The gardening year 2012 began very early in the Midwest, prompting peonies to open as much as a month earlier than usual. As the season progressed, the earliness decreased, but nearly all of the herbaceous varieties in my garden were finished blooming by June 4.

1. Peony season began very early in 2012, with my early tree
peonies opening in mid-April. The early herbaceous types began
to open as early as April 29, with several varieties following along
with the other two tree peonies. I had peonies blooming in my
garden from April 29 through June 3.—five full weeks. Factors
that, in my experience, effect a peony’s bloom time include:
• How long it’s been in the same location, or how long ago it was planted
• Its location (i.e. near a building, in semi-shade, etc.)
• Its genetics: some varieties bloom later because of their ancestry
• Its general health and vigor: some establish more quickly than others
• Temperature and moisture in spring.
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1/20/2013

2. ‘Princess Chiffon’
Tree peony
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3. ‘Red Charm’
Herbaceous hybrid
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4. ‘Calypso’
Tree peony
5/1/2012
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5. ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’
Herbaceous hybrid
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6. ‘Ariadne’
Tree peony
5/4/2012
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7. ‘Coral Sunset’
Herbaceous hybrid
5/5/2012
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8. ‘White Cap’
Lactiflora cultivar
5/9/2012
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9. ‘Tom Cat’
Lactiflora cultivar
5/11/2012
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10. ‘Salmon Glory’
Herbaceous hybrid
5/14/2012
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11. ‘Joker’
Herbaceous hybrid
‘Joker’
5/15/2012
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12. ‘Clown’
Lactiflora cultivar
5/15/2012
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13. ‘Lorelei’
Herbaceous hybrid
5/15/2012
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14. ‘White Wings’
Lactiflora cultivar
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5/15/2012

15. ‘Neon’
Lactiflora cultivar
5/15/2012
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16. ‘Rare Flower of Frosty Dew
Lactiflora cultivar
5/15/2012
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17. ‘Judith Eileen’
Lactiflora cultivar
5/15/2012
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18. ‘Belleville’
Herbaceous hybrid
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19. ‘Diana Parks’
Herbaceous hybrid
5/16/2012
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20. ‘Duchesse de Nemours’
Lactiflora cultivar
5/17/2012
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21. ‘Yellow Doodle Dandy’
Intersectional hybrid
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22. ‘Dayton’
lactiflora cultivar
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5/18/2012

23. ‘Martha’
Lactiflora cultivar
5/19/2012
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24. ‘Mme Ducel’
Lactiflora cultivar
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5/19/2012 24

25. ‘Pink Parasol Surprise’
Lactiflora cultivar
5/20/2012
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26. ‘Lois Kelsey’
Lactiflora cultivar
5/20/2012
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27. ‘Ursa Major’
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Lactiflora cultivar
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28. ‘Al’s Choice’
Intersectional hybrid
5/20/2012
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29. ‘Rozella’
Herbaceous hybrid
5/21/2012
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30. ‘The Fa
Lactiflora cult
5/22/2012
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31. nk Derby’
lora cultivar
d 5/23/2012
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32. ‘Spiffy’
Lactiflora cultivar
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5/24/2012 32

33. *‘Red Charm’
**Herbaceous hybrid
***4/29/2012
*The peony’s registered name
**herbaceous hybrid: an herbaceous peony created by two or more different herbaceous species
**lactiflora cultivar: an herbaceous peony created by pollinating and harvesting seed from two or
more lactiflora cultivars or species.
**tree peony: more of a shrub than a tree, it forms a woody structure above ground that should not
be cut back each year. Tree peonies are almost always grafted on herbaceous peony rootstock.
**intersectional hybrid: a peony derived from crossing herbaceous and tree peonies.
***The date I noticed it first opened.
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