Hi! I just received an itoh root that doesn't have any big eyes at the crown (or possibly any?) like I'm used to receiving but there are 2 pink buds on the stem and feeder roots are starting to grow. So it's not dead. However, there's also some soft/black places at the joints but other joints are fine.

Does this mean the root won't thrive/won't sprout at all? Be more diseased? Take much longer to bloom?

Often my 3-5 roots from Solaris, etc. bloom the first spring. The vendor will take it back and send another but I don't want to waste the shipping cost if I'm wrong and the root is fine. It's supposed to be a 3-5 eye root. I can't capture it well but this at least gives a sense of size (my hand is small). The dangly bit of root was broken and has since fallen off.

Side question - is the tiny bit of stem above the crown supposed to go underground at 2" or place the crown at 2", which would place the stems and buds above ground?

Hopefully this is still a quick question for those of you that have seen a ton of roots!

Thanks in advance, it's so helpful!

small but looks okay. I would plant down to where the label is attached.

Thank you!

That's a pretty pathetic specimen Zellycat Rather than send it back I would request a partial refund as it clearly (or as clear as your picture anyway) is not a 3-5 eye division. It may have decent roots but with so few buds it won't help. Personally I would bury it to the bottom of the green part of the stem.

Thanks Val, it's good to get confirmation I'm seeing things correctly. Sigh

I have been digging peonies for about 3 weeks, so I have seen a lot! It's not uncommon for Itohs to look like that. I often have buds on stems here in 7a, but they often don't survive even our winters. I would bury to the green stem as Val suggests, or lay the root sort of sideways so those buds are below the soil.

Thanks rosebud!