Molly-the-witch

Molly-the-witch: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Bushy, rounded clump 60–80 cm tall and wide, regrowing from the ground each year.

Foliage

Deeply cut, blue-green and a little bluish beneath; reddish-brown to purple-red when young.

Flower

Single, bowl-shaped flowers of 10–12 cm with a ring of golden stamens, in April and May; each flower stays open only briefly.

Colour

Soft yellow, often tinged lemon.

Fruit

Seed pods that split open in late summer, showing red, sterile and glossy blue-black, fertile seeds.

Roots

Thick, fleshy roots that dislike being disturbed.

Flowering: April–May · Plants: September–October · Pruning: October–November

Why grow it?

• Soft yellow single flowers of 10–12 cm in April–May, earlier than most peonies.
• The blue-green foliage emerges reddish-brown in spring and stays handsome all summer.
• In late summer the seed pods split open with red and blue-black seeds: another lovely moment in the garden.
• Bees and other insects find pollen in the open flowers.
• A plant for life: once established it flowers for decades with little care.

Molly-the-witch: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade; it likes light shade in the hottest hours.
• Humus-rich, well-drained loam or clay, neutral to chalky.
• Moderately moist: not left waterlogged, but not too dry either.
• Allow 70–80 cm per plant; sheltered from strong wind and late spring frost that damages the young shoots.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Loam or clay

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.7 m tall, 0.7 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Forget-me-not: Blue clouds beneath the yellow bowls, in the same spring.
• Brunnera: Blue flowers and large leaves next to the yellow peony.
• Hardy geranium: Covers the ground after flowering and fills the gap when the peony rests.
• Tulip: White or purple spring bulbs contrast nicely with the yellow.

Molly-the-witch: when and how to plant it?

Plant in September–October.

1. Plant in September–October, while the soil is still warm and moist.
2. Dig a hole about 40 cm deep and wide and mix in well-rotted compost.
3. Plant shallowly: the red buds (eyes) should lie no more than 3–5 cm below the surface; planted too deep it will not flower.
4. Keep 70–80 cm from its neighbours and firm the soil gently.
5. Water in at once; do not mulch directly over the crown, to prevent rot.

Care

Water

In the first year, water regularly and deeply in dry weather; later in long droughts.

Feeding

A spade of compost or well-rotted manure in spring; no fresh manure or excess nitrogen.

Mulching

A thin layer of leaf mould in autumn, kept away from the crown.

Support

Usually not needed: the single flowers are light and the clump stands firm.

Patience

After planting it often takes three years or more before it really flowers; do not move it.

Tip: Plant it shallowly, with the eyes no more than 3–5 cm below the soil, and do not move it again. Be patient: flowers come after three years or more.

Molly-the-witch: when to prune it?

Pruning months: October–November.

When: In October–November, when the foliage turns yellow or brown and dies back.

How:

• Cut all dead stems to just above the ground.
• Put the foliage in the household waste if the plant was diseased; do not compost it.
• Leave the seed pods in place until they have split open, if you like them.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Sow fresh seed outdoors in autumn in a pot or tray; it needs warmth followed by cold. Germination takes one to two years, and flowering only after five to six years.

Division

In September–October, with care and only on a large, old clump; each piece needs 3–5 eyes and roots. It recovers slowly.

Molly-the-witch: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Fully hardy, down to about −25 °C: no protection is needed in Belgian winters.
• The above-ground parts die back in autumn; the buds overwinter just below the soil.
• Late spring frost can damage the red young shoots in March–April: cover them with fleece if frost is forecast.

Diseases and pests

• Grey mould (Botrytis): Young shoots or buds turn brown, wilt or rot in cool, damp weather. Cut affected parts back into healthy tissue and discard them; clear all foliage in autumn.
• No flowers: Usually planted too deep, too much shade, or the plant is newly established or moved. Plant shallowly, give a sunnier spot and be patient.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in late summer. Usually harmless; cut off affected leaves in autumn.
• Slugs: Young shoots nibbled in spring. Collect them in the evening or lay a ring of coarse grit around the plant.

Through the year

• March: Red shoots appear. Cover in frost. Add compost.
• April: First flowers. Watch for slugs.
• May: Full flower. Water in dry weather.
• June: Seed pods form. Water in dry weather.
• July: Water in long dry spells.
• August: Seed pods split open with red and blue-black seeds. Collect fresh seed.
• September: Plant or divide. Sow.
• October: Plant. Cut back dead stems.
• November: Cut back dead stems and clear the foliage.

Edible and useful

Not edible. Peonies are mildly poisonous, especially the roots and seeds: eating them causes nausea, vomiting, stomach ache and diarrhoea, in children as well as in dogs, cats and grazing animals. In autumn the seed pods split open to show glossy red and blue-black seeds, which children like to pick up: cut them off or do not let children play with them. The root of the common peony was once used as a remedy, and its seeds as a necklace for teething babies: do not do this. The sap can irritate the skin: wear gloves when dividing and moving plants. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Did you know?

• In English it is called ‘Molly-the-witch’, a nickname that arose from its hard-to-pronounce species name mlokosewitschii.
• The species is named after Ludwik Młokosiewicz, a Polish naturalist who discovered it in the Caucasus.
• The split seed pods hold two kinds of seed: the red ones are sterile and the glossy blue-black ones are fertile.