So I have a "Wanted" list of peonies that gets larger all of the time. Every now and then I put a dent in it but it hasn't seriously shrunk in several years, some varieties just aren't as available as the rest, some are varieties that I'd like and want to keep track of but nursery offerings that I've never seen before grab my attention and push them out of my cart. Do all of you have this type of list? Which have been on there the longest that you'd snatch up without a second thought if they became available? Here are mine:

Sonoma Yedo--before I saw this peony in person I didn't have a single yellow peony. Saw it at the 2014 APS convention and fell in lust! The bloom was the size of half a volleyball and was absolutely perfect in every way, think it won best in show or something that year. Solaris offers it occasionally and it's what I look for there first when they open their website for the year.

Sunny Boy--one of the most prolific parent peonies of the yellows. I've never seen this one in person and I really don't want to until I can get it in my basket and paid for because it's been so hard to find and has been on my list longer than any other. I've missed it a couple of times at Hidden Springs--sells out immediately after they open for the year, before I even find it in their list. Harvey says it always does that and that almost all of his stock goes to Europe.

Weatherball 90--one of the most difficult to locate Lins peonies, supposed to be incredibly weather resistant. It's a big white double, supposed to be very pretty, but I want to see how "weatherproof" it really is! The Lins peonies that I have so far seem to be pretty great, take our springs well and bloom prolifically, hard to believe any could do better but this one's supposed to.

Nelda's Joy--another that is supposed to be an outstanding parent peony but I just love the pictures I've seen of the blooms. Never seen it offered for sale at all but it seems I'm seeing more and more pics of it online so maybe it'll become available somewhere in the near future!

My 5th place "most wanted" shifts as I see pics! Currently Pink Lemonade is it because of LG's pics of it on Facebook. Before she posted those pics it was Greenland or Soft Salmon Saucer--whichever I'd seen a pic of more recently.

What are yours?

Paeonia suffruticosa Andr. 'Papaveracea'

P. suffruticosa Andr. 'Papaveracea' is an old and vanishing variety. It is often be mixed with Joseph Rock. The significant difference is in leaf form, it has lobed instead of triternate leaflets, also it has beautiful purple-red filaments, red-purple floral disc and red stigma instead of white or yellow filaments and stigma. It is more upright and has larger flower, and longer stem than Joseph Rock.

In Hong's paper (https://eurekamag.com/pdf.php?...), it is believed as a natural hybrid between Paeonia rockii sub. rockii (linyanshanii) and Paeonia jishanensis. Indeed, its leaflets are similar to linyanshanii, while the purple floral disc and stigma are similar to P. jishanensis.

However, Joseph Rock and its hybrids dominates today's rockii variety market and gardens. Papaveracea is vanishing and more and more difficult to find.

That's gorgeous, littlebin!

Sunny Boy



Nelda's Joy





These two varieties are difficult to locate, you have to be in the right place at the right time. Nelda's Joy was offered at Hollingsworth only one year when Lucas Hudson was with them. It was named after his grandmother! I was fortunate to acquire one, it was selling for $100!
I was just in contact with Kristin from rarepeonies.com and I gave her an extensive list on peonies in high demand. I included Ballerina for you Liz & LG, Sunny Boy, Saunders varieties and some Itohs. Let's see what she comes up with, her list will be available soon.

I did the same thing, Craig! Just asked if she was okay with sharing her response with the group, don't like to post anything by anyone else without their permission. Hoping she'll end up being a great source!

You were very lucky with Nelda's Joy, I'm envious!

Craig, thank you so much ! I sure hope she will try to get them.
Greenland is another one I would like.
Rosseweise
Kathy's Touch
Glowing Raspberry Rose
Rosemere
Varenka
Tinka Philips- from Pinterest



I will think of more as we go on
.

Great topic Liz!!!

This is another. From FB- Larissa Pavlova
Olimpiada-80

Love that one LG.

I spoke again to Kristin from Rare Peonies and this was her response:
"Please feel free to have people email me and make individual requests, and I will be able to tell them on a case by case basis by the end of December if I can get it, and at what price."
So, send her your "wish lists" and she will make an effort to locate your selections and hopefully respond with a price she can offer to you.
Good luck!

Sometimes it is not clear whether what you aim for is what you really want...and choosing peonies based on online pictures is certainty one of the grey areas. Anyway, at the moment I am hooked on Summer Glow but !!! never seen it in person and comments about slow growth rates give me a pause. Given a chance I will still get it.

I'm hoping I'll be able to answer your questions about Summer Glow next spring, Alex! I've had it since fall 2013, got it from Hollingsworths. The first 2 years it put up a single stem, this last spring it was 2 stems and 1 bud. Unfortunately I only saw the flower after it was very faded. I thought the slow growth thing was just me, several that grow like mad elsewhere grow slowly here, but I've seen it posted by several others on Facebook. Didn't notice it when I purchased but it even says it's a slow grower on Hollingsworth's website and the Peony Database has a comment from Don stating the same. But you KNOW a double peony with Clare de Lune and Lady Alexandra Duff as parents just HAS to be amazing and worth the wait! Pull the trigger, Alex--I don't think you'll regret it!

LG, that Olimpiada photo is amazing! I've seen several on the European Facebook pages that I've wanted, don't know when/how they'll ever be available to us here. Maybe through the Peony Shop? Hoping for good results from the roots I got from them this fall because they have quite a few that I'd be interested in but only if they're going to do well here...I don't recognize names of some on your list--I'll be checking them out!

Craig, she wrote back to me on a question about Smith's Scrumdidleyumptious; she has one in stock. I wrote her back that I was interested if she can ship out right away, waiting for an email back.

Hi Alex,
I did Summer Glow from Hollingsworth this Fall. You know if it blooms I will certainly post a photo.

Thanks, Craig! I will certainly send an email to rare peonies now.

Another question to all... has anyone heard anything about the guy who bought all of Parklands Peonies? I wonder if he will be selling peonies in 2017?

I was wondering the same thing, LG. I'll bet it'll be another few years, though.

Just a reminder that anyone interested in requesting a peony selection from Kristin of Rare Peonies, time is running out. She wants to get the orders out before the new year and she needs time to search for your requests. She has done a great job helping me find my Unicorns. We are now working on a lead for Itoh Caroline Constable

Craig, there is a garden in PA that sells Caroline Constabel. Liz bought from them this past summer. I picked it up from the garden and sent the plant to her. If you are interested, I can pick it up for you and send it to you. The plant is small though. It will take at least 3 growing seasons for them to bloom.

Thank you Karen, I sent them a message via Facebook and they said they would give me a price on shipping just the roots to me. Is it Behmerwald Nursery? I will see what they say tomorrow and let you know. They have four and I was going to buy three and send one to Kristin. Does anyone want the forth one? I was going to ask Liz but I didn't know that she had one.

Yes, that is right. I got CC from them this summer. They seem to have the same offerings since I was there. No other new offerings.

PEONY ITOH BARTZELLA #1
PEONY ITOH Caroline Constabel #1
PEONY ITOH JULIA ROSE #1
PEONY ITOH MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR #1
PEONY ITOH SINGING IN THE RAIN

This is their list!

I would like a Caroline.

Are they tissue culture plants, PEONY ITOH Caroline Constabel #1, does anyone know? Who is the hybridizer?