Seattle Garden Club

My Favorite Peony

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by

Laurie Ahern
in , ,
Laurie Ahern 🌿

My photograph is of a Western Peony, Paeonia brownii Douglas ex Hook. It was taken from an existing large plant on the sagebrush slope of our property in Ketchum, Idaho. This plant has been found to be impossible to propagate. It can be seen on hiking trails, in canyon bottoms and on rocky slopes. Spotting the flowers, which bloom in early spring, can be tricky as they nod and quickly turn to seed. The container I chose was made by my son, Ryan, in 2000 while taking an art class at Mercer Island, Washington.

Comments

8 responses to “My Favorite Peony”

  1. SGC Member Avatar
    SGC Member

    Fascinating plant. I have never seen it. You chose the perfect vase.

    Mary Turner

    1. SGC Member Avatar
      SGC Member

      Thanks Mary! They bloom in early May, so you may have not seen them before. I will tell Ryan its the perfect vase! xo Laurie

  2. Susan Hilpert Avatar
    Susan Hilpert

    Anything can bee propagated. Just have to find the right technique. A number of years back when we still lived in Broadmoor I had collected seed pods from Mrs. Fisher’s dove trees down the street. One day my husband made a snide remark about the bag of seed pods on the kitchen table by the back door. In response I threw them, bag and all out the back door where they landed under a rhododendron. The next spring I notices a greenies plastic bag under the rhody and opened it to find three good sized seedlings Which I was able to grow on. Suggest you keep the seeds in the pods, put them in a plastic bag and put them out in your garden under some sagebrush. Check them next spring when the snow melts. Some more stubborn seed not only needs cold stratification but also must stay in its pod until it germinates. The plastic bag keeps them from drying out. Camellia seeds are the same.

  3. SGC Member Avatar
    SGC Member

    Incredibly unique peony and worth continuing trying to propagate!

  4. SGC Member Avatar
    SGC Member

    So interesting! I’ve never seen one either.

  5. Suzette de Turenne Avatar
    Suzette de Turenne

    What a great combination of the blooms and vase! And composing artistically! Nice job, Laurie! I think if you ever figure out how to propagate you’d have many interested people! Very unique.

  6. SGC Member Avatar
    SGC Member

    Very unusual. Thanks for sharing it!
    bev m

  7. SGC Member Avatar
    SGC Member

    Thanks for the rich description! Such an interesting story and a beautiful composition.

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