Peony importing requires some investigation of sources. Certain rare plants may be obtained from champion breeders overseas and some may be pricier than others. On the other hand, champion growers exist in the United States and people in other countries may find that importing from them is pricey, also. It's important to do the research, regardless of where you live, realizing that what is expensive to one enthusiast may be an essential investment to another.

China's long heritage of tree peonies and herbaceous peonies make the country a prime source for peony importing, now that their export reluctance has been eased. In a country where the peony is celebrated by annual festivals and is the national flower, such earlier feelings are understandable. However, many businessmen now travel to the peony cultivation capital, Luoyang, several times a year to add to their propagation knowledge and to search for new varieties to import.

The United States does not permit importation of soil, so peony roots have to be power-washed before being shipped. Unfortunately, this destroys feeder roots while washing off the dirt, so it takes time for the feeder roots to regrow after being planted at the nurseries. A plant import permit may be required, depending upon where you live.

Other Sources for Peony Importing

In addition to the peony nurseries that may be part of agricultural conglomerates in Asia, peonies can also be obtained from smaller, family-owned nurseries throughout the world. Their root stock may sometimes be fresher than what may have gone through several distributors to end up in chain store nurseries in the United States, Canada, and possibly elsewhere. However, some do not participate in mail order peony importing.