. tenuifolia also have this ability and
perhaps others. Certain woody peonies also produce active stolons to
form bushy multi stemmed ground covers. I have a plant of P. mascula
that covers almost a yard across from adventitious or stoloniferous
new growths.

The adventitious nature of some herbaceous peonies like
'Coral Charm' is a boon for propagators, but some gardeners hate it
when a plant is dug out and returns the next year from scraps left
behind.

Wish I had a source for clusii too.

Best Jim W.

--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +