Home > Intersectional or Itoh Peonies > What are Itoh or Intersectional Peonies?
Itoh (or "Intersectional"), is a cross between herbaceous and tree peonies. In winter herbaceous peonies die back to their underground parts, whereas tree peonies lose their leaves but retain viable woody stems above ground. The Itoh hybrids are intermediate between herbaceous and tree forms. They are named after Toichi Itoh, who first produced a successful intersectional hybrid in 1948. Intersectional peonies are referred to as "Itoh" peonies in his honor. Itoh peonies are often recent introductions and many include many specialty colors of peonies, so supply is often less and thus are priced higher.