No other non-native perennial has as strong a connection to Minnesota and northern gardens as the peony. Heritage peonies are abundant and still available, thanks to the peony breeders and growers of long ago and today.
Minnesota’s connection to peonies goes back more than 150 years, when O.F. Brand started a peony farm in Faribault, Minn., about 50 miles south of the Twin Cities. While native to China, peonies love our cold weather. They won’t grow in most places without a true winter. O.F. Brand, his son, A.M. Brand and their employee, turned business partner, Myrtle Gentry, grew a company that was known worldwide in its hey-dey of the 1920s. The Brands grew peonies from seed, and it often took a decade or more for the peonies to be ready to be sold as bare-root plants.
Many of these heritage peonies are still available and still wonderful garden plants. I bought four peonies from Hidden Springs Flower Farm in 2016, and they are really coming into their own now. My favorite is probably ‘Myrtle Gentry,’ named for the woman who started as a secretary working for the Brands and became a crucial part of the business. Myrtle’s peony is from 1925. It’s a big, blush pink peony with a fragrance that is often compared to a tea rose. I also have ‘Break O’ Day,’ a darker pink peony from 1947; ‘Duchesse de Nemours’, a lovely white peony that’s been around more than 150 years; and one called ‘Imperial Divinity,’ which is a relative newcomer from 1978.
As you can tell from the dates, peonies can last a long-time! And, if you plant a peony and it’s reasonably well-cared for, you can rest assured it will be around long after you are.
Peony Care
Peonies are easy to plant and take care of. They like a sunny spot. You can add a little well-rotted manure or compost to the soil around them, too, to get them started.
You can buy peonies as potted plants in spring, but most are sold as bare roots in fall. Plant the roots so they are 2 inches below the soil. Cover them with soil, mulch them, water regularly until winter arrives and relax. Your peonies won’t look like much the first couple of years. But by the third year, look out! Come June, your peonies should be covered with big, luscious flowers.
Peonies don’t bloom long—just a couple of weeks at most—but their old-fashioned beauty and fragrance makes them well-worth planting. The foliage is interesting enough and makes a good backdrop for other shorter perennials or annuals.
Minnesota Peony Tradition Continues
Minnesota is still home to many peony breeders and farms. Last year, I visited Swenson Peonies in Howard Lake, but they are closed for viewing this year. Other Minnesota growers include Hidden Spring Flower Farm, which is in Spring Grove, Minn. and Delano-based Countryside Gardens.
I wasn’t aware of the Peony’s connection to Minnesota, so this was an interesting read. Thanks for sharing Mary!
Also, when you mention those dates, do you mean to say that (for example) your Break O; Day peony is 72 years old? And not the type of peony as a whole? If so, that’s an old plant!
Sounds like a must try!
Also, I have not seen midget mn elons in any nurseries. Any suggestions where to find them?
Barb — Yes, the peonies are great. With the melons, I’ve always grown them from seed. I bought the seed from Seed Savers Exchange, but you may find them in garden centers, too. They are very easy to grow from seed and it’s probably not too, too late to try. Good luck!
Kevin — What I mean is the Break O Day was introduced in 1947. My plant is only a few years old. That said, peonies in the right location will live for about 100 years! In our area, they are typically one of the few plants left on abandoned farm sites. Thanks for stopping by.
What kind of melons do you plant with peonies ?What did you plant from seed ?How do you start it fro. Seed ?IM TRYING TO LEARN THANK YOU .
Since all peonies that “come true” are divisions of the original, you could in one sense say your peony is as old as the original introduction, right? Does ‘Myrtle Gentry’ need support, or does she stay upright on her own? I love peonies, but I’ve learned to be picky. There are enough gorgeous peonies with strong stems, that I won’t buy a flopper. (I’ll take one in a trade as long as it’s fragrant, but I won’t buy one.) And did Myrtle eventually marry into the Brand family, or did she remain an autonomous partner? I think I’d like to know more about her.
Kathy — I put a half hoop on the front of all of my peonies. (I only have four.) Myrtle might flop in the right circumstances though she isn’t the floppiest I’ve ever seen. AI am going to do a bit more research into her life because I think she’s pretty interesting and I do a talk on heritage gardeners/plants in Minnesota. She did not marry into the Brand family. She died in 1972 at age 90 as a single lady. The Brands sold their farm to another peony-growing family (the Tischlers) in the 30s or 40s, and they closed the business in 1980. We still have quite a few peony breeders in Minnesota, however, and it’s really fun to visit the growing fields in June and see all that they are working on.
Cindy — I don’t plant my melons with the peonies. (I think Kevin was referring to the post I’ve linked to below about Minnesota Midget melons.) I start the melons from seed in late May/early June. https://mynortherngarden.com/2018/08/06/a-toast-to-minnesotas-heritage-melon-recipe-included/
I see, that clears things up! Still, it’s pretty impressive that they can live for that long.