This post is from Hannah, there seems to be a problem for her posting in this forum. We will try to solve it, for now copy/paste is the quick solution.

Hi guys, and Happy New Year!
The last days I have read some articles about making intersectional peonies. I found an article in Paeonia which is very hands on on how to make an intersectional cross. It is basically the same as making any cross, but the author Donald Smith also writes about a high amount of ruptured seeds in intersectional crosses which was unknown for me. Advice about gluing these seeds to make them grow. Fascinating!

Read the article here:
https://www.peonysociety.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/2002-vol-32-nr-1.pdf

Paeonia issues between 1995 and 2002 contains lots of useful info about intersectionals, but I haven´t yet read all of them.

As most know the most used herbaceous variety to use as seed parent is Martha W. Although M. Washington is mentioned in several articles, but I think that is just a mistake? Both Martha W. and Martha Washington are registered by the APS. Several Martha W. seedlings or unnamed lactifloras and Miss America are also common as seed parents.

For a comparison of seed parents/seed yield, as well as a list of proven seed parents:
https://www.peonysociety.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/paeonia-V25-n2.pdf

As the most fertile pollen parent Golden Era and (Ruffled Sunset?) is mentioned. But good results had also been made with Alice in Wonderland. Alice Harding as a pollen parent is also to be found in several registrations. Reth´s seedling A-198 seems very potent as well.

For a comparison of pollen parents/seed yield, as well as a list of proven seed parents:
https://www.peonysociety.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/paeonia-V25-n3.pdf

This article, and other articles about ithos in Paeonia are however written more than 18 years ago. I assume progress has been made, but I haven’t found any good information yet. Does anybody have information about newer and even more fertile named Lutea hybrids or lactifloras to make intersectional crosses?

Also, I´d like to know if there are any confirmed Intersectional crosses made with tetraploid herbaceous hybrids instead of lactis, and in that case which the parents are? A mention of Bill Seidl making such crosses with TP x tet herbaceous hybrid in Paeonia 1995 no 1. Indicates that the few seeds obtained never germinated.

By the way, do you know if Donald Smith still is around?

The more I read about peonies the more questions I get….