Just got my copy in the mail and all I can say is WOW! So many new beautiful new varieties. I especially like the new European/Italian/Canadian/German/Austrian varieties. How long do you guys think before the varieties become available here in the US? Also lots of US new varieties from Solaris, Adelman's, Hollingsworth, and Swenson's.

I got mine in the mail 2 days ago but still haven't had the chance to open it! Hopefully tonight....it seems a lot of the hybridizers from outside the states choose to propagate via tissue culture, even Don Smith says he prefers the method. If they choose that direction you'll see the little 4" pots available within the next 3-4 years I bet!

I am enjoying my copy, too, and see quite a few beautiful new peonies. I like that there are separate sections for each kind: herbaceous, woody, and Itoh.

I enjoyed all the photos - they were fantastic.

It is not a complaint, but it does make me curious. I am not sure what the point of registering a cultivar is when it first bloomed less than 5 years ago. Is anyone able to explain that?

This is sort of how I think many hybridizers work (please correct me if I am wrong)...

If I were a hybridizer, I would want to take a seedling to maturity (5 or 6 years) and then divide it if I felt that it had sufficient merit. If the division produced multiple plants that all shared the qualities that made me want to divide it in the first place, I would then register a name for it. I'd probably also consult with knowledgeable peony owners and make sure that it was desirable AND unique enough to warrant the naming step. So 8-10 years. And a lot longer in many real-world cases.

Hence naming a cultivar that bloomed on 3-4 years previously seems a bit odd to me - or my understanding of how things work is off.

Top

Top, I am not a right person to answer this question but I had a similar idea. What I learned before is that a new seedlings grows and blooms the first time, maybe the second because sometimes the first bloom is not a typical one, then the seedlings has to be divided because the flowers after division can change. It take another 3-4 years for divisions to flower.

I agree there are so many similar cultivars, so if ones wants to register a new one I feel it should be really different. Maybe they ARE different, it's just impossible to judge looking at a picture of a flower. Bush presentation, disease resistance, ,other traits are not visible at a picture.

Good points, Top and Anya! There are so many that look like existing varieties, I wonder why they were registered. But Anya's point about other attributes is legitimate.

Hopefully one day I will have one to register.

Well, I looked at the directory and I WANT all of Michael Miely introductions! Guess I need to win the lottery first. His herbaceous peonies are super gorgeous! I just as l look and look over them. Another droolworthy and very stunning peony is the tree peony Rachel Dolores on p.51. Oh man! So so beautiful! I would scrape my savings to get this TP! Some other tree peonies with interesting genetics are two intros from China that cross p. rockii X p. lutea and vice versa on p.46 and p.49. Looks like the Rockii is the color dominant in these seedlings because you don't see much yellow. I wonder what the F-2 generation looks like. Will the yellow from the Lutea come through?

Just wanted to let you know that there will be a few more copies of the Directory available. There will be an announcement soon.
So if you aren't a member of the APS and want to purchase a copy keep an eye out on the APS website.

Thanks, LG! I did not have APS membership last year so will watch the website for the announcement.

I finally joined the APS recently, and I'm smacking myself in the head for not doing it sooner!

I've enjoyed the Directory of New Cultivars, as well as the info sent about growing tree peonies!

Initially, I joined APS so that I could bid on peonies on auction. Now I am a member because of the quarterly bulletins they send. Did not realize how wonderful these are until I get a taste of them.

I loved the bulletin that I received as well! I'll have to start saving them in a binder for future reference!

I'm also looking forward to the auction this year!

Annette, did you join APS before November 25? I missed last year and renewed the membership after this date so did not receive the December bulletin. I hope they will sell left overs to non-members of 2019 soon.

Anya, you may want to send them an email and ask about the December bulletin. It never hurts.
They are going to put a link for purchasing the Directory of New Registrations on the website, but as this involves additional programming, I haven't received notification that it is finished yet.

I'll post here as soon as I know something.

Anya, yes, I joined on November 14th, and I did the 5 year membership.

You can buy a copy here:
https://americanpeonysociety.o...

I would hurry if you need a copy.

I got one! Thank you, LG!

I'm glad you got one Anya!!

Thanks LG. Managed to get one myself.

Yay Kokot! Maybe if they sell out quickly they will print more in the future. I think it was a good idea to print it separately.

Any suggestions on how to store your Bulletins ?