Make Your Own Itohs

By Reiner Jakubowski

240-07 (Rare China x Golden Era)

240-02 (Rare China x Golden Era)

The Itoh Group hybrids are peonies, which result from the cross Lactiflora x Lutea Hybrid.
Lactiflora here means the Lactiflora Group, which includes all the cultivars believed to have descended over hundreds of years of breeding from the wild species lactiflora.  It is the convention in controlled breeding that the female parent is listed first, therefore, Lactiflora (the seed parent) pollinated by Lutea Hybrid (the pollen parent).  The Lutea Hybrid Group peonies traditionally result from crosses between the Chinese and Japanese tree peonies (Suffruticosa Group) and the yellow-flowered Paeonia lutea, and later the dark red flowered P. delavayi. Today the taxonomists have decided that lutea is only a colour phase of delavayi.  Lutea hybrids were originally bred
for yellow flowers; but, today are available in a wider colour range.  The Lutea Hybrid Group brings into the cross distinctive characteristics, such as yellow or variegated flowers, rapid growth, good vigour and late flowering.
There is no magic involved, only perseverance, patience, and a little luck. Anyone can do it. The most important thing is to have a fertile pollen parent and initially one of the proven Lutea Hybrids will give more certain results. There are several choices; 'Golden Era', 'Golden Experience', 'Alice in Wonderland', and 'Alice Harding' are good choices if you want yellows. Try 'Boreas', and 'Chinese Dragon' if you want red Itohs. The colour of the Lactiflora parent also plays a role in colour and you may not get what you expect, so these are offered only as suggestions.
My experience has been that the Lactiflora side of the cross is not so critical and you probably already have something suitable growing in the garden. My preference is to use double or  semi-double flowers because these have given a higher proportion of hybrid blooms showing doubling tendencies than have the singles or bomb forms that I have used. I have seedlings from 'Fragrans' (bomb), 'Rare China' (semi-double), 'Adolphe Rousseau' (flower-in-flower doubling but usually so open a flower that it shows as a semi-double). I also have seedlings from other Lactifloras ('Glenny Carlene', 'Susan B. White', 'Doreen', 'Marie Crousse' and others), but these have not yet bloomed.

240-10 (Rare China x Golden Era)

253-01 (Adolphe Rousseau x Golden Era)

274-39 (Fragrans x Golden Era)

It is best to make protected crosses – that is, to take precautions to prevent contamination from unwanted pollen. This does mean having to strip the intended seed parent of petals and stamens before the flower opens, and then apply the wanted pollen on the stigmas, followed by covering the fertilized flower with either a paper bag or envelope. It is also essential that you tag the pollinated flower so that you know at harvest what the parentage was.  I use a number for each cross; thus #1022 is 'Susan B. White' x 'Golden Era'; #1116 is 'Glenny Carlene' x 'Alice Harding'; and #1229 is 'Fragrans' x 'Alice in Wonderland'. When the seeds germinate and I have seedlings growing, they retain the cross number until I decide whether I will keep them or will cull them. If I keep them for further observation, I just append a number to the cross number – for example, 274-45, 274-39, and 274-43 are all from the cross 'Fragrans' x 'Golden Era' made in 2003. Seedlings 240-02, 240-07, and 240-10 are from 'Rare China' x'Golden Era' also made in 2003; and, finally 253-01 is from 'Adolphe Rousseau' x 'Golden Era'.  The Itoh Cross (Lactiflora x Lutea"Hybrid) has become relatively easy to make, provided you use a known fertile pollen parent. Some years I have more seeds than other years for reasons I do not fully understand; but I usually get a few seeds every year. If you make enough of these crosses you should get some seeds.
descended over hundreds of years of breeding from the wild species lactiflora.

274-43 (Frangrans x Golden Era)

 If you want a bigger challenge, then make the cross in the reverse direction, using the Lutea Hybrid as the seed parent and the Lactiflora as the pollen parent. 'Reverse Magic' (Don R. Smith, 2002) is from 'Age of Gold' x lactiflora 'Martha W.' Also possible, but very difficult, is to use one of the Suffruticosa Group tree peonies instead of the Lutea Hybrid.  'Impossible Dream' (Don R. Smith,
2004) is from 'Stolen Heaven' x 'Martha W.' Note that this cross was made with the tree peony as the
seed parent.  If you make your own Itohs, always look for pollen from your seedlings. Pollen allows you to try back crossing to one of the parents, or to cross Itoh x Itoh. I have  

274-45 (Fragrans x Golden Era)

found two of my seedlings with fertile pollen and have seedlings from Tolomeo #22, Tolomeo #58, 'Fragrans', and 'Doreen', all pollinated with 274-39. (The numbered Tolomeo seedlings were raised by Irene Tolomeo in California and are the lactiflora parents of 'Sonoma YeDo' and 'Sonoma Halo'
respectively.)
Information on growing from seeds is available from the Canadian Peony Society, or contact Reiner Jakubowski at the Society’s mailing address or by email at reiner@kw.igs.net should you have any question.

