About
Paeonia 'Chinese Dragon' is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial to around 1.2 m with dark-green foliage tinged with pink. Strong, upright stems bear single, crimson-red to purple flowers with bright-yellow stamens in spring. A bold and beautiful herbaceous peony for a sunny, fertile, well-drained border.
About the genus
Paeonia, the peonies, may be herbaceous perennials or deciduous subshrubs with large, divided, deeply lobed leaves and showy, bowl-shaped flowers in a wide range of colours, usually in early summer. Long-lived and rewarding garden plants.
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectEast-facing, South-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeShrubs
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height1-1.5 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden
ToxicityPets (dogs, cats): Skin irritant. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
CultivationWill grow well in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade in a sheltered position. Plant in autumn, add fertiliser in spring to promote good growth and mulch avoiding the stem area. Irrigate regularly until the plant becomes established after which it should not require routine watering. See tree peony cultivation for more details.
PruningPrune dead stems to a healthy bud in late winter and cut flowered shoots just above the new growth in summer or autumn. Cut stems by a third in autumn to encourage vigor if the plant becomes leggy. See Pruning group 1 for more details.
PropagationPropagate by grafting, from a semi-ripe cutting or layering
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to leaf and bud eelworm and soil-dwelling swift moth caterpillar
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to a virus, honey fungus, Verticillium wilt, peony leaf blotch and peony wilt