About
A clump-forming perennial, to 90cm tall, with dark green, divided foliage. The aromatic flowers, produced in early summer, consist of a bowl of large, creamy-white petals filled with a mass of creamy white staminodes tipped with raspberry pink, the whole bloom flushing pale pink with age.
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 pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, East-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
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
FragranceFlower
ToxicityPets (dogs, cats): Skin irritant. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
CultivationBest in deep, fertile, humus-rich soil that is moist but well-drained in a sheltered position in full sun or partial shade. Likely to need support (see staking perennials). Long-lived but resents disturbance. See herbaceous peony cultivation for further information.
PruningRemove dead flowers as they fade, then cut plant back as the foliage dies down at the end of summer
PropagationPropagate by division in autumn or early spring
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