I'm laughing, squealing, and doing a cartwheel. I came home yesterday to find tree peony Koukamom blooming. I've had it since 2011, and I'm thrilled to finally see these blooms!
:

They are beautiful, Annette! What a gorgeous intense color. Is this the first year it blooms? I definitely share your excitement.

I'd be doing cartwheels, too, Annette! They're beautiful!!!Congratulations!!!!!

Yes Karen, this is the 1st year Koukamon has bloomed for me. It was one of the tree peonies that I bought from one of mamajack's co-op. I bought 5 trees, this is the only one that survived😔.

Two more from the co-op seem to be sending up herbaceous rootstock leaves.

Pink Hawaiian Coral is opening its 1st bloom today. This was planted last fall, the tuber came from Fina Gardens, and this new plant has 4 buds.

4 buds! That is wonderful! I love its beautiful pink color!

Karen, I was surprised to see that many buds on a new plant.

Today while running errands, I decided to stop at one our local nurseries, Northside. They had a ton of herbaceous peonies.


I just happened to look to the left and found this tree peony by itself!
it's now mine, for $24.99, I couldn't pass it up. The cashier initially charged me $11.99, then I pointed out the correct price.

Tree peony Houki



Several weeks ago I got potted Rubra Plena and Felix Crousse. With all the craziness with my DH getting hurt, I haven't planted them, and probably won't plant them until the fall.

Hope your husband recovers quickly, Annette. Those roots from Fina have been huge for the fast couple of years but you must be doing something else right, too! None of mine had 4 buds, you lucky duck!!! Your peonies all look so healthy and pretty....

Thanks Liz!

Over the years, after having read how several of the nurseries treat their peonies, I've come up with how I fertilize my peonies. The new peonies get Bulb Food with composted manure and soil conditioner, when they're planted in the fall, and the older peonies also get Bulb Food in the fall. They were all given composted manure with Azomite when they started emerging, and the newer peonies were also watered with Neptune's Fish and Seaweed fertilizer once they started emerging.


I know that some people don't fertilize their peonies. When I 1st started growing them, I didn't fertilize them, they took years to bloom.

Several of the new peonies planted last fall from Adelman's and GH Wild also have buds. I know some say to not allow the plants to bloom the 1st season after it's planted, n
But I'm greedy, and I want to see every bloom.

Annette - I am envious that you can go to a nursery and see such a huge selection of peonies. Since not many people plant peonies in California, they are far and few between in the stores. Mail order is the only way to go. There is a peony farm in the foothills, but it is over 2 hours away.

Congratulations on the your Koukamon bloom. I love that deep dark red. I got mine Koukamon from mamjack's coop too. I lost the first Kinshi I got from her, but it looks like the second one that I got in 2013 is still alive. Too young for a bloom though. The Koukamon that I had posted earlier had 3 blooms this year.

You'll like the Houki too. It is a nice watermelon red. Mines bloomed for the first time this year.

Thanks Dianne, and your Houki bloom is gorgeous! I hope that I can keep this one alive, and get to see it bloom eventually.

I'm sorry to hear that you can't get peonies locally😔. Maybe if more of your local nurseries knew that they can be grown successfully in your area, they would order them.

I've been told on a previous site, that we couldn't grow peonies in the south. I'm glad I didn't know this when I started planting them, I would have missed out on growing these gorgeous beauties.

First off, really nice peony. Evidently the name of this tree peony is spelled two different ways - Hoki and Houki. I have the Tree Peony Hoki. Here is mine.

Beautiful Diann! I'm looking forward to when my plant gets old enough to bloom.

How old is your Hoki, Diann? 2nd year in the ground and first time blooming with one flower for me.

Soon I will have bloom pix as well!

TP Hoki has probably been in the ground for 20 years. He is a nice peony, you will so enjoy yours once it kicks into gear.

My herbaceous peonies are coming in fast and furious.

First up two weeks ago were these three:
A very young Burma midnight


Dad


Single pink "Nymph" with exbury azalea peaking out from behind

Very nice!! Keep the pictures coming!! It's going to be a while until I see any blooms here in Iowa.

Wow, Dianne. Your garden must be a sight now with many plants blooming. That is so wonderful combo of azealeas and peonies. I have to find ones that bloom at the same time as the peonies.