If you click on that caption on The Peony Shop's home page it'll take you to a YouTube interview where they discuss their seedling program. They are very specifically talking about their hybridization efforts rather than the general propagation of named varieties.
I've talked to Joshua before and can confirm what Anya says, he says their main stock and even the propagations from their seedlings when commercially produced are traditional divisions.
As for TC's, the size we buy them at is probably equivalent to 1-2 eye divisions and they grow at the same rate as far as I can see. I've had a few purchased as around quart sized plants that bloomed first spring. The only difference I've really noticed is TCs have been harder to divide the first few times, the crown seems to be heavier and woodier. Can't tell the difference otherwise.
Anyone who has any of Don Smith's Itohs has a plant that has been tissue cultured. He told me himself during convention that he is a big believer in the efficacy of TC and that it's used to build the initial supply of plants for all of his intros. Divisions a few generations from initial stock is indistinguishable from any other root division as far as I can tell.

To help with understanding t/c's consider hostas, which we all know are mostly tissue cultured. When a new type/style/combination of variegation comes to market it is called a 'sport' which is another way of saying it was a seedling found in a batch of tissue cultured plants; see Mark Zillis' really good "The Hosta Handbook" 2000 where he lists "seedlings (shown as pod parent X *) and sports (no genetic info).
I was the 'beneficiary' of a missed sport of athyrium pictum 'Burgundy Lace' over twenty two years ago when I spotted a different one on a huge bench of athyrium pictum. It was several years later that this selected form was identified and sold as 'Burgundy Lace'

My Danse du Feu is sold as 2/3 eye division, I was worrying about it, but I have a bud this year, I just planted it in Oct.
I probably have some TC peonies, the cheap Bartz itohs that I bought from Holland Bulbs, they take forever to grow, not sure if I will have flower bud this year.

Did you get your Danse du Feu from The Peony Shop, SoCal? My division had more eyes and was larger than expected!

Yes I did, and I checked all the expensive itohs, not the Sonoma series were sold as 2/3 eye division.

I was surprised at how fast things sold out this year! The year I got Yellow Waterlily I didn't order opening day and got if for less than $25, along with Scarlet Heaven and at least one other older variety. Was going to grab another Yellow Waterlily this year as I really like it and I'm not certain mine survived as it's in the bed with weeds taller than the peonies. When I looked fairly early in the morning it was already unavailable!

It's crazy everywhere even for roses, not just peonies.

Yea! I've been following the Evelyn escalation on FB, one place has it offered for $100 and just raised the price again? That is crazy! It is certainly a sellers market right now.

Evelyn rose? Wow, I have Abraham Darby, very similar to Evelyn. But I'm glad I bought a lot of roses in 2019, prices have shot up, my records at Regan's nursery going back to 2014 and I can tell prices have gone up.

Fortunately, I have no room for more peonies in my garden anymore; that is, I've done the shopping; I don't need to pay high prices this year.

Haha Jasmin, that's what I said last year, but I always find room for more.
As I often joke to my brother, I enjoy spending my kid's inheritance, kind of nudging him to spend more, but he won't, so I will give him some of my peonies.

So try, SoCal, so true

Laurie, one that puts a ton of side buds out foe me and stands up really well is Candy Heart. I got it from Gilbert Wild years ago and it's been a reliable bloomer even through all of the crazy spring weather CO threw at it.
I don't think there is really an advantage/disadvantage to buying conventional root divisions vs TC other than the fact that most TCs are sold at a smaller size than the traditional 3-5 eye divisions sold by the big growers and will take a year or 2 more to mature. That's just an opinion though—there are tons of peony growers who say they wouldn't buy TCs at all, that they are less stable plants overall; I haven't seen that.

Liz, thanks for the info about Candy Heart! I put it on my want list. Listed as fragrant, too!



Valerie, Seven sisters is so pretty, but I haven't been able to find any information about it online. Not in database. Any vendors carry it?

Sorry - at the moment just me To be registered in the New Year

I looked at Ohmypeonies last night, I didn't even see Caroline Constabel, I bought this peony from them, but I didn't find anything there that I like. Save all the excitement for New Year.

Val, Oh, this is one of your creations! Cool. Do you sell through a particular vendor? Do you sell to the U.S.? I don't know if I'd buy a new intro in the first year, but Seven Sisters is one I'll keep tabs on.

Have any of you noticed all of the posts Hidden Springs has been making on FB the last couple of days? They're opening on 1 Jan as well and Harvey is saying he's selling out most of his rare Saunders. I sure hope this isn't an indication that he's planning to call it quits soon, too!

Well it's going to be sad to lose another reputable peony nursery.

I hope to find some goodies to add to my garden.

Me too LG!