Tree Paeonia Renkaku
Hi there! One thing you might not know about me is the fact that my memory isn’t great. 🙂 I have a notebook that I use to track the plants I buy and where I plant them because I will forget! I like to tape the plant tags into the book, which means that it is quite fat at this stage. It’s also a hassle to go through when I’m searching for a plant name. So recently I started a “google sheets” file of my flower beds and what is in them. It is so much easier this way!
Tree Paeonia Renkaku
One of the first plants I put into the file was this Tree Peony. Its name is Tree Paeonia Renkaku and from May 11th through May 21st I was obsessed with tracking its progress with my camera!
Tree Paeonia Renkaku – this reminds me a a bowl of vanilla ice cream!
I was so excited to see the huge flower bud on it this year! I think this poor plant has been moved a couple of times (peony plants take time to adjust when moved). But honestly, only for the fact that I had to look up its details in the notebook did I realize that we bought it way back in 2012. So only having one flower is not a great sign.
Tree Paeonia Renkaku
I’m undecided if I should leave it here or try yet another place in the garden. It is not ideal for it to be all squished where it is now and where it can’t be fully seen. 😦
Tree Paeonia Renkaku
This Imperial Tree Peony species is native to China, and is a deciduous woody shrub peony featuring large, showy flower(s). The plant can reach 5 feet tall with a 4-5 foot spread, but is slow growing.
Tree Paeonia Renkaku – the flower is a handful!
The flowers are quite delicate and are easily damaged by rain, hail and frost (typical early spring issues!). By the time my flower finally opened up, it lost one of its outside petals to harsh wind!
Tree Paeonia Renkaku
In hindsight, I can say that I prefer the pictures of the progress along the way as opposed to the final “I’m open!” pictures. The petals were so delicate, lovely, and pure white.
Tree Paeonia Renkaku
Just like in life, it is better to enjoy the journey and not just focus on the final destination.
Tree Paeonia Renkaku
I loved seeing what the Peony looked like every morning, as it grew and bloomed.
Tree Paeonia Renkaku
The petals were starting to get a bit frazzled by the time the flower finally opened up (although it was still lovely).
Tree Paeonia Renkaku
It was a pity that the outside petal came off!
I’m hoping to keep better track of my flowers with my “new system”. And I’ll probably move this lovely lady one more time. Wish me luck!
In peace,
Dana
Mom in the Garden 
Your new system sounds like it will be invaluable to your gardening. It is good to have records of your plantings. I had an orchard “map” of our apple trees that I gave to the buyers when we sold our farm. With 300 trees and 100 varieties of apples, they would never have known which apples were which without it.
Hi Karen, 300 trees! Oh my! It is lucky you had a record of them! Yes, I’m already enjoying the ease of having the information at my fingertips. 🙂
That’s still a lovely peony, and I’m glad you shared the stages to bloom. We have one that has never bloomed, and finally this year it’s sending out regular peony stems from its roots, some with buds. So it’s decided the life of a bloomin’ tree peony isn’t for it, and has decided to be something else.
Hi Cynthia, oh how unusual! Rather disappointing for your tree peony to change its mind, isn’t it? I’m glad you liked my little bloomin’ story 🙂
It was a bloomin’ good story.
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