Paeonia (Itoh) Morning Lilac

Peony Morning Lilac produces fuchsia-lilac, large, semi-double flowers that are darker around the edges. Forms a nicely rounded bush. Mid-season bloomer. Itoh Peonies are rare and unusual hybrids between herbaceous and tree peonies. There are several varieties on the market, all highly sought after by collectors. These hybrids inherited the best of both parents - large flowers of woody peonies and the vigorous growth rate, and hardiness of herbaceous peonies. They are very easy to grow, hardy and undemanding. 

How to grow Itoh peonies

Also called intersectional peonies, Itoh peonies are attractive and easy to grow perennials. Plant Itoh peonies in rich, well-drained soil. Itoh peonies prefer full sun, but will grow in a situation that has some shade for a part of the day. Itoh peonies are sensitive to high levels of nitrogen. When fertilizing Itoh peonies in the spring and summer, be sure to use a fertilizer that contains a low level of nitrogen. Do not fertilize Itoh peonies from late summer to fall. When planting Itoh peonies, the buds needs to be placed in the ground with the red eyes (leaf buds) no more than 5 cm below the soil surface. 

 Peonies have decorated European gardens for centuries. Popular species are herbaceous peonies with fully pink, red or white blooms, which come from China and have bigger flowers.

The peculiarity of tree peonies is that the flowers are very large and outstanding, with yellow cultivars also available. Breeders had been trying to cross herbaceous, resistant peonies with more sensitive tree peonies for a long time, aiming to obtain a peony that would have the beautiful flowers of tree peonies and the vigorous growth rate and resistance of herbaceous peonies. Unfortunately, herbaceous and tree peonies are very distant relatives, so they have not been successfully crossed for centuries. This was achieved only in 1948 by the Japanese grower Toichi Itoh. After an enormous effort in which he made about 20,000 crosses, he obtained about 36 plants, 6 of which had yellow flowers. In 1960, these plants were discovered by Louis Smirnow and imported to the United States. The succession of other "Itoh" cultivars with beautiful, large, fragrant flowers and the smooth growth of herbaceous peonies had begun.