FARR NURSERY COMPANY 
WEISER PARK - PENNSYLVANIA 
Tree Peonies were 
first sold in China 
at 100 ounces of 
gold per plant; in 
France at $460.00 
each. They have 
been comparatively 
rare and choice 
since then. 
Tree Peonies al the Arnold Arboretum, Boston, Mass. Here are a dozen gardens, selected at random which include comprehensive 
collections of Farr’s Tree Peonies. Mrs. Warren Bicknell, Cleveland, Ohio; Mrs. Henry Burden, Cazenovia, N. Y.; D. M. Blair, 
Richmond, Va.; Mrs. W. S. Carpenter, Jr., Wilmington, Del.; Mrs. Wm. K. DuPont, Wilmington, Del.; Mrs. Henry Ewing. Look¬ 
out Mountain, Tenn.; Mrs. Mary Healy, Stamford, Conn.; Mrs. Louise J. Kinney, Louisville, Ky.; John H. Perry, Irvington, N. Y.; 
Mrs. Arthur Scott, Media, Pa.; Sunken Gardens, Harrisburg, Pa.; Dorothy T. Vogdes, Bala Cynwyd, Pa.; Mrs. Arthur Bailey, 
Paxtang, Pa. 
TREE PEONIES • The King of Flowers 
Tree Peonies in the 
Garden are more 
than comparable to 
Works of Art in 
the Residence. To 
produce them, re¬ 
quires years of ex¬ 
perience and pains¬ 
taking effort. Their 
possession brings 
permanent and in¬ 
creasing beauty 
and value. 
In China, Tree Peonies are known as “Hwa Wang,” “The 
King of Flowers” and other peonies are known as “Hwa 
Leang,” “Ministers of the King.” 
Why Plant Tree Peonies? 
History and Sentiment 
Tree Peonies are so named because they are hardwood shrubs 
like Lilacs or Azaleas, etc. A more proper name might be 
“shrub” peonies but Chinese written records term them “tree 
peonies” back to 536 A.D. when they were the exclusive 
property of the Emperor. Japan imported them in 924 A.D.; 
has made most improvements since then and leads in world 
production today. England imported its first tree peony in 
1787. Some American plants are known to be at least 50 
years old. 
Distinct Beauty 
Tree peonies possess gorgeous color range as complete as the 
rose; size exceeding the largest dahlias; symmetrically double 
or gracefully single blooms with masses of golden stamens in 
the center. Crisp crepe paper-like petals. 
Bloom Freedom 
Tree Peonies bloom at an .earlier age than most plants and 
more abundantly thruout their exceptionally long life. We 
are compelled to disbud one year old plants so as to im¬ 
prove growth and a two year planting is a mass of bloom. 
Shipping size plants are three years old and will bloom as 
soon as they have re-established their roots during one sum¬ 
mer’s growing season. 
Permanence 
A. tree peony in Norfolk, England, when 80 years old, spread 
15 feet, height 4 to 8 feet, bore 400 blooms, each 8 to 9 
inches in diameter. Many Farr Customers have reported 100 
blooms per plant on specimens purchased since 1913. The 
average rate of hardwood growth appears to be from 2 to 6 
inches per year. Plants should last at least one’s lifetime. 
Development is most rapid during the first 10 years. Three 
year plants bear 2 to 4 blooms, 6 year plants from 10 to 30 
blooms, depending upon cultural conditions. 
Hardiness 
No winter protection is required or recommended except for 
the first winter after transplanting and tree peonies are 
hardy wherever the lilac thrives. It is best, however, to avoid 
windswept locations and to protect the plump and early 
bloom buds in case of late spring frosts. The South and East 
side of a wall, building or windbreak is a preferable loca¬ 
tion for best bloom, altho our crops are unprotectedly ex¬ 
posed to the windswept Lebanon Valley. In any event, tree 
peonies are hardier than roses and not one-quarter as sus¬ 
ceptible to pests and diseases. The only reason for their 
scarcity is due to the difficulties of producing new plants. 
Transplanting Ease 
Is due to their heavy and fleshy root system which resists 
evaporation and rough handling. The transplanting of tree 
peonies in our nursery is no more intricate or painstaking 
than that of evergreens or lilacs. 
Early Bloom 
Tree Peonies, at Weiser Park, begin to bloom on May 15 and 
continue until May 30. Moutan is the earliest variety and 
the yellow sorts are the latest. Other sorts bloom closely to¬ 
gether Herbaceous peonies bloom from May 30 to June -0. 
It will be noted, therefore, that in any locality, Tree Peonies 
will provide peony bloom for an additional two weeks. 
Novelty 
ree peonies are perhaps the most desirable hardy plant 
hich is still comparatively scarce and seldom found in most 
irdens. The reasons have been the scarcity of parent plants 
ad the difficulty and expense of producing new ones. A tree 
3 ony is a mark of distinction to any garden. 
How To Plant 
Your tree peony wants to live for 100 years. Therefore, dig 
the holes extra wide and deep. Use good soil mixed with any 
reputable plant food and peat, or well-rotted cow manure, to 
refill. A three year plant should have a hole about two feet 
wide and two feet deep. Thoroughly mix 3 pounds of plant 
food or 20 pounds of cow manure with the soil. Refill the 
hole with firmed soil to a depth where tips of roots will rest, 
leaving the nursery row ground marking about an inch lower 
than the top level of the hole. Spread the roots and continue 
to “firm” the soil while adding it. 
Spring plantings should have a depression or dam around 
the plants to facilitate thorough watering during the first 
summer. Fall plantings should be slightly mounded so as to 
prevent injurious collection and freezing of water during 
the winter. Apply a four inch mulch of clean straw or hay 
around the plants and slightly beyond the root radius, after 
the ground is permanently frozen, for the first winter. Leave 
branch tips exposed. Apply a half inch layer of hydrated 
lime to top surface each spring for ideal results. 
Feed, cultivate and water the plants conscientiously, and 
your tree peonies will be a constantly increasing source of 
pride and enjoyment thruout your lifetime. In exceptional 
cases it may be necessary to spray for scale during winter 
or for Botrytis (an infrequent leaf wilt) during summer. We 
shall be glad to supply simple and effective remedies upon 
request. 
When To Plant 
The planting season coincides with both peonies and lilacs. 
In SPRING, like peonies and lilacs, they sprout early and 
should be ordered and planted early. Definite season, usually, 
March 15 to April 10th. In FALL, like peonies, they become 
dormant during early September and, like lilacs, can be 
safely planted until the ground freezes permanently. Definite 
season, usually, September 1 to December 1. Spring 19 33 
planting should produce good bloom by Spring 1934. Fall 
1933 planting should bloom profusely by Spring 1935. Tree 
Peonies, like all long lived plants, require a summer’s growth 
in which to re-establish their root systems. The time to order 
is whenever you think of it. A month’s postponement in or¬ 
dering may mean a year's postponement of bloom. 
Where To Plant 
A location sheltered from prevailing winter winds is the 
first preference. They prefer limed soil, good drainage and 
sunlight, remembering that partial shade will protect blooms 
from the sun; as background to perennial beds and rock 
gardens; along the foundation of buildings or walls; in beds 
or as specimens and accent plants by themselves. In com¬ 
bination with “pre peony” bloomers such as Tall Late Tulips, 
Lilacs, Early Irises, Rosa Hugonis, Azaleas, Spirea, etc., allow 
two feet of unobstructed clearance around tree peonies so 
that pruning against overcrowding may be postponed for 
many years. While they may spread as much as 10 or 15 
feet in a hundred years, 4 feet apart is a good rule if planted 
by themselves. 
Which To Plant 
Our list of tree peonies, now available, follows. Descriptions 
are intentionally modest and limited because every variety 
is desirable and beautiful. Effusive descriptions would merely 
be so much reiteration. All you need do is select the color 
you prefer with the assurance that your garden will be 
graced by what will probably be your most prized garden 
possession. 
Do not accept price as the criterion of beauty but rather as 
based upon the supply available. If you derive satisfaction 
from exclusiveness, the “yellows” may be worth $ 1 , 000.00 to 
you because there are hardly 100 plants in the U. S. today 
but our price of $50.00 does not, necessarily claim that they 
are ten times as beautiful as $5.00 sorts. Only that they are 
much scarcer and much harder to produce and that deep 
yellow is an otherwise unattainable color in peonies. 
Tree Peony List 
There is no practical difference between the bloom season 
and growth rate of these varieties except that Moutan is 
exceptionally early and most rapid growing while the yellows 
are the very last to bloom and the slowest in growth. 
SIZES 
The value of a tree peony depends upon its rarity, not upon 
the size of the plant. 
The following prices apply on 2 to 4 year old plants which 
have already bloomed in our nursery. Many of them are 
“parent” plants which have been cut back for propagation 
purposes. If they appear stubby when received, remember 
that (a) you are receiving a “parent” plant; (b) that cutting 
back produces bushy plants; (c) that the stubbiness will dis¬ 
appear when spring growth develops; (d) that the roots have 
been unmolested and will produce that many more bloom 
sprouts for next spring; (e) that there will be no loss of time 
or bloom because, whether cut back or not, the shock of 
transplanting most any plant does not permit bloom the 
same spring it is received. 
PRICES 
Tree Peony prices are based entirely upon supply and not 
on size of plants or respective merit of bloom. Moutan and 
Iro No Seki are the best “buys” on the 19 34 list since our 
prices are based on adequate stock. All plants are return¬ 
able at our expense if in any way unsatisfactory. 
Akashi-gata —Semi-double Salmon $10.00 
Banski —Double pink with darker shades 6.00 
B. H. Farr —Sinale vivid cerise 10.00 
Goslio-Kazura —Single shell pink 6.00 
Haku-raku-teii —Semi-double pure white 10.00 
Hanaguruma —Semi-double rose pink 6.00 
Hana-No-Tsukasa —Semi-double lavender 6.00 
*Iro-No-Seki —Semi-double shell pink 5.00 
Iwato-Kagami —Double clear pink 6.00 
Kamaria-Fuji —Double flesh 6.00 
Kin Fukurin —Single bright cerise 7.5 0 
La Lorraine —Double pure golden yellow 100.00 
Michisliiba —Single Rose pink 6.00 
* Moutan —Single red. (See specimen offer) 3.00 
Nippon Ko —Semi-double pink 6.00 
Ruriban —Semi-double purple 10.00 
Shiko-Den —Double deep rose pink 7.50 
S. M. Cornu —Double yellow and burnt orange 35.00 
Shucliinka —'Semi-double flesh; darker center 6.00 
Tama-fuyo —Single clear pink 6.00 
Tama-Usagi —Single pure white 10.00 
Tsukasa-Jislii —Single rosy lavender 6.00 
* 1 Iro-No-Seki and IMoutan for 7.00 
SPECIMEN MOUTANS 
Description 
Moutan blooms are single, exotic, vivid purple-red, with 
crepe-paper petals and golden stamens in the center. The 
earliest, most vigorous and most free blooming of all- tree 
peonies. 
Moutan is the Wild Tree Peony of Thibet and is easier to 
propagate than its hybrid descendants. With us, it now exists 
in ample quantity as part of our ambition to make - tree 
peonies available to average gardens. Our stock is the largest 
in the Occidental world and we offer them in specimen sizes, 
accordingly. 
These speciments are six to ten years old and have borne 
from 2 0 to 100 blooms each. They will produce equal and 
improving results for customers after one summer’s root 
growth, following transplanting. All specimens are heavily 
ro.oted and heavily branched. Prices include careful packing 
and are the lowest ever applied in this country. 
18-24 inch specimens at $4.00 each 
24-30 inch speciments at $5.00 each 
30-36 inch speciments at $6.00 each 
36-42 inch speciments at $7.50 each 