Urban Guerilla Gardening

By Lynne Zeitouni

I quickly became enamoured with the peony world upon joining the peony team and Friends of the Farm at the Central Experimental Farm, here in Ottawa. Added to which, during my second year with the group, the Canadian Peony Society had their annual show at the Governor General's official residence. I spent the weekend helping out at the show. We had a breathtaking display of blooms
displayed in some of the impressive formal rooms. The then Governor General, Adrienne Clarkson, was presented with a newly bred, yellow peony, named for her. I was hooked!
A little later, I joined the gardening group, Vanier Beautification which, amongst other things, tends uncared-for City planters and, generally try to keep my downtown area of Vanier (in Ottawa) looking as good as it can be. It's a 'colourful' neighbourhood within walking distance of Parliament Hill. Our community has a high francophone component and, in fact, was its own one square-mile little city,
with its own City Hall and Mayor until amalgamation with Ottawa. The selection of material for our
five, 1-meter square planters is a constant challenge, as are money and water. So, when the leader
of the peony gardening team, Bill Wegman, generously offered some of his peony seedlings, I jumped at the idea. After 3 years, we had our first blooms. What excitement! Bill is a peony breeder, so my peonies are beautifully miscellaneous. But they have lovely long, strong roots so are difficult to 'pinch'. Upon hearing about my local efforts and the success of my peonies, Blaine Marchand, now
the CPS Past President, offered me some mature roots from his collection that originated in the Ottawa River cottage garden of Lady Borden, the wife of Sir Robert Borden, Canada’s Prime
Minister. The peonies are either white or red and I obtained permission to plant some around our
small, small Vanier Cenotaph. The rest of the roots have either gone to other people looking after boxes or are in a holding area in the garden of my apartment building and will be distributed later.
We do struggle with our Vanier beautification as garbage and graffiti are a constant bugaboo; but, with the efforts of the Vanier Beautification gardening group and the generosity of members of the Canadian Peony Society, our little neighbourhood is certainly much improved.

A Yellow Peony

by Daniel Lessard
“I don’t believe you… that’s not a peony, there aren’t any yellow peonies.”  My neighbour was fixated. How could I convince her that it was indeed a peony? In fact, it is ‘Bartzella’, one of the most beautiful peonies on earth. The peony in question had cost me a small fortune in 2007 - it was so expensive in fact that I never confessed the true price to my wife.

Bartzella

The first time I saw a ‘Bartzella’ was in the Allan Rogers book “Peonies”. I immediately decided that I had to own one, but where to find it? I checked the list of vendors on the
Canadian Peony Society website and finally found one at the Pacific Rim Native Plant Nursery in Chilliwack, BC (a bit far to order a peony but all of my fears were soon abated).  The plant was a good size and it produced a flower – a single flower mind you – the following spring. All summer, I pampered ‘Bartzella’ to ensure it would survive though such

care is not really needed because this peony is robust and capable of enduring all conditions.  Two years ago, I bought a ‘Claire de Lune’ from a vendor who had convinced me, with photos as evidence, that it was a yellow peony. I was fooled, but I have never regretted

buying it. More ivory than yellow, ‘Claire de Lune’ is a beauty, which delighted my neighbour who was convinced that peonies were only available in pink, red and white.  Around the same time I discovered another yellow peony that had been chosen as the 1996 Peony of the Year by the American Peony Society. Once again my interest was piqued, and I acquired a ‘Garden Treasure’. Though it may disappoint you to hear it, ‘Garden Treasure’ is pretty but not nearly as seductive as ‘Bartzella’.
Despite this, I cannot imagine a collection of yellow peonies

Garden Treasure

without a ‘Garden Treasure’.  The third in my collection is a ‘Border Charm’. Lovely for sure, but
she’s sulking because I moved her twice. It didn’t produce a flower last year, but it is nevertheless comfortably planted in my rock garden in plain view for all my neighbours and I hope that she will be prolific once again this spring. I have also promised to never move her again…

I recently read that the authentic and true yellow peony - the mother of all the yellows - was a peony with an improbable name, which intrigued me: ‘Mlokosewitschii’. The English call it ‘Mloko the Witch’ or the sorceress.  She has taken her time to become established, but her delicateness

delights me. Unfortunately, she only visits briefly and last spring, a storm destroyed her first flower to my utter disappointment.  Next step: several of the beautiful yellow
Japanese and Chinese peonies even if I have no more space in my garden unless I sacrifice some of my old favorites such as
‘Mr. Jules Élie’ or ‘Festiva Maxima’.

Mlokosewitchii

Bring on spring! I almost forgot to mention that I gave a ‘Bartzella’ root to my sceptical neighbour. I hope that she gets at least one flower…

Vice-President's Message

by David Maltby

Greetings. This is my first message to the Society. I look forward to working with the Directors and
hope to have the opportunity to meet some of the members in the upcoming months. 

I have had long-standing interest in gardening and have been a member of a number of gardening societies for years. I hope to bring my experience as President of the Ontario Regional Lily Society in my new position.

What impresses me about the society is the efforts it has made to have substantial membership from all areas of Canada. There is strength in numbers. And although the activities to promote the peony in gardens is done in each region, collectively the work done is significant. 

I also have been pleased that the Society straddles both French and English members. Our newsletter, Paeonia Nordica, rightly so is produced in both of Canada’s official languages.  In this issue, the focus is on activities of our Quebec members. Canada is a land of distances. This issue will allow members in all regions of the country to learn more about some of our members’ work in la belle province.

Our 2013 AGM and annual show will take place June 15-16th in Rosemere, Quebec, a short distance from Montreal. (visit http://www.ville.rosemere.qc.ca) It is being held in partnership with the Quebec Peony Society. No doubt it will be a wonderful weekend where peony lovers from sea to sea can meet to celebrate this wonderful flower and renew friendships.

Peonies in Chinook Country

By Nancy Brouwern

A four-acre property is a lot of playground, even for an obsessive gardener. My husband and I purchased this raw piece of paradise, just east of Calgary, nine years ago. There was a single boundary of spruce trees and poplars lining half the sides and the front of only two acres, with no other vegetation other than untouched prairie pasture.
The daunting task of tackling this was initially overwhelming, but, as a Landscape Designer, I approached the entire property with a Concept drawing. Considering the basic principles of design, and with our unique Chinook climate and weather, clay to grassland soil conditions, and saline water
composition, in mind, my plan was cultivated.
Each year, I would cut out a new bed, with my husband, the ―Lawn Ranger, fretfully complaining of the amount of ―lawn I was removing. Thankfully for him the septic field was safe from my clutches.
Since discovering the high saline water content in our area, plant choices were initially restricted to trees and shrubs, which would tolerate the clay and salt. Amending the soil and catching rainwater were to become the keys to our success.
Each spring, the new beds would display their natural low-lying areas by becoming a bog. I can safely say that peonies do not like their roots waterlogged! However, working with nature, rather than against it, I found my efforts became less each year. Watering is by rainfall only, except for the plant‘s first year.
Spring is my busiest time of the year, with cutting back last fall‘s spent foliage, amending soil with my kitchen and fire pit compost rather than fertilizer, and new plantings so as to take advantage of the spring rain-fall. Mulch is essential to retain the moisture in our short, but hot summers.
My peonies, even in their first season debut, reward me. There is always a bloom or two! Even though it is better to nip off any flower buds that first year, to encourage root development, I just can‘t bring myself to do it.
My goal for the gardens was to provide a four-season display of bloom, concentrating on mid-summer to fall as we have created an outdoor wedding facility. While we have carefully chosen roses and other shrubs and perennials to ensure continual blooming, I also wanted to ensure there would be magnificent peonies flowers as well. Although I adore most all peonies, I try to choose mostly white, later (weeks 5-6) blooming herbaceous and Itoh varieties, such as Ave Maria, Cora Louise, Honey Gold, and Nancy Nicholls. Storing my buds in refrigeration, and drying them, have become my new study, but more of this at later date.
Overall, I feel truly blessed to live here in Zone 3 Alberta. I think we have the best growing conditions anywhere for peonies!

A Word from the President

by Blaine Marchand

In some ways, winter is my favourite season. It is a time of easy gardening. Rather than slogging away through the mists of black flies and mosquitoes, rather than toiling with your brow dripping salty sweat, in this season of blowing snow, gardening in your imagination is such pleasure.
An important part of this frosty husbandry is viewing peony blooms. All really simple, it is instantaneous with no muss or fuss. No matter what the time of day, armed with a piping hot cup of tea, it is no further away than your computer. Just plunk yourself down and, voilà, the world of Google or Favourites transports you to all of the great peony sites and updated on-line catalogues. An easy-peasy feast for eyes grown accustomed to the monotone white-on-white scenery of our land-scape. Hours pass like seconds. The only long thing is the list of peonies you want to order or the information you jot down as your learn more about peony cultivation and culture. It is a time for reflection and for planning so come spring, summer and fall, your garden will benefit from all that you have garnered in these glacial months.
Winter 2012 will also be a time for the Canadian Peony Society and its members to think about what it has done in the past, what holds the Society together, and how it can improve in the future. It is increasingly clear that the world is a different place from what it used to be, even a scant 10 years ago. Things are in transition. As described above, the way people access information is different. In North America, the population is aging. Younger people with families have many demands on their time.
As reported on in the last news-letter, the CPS Board has voted to undertake a comprehensive review of our Society. A firm has been engaged to seek in-put from the Board as well as from a representative number of members across the country whose names have been selected randomly. This exercise will help set our course for the years ahead. It will build a healthy and strong organization so the CPS can continue its mandate to promote the growing of peonies from sea to sea.
I was struck by Don Hollingsworth‘s recent e-mail to which was attached his catalogue. His assistant, Lucas P. Hudson, set out a challenge that struck me as particularly pertinent. It read: ―Hello friends, I want to challenge each and everyone of you to start each day by saying these three things - Always be posi-tive, Always be thankful, and Always have a project. There's not a better feeling in the world than to get up, stretch and yell out "let's rock and roll today". Just starting your day like this makes it much more enjoy-able.
                  Let the Canadian Peony Society rise to this challenge