Can Itoh Peonies Produce Seeds?

Itoh peonies are hybrid plants created by crossing herbaceous and tree peonies, resulting in large, semi-double flowers. They display a mounded growth pattern and wither back to the earth during the cold season. However, like tree peonies, they have an intoxicating aroma and make great cut flower arrangements.

To grow and care for Itoh peonies, it is essential to choose the right site, prepare the soil, and divide and fertilize them properly. Intersectional hybrid (Itoh) peonies are sterile and do not yield viable seeds. Peonies can be planted and left in the same location for decades, providing ample light and thriving.

Itoh peonies have an intoxicating aroma and make great cut flower arrangements. They have a long bloom season and can be rebloomed with deadheading. Seed pod harvest is performed primarily in fall, when the seed pods turn dark brown and leathery and slightly crack open.

During a propagation cycle (3 to 4 years), the underground stem extends somewhat with tuberous growth and swells with food storage similar in habit. If you know the variety you bought and it has ITOH in the name, it is a hybrid and the seeds will be sterile.

New intersectional peony plants should be planted 3 to 4 feet apart on center, approximately 1.5 feet from any edge or border. Itoh peonies develop their first flowers from the terminal buds, and as they finish flowering, side buds begin to bloom. Growing peonies from seed may take about 3-5 years, with most sprouting in the spring of the first season.

Do Itoh peonies produce seeds?

Intersectional hybrid peonies are sterile and do not yield viable seeds, while advanced herbaceous hybrids like ‘Coral Charm’ and ‘Lois’ Choice’ are also infertile. European and American ‘lutea’ hybrid tree peonies like ‘Leda’ and ‘High Noon’ rarely produce viable seeds. However, most Chinese and Japanese tree and herbaceous peonies yield large quantities of fertile seeds. The star-shaped pods are swelling and turning brown, ready for harvest when the seedpod turns dark tallow-brown. Tree peony seeds are typically harvested between the 1st and 3rd weeks of August, with a good seed-producing tree peony yielding over 50 seeds per pod.

What is the rarest peony color?

The peonies in question are regarded as exclusive due to their scarcity in the natural environment.

Do peonies multiply on their own?

1. Dig around the peony plant using a sharp spade, ensuring not to damage the roots. Rinse the roots with a hose to remove any dirt and identify the crown buds. Leave the roots in the shade to soften them and make cutting easier.

2. Cut the roots back to about 6 inches (15 cm.) from the crown, as the crown grows into the peony. Each piece should have at least one visible crown bud.

3. Continue dividing peonies until you have as many as possible from the original roots. Plant the pieces in a suitable location, ensuring the buds are not more than 2 inches (5 cm.) under the soil. Store the pieces in peat moss until ready to plant on a warmer day, but don’t store them too long to prevent drying out and preventing growth.

By following these steps, you can propagate peony plants quickly and create many plants in no time. Sign up for the Gardening Know How newsletter to receive a free download of our DIY eBook “Bring Your Garden Indoors: 13 DIY Projects For Fall And Winter”.

What is the difference between an Itoh peony and a regular peony?

Both herbaceous and Itoh hybrid peonies are suitable for sunny garden beds or borders. They differ in stem sturdiness, bloom colors, and bloom times. Herbaceous peonies bloom earlier in the season, while Itoh hybrids bloom later and have longer bloom times. To maximize bloom time, plant both types. Herbaceous peonies are commonly seen in pink, red, white, yellow, and peach, while Itoh hybrids have a greater range of colors. Planting both types will provide colorful, fragrant blooms for weeks every spring for years to come.

Can I propagate Itoh peonies?

The traditional method of propagating all but the woody peony types, known as crown division, is effective with the Itoh Group sorts. During a propagation cycle of 3 to 4 years, the underground stem extends with tuberous growth and swells with food storage similar to the Lactiflora parent type. Tuberous food storage roots extend outward and downward but have a hard core, like tree peonies. After a three or four year cycle, well-grown plants will yield a comparable increase.

To support first-year growth, adjust the length of tuberous root on individual divisions to retain an approximately equal amount of food storage. When grown in raised rows, reset the stem buds so that they are deeper, to four or five inches below the top of the raised rows but not lower than the adjacent soil surface. This provides maximum flexibility of propagation choices, allowing gardeners to form stem buds at multiple levels: the original crown level, near or at the soil surface, and one, two or three internodes in between on the fully perennial portion of underground stems.

Some Itoh Group cultivars have proven successful in micro propagation, where a large number of plantlets can be produced in a comparatively short cycle. These plants can be grown on artificial media to establish upon transfer to soil, and those which survive the transfer can be cataloged for sale. Some micro propagated Itoh group peonies are now being offered for sale (inexpensively) in four inch pots. However, concerns about the root growth pattern of micro propagated peonies remain, as these plants’ roots grow in a tight whorl, which is not easily broken.

Do you cut back Itoh peonies?

Itoh or intersectional peonies are hybrids created by crossing a tree peony and an herbaceous peony. These hybrids produce flowers and leaves similar to the tree peony parent but with growth habits mimicking the herbaceous parent. They prefer full sun but grow well in dappled sunlight. A mature intersectional peony produces 50 or more dinner-plate-sized flowers on strong short stems that do not require staking. They reach peak bloom near the end of the herbaceous peony bloom and can remain in bloom for 3-4 weeks, with new buds opening over this period.

They can be used as cut flowers and offer a wide array of colors not commonly available in herbaceous peonies. Intersectional peonies grow to approximately 2. 5 feet tall and are suitable for zones 3-9. They have large flowers, a unique yellow-bronze colorway, and are well-suited for front of the perennial border. They grow in zones 3-9 and require good drainage, rich soil, and neutral pH.

Do peonies grow from bulbs or seeds?

In late August to early September, it is recommended to collect peony seeds from the plant, as most yield viable seeds. However, these seeds may not resemble the parent plant, and most cultivated tree and herbaceous peonies are hybrids. Intersectional hybrid (Itoh) peonies are sterile and do not yield viable seeds. Some garden favorites like ‘Coral Charm’ and ‘Lois’ Choice’ are also infertile. Most European and American ‘lutea’ hybrid tree peonies like ‘Leda’ or ‘High Noon’ rarely produce viable seeds.

The majority of Chinese and Japanese tree and herbaceous peonies yield large quantities of fertile seeds that are ready for planting. The star-shaped pods are swelling and turning from leathery green to brown, and seeds are ready to be harvested when the seedpod turns a dark tallow-brown.

Can you divide an Itoh peony?

Before making divides, look at intersectionals, or Itoh peonies, in the eyes. These peonies can be cut at the most narrow connections between larger pieces of root, each at least 6 inches long. Cut at a thin point between larger sections, like a ginger root in the kitchen. Remember that intersectionals send up new stems every spring, so leave at least three eyes on each division to ensure stems and flowers the following year.

Are Itoh peonies grafted?

Itoh or intersectional hybrid scions may be grafted using auxiliary buds located near the stem bases. Nevertheless, the probability of success is anticipated to be lower for this category of plants.

Do peonies self seed?

Woodland peonies, with their indigo and scarlet seedpods, can self-seed in deciduous woodlands with rich soil and drainage. To control their spread, deadhead them after bloom and cut flowers back to the first set of leaves. To maintain their health and floriferousness, feed them lightly three times a year, in the fall when cleaning up the garden, in early spring, and again in early summer after the plants have bloomed.