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Why are Tree peonies are so expensive?

LilyWLilyW Posts: 41
in Plants
I have been looking to buy one this spring, as I love herbaceous peonies and the tree peonies are just as beautiful. However they seem super expensive. Crocus are selling them at £80 and my local garden centre doesn’t sell them at all. Why are they so rare? Any thoughts?
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Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited February 2023
    Crocus is an expensive outlet  :)
    I'm sure there are other reliable outlets. Try this one 
    https://treepeony.co.uk/ordering

    I know Binny Plants sell a good variety of peonies, but I don't know if they do tree peonies. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    Binnys Plants specialise in fab Paeonies...run by Billy Carruthers
    Have a look there.
    Yes...his are very expensive too.

    https://www.google.com/search?q=binny+plants+peonies&client=firefox-b-d&hl=en-US&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi-2aOPy5X9AhWLZ8AKHWklC6IQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1280&bih=595&dpr=1.5

    https://www.binnyplants.com/


    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • rossdriscoll13rossdriscoll13 Posts: 234
    @LilyW the reason they are so expensive is because they are grafted onto herbaceous peony rootstock and so you’re paying for the time and expertise that this takes.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    I understand that the seed is sterile?
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    You can grow them from seed but like most plants,  may not  come true. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • zugeniezugenie Posts: 831
    Your local garden centre might have them reduced after the spring, I got one half price that way (they were nowhere near £80 in the first place either!)
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    I didn't know they were so pricey! I had one appear about 5 years ago, now I have 3 - I was going to dig 2 up and chuck them, but decided I'll move them instead.
    They're really tough, I just hack leaves off all summer if they shade the smaller plants too much, I chopped one back to the ground last summer and tried (unsuccessfully) to dig it up, I left the top couple of inches of roots exposed and it still regrew, lol! I really like them though. Mine are paeonia lutea var. ludlowii.
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    zugenie said:
    Your local garden centre might have them reduced after the spring, I got one half price that way (they were nowhere near £80 in the first place either!)
    Not all are expensive.
    Binnys have named ones starting at £10.00
    The grafted ones are bound to be expensive.

    https://www.binnyplants.com/
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Our Paeonia ludlowii always produces seeds and we have seedlings all over the "lawn". We have potted on some over the years and friends have had great success with the plants coming true.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Intersectional types seem cheaper. If you are after a taller plant you could grow a species tree peony from seed (probably don't bother if you are in your eighties though as there'd be a risk you wouldn't see it flower). 
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
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