This lovely perennial has graced our gardens in both Lambeth and Big Bay, Ontario without any fertilization or extra care whatsoever. It is a feature no garden should be without. The neighour who originally gave us a clump shared it with many others as well. Thanks to his generosity, many plants identical to the one above are featured in gardens as far away as Scotland.
| COMMON NAME |
Fernleaf Peony |
| PRONUNCIATION |
pee-OH-knee-uh ten-you-ih-FOE-lee-uh |
| DERIVATION |
tenuifolius = slender-leaved |
| TYPE |
delicate, clump-forming herbaceous perennial |
| USES |
beautiful flower and foliage accent in the garden; use foliage in arrangements |
| FLOWER |
single and double forms are available; flowers 2-1/2 to 3" wide |
| COLOUR |
various |
| FOLIAGE |
elegant, narrow, finely divided, fan-shaped, to 4" long |
| COLOUR |
green |
| HARDINESS |
Zone 3 |
| EXPOSURE |
full sun; correct exposure necessary to help avoid botrytis blight |
| SOIL |
moist, well-drained, loamy, humusy |
| WATER |
buds need moisture to mature and open; water deeply during dry spells; ensure late summer moisture |
| HEIGHT |
12" to 18" |
| SPREAD |
12" to 18" |
| BLOOM |
May-June, well before other Paeonia forms |
| STAKING |
not necessary for single-flowered forms |
| DEADHEAD |
yes, for tidiness; always leave leafy growth intact, removing only the flower head or stalk |
| PROBLEMS |
botrytis blight may attack buds and flowers stalks, leaves and petioles; remove damaged parts immediately
may be caused by wet weather, poor drainage or planting in too much shade
for answers to many questions about fernleaf problems and their solutions visit
HORTISCOPE
|
| AFTERCARE |
|
| FALL CARE |
cut to ground level |
| PROPAGATION |
by division in late summer to very early fall i.e. September;
each division should have at least 3 to 5 "eyes" |
| SEED CULTURE |
not appropriate for named cultivars; sow about 1" deep; will not bloom for 3 to 4 years |
| FERTILIZER |
spring: 1-2 handsful of bone meal as leaves unfold;
after bloom: use a general formulation;
fall: generously with Milorganite or a similar product;
Note: avoid over-fertilization, especially with nitrogen |
| MULCH |
late in season; use manure (outside area of emerging shoots);
mulch is especially important during first winter to avoid frost heave |
| FORMS |
species: ruby-red flowers; 'Plena': deep red double;'Rubra Plena': deep red double flowers |
| CO-BLOOMERS |
COMPANION PLANTS |
DAYLILIES