Breck’s is never a best bet :-) Try Bluestone Perennials or any one of a number of peony specialty nurseries.

Adelman has a fernleaf available this fall.

Yeah gardengal I didn’t like how brecks overpriced everything and then made it look like they have sales by marking down. I will check out bluestone. Thanks !

I tried to grow fernleaf peony once a long time ago. It never came back for me.

Never got one after I posted this. Here I am laying in bed thinking I need them again and found my own post from a while back. Still open to hear best place to buy these from? Also would late fall/early spring be a good time to plant ?

Ah @mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY), so the August dormancy is normal!? I always thought it was a kind of fungus or whatever. I have had a nameless hybrid for many years now. It blooms fantastically, though for a short time, it is a single, but halfway the summer it disappears. So par for the course, it seems.

Yes. A local botanical garden grew a lot of fernleafs. When in bloom, they were absolutely gorgeous, so there was a note that they went dormant early. I had been warned, but it was still a bit of a shock just how early even hybrids die off.

Good to know! I got mine for free from a generous gardener around here, so no complaints, but I was always wondering whether the fact that it is near large other plants had something to do with its early disappearance. Not much, it seems.

This plant grows in several gardens here, I swear that when it is dug up to be divided that any piece of root left behind will regrow a new plant even if it doesn't have growing eyes on them. It does bloom early and dies back early in the season - I have some planted with the narcissus 'Last of All' and they look good together.

James - if I get my act together later this season when the fern leaf has gone dormant I can probably send you a couple of divisions. I live in northeast Ohio.

^^ Wow, that is pretty!

That would be great Jeb! Thanks !

Jeb, I’m also in Northeast Ohio and would be interested in buying a piece of the peony or possibly trading with you for something I have that you may be interested in. I have hundreds of hosta varieties as well as many, many perennials in my gardens.

I moved one recent because I was worried the spot it was got too wet in heavy summer downpours. (near the edge of a patio)

I was shocked what a huge tuber it had developed! It was tempted to try to divide but I figured I'd stick with the original mission for now. TBH it's always seemed a bit sickly, so I'm pleased it had such a big root.

It's one of the oldest perennials in my garden now, coming from my first order for this property w/Seneca Hill Perennials in spring of 2006. Ellen is still around and doing her thing, btw. https://www.juniperlevelbotanicgarden.org/hanging-with-a-mass-of-rockers/

I did not know she had a connection to the Manhattan Project.