Research was begun in 2001 at the Georgeson Botanical Garden to learn if peonies could be grown and exported as specialty cut flowers. Peonies bloom in Alaska from late June through September when world markets are limited. Through our research we have shown that it is possible to export very high quality fresh cut stems to markets in the U.S. and overseas, thus developing a viable horticultural export crop for Alaska. There are now 17 peony growers statewide with more than 500 roots in the ground, and more than 100 people working toward that goal. Most are members of the Alaska Peony Growers Association. Commercial exports began in 2007. In 2011, 10,000 stems were sold statewide.
We have conducted a diversity of research that has involved undergraduates, graduate students and researchers at UAF as well as scientists at the USDA Agricultural Research Service. Research includes cultivar evaluation, spacing, pest and disease identification, post harvest handling, marketing and economics. Click on the buttons below to read summaries of this research as well as find links to downloadable PDFs.