Once established, Itoh Peonies have an extended blooming period, with as many as 50 blooms in a single season due to their ability to produce primary and secondary buds. They are excellent in cut flower arrangements. They will grow to three feet tall and wide and continue to improve with age. Named for Toichi Itoh, the first hybridizer to successfully cross a tree Peony with an herbaceous Peony in the 1940’s, these popular gems are in high demand, prized for their huge, beautiful blooms and lush green foliage. We are proud to partner with leading Itoh breeder, Don Smith who has spent over 20 years refining these exclusive selections.
And they do okay in our temperate climate??
Hi Scott,
Yes, this specific series of peonies performs and blooms very well in our mild Southern California climate. ‘Itoh’ peonies are the result of decades of breeding and so far as we can determine, this is the only series that are reliable in our climate. I have had two ‘Itoh’ Peonies in my own garden for about seven or eight years now and they bloom every year, usually twice per year. Several of our other staff and customers report the same results.
A few years ago, when I was writing a weekly gardening column for the L.A. Times publications I wrote about these peonies, so this might be helpful:
https://visit.rogersgardens.com/peonies-in-our-local-gardens-and-the-verdict-is/
Here is another brief video resource about these peonies, filmed at Roger’s Gardens:
https://visit.rogersgardens.com/peonies-for-southern-california/
I hope this helps answer your question.
Ron
Do these grow in Southern CA?
Hi Dana,
Yes, this specific series of peonies performs and blooms very well in our mild Southern California climate. ‘Itoh’ peonies are the result of decades of breeding and so far as we can determine, this is the only series that are reliable in our climate. I have had two ‘Itoh’ Peonies in my own garden for about seven or eight years now and they bloom reliably every year, usually twice per year. Several of our other staff and customers report the same results.
A few years ago, when I was writing a weekly gardening column for the L.A. Times publications I wrote about these peonies, so this might be helpful:
https://visit.rogersgardens.com/peonies-in-our-local-gardens-and-the-verdict-is/
Here is another brief video resource about these peonies, filmed at Roger’s Gardens:
https://visit.rogersgardens.com/peonies-for-southern-california/
I hope this helps answer your question.
Ron
Hi, I have tried to grow “California-friendly” peony varieties before and never had any luck getting them to live more than a few months, even following the instructions. Do you know if these will work in our climate? Thank you!
Hi Brynn,
I can appreciate your frustration with most peonies in SoCal. It is just about always a losing battle, not matter what the ‘urban legends’ claim. But yes, this specific series of peonies performs and blooms very well in our mild Southern California climate. These are not the normal herbaceous peonies grown in colder climates (although they will grow there too), ‘Itoh’ peonies are the result of decades of breeding and so far as we can determine are the only peony series that are reliable in our climate. In fact, I have had two ‘Itoh’ Peonies in my own garden for about seven or eight years now and they bloom reliably every year, usually twice per year. Several of our other staff and customers report the same results.
A few years ago, when I was writing a weekly gardening column for the L.A. Times publications I wrote about these peonies, so this might be helpful:
https://visit.rogersgardens.com/peonies-in-our-local-gardens-and-the-verdict-is/
Here is another brief video resource about these same peonies, filmed at Roger’s Gardens:
https://visit.rogersgardens.com/peonies-for-southern-california/
I hope this helps answer your question and resolve your worries.
Ron
What kind of soil do these peonies need? Can they take full sun and be planted in a pot? I’m thinking about replacing my gardenias.
Hi Pam,
A rich organic soil is best. I am growing mine in our Roger’s Gardens Organic Potting soil and they are doing just fine. I feed them periodically with an all purpose organic granular fertilizer and occasionally alternate with an organic acid fertilizer, in order to keep the soil from becoming too alkaline. I am not sure where your garden is located, but generally peonies are best in full sun in most parts of Orange County. In the hottest inland areas of the county a little light shade would be fine. Yes, they grow perfectly in pots; in fact, they might even be better in a pot because you can regulate the soil, water and nutrition in a pot sometimes even more precisely than you can in the ground.
If you replace your gardenias, just be sure you understand the growth habit and seasonal aspects of a peony versus a gardenia. They really are quite a bit different in all of those respects.
I wish you the best. I love peonies – I was just admiring mine yesterday evening in my garden. They are beautiful
Ron
I have a courtyard almost all shade what will grow and flower in it? Peonies?
Hi Marlene,
I wish I could tell you yes, but I am afraid I cannot. Peonies can tolerate a bit of shade and might even prefer it in hot inland valleys. But in most areas they are going to perform much better in a sunny spot.
Ron
I would love to plant peonies in my from years garden which faces East. They would receive full morning sun until about noon. Would that be enough sun to prompt blooms?
i Would love to plant Itoh peonies in my front yard (East facing) garden (with full morning sun until about noon). Bright but no direct sun for the balance of the afternoon. Would this be enough sun to prompt blooming? I will find another place for them if needed.
Hello and thank you for inquiring with Roger’s Gardens,
As long as your peonies are grown in southern California, they should be fine unless they are in a super warm area. They enjoy an acidic environment (like azaleas, camellias, gardenias) and fertilizer.
At Monrovia.com they have extensive information about growing Itoh peonies.
We look forward to your next visit,
Suzanne
Good morning! The light you describe sounds perfect for the Itoh peonies: full morning light, bright but not direct light in the afternoon in Fullerton. If you were along the coast, all day full sun would be good but inland a bit and they will prefer some afternoon shelter.
We look forward to seeing you at the end of March or beginning of April when our order arrives; or you can order a dormant one, now. Lynn