About
A herbaceous perennial to 60cm tall, with broad, bluish-green, divided foliage and bowl-shaped lemon-yellow flowers 10-12cm wide, with deep yellow stamens, in mid-spring.
About the genus
Paeonia may be herbaceous perennials or deciduous sub-shrubs with large, divided leaves and showy large bowl-shaped flowers, usually in early summer
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAlkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectWest-facing, South-facing, East-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, City and courtyard gardens
Native toSE Europe to N Iran
ToxicityPets (dogs, cats): Skin irritant. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
CultivationGrow in deep, fertile, moist, humus-rich soil. Slightly alkaline is preferable, but neutral and slightly acidic soils are suitable too. A position in full sun or partial shade is required. See Peony cultivation: herbaceous for further information.
PruningCut back the foliage at the end of the season
PropagationPropagate by seed in autumn or winter outdoors. Germination can take two or three years. Plants can also be propagated by division in autumn or early spring, just before the plant come back into growth. Aim to include one or several plump terminal buds with each division. The new plants can take two or three years to flower again as they dislike disturbance. It is also possible to take root cuttings in winter
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to leaf and bud eelworm and soil-dwelling swift moth larvae
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to a virus, honey fungus, Verticillium wilt, peony leaf blotch and peony wilt